Queen V goes Country

A few pictures of Queen V and a video of the day...
BES Stockyard Fieldtrip

 Queen V took a class field trip to the Stockyards.  Did you know Fort Worth is the only city with its own brand? Bit of cool history I didn't even know while I was teaching Texas History. It looks like the horns on the cattle in the above photo.

 A quick shot with one of the cowboys who taught the kids that morning. Queen V was very excited... would have been better had she been on a horse. LOL

A few times a day they recreate a "cattle drive" for the tourists moving the cattle from one end of the stockyards to the other. It's pretty cool for sure.

Not sure where my girl will end up when she is all grown up... either on the water with a surfboard or in the mountains with horses all around her.  She loves both... just like her mama.

Silly Happy Girl

Love my Princess A she wakes up running to me with her blonde locks all over the place. "Good Morning, Dandelion!!" I tell her as she jumps up into my arms all excited about the day. First order of the day is a bowl of cheerios- it's not breakfast without Cheerios

she still uses her baby towels when she can find them and surprisingly they fit! She finds everything funny from a silly dance her siblings make up, to running in place to saying the word "poopy". She is so very 4.

conquering fear

after a full day of learning. evening game. all boy. then the sunset and no lights came on. Mr. T was asked to be goalie. He had played goalie in our backyard but never for a game. I was all excited hollering for him to get the ball when it came down to him... forgetting his fear of the dark. and it got dark. and he was waiting for his teammates to come back towards him- even if they were trying to get the ball past him, at least he had people by him. After the game when we were safe at home he told me of his fear and how he didn't like being back there. all by himself. Put the big L on my forehead for LOSER! oh man. I felt awful.

soccer season has begun!

love this toothless grin!

Each time one of my kiddo's tries a sport I get a little tickled inside. I know the anticipation of trying something new and the courage it takes to step out as an athlete is huge!

 I have to remember I am NOT the one playing but the one cheering them on, hoping they find the joy in the sport they have chosen.  I love seeing my kids look over at me with a HUGE grin on their face and wind blowing in their hair- that is priceless for sure!

be kind to each other today.

I found this on FaceBook today and thought it was totally worth sharing and reading: A sweet lesson on patience. 

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'.
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

Girls on the Run Practice Race

Girls on the RUN! My girls have once again been training for a 5K and they are ready to rock it! I'm so proud of my girls for taking charge of their lives in this way!

after getting bibs on they were ready to stretch with teammates and get ready to run their hearts out.

All the different running shoes really showed how unique each of the girls were. 

They both ran their hearts out for the practice and are really ready to set their "personal best" on race day!! I am so excited to see how much they have grown to handle situations that arise as they become young ladies.

Sweet V

my kids love that I love to learn. They get excited to see me excited about learning new things, failing, picking myself back up, dusting off and trying again.
I have a lot to learn and from them mostly. yep. they are the greatest teachers that teach me not to give up and continue trying- even after taking a breather and trying to find my direction or path that God is pointing me to at that time.
Well, I follow a great photographer from down under, Sue Bryce- she really knows how to teach and inspire!  I found her via Creative Live where I have learned so much about photography and myself. I am grateful for the moments I have gotten to spend a quite moment just for myself- although while learning I am always thinking of how it can apply to a friend and her or his business.

chin.shoulder.eyes.
each person is beautiful in their own way.
I think Queen V is beautiful and have since I saw her for the first time.
She takes my breath away.