Juice Box Simplicity

"There is a beauty and clarity that comes from 
SIMPICITY
that we sometimes do
not appreciate in our thirst 
for intricate solutions."
Dallin H. Oaks

I have found so much joy in simplicity. 
Simple days bring me happiness and peace.
Simple days make my heart full.
Simple days remind me of what matters most.

One of the greatest blessings of being a Mother of small children is simplicity.
I treasure it.
I know soon enough our lives will bombarded with endless activities and extra curriculars.
Heck, we could engage in these now.
But I choose not to overbook our little family.

Because there is peace and joy in our simple days.
Our juice box simple days.
"Mom, can you open this juice-box?"

Don't get me wrong- we love sports and art and music! 
And we try to do a little at a time.
Because more than anything I want to play with my children while they still love to play with me!

Oh Maggie Maggie Maggie--- 
I love your smile.

It's a lesson I seem to need to learn over and over again. 
And each time I learn a new reason why simplicity is best.
Juice Box simplicity.
Now that's the stuff!

Bikes and Bluebonnets

After the strawberry patch we came home for the PARTAY!!!!! 
Rachel was pretty excited for her strawberry birthday cake!

Six candles!

And heres the big one! 
She got a bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now lets hope she learns to ride it sometime soon! haha!

I know most kids learn the bike way earlier, but thing is this is the first time we've had a decent driveway and neighborhood to try this! 
Learning that balance has been tricky!

Luke and Pop...

Off to explore!!!

We found a bluebonnet patch and decided to take a few pictures.
This one cracks me up because Mariela was so stinking worried about 
rattlesnakes! haha!

Oh my parents!!
Gotta love 'em!

One with the girls 
(Luke was throwing rocks with Daddy- way too focused to move him to the bluebonnet patch!)

We are so glad everyone could come out and celebrate Miss Rachel with us!
It was one of those weekends that get you through
 the rest of the month and make you longing for more.
Happy Birthday Rachel!

The Strawberry Girls

A few weeks ago Rachel came up to me and said, "Mom- I want a big POOL party for my birthday party this year!" (With really big excited eyes!)
To which I replied, "I'm sorry honey, you're not a summer baby, you're a spring baby and pools aren't open in the spring."
As soon as Rachel began to wallow I exclaimed, "You're a spring baby and do you know what that means??!!??!!? It's means we get to go to the strawberry patch!!!!"
Sad frown turned upside down. Since that moment there has been no talk of a pool party.
But every other minute there was, "Mom how many more days until my party at the strawberry patch?" hahahaha!

We counted down the days and it finally came! Strawberry Patch day!
It was foggy and misty that morning. And it was 100% chance of rain.
But I had a good feeling.
We HAD to go. Nothing else would do!
My Mommy intuition payed off and it was perfect. A little drizzly and muddy- but perfect.
Scoping out the strawberry rows...

Found a big one!

What a cute little birthday girl!

Luke helped himself to has many strawberries that he could fit in his mouth.
hahaha!

Everyone got muddy that day but no one got as muddy as the Lukeman.
Nobody.

The much anticipated train ride!!!!!!!!
All aboard!
Miss Rachel---
aka: Miss Strawberry Queen

Miss Maggie---
aka: Miss Ladybug Queen

Daddy and Mr. Luke (who wasn't so sure about this train ride thing)---
aka: Mr. Muddy Britchers

Chugg-a-Chugg-a-Chugg-a-Chugg-a- CHOO CHOO!

I'm already dreaming of making something similar when we have land and grandkids.
It's gonna be amazing.
Just wait and see. ;)

Look at that long and lean little girl!
SIXXXXXXXXX!!!!!
ahhhhh! I feel so old!

Blurry Goodness right here!

The Luke jumpster!!!

Flying Strawberry Queen!!!!

The Strawberry Birthday Girls!!!
Rachel's birthday is the 7th and Mariela's the 10th! 
Double PARTAY!!!!!
We were so excited to celebrate with them!

Feeding the goats. 
The kids can never get enough of this!

Little boy muddy heaven...

Miss Strawberry and Miss Ladybug having a good ole' time!

I absolutely love this picture!
Hazy, misty strawberry field and Miss Ladybug jumping the rows...

The only group picture we got before Luke threw a fit! 
He must have known it was a girly ladybug... haha...

As we were leaving I spotted lots of Indian Paintbrush patches!!! I hadn't seen any over in our neck of the woods so I about FLIPPED!!!!
Indian Paintbrushes are my absolute favorite and have been since I was a girl.
STOP THE CAR! I'VE GOT TO GET A PICTURE!
I'm so proud of the lady Rachel has become! Just LOOK at her! 
You can see straight through that pure little heart of hers. You're such a joy Miss Rachel Lynn!

Oh my goodness gracious... 
I love love love this picture!

Thanks Mariela for taking a few a Rachel and I! I love them!
Like Mother like Daughter!
This picture makes my heart burst.

Favorite. Day. Ever!

Happy Birthday my sweet girl!
I LOVE YOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rachel Lynn is SIX YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!

Somebody pinch me... 
...
...
...
Yep, Rachel is still SIX YEARS OLD!
I seriously can't believe how quickly time passes. 
Rachel has always been my little Aggie girl. I still remember the times I spent being a brand new Mommy in College Station while Daddy finished school. It was such a sweet time in my life. Rachel taught me how to love in a way I never knew existed. I quickly learned that a Mother's love meant giving all your heart, time, energy, and talents to one tiny little individual. 
It meant long nights and long days. It meant lots and lots of laundry. It meant never having a completely clean household again. It meant reading and researching the best ways, and how-tos.
It meant someone else always coming first. It meant lots and lots of worry. It meant lots and lots of prayer. It meant lots of cuddles and giggles. It meant lots of being me- the real me--- being silly and happy. It meant dancing in the middle of the living room floor and exposing everything in me to this one little person.
In short, it meant my life would be forever changed.

Rachel, thanks for being my first little angel. 
Thanks for picking me as your Momma.
Thanks for loving me and forgiving me every time I learn a new Mommy lesson.
I sure love you.

Rachel's birthday landed on a regular school night this year, and although we had planned a big party on Saturday we still wanted to make the day special.
I made her favorite dinner, Chili and then we went on a fun family walk.
Rachel loves to share (most of the time) with her sister and brother. And she loves to be in charge. lol!

You can always find Rachel at the table with the tape, scissors, glue, and crayons. She loves to bring me her artwork which I gladly stick on the fridge for a day or two. ;)

Rachel is inherently good. And I mean GOOD. She has this desire deep down in her to make others happy. She'll frequently just tell me that she loves me and that I'm the best Mom ever. And every time I ask her what she'd like to be when 
she grows up her response is- "A Mommy!!!!"
I love having this one has my sidekick. 

And Rachel is BEAUTIFUL! 
Even with messy hair and chili on her face she's gorgeous! In fact- I think it helps! haha!
Those root beer eyes get me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

After our walk we came home to chocolate cake!!! WHOOP!

I think I know what she's wishing for... 
A Bike.
heehee
Happy Birthday Rachel Lynn!!!!!!!!!

And just a couple more pictures because I can't help myself!
She's perfect. That's all.

She's such a beauty! And my favorite thing is that she knows it. 
I wish that always and forever my girls remember just how beautiful they are!