Current Events

Well the past month has been very busy for us...4 birthdays, Christmas, New Year's, 2 science fair projects, band concerts (3), choir concert, basketball (x 2) and more. Here's a little taste of what we've been up to!

Kelsey performed in the school musical Annie Jr.


Kelsey did her science fair project on making glue out of milk.


Kelsey performed with band at the Texas State Capital

Paige had two performances with Sunshine Generation.

Paige had a birthday and turned 5


We had a very Merry Christmas. This is the traditional Christmas morning pose.

Kelsey had a birthday and FINALLY turned a teenager. She and I took three friends to San Antonio to the Riverwalk and had lunch and played tourist.

Danielle had a birthday and turned three.

After Christmas and all the birthdays, everyone now has a scooter and after Danielle's cake, everyone took off in the dark to ride around outside.


So, now you're back in the know about the things going on at our house! We hope everything is happy and well at your house!

Hawk Band at State

Hendrickson Hawk Band participated in State on Nov. 3rd. It was a fun day, starting at 5:30 am and ending after 1:00 am. We started the morning off with a send-off of the band kids. The kids did their usual inspection on Main Street and then moved outside.
Outside they were met with parents, signs and shakers. They walked through the path and on to the buses.
Back at home everyone was getting ready with their Hawk Band shirts and excited to go and cheer Michael and the rest of the band on!
We made the drive to San Antonio to the Alamo Dome and headed inside (to the price of $135 for the group to get in the door--yikes).
The band placed 9th in prelims and we headed into finals. We headed outside for a picnic at the car and to run around a little.
We went back in for finals and Hawk Band was the first to perform. Here is a shot from the tv's.
And here is Michael after performing:
It was a amazing to be in the Alamodome and to be down on the field. The band had the performance of their lives in the finals. It was so fun to be with them and to feel of their excitement!! In the end they were 5th in State of over 200 bands. YEAH!!

Christopher Turns 8

Christopher actually turned 8 last week, but I'm a little slow about getting around to posting. He had a fun day at school and then played on his kickball team after school. We had a family party at home that night with his favorite, Taco Soup. Somehow, the pictures of that didn't upload. Now I need to get software recovery and get them back.
Yesterday we had the day off of school for Veteran's Day. It was fun to have a day off in the middle of the week. It was also a Chuck E. Cheese fundraiser day for the school. So we planned Christopher's party for yesterday. We had some fun friends, some yummy dessert pizza and of course, lots of games.
Then, Christopher got to go to scouts for the first time (officially--he'd actually been for the last two weeks). He looked so cute in his uniform.
Happy Birthday Christopher!! Now his next celebration is on Saturday at his baptism!!

October in Review

Here are a few things that have been happening around our house!


The little girls and I made a trip to Crow's Nest Farm. I love that place. We haven't been in a couple of years and they've made a few changes. We had a great walk around the farm, a fun hayride and the girls loved watching the farmer milk the cow.
We celebrated Mike's 40th birthday with some family and friends. Then we filled Halloween bags and started the Halloween Phantom. It's a family tradition that most of the ward knows starts with us, so we might as well be open about it!!
We went to the Pflugerville Pfestival of Bands. I love this event every year. Michael got to reunite with some of his former middle school buddies who when to PHS and Kelsey got to play for her first time. Kelsey's middles school band even got some moves and dancing in with their songs and Hendrickson a not so great performance (so bad that the band director wouldn't even show them the recording).

We've had marching contests at Westlake High (very nice place) and at the Woodlands in Houston. We took 6th in the prelims at Westlake and 10th in the finals (ooops). We took 6th in the prelimes and finals at the Woodlands (yeah).

Last night was UIL Regionals at the Berger Center. You needed to score a 1 in order to progress to Area this Saturday. We got a 1. YEAH!!! So Saturday we are off to Area in Kyle. There are about 27 bands competing and we perform 23rd. The top 4 or 5 progress to State. It sure is exciting!!! GO HAWK BAND!!

Homecoming & Potty Train

We'll Danielle joined her cousin Tess on the Potty Train this week. Her cousin (similar age) thought that when she potty trained that there would be a train involved (too cute!). Last Saturday Danielle came to me with no diaper on. I asked her where it was and she said downstairs. I told her we needed to go and get it and she said, "No panties." Apparently, she and Paige had just gone to the bathroom side by side on the big and little potties. She hasn't worn a diaper since. Way to go girl! She's doing pretty well.
This week was homecoming at Hendrickson High School. We went to watch part of the game and see Michael march. For the third week in a row he's beaten out the other kid who shares a spot with him. Yeah for Michael. Michael is on the far left at the bottom. Too cute!! They actually marched at the end of the game because of the Homecoming things going on at half time. Michael's right in the middle of this one!

TOOTHLESS....FINALLY!

Christopher finally lost his first tooth yesterday at school. He got a great little red treasure box to put it in. You can't really tell that it is missing because his other tooth had already grown in behind the other...look out ortho here we come!

Temple FHE

Tonight we talked about getting married in the Temple for Family Home Evening. We got out our wedding album and shared with the kids the story of how we met. Here are some pictures for a walk down memory lane. It's hard to believe that it has been over 16 years!!

Cutting the cake...Mike pointed out to the kids tonight that he did not smash the cake in my face. I am thankful for that!

Dustin (my cousin) and Taylor (my student)

Me, my mom and my aunts and cousins

My cousin and her kids.

Thankful for the Rain

Last Sunday our Stake fasted for rain...it worked. It's been raining for several days now...YEAH! We are very thankful for all that rain. Tonight the little girls went out to jump on the trampoline. When it started to rain, they were joined by everyone else.
Even Daddy got in on the act.
Drowned Rat #1
Drowned Rat #2

Marching Band, Annie & Back to School Dance

Michael finally got to march for his first time on Friday. Thank you Gramma and Grampa Ashford for coming to watch. They, however, had to march with ponchos on. Mike said they looked like great big blue blobs. Michael said it was fun.

Friday night was also the Back to School Dance at Highland Park. Thanks to my friend, Lisa, I have a picture from the night. Tanner was home sick (sorry, Tanner) so just Christopher and I went to the dance. He had a blast hanging out and dancing with about 5 girls. It was really cute.

Yesterday Kelsey auditioned for Annie at the Georgetown Palace Theater. It's the first time she's auditioned for anything and we were really proud of her. She did a great job. Callbacks are later this week. She also auditions tomorrow for Annie, Jr. at her school. Secretly, I hope she gets the school one because it is a lot smaller time commitment. She sang "For Good" from Wicked (notice the shirt) and recited "Sick" by Shel Silverstein.