Stick Horse Race

It has been almost two months since my last post, and I am sure by the time I finish this post it probably will be two months.  Sorry, truly I am.  I love to blog and I hate that it takes me so long to find the time to catch up. 

In February my niece always participates in the K-Rodeo and we love going to see her.  This will probably be her last year to ride in the rodeo but I am hopeful that my family keeps it a tradition.  I really enjoy taking Ahli and I think she enjoys being there, not to mention she gobbles up anytime she can spend with her cousins.



The next few pictures are of my beautiful niece riding on a borrowed horse, I think his name is Bently, because Bonnie had to retire this year.  This was a bitter sweet moment and Ashley handled it with such grace.  Although Bonnie did not go that far and is probably living it up in San Antonio with Grandma and Grandpa it was still hard knowing that she could not ride her in her last rodeo.  Ahsley loves that horse and you can tell she loves to ride just by the smile on her face in all of the following pictures.  Horses have been a passion of hers since she was probably 7 and I am glad that been able to enjoy riding.  Not only does she ride with the K-Cowgirls to open up the rodeo but this year she also participated in some barrel racing, which was on opening night, and I missed it...sorry kid.

A self portrait taken by Ashley on her iphone.  Ahliana thought it was so cool that she could do this. She continuesly asks me to do it with my phone...but my phone really is not that cool...hahaha

This year Ahliana also participated in the rodeo.  She proudly rode her horse Bella, in the stick horse race.  This next picture is of her and Tyler anticipating how the race will go and going over strategies.

This is Bella, Ahli's beautiful horse.

Standing at the starting line just waiting for the race to begin.  I think her strategy is just to smile and give it all you got, while looking totally adorable I might add!

And their off....

Ahliana giving Bella a hug after a good race.  You know it is important to love your horse before and after a good race.

I bow my hat to you!  What a wonderful and beautiful performance.  I cry everytime!

New Room Blues

I have been co-sleeping with my baby girl since she turned 18 months old and we tried to put her in a toddler bed.  At first she would wander in our room in the wee hours of the morning.  I would be ready.  I could hear the pitter patter of her little feet on the floor and it would make me happy to lift her into my arms so we could snuggle.  Eventually we just skipped the wee hour of the morning journey all together, it was our norm.  I liked having her there and she liked being there.  Then she started to grow, imagine that, and some nights became sleepless (for me, not for her).  I often said the words out loud "It is time to put her in her room.  I am not sleeping"  Now a part of me wants to take those words back.

My big girl got her "new" room this weekend.  Keith and I made sure it was perfect.  She got new carpet, new furniture, and a new princess fish tank.  The room is perfect!  I knew Ahli would be excited.
She went with us to pick out the furniture and we ordered it two weeks prior to getting it.  The Thursday night prior to our big furniture delivery I held my baby tight while she slept and cried.  As selfish as this is going to sound, I didn't realize how hard this was going to be for me.  I will however, continue to encourage her to sleep in her own room and to be a big girl.

  I will be removing the animals off the wall as soon as I find something I like to replace them.

I really thought that she would have trouble adjusting to the move.  Not my little girl!  She told me that she wanted to go to sleep in her big girl room Saturday evening like it was nothing.  I though for sure I would hear the pitter patter of her cute little feet in the wee hours of the morning, and nothing. She slept in her new room, all by herself, all night.  When she woke up in the morning daddy asked her if she wanted to come in our room to snuggle and she said "No, I like my big girl room". 

On Sunday evening, same thing.  She fell asleep in her room, except at 5:30 I heard the long awaited pitter patter.  Ahli said "mommy, I just wanted to come in and tell you that I love you and goodnight".  I said " oh baby, I love you too.  Why don't you climb up and let's snuggle".  "No mommy, I am going back to my room".  I of course was going to try anything I could to persuade her to just climb up and snuggle with me so I replied,  "But baby, just for one minute".  She climbed into bed and fast asleep we fell.  She woke up a couple of hours later and said "Mommy, how could you not let me go back to my room".  My baby was really upset...no I mean really upset.

As an extra bonus...Kieth let me turn the dining area into a playroom.  Something I have been asking him to do for a long time now and he refused.  He did not want that to be the first thing that people saw when they walked through the door.  I respect that.  However, our daughter needed a place to play and her room just isn't big enough for all her furniture and stuff.  Thank you my wonderful husband for giving in.  Your daughter and I both love you for it!

 

Needless to say, my baby has her own room, it is beautiful and she loves it.  I am still not sleeping.

