Austin Wine Festival

Kirk and I went to the Austin Wine Festival today for a sampling of local wines.  We went as guests of Marquis Event Company ( Thank you Becky Holditch) and had a fabulous time.  I never realized there were so many local vineyards.  There were over 20 vineyards represented and we sampled them all!  There was also great local music.  We have made it home safely and have found some new wines we like. It was a wonderful afternoon to just be a couple- no kids, no responsibility, just Lynn and Kirk ( that does not happen too often).  So friends and family come on down to Austin this summer and enjoy our new wine findings!  I should say the cellar is full ( if we had one). Austin is a great place to live and visit!  Feeling so Blessed today!



The Happy Couple



Kirk has finally relaxed!

Count Your Blessings, Bella

The Faces of Hudson



Hudson and Brooke spent last week here in town. I can't think of a better way to describe his week than through pictures.  So here goes:



Momses and Papa with Hudson





Hudson at Abbey's graduation party










Hudson with Bella at Renee and Buck's wedding

 



Hudson dancing with his Daddy at the wedding

 

Hudson with his Momma!



Hudson trying to see his momma as the Matron of Honor at Renee and Buck's wedding



Hudson with his Gee Gee

Hudson at the farm with his Granddad Pete and Gee Gee

Hudson with Aunt Traci



Hudson at the wedding with Uncle Connor





Hudson smiling at his Momma



What a week!  Lots of family dinners, a graduation, graduation party,  a bachelorette party, bridal luncheon, a wedding, and an all night drive.  Travis, Brooke, and Hudson must be exhausted.  Thanks so much for coming! Please come back soon.  We miss you all!

Count your Blessings! Bella







Abbey Graduates!

The Motto at UT besides "Hook Em Horns" is "What Happens Here Changes the World." 

Somehow I believe that!  Our sweet Abbey Angel graduated with honors on Saturday with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Social Work from the University of Texas.  She comes from a long line of family that has graduated from UT and college in general.  My parents managed to send 4 children to college.  Three of their children have advanced degrees and my sister has her doctorate.  Kirk's parents sent three boys to college and Kirk has his MBA.  Kirk, myself, Kirk's parents and my parents worked hard to provide opportunities for their children.   I found myself feeling so inspired, not only thinking that this is our 3rd child to graduate from college, but also in thinking about Abbey and the journey she has chosen for her life.  We heard many fine speeches and saw lots of social workers walk across the stage.  Her Dean gave an inspiring speech about social workers and I found myself applying most of her examples to education as well.  She asked the question,"what do social workers really make?"  She talked about that social worker:

who helps an alcoholic find an AA group to join

who makes that foster child in his 4th foster home for the year, feel like the most important person in the world,

who helps an infertile couple adopt a child

who makes safe places for abused children

who makes  arrangements for the terminally ill to stay at home in their last days

who helps that young widow or single mother know where to turn to  make sure they know what benefits they are eligible for
who make visits in neighborhoods that most people won’t go to on a bet, because they know people there are in need

who listen to the elderly, mentally ill, and lonely and have the skills to help them make their life better

So what do social workers make- they make a difference.

She then asked us if we could say that about our jobs.  I found myself so proud of Abbey and proud of my job in education.  I look with awe and excitement as I watch Abbey " change the world. "  Her journey has just begun. Congratulations Abbey Christine!

Abbey with Momses and Papa - Always supportive of education

Abbey with proud parents!

Abbey with her boyfriend, Justin

This is my Angel- at her party

Count your Blessings, Bella!

Pictures! Pictures!

Love Picasa- just made this with Picasa- All the Easter pictures! I have now uploaded all my pictures to albums in the "cloud." I can access them anywhere now- Of course I am out of space and have to pay to store more- Oh well! Gotta Love technology! Try Picasa- I highly recommend it.

Count Your Blessings! Bella

He's Here!

He is here!  Hudson Alan is here in Austin for the week.  Brooke has a wedding next weekend along with Abbey's graduation, so she talked her daddy into driving to Beaumont to pick her up and bring her back here for the week.  Travis drove her from Lafayette to Winnie, Tx. a little past Beaumont and we met them there.  We stopped in La Grange to see Travis' parents at their farm and had a quick visit at their beautiful home site.  The house is over 100 years old and the farm is beautiful.  We have been having Hudson time all day.  They left this afternoon to see Travis' parents and give them some time.  It is hard when we both live in the same city and want to see them.  Abbey came over this morning and we planned her graduation party.  Stay tuned for that next week.  Three out of four have graduated from college- One to go!  That is a nice thought!

