My Rachel...

What is it about the baby of the family that makes everyday milestones even more emotional? Everyday I look at my little girl and I can see everything that is babyish about her slipping away. With Rachel being my last child I wanted to hold on to every feeding, giggle, first steps, but then I blinked and off to school she went. Yesterday we were sitting on the couch and it was as if I witnessed a miracle...she was reading to me! It's not like this is my first rodeo. I already have two very intelligent kids in school and have gone through this, but this time it was different. I was even compelled to call Robert and tell him, "Our baby is reading!". Today for both Veteran's Day programs she got to be the Masters of Ceremonies. I had no idea she was going to get to do this, and I must say I have never been as proud as I was today. Yes, that was me clapping for her after everybody else was done, and I didn't care! Robert and I are so blessed to have three beautiful, healthy, unique children...I just hope we can keep up with them!!

and the Crush of the Month is...

Everyone of my friends know I always have a celebrity crush to talk about, so tonight I have decided to create a Crush of the Month entry and let you guys, well girls know who I have had my eye on. Don't worry it's all in fun, and my husband never gets jealous!! LOL


So this month we will start with someone that I just discovered this month but didn't realize how many movies he's been in that I watched. You can catch Timothy Olyphant in Catch and Release, The Perfect Getaway, and more recently the new series Justified on FX. This fall he will also be guest appearing on my favorite show, The Office. I don't know why he has been kept a secret for so long, but boy am I glad he's been revealed!!

Summer, how I handled it...

Here we are, less than a week til school starts, and I will be shipping my last one out the door. I can't believe my baby will be starting Kindergarten, good luck Rach! I am a little sad but I think I will manage. It seems just like yesterday it was Zach who was being dropped off at his desk as I walked out with tears in my eyes. It has been an eventful summer for me, some good times and some bad and some "what was I thinking times".

The summer started out very sad for us due to losing Robert's grandmother. I am so proud of my husband for being strong and keeping it together for his family at a time like that. To ease the kids' grief and pain they would stay outside until the first star appeared and tell MawMaw goodnight and that they love her. It was something I used to do when I was little and lost my mother, and I thought this would help them too. She will be greatly missed.


After a few weeks by the pool the kids and I were loving the break and I was loving my tan. We had big plans Fourth of July week and weekend spending time with family and friends in Houston. I packed for two days and made sure I had everything in order, even had a list. The plan was for me to drive down with the kids and meet Robert a couple of days later. I had never packed and loaded the kids in the car so perfectly and I mean everything was going "too" smooth. We had just one stop before heading out of town. Hannah had her gymnastics class from 5:30 to 6:30 and even though we had mentioned skipping, we went ahead and went. BIG MISTAKE!! Fifteen minutes into her class I got up to see how she was doing and I couldn't see her. Then I spotted her in the pit with her instructor. The owner came up to me and said "We think she may have dislocated or broke her arm". Well...they were right on both, she dislocated AND she broke her arm on top of dislocating her shoulder. Needless to say we did not make it Houston that night, even though I was still hellbent on going! After a few days of rest we went ahead and drove to Houston for a family gathering and since she was going to be in a cast for four weeks...I said goodbye to my tan.

What to do with three kids who can't go to the pool or even get out in the Texas heat and play, you ask? Let them run a muck with their friends while I venture into the world of sewing. I ventured in and I ventured out, however I created five beautiful skirts for my girls and acquired a taste for the band Snow Patrol. My friend and I had a good time and a good laugh at me, but I guess I would have never known if I never tried.



I would have to say the best thing about this summer was friends and I had and needed all kinds. I needed the old, the new and even the lost. Somewhere I read you need a friend for every aspect of your life and I am so blessed to have them. I found a hilarious new workout buddy friend who is back at work now...sniff,sniff. Don't worry I will keep tabs on you and we will always have Kenny G and the downward dog. Unfortunatly, I did have some struggles with my depression this summer and am very thankful for the ones that helped me through it with coffee and long talks. Along the way I managed to mend a friendship and catch up on the lost time and find a lost friendship so we could laugh at ourselves "way back when". Out of all these friends I have my "soul friend", you know the one that will be there no matter what? I got to spend some time with her even though it was not enough, but with her it's never enough.

As I say goodbye to the Summer of 2010 I want to reflect on all the Disney Channel I watched. I will miss you Zach and Cody and even little Hannah Montana, because you are all I heard in the background. I would also like to reflect on my discoveries like Wasabi and Soy Sauce Almonds and that eating at Chick-fila is not fine dining. Also did you know that red roses smell so much better when they are handed over by your husband of twelve years? Trust me they do!!

