Caddo Lake with the Hoffmeisters

We had a great weekend in the fancy Caddo Lake cabin (aka double wide trailer! ha!) with our favorite New Orlean-eans, Monique, Jules, Darby and Ellis (my sweet godchild). The weather was overcast and slightly rainy all weekend, but it was perfect to enjoy a short hike, plenty of fishing, and riding in Matt's canoe.

This was George & Abigail's first time to fish and they had more fun casting with their Lightening McQueen and Princess fishing poles! George nearly caught his first fish, but of course it got away!!

Darby (with the help of his daddy) scored one on his first cast, what a pro!

It wouldn't be a family vacation without one medical situation...poor Ellis awoke Saturday morning with a puffy eye from a bite that progressively became more swollen and red throughout the day. Ended up in a trip into the Marshall, TX ER Sat night with one shot and antibiotics...poor baby!! Didn't slow him down though....he kept up with the big kids all weekend!
Hiking in the piney woods.
Pontoon boat ride.
Took a guided pontoon boat ride through the swamps of Caddo Lake...there is something mysteriously beautiful about the cypress moss curtains and quiet lilypad covered waters of North Louisiana. Took me back to when I was a child skiing on those waters.

We had a great time reuniting with our sweet friends and loving on their kiddos. One thing is true about your best and dearest friends...we always pick right back up where we left off last time. We love you Hoffmeisters and can't wait to do it again, just maybe not in a double wide next time!! Ha!

Honoring the mamas...

We had an action-packed weekend to celebrate Mother's Day. Grammy was in town for Abigail's recital weekend and we were able to enjoy several events going on around the OKC metro.

We took Grammy to our OKC Zoo and we all got to see new baby elephant Malee who was only 3 weeks old and 350 lbs!! Adorable!! Happy Mother's Day to mama Asha.
Posing on "Playmates" with my little playmates
George & Abigail love the Children's Zoo and with temps in mid 80s, they waded in the cool stream, played in the water fountains, and petted the billygoats. We love our Zoo and plan to spend lots of time there this summer.


Saturday morning was spent at the Touch-a-Truck event. A local Mom's Club sponsors this event where there are hands-on opportunities for children and adults to crawl in and honk the horns of transportation vehicles we see on our roads daily. George liked the giant crane and Orange County Chopper/Chesapeake natural gas Chopper the best. I liked the Children's Hospital helicopter the best. George liked pretending he was a pilot like his grandpa.


His best buddy Rachel was there too and she and George ran from truck to truck, with little Gideon close behind.



Where was Abigail you ask? Within 5 seconds of being in the parking lot and still in the car, she spotted a costumed mascot (Braum's cow) and screamed and cried. She refused to go anywhere near the event, so she and her daddy hung out at the Farmer's Market the whole time. Her highlight was getting a new balloon and sampling fair trade chocolate...and NOT having to go near the mascots! Really ready for her to grow out of that fear....

Matt cooked a beautiful Mother's Day brunch at home after church...salmon with lemon hollandaise on english muffins, green and fruit salads and Grammy shared her Shari's Berries (huge chocolate covered strawberries) for dessert. Much better than any restaurant could have prepared! After brunch, we cracked cascarones (Mexican tradition of blown eggs filled with confetti) in the front yard and George & Abigail thought that was a ton o' fun. Even Nana & Pop joined in on it. And I was able to capture the excitement with my camera donning my new fancy burnt orange camera strap (gift from G&A for Mama's day)...I love it!!

Yes, that's confetti in his mouth.
The 3 Mamas!

The weekend was completed with Abigail's dress rehearsal and two dance performances....could not have asked for a better weekend. I was surrounded by people I love all weekend and the two precious reasons I celebrate being a mom...George and Abigail!

Our little Performer!

Sweet Abigail stole the show! This weekend was her very first dance recital with Artworks Academy. Her tap number was Shirley Temple's "Animal Crackers" with her "dance friends" as she calls them (her dance class), her ballet number was "Topsy Turvy" with the entire preschool program, and she and Matt did a Father/Daughter Jazz number.

Preparing for their "boogie & twirls!"

She loved every minute of being on the stage....the lights, the makeup, the beautiful costumes!! As I walked her backstage to join her class before her first dance, she confidently waved goodbye and announced "Bye Mama! I'll be on stage dancing!!" During her tap routine, she slipped and fell, but got right back up and continued dancing. Made her mama soooo proud.

