Part 2 - Spring Break

Blake (Matt's nephew) and Mammaw (Matt's mom) came from Ohio to spend the week with us! We had a great time and we hope Blake had a fun time too! Thanks for spending your spring break with us!

Easter Egg Hunts



Rodeo Houston
Brooks and Dunn at Rodeo Houston - The kids had a blast. Even if it was 5 hrs long!

Singing Along!
Decorating Eggs

Madelyn and mom at Princess Party

I didn't get an Easter photo before Church and the kids had striped down before we practically got home. Maybe next Sunday?!

Spring Break with the Steenbakkers - Galveston, TX

Swimming at the Pool


Riding the Trolley
Madelyn and Easton

Christopher and Carter
Garrett and Alycia
Shauna and John- they look like they are having too much fun on a trolley
Checking out the cruise ships. Wishing we were on one!
Blowing out the sparkler on the volcano at the Rain Forest Cafe
Doesn't that look good?!
Playing at the beach before dinner. Please don't get wet...who am I kidding??
Matt and Madelyn behaving...2 minutes later Madelyn fell down and was all wet!
Brazos Bend State Park - We went looking for alligators and one came right out of the water and walked across the trail. Just a LITTLE scary!
Isn't that pink gorgeous!

Danielle

We LOVE you DANIELLE!

Sisters: Danielle and Suzanne Danielle with Madelyn and cousin Hayley
Danielle has been struggling with her life and her purpose here on earth. She came to visit in February for a few weeks and we miss her now that she is back home. Madelyn loves her Aunt Danielle and misses her too.

I just want to tell Danielle how much we love her and want her to get herself healthy and away from those awful drugs that are making her feel like she is of no worth. She has tried very hard these past few months to stay away but sometimes the temptation is too strong that she succumbs. It is hard for me as a sister to live away from her and not be there to help her through these trials. There are MANY people who love her and want her to be happy.

Danielle, please stay strong! Lean on your family who loves you very much. We want to see you get better!! We are pulling for you! We know you can beat this trial!

Back in December, Danielle received the following email from a co-worker and it is too cute to not share. (Danielle is the young princess in the story). We are so grateful to this co-worker for calling us to let us know that our sweet sister was in trouble.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful, smiling young princess who was full of life and great potential. Day after day, the people would see her awesome smile and hear her laughter at the draw-bridge of their kingdom. You see, she was the Gate Keeper for many high and mighty home and land peddlers from the Kingdom of McDonald. On the outside, she appeared to have everything going for her, but on the inside, unbeknown to many, she was filled with pain and fear, and she hid a dark secret. Her friends (the peddlers), who all really liked her had no idea there was anything wrong. However, little by little this awesome girl began looking sadder and sadder. "Something's not quite right" her friends would say to themselves as she slowly began spinning downward. But this princess was really good at hiding the fact that she indeed felt out of control.

One particular day (a Friday, to be exact) in which her friend, the House Hag - (that would be me), was told by the princess's fairy godmother and the keeper's of all her wonderful thoughts (that would be your angels and spirit guides) that the princess was in serious trouble and needed some help. However, the House Hag was too busy trying to manage her own life, and she ignored these promptings to invite the princess out to coffee like she had intended, just to talk and find out if she really was okay or not and to invite her to go play with her and her friends at their "Get Rid of all the Garbage in your life" group.

All weekend long, the Hag had a feeling that she should have said something and figured, "Oh well, I can always talk to her later". Well, later came and went and then one morning while the Hag was running late in her attempt to get to the kingdom, her phone rang. It was the beautiful princess calling to see if said Hag was coming into peddle houses for the day. Hag immediately knew something was wrong and could see in her mind that a mean, wizard was lurking about, with intentions of doing the princess harm. thus rendering her useless as a gate-keeper. But, upon arriving to the kingdom, the princess looked and said she felt fine so the Hag got busy doing her own work and tried to brush aside the weird feelings she was having about the princess needing help. She then went with the other house hags to a party, leaving her behind (maybe the princess was Cinderella?). Anyways, later that day, when the hags returned, they found out that indeed the wizard had appeared and banished the fair maiden from her job as the gate-keeper.

