Thursday Nights

One of my favourite things about our neighborhood is all of the activities at the nearby shopping center. They have a beautiful outdoor space with fountains that are made for kids to play in. They sponsor a farmer's market every Saturday morning, and during the summer have a concert series on Thursday nights. Each week brings a different kind of music, but always the same atmosphere. There are kids, so many kids, running and playing in the fountain. And parents visiting. And all smiling and having a good time. I am hoping to go as often as possible this summer.

Jarntip + Shawn

Weddings are one of my favourite things in the world. I would love to just go to random people’s weddings and just soak in all the love and happiness that comes with a wedding day, like Wedding Crashers, but less hook up and more fly on the wall. It is a day filled with so much joy, and hope, and happiness.

I love the anticipation of waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle, even though I JUST saw her 10 minutes ago.



I like to look at the groom, and watch him watch her. I love to hear all of the readings and declarations of love, especially when they are words I've never heard before.



I love all of the decorations, all the little details the bride has worked so hard to coordinate.



I love celebrating afterwards. I love night weddings where the day fades into night.



I like the dancing, especially when everyone has had a bit much to drink, and doesn’t notice that I am not in fact the great dancer I pretend to be.



I love the cake (who doesn’t love the cake!).



I love watching total strangers joining together to love two people. I love getting together with old friends who I don’t see often enough.



And of course, I love the kids. I love that they don’t really know how important this day is and they don't care. They came to dance and eat cake. And they are always so happy.



I really think weddings are a lot like a birthday (like the actual day a little one is born), except with pretty clothes, dresses, cake, and dancing. It is a day full of hope and excitement. A day that no matter what goes wrong is always the most perfect day you could ever imagine.

These pictures are all from my friend, Jarntip’s wedding this past weekend. It was even more beautiful than the pictures. It was a perfect night that I want to do all over again.



Congratulations Jarntip and Shawn. We love you!

Swimmer

The first 2 weeks of March, Madeline took swim lessons every day. We are going to take 2 weeks off, and then do 1-2 days / week beginning in April. I was very impressed with how much she learned and how much progress she made in her 2 week class. The parents were not allowed in the pool area until the last day, so I just have pictures from their last lesson. Madeline did such a great job. I cannot wait until the neighborhood pools open so we can go swimming together.

Our trip to the zoo

This post has been sitting in drafts for awhile....


We took our first trip to the Houston zoo. Madeline was so excited to go, and could not stop talking about seeing all of the animals. When we got there, we started with the fish, and she was hooked. She did not want to leave at all. We had to practically drag her out of the aquarium. Then she got stuck on the ground hogs, then the giraffes, then the elephants, and so on. Most of out trip was spent trying to talk up the next animal. She loved every minute of it though. Here are some cute pics.

There is the cool clear tunnel through one of the aquariums.

Madeline and Daddy checking out the animals

In her love for giraffes she wanted to ride on our shoulders so she would be very tall.

Madeline LOVED the monkeys

It was kind of insane that prairie dogs are in the zoo, considering they are at every intersection in Lubbock. The exhibit was cute though, and M got to pretend she was a prairie dog.

M was in LOVE with the giraffes that day


She is brushing a goat in the petting zoo.


M's "Thank You!" hug