The Sweetest Bouquet Ever!

Owen and I were outside playing on a cool morning last week, when he proceeded to gather up crepe myrtle blossoms from the grass. He ever-so-sweetly placed each fragile flower in my palm so proudly with a huge grin. Of course, being the sap that I am, the bouquet graced our table for the next few days!

A Boy and His Box

It is so true that if you give a boy a box, he will be provided with hours of endless entertainment! We sure had fun in this one: from riding in it like a race car to hiding from Mommy inside to picking it apart to its final demise.

Up, Up and Away!

Owie is now a proficient walker. There is nothing sweeter than that wobbly toddle, even if he is pumping his legs as fast as he can to get away from Mama!

Have you heard?

Owie will be a Big Brother next January, right before his second Birthday! We are super-excited!!

A Visit with "The Greats"

My grandparents came from Oregon to visit us and to be introduced to O (one of five great-grandkids!) yesterday. Thankfully, Owie warmed up to them quickly, especially when they drew him closer with books. How that boy loves to be read to! LuLu and GG will be friends for life!

"Mommy, I need you!"

Supper preparation time is always Owie's hardest time of day. He's a little bored, a little hungry and a lot clingy. This is one sad little boy who needs his Mom to play with him, from my vantage point.

Owie's a Big Boy...or so he thinks

Owen is no longer content to just sit back and be fed by a very willing parent. He now wants to actively participate in the process. It causes quite a mess, but he is so eager to be grown up and so darn cute!

Easter Finery

This weekend, we dressed Owen in his Easter duds and trekked down to the Katy Trail to get some pictures of out little Easter Egg.

Long time, no post

It's been forever since I've posted! A lot has gone on in the last couple of weeks. Here's a quick recap:

Gramps, Owie, and I visited Owen's Farm. (Owen mistakenly believed the farm was named after him or that maybe this was his very own farm.) It was one of my favorite hangouts as a kid, being only blocks from our house growing up. It brought back so many fond childhood memories, being there with my Dad again after so many years.

This is Owen, wishing he could be a stowaway on our vacation. It was so hard to leave him, but a break was much anticipated by Mom and Dad!

Care free and having fun at The Atlantis in Nassau!

My very brave husband on the vertical drop water slide. After you plummet many stories straight down, you are shot through a glass tube surrounded by shark-infested waters. Quite a thrill!

Rachel with a mud slide is a happy Rachel!

We have about a hundred more pictures of the get-away that I will not bore you with. For those that are interested, I can arrange a private viewing.

Happy Birthday to Rachel! I turned 29 for the second time! Just kidding. 30 is not bad at all! I am happier than I have ever been in my life. God has blessed me beyond measure. I am so undeserving of His love and mercy and grace that is poured upon me every day. May I serve Him well.

A Whole New Perspective

Hooray!! Owen has finally crossed the threshold into a new weight class: the twenty pounders. He is now able to join his friends and face forward in the car. What fun! Passing objects are seen head-on rather than in reverse. Mama can turn around and tickle his yummy toes any time she gets the notion. Toys can be traded freely between front and back seats. Car rides are once again bearable by all parties.

This Grass Feels Yucky!

The Arboretum has the most velvety soft grass I have ever felt. It is so absolutely perfect that it seems fake. Evidently, Owen did not appreciate the feel of the grass nearly as much as his Mom. He kept lifting up one leg and then the other (The boy has abs of steel!) to escape the sensation of the grass on his legs. And note the facial expression. It is one of pure disgust! That's our city slicker for ya'!

Ode to Wesley

Wesley and Owie enjoyed a delightful afternoon at the Arboretum. The weather was just perfect!

"Look! A boy sized bench just for us!"

Wesley 's gorgeous baby blues

Wesley and his sweet Mommy, Laura, pose in front of the tulips

Thanks for playing, Wesley and Laura! We had a great time!

Fabulous Shoes!

Every girl needs a pair of birthday shoes! I had been wanting these shoes so badly, so Suzanne surprised me with an early birthday gift. Now they can go on our trip with us this weekend! Quite a few friends were curious what kind of shoes could so capture my heart, so here's a photo!

Happy Birthday to Mia!

Mia Claire had a rockin' first birthday party this weekend. We all had a great time eating pizza and pasta and relaxing with family and good friends.

The Birthday Girl herself

What a great grin!

Owen is caught in the act of doing his number 1 no no, SPITTING! Many a 3 minute session in Time Out has resulted from that pesky tongue!

I think the "big kids" might have had even more fun than the little ones! Boys will be boys!

GO O!

Owen has been testing out his feet lately. Come to find out, they support him pretty well!

O thinks it is the most fun game to stand up and then make himself topple over. Very applause worthy!

Owie on the go! He looks ready to run a marathon, but he actually just takes one step at a time. You have never met a prouder set of parents than we are of that one tiny step!

Ladies Who Lunch

Today, Owen and I met my sister, Caroline (AKA Auntie LouLou), for lunch in Uptown. She always knows the cool, trendy places to hit, being a cool, trendy woman without kids. We visited the Tahitian Noni Cafe on Blackburn. We enjoyed gourmet sandwiches and fruit salad, while Owie inhaled his avocado/banana delicacy prepared "a la Mama." I am so blessed to have family living here that I can closely share life with! Love you, Lou!

Adventure at the Ft. Worth Zoo

This past weekend, the whole Halpin clan (minus Uncle Joel), packed up for a day at the Ft. Worth Zoo. It was a gorgeous day, and a fabulous time was had by all!

All six cousins. It's quite a feat to get them to all sit still in one place long enough to take a picture!

back row:Maddie, Clayton

front row: Ally, Baby Oliver, Owen, Mia

Owen loves on Baby Oliver. He's learning how to "be soft."

Jeremy and Clayton feed the birds. Notice Clayton's look of absolute terror!

Dallas Really Does Bloom!

Dallas Blooms started at The Arboretum today. My Mom (aka Numpy) were there for the kick off! What a perfect day!

The O has not yet learned not to stare directly at the sun.

Numpy and Owie laugh at an inside joke...something about snorts and tummies and toes...way too involved for us outsiders!

That's my Boy! Some folks are visual learners, others audio. My son learns through taste.

I finally catch up with The O for a quick photo op.

A Day at the Zoo

Owen, Grant and Preston Black experience the Dallas Zoo

Owie touched a bunny! (I was a little grossed out at first, but after a good dose of Purell Hand Sanitizer, all was well and we were able to enjoy the moment.)

The O's famous "snort face." I have been trying to capture this face for ages and finally got it at the zoo. Do you think the funny animal smells had anything to do with it?

O's (Third) Biggest Fan

Owen is a huge fan...of himself, as are we all. Clapping is such a wonderful pastime, whether it be for every bite taken at lunch, prayers said before dinner, a ball successfully rolled, or for absolutely no reason at all. I love my sweet little boy who takes such delight in the simple things and is not bashful about praising himself.