Friday Night Football is Here!

Texans LOVE their Friday Night Football! This past Friday night kicked off the high school football season here. We traveled to nearby New Braunfels to watch our beloved Matadors take on the Unicorns. We were kicked pretty badly, but will be right back out there to watch them again for many Friday nights to come.

Of course my personal favorite part of these football games is watching my daughter perform with the marching band and dance team at half time. This is her senior year so the last season we'll get to watch her as a Matador.

LOVE this photo captured of Heather cheering in the stands during the game.

Ashley, the captain of the Starsteppers Dance Team

Heather cheering in the stands alongside her dance buddies.

Tiffany, Kymber, Heather and Katie.

This mama sure loves seeing her daughter obviously having a great time!

One of Heather's best buddies, Ryan...aka Pepe, our school mascot. You may be seeing quite a bit of Ryan on here this year as he has also graciously agreed to be Heather's escort for the Mid Texas Symphony Ball where she will be presented as a debutante in January.

Heather's dance team coaches Cathy with her new assitant Suzanne. Heather LOVES these two ladies!


I have always loved that I can easily spot Heather on the field with the band.







The Starsteppers performed a ladder routine to "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go." After our band and dance team performed our kids stood on the sidelines to watch New Braunfels' teams peform their half time show. Guess what song the New Braunfels dance team used as well??? You got it..."Wake Me Up Before You Go Go." As they finished up on of our band director was walking by and said, "I'm going to be so sick of this song!" The season has only just begun. His comment made me laugh!

The dance team after their performance, watching the opposing team's show.

Yep, that's my daughter being ever so goofy as she carried her ladder back to the trailer after half time.

The Two-Man Road Crew: Todd and Tracy. A HUGE thank you to these two for their dedication to the dance team and cheerleaders. Todd and Tracy haul the teams' trailer with all their equipment to all the games and competitions all year long. You guys rock!

Heather on the field to cheer on the football players as they returned after half time.

Happy 18th Punky!

18 years ago today God gave us an incredible gift. He gave to us a precious bundle of life to raise and take care of and teach until He is ready to call her home again. I have never felt more blessed in my life than that day as I gazed at Heather for the very first time. As soon as she was born my doctor placed her in my arms and I've never seen anything more beautiful, more perfect. Then she was wisked away to weigh and test. The nurses brought her back to me all wrapped in a blanket with a bow in her hair like in the picture below.





So many times that seems like just yesterday. We wouldn't know for 3 years just what a miracle she was and what a gift God truly had given us. It was never our plan to raise only one child, but of course our plans aren't always what God has in store. There is no explanation for how we were able to have Heather but we are so very thankful to God that He gave her to us.





Heather proved early on to be eager to be independent and that never changed. Even now when she says, "Mom, I can do it!" I still hear that small voice when she was learning to dress herself, "Mommy I do it myself!"







I am not ready to let her go just yet, but I know that in just under a year I have to do just that. I will just have to hope and pray that we have prepared her for anything that lies ahead and will leave her in God's hands.






When Heather was 3 weeks old I laid her on one of my drawing pads and traced around her head, hand and foot and folded the paper up and stuck it in a book. I didn't realize until now when I dug it out that Marty didn't even know I'd done that. I had Heather put her hands on the page so I could capture a sort of then and now photo:





Heather may you have a blessed and fabulous 18th year! We love you so very much and are so proud of the young woman you've become.

Gabby B's Fashion Show

Not too long ago I noticed an ad kept popping up on my sidebar on my facebook page. It was for a clothing boutique called Gabby B's. I finally clicked on it to check it out and am so glad I did! It's a local store with trendy clothing at GREAT prices! I sent a link to my friend Lisa and we both became fans of the facebook page and of the store. A short time later Gabby B's put out the word that they needed people to model their clothes in an upcoming fashion show, no experience necessary. We decided why not! Lisa was chosen to model in their first show and I participated in their latest show which was held last Thursday night.


My daughter Heather and I drove over to the San Antonio store a couple of weeks ago so I could select something to wear for the show. I chose several things to try on and then let Heather and a store employee, Sam, choose for me which would work best. The choice was unanimous!


