Visiting Cousins

Last month we were blessed by a super fun visit with some of our Morgan cousins. Jeb, Alli, Makenna, Madison, Marissa, Robin, Karlie, and Preslee all came to visit and it was such a fun weekend! The cousins don't get nearly enough time together, so they had a blast swimming, playing, eating, and just enjoying one another. Here is a recap in iPhone pics!

(Will I ever go back to using my real camera? Sometimes I wonder!)

Besides enjoying lots of yummy food and treats, we spent the majority of our time together enjoying our new pool. We had a great weekend of summer weather, and we even had a cool front that brought record lows to Katy. It was almost too cold to swim!!

First time swimming in the new Courtright pool.

Of course we always have music playing, so the girls decided to bust out their dance moves!

Aunt Alli and her 3 girls.

Lining up for a picture and then a jump.

Makenna jumps high!

Swimming with cousin Karlie. I've decided I need a full-time Karlie at my house in the summers!

Jumping!

Some of the girl cousins. And Connor. Always the only boy at these Morgan gatherings!

Karlie practiced some of her cheer moves.

We learned that Preslee knows how to braid at the ripe old age of 6.

Kaitlynn requested Preslee's services...

and she sat very still for her.

Ta-da! Preslee did a great job!

This is where the kids ate every meal -- outside. Best decision!

More pool playtime!

They had so much fun.

The fun continued inside where the girls played lots of dress-up and just enjoyed each other's company. The Moms were able to sneak away for some fun resale shopping, and then we came back and raided mine and Kaitlynn's closet for hand-me-downs (although apparently these are referred to as hand-me-ups across the family, ha)!

Back inside, it was time for princess dress-up. If I had a dollar for every outfit change that weekend...

Indoor playtime.

Outfit change #546 for the day. And check out the playroom destruction -- signs of a great play time!

Uncle Jeb and Madison.

Apparently while the Moms were shopping, the little girls had "weddings" complete with more outfits and accessories. Marissa's wedding and bouquet is here.

Preslee's turn with her wedding gown and the ring pillow.

And then it was Kaitlynn's turn, who apparently wanted to wed with fake beads and a stuffed zebra. Alrighty then.

Shopping in my closet for hand-me-ups.

One of Kaitlynn's former swimsuits was a perfect fit for Marissa!

Late on Saturday evening, my kitchen faucet suddenly wouldn't shut off. The water kept running and running. The faucet had been giving us problems but apparently decided to just give up and break completely. My poor brother Jeb was roped in to replace the faucet with help from Jeff. Anyone who remembers the cabinets that Jeb built for us would understand why Jeb may not be wanting to visit us again anytime soon. We seem to put him to work every time! Oh and for the record, the faucet is still not completely finished due to some missing parts we are waiting on. And one more thing, apparently "lifetime warranty" on certain things is a total sham (I'm referring to you, Moen Faucets).

Jeb tackles the sink faucet.

How many Dads does it take to replace a kitchen faucet?

We seem to be missing a part.

Our faucet repair entertainment, the pajama brigade.

Before heading home, the cousins were able to swim once more and then we all decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants, All Star Grill, for lunch and playtime. We made sure to snap a couple of pics of both the little cousins and the big cousins. Looking at the pictures, it made me think that it must blow the minds of our parents to see all of us cousins together all grown up. I bet they probably still picture us all as little cousins running around playing together after church every Sunday, just like our kids do now.

Back in the pool before heading back home.

Marissa and Preslee.

Kaitlynn and Marissa were happy to share big smiles and a beach towel.

More braiding, this time from Aunt Robin who fixed Kaitlynn's hair before lunch.

A beautiful side braid just like Elsa from Frozen!

All the little cousins at All Star Grill.

The big cousins, all grown up!

Post lunch selfie with my girl.

Pooped out after a fun weekend.

3 Cheers for the Texans!

Back in the spring when it was time to get Connor registered for another season of tackle football, I realized that Kaitlynn was now old enough to sign up for cheerleading as well. Connor's Texans team has never had enough interest to create an entire cheer squad, but this year many of the little sisters were ready to sign up. I approached Kaitlynn with the idea of participating on the Texans cheer squad, but she said she was too shy (say what?) and wasn't interested. Fine by me!

But then Sweet Daddy stepped in and began trying to convince Kaitlynn how fun it would be to wear the cheerleading outfit with pompoms and how she'd be able to cheer for Connor's team to help them win. That was all it took, and then Kaitlynn agreed to sign up.

I wasn't sure how Kaitlynn would handle the responsibilities of cheering on a squad, but I was just glad that her practices would coincide with Connor's so we didn't have to worry about how to get each kid to their respective teams. She seemed excited when it was time to meet with her team and her Coaches, and she especially loved the idea of her new practice shirt and cheer shoes.

Kaitlynn's practice uniform.

Lined up with half of the squad at the first practice.

Cheer pose at the practice field.

From the very first practice, I could tell that Kaitlynn would be iffy on this cheer stuff. She starts out with good intentions but quickly gets bored and distracted.

