The Boerckel's

5 minutes of snow

2012-02-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Drew woke up from nap and the exact time the snow started falling.

I threw on his clothes and we went outside to enjoy it!

Obviously someone wasn't THAT excited.

Updates

2012-02-12T17:25:00.000-08:00

My "almost" 4-year old and "almost" 1-year old are growing up sooo fast!

The two of them together has been such a breeze!!! (knock on wood here)

Miss Ainsley has been taking note from her big brother when it comes to walking.

She takes 3-4 steps on her own, stands on her own all of the time, and then she crawls, when she wants to get somewhere fast. The point is, she thinks twice about it now.

We've already switched her to whole milk and she's been enjoying it.

She's a little girl with a huge appetite!!!

We have been enjoying our week spending time with all our friends.

We've been so lucky to have made new connections with wonderful families!

Abby & Ains

Tommy & Drew

Ain's & Joey

Andy took Drew to get a haircut and the lady ended up butchering it all off!

We were sad to see his curly locks go.

When Drew looked in the mirror he cried. Poor thing, he's never seen himself without his long hair.

Fortunately he's adapted, and so have we. It's amazing how grown up he looks with short hair!

*This is his "Hey Miss Taylor" pose. *

(we obviously send random pictures to her)

And we can't forget playtime with our neighbors!

Her husband travels here and there, so when both the hubbies are away it's a fun filled night for all 7 of us!!

Finally, Hooper and Juliet.

Juliet and Drew go to the same preschool and Hooper is her older brother.

Drew adores Hooper and everything Hooper does. I always hear statements like "When I'm big like Hooper..."

BFF's

Career Day

2012-02-07T19:21:00.000-08:00

Today, Ainsley's class discussed possible career choices.

I think Ains' was a bit confused.....

Dr. Drew

2012-02-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

Drew noticed the massive scar on my back.

Apparently the doctor did a bad job sewing my up.

Good thing Dr. Drew was able to patch it all back up!!

Just another day golfing

2012-01-30T18:00:00.000-08:00

The best thing about living on the golf course

is the putting green that's within walking distance.

We load the kids up in the wagon and head for the greens.

The girls took a seat and watched and Andy gave Drew his lessons.

Jump Jump

2012-01-28T12:26:00.000-08:00

This morning was the perfect morning to get outside.

While Andy did yard work the kids and & I jumped on the trampoline and played "freeze-tag". (Drew's favorite game!!!!)

Ain's loves to get on her knees and bounce up and down!

Sibling bliss!

Ain's newest trick is to watch all the gofers pass by.

There's no question Drew has an enormous foot!

His size 12 against my delicate 7 1/2.

Cousins

2012-01-27T17:10:00.000-08:00

It's great the we are closer to family and the kids can spend more time together!

Dr. Lucy

2012-01-12T14:43:00.000-08:00

A dear sweet sorority sister of mine passed away last Thursday after a 8 week courageous battle with stage 4 colon cancer. She was an inspiring and bright young woman who had opened up her own sports clinic in the Houston area.

After hearing this news a bunch of us girls immediately called on another and planned a get together in San Antonio. We had such a great time catching up and reminiscing old stories from college.

Anna was one of the first girls I ever met in college!! She thought I was weird that I wouldn't sit down when we can to her apartment, but I was just too nervous to sit!!!

She's been one of my best friends since!

We gave a farewell toast to our dear beloved friend, Dr. Lucy.

My First Date

2012-01-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

Miss Taylor called and asked Drew to go to the Georgetown basketball game.

A smart boy knows never to turn down Miss Taylor.

Good thing I raised a smart boy!!!

10 months

2012-01-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

The Pickle is 10 months old!!!

SHE:

stands on her own for awhile

loves to do her own impression of waving

loves fruit, lasagna, mac n cheese and cinnamon raison bread

likes to watch Drew do anything

obsessed with windows

is a good listener

is a bath junkie

an observer

has 2 teeth and 4 on the way

sleeps 11 hours a night

eats all my food

is so social she won't sleep at school in hear she might miss something

is my love and fills my heart with joy!

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-06T18:54:00.000-08:00

My parents surprised us by offering to watch the kids for the weekend. That left Andy and I with time to go to a nice dinner and ring in the new year!!!

After a nice dinner at one of our favorite spots, Flemings Steakhouse, we drank a delicious bottle of champagne and were in bed by 10:30!

It was one of the best nights!

We spent the weekend cleaning out the garage, and I re-organized my craft closet.

We went to the movies and saw The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and it was wonderful!!

I read all 3 books last year in about a month and I have been waiting for this movie!

I will say, the movie is great, but the books are 10 times better!!

We were so excited to race back to Dallas to grab the kids.

Reunited... and it feels so good!!!

Part II

2011-12-30T18:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning arrived, and with all of the excitement and enjoyment of watching the kids, I didn't take ONE picture!!! Drew was very thrilled about Santa and the presents and after everyone had opened their presents, he screamed "Oh my Gosh!"

*Love it*

This picture is from PJ day at school.

After opening presents and eating a good breakfast together we loaded up and drove to my Grandpa's house in Dallas. This is us... 26 people are out of state or with the "other" side of the family.

Harper, Lexi, Drew and Landon.

Late that afternoon, after we spent some time in Dallas with my family, we drove to Rogers, Arkansas to stay with Andy's sister and her family for a few days. They moved there from Carrollton about the same time we moved to Georgetown. I loved watching Drew play with all of them! He loves them so much, and so do I.

Silly Faces....

Playing with her shadow.

Ashlyn, Ainsley, Laney, Reese and Drew

For Christmas, The girls got Just Dance for the Wii and the kids just could not get enough!!!!! The adults had some fun with it as well, we just didn't take any pictures of that to spare some embarrassment!

