Tis The Season

This year we went downtown with our family to see Santa, ride the carousel and have dinner with our Nana and Pa. The night was perfect and we had so much fun.

Nana & Pa (if you ever read this) I want you to know that we love you so much. Thank you for sharing so much of your lives with us. Thank you for your love, your daily phone calls and being such a positive and amazing influence on Grace and Nate. They adore you and so do we.

This is my beautiful sister-in-law, Nola with her son Chace -

My honey with Grace and Nate on the carousel

With mommy

The whole family - just ignore that we all have red eyes- ugh!

Better Late Than Never

Thanksgiving pics attached. We had a fabulous day with the whole Travis clan.

My always happy nephew, Chace

Gracie with her Great Grandma

Willow looking oh so pleased that I'm taking this picture with a sleepy Em in her arms.

Fall State Gymnastics Championship

Here is Grace at the meet. She did fantastic and we are so proud of her. This little girls gives it her all in everything she does. God blessed me with the most amazing daughter.

FA (Facebook Anonymous)

Three posts in the whole month of November. How pathetic! You can blame Facebook. I joined about a month ago and I'm totally addicted to it. Are there FA groups you can join? Should I start one up? Are you in the North Seattle area and interested in joining? Just give me a shout. Why I love Facebook:

• You get to keep in daily touch with friends & family
• Get reaquainted with old friends (its like one huge reunion)
• Post pictures, see pictures of the ones you love
• Play games, etc.

Its really fun.....but I do feel like my blog is getting ignored. I will try harder I promise.

Did I mention my daughter is going to State in gymnastics? Its this Sunday and she is so excited. We all are. She has worked really hard and she deserves this. I'm just hoping that nerves don't get the best of her - or me to be exact. I'm a nervous wreck at her meets. I feel anxious, hot and on the verge of throwing up the whole time. She handles it much better than I do.



Did you know that Christmas is only 21 days away. I have done nothing. I have not started shopping, I have not got my tree and I have not decorated my house. I'm in total denial right now. How about you????

Grace - good luck on Sunday! I know you will do your best. Have fun and know that I'm in the stands watching you, cheering you on, praying for you, loving you and trying not to throw up. Have fun sweetie because that's what its all about....

Mom

Laughed Til I Cried

Want a good laugh? Go to http://www.yearbookyourself.com/.

Here is Grace in 1988


and Nate in 1976.

Friends Come and Go but Family is Forever

How many times in your life have you heard that saying? I myself say it to my own kids. My heart breaks when my kids struggle. I'm a "fixer" and I want to make everything ok for them but I'm quickly learning that I simply can't. They have to fight their own battles, stand on their own two feet, learn and grow. I can cry with them, give them advice and hope they take it but when it comes right down to it, they have to face it alone.

Nate doesn't like preschool. He wants to go back to Terri's. He has been doing things at school that I know he wouldn't normally do. I feel like he is screaming to me, "Mom - this doesn't feel right!" But I don't know what to do. If I pull him out - how am I preparing him for Kindergarten? If I pull him out - aren't I just teaching him to quit?

Grace too is going through a rough time at school. Girls can be brutal and full of drama. I am surprised at the way they treat each other and the horrible things that they say to one another. I'm not pretending Grace doesn't do it too - sadly I know she does. All we can do as parents is show them where they went wrong, set them back on the right path and hope they learned a thing or two along the way.

I keep thinking - they don't need school, they don't need friends, they don't need all these outside negative influences - they have us. They have Aaron and I who love them more than words can possibly describe. Isn't that enough? Isn't our family enough? I know the answer - you don't have to tell me.

Mudder Duck

Nate's new favorite song. He sings it ALL THE TIME. I just love how he says, "Mudder Duck".

Nate 101

I want to introduce you to one amazing kid:

Favorite color: blue and red

Favorite cartoon: The Clone Wars

Favorite Star Wars character: Darth Vader

Favorite food: Cheesburgers

Favorite song: I Won't Waste It

Favorite animal: Lion

Best friend: Triston

Favorite thing to do: Play with Grace in his room

Nate gives endless hugs and kisses.

He will "Bust A Move" anywhere!

He walkes up to kids at the playground and says, "hi friend - want to play with me?"

He plays air guitar after scoring a goal.

He believes God lives in his tummy and he eats too much - Godgets smooshed.

He tells me he loves several time a day...

Nate - I love you too!

Happy Birthday Nate!

My baby is 5. Last weekend we threw a big Halloween party for him.

We did a fashion show, played games, ate a lot of junk and enjoyed good company....

More Fall Fun

You made your bed, now lay in it.


Pumpkin patch fun.



So handsome...




I just love this picture. I'm so proud to be a Travis.

Fall Fun

Toothless Grace trying to eat corn on the cob.


Loving on some kittens



At one of Nate's games

Orange smile

Fashion Faux Pa

I don't know about you, but I can't stand it when men wear black socks with shorts. Disgusting... My son, of course, is an exception to this rule.

Can I Just Go Back???

Sometimes I think I take my life for granted. You know - the times when there really isn't anything to complain about. When getting your laundry done is your biggest problem. Oh how I wish I could return to those days - I would appreciate them so much more. Or so you think... If only I could go back.

