Cousins!

Charlie, Natalie and Nathan...fun at the park!

Fall is for Football!

I am so excited that Fall is upon us! It is our favorite time of year, filled with some of our favorite things....hunting season, pumpkins, black friday and FOOTBALL! In the Farrell household our schedules have always revolved around aggie football, and this year was no different! Ryan and I took Charlie to the first game of the season and had a blast. It was a record breaking opener, almost 82,000 in attendance! Here are a few pics from the weekend.....


Charlie and Alex

What a catch!

Yesterday, Ryan, Charlie and I headed to "the country" to meet Mimi and Poppa. I grew up going to "the country" (our property in Navasota)and have many, many memories there! In my younger days we spent lots of time there with aunts, uncles, and cousins, playing, fishing, swimming, hunting, etc...I remember lots of Easter's spent hunting eggs, we spent summers swimming in the tanks, we spent winters gathered around bonfires. It is a known fact, however, from Nov 1st-Jan 1st that it is "boys only territory"! During hunting season, no girls allowed! I have lots of wonderful memories in the country and I am glad Ryan and Charlie will get to create their own memories there too.
Charlie loves it there. He loves exploring the trailer and admiring all of the deer, bobcats, and other stuffed treasures that decorate the walls. He also loves the cows that roam and likes to moo at them and talk to them. Yesterday we brought Charlie's fishing pole and headed down to the tank to see if he could catch his first fish! He was thrilled. Charlie and Poppa have been practicing his casting and he was ready. He beamed as he threw out his fishing line and we all cheered him on. Ryan also brought his pole and my two boys fishing together was an adorable sight! After a couple of casts, Ryan felt a tug on his line. He called Charlie over to reel it in! Out of the water popped a sunfish, flopping around and Charlie's face was priceless! He was proud and Mommy was picture happy!!! Charlie, Ryan and Poppa continued to catch lots of little sunfish, even from Charlie's cute spider man pole. It was a successful and memorable trip! And Charlie, like any other true fisherman...is already telling tall tales of his HUGE fish he caught!

Life's a Beach

I know, it’s been a while since my last post! We have been staying busy with our day to day routine…and playing as much as we can on the weekends! Charlie’s favorite activities have included slip and slides, pools, riding bikes/tractors, playing catch, washing the cars, snow cones, popsicles, and ice cream cones! Aaahhh the life of a three year old!
We did recently experience a first…Charlie’s first real trip to the beach! Last year Ryan and I took Charlie to “Palm Beach” at Moody Gardens…which in my opinion, was no beach! It was a white sand, man-made (over crowded) swimming pool. Charlie has never been to the “real” beach before. So on a recent visit to Paw Paw and Gee’s house, we decided it was time! We headed out to Surfside and parked right on the beach.
And the verdict is in….Charlie LOVED IT. I wasn’t sure how well he would like it considering he was the only kid, it was hot, and we forgot beach toys. He didn’t know the difference, I guess. He played with cups in the sand, built sand castles, collected shells, had a picnic on the beach, splashed in the waves and by the end of the day, he was a little braver than I would have liked! We took him out to deeper water on Ryan and Paw Paw’s shoulders and jumped over the waves, he was tickled to death over the fish in the deep water! Charlie was a beach bum for sure! We will definitely have to go back soon. Ryan and I are thinking….maybe Destin next summer.

Charlie & PawPaw


Charlie & his sandcastle


Charlie & Daddy


Charlie & PawPaw

Growing like a Weed!

Lately it seems Charlie is growing like a weed! Every time I turn around he is learning something new. He is literally growing leaps and bounds too...3 pounds and an inch and a half in the last 4 months to be exact!
Mimi often comments how he looks bigger every time she sees him, and she never goes longer than a week or two. It is true, some mornings I think he has grown overnight! Ryan and I are so proud of all he has learned and accomplished lately.
Some of his new tricks this summer:
- knows how to spell his name, and has learned how to write half of it! (its a long name!)

- he is dressing himself (a little slow some mornings...but wants to do it all by himself, shoes too!)

- Coloring inside the lines... This was a really big shocker when Ryan and I noticed he is coloring all of his pictures inside the lines!

- Casting his fishing pole (Poppa bought him a fishing pole and taught him how to cast, and now his favorite hobby is casting it off the back porch!)

- He has learned to swing by himself (Mommy LOVES this! no more pushing!!!!!)

- He loves, loves, loves, to read books to himself while looking at the pictures...this is my favorite thing to watch him do...it is funniest when he doesn't no I am watching!

- PawPaw taught him something new too...but we won't blog about it! hahaha...scoby!

His favorite things lately include riding his bike with his buddy Parker, playing with his cousins, drawing with chalk, racing his cars down our new entry way, swinging, slip and sliding,doing anything outside! He has definitely been a little sponge, soaking up and learning so many new things! It is exciting and I love watching him grow. Don't blink! or you will miss it!

Celebrating Life and Death

It has been a very long and interesting week to say the least.
Last Friday Ryan and I celebrated five wonderful years of marriage. We reflected on how hard we have worked and how far we have come in five short years. It feels so wonderful to have found someone who knows me inside and out, is there for me through good times and bad, supports me, and is truly my best friend. Ryan is a wonderful husband and father and I feel lucky to be able to share the rest of our lives together. Charlie also enjoyed himself at Mimi and Poppa's house for a few days, he never even thought about Mom and Dad while he was being spoiled rotten as always!
We also celebrated both of our birthdays Sunday and Monday. We are both so blessed to have family and friends who care so much about us and shower us with love. We have had more cake than I would like to report, flowers, cards, and wonderful food!
Sometimes it stinks to share your birthday...but I always look forward to that week in July when we are spoiled together.
Unfortunately with good, sometimes comes the bad. My incredibly sweet father-n-law, lost his father to cancer early last week and our hearts and prayers went out to Mike and his family in West Virginia. Then on Friday, my uncle lost his battle to cancer way too young. It was heart wrenching to watch my cousins watch their father suffer and lose his life so young. He is definitely in a better place and finally breathing and living without burden or regret. His service was so beautiful and my cousins and aunt showed their strength and grace. The dinner and reception afterward at my aunts beautiful home proved our family's love and support for one another.
Often in life, difficult periods transform and enlighten our views. This week we have celebrated life and death, and with that lots of love and thankfulness as well.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
-- Marcel Proust

Mr. Independant

We had a wonderful Independence Day filled with lots of food, family and friends. Lots of laughs and smiles and memories made!



more pics to come...