At the mall by their house, they had a plastic "ice skating" rink, so we decided to venture out and take the kids..... Ashlyn and Laney skated, and as you can see, Drew just fell down a lot.

UJ and Drew had much need Uncle/nephew time.

The Boerckel's and Mills'

I will miss overhearing the conversations between Reese and Drew. She is 5 months older and Drew will play any sort of "pretend" game with her, especially house.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

In order to make the 3pm Christmas Eve service at church, we had to get the kids down for an early nap that day. Unfortunately that meant there would be no one around to take a family photo so we made due by taking turns!

Here's Ainsley with her first "personal" Christmas tree. I was unable to snap a picture of Drew's tree this year because Deagan, our 90 pound chocolate lab, kept peeing on it!!

Have I mentioned that I'm still looking for a good home for him?

I was soooo super excited to give Andy his gift this year that I couldn't wait until Christmas morning, so he opened on Christmas Eve.

I snuck into the attic and dug up his TCU practice shirts from the old days and had them made into a quilt.

In school the kids had to write their letters to Santa, and that is how We found out that Drew was into Power Rangers. I can proudly say that we DO NOT watch that show in my house.

Must be a pre-school thing.

Ainsley was off to bed, so the task of setting out the cookies was left up to her older brother (The Drewster).

Naturally Santa is a TCU fan... GO FROGS!

One of the greatest gifts

2011-12-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

Is the Winden Girls,

ALL of them!

We needed a sitter for the kids ASAP after our childcare fell threw and I still had 3 more weeks of teaching left before summer break.

A person recommended a few girls and Andy made the phone calls.

The first and only girl was Morgan Winden, and she sealed the deal when Andy found out she was a student at TCU. Luckily she was home for a break until summer school started up.

Drew LOVED her and she was so sweet to take care of Ain's so young.

We were heartbroken when she had to go back to Fort Worth but mentioned that she had a younger sister who was a senior and played golf at the high school.

We immediately called her and she started helping us right away.

Taylor has been a SAVING grace to us!! She picked the kids up from school, cooked them dinner and put them to bed on numerous occasions while Andy had to work and I was in SA for graduate school.

She's even been on road trips with us! I love it that I also get to work at the high school and Taylor drops by my room to chat and share coffee!!!!

I can't even begin to think about what our lives will be like when she leaves us next year!!

Morgan, Taylor, Mama Winden and Mimi Winden have all helped us out when we needed it and I am forever grateful for the incredible, amazing, loving Winden Girls. ALL of them!!!

Salado Christmas

2011-12-22T11:11:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago Salado had their annual Christmas Stroll so we packed up and headed up for a bit. The highlight of the day was our "glass blowing" adventure.

There's a fascinating place that makes bowls, vases, plates, and anything else you can make out of glass. We decided to go with the holiday theme and make the kids Christmas Ornaments.

Drew loved that the was able to participate in the fun. We had him blow both of the ornaments. He did bust one ball because he couldn't hear us telling him to stop with all the noise surrounding us.

We did some shopping and listened to Caroler's singing.

The Salado Santa even came out to visit.

I love hearing Drew ramble on and on about all the gifts he wants this year.

Our Ornaments!!!!

It's finally over!!!!

2011-12-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

I won't say HOW LONG it took me, but it took me a LONG TIME!!!

Finally, my Master's of Education in Counseling is done!

My Dad, Andy, Ainsley and Drew and I made the drive on Friday to San Antonio so I could participate in the convocation, but as you can see, poor Ain's just couldn't stay awake through the ceremony.

A lot of thanks to The Brown's, who last minute offered to keep Drew, so my Dad and Andy could watch me walk the stage, instead of keeping tabs on a 3 year old and a 9 month old! Thank you Megan, Blake, Carter and Addie!

I am thankful for a husband who took care of one kid to start with, then two kids while I was spending my nights in class finishing up since the move to Austin. I am thankful for a husband who can turn my simple sentences into more complex sentences, and lastly, I am thankful for a husband who encourages, supports and respects me.

I am grateful that my dad was always encouraging me to go to college and beyond. I loved our conversations over my grad school classes and I can't wait to begin talking about my counseling career with him, once it gets started!

I loved that we got to spend quality time with the greatest friends!

I miss that we don't get to see them that often, but when we do, we just pick up where we left off.

What started out as 6

has grown to 12!

31 years

2011-12-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday!!!!

To celebrate, Sunday night we headed out with our BFF's (Ron & Roz) to Eddie V's for a birthday dinner.

Happy Birthday to the best husband & father a girl could ask for!

Badger the elf

2011-12-10T04:25:00.001-08:00

Badger came back to our house December 1st. Here are some of the places where Drew's found him.

Zip lining through the living room (or, my attempt to make him so)

Taking Mator for a drive

Snow Angles (again, my attempt)

Reading books in Drew's room

Rocking Baby Jesus to sleep

Climbing the Christmas Tree

Playing Trains

Getting into trouble!

Eating Fruit Loops

Fall Photo Shoot

2011-12-06T17:00:00.001-08:00

Weekend Recap

2011-12-04T17:21:00.001-08:00

We spent this past weekend in DFW spending much needed time with Andy's sister Kim and her family. We were able to spend a whopping 3 hours at Bass Pro Shops in Frisco. We rode a carousel, played video games and visited Santa's wonderland.

Ashlyn, Reese, Drew, Ainsley and Laney.

Sweet Ain's is in awe of the jolly man!

The funniest part was seeing all the kids play "house" inside all the tents!!

All 4 of the adults propped open the lawn chairs and sat there and chatted away.

**Favorite Picture EVER**

That evening we went over to Ryan & Chelsea's to see their precious baby Adalyn.

Saturday morning, despite the cold weather and rain, we were set to go to the last TCU game of the season.

Ainsley (9 months) & Adalyn (3 months)

Already showing the love.

