Family Festival

We had our annual church/school Family Festival and it was a huge hit. We have the festival to raise money for the church and school. There are all kinds of activities for kiddos as well as a silent auction for the adults. There was even some entertainment! Bella had a blast!



She started out the day on the horses and moved on from there. Daddy helped alot with getting the moonwalks and other outside activities rented, paid for, and set up so Bella and I were on our own for a good part of the the morning.

But once Daddy got through with his job he needed to cool off. Seems he talked a couple of cute girls in to joining him.......


(all water pictures stolen from Natalie's mommy :))

Bella and her friend "Natawie" (as Bella calls her) were talked into getting wet with Daddy. The Friendswood Fire Department came out and hosed off and cooled down the kiddos (and the Daddy) at the Festival.



Once they got use to what was going on, the girls loved getting wet!



Bella's prissy run is killing me! HA! She is such a girl!
These two ended up being the last ones out there.



After they shut down the water, the girls changed clothes and kept right on playing.









Gotta love a boy that has moves at age 3.......or not! HAHA! These kids all love each other so much. I love that FCS fosters such sweet and loving relationships between the kiddos.



Our youth put together this really cool maze.

Bella got brave and wanted to try out the zip line!

We had a great time at the festival and can't wait for the fun next year!

Easter Weekend

Our Easter weekend started out with an unexpected date night for Terry and me. This rarely happens and never unexpectedly. I had to work Good Friday, (yuck!) we had a make-up day from that terrible snow storm that hit back in February. HA! Terry had a meeting downtown and Mom and Dad are off touring the world so we asked my brother if he they could watch Bella for us Friday morning. Bella was beside herself with excitement to go spend the day with Ryan. Well that day with Ryan turned into a night! She was super excited when she got there to find that Courtney was there as well. When her Daddy got there to pick her up...... she didn't leave with him! Bella had her very first sleepover (besides Nana and Papa's). She ended up sleeping with Uncle Tim and Alyssa. I warned him! Needless to say she had a great time and Terry and I got to go on a date! We went to eat at this great restaurant out in San Leon. It was nice to just sit and talk.

We got up Saturday morning and hit the grocery store. We were finished by 10 am. WOW!! It's amazing how quickly you can get things done without a child that wants everything in sight! Yes, I know, we are about to have two and I couldn't be more excited about that! After the store we went to get Bella and came home and played out in the backyard all afternoon. Bella swam and slid and rode her bike (in her pool)........ She also dyed some Easter eggs with her Daddy. Daddy got pretty creative and made some multi color eggs. Bella loved watching the eggs change colors.





They dying of the eggs didn't take long so Bella was back into the pool! She could not wait for the Easter bunny to come and hide them. Even though she will tell anyone who will listen she is scared of the Easter Bunny.

This morning we got up and got ready for church. Terry and I had nursery duty so we pretty much missed the Easter service. Bella was so excited to come in the nursery with us this morning but then she didn't want to go to Children's Church. I had to peel her off of me which hasn't happened in a very long time. After church we headed home to finish up cooking lunch, hunt eggs, and wait for Tim (my brother) and his family to get here.





Bella was so excited to find that the Easter Bunny had brought her Merlia, a Barbie she had been wanting and some other fun stuff for her to play with. She hunted for eggs and then we waited for her cousins to get here so we could eat.

Our parents abandoned us on Easter. True Story. I had to cook. True Story. It happened. Ok, Terry and I cooked. That's probably a truer story. Anyway, my parents abandoned us on Easter. Mom says she is never going to do that again. Dad says I have to cook every Easter now. Abandoned. On Easter.

So Tim, Alyssa, Courtney, Ryan, Fred (dog), and Izzy (dog) got here and we ate lunch then we hunted for eggs again. Bella is really getting into this egg hunting!



We had a great time and I'm so glad that they were able to come join us. Bella loves hanging out with her cousins and she was even more excited that they were at her house.


HaPpY EaStEr from the Richards/Cox clan (and Fred)!

On a side note, tonight Bella announced she wants to go to Heaven. While that is of course what I want for her, no doubt. I'm not ready to even think about that. Bittersweet words out of her baby mouth. Made this Mommy tear up and almost start crying.

24 weeks

How Far Along: 24 weeks
Size of baby: about 12 inches/size of an ear of corn, 1lb 6ozs
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained about 20 lbs (oh lordy!)
Maternity Clothes: I'm wearing mostly maternity clothes now.
Gender: It's a GIRL!
Movement: She is a wiggle worm! I'm pretty sure she moves more than Bella did. We have been watching her move from the outside for a couple of weeks now!
Sleep: Getting better. I know I shouldn't get use to it though
What I miss: Sleeping on my back.
Cravings: Chocolate Milkshakes!
Symptoms: I am dead tired!
Best Moment this week: I just love feeling her move!




I have had 2 doctors appointments this week. I had my monthly OB visit on Monday. Her heartbeat was 157. I'm pretty sure it was a little higher because she had just finished up with some jazzercise. HA!



Today I had an ultrasound to check the placenta previa. Because we had not been there in 6 weeks they did a full ultrasound. I certainly did not mind it at all. I love getting to see her precious little self again. Her measurements are averaging at 23 weeks and 5 days. It was also discovered that her second toe is longer than her big toe. Taking after Mommy and Daddy on that one. She looks great! The placenta has moved and will hopefully continue to move. It doesn't have that much further to go so I am hopeful that it will do what we need it to do.



Bella went with us again and was so sweet through the whole ultrasound. She whispered about things she was seeing and hearing. She was a little nervous but she held Mommy's hand for quite some time during the scan. She did announce at the end that she was "going to cowege and then going to get married". I really love that little little girl!

Antique Show

My parents recently bought a new travel trailer. Lucky for us they let us stay with then in when we went to Warrenton for the Antiques show this Spring. Dad says we can borrow the trailer anytime, we just can't borrow his truck. I wonder what he will say about borrowing the trailer if we ever get a truck big enough to pull it? HA!

We had a great spot and thoroughly enjoyed our time at the antique show this time. It was so much more relaxed actually staying on the grounds. We shopped for a while, ate lunch, rested, and shopped some more. We also did some exploring this time. The area up there is beautiful! We have been making this trip for 2 years now and look forward to it so much. It looks like Baby Sister will be making her first trip up there in October for the next show.

During our exploring time we ran across this field of bluebonnets. You can't live in Texas and not take some bluebonnet pictures. It's just something that is expected! And of course we want to be good Texans!

I'm pretty sure she is the most gorgeous little girl I have ever seen! I love her so much!

This was what the front door of the trailer opened up too! We had our own little pond and a great breeze. Dad tried to reserve the same spot for October but had a hard time getting confirmation. I guess you have to share the spot with others. I say, you snooze, you lose!

We had another great trip to Warrenton and I'm excited about October!