And here's the honest truth. In Kaitlynn's 5 years in this world, her life's motto has become evident to all around her: IF IT ISN'T HER IDEA, IT AIN'T HAPPENING!

So when Kaitlynn isn't 100% committed to something, there's a good chance it's just not going to go well. I try to keep my distance from her practices, because sometimes my presence there just makes things worse. I'm sure the other Moms are wondering why I'm so much more interested in Connor's activities, but it has nothing to do with that. Kaitlynn usually cooperates so much better when I'm not around. Is this a Mommy/Daughter thing? I'm still trying to figure it all out.

Back to cheering, after a few practices the Texans squad attended a cheer camp at a local high school. Kaitlynn was again being her wishy-washy self and not fully committed to the cheers and dances they were learning. I tried to leave her alone and eventually she started to have fun and learned some of the moves.

She got her pompoms at the cheer camp.

With her squad at the camp.

She actually looks ready to participate here.

Lined up and ready to learn their first cheer.

We are playing this whole cheer thing by ear hoping that Kaitlynn will decide it's something she enjoys so that she cooperates well on the squad. It'll be hard to divide our time between watching Kaitlynn's sideline performances and Connor's game time play, but we're looking forward to the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, Connor has been attending his football practices since mid-July! We couldn't believe they started an entire month earlier this year, but you'll hear no complaints from Connor. As much fun as he's had this summer, he will tell you that his favorite time of summer is football practice. Crazy kid!

I looked outside my office window recently to find this going on in the front yard. Dedicated practice with a golf bag tackle dummy, love it!

More Summertime Fun

As usual, we've managed to pack in tons of fun into our summer. When the kids get out of school, it feels like we have endless weeks ahead. But before we know it, the end of summer always catches me off guard.

I know I said in an earlier post recently that I was really looking forward to summer. (My loving husband kindly pointed that out to me after one of my raging fits when the kids were driving me crazy at home this summer, ha!)

But I am coming to realize that I am just not at my best when I'm at home with my two sweet but sometimes trying kiddos. Admittedly, I have had my own share of "meltdowns" this summer. Maybe it's because I take on too much with work, activities, and other commitments. Or maybe it's because the stay-at-home-Mom thing just doesn't come naturally to me. Whatever the reason, I am learning to recognize my limits. I have decided that next summer will be different. Not sure what that means -- maybe more work for me with more camps for the kids, or maybe a lot less of everything (trips, camps, etc.) Hopefully when the spring rolls around and it's time to start planning, I'll remember these words and plan accordingly.

In the meantime, boy am I glad that school is almost back in session!

(Although don't quote me on that. The baby of the family is starting Kindergarten and I can't be held responsible for my reaction to that.)

Here are some miscellaneous photos and updates from more of our summer fun.

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In July, Grandaddy drove all the way to Katy to have lunch with Kaitlynn and then take Connor to one of his golf tournaments. He brought along a little surprise with him -- puppies!! And no, they didn't stay, they were just here for a visit.

Kaitlynn was so excited to see Grandaddy's puppies.

Look at that sweet face! (The puppy's face, not Kaitlynn's. Ha!)

Big smiles for lunch with Grandaddy.

She insisted on sitting next to him, too.

After lunch, Connor and Grandaddy really enjoyed the youth tournament at the esteemed Champions golf course in Houston (pics in another post to come). But another reason for Connor's excitement over Grandaddy's visit was that he finally received his 8th birthday present.




Connor's very first gun -- a BB gun from Grandaddy. He was so excited he even posed for pic in his undies!

Another favorite memory from our summer was the visit of our awesome friends Dana, Jackson, and Ryan. They drove all the way from Frisco to visit us, and we were SO excited to have them here. The kids got along and played so great, we hardly heard from them. One memorable activity from Dana's visit was that I attended my very first yoga class in my life. Never again!!! Haha!

Breakfast with Jackson and Ryan.

Playing at our neighborhood park while Dana and I went to the gym.

Love Ryan's expression of joy!

Riding in Jeff's truck, always an adventure!

Of course, they prefer riding in the back!

Snack time.

As we entered the month of August, I decided to get a head start on our back-to-school checklist. First up, backpacks.

Backpacks with their names embroidered -- a sure sign summer is almost over!

Next, visit to the dentist with teeth cleaning.

Getting his teeth cleaned.

Kaitlynn's turn, she's a pro by now!

Her first dental x-rays.

Leaving the dentist's office with their sugar-free lollipops and bags of dental treats.

Later in August, Kaitlynn was ecstatic to be reunited with her preschool friend, Sofia, for Sofia's 5th birthday party. These two hadn't seen each other since early June so there was a lot of hugging and squealing.

First time seeing Sofia all summer long, they were so happy to be reunited!



It was at Sofia's 5th birthday party, so fun!

And finally, we had the Aasmyr kiddos over before school resumed for one final playdate. They had really missed each other!




Another fun reunion -- seeing the Aasmyr kiddos after a long absence.