We raced home Saturday to prep for Andy's company Christmas Party.

I have to snap any picture I can get of just us two.

It's a rare thing.

Our little Turkey's

2011-11-27T18:03:00.001-08:00

I am very thankful for my 2 sweet pea's, my monkey and pickle.

Cutting down our tree

2011-11-27T17:31:00.001-08:00

Our neighbor's told us about the Christmas Tree Farm in Elgin a few months ago. It sounded like something that was unrealistic for Texas peeps. Nonetheless we had to go!

The cold weather and rain couldn't stop the Boerckel's from this new tradition.

After a quick pit stop (I did mention rain and cold weather) at the petting zoo, it was off to the hay ride.

The hay ride drops you off in the middle of all the beautiful Christmas trees.

They have several different kinds of trees but I can't remember any of them.

It took awhile to pick out the right one.

There's almost TOO MANY trees to choose from.

Still looking....

And a quick game of Hide & Seek....

We finally decided on this big beauty!

Now the hard work comes.... cutting it down.

The workers take the tree and SHAKE it on this crazy

machine to get all the loose needles off.

Then it slides through this contraption which wraps it all up!

Destination: Boerckel Family living room

Thanksgiving at our house

2011-11-26T13:10:00.001-08:00

This past Thanksgiving I was blessed to have my dad and 2 of my sisters come to Georgetown. Drew had a blast seeing his cousins and I loved hanging out with my sisters.

The morning started out right with a bike ride to burn all the calories we were fixing to take in.

All the kids loved the trampoline!!! Even Landon got used to it after awhile.

Papa and his grandkids

Drew, Landon, Ainsley and Lexi

I LOVE watching Ainsley watch my dad.

It's almost like she's studying his every move.

Andy did an excellent job cooking his first Thanksgiving turkey!!

We even bought 2 turkey's prior, just to get some practice.

I can say now that we've mastered the art of cooking a turkey!

Indians

2011-11-22T18:24:00.001-08:00

Drew's class invites all the parents to come read to the class when they have an opportunity.

Luckily Andy had off all week so he was able to stop in.

I can't begin to describe how thankful I am for Eagle's Wings!!!

All of the teachers are amazing, the parents are equally involved and the kids are precious!

A HUGE plus is knowing kids that they will be in kindergarten with Drew.

I love knowing that he's already making friends that he'll eventually graduate with!

Happy Thanksgiving from our Indian's to yours!

Mrs. Sue recently asked all the kids, "How do you cook a turkey", this was Drew's response:

Go to the forest to get a turkey.

Put it in a big can.

The oven should be on 2228.

Cook the turkey for a long hour.

You can eat it when it's done.

I put in ketchup.

Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-22T18:15:00.001-08:00

Today Andy & I met at the kid's school for their Annual Thanksgiving Feast.

Drew's class was dressed up as Indian's, while other's were Pilgrims.

Of course the Indian's were proud TCU fan's as well.

Go Frogs!

We're thankful for TCU football.

A true frog is always recruiting.

All the Indian's awaiting the Pilgrim's arrival!
Singing along to keep their tummies happy.

Ainsley & sweet Kenna enjoyed a wonderful feast of sweet potatoes and green beans.

They were sitting by the back window watching their brothers participating in the feast.

Food, Food, Food

2011-11-21T17:33:00.001-08:00

Now that Pickle is almost 9 months old, we've started giving her REAL food!!! She's in love with yogurt, cheesy puffs, and avocados.

1 Year Anniversary

2011-11-16T16:50:00.001-08:00

A year ago today our family took the plunge and moved to Austin.

It was sad to leave our beautiful home and wonderful group of friends.

Now that we have a year under our belt, we now have a charming home and a great group of friends!

Thankful #3

2011-11-16T16:36:00.001-08:00

2011-11-13T17:22:00.001-08:00

Saturday was a huge success!! Roz and I started out early with the First Baptist Church Christmas Bazaar then off to Georgetown Market Days for additional shopping! To top it all off, it was the Chili Cookoff!

The guys started off at the first pot of chili, whereas I went in and looked at each one before picking.

I would say my plan was better, the first pot of chili was terrible.

The first bowl, on the left, and my pick (winner) on the right. I think you CAN tell just by looks that it was going to taste great!

Drew rode the train around the square a dozen times, jumped in the bounce house and ate funnel cake.

Sweet Ains was in great spirits the entire time. She LOVED being outside, crawling on the lawn and listening to the band play.

Thankful #2

2011-11-12T18:23:00.001-08:00

Christmas at Caswell's

2011-11-12T18:13:00.001-08:00

Friday night my girlfriend Rozlyn invited us to the Austin Junior Forum's "Christmas at Caswell's" Holiday event. We went Thursday night for a dinner and wine paring, then Friday night was a cooking class conducted by Whole Foods. I learned how to properly cook walnuts, marinate a pork, tricks to a healthy salad and the secret to making home made granola!

The house is a historic house in Austin and this time of year it's decorated to the max! Christmas decorations galore, and everything's for sale!

After dinner, shopping and a final cocktail, our tummies were rumbling for a late night snack. Another great thing about Austin is the Gyspy Food Trailer's.

Good Food, Greatest Friends!

Thankful

2011-11-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

I got the idea of a Thankful Tree from my crafty sister in law. She does it with her family every Thanksgiving and it's a great way to talk to your kids about what we're thankful for.

I cut out leaves and sat down with Drew and began to write it all down on individual leaves.

Drew's really into Spiderman, Batman and Transformers. So it was natural for him to be thankful for superhero's...... who isn't?

My superhero wears a cape, boxer briefs and a pair of safety glasses.

What does yours wear?

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

The day started out as one of those days....

Nobody wanted to cooperate. Andy was gone.

I was all by myself.

And this is what the morning looked like.

Thank heaven's the day turned around when I picked up the kids.