Hudson is six weeks now and beginning to smile.  I tried to capture his smile and was somewhat successful.  Brooke can really get expressions out of him. Here are my attempts.  More pics coming this week.

"Mommy I Love You"

"Mommy I really love you"

"Snoozing with  Aunt Abbey"

So cute in Cousin Carter's Outfit!

Count your Blessings, Bella!

Mother's Day Blessings

Blessings to all the mothers out there.  It has been a great day here in Austin. I talked to all my kids, then Connor, Kirk and I went to the Alamo drafthouse and saw a movie I got to pick, Water for Elephants.  I loved it!  I think Kirk and Connor liked it as well.  I talked to my mom and Kirk talked to his mom.  I wish we all lived in the same "village" and could see each other- but skype is awesome.  So wishing all you moms out there a joyous evening.  If you haven't called your mom yet- DO!  For what it is worth texting does not count!

Here are some more pictures from my weekend and the obligatory Mother's Day Picture with Connor.

Have a great week!

My friend Dana at the Scrapbook retreat.  Boy do I miss her!

Connor and mom at the Alamo Drafthouse

My digital album page of Carter.  He is so wonderful!

Count Your Blessings!  Bella

A Little Time to Myself

This it one of the digital pages I made

I am having a great weekend.  This is the 2nd year in a row I have gone to a scrapbooking retreat over Mother's Day!  Well, I have hit the jackpot here.  I am outside of Fort Worth at Hobby House Hill.  It is a scrapbookers paradise and in the country, so far away from anything.  This lovely couple owns it and cooked all our meals.  Talk about great food.  I told Cindy, her cooking is a cross between Paula Dean and the Pioneer Woman.  No way to stay on a low carb diet here.  I finished all of my projects last night ( Friday ) and today I have moved to the digital format of Creative Memories.  Still playing around with it, and not sure if I really like it but I did make a book for Hudson and am almost finished with a book for Carter.  I was able to skype with all the grandkids for Mother's Day and my good friend Dana and my other friends up here were able to see the kids.  It was so fun.  Most importantly I am finally relaxed and ready to go back and finish the school year.  They have tons of birds out here and each morning I have just sat and watched the birds for a while.  You know it is good to take the time and stop and listen to nothing at times.  It clears the mind and does the soul good!  In this fast paced world, sometimes we just need to get away from it all.  It will add years to your life!                         

Count Your Blessings, Bella

The barn in the picture is where we scrapbooked and watched continuous "Chick Flicks"

The sweet birds!  I called Kirk each morning and made him listen to them.  He gets me- he really does!



Life Couldn't Be Better

After a hard week at work, I had the best weekend. 

It was TAKS week last week.  To me- that means 1000 TAKS books, 1000 TAKS Documents, and various groupings of students each day. I am responsible for all of it - start to finish!  I have tons of help, but let me tell you the pressure is on!  So when I walked out of the office Friday- Connor and I hit the road and drove to Dallas to stay with Momses and Papa for the night.  Kirk was in Omaha, Nebraska at Warren Buffett's annual conference with Jeremy.  Connor and I then went to Oklahoma to see Luci and the babies.  Connor drove for over 200 miles and I was very proud of him.  I am getting used to the idea of him driving.  His 16th birthday on June 25th cannot get here fast enough for him.  He is anticipating his freedom and I am looking forward to him being able to get himself places.  Of course I tell him he will always have his leash- his cell phone!  We spent the night at church, dinner, and playing with Finley and Carter.  Kirk and Jeremy got home that evening.  Jeremy and Luci ran a 1/2 marathon on Sunday and had to be up and out of the house by 5:00 AM, which meant we had the kids Sunday morning.  We had an awesome time.  Carter seemed to remember me.  Finley loves her time with Bella, Pops, and Connor.  She also likes me to make  "drink" and "snack" for her.  I was so proud of Jeremy and Luci for running in the race.  It has been great exercise for them and an opportunity to be a couple.  The race was in memory of the Oklahoma City Bombing victims.  What an ironic day - considering the death of Bin Laden was that evening.  Although there is no direct link of Ben Ladin to the Oklahoma City Bombings- there is thought to be a loose connection with the Oklahoma City Bombing.  Luci has written a great blog about her experiences in the race that I have found very inspiring at http://thesmithfamily-luci.blogspot.com/.  God was definitely with Jeremy and Luci as they were running and with us as we cared for His most precious gifts- His Children!  Here are some precious moments:

What a Life!  Cuddling with Finley and Carter!

Kirk and Finley Playing " Lip Gloss"



Cuddling with Connor

          “Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild.” ~ Welsh Proverb
I am blessed to have three perfect grandchildren!

Count Your Blessings, Bella