Showing posts with label Owen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Owen. Show all posts

Friday, March 6, 2015

Snow Day 2015

Ok one thing should be noted is that I am from north east Texas, and being in the southern part of the United States, we don't see much "real" snow.  In fact there is no guarantee that it will snow even one time a year.  I've actually gone quite a few years without seeing snow in my hometown.  It is just a fact of life, something we southerners are used to I guess. 

As such, when it does snow, everything shuts down and everyone goes outside to play, partly because it is so rare, and partly because no one knows how to drive in the conditions.  A couple of inches is heaven for us, but this particular day no one really saw coming.  We got a whopping 5-6 inches!  I have never seen that much snow where I live in my entire life.  To say it was an epic day would be an understatement.  

We knew there would be some snow accumulation so we decided to stay the night at my parent's house where there is a huge hill that is perfect for sledding, acres to pull sleds behind four wheelers, and family across the pasture to enjoy it all with! This turned out to be a great decision considering the snowfall we got that day.  

We all woke up disappointed that morning though because no snow was on the ground yet, and they had predicted it should start falling around 4 AM.  Of course being in Texas we are used to crazy weather that can change quickly, so I think we all expected it to just not happen at all.  Thankfully at about 7:55 AM it began to fall and just didn't stop!  I am talking HUGE, massive flakes that began to cover the ground in a hurry.  Everyone kept saying how crazy it was that it snowed so hard for so long.  It didn't let up until around 3 that afternoon.  

Mark and I are so blessed to have such wonderful family, that all get along so well.  This particular day we were able to celebrate our snow day with my parents, brother Adam and his wife Abby, my cousin Kyndall, her husband Rory, her daughter Haylyn, my aunt and uncle, Meredith, a friend from small group, and the Bordens.  We had a great time just doing things we don't normally get to do like make snow angels, or legitimate snow men, sledding, and having a snowball fight.  By the way, snow is TIRING, we were all out of breath after walking back up hills and fighting each other.  We had a boys against the girls snowball fight (which we sadly lost), and then spent time just talking to each other outside.  

After a while, the littles couldn't handle to cold and wet anymore so we would take shifts with sitting inside while they warmed up.  I was able to catch up with Kyndall while our kids watched "Frozen" by the fire.  It was such a relaxed, fun day that it quickly went up on everyone's list as one of the best days they had in a long time.  There is just something magical about snow (well snow that is here a couple of days then is gone) and when you have as much as we did, it just adds to the wonder of it all.  



Monday, January 20, 2014

Owen's Winter ONEderland Birthday

Oh my gosh people, I cannot believe it, my baby boy is 1!  Cue the tears!
My sweet precious little guy is now officially not a baby and I have to admit I am 
finding it hard to deal with at the moment.  

My sad Mama's heart doesn't negate the fact that we still had a party to throw!  I mean you 
only turn 1 once right?  And what a major accomplishment when you think
about what all babies accomplish in that first year of life!

I had been pondering what "theme" to do for this little laid back guy.  For his brother it
was so very easy because balls were all he played with!  But Owen likes pretty much
anything and everyone, so having something specific to him wasn't quite
as easy.  Luckily my mother found the cutest theme of a Winter ONEderland on pinterest
and we just went from there.  Isn't pinterest awesome?

This was by far a super easy party thanks in part to the principal at the elementary school here. 
She loves to decorate anything and everything and she had all of these decorations on hand 
besides the table cloths!  My mother was gracious enough to bring them to me as 
well as help out with supplies for the party.  Her, my grandmother, grandfather, aunt and cousin
all helped set everything up the night before (I know, I really do have the best family).  I was
so thankful for their help because I had been laid up with a sinus infection for two days and
didn't get down there until late! 

Some of the refreshments.  I loved the water jug that was supposed to resemble a melted snowman!
We also had hot chocolate and chili, along with "snow" powdered donuts and pop-corn in snowman cups.

The banner said "Happy Birthday" with snowflakes behind it.  

We later put monthly pictures I had taken of Owen on the tree to show his growth!


The DELICIOUS cupcakes our friend and surrogate "grandmother" Lolli made for us!

My Birthday Boy!


What party would it be if there wasn't train ride!


I had some handsome help opening presents!


Ready for some cake!

My friend, Shaina, made his darling smash cake which was also DELICIOUS!


HE was nasty, so nasty that I didn't want to get him out.  My brother did that for me.

It was definitely a two man clean up job!