All tummies were filled and we quickly got dressed and were out the door!

Drew... aka Woody

Ainsley... aka Bulls Eye (the horse from Toy Story)

2011-10-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

Our neighborhood threw their annual Halloween Bash today. Our good friends were able to join us for a nice afternoon. Ainsley wore a pumpkin outfit that she got from Miss Harper.

Drew as Optimus Prime!

Cole is in Drew's class at school and they will even go to the same elementary school in a few years.

Cole's little sister, Kenna, is exactly a month younger than Ainsley.

I love how all 4 will be able to have several play dates ahead.

The two of them are on the move, so taking pictures is hard task.

A day at the Park

2011-10-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

The weather was great we managed to stay outdoors the majority of the day. Luckily the neighborhood park is a minute away. We filled the afternoon with swinging and playing football.

Go Frogs!

2011-10-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

TCU v. BYU

Texas Staduim

Red Ribbon Week

2011-10-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

Proud to be Drug Free

Put drugs to bed

War against drugs

Spirit Day

Pumpkin Parade

2011-10-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

The kid's school had a pumpkin parade and every child had to decorate a pumpkin and decorate the halls. It was a lot of work for me but in 2 days I managed to decorate 2 pumpkins.

Drew and his Lion pumpkin.....

Ainsley and her Owl pumpkin..... can you see it??!!??

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

Today we made our way to the local church for a quick photo shoot.

It's a tough job to do with 2 kids.

All in all, it was a total success.

I was a able to get great photo's for each individual, but only had 2 potential pictures of the 2 of them.

Maybe I can get my sister to photo shop a better background?

Ainsley at 8 months

Drew at 3 1/2 years old.

Fire Safety

2011-10-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

This week has been "Fire Safety" week at the kids school.

Drew has learned how to "Stop, Drop and Roll", had fire drills and we've even had to make a Fire Safety Plan for homework.

Today the local firemen came to visit and gave great gifts and even better lessons to all the kids.

This picture is of Ainsley and her sweet classmates.

The little girl holding Ains is over at the high school and she comes over as part of the "Ready, Set, Teach" program. I love it because she's particularly attached to Ains and never stops holding and playing with her.

Drew and his class. I've have to say that this is the FIRST school that he's been to where he didn't cry or throw a fit when we dropped him off!!

Date night with the kids

2011-10-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

After work today I picked up the kids and drove over to the local library for some down time.

Little did I know that there would be 6 other little boys AND a Jeep smack dab in the middle of the children's center.

Down time turned into crazy play time.

But I can't complain, it wore him out and no one really cared!

Drew was really excited to "check out" his books himself and is now a

very proud library card owner!

We grabbed dinner, took long baths and while I was dressing Ainsley, Drew decided to get himself dressed....

Who doesn't wear 2 spiderman shirt's to bed?

We topped off the night with play time in Drew's room.

Priceless Night

Rub a Dub

2011-10-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

Rub a Dub Dub

2 Boerckel's in a Tub!

On all 4's

2011-10-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

I was hoping she would not progress to this stage.

it makes for one sad mama.

Love her!

Baseball Ready?!?

2011-10-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

Are you ready?

He sure is!

Some might call him a "ball hog".

I just consider it "Eager to play the game".

6 months

2011-09-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

Our sweet Ains is over 6 months old and I can't believe it!!!

Drew is very much into her now.

Every morning we walk her to her classroom room together.

He says to her "Bye my sweet pickle".

(Another "melt my heart" moment)

She weights 17 lbs and is 24.5 inches long.

First Home Game

2011-09-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

Our mini-vacation ended with the 1st home game of the season for TCU.

We were super excited to check out our seats for the remainder of the season!

We had to make sure we were there for Drew to run out on the field with the team.

And all of his future Frog Friends (aka Annie Pearl).

Ains was yet again, a trooper!!

She slept right through the pre-game festivities and part of the 1st quarter.

That's mine kind of girl!

After snacking on nachos, pizza, corn dog and a funnel cake

this little guy was dunzo!!!!

We bought our "tank", Tank Carder's #43 jersey!

GO FROGS!

Trip to McKinney

2011-09-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

Friday we spent the night in McKinney for my cousin's wedding. It was a jam-packed weekend and this was the start of the weekend.

After almost getting stuck in the elevator, we hung out at the hotel playing and swimming.

Our beautiful family of four all dressed up.

And yes, I meant to color coordinate Drew and Ains, but not myself.

Even though it was way past Ainsley's bedtime, she was a real trooper!

Drew spent the ENTIRE night running around with all his cousins. He literally danced the night away. He danced some much his toe nail even came off :(

The best part of the night was when Drew asked if I would dance with him.

MELTED MY HEART!

I'm no sure if he was coached by dad, but I don't even care.

LOVE HIM!!!

T-Ball

2011-09-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

We found out last spring that Drew wasn't quite ready for soccer.

Our little "Tank" would rather go straight into the NFL.

This fall we're trying a no contact sport.

However, I"m pretty sure Tank will find a way to tackle someone.

Stay Posted.......

The Olmstead's

2011-09-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

Walter and Jamie tied the knot on Saturday.

My adorable little boy was the ring bearer.

I'm so upset that this is the ONLY picture I took of Drew dressed up in his tux.

I was really excited to see the Kripner's with their new addition.....

Miss Adalyn Grace

3 1/2 weeks old

It was great to see lots of OLD friends, like Kenny. He played baseball at TCU and now works for Obama. We won't hold that against him.

Some of the high school crew.

Congrat's Walt and Jamie!!!!

Wildfires!!!

2011-09-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

One thing I want to teach Drew is to always help others.

Case in Point: the Austin Wildfires

On the way to school this morning I heard on the radio that the firemen are in need of bottled waters to take with them to fight the wildfires.

