Mud Quest

This weekend Richard, the kids and I all ran Mud Quest.  It was so much fun and the weather was perfect!  The kids' course was a half a mile and included hurdles, mud pits to crawl through and mud pits to swing over.  They ran heats about every hour, but after they finished they were allowed to run it again if they wanted.  I think the boys ran it 4 or 5 times before they had had enough.  Richard and I did the 3.5 mile run and we also had mud pits to crawl through, which were just as fun for us.  In addition, we had planks to balance across, ladders to scale, tanks to swim/walk through, hills to climb and then slide down, and a good portion of it was just running on uneven terrain.  It was definitely a challenge!  The scenery was nice too!  We were in hay fields and woods most of the time, but once we ended up in a field of wild flowers where Richard picked me a bluebonnet and gave me a big, muddy kiss.  It was so sweet, which was a change from him smearing mud on me and pulling me back into the pits!  :)  It was all so much fun and we decided we want to do another one very soon!!

Koby and Cannon not wanting to get too muddy yet...that didn't last long though.

Kelby getting dirty!

Baylee and Morgan afterwards

We did it!!

There was a fire truck on site to hose us off after we were done.  Surprisingly, the mud came off rather easy and it wasn't as big of a mess as I was thinking it was going to be!

Soccer

It's soccer season!!  Troy has been looking forward to playing again and did really well in his first game.  He is definitely one of the fastest on the team, but not the most aggressive, so he does really well in catching up with the ball, but then just kind of stands there and watches.  He did make two shots on the goal and both came really close to going in.  He also had one assist and a great defensive play where he got in front of the ball, stopped it and turned it around!  He already is showing great improvement from last year, so I have no doubt that as the season continues, his soccer skills will only get better and better!!

The many faces of my boyfriend

Over the last year, Richard and I have really taken the time to move our relationship forward slowly.  Due to our life circumstances, we have both been very cautious, and skeptical at times, as we started this relationship.  As the months passed by and we began trusting each other more, we began opening up more and now I feel like Richard is someone I don't want to live without.  He is spiritually mature and driven, a great role model, a strong father, thoughtful of others, sacrificial, and a playful companion.  I think that playful spirit is what I love most about him, aside from his love for Christ.  He loves to laugh and to make me laugh.  As I think about spending forever with someone, I think friendship and laughter are so important and I am so blessed to have Richard as a part of my life, as not only my boyfriend but also my friend.  As I looked back through my pictures, it made me smile just to see how often I have to retake pictures to try to get a straight face, but then I realized, his funny faces are what makes him who he is and why I love him so much!

Good-bye Grandpa

On Friday morning, as we headed to Opening Day, I got a call from my sister that my grandpa had passed away. He would have turned 95 in June and despite a couple of bad knees, he was in pretty good health. He lived in an apartment with assisted living and used them mainly for his meals and cleaning. The staff had checked on him that morning but when they went back a few hours later, he had already passed away. They said he was in his recliner watching westerns. I guess if I live to be 95 that is the way I would want to meet Jesus too!

The viewing was Monday and I cherished the time we just got to sit in the state room, in the quiet and reflect, but I also enjoyed hearing Troy's little mind ask those little mind questions about life and death and being able to point him to Jesus.

The funeral was Tuesday and Blake flew in from Puerto Rico so it was nice to see him, even though the circumstances were less than desirable.  I couldn't snap my camera fast enough for the picture to turn out great, but I liked this shot of the four generations of Pippen men.  (Troy is hidden behind my dad)

Because my grandpa was in the military, the Air Force Honor Guard preformed the burial.  It was very emotional and interesting at the same time to watch them fold the flag...

 play Taps...

fire the 21 gun salute and present my dad with the flag and bullet shells.   My grandpa was a great man and I hope that Troy and Teague follow in his footsteps as they grow older.

A Ranger's Weekend

Richard and I have been looking forward to Opening Day for awhile now!  Not only to start baseball season again, but also because we have never spent more than a day together without kids, and this would be our first weekend together, just he and I!!  We were not sure my mom was going to be able to get us tickets but she did after all and Chris and Becca joined us too. My family always tailgates before the game and then again after the game so we got up early to make the drive into Arlington for all the festivities.  Before the game is always fun as they introduce all the players, have the National Anthem and the bomber fly-over.  We even won the game, so that made the day even more enjoyable! 

Richard and I also had tickets for Game #2 the following night.  It wasn't a win, but fun anyways!! In between the games Richard and I got to shop, watch any TV show we wanted, take a nap, and relax in the hot tub.  It was a nice, needed getaway that we both enjoyed very much!!

Kindergarten Round-Up

As Richard and I have grown more and more serious over the last year we have talked about me moving closer to him this summer. There are a ton of details that will all have to fall into place before that happens, but as we have been praying about it, it seems like God is opening a lot of doors in many areas, so that is really exciting!!  This week was Kindergarten Round-Up at the school Kelby will attend so we decided to tag along to check things out.  Troy and Kelby both had the best time and I was very impressed with the whole evening. I realize I have never been to a Kindergarten Round-Up before so I have nothing to compare it to, but it was well organized, informative and everyone was so friendly!

Name tags and paperwork

At the end of the night, the boys went through the lunch line and picked what flavor of milk and cookie they wanted.

 Carrying their trays all by themselves (sorry for the blurriness)

 

 Opening their milk all by themselves!

 

They grow up TOO quick, but I was so proud of them for being independent and good listeners and excited to be at school.  As we left, the Kindergarten teacher gave each of them a big hug and a goodie bag.  I know they thoroughly enjoyed the evening, as did I!  On the way back to Richard's house, Kelby asked if they were going to go to school tomorrow!  They were very disappointed when we said "no" and that it was still several months away.  They are going to be two cute Kindergarteners come August!

Girls Night Out

The girls met at Malagas Tapas Bar last night for some good food and good company. I was really looking forward to it because I love the"duck pizza" there.  It's not really called duck pizza but it is smoked duck with caramelized onions and cheese and a delicious sauce all on flat bread.  Unfortunately, they had taken it off the menu, but it would be returning on Monday.  I pleaded with them to make it for me 2 days early, but they wouldn't, so I settled for the pork bites, which were very delicious as well.  It was a great night out filled with tons of laughter that I really needed!!