From left field

I know this post is random and not about my kids or family but it's really, really important. My sweet friend and former co-worker, Terri, lost her husband earlier this month. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram did a great article on her family and their decision to donate Roger's organs. Give it a read. Give it some prayer. Consider becoming a registered donor. I did.

Sickly

The kids are recovering from a nasty stomach bug that took over our house last night. Yuck. Happy birthday to me... not how I expected to spend my 30th.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Location:The couch

School's out!

I popped in for Jack's end of school party on his last day of the year. Jack made such sweet friends this year and his teachers, Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Irons were wonderful! I'm sad I didn't get a picture of him with his teachers but he wasn't having any of that. We headed into Summer thinking things would slow down but now that it's arrived we're busier than ever!

Happy boy! Eating a cookie he just decorated...

Duck... duck... GOOSE!Ring around the rosy!

Splish Splash!

More water fun! Yay!

A genuine smile from Jack - difficult to capture on camera!Sibling love - also difficult to capture on camera!They needed a drink...Jack's losing his britches.Teaching sister how to hop on one foot... or trying anyway.SweetPure joy! Dancing in the water. They LOVE it!

Happy 31st Birthday Jason!

Party #1 at Gigi and Pappaw's house...

Jack and Jason, showing off their milk mustaches

Caroline, looking her Honey and waiting on cakeJack loves the Happy Birthday song1... 2... 3... BLOW!

Mini-Party #2 at our house, on Jason's actual birthday...

Caroline's ready for cake!Lemon cake... yum!

Water Babies

I bought this at Toys R Us a couple of weeks ago and the kids LOVE it. We took it on a recent trip to Gigi and Pappaw's house and Jack and Caroline had a blast. The grown-ups had nearly as much fun just watching the kids play. Totally worth the ten bucks, even if Jack already busted it.

Artistic Expression

After Dinner Treat

The Courseys (sans Terry who was away on business in Florida, poor guy) came over for playtime, dinner, and dessert one evening. While Erin and I cleaned up the kitchen(gabbed) Jason watched the kids and took some fun shots of everyone having dessert.

Jack, before his friends arrived. He wanted to play with his trucks outside on the picnic blanket. He was out there forever!These kids are serious about ice cream.Always the fashionistaMatthan on a missionNot sure what's going on here but I think Matthan would've preferred some ice cream to the beaded necklace Selah was wearing. Just sayin'.

MIA in May!

I seem to have a pattern. I blog a lot during tax season. Reason being, it's one of the ways that Jason gets a look at what's going on here on the home-front while he's in the trenches of filing tax returns and whatnot at work. Then, when tax season ends, I seem to take an unintended sabbatical from blogging. I don't PLAN to neglect my blog. Really. I'm just so darn happy to have my husband more available and my family back together. We're much too busy spending time together and doing things that I just don't really think about my blog.

This is usually the part where I'd apologize for being a "bad blogger" and promise to do better. Well, not this time! We had a GREAT May and I didn't write a single post. And I'm not really sorry about it.

Stay tuned as I attempt to catch the world up on the goings-on here at the Maurice house!

I scream, you scream

Jack and Caroline had a tasty treat after soccer practice yesterday evening. The whole family is really enjoying the extended daylight. It's so nice to be able to play together in the evenings before bedtime... which we've pushed back a bit just for this purpose (and so Jack won't get up at 5:30). Jack even got a taste of what it's like to be the pusher instead of the pushed on the swing. So fun!

Snacks on the Swing

The Coursey kids came over a couple of days ago to enjoy the weather with us. After a while the fabulous foursome were ready for a little break. The backyard swing made a great resting spot and there was lots of lemonade and pretzels to go around.

Happy kids!Jack and his lemonadeSelah examining her pretzelsCaroline inhaling her snack
Matthan figuring out how to dump out his Cheerios

Get to work!

Now that Jason's not hard at work at work (or as much as he was for the last few months) he's kicking it into high gear at home. While I taught an all-day childbirth class on Saturday, he spent the day with the kids at his parents house. They headed to the Plant Shed and Gigi and Pappaw hooked us up with some lovely plants to spruce up our backyard. Jason spent the afternoon yesterday getting them all in the ground. Jack even helped by digging some holes and planting most of the caladiums. It looks wonderful!

Jack's working hard! He needed a swing break!Abelias and caladiumsMuch prettier than the weed garden we had just a week ago!Gulfstream nandinasThey may not look like much now but they're going to grow fast in this bed with full sun!