We loaded up and drove to the Georgetown Fire Station #4.

Drew was really excited to go inside and see "the firemen"!!!!!

They were really happy that we came by and even offered to give Drew a tour of the fire trucks.

These particular guys were out all day yesterday in Leander fighting the fires there.

On top of that Georgetown has now had 4 wildfires. Thankfully they have not been as severe as the Steiner Ranch and Bastrop fires.

Thank God for Firemen!

Labor Day Fun

2011-09-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend was the perfect time to do nothing!!! My dad came up Saturday and we spent the weekend lounging, relaxing and LOTS of time outside!

Pierced Ears

2011-09-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

Andy was very interested in getting Ainsley's ear's pierced.

I thought, "absolutely not!"

He won.

(you've got to pick your battles)

Notice how I made Andy hold her while the pain took place.

I can't handle painful cries.

BEFORE

There were only a few tears.

I was shocked to see how well she took it.

AFTER

My little swimmer

2011-09-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

Over the summer we've had a hard time getting Drew to "try" and swim without his floaties.

I happen to like the floaty attire.

I'm pretty confident that Drew could strut around until the age of 6 in those things.

Andy, on the other hand, was not into the "6-year old still wearing floaties" look.

So my 3 year old is no longer rocking the floaty look.

Best Friends for 13 years

2011-08-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

My sophomore year of high school I met my dearest best friend, Melissa. We have been through so many good, bad, and crazy times in our lives. I don't think high school would have been what it was without her. She truly was my right hand.

Since her, I have never met someone who can finish my sentences, read my thoughts, and know my moods before I did. Even though we've had our fights, we've managed to weather every storm together.

I was so excited when her and her mom came to visit me for the weekend. Her mom was so much fun. She would roll down the window and blare Backstreet Boys with us. She would take us anywhere we needed to go. And you can't forget the time she ironed our hairs, because we weren't satisfied with the Chi Iron. Not to mention, the only mom I know who's song is "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO.

Mama Cheryl, as Drew called her, played with Drew all weekend and he loved it!

My senior year I put together this book for Melissa. It's a book/fill in the lines scrapbook with picture inserts. Totally Cheesy!!! Apparently Cheryl found it and decided it would be the right time for us to go through it again. I can't tell you how funny it was to read the stuff you wrote about in high school. And you can't forget about our awesome sense of style!!

Saturday was an afternoon full of shopping. Drew got lessons from Melissa on using a credit card.....

And sweet Ain's was rocked to sleep by the band.

Mama Cheryl read Drew his books and put him to bed. Drew was supposed to be asleep but I kept hearing him laughing so I went in to check on him and Mama Cheryl and Melissa were all in Drew's bed playing with him. I know he loved that!!!

My BEST Friend in the WORLD!!! Love her!!! (And her Mama)

Sweet Girl

2011-08-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

Ainsley started her first day of school on Monday and poor sweet, little girl didn't sleep a wink. We got her home, fed her and she was out like a light at 5:30.

Can I just say that she is the cutest girl there?

The BEST thing about this new school is that the transition for Drew has been wonderful!!

He's always had issues with "separation" even if it's only for 30 seconds after I leave.

We both go together every morning and drop Ains of in her room then off to his room. He has been a great big brother helping with his little sister at school.

Back to the Beach

2011-08-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a hectic few weeks for me. I started back at work so we've been transiting into "school mode". No longer are the days of Drew lounging in his underwear all hours of the day. Goodbye to the weekday pool outings, random afternoon crafts and most importantly the naps that I was allowed to take when both the kids were sleeping.

So to take a break from my new job and celebrate the last weekend of summer before the kids start school, we packed up and headed down to Corpus. Andy was out of town so my sister and her 2 kids tagged along the drive.

4 kids, 2 adults, 3 stops and 4.5 hours later we made it.

Ain's made her appearance at the beach, but it was short lived because of the heat and her nap schedule.

The kids love hanging out with their Papa. I'm glad that they'll always have the memories of him and beach for the rest of their lives.

I don't like to get wet beyond my ankles, on the other hand, my son would swim to the oil rigs and back if I'd let him.

Drew Swimming

2011-08-12T04:52:00.000-07:00

HOT

2011-08-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Because 6 am is still too hot!!!

So what's a boy to do when the sprinklers go off?

Run all around!!!

Wake Surfing, Again

2011-08-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday we headed back down to the lake to meet up with the Woltersdorf crew. Drew and Parker get along so well even though they fight like cats and dogs. But in the end, they are already great friends.

Like fathers, like sons.

And we can't forget sweet Ains.....

I was pretty nervous about taking Ain's out on the boat for the first time. We got her all bundled up in life jacket but I couldn't stop replaying what I would do if the boat went down. Crazy thoughts I know, but it's best to be prepared.

Drew was super excited to get out and wake surf again. After the first post everyone kept asking how we did this. So here's the play by play.....

So back to our sweet Ainsley... well, she fell asleep shortly after we started out on the boat. I guess she was relaxed and enjoyed the ride. She was definitely one tired puppy.

Andy then decided that he needed to prove that he could still wakeboard. He still could and he could even still jump. The only difference between Andy on Saturday and back in the day was that he got tired a little bit sooner!

4th Annual Tri Delta Girls Weekend

2011-07-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

For the past 4 years, the last weekend in July is always reserved to a special event.

We started with a group of 8 girls in Gruene, Texas. From there we've traveled to various locations around Texas and each year we get a few more girls to join us. This year we rented a lake house off Lake LBJ. We brought 14 girls, lots of food and wine, and devoured ourselves in laughter and great conversations!

Vanessa brought our famous cups this year.... priceless!

We spent all day Saturday in the water

drinking my famous home-made lemonade :)

A few of us got TOO much sun.

This is what we look like after we just hit a deer.... BUCKEL UP!!

