A day of fishing and a few random mentionables!

I keep forgetting to mention this... but for the last month or so, Emery has taken up a new habit that is her best one yet!  And puts me into a state of bliss!  When I put her to bed at night, she will play with my hair as she lays her head on my shoulder while I pray.  It is AWESOME!!!

New words or phrase.... Ew!  ... Uh oh!  ...  Up!  ... Pease  ...

 We always stop by the pool when we go get mail.  It's crazy that even in Dec in Texas, 

we can still put our feet in (although the water is VERY cold!)

 Had to share my latest creation!  All homemade... shortbread with orange zest, caramel, 

and dark chocolate with sea salt.  It is A-mazing!!!!

Last Saturday we went to Canton, TX for day of fishing with friends.  Doug and Cyndi Erickson just moved from Fresno only a month ago.  Doug was actually very close friends with Sean's parents.  So we have known him for a long time.  They invited us, the Carlsons and the Caughrans to their ranch.  It was a beautiful day for it too.  The drive was beautiful and I was blown away by the beauty of their property.  They have 7 acres where they have a house, a cottage and a mobile home.  But they also bought the surrounding 35 acres!  They have 2 ponds from which we fished.  The girls had planned to go shopping at this monthly event called First Monday Trade Days.  Some 200,000 people come from all over every month to the town of 5,000.  But I decided I really wanted to fish as I have only sort-of fished once in my life and caught nothing.  So then we thought we could do both.  But once the day got going, it was something I did not want to leave.  It was a beautiful day outside of fishing, eating, fellowship and hearing the kids play near and far.  It was a perfect day in every way!  It took me only about 3 hours but I finally caught my first fish!  And that was all it took!!  I caught about 7 more!  I was hooked (literally...lol!)  It was so much fun!!  We keep realizing just how much we are blessed! (hang on!  there's lots of pics!!)

 The whole gang!  We have ALL moved from Fresno!

 Joe (who flew in for Steve's birthday) and Sean hanging out by the pond

 Tyranie helping Hannah fish

 Luke and Sean (and me) heading over to the 2nd pond hoping for a little more luck

 I FINALLY CAUGHT A FISH!!!!  (Luke was so relieved because he took it on as his mission to get me my first fish.  He was so intense about it!  I'm so not exaggerating either! lol)

 My first catch!  It was bigger than it looks (I swear) and the second one was bigger! yeah!

 Tyranie helping Meagan fish... so sweet!

 That's me trying another area of the pond!

 Sean "teaching" me how to fish!!!

 Emery and her new best friend, Hannah!

 Simply Sweet!

Hanging out on the porch of the cottage they will be using as a respite time for people in ministry.  

God is going to do amazing things here!

Tree swing!!!!  Of course, right!??

 Brianna fishing (she and Madeline caught fish right away!)

 Emers!!!

 Elizabeth fishing.... look at that sky!!

 me and my sweet girlfriends, Kathy and Tyranie... 

God has truly blessed us with each other!!!

 Luke and Madeline!

 Daddy and Emery!!

 Steve and his oldest son, Josh, at the BBQ!

 Scott, Luke and Joe with their surprise catfish catch!!

Elizabeth and me caught at the same time!

 This is how the day started.... overcast and drizzly.  

But all day the clouds kept moving and changing 

between sunny and blue skies and this!  

A little humid, but a perfect day to be outside!

 Can it GET any better than this????

Spring Chicken dance!!!

Emery now does the chicken dance along with her Bubble Guppies friends!  It's the cutest thing!  They sing Bock... bock... bock bock bock!  and she sings Gack... gack... gack gack gack, flaps her 'wings' and spins right along with them!!!