Happy Birthday Nonno 88!

Cake time. Pink cake, pink punch...
Skeet and Nini
Happy Birthday Nonno
Aunt Polli

Happy Birthday Nonno.. nothing like a little bath powder.
Skeet and the kids

Four generations for Dosses Mommy and Daddy...mommy looking a little rough!
Zach and Papa
Once EJ figured out Cousin knew who Justin Beiber was.. she was all over her. Randi did her JB hair impression and have to say looks a little like him whens she did it! She is always so sweet and so gifted with kids.

Thank goodness for party horns to bring a little excitement to any party! At least it was an older Some lady that seems to think she knows Nini, She loves all over her. Nini just smiles.

The Doss family inside with Nonno.
Polli and Wyatt, he is far from the action... distracted by a new phone game! He is really nervous around the older people, and I was too as a child so I do not force it. I remember as a kid going to see my aunt and having to hug everyone, it terrified me!
Girls.. Nonno, Randi, Polli and EJ
Frame it!
Showing Nonno the picture book we made her
All smiles

We celebrated Nonno's 88th birthday yesterday. She did not really know what was going on, but seemed to enjoy herself! She really enjoys watching the kids and cake! Who does not love Nini's cakes?! Randy, Brett and Polli came in to celebrate, always good to see them. Wyatt gets very nervous around the older people, and the house freaks him out.. but EJ makes up for it. She loves all the attention and never meets a stranger. Happy Birthday Nonno! I asked her how old she was and she said "175 dollars"... I said you are worth way more than that!

If you ask EJ where she got her Mexican party dress... she will tell you " A Mexican in San Antonio!" (we actually got it from a Mexican restaurant in San Antonio" ) she loves her Mexican dress!

Baby Crossfitters.. starts with gymnastics

cheering section
Wyatt getting his award
HArd to see, but a flip from the tumble track
Parallel Bars


Wyatt's class
I love gymnastics!!
High V

Papa and Nini watching EJ
Taa-Daa
Hi Mom! She was very vocal and excited everyone was there to watch her, not too focused!
Running on tumble track
Knees on bar

Giggles the entire time.. flipping around on the bars
Walking in.. all smiles
Roll over to a back flip


We had our first gymnastics "show" this past Friday, it was pretty cute. Wyatt absolutely loves gymnastics and EJ goes along with it. Her attention span is so short that the coaches really have their work cut out for them! Yet, she giggles and smiles the entire time! I give her the personality award, not the listening, disciplined award! Wyatt is a little more serious, he gets the listening award.. but a little nervous in front of people so more timid. Both did great, I can tell it has really helped Wyatt's confidence and coordination.. so we will continue this as long as we can.

Summer Days

My little make up artist! Thank you to Pam who bought her barbie makeup... thanks Pimpsy!



After seeing this lovely picture of me, I am thinking I need more than a make up artist to grow old gracefully!
Evening baseball... Wyatt is determined to be the next Benny from sandlot

handsome boys

Figuring out how to finally ride her bike! Notice the new haircut?! I love it, it has been SO much easier! Here is a feather we found on a walk.. Papa makes everything more interesting. A rubber band and you have one little Indian Girl.
Papa Chief

We have had a quick July.. I looked up and it is almost over! The kids have been at First Pres this summer every Tu/Thurs and I am really sad that after Thursday we will be done with their program. The best program in town... I remember waiting in line at 5 am to get Wyatt in almost 5 years ago thinking, " Will they really love my baby?" I had no idea what blessings were in store for us... and the lessons I learned there. Sweet Mrs. Goldie took a crazy, new mom and made me feel like the best mom ever. I think everyone needs a Goldie in their life. Next month we open a new chapter with both kids at Hillander... I know they will do well bc of what they have learned at FP. I just feel like they are growing up way to quick.

We have enjoyed the "Cooler" evenings at a mere 100 or 98 if we are lucky. It seems like the only time we have as family time and not die of a heat stroke. Papa usually comes down and visit us once a day, he bought Wyatt a baseball tee.. and surprising Wyatt loves it. (To my surprise he can hit the ball!) Zach has been working with him and doing pretty well. I honestly think gymnastics has helped his coordination more than anything. Well that and Wyatt watching the Sandlot movie and wanting to be like Benny. Emily June finally figured out her Dora bike was there to ride, so she started figuring out how to keep up with her brother. She has a mind of her own, and when she is ready she will do it.. otherwise forget it!