I went on TripAdvisor and "Pardners" was apparently iconic bar that had incredible reviews. It claimed to have hip-hop, country and 80's music. We were told to find people wearing Hawaiian cut-off shirts and Rocky Mountain Jeans (remember those)!!! Let's just say that this place DID NOT disappoint.

If you're in the area, please stop by!

This picture reminds me of the days when you had to wait in lines to get inside the club!!

The WHOLE group of us and our only group shot.

Some of us had to go back to the car and take our spurs off.

Another great thing about his place, they serve their drinks in cute mason jars!

I am so thankful that I have such great friends to take the time to keep in touch. The one thing I love about this annual trip is the fact that we pick up EXACTLY where we left off a year ago.

I love my DDD girls!!

See you all July 2012- Port Aransas

Boerckel House Rule #236

2011-07-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

Always watch TV wherever you find it most comfortable!

Ranger Time

2011-07-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

Once again we headed up to the Big D to meet up with some great friends to go to the Ranger game. My sisters were so helpful and watched Drew and Ain's so we could do this.

We spent all day Saturday laying out by the pool and catching up with old friends.

I have to admit, it was weird not having to watch little ones and actually carry on a conversation for hours without interruption!

The Girls: Adrienne, Chelsea, Me and Christen

The Boys: Sean, And, Ryan and David

After a long chat with Sean and his wife, we found out that our families have a long history with the Jesuit College Prep School in Dallas. Our grandfathers both attended together and were close friends and his uncles and my uncles attended together. Apparently our families were really good friends!

Both of our families have 3 generations of boys going to that school!

Small World!

It was scorching hot at the game, even at 10 pm. I haven't been to a game in 10 years and I'm good for another 10.

Saturday

RAIN!!!!

2011-07-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

We had a quick down pour yesterday and I started screaming, "RAIN!!!"

Drew had no idea what I was talking about but ran outside to see.

I told him to play in the rain since it's now a rare occasion.

Baseball anyone?

One happy boy!

Ains and I made the choice to stay inside and dry.

Recent Pictures

2011-07-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

Things are pretty routine these days. I'm LOVING staying at home with the kids. We have our daily routine's down and I've managed to cook lots of meals :)

Ain's sleep schedule is WONDERFUL!! She goes down around 7 pm and is out until 7 am.

God Bless Her!!!

Matching blue eyes. For now.

We. Love. Bath. Time.

Can I blame them?

My heart melts when I go in her crib and she's sucking her sweet thumb!

Bowling

2011-07-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

The local bowling alley in Georgetown offers free bowling to the kids all summer long. I was curious to check it out so I got some girlfriends to come along.

I was super crowded but we were able to get a lane and got started.

The boys weren't too sure how to play so they opt'd to watch the kids next to us.

Then the moms and go in and re-teach.

All 3 kids ended up having a really great time. We only played 2 games, but it took 2 hours!!!! AHHHHH!!

But at least it was 2 hours in the AC.

Bowling = Success!!!!!

Funny Faces

2011-07-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

I gave David my camera to take pictures of the dedication and when I uploaded them, I couldn't help but laugh at the pictures he caught of Drew. Maybe he should be our personal photographer from now on.

Ainsley's baby dedication

2011-07-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

We went to San Antonio to have Ainsley dedicated at the church we attended while we lived down there.

It was a nice personal touch to have Sean Metcalf do the dedication for us.

Ainsley did an awesome job, she just smiled and starred at Sean the entire time while

Drew came and went as he pleased.

Uncle David gave Ain's her first piece of jewelry :)

Girls Weekend- Fredricksburg

2011-07-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

7 of us girls got together and headed to Fredricksburg, TX for the night. We got a driver and headed to tour and taste wine at 3 different vineyards. Thanks to the 7 husbands and 14 kids who allowed us to part for a night !

See Megan's Blog below for pictures:

Girls Trip - Fredricksburg Wineries

Trimming Trees

2011-07-12T06:16:00.000-07:00

Our new house has a total of 10 trees, 8 Oak and 2 Bradford Pears.

We finally got around to trimming all the trees in the front yard.

Thanks again to my dad!

BEFORE

AFTER

I love that you can FINALLY see our house from the street now!!!

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

My dad left that morning so I was fortunate to grab a quick photo of him and the 2 kiddos.

After that we walked over to the clubhouse to check out the decorated golf carts for the parade. We decided that next year we would enter the contest for the Best Decorated, but I wanted to scope out the competition.

This golf cart was the BEST, dressed up as Uncle Sam.

Luckily the parade was going straight past our house so our good friends, the Bachman's, walked over to watch with us.

Ainsley and Kasey

Jake and Drew waving to the upcoming parade of golf carts, bikes, scooters, wagons and walkers.

I love Drew's face here..... some of the people throw out candy and Drew was really excited about that part.

To end the day we went for another swim at the Bachman's.

Happy 4th!!!!

Take me out to the ball game

2011-07-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

It was Drew's first baseball game...

and he loved it!!!

Ains enjoyed sitting inside the air conditioned suite.

My dad was able to come up for the holiday weekend and enjoy the game too!

My favorite picture......

The kids started to get bored so they enjoyed watching cartoons while the adults sat outside and enjoyed some peace and quiet.

It was a really exciting game, the Round Rock Express tied it up with a Grand Slam!!!

All in all it was a successful night....

I'm pretty sure we'll be back again :)

4 Month Check-Up

2011-06-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little girl turned 4 months this week so we headed over to the doctor for our 4 month shot. Ain's is such a trooper and only cried for a short period.

She is now 24 1/2 inches long, which puts her in the 97th percentile.

She weighs 14.6 oz, and in the 50th percentile.

Comparing her to Drew, he was 16 lbs and 25 1/2 inches long.

Drew's morning routine

2011-06-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Our mornings just got a little easier.....

