NCL Tea

In mid-April, Kaitlynn and I attended our annual spring tea with the Azalea chapter of National Charity League (NCL). It's always a really cute event where the sophomore class of girls get to practice their event-hosting skills by choosing a theme, decorations, and meal to host the entire chapter. This year, Kaitlynn was excited to welcome Lily who was a new member for the incoming 6th grade class. It was a nice afternoon we had a great time!

S I X T Y

Another big milestone came in our household in early April when Jeff turned the big 6-0, WOW! We had a few fun things planned and it started with lunch at one of his favorite spots in Houston, Treebeards. We stopped there for lunch where he could enjoy the best red beans and rice dish in the area. When I first lived in Houston, I remember thinking this was a strange meal to enjoy, but this Treebeards signature dish has a cult following and it's no doubt one of Jeff's favorites. 

As Jeff was wrapping up his lunch, he had quite the birthday surprise when suddenly, some very unexpected visitors showed up. Straight off the airplane from Florida, his Dad and Cheryl casually walked in around the corner and gave Jeff quite the shock - in the best way! It was such a fun surprise for Jeff's birthday, and we were thrilled they could make the trip to celebrate with us. 

Our trip to Treebeard's wasn't complete without picking up Jeff's all-time favorite chocolate cake, which I had special ordered for him to enjoy with the family at home. Kevin joined us for dinner where Jeff opened a few gifts and we all dove into the cake!

The next morning was Jeff's actual birthday - S I X T Y ! - which meant it was time for Jeff's self-imposed pushup challenge. 1 pushup for each of his 60 years - what a glutton for punishment he must be, ha?! We were all witnesses to the challenge, and he managed to pull it off (but not without a lot of grunting and heavy breathing). I sure don't know many (any?) other 60 year olds that could pull this off. Way to go! And what better way to celebrate the achievement than with more of his favorite chocolate cake, ha!

Later in the day, we were able to continue the celebration with a beautiful birthday lunch at one of our favorite spots, Taste of Texas. Jeff enjoyed an amazing steak and that all time favorite salad bar. It was the perfect birthday meal!

When we arrived home from lunch, Jeff was greeted with a fun balloon bouquet at the front door which was attached to a mystery box... what could it be? After layer upon layer of packaging, he finally got to the gift inside - it was yet another chocolate cake! His amazing team in Dubai had arranged for this special delivery for their beloved boss. Such a fun and unexpected surprise for Jeff!

We enjoyed so much having Jerry and Cheryl visit for Jeff's birthday, and we soaked in the time with them through lots of yummy meals and even a few games of euchre. It was a low-key but fun celebration for Jeff's milestone birthday.

Of course, no birthday would be complete without one of Jeff's epic bike trips where he managed to flip and crash into the muddy roadside. How fitting that he was wearing his new "Vintage 1963" birthday shirt to mark his milestone 60th - thank goodness for no epic injuries, ha!

Spring Photos and Updates

Time for another collection of random photos and updates from our busy 2023. In late March, Jeff marked his 1-year anniversary of returning to work as a contractor for his former firm in Dubai. He traveled to work onsite with his team where he always enjoys the camaraderie with the group along with lots of yummy meals we all miss from our time there. The team took some photos during this visit and it was fun to see Jeff right at home in the office.

At Easter time, Kaitlynn's class that works with the special education kids at WoodCreek was able to host a fun Easter egg hunt for them all to enjoy. This class has been such a blessing to Kaitlynn in so many ways!

Whenever Kaitlynn has friends over, one of their favorite things to do is enjoying fun in the pool - especially those night time swims.

In April, Jeff and I were able to enjoy a really nice dinner at Anthonie's with my colleague Dusti and her hubby John. It was an unexpected treat and a delicious meal with great conversation.

I always hate to miss various school events, but it's so nice getting updates and photos when I can't make it. During one of the school pep rallies, I had several friends snap and share pics of my girl doing her thing on the gym floor. 

Connor and his buddy, Sam, were one of the few guys invited to celebrate his friend Morgan at her 17th birthday party at Top Golf. When the pics were posted to Facebook, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or facepalm, ha!

I was able to steal a photo off of Connor's BeReal (social media app) that he took with his elementary school friends in the PALs program. To say this program has been a blessing to Connor and his friends would be the greatest understatement! What a great opportunity for all the kids, love it so much!

Spring Visit with Anais

We try not to go too long in between visits with Kaitlynn's bestie, Anais. In early April, the girls were excited for one of their fun weekends together, and we made sure to pack in the all their favorites. Girls' lunch, shopping (at multiple malls), pool time, making treats, lounging at home, and the usual stop at the Altitude Trampoline Park. We even managed to enjoy a fun teppanyaki dinner while Collin was in town, and it's always built-in entertainment for the girls when he's around, ha! So thankful for these two and their super special friendship!