Here Comes the Flower Girl {Part 2}

After a day of getting ready at the hotel with the girls, Merritt was ready to get to the church!

The flowers were a beautiful hot pink and blue for the Bridesmaids and bright white Bride's bouquet. Instead of Merritt throwing petals down the aisle, she had a pink pomander ball to carry.

Here is Sarah's mom, Cheryl, zipping up Sarah's dress. Sarah's dress was gorgeous and it made her look like a princess!

While waiting in the Bride's Room, Merritt entertained us by playing the piano {eventually the Wedding Planner came in and told us that the guests and family were being seated and that my protege needed to end her concert}. This is when she began to break down after a 10 minute nap, past her dinner time, and now she couldn't play the only toy in the room...

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of her walking down the aisle or during the ceremony because she wasn't happy about being so far away from her piano. After the ceremony, she posed with the wedding party after being bribed with fruit snacks :) I'll have to wait to see the video to see my Flower Girl walk down the aisle.

Here Comes the Flower Girl {Part 3}

After the ceremony, the Wedding Party drove to the Texas Capital to take pictures. Merritt had a great time in the limo! The limo had little lights that changed colors and she got so excited each time the color changed {by the time we arrived at the Capital she had the color pattern memorized}.

All Sarah's bridesmaids were so sweet to Merritt! She was in awe of the flowers, dresses, and shoes. Here she is smelling the flower bouquet and then we all had to take turns smelling the sweet flowers.

When we arrived at the Capital, Merritt followed Sarah to the large field in front of the Capital building. I loved this idea and wish Beau and I had done something similar! Maybe when Ross gets here we can take some family pictures there.

I wish I was a better photographer, because this picture doesn't do the day, the people, or the setting justice.

There is my Princess {still holding on to Lane's hand!} waiting for the photographer to get the perfect shot.

Here Come the Flower Girl! {Part 4}

The Wedding Reception was at the Headliner's Club in Downtown Austin. Everything about the reception was beautiful!

Merritt was so proper... eating her popcorm with a spoon. Here she is trying to feed me some popcorn; she knew it had been a long day and that I was hungry - what a sweet girl! After dinner, we ate some delicious cake. After many tries, we finally got a picture of the three {four} of us.

Here is my sweet girl watching the bride and groom dance their first dance together. She couldn't take her eyes off them as they danced. When they were finished, Merritt was ready to take a spin on the dance floor and she and Daddy had their Father/Daughter dance.

The Headliner's Club has a wonderful view of Downtown Austin from the 21st floor of the Chase Building. Merritt even commented on the beautiful building just behind her -the Tower :)

Wedding Rehearsal

The weekend had finally arrived - Sarah and Jason's Wedding! Sarah and I first met when we became next door neighbors at school six years ago. We have been together ever since through fantastic times, difficult days, and even some strange students. We also joke around that no one can keep us apart - when I moved to second grade this past year, it was difficult to think about Sarah not being there but the next month, she got the call to come to second grade too! We weren't next door to each other but that will change next year.... the Travelers and the Corral will be together again.

Sarah was one of the first people to come visit Merritt in the hospital after she was born. Merritt refers to Sarah as Auntie Sarah and I was so excited when Sarah asked Merritt to be the Flower Girl in her wedding to Jason! When the Wedding Weekend was finally here, Merritt and I joined all the Bride-to-Be, Bridesmaids and Moms for a brunch at Bess Restaurant. Sarah was so sweet and gave Merritt a Fairy Princess Wand, a Princess Teapot, a Sleeping Beauty doll. She hasn't let the Sleeping Beauty doll out of eye sight since she opened it!

Merritt had fun during the Wedding Rehearsal, Beau and I stood at each end of the aisle and Merritt walked back and forth between us to practice.

I LOVE this picture!! During the wedding Merritt and Lane, Sarah's soon-to-be son, were to walk down the aisle together. Lane did a great job helping Merritt down the aisle and she stood by his side as the ceremony practice took place.