Grammy came in from Texas for the show and Nana, Pop, George, and Daddy were all there to cheer her on. She loved being showered with roses and carnations in celebration for the performance too. George enjoyed watching the dancing too...he was mezmorized by the music and costumes of the "big girls". He sat still like a statue on his Grammy's lap for the whole 3 1/2 hour show!

What a fabulous way to spend Mother's Day weekend....watching my precious baby girl dance! More stories & pics to come from the rest of the fun-filled weekend!

Easter, cont.

The next pictures capture a few images of our family gathering that took place after Easter surrounding Granny's/Oma's burial. She died in October and her ashes were finally laid to rest with Grandpa George in the Fort Sam Hood Military Cemetary. The ceremony itself was very reverent and family fellowship was just as she would have wanted it.

We spent a beautiful 96 degree day at Zilker Park in Austin (and the kids even took a cool dip!), stuffed ourselves with BBQ at the Salt Lick the night before, joined up with Uncle George, Aunt Barbara, and cousins Dave and Paula for lunch at Tomatillo's in San Antonio, and spent more family time at Grammy & Grandpa's that night. It was nice to see Grandpa George's grave (we hadn't been there since his funeral 10 years ago) and we said goodbye to fabulous grandparents/great-grandparents. We love and miss you deeply.

Snowcones and limestone!
Just below Zilker Dam.
Yes, we were "those parents" who stripped our kids down to beat the heat! It felt so nice to cool off!
Jacob & Nate taking the plunge!

Salt Lick is a Texas Hill Country favorite of everyone's!

Bedtime story with Grammy.

George adores his big cousins Jacob and Nate. He was their little shadow the whole time!

Lunch before the service @ Tomatillo's.

My gorgeous sis-in-law Missy and precious nephew Nate.
George was joyous to see his great-grandpa's name on his headstone. The great-grandchildren decorated Grandpa's marker with flowers also. Grandpa George is little George's namesake...he has big shoes to fill.

The moment of this image took my breath away. Love those boys.

Praise the Risen Lord!

I'm writing from Spring Branch, TX on the edge of Canyon Lake at Grammy & Grandpa's house. We are here to celebrate the risen Lord and also to honor Lorene Mathilda Hitzfeld Janning (aka Granny/ Oma) at the burial of her ashes.

George & Abigail dyed their first Easter Eggs, attended their first Easter sunrise Service, and hunted Easter eggs. We were blessed to place the crown on the cross as a family during the Reiker's lakeside sunrise service...such an honor! Could not have been a more beautiful, peaceful morning, watching the sun peek through the clouds with a cool Hill Country breeze.

We are awaiting the arrival of the rest of the Jankowski and Keller families who will help us to continue the celebration of the two risen Saints. More to come later....

Morning is breaking at the Reiker's house.
This picture WILL resurface at their weddings! ha!

Second Game and beyond....

The second game fell on our multi-family garage sale day, so the dads got to take all the kids to the game. Much success!!! Not having Mama around can be a good thing sometimes...George was ready to get out there and tear it up. He played most of the game and had a blast!

Every game since then, he has been a fabulous team player. He scored one goal which made him beam from ear to ear! He runs the field with the herd of kids chasing the ball and it is the cutest darned thing ever. He loves playing soccer!

He has really built self-confidence lately. Not sure if soccer has anything to do with it or not, but he has been willing to try new things more readily, greet people independently, and has visibly "come out of his shell". He saw his buddy Hudson at last week's game and ran all the way across the soccer field by himself to go say hello...I was so surprised he did that!

Here are a few glimpses into today's game...

Water break after warm-up...like his new summer haircut?
Daddy and Abs on the sidelines

In the pack (look for the red shorts & green shirt)...
He loves running through the tunnel at the end of the game!

George WANTED to have his haircut at the barber shop for the first time. He and Pop got their hair cut and he was still like a statue! He loved getting to have a sucker while he got his new 'do! And he even asked the barber to put gel in his hair to make it spikey...definitely think he's overcoming some sensory issues!

Last night Northhaven Day School had their spring carnival and the twins had a great time! George WANTED to get his face painted (another first!!) as Batman and jumped for what seemed like hours in the bounce house. Sweet Abigail wanted her face painted with rainbows and hearts. G&A absolutely love their teacher Mrs. Abby...she has been so good for both of them! They will certainly be sad to say goodbye in June when they start their new preschool, but they are looking forward to feeding the bunny and dancing at Pumpkin Shell!