At 4:00 pm on Thursday I arrived at Spa Enso next door to Gabby B's San Antonio location where the students of Aveda Institue were to meet us to glam us up and ready us for the runway. 25 girls and ladies piled into the spa, each waiting her turn for hair and makeup. As we finished having our hair and make up done the owner of Gabby B's, Jennifer, sent us out to find the photographer she'd hired (Kim Brimhall), to have our portraits made and told us to ask Kim to take some group shots for posters and for her website. The website which will be unveiled any day now will be at http://www.shopgabbyb.com/. Be sure to check it out when it's up and running. You won't believe the cute stuff and great prices!!!



After all the models finished getting glamorous, a hummer limo pulled up in front of the spa so we could arrive at our destination in style. The runway show was held in the same plaza as the store and the spa so it was a very short trip. We were escorted alongside by ladies from the limo company who were dressed very cute in black skirts, heels and sleevless tuxedo shirts. We were treated like royalty! What a fun night!



In visiting with some of the other models I found that most, like me, had never done anything like this before and some were experienced models. Jennifer told us to all just to have fun with it and I'm sure that every one did! I wasn't sure if there would be others my age but found that there was a variety of ages of women participating.


Prior to the show I had practiced my "walk" for the runway following the advice of the experienced models. When it was my turn to get out of the limo and be escorted to the runway, I was so nervous I can not even remember if I walked the way I practiced or not! Marty went along to watch the show and man my camera for me.

While out taking photos, Marty saw us and stopped us for a quick photo (I'm not really as short as this picture appears! I'm standing at the bottom of a ramp)

Me, Ashley and Cayman

The escorts helping me out of my first limo ride ever!

We each waited in the limo until it was our turn to walk the runway.

My first trip down the runway! (And I didn't trip on the stairs in my 4 inch heels!!!)

After each model had gone down the runway we all lined up for one final walk together. This photo shows my favorite part of the dress I wore!

The runway was outside and it was getting dark so lighting wasn't ideal for Marty to take pictures but he got the best pictures he could. Thanks Babe for taking pics and for all you did!

Despite my fear of getting up in front of people, I had a fabulous time and would do it again in a heart beat!

Wordless Wednesday

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PhotoStory Friday-Friday Night Lights

In honor of the approach of fall, I repost this, one of my favorite posts, each year:

The school supplies are purchased, the clothing bought. With the start of school, also comes...

FOOTBALL!!!

The season tickets are purchased, the seat cushion's been found. Past the empty stadium can you see it? Can you feel it? There's a rumbling in the air, louder, louder still...stomp, stomp, clap. Stomp, stomp, clap. Another roar off in the distance....gets louder as more catch on. Can you hear it? "Defense. Defense. Defense." Can you feel the excitement of the first home touchdown of the game? Can you smell the popcorn and peanuts? Hear the cheers from the squad, the notes from the band?

It's with great anticipation we await the

Friday Night Lights.

To join in the Photo Story Friday Fun check out the following:

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Happy Birthday Mama!

Today is my mom's 57th birthday!!! I love you Mom!!!

I snapped this picture when I was in Missouri this summer for vacation. Also pictured is my baby sister Lacey, who is expecting Mom's next grandbaby!

Wordless Wednesday

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Heather's Senior Portraits---Part 1

I've been spending a lot of time reminiscing lately. Having a daughter who's embarking upon her senior year of high school, and having your own 20th high school reunion will do that to you!

While planning our recent trip to MO for my reunion I had an idea to take some of Heather's senior portraits there. I ran the idea by Heather, not knowing if she'd like to or not since it is not the town of her high school, yet she did attend school there in elementary school. She LOVED the idea! Call me sentimental (it wouldn't be the first time!), but I thought it would be special to have some of her portraits taken there. I didn't intend to take them all there, just some of them.

We only took the formal portraits there as we ran out of time to do any casual ones (and because a certain teenager lacked the ambition to get out of bed early enough to do them when time did allow!)

Here are just a few of the portraits that I like. To see more just click on any of them and be taken directly to a gallery full of them.

And of course it wouldn't be Heather if we didn't throw in a couple of fun ones:

goofy face:

...and twirling! Just for fun!

Joseph

While in Missouri a couple of weeks ago, I was asked to take senior portraits of my friends' Jesse and Christy's son Joseph. I was happy to do so. Here are just a few of my favorites.

As always, click on any picture to see larger or to see the entire gallery of photos.