The Squirrel's Run B&B

2011-06-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we headed over to The Squirrel's Run B&B in Ft. Worth.

It's a incredible place to stay because they have the coolest farm in their back yard!!!

OK, so it's not technically a B&B, just our friends place.

But they REALLY do have a bunch of neat farm animals!!!

Is it a Lion, or a Rabbit?

Tons of chickens....

Abe, the miniature horse..

And Turkins........ they are a cross between a chicken and a turkey.

We never knew they existed but here's proof!

Thanks Carl, Nicole and Annie Pearl for having us at your wonderful Bed & Breakfast!

It was a blast and I can't wait until football season!

Our future Frogs!

Miami: A Trip that never really was....

2011-06-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

Lat week Andy had to go back to Miami for his regional meetings and I decided to tag along with him. I had my Kindle loaded with all new books and I was anticipating sitting by the pool, napping and reading all day long.

I"m still waiting for that....

Andy ended up going to the ER with a ruptured ulcer and gastroenteritis. I literally go to the resort around 3 pm and we left the hotel at 9:30 the next morning to come back home and see a GI doctor.

However, we stayed at the Foutainebleau Resort and it was truly beautiful!!!

This was the view from our room.

1st Time with Cereal

2011-06-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

Then and Now

2011-06-15T18:11:00.000-07:00

In 2006

To 2011

We had a blast hanging out with the Perkins and the Browns over the last 5 years. From our wedding to child birth's, they have been important friends over the years and we miss them soooo much!!

Which one's Which??

2011-06-15T17:41:00.001-07:00

Another day at the Lake

2011-06-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

The weather was hot

The water was warm

Pickle was sporting her new swimsuit, thanks to Mrs. Megan

The boys had an endless amount of time on the jet ski! There is nothing about the water that
Drew does not like!

We found yet another place where Drew could nap... on the boat. As long as
he is enjoying himself, he can sleep anywhere, but hey, can you blame him.
Pictures like this remind me just how cute my little man is!

Who wants to go water surfing???????

Drew was definitely a natural in the water, and completely fearless!
The Drewster and dad got up the very first time and had a blast doing so.
I have a feeling that this will be something they doing many a times
throughout the years!

1, 2, 3, JUMP! Parker and Drew must have jumped off the deck a million times.
There are 2 reasons Mom and Dad love the water and they are...
1. Drew LOVES it
2. It wears him out

Can't forget about the girls. Paige and Ain's having their "girl talk".
I have a feeling that someday this talk will be about all the little boys they like!

Now to the painful part........

My sweet, kind, little boy is such a fearless, excited, tough kid all
rolled into one.

You wanna know how this happened???

Drew got really excited about going on the jet ski that he jumped from the deck INTO the
jet ski and WHAM...

He hits his chin on the edge of the jet ski.

There was a lot of blood and only a few tears.

We rushed him to Texas Med Clinic and just like that, the Drewster is back in action
with his chin "glued" back together. It was a deep gash and we thought this may be his
first time for stitches, but nope, there is nothing that some skin glue can't fix!

Boerckel's + Bachman's

2011-06-11T05:34:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, while having a garage sale, a super sassy mom came up the drive pulling her 2 boys in the wagon and carrying her 9 month old little girl. We immediately striked up a conversation. Her boys, Jake (4) and Matt (2) all went into the backyard and started to play.

Leticia and I have soooo many things in common and I'm glad to have such a great friend a few doors down from me. Our families have been inseparable for the last 2 weeks!

Drew, Jake and Matt

Ainsley and Kasey

The Mama's and their girls

and

the Gang

Vacation Bible School

2011-06-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was the start of Vacation Bible School at First Baptist-Georgetown. Drew goes every Tuesday and Thursday all summer long!!!

He was really eager to go, especially since he's been at home with me and Ain's all day, every day.

This little guy makes the BEST scrambled eggs!

Here's the typical "first day of school" picture.

I'm not quite sure what Drew was thinking during this pose.....

Loving my Family of 4

2011-06-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

My Baby Deer

2011-06-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

I was out running yesterday morning and found this baby deer in the street.

I thought she had been hit so I picked her up and took her to my house and called Wildlife Rescue.

I later found out that this fawn was only hours old.

I took her back to some woods near the location that I found her and made a nest of leaves to lay in.

I went back that night to check on the baby and she was gone.

Drew now keeps asking for a baby deer as a pet....

Last Game of Soccer

2011-06-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

Our first season of soccer is over.

All I can say is THANK GOODNESS.

We got a trophy, which proudly is displayed in his bedroom.

Papa's little boy

2011-06-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day- Dallas

2011-05-31T14:23:00.000-07:00

I think the pictures say enough...

Lexi's 4th Birthday

2011-05-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

Ainsley and I traveled up to Dallas for the weekend and attended Lexi's birthday party at the skating rink. It was a long morning, but she did good driving all around the Dallas Metroplex.

We all put on our skates and took a spin around the rink. It was hilarious!! It took awhile to get adjusted to skating on 4 wheels again. I love this picture, it's funny how we jump in to age-order without realizing it! Happy Birthday Lexi!!!!!

I Won't Let Go

2011-05-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

You think your lost
But your not lost on your own
Your not alone

I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you’ve done all you can do
If you can’t cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I wont let go

Good Old Friends

2011-05-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

I was in Dallas for a brief stay over the weekend and I was able to make it over to see some really old friends. 3 of the girl's I'd known since kindergarten, so we had lots of reminiscing to do.

Once I got home I literally had to open up my elementary yearbook to refresh my memory.

I can't believe our 10 year high school reunion is coming up soon!! Yikes!!!

A New Obsession

2011-05-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

In the back of my car I had a stack full of catalogs that I hadn't been able to look through yet. Drew got a hold of my "Land of Nod" magazine and found his new obsession: A Foosball Table.