Life these days are rough. The economy sucks. Everyone is worried. I have a lot to be worried about right now. My prayers are getting longer and longer. I look at pictures of just six months ago and wish "if I could only go back".

I guess there is no going back. You just have to look forward and hope that things will get better. I know they always do but the waiting game can be rough. How much longer do we have to go through this? I ask myself this question a hundred times a day.

T

My Sister

There are a million things I love about my sister. Here are just a few:

• The love she has for her family.


• Her beautiful smile.


• How she will take in any stray animal and help find it a home.


• There is no ugly dog when it comes to Dee.


• The way she lights up when she knows she is helping someone.


• She listens.


• She never judges.


• Her love for our Planet and Mother Nature.


• She accomplishes EVERYTHING she sets out to do.


• She is so open-minded.


• She loves UFC as much as I do.

We had a conversation once that went like this:

Dee: Well I don't think she should have done that.

Me: I know, what was she thinking????
Dee: Sometimes she just doesn't think things through - I think she is making a huge mistake.

Me: ABSOLUTELY

Dee: Oh no, I shouldn't have said that. It wasn't very nice.

Me: Its me Dee - who cares???

Dee: You don't understand, now its "OUT THERE" and I can't get it back.

Me: I know exactly what you mean....

You are an amazing sister. You have helped me through some of my toughest times. I know I can tell you anything and you won't judge me. You just "get me" and that is rare to find. I love you more than words can possibly describe.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

We may not always understand God's plan. But just by praying we are showing our faith (that little voice you hear inside of you). Faith gives you hope. I have faith in YOU.

T

Emerson's Turns One

One major milestone down - several more to go. Happy Birthday sweet Emerson!

Enjoying her cake...

Cruising the furniture.

Look at those baby blues...

Hurry Dad! Get that present out of the box! Naomi waiting so patiently.

Grace getting love from Mama. This doesn't happen very often anymore. I savor every minute.

Mr. Travis

My amazing husband. Isn't he handsome??? The "other woman" in this picture is just one of the many that I need to compete with for his time. : ) All kidding aside, this man is remarkable.

Thank you Aaron - for your time, for your love, for your hard work, for your shoulder to sometimes cry on, for your faithfulness to me and our family, for your devotion to our children, for your patience (and I know you need a lot being married to me) and for your kind soul. Your love is unconditional and I have learned so much about love from you.

Hang in there - this too shall pass and we have been through much tougher times than this. I love you Mr. Travis.

Boys Galore

Grace is the only girl grandchild on my side of the family. Whenever we go to any family event, including stuff for Nate, it is boys, boys, and more boys.....and then Grace.

These boys are not yet in the stage where girls are, ya know, cool.... No, they are still in the stage where girls are filled with cooties and who know what else. When they play, Grace is always the bad guy, always the monster, always the one they need to "ATTACK"!

I think it bums her out on occasion but all in all she can take care of herself. My youngest sister, Denise, has two sons Joe & Triston. Joe is the oldest and he and Grace get along great. Triston and Nate are only four months apart and they too get along great. Its a great set up. We love our time with this family.

It was Joe's birthday just recently and these are some pics of the fun we had.

My Toothless Wonder

I'm in the bathroom, brushing my teeth, when I overheard this conversation:

Grace: Nate, guess what I did last night?

Nate: What?

Grace: I went to a concert and I lost another tooth.

Nate: Your good at losing teeth!

Grace: I know. The tooth fairy left me five bucks.

Nate: Your know Grace, if you keep losing teeth, your going to turn back into a baby.

Grace: That's not what happens! You just get new teeth to take the place of the old ones.

Nate: Nope - I don't think so.... Your going to turn back into a baby...

Five Things I Love

Rudy's face in this picture.

The loving heart of my daughter.

Her sense of humor.

How Nate thinks he's Spiderman and Rudy is his sidekick.

When its almost Fall and leaves are turning.

This Could Be A Long Season

Did you happen to see the Seahawks play on Sunday? Wow - was that embarassing... My fantasy football team didn't start off any better either. Then, to top things off, I heard Nate (love the name) Burleson was out for the rest of the season. What is going on here? Can we please have a do-over?

My Nate isn't doing so hot. He's decided that he doesn't love preschool after all. He cries, screams and hyperventilates in the morning when I try to drop him off. He grabs my pant leg and begs me to take him with me. It is literally breaking my heart. I knew the transition wouldn't be easy - but this is crazy. I'm just praying he gets used to it and learns to love it as much as he loved going to Terri's.

This time of year is crazy for the Travis family. We have to accomplish work, school, homework, baths, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, walking the dog, gymnastics and soccer. Throw in a birthday party almost every weekend (I'm not kidding) and we are spent. Aaron and I are two passing ships - he goes one way and I go the other.

Until next time,

T

Scoring Machine

Today was Nate's first soccer game. I knew Nate wouldn't be shy but I had no idea he would play so well. Nate scored four goals today. We are proud parents! I have been calling him my "soccer stud" all day. It was so much fun to watch and I can't wait to see him throughout the season.