I am so excited for Monday August 23rd to arrive, I will have a newfound freedom for at least six hours in my day. Okay, okay I will admit it!! I am going to miss my kids so much! This house will be too quiet, so quiet that I might have to turn on that Zach and Cody on the boat show. I was really never watching it...honestly. So long Summer 2010, hello Fall, I can't wait to see what you have in store for me! I know you will keep me super busy!!

Walk Now for Autism Speaks

When I announced on Face Book that we had a big announcement I never imagined the amount of feed backs we would receive or suspense I would generate. Really I wanted to announce this on April 1st because that day is the beginning of National Autism Awareness month. So now I am going to tell you so it doesn't get any bigger and there there will be no rumors going around Kyle that I am pregnant . Which was a good guess by the way :).

Sooo here it is...We have started a Walk for Autism Speaks team and would love for all of you to join us! This is a great way to raise money for a cause that is very close to our hearts. Four years ago, I was sitting in my car at the post office with my children and I never imagined how much our family's dynamics were about to change. Our daughter Hannah who could walk, talk, and do just about everything any other three year old could do stopped talking that day and very shortly after stopped making eye contact. Then I remembered a couple of weeks before that she stuttered almost every word that came out and she was very distant, which then led to this massive breakdown in the post office parking lot. From there I called the doctor and got an appointment immediately and the next few days it was test after test. The outcome...Autism. Fast forward to today, Hannah is a thriving eight year old who is very outgoing, smart, and caring but not without the occasional setbacks. We would not have the Hannah we have today if it wasn't for early intervention.
I know and am very grateful that our family was just skimmed by this dreadful disorder. For those that don't know Autism is a spectrum disorder and not everyone that has it acts like Dustin Hoffman in Rainman. Many people with Autism can be highly functional. These are the children that could grow up to be your future Bill Gates, Bobby Fischer and even Keanu Reeves(that one is a shocker to me). Unfortunately there is the low functioning side of the spectrum which can be very expensive and taxing on the families. According to the National Autism Association the divorce rate with families affected by autism is 80%. That does not surprise me with all the costs and isolation the primary caregiver is put in.
As of today we are constantly fighting for government funding, the insurance companies and for the stigma to be lifted. This is our chance to make these tasks easier to achieve. Please join the Royal Walkers (once again Robert's idea lol) on Saturday October 9th, 2010 in Round Rock Texas to walk in the Autism Speaks 5k. Below is the link to our Team's information...Hope to see you there!!

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/austin/royalfam

Mommy's on a diet!

Zachary: Hey Dad when are we going to take my old clothes to Goodwill?

Robert: I don't know probably on Saturday.

Zachary: Well why do all my clothes always shrink?

Robert: They don't buddy, you are just getting bigger.

Robert
& me: Except if you are Mom then they really do shrink.


It's true my clothes are the only ones in this household that shrink and that is why I am on a diet now.

March is a busy month...

Don't worry all my Royal followers I have not forgot about y'all (yes I am from Texas and occasionally use this word). It's just March is such a busy month with birthdays, spring break, and soccer. I will have so much to catch you guys up on when I have the time to sit down and gather my thoughts. One thing I can share with you is that I became an Office fan...a big one! That's what she said!! HEEHEE!! See ya soon!!

Robert Pattinson is Bothered...

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Totally Random Stuff...

Don't have much to blog about lately, just been super busy. Soccer season has started for Zach and rec season starts for Rachel this Saturday. Currently we are trying to find something to tie up Hannah's time but just haven't found the right match for her quite yet. We are gearing up to visit Houston for Spring Break which has me a little frazzled and excited. Frazzled...well, that's just because I always get frazzled when getting ready for long trips like this one and excited because we get to celebrate Hannah's and my Birthday. However I'd rather just celebrate Hannah's. The only exciting thing about my birthday is that I get to wear my new Flogging Molly shirt(my birthday is on St. Patrick's Day), drink green beer, and I get to go see the new film Remember Me. I am so ready to see Robert Pattinson on the big screen not playing a vampire. Don't get me wrong I love me some Twilight but I also love that he is broadening his roles and not becoming a type casted actor. He is way to hot for that!

Only in Texas...

Only in Texas do we go from this kind of day...


To this kind of day...