December 2011

I love Christmas, I love everything about it, with the exception of Keith's busy work schedule and the crazies out shopping, okay well almost everything.  I love the lights and the cool brisk air that somehow finds its way into our our small town.  I love the family togetherness and gathering with friends, I even love the hustle bustle just a little.  I love the smell of pine and cinnamon. I love the traditions and all the magical things that come along with Christmas.

We celebrated the magic of the season in many ways.  We went to the local tree lighting in our Town Center, we drove out to college station with some friends to take a hay ride and look at lots of beautiful Christmas lights...millions of them, we went with our family on a local excursion to look at all the beautifully lite houses in the neighborhood, we went to Uncle E's for Christmas Eve, Spent Christmas morning at our house (wanted to make sure Santa could find us) and to Uncle Jon and Aunt Sandi's for Christmas day.  Good Times! 

 Celebrating at the tree lighting.

Clay, Ryder & Ahli at

(really could have cropped this kids head out of the pic...hahaha)

Building a fire to stay warm!!  Burrr it was really chilly this night...just the way I like it!

The Galayni's

My baby catching "fake" snowflakes on her tongue.  She wanted it to snow so bad.

Dancing in the snow.

Christmas Eve....

 My baby got a hippopotamus for Christmas... 

Christmas Day... Santa brought her everything she asked for and more.  She got a Play Doh Pizza Maker and a Press Dough Cookie Maker.. Daddy got her the scooter and I think it was her favorite.

 The Cousins.  I can't believe how grown up these two are.  It just blows my mind to think that Ashley will soon be off to college and Tyler is right behind her.  So proud of them both!!  I love that they love my baby soooo very much and they are both so good with her. 

The BIG 4.0!!

Lordy! Lordy...Yes, I am 4.0!!!

CHEERS!!!

I can not believe that I just turned 40. I remember when 40 was soooo old. Feels like yesterday that I was celebrating my 30th birthday. Where does the time go? I am definitely not complaining about turning 40- in fact I am very grateful to be turning 40 and to be celebrating another year of l.i.f.e!!! It is so appropriate that my 40th fell on Thanks-giving because I truly have so very much to be thankful for!  BRING IT!!

My sweet baby girl helped me to make a wish and blow out the candle on my birthday cake.  All my wishes have come true and one of them was sitting right there on my lap.  I am one lucky momma!

Thank you so much to all my friends and family that sent me wonderful birthday wishes.  A special thanks to all the were able to come out to PF Changs to help us celebrate too.  We had a wonderful time and I felt very special!!

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving was pretty exciting this year.  Not only was it my big 4-0 but I also got to meet a few new family members that traveled to Houston from Mexico.  Keith had not seen his cousins in several years and this of course was their first time meeting me as well as Ahliana.  Keith was proud to show off introduce his girls.

Keith was the eldest son this year so the responsibility of carving the turkey feel on him.  Not a job he particularly wanted but did nonetheless.  I should mention that he did a fabulous job and the turkey was delicious (thank you Randall's for the pre.cooked.turkey)

Ahliana was definitely the life of the party.  The.center.of.attention.  She was wonderful and very well behaved.  Felt a little bad that she was the only child there but she was well entertained and everyone made special time for her.  Prior to eating Papa said grace, then he turned if over to his big sister, then to Ahli.  Ahli's grace:  I am thankful for Jesus, and my mom, and my dad, and all my friends.  Such simple words that she spoke to a table of 20+ people yet they put a tear in my eye.  I was so proud and so touched by these simple few words.

Much needed five minute rest after lots of food and lots of play.

Halloween 2011

Halloween was very busy for us and I love it.  We had a Fall Festival at Ahli's school, a small Halloween party at the house with her school friends, which I had lots of help in hosting from 3 other fabulous mommas, and then of course we had Halloween night.  For two of these festivities Ahliana was Little Red Riding Hood and an adorable one if I do say so myself. Then we had to change it up for Halloween.  She decided that she was tired of being Red and wanted to be Snow White.  Thanks to one of our dear friends who handed down several dress up dresses we were able to fulfill this last minute wish. Again she was the most adorable Snow White of the night.

Along with Halloween parties and  trick or treating we also made a couple of stops at pumpkin patches to get face painting done and take lots of pictures and do some crafts.  I really love October because it is truly the beginning of Fall for us.  Although it has been 80 degrees for the last few days, we did have a couple of cool brisk days that we have been able to enjoy and I am patiently awaiting the next cool front.  We finally went this last weekend to pick up Fall/Winter clothing for Ahliana so now I really am ready.  We have already lite up the outdoor fire pit and we have roasted marshmallows...we have even had hot chocolate.  I am ready for some more...so Mother Nature... Bring.it!