Speaking of my sweet little precious girl.. we have been going through a "phase" this summer. Forget the 2's it is 3's you need to prepare yourself for!!! She might be the most hard headed, stubborn child I know. ( I say that will lots of love!) I am sure one day this energy and determination will be focused towards something positive.. but now it seems we go though drama everyday over something. Usually over getting dressed or something as simple as mommy saying "No" to something. I am amazed at how quickly she can melt down and the crocodile tears, folding of the arms and just exactly how far her little lip can stick out. I am sure she will be an academy award winning singer or actress with her lungs and flare for drama! Until then, I am getting gray hair... and drinking skinny girls. :) I do have to say she can also be the sweetest, most loving and charming child you have met...almost split personalities. Everyday is a new adventure.. that is why I love them so much!

On a sad note... We had to put our beloved tinker down last night. It was rough. I never knew it would be so hard for a dog that drove us crazy for 7 years! I have to say she was a good dog. Zach and I were laughing last night as we thought about when the kids were learning how to walk and Tinker would run over and stand there so they could pull up on her ears. Zach was strong, he took care of it.. knowing I could never do it. It was time, she was in so much pain. After Zach got home he went and talked to the kids about Tinker and how she has gone to see Jesus.. EJ was sweet.. she said" I am glad she is not hurting anymore." and that was it. Wyatt had a few more questions for Zach and said, " How do you know she is with Jesus and will I be with Jesus if I die?" Zach said, " Yes, we will all be with Jesus bc we believe he died on the cross for us and is our Savior..." Then asked Wyatt.." Do you believe in Jesus and that he died for us?" Wyatt said, "Yes! I love Jesus! He is awesome!" So after an awful night, my heart smiled and was filled with Joy.

Wonderful Beach vacation

Papa and EJ .. the morning we left for Corpus. We stayed at Pam's to break up the drive.
Come one RAIN! Everything was so dry in the hill country we thought we might help out and try to get some rain.. it obviously did not work.
Relaxing on day one.. is one nice place view to wake up too.
EJ doing a rain dance.. praying for rain!

Day one of the vacation... typical family picture.. but the only one. Cowgirl EJ
The view drinking coffee in the morning.. we had to leave this to go to the beach.. life is rough!:)

Wyatt surfing in... barely see him, but I was so proud he did it the first time.
kisses
Paddling out..
The boys and EJ in the middle..


Wait for me!
The first time Wyatt saw the beach during the day. We went crab hunting the night before, and saw several sand crabs.. He was in awe and ran as fast as he could to get in.
My beach babies
Digging sand "princess" castles
Sea slugs.. these were very entertaining.. you fill up your bucket with a hand full of these with some sand and watch them disappear. It provided lots of entertainment for EJ!

• We had a wonderful break from the dessert scenery this past week. We went down to see my best friend growing up (my Emily) and her family and enjoyed every minute of being on the beach and in the water. There is something so peaceful about being on the beach... barefoot and you can care less what you look like in your "grandma" bathing suit as my BFF of 30 years and husband told me on day one.... One thing about vacation, you know no matter how bad you feel there is always someone else who makes you feel better by the life size, stretched tattoo, or gorilla hair, or bigger gut than yours.. how mean is that? And why do I even care?! Anyways, we had a blast. I got rid of the grandma suit on day 2 and loosened up quite a bit. The guys went deep sea fishing.. Emily and Ryan have a great boat.. the kids are going to be completely spoiled after this trip bc a boat in our vocabulary fits behind a car.. this one was 60 feet with three bedrooms, full kitchen, living room and satellite tv. Bragging.. yes, bc it was so much fun and extremely nice of them to take such great care of us. Zach caught a red snapper, Ryan (Em's husband) caught a blue marlin.. Z came back with a new adrenalin rush and new love for deep sea fishing.I always thought it was kind of boring, but the way he describes it, it sounds exciting. I would be throwing up the entire time with my motion sickness, so I took it easy on the beach.
  
• Wyatt is a water kid.. he did not come out the entire time. Whether we were in the ocean, the pool, the boat.. he was in the water. He learned how to surf which was very exciting and he kicked and screamed when we left. EJ likes the water, but also is more like me.. likes to lounge outside, eat snacks.. play in the sand and get in when necessary to cool off. We saw dolphins.. they literally were a foot from the boat, they catch the waves behind the boat and ride along.. might be one of the most favorite things I saw. It was so amazing.. then we saw a fisherman catch a baby shark on the beach.. after I assured Wyatt there were not sharks at the beach! He let all the kids touch him, then released him back into the ocean (yes, right were we were all swimming.. the guy obviously did not have kids or their limbs to worry about!) So, that was big excitement. Almost as exciting as getting stung by a jelly fish! (Those things hurt like heck!) I am sure the story will get bigger and bigger by the time Wyatt tells his friends. All in all it was a great weekend. Great friends, great food, great weather and great memories.