For an entire week he carried the magazine around everywhere!!

I sat down with him Wednesday night and started to tell him the story of "how to play foosball".

Every night after that he'd prefer the story of foosball over and any other night time book.

Drew has never shown any interest in any toy so I was really excited that he showed some interest in this!!

When Dad comes to town....

2011-05-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

When my dad comes to town our "to-do" list goes from 0-10.

I get a lot of things from my dad.

My inability to remain still and do nothing tops the list.

So what is the first thing that my dad decides to do while the kids are napping...

Clean out the gutters and flower beds from the tree that does not stop shedding leaves!!!

When we bought our house the Magnolia Tree out front was a beautiful attribute that I loved!!

But it doesn't stop throwing it's leaves!!!!

They even fly into our backyard and get caught up on the patio.

It's annoying.

But I can't wait til the flowers bloom!

Another random project of my dads:

Clean out the hot tub.

He continued to mow the front lawn and fix a water spout.

Needless to say, he was finally exhausted.

He was even kind enough to make a list for his next visit.

Trim hedges and trees

One Word- Parker

2011-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Drew's new best bud is now Parker.

Parker is equally rough, tough and has enough energy to match Drew. It's hilarious to watch these two interact. They just can't seem to get enough of each other.

We took the kids to CBC and they were super upset that they weren't in the same room together. But once we picked them up and they saw each other, they went screaming and running down the halls together!

Here's the boys and their little sisters: Ainsley and Paige

Where are you??

2011-05-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

I thought Drew was down for a nap.........

Until my dad came in and asked where Drew was. I told him he was in the bedroom taking a nap. He said "Nope, he's on the phone".

We went into my dad's room and found Drew on the phone (while my dad was on a work-related conference call). He kept saying, "Papa... where are you??"

Discussion's with Drew

2011-05-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

What is my name: mommy

What do I do: (silence)

How old am I: 2

What does daddy call me: mommy

What is my favorite color: green and white

What is my favorite food: salad

What do we do for fun: go to the park

What is your favorite food that mommy cooks: spaghetti

What do you love about mommy: because mommy gives special presents

My 3rd Mothers Day

2011-05-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

This mothers day was extra special because everything we did was very laid back and casual. Andy let me sleep in (as much as you can with a newborn) and he gave me hot coffee and cinnamon rolls in bed. The best part was hearing Drew come into my room and tell me "Happy Mother's Day, you have PRESENTS!!!!"

But before I got to my presents, we got ready and headed out the door for church.

Another treat of mine was getting to go for a jog after church. Normally we wait until the kids are down for a nap, but it was my special day!!!!

As the day heated up, we all headed out for an after nap dip in the neighborhood pool.

Ainsley chilled in the shade with the nice breeze cooling her off while she took a nap.

Mother's Day evening, the Jack's had decided to head to Andice for dinner and some play time at the park so we decided to join them. It was a wonderful, relaxing time! We headed back to their house for some more play time and great conversation! It seems like a lot for one day, but it was a very fun-filled day!

2 months old

2011-05-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

Height: 22 3/4 65%

Weight: 11. 13 oz 75%

Head: 15 40%

2011-04-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

So as usual, we traveled up to the DFW area for Easter this past weekend. Instead of stopping by and spending the night with Andy's sister and her family (they moved to Arkansas), we made a stop and hung out with the Uncle Ryan and Aunt Chelsea and hung out in Newark, TX, where all of the Bue's are from! Here are a few shots from the Bue's Easter Party in Newark!

After our fun trip to Newark, we headed to my Great Aunt's Easter Egg hunt and Feast in Desoto, TX. As usual, there were a ton of kids, and a ton of eggs. The only thing that made this years Easter Egg hunt a little different was that Drew was starting to pick and choose what eggs he kept based on what was in them. I say pretty smart of him, but Dad wants him to get as many as possible, so we settled for a lot of eggs with good stuff in them!

A solo shot of Andy and I without any kids. We still look as young as 5 years ago and no kids right? Just kidding, we wouldn't trade a childless life for a life with kids for anything in the world. We love and enjoy every minute with them (well almost every minute, ha jk)!

Drew and Ainsley's 1st Tri Delt Mixer

2011-04-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Last night the UT Tri Delt's threw their annual Easter Party for the alumni and their families. They had face painting, cookie decorations, crafts, raffle's and of course the Easter Bunny and an egg hunt.

Ainsley was sweet enough to sit with the Easter Bunny.

Future legacy......hmmmmmmm

Oh Drew..... I may have to chaperone you to all your future mixers at the Tri Delt house.

The girls couldn't get enough pictures of Drew and his crazy curls!

Drew & Ainsley,

May you both continue to have many more memories at the Tri Delt house.

Most of which I probably won't want to hear about.

Love, Mom

The Gang

2011-04-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Dirk and Tina came to the states for another leave and we HAD to spend time with them. Even though I was coming back from Corpus Sunday, I drove to San Antonio and dropped the kids with the Kripners, headed to the Austin Airport to pick up Andy and drove back to San Antonio to hang out with everyone.

Even though we only went there for dinner, it was well worth the 7 hour car ride!

Drew & Parker

Parker is 5 months older than Drew.

I think Drew might of met his match.

Kelly, Tina, (Drew & Parker) Me and Chelsea

Dirk's not quite sure what to think about Ainsley...... or babies in general.

I LOVE this picture. I think Dirk was getting used to the idea of babies.

The Boys.

The Babies

Ainsely, baby boy Dunlap and baby girl Kripner

Tina and Chelsea are due one day apart, August 25 & 26.

I can't wait for them to start playing together!!!

Sandfest

2011-04-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Our last night in Corpus we drove out to Port Aransas for the 15th annual Sandfest. It was a great way to finish off the evening.

Guess who we bumbed into???

Miss Addie Brown!