I am so excited to watch Merritt turn into the Flower Girl Princess for the Wedding Day and of course to watch my dear friend Sarah marry the man of her dreams!

Friends Forever!

A few weeks ago Katie, Danita, and I took the girls to Kiddie Acres. On Wednesdays, tickets are half price so ten tickets for all the rides. Here are Merritt and Leah showing off their tickets! The only question was which ride to go on first.... If you know Merritt,you know her first choice was the Merry-Go-Round and Leah and Quinn were happy to ride too.

While on the Merry-Go-Round, the girls spotted the airplanes. On all of the past trips to Kiddie Acres, Merritt has never been interested in the plane ride, but on this trip Merritt really surprised me. She was so much more independent, brave, wanting to walk with her friends instead of holding my hand... Then it hit me.... she is truly growing up....

I can just picture it now, this is the memory of the girls sitting in a motorized boat in oversized pool and then I fast forward 13 years and I picture these same friends cruising in a convertible on their way to the mall or movies or Spring Break vacation....

{Ok, I have to stop thinking like that!}

The girls rode on the Ferris Wheel together, when it stopped at the top {to let on other kiddos} we could hear them laughing and chatting and all of us moms waiting down below, stopped and looked at each other wondering the thought outloud, "I wonder what they are talking about?"

Here is my 'little girl' with an older man that reached over the fence and picked her up to lead her on her first pony ride. Maybe it is the hormones from the pregnancy or the fact that she won't be my 'baby' anymore, but as I began to think about Merritt growing up, I get teary-eyed and that in the blink of an eye she'll be in school, a teenager, off to college, bringing home the person she'll marry.

Now I have to go give my sweet girl a kiss good-night... and tell her not to grow up too fast.

What Alotta Water

It's Summertime! We recently went to a new Splash Park that just opened near our home. All I can say is 'Wow'! We met our friends Katie and Leah for the Grand Opening and the girls had so much fun exploring the water fountains, digging in the sand pit, and Merritt loved the 'river' and rock climbing wall.

The Splash Park was really well designed into 3 sections. The first section had fountains that jetted up. Merritt loved running from fountain to fountain to step on the jet and ask, "Where did the water go?" and then take her foot off and have the water spray even higher!

The second section has a sand digging pit with a 'rock river' going around it. The third section Merritt avoided because there where 'big kids' playing with all the water toys.

Merritt and Leah had so much fun playing together {until the word sharing came up - Merritt believes everything is hers, good luck to Ross}.

Later that week, we visited Aunt Lori and her pool! Merritt used the duck bath tub as her raft! She has wooden spoons to paddle around with while she collected her toys and then threw them back out into the pool. She has really enjoyed all the water activities this summer - next on the Summer Water To Do List: Swimming Lessons {this will be Daddy's job since I have an insane amount of fear of water that goes above my knees}. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer - Stay Cool!!

Sprinkled with Love

My sweet friends Lori and Jenny 'SPRINKLED' our family with love and gifts for our upcoming addition, Ross. So many of my friends and family came Lori's home to celebrate with a Saturday Brunch. I had always imagined we would have another girl and was shocked when the sonogram nurse told Beau and I a BOY would be 'Livin' on the Edge' with us. I had saved all of Merritt's very pink things and knew then we would need to start 'thinking blue.' Merritt was happy to help me open all the gifts but was most excited about the cards in the bags. Each card she found, she would squeal with glee! She was helpful in collecting all the tissue paper {she knows I save every single bag, tissue paper, and wrapping paper - if in good condition - that I receive} after opening the gifts.

I love this shirt! Ross is going to be one handsome, well-dressed dude!

Here is a picture of my wonderful second grade team! They have helped me so much this year with the move to second grade and with this pregnancy!

I love this picture of three bellies of mommies-to-be! The three little ones in these bellies will be the best of friends - let's face it - they really don't have a choice with their daddies being the best of friends since middle school!! Ross is in the center belly and we recently found out there is a little girl under the orange shirt {we have already discussed wedding details}. We should find out next month who is hiding beneath the striped dress.... My guess is a BOY!!