This was quite a shock to the people of the McDonald Kingdom who knew the princess well. The house hag (that's me) was sick to her stomach because she had finally figured out that the Princess had been tormenting herself with something poisonous to her mind and body, and that's why the princess had been looking so sad and not of this earth. The hag prayed to her friend upstairs, asking for him to guide and protect the princess through the night so she wouldn't do anything harmful or stupid (like kiss a slimy frog) and in the morning the hag was so relieved when she heard the princess had made it till day light without any mishaps, that she jumped for joy and then did something she has never done before, ratted the princess out to the King and her older sister.

Because the hag had been worried so sick, she again prayed about what could be done and was inspired to call the people who love the princess more than anything in this world. She knew that the princess would probably be very upset with her , but figuring she'd rather have the princess be upset than end up like Snow White, after eating the poison apple, and it was worth the risk of sharing her secret with her family. After all, the hag felt that if it were her own beautiful daughter in trouble, she would want to know also so she could get her daughter the help she needed to become whole and happy again. The End...

It's the little things...

Christopher and Garrett are truly enjoying baseball this season. Garrett is on the A's and Christopher is on the Blue Jays. They are both progressing in their playing of the game. After each game, the coach picks one child to give the game ball to. Last week, Garrett was chosen for getting the most outs! I was so proud of him for being the first one chosen on his team to receive a ball. He was so thrilled! And THRILLED to get one before Christopher. My eyes watered up when he received the ball. What a proud mama! Then, this week, Christopher was chosen on his team to receive the game ball. This was his team's first win for the season. His coach said the boy that would receive this ball was one that always came to practice ready to play, did whatever was asked of him, was respectful of the coaches, kept his mouth quiet (the list went on). So, when Christopher received the ball this time, I was again very teary and proud of him. He also got a great out as catcher that night too.

It is amazing the love and respect a parent has for a child when they are honored by others. I am sure all of you feel the same way about your children. And, I am sure our parents feel so blessed to have us as children too.

I was also thinking that night, how proud our Heavenly Father must feel of each one of us when we are good, honest people and are keeping HIS commandments. I hope that I can remember the feeling that I felt when they received their baseballs and know that they are God's children and that he loves them too.

So, you are wondering what the couple snorkeling up top has to do with baseball. Well, each child has to purchase 10 raffle tickets at the beginning of the season. The first prize was $20,000 toward a new car. The second was a cruise. Well, guess who won the cruise. Yes, we did!!! We are excited about going. We have never been on a cruise. But, winning the cruise did not compare to my happiness in seeing the boys honored the night they won their game balls. Remember, it is the little things that makes us happy!

p.s the picture of Christopher is from the spring from another league. I'll have to take a better picture and post later. Garrett is in the other one with his baseball hat on backwards...

Music Advice

I am usually pretty slow at getting the most latest and greatest toys. But, I finally broke down and got an ipod. When my sister, Danielle, was here for a few weeks in Feb, I borrowed her ipod to walk on the treadmill with and I loved it.

So, now I want to know what is your favorite song to workout with?

My dad's favorite song is Clumsy by Fergie. So, I added that to my playlist on my blog. It reminds me of you dad.

Thanks for an early birthday present, Matt. Love the green color!

Welcome and Girl Scout Cookies

Welcome to my blog, Life is to be enjoyed not just endured. I truly enjoy reading other's blogs but I have not created one for myself until now. I have been a "contributor" to a blog for a year and a half and so that has been my outlet. I still write on that blog, but since it is a private blog, my family and other friends have been missing out on hearing about my happenings here in Texas. I tend to ramble on and on about one thing to the next on my posts but with this new blog, I will try to stay focused.

Well it is also that time of year...Girl Scout Cookie time. We ordered one (or two) of every kind. I love the thin mint and the peanut butter patties. Matt loves the peanut butter sandwich and lemonades. And the kids like ANY of them.

Did you know that the thin mint is the most popular? What is your favorite? I see my first online poll coming.

I think I love them because they only come out once a year and so it so exciting to have something you can't have all the time. Isn't that true about anything.

My neighbor, Trang just moved and when I was helping her clean out her pantry she had a box a cookies from last year. Can you believe someone would have a box of girl scout cookies left. Not at our house. We got ours on Sunday and I think they are half gone.