A Random Read...

I just finished with this read and loved it. It was very different from what I am used to lately, in other words a giant leap away from vampires and a break from east coast romance (aka Nicholas Sparks). Water for Elephants is a coming of age novel about circus life during the Great Depression and all the gritty drama that came along with it. Sara Gruen offers the reader plenty of variety such as adventure, romance, murder, and a larger than life comedian who sometimes gets the raw end of the deal. You will fall in love with the lead character Jacob Jankowski as well as watch him come into his own. I was told before reading this book that I would not be happy with the ending. In my opinion it was perfect. So since we have a few more cold and dreary days ahead of us you should definitely give this book a go.

Don't call me cheap, call me frugal...

I'm so excited I have to tell everybody this wonderful news! I no longer have to pay a fortune for my makeup. All these years I have spent so much money on name brand foundations and concealers. Finally, last year I found the perfect foundation, of course it was namebrand (Prescriptives) and of course they went out of business. Isn't that what always happens? Then I went back to my Bare Minerals and after seeing pictures of me this weekend going out the coverage was definitely not enough. So now I am using Revlon Colorstay foundation and Maybelline Dream Matte Powder, and what a pair it is! Even though it feels light on the skin, it gives total coverage and for those of you that know me know I have battles with my skin. Other than my Prescriptives blush I have all drugstore cosmetics in my box...and I'm actually okay with that.

The Royals go camping...Texas Hill Country style

Well at least it was camping to me even though there was electricity and running water! I have been meaning to blog about this but things kept coming up. Last week we took the kids to my family's little cabin in Junction TX. Needless to say, they had a blast. It was my first time going back there in ten years or so. I forgot how beautiful and peaceful it was there. The kids enjoyed riding the ATVs and playing in the "backyard". I enjoyed relaxing and Robert enjoyed the battle he had with the fire in the fire stove. Even though there is electricity there is no central air and heat (oh well you can't have it all). The funniest thing was the kids or should I say Hannah's fascination with the electric blanket. I never thought about the impact it would have on her when I said they would be sleeping under an electric blanket. She was so excited about going to bed that night. Since we underestimated the longevity of the fire logs we ran out by morning(guess we'll know better next time) and the next morning was a low of 20 degrees, so we packed up and headed out. On the way out we spotted a beautiful doe crossing the road, but Hannah and I got a bonus...we saw a huge buck in the clearing. He was so beautiful standing there in the frozen fog with the sun shining on him, it gave him this heavenly glow. Even though the trip was short lived we made some good memories, and can't wait to make even more next time.

The Sentimental Pack Rat

The Royals have been busy so far this month. We decided we have reached the point in our life, since moving into our house eight years ago, that we need to purge. To purge successfully you have to "get rid" of your old belongings and either resale them or donate them,and THIS is not an easy task for me. I tend to hold onto possessions for the memories. In fact I still have little outfits the kids wore when they were babies and even a pair of jeans my husband bought for me when we were dating. I know, crazy right? So this is where my husband comes in handy. With him being the less sentimental type he has saved our house from busting at the seams. On the flip side of that note he threw me into major panic attacks. I'm just kidding they were only minor ones. So, phase one of our purge actually started in December, right before Christmas, and that included toys and other odds and end from the kids' rooms. It was devastating for me to stand there and watch the men at Goodwill unload all my memories, or so what I thought were my memories. I just know I got on their nerves when I would say,"No not that...okay go ahead and take it" over and over again. Then the other day we went through more stuff, and the more that we do this the easier it is getting for me. I have to say our home is feeling much lighter. I would say it is also more organized but that would not be true since I was always a pro at organizing, I would just organize the junk. Now that I am a semi pro at purging I will have to remind myself that the memories aren't in the toys,clothes,or any other possession... they will always be in my heart.

Leave the past in the past...lace up a new set of shoestrings...

What a wonderful holiday season it was!! The whole season went by without any problems at all, absolutely no stress. Not to mention a few pleasant surprises for me. I have to admit that last year was not the best year for us, but we figured things out and grew as a family. Now I am ready to get on with the new year and new decade. I just know this is going to be a good year, this will be my year to flourish. So many good things are in store for my family and me. I can just feel it!! I hope everyone out there feels just as confident as I do about their own futures. I know these times are hard, but if you just focus on those precious moments in life then you can find that little twinge of inspiration that gets you through your day. Happy New Year everyone, here is to a fresh start and my new take on life.