McKinney Oktoberfest 2015

We had our first ever Celebrate Always booth (which we shared with Oak & Evelyn) at Oktoberfest in Mckinney at the end of September.  I truly do not think we ever quit smiling.  It was so much fun! We worked nonstop getting ready for the show and it would not have been possible without the most amazing friends.  Andi and Lauren came over every day leading up to it, Lindsay drove from Colleyville and stayed an entire day, Victoria and Katie both learned how make koozies, Jeff and Bob kept the kids the entire weekend and our moms came up almost the whole time.  It was just the best. I think the visitors made it.  Lindsay and Ben came up, Tiffany and Christopher, Blair and Mel, Jennifer and her mom, Andi, Anna, Katie, Becca and her family, Jon Mark and Keali, Patrick and Shannon, and I am sure I am forgetting people- I cant even handle it.  Every person just made it that much more fun by coming and being so supportive.







We gave out flair like it was nobody's business to everyone who walked in.  We had a huge stand for the koozies and people went through those just walking past.  Katie also had an amazing dream the night before that we passed out surprise coupons to people all throughout the square and told them they could spend them in the next hour.  And that dream needed to become a reality asap so we made these happy hour coupons and passed them out the whole weekend.  It was happy hour the whole time! And people really came! We just couldn't get over it.



It was just the best weekend ever.
And our next gig is in December at the Will Rogers Colluseum in Ft Worth with Etsy Ft Worth.  We will keep you posted on that one.
Thank you SO MUCH everyone who came and helped, supported, hung out, watched kids, created, laughed, had ideas and just were our friends.  We are so incredibly grateful to be able to do this and we could not do it without you.
We cant wait to take this show on the road again!

Just, all of it- in no particular order (though I wish it was)

This is the best that I have right now.  I expect it to be few words, but I may get on a kick and start talking and getting sentimental about how long ago these pictures were taken, who knows.  But for the most part I think this will be photo full and word small.  

(And I still have yet to post those ol' wedding and baby photos that are the best things in the world from this summer.  Those are coming....)

Eh hum, here we go.

We went to the Cayman Islands like we do every year with my family and it did not disappoint.  It was pretty amazing.

The kids hated having a beautiful baby cousin around them all the time.  She clearly is the most fought over baby I think I have ever seen.  ALL of my kids want to hold her the entire time she is in front of them every time they see her and Avery usually wins.

But Shea is a close second.


Ben loved his life every minute (except that he broke his arm earlier this summer.  He fell off the monkey bars at the park and had to have it reset.  It was so terrible and I was just the one watching.  It is a waterproof cast, which is awesome, but not a sand proof one.  So he did have to avoid sand).

Like always, he had a great attitude about it and fishing was probably the highlight of his life.

We cant wait to go back.



We went to Ke Ohana on labor day, like we always do.  And again, it did not disappoint.  Its a very similar story- ben and jeff fished, the girls held Kai, we made shirts, had a blast, etc, etc.




Our old friend Garth came in to town and we went to see him... twice.
Brooke and her friends came with our family the first time and it was, you know its coming, but truly, amazing.  He was just so good.  He played every song we knew and played his heart out.


I dont know why I can only find this photo and not the one of me and brooke...

Then we went with this crazy crew and, again, he was amazing


And just a quick side by side comparison of the last time we went to Garth all together.
No one was arrested this time and we were not in Vegas, but we did have matching home made shirts and a whole lot of fun.  And I had super high waisted mom jeans this year, so I would say it was a win/win.

We drove to Tyler for a couple of hours so we could meet Julie's newborn baby boy and he is of course, like everything she makes, perfection.



We helped Rachel set up her print shop online and Shea did a little modeling.
She is also at the most fun age ever, I think.  She is talking in tiny sentences and saying "ya" to everything.  She communicates so well and she is just so much fun to be around.  We walk her babies every day and she lets me know when they are crying or need a new diaper.  She is very attentive (when she is not whacking their heads on the floor or leaving them for days without any concern.  She may not be quite ready for motherhood yet.)


Sawyer got the award for student of the month the first month of the year, so that was pretty great.  I almost didnt make it to see her receive her award because I had to pay a fine for not having the sticker for my registration on my car up to date.  I had gotten a ticket and I was a little bit late to pay it, and I thought I may have to go to jail.  But, thankfully I made it out alive and unchained- and just in time for them to call her name. And Ben is doing so much extra work and tutoring and pushing himself and I am so proud of him.  And Avery, you know, is getting everyone up for school.
So, now that I have turned this into an annoying christmas card from the people you dont want to hear from, I will end on that note.
Or be even more annoying and tell y'all we had our first show with Celebrate Always this past weekend and it was only the best weekend of our lives and we will be back later for more deets.  How is that for over annoying blog post?! I think its time to call it.