It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

I don't really like putting decorations up and I definitely don't like taking them down, BUT...I LOVE the time between Thanksgiving and New Years when they ARE up and the house feels warm and festive and cozy and beautiful. My mom always made our house so wonderful at Christmas time and helping her decorate the tree and make cookies, etc. are great memories to me. Porter helped me decorate the tree this year. Piper just played around us with hooks and balls, but they each had fun decorating their own tree to put in their rooms. This week we even have a nice chill in the air in Texas in December and "they" say it may snow tomorrow!!! Crazy. So, we are feeling jolly and enjoying the season in Austin. Adding to the happiness, my Christmas shopping is DONE! Never in the history of mankind has this happened this early. Now, I just have to get Tyler to mail them all out:) Side note of the season...I always find it a struggle to properly explain to the kids that Santa is a magical part of Christmas, but the real reason we celebrate is because of Jesus...and yes, you get toys for Christmas, but it's always most important to give to others who are without, etc. I pray their little hearts yield to the God who created and blessed them and who we celebrate not only in December, but year round. So, as I examine my heart during this season, I, too, am convicted that I need to give like it's Christmas and celebrate my Savior coming to save us everyday.

http://gallery.me.com/aprice26#100042

We are here!

So, we're on our third week in Austin and we are totally loving every bit! The weather is obviously warmer than Kansas, but it's been so nice...sunny for the most part and 75ish - lovely! We've been outdoors tons - so much to see and do, trails, hills, parks, views. We're all unpacked and painted...just some last minute hanging of pictures left that I've lost all motivation for. Kids are in a new preschool and their teacher seems great and they have no complaints. We've met several neighbors whom are very nice, and the neighborhood has lots of young kids around as we experienced Halloween night:) We have tried two churches and they were both very good. One had Tyler and I misty eyed as the worship time was AMAZING! And, of course, we've been to several yummy places to eat - we worship God that way too:)!!!! I've had fun driving by places I used to play, dance, go to school, live, eat when I was younger and lived here before. We really only live about 10 minutes from where I grew up - surreal! We've also seen some old HPU buddies (hollah!). Being back in Texas feels like home again, but we still long for for Kansas at times...our old house (at least I do - not so much Tyler), our best friend neighbors, our wonderful church family, my mom and brother, and those beautiful seasons. But, we look forward to visiting again soon and urge everyone (even those in Texas and you know who you are) to come visit us, too. It's a great place and we promise you won't be disappointed - we aren't!!

So, TWO more weeks in Kansas!

I've already said goodbye to one friend because she's leaving the country and won't be back before I leave. We were both in tears and I finally just had to walk away. Sad.

We are spending so much time outdoors soaking in this amazing Fall weather. It's my favorite of all seasons--especially here in the Midwest--and I will mourn the loss of it.

We are hanging out with our wonderful next door neighbors more than usual because again...we will so miss them!

Kansas has been good to us. I never in a million years thought we would live here, but it's an unexpected friend I made that I'm now leaving.

In the mean time, I'm a bit bored...no packing to do thanks to movers, no school for the kids thanks to moving, no activities to dive in to, etc. We are, however, taking advantage of Fall festivities on the weekends...they are awesome here!

So, I set my sights on a new place...again. I remind myself that in March, I can be warm instead of shoveling snow; that Austin is hip, musical, artsy, family friendly, etc.; we will be close to our best friends and the Prices; it will be GOOD. But...it will take a while to settle, to feel like it's home. I will grieve the loss of our place here. I've felt very plugged in and used up since we got here. The loss of our church family and the stuff we are involved in there will break my heart. This house that is only something material and that I should not be attached to...will always be in my memory. We overhauled it and it is beautiful.

Life goes on and we are stronger for it. Everything is temporary in the long run anyway, right? And we do not go alone - someone always goes before us. We are are so thankful to God for his care and provision.

We will miss you, Kansas City!

Trading in Sunflowers for Bluebonnets...

When I was younger, I lived in Austin, TX for 6 years. I made the best memories and had a great childhood (age 6-12) there. After my family left, I always wanted to go back and even after Tyler and I married, we dreamed of living there. Then...we moved to Kansas City and fell in love with everything here...the atmosphere, our neighborhood, the food, the feel. It felt like home from day 1. So, of course, 2 years later, AUSTIN would be thrown in our face as a possible transfer! If it had been any other place, our answer would have been a strong NO. But Austin?? That was considerable. So, after considering, we gave an apprehensive yes and that yes has been growing and growing. We just came back from spending Labor Day weekend enjoying Austin, TX, our new home; exploring the city all over again; and finding a really cute house. We are now fully excited to move to the place I always wished I had never left. I feel like it's been a full circle experience...now raising my kids where I was raised. God is tricky sometimes, but He is always good. We are trusting Him in this new phase of life and enjoying every minute, soaking up the adventure and diving in head first as we are known to do. We live fairly passionately and are ready to do so in Austin. Come see us there--you'll have a blast!

Lunch

I'm pretty much an unconventional lunch eater. Lunch isn't important to me for some reason, so I like to pick and snack and stand. Today I looked at my kids eating "lunch" and realized I'm raising them to be the same way. Not really good or bad...mainly just weird. I don't even give them plates half the time! So, I snapped a few picks because it struck me as funny. Today the spread was...cheese, Starbucks muffin, raisins, cantaloupe out of the Tupperware, 'pirates booty' straight out of the bag, milk. No plates, but they did have forks:)

That's my Family...

Piper was being a stinker...

Tyler: "You better watch it, you're treading on thin water, Piper!"

Amy: "I think you mean 'ice'?"

Tyler: "Just listen to the tone of my voice and no so much what I say."

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Porter was licking his arm...

Amy: "Stop licking your arm, that's gross."

Porter: "Cat's do it!"

Amy: "But you're not a cat, you're a human and licking will make you stink. Cat's stink."

Father's Day 09

For a while, I've told the kids we can take Daddy breakfast in bed on Father's Day and they've been super excited about it! When we went to the mall to get his gift last week, Piper said..."I hope they have that big bed with food on it"! So, I had to then explain "breakfast in bed" more clearly. I told them to keep it a secret, but Porter said "Daddy, what breakfast that you like has icing on it?" and Tyler of course guessed our fav, cinnamon rolls. Porter came and told me Daddy knew what his breakfast would be. I said it was supposed to be a surprise, but Porter explained that Daddy just guessed, he didn't tell him! Oh well--it was fun!

My mom has the privilege of working for a company that has season tickets to everything. Amazingly, no one was using their Royals tickets on Father's Day, so we got them!! Great seats, but one of the hottest days of the summer. Because our seats were down so close to field...no shade and no breeze. we could barely sit down because the seats burned our butts! So, with sweat dripping from each of us and the kids with beet red faces, we decided to leave our awesome seats and walk around. It's a great ball park and lots of fun for the kids, but still...the HEAT! So, we left for the pool:)! Aaaaahhhh.

I had the best dad growing up. He adored me and was my best friend. I cherish the 17 years I had to spend with him. Now, of course, I think my kids have the best dad ever, too. I love seeing them interact and share a special bond and love. Tyler is the most loving person I know and he freely and un-selfishly gives his love to us....

He is our comic relief, he is responsible, he's the nightly bath giver, he is a disciplinarian, he is a wrestler, and he is a protector. Most of all, he loves Jesus and makes sure our kids know how important that is...that Jesus loves all of us so much and desires us to follow Him.

Happy Father's Day, Tyler!