Reid and his two favorite people in the world basically!  They get married in like 47 days!  Woohoo!


All in all, Owen had a terrific birthday!  I couldn't have done it without help, especially from my mom
who bought banners, table cloths, made gum favors, and everything in between.
Seriously she is the best and I am so thankful for her and all her help.

We are so blessed by our little man and are excited to watch him grow up into a wonderful man of God!

Friday, December 13, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013 and our Blessing Tree

Thanksgiving is quite possibly my very favorite holiday.  You get the togetherness of family, the good food, the awesome desserts, all without the stress of gift giving!  I love being able to see family and spend quality time with the people I love.  The further along I get into mine and Mark's marriage the more I feel his family is now mine as well.  This year (number 5) it really felt no different being at his house than it would if I were at my own.  For this I am truly grateful.  I don't know if it is the maturity that came with being older now, or what, but I am just glad it happened.

Several things happened over the Thanksgiving holiday, one being we were able to see Blake, Mark's twin, and his new wife Whitney for the first time since their wedding! It was so good to see them as a newly wed couple and just catch up with life and how everything was going.  Of course we were also able to see the other couples as well, and we talked about how awesome it was a that everyone was married finally!  I was also able to get a new phone with Black Friday deals, a Samasung Galaxy S4, for FREE!  I was a little pumped.  Being an apple girl, I was nervous about the switch, but I absolutely love the android operating system.  It took some getting used to, but we are rocking and rolling now.  After I got mine on Friday at midnight, 2 of  my sisters-in-law went to get the same deal!  You just can't beat it!  All of the pictures I took from that weekend are taken with my galaxy, so bear with me.

My two guys sitting down to Thanksgiving lunch!



A full table!  Finally!

These plates are what my MIL asks for for Christmas! They are beautiful!

Playing with Daddy and Uncle Blake 

While the girls clean up dinner!

Owen loves his Aunt "Whit".  I got him chilling out with her more times than one!

We were able to help my MIL put up her Christmas tree!


She also sewed me a tree skirt to match the stockings she made for me!


Isn't it beautiful!



In line with my sisters at best buy waiting to get a phone!

Every year at Thanksgiving Mark's high school friends get together to play games!  It is a great time had by all!

Lastly his next picture, I have to say this was one of my favorite things to do in November.  I had the idea to make a "Blessing Tree" and put our blessings on leaves every night at bible time!  It was the neatest thing to watch our leaves fill out the tree as we went on.  I wrote down everyone's blessings they thought of this year, and planning on doing this every year!



Monday, November 18, 2013

All in October

This is a random post of off the things that happened in the month of october around the clifton house!

I know this wouldn't be most people's cup of tea but I love living next to my parents, grandparents, and aunt and uncle.  It is seriously the best.  One of the major benefits is getting to see family constantly.  We work together to get things done and as a result my kids get to experience different things and get to know their grandparents.  I adore the way Reid loves Poppy and wants to help him do many different things around the "land".
Reid helping Poppy on the Tractor
This kid also LOVES LOVES LOVES sports.  He will go to a football game and actually watch it.  He has done so for most of his life.  He claps when others clap, and just enjoys the game.




One of his birthday presents from his "Tink" (my aunt) was a two man tent!  He ate breakfast in it for 2 solid weeks.  


I just think he is adorable!

On October 19, my brother-in-law, Mark's Twin, Blake got married to a wonderful girl  We were all there to celebrate the occasion with Mark as best man and Reid as ring bearer.  Reid's eardrum had burst the Monday before, but we didn't find out about it until we were driving down Thursday morning!  Mark said "Um, Kristen, have you seen this green gunk coming out of Reid's ear?"  Poor guy did not sleep very good at all the two nights we were away.  However you can't tell it from the pictures!
Reid showing of his "bones".  They were also glow in the dark!

One of my sister-in-laws, Katy, who helped me get the boys ready and to the wedding.  Love her!

Every one is married!  Sister in laws!
Isn't he adorable?!


 The wedding was beautiful but it was a LONG trip back.  Made even worse by the ear escapade.  At one point I was sitting in the backseat trying to feed both boys who were screaming!  When that ordeal was over 30 minutes later I told Mark I had a proposition.  I decided he and I would renew our vows when the rest of his brothers all had small children and they would have to drive just far enough to make it feasible they could drive back.  Luckily I don't think that will happen, but at the time it made me feel better!

They both fell asleep the last 15 minutes of the 4 hour drive!