Winds of Change

I read a quote a couple of weeks ago by the famous Tony Robbins. He said "change is inevitable. Progress is optional." It resonated with me at the time, but after this weekend it may just need to be tattooed to my forehead! 

I have never been great at change. I'm a creature of habit and tend to like things simple and easy. But I have no doubt that even though change is hard, change is good. That's what I told the girls several times yesterday thru my tear stained cheeks. Our Stake (group of many church congregations) realigned 7 wards (church congregations) yesterday to make 9 new wards. That meant we are now back in the Klein Ward. There are wonderful, wonderful people in the Klein Ward (including Gamas!) that we love. And it's going to be great! We just leave behind lots of friends and people we love. People we served, and grew with. So change can be hard. But change is good! It's time to learn and grow with different people and serve in different ways. Progress isn't going to be optional! 

Miss Keagan is really grasping this whole change idea! Once again she is teaching her mother! She decided to cut her hair today and donate a good portion. She ended up getting 8 inches to donate! She looks DARLING! Too cute in fact. And then she snuck some lip gloss on and I thought she was 10 for a second! I didn't like it one bit!! See change is hard! 

Before

After

Is she 10?!

Go Texan Girls

It's one of my favorite days of the year to live in Houston, Texas! Its Go Texan day! The start of Rodeo. And for us, that means it's time for little pink cowgirl boots, western wear, happy girls and of course a hoe down at school! Seriously it's a ridiculous amount of fun!

Keags was front and center and knew all the moves perfect! The other night she was actually stressed that she might need to practice the hamster dance a little more!

Miss Riley had a blast, especially on the dossey doe song where she got to dance with her cute friend Zach!

Gammas and I even got to do the Cupid Shiffle with the girls! 

Such cute kids!

What a fun day! Happy Go Texan y'all!

Open House

The girls both thought Open House was a social hour tonight at school. They were cracking me up! Keagan basically wanted to go around giving lots of different teachers a hug! Even some 4th grade teachers which I have no idea how she even knows them! For me, it was awesome to see what they have been working on in between hugs!

Bliss

No whining!

No arguing! 

Just a simple night playing board games with my two favorite people in the entire world. 

Bliss! 

Hot Mess!

Ladies and gentlemen, I can not even explain what a hot mess the Kikuchi girls were this weekend. It was pretty ridiculous and frankly just doesn't need to be documented for posterity. 

But what does need to be noted is that Miss Riley, Miss ready to party at 6 am, Miss not a great sleeper, yes that Riley, slept til 10:15 this morning!!! I was seriously checking on her every 15 minutes to make sure she was still breathing! And I had just naturally woken up at 8:15 on my own. This is earth shattering unusual! And it would be beyond amazing if I didn't suspect she had a seizure which caused the late slumber. 

But I would just love to think that it was just my happy baby needing a little extra rest because she is growing! Or who knows, maybe it's because she's was so righteous and wanted to sleep with her scriptures!! She probably knows after this weekend we need all the help from above that we can get!

Chicken Bone Day

You may have thought that today was Presidents Day, but Keagan strongly declared it was Chicken Bone Day. The girl has been dying to go on a real picnic and eat KFC "chicken bones." She has been asking for months and today was finally her day! 

Before we got to the glory that was her KFC picnic, the girls had sweet Lexi Williams over to play most of the day. They made a killer fort and played American Girl dolls and spies. 

And then it was on to the tire park for our picnic with the Frenchs. Keags ate three whole chicken bones and everyone had a blast on the awesome playground in the perfect weather. And then when we got home she ate 2 more chicken bones. Keags has always loved chicken but who knew KFC could be so cherished? Apparently it was good enough to celebrate with its very own day! 

TEAM Riley T-Shirts

Friends and family have been asking for TEAM Riley shirts for years! Now that Riley will be the Ambassador for the Easter Seals "Walk With Me" event on Saturday April 9th, 2016 at the Houston Zoo it was definitely time! My amazingly talented friend Christy Wardle put together the most darling logo that I just love! I can't wait til the shirts are printed! Miss Riley loves the logo and Miss Keagan is super excited to be the one and only team captain with a special shirt!

Website to order t-shirts:
https://www.booster.com/team-riley

T-shirt campaign story: 

Weighing in at 1 pound 14 ounces when she was born, doctors did not give Riley Kikuchi a very good chance at a full life. But little did they know, Riley Kikuchi is one little miracle! She and her twin sister Keagan are now 7 years old and in the first grade. Riley loves school, her ballet class, dressing up, being silly and doing anything with her family, especially her cousins! She has a total of 23 medical diagnoses including Cerebral Palsy, Polymicrogyria, Dilated Cardiomyopathy, asthma, epilepsy and many more. But she doesn’t let any of those hold her back from having a full and beautiful life! Riley is also non-verbal but she speaks volumes through her illuminating smile and contagious laugh! In 7 short years Riley has accomplished so much and touched so many peoples lives. She was told she would never walk, but she left her hot pink wheelchair behind when she was 5! Riley has been able to surprise everyone with many miracles because of her strength and determination, a tremendous amount of help from the Lord and the love and support of all the members of TEAM Riley. For each one of them we are incredibly thankful!

Feelin the Love

I guess that because I am single, Valentine's Day could be hard for me. But it never is because I have so many wonderful people in my life! And those wonderful people are so good to us that it truly is so humbling. 

Several sweet friends at work gave me a little something. Sa bought the girls the cutest personalized puzzles! Nikki made us some yummy and gorgeous cookies! Linda brought Gracie, Maddox and sweet Layla over to deliver her famous cookies and stuffed bears tonight! And the amazing Taryn heart attacked my kitchen, brought cupcakes and made her famous apple pie which is my absolute favorite! Oh not to mention she took my kids for a couple of hours yesterday while I had a headache. 

The girls dad also sent them a little goodies box on Friday and today he had a heart shaped pizza sent to the house as well. That was fun for them to come home from church to where they had gotten the cutest home made candy roses from their cute friend Silas Galloway.

Seriously I am so thankful the Lord has blessed us with all these incredible people to love and support us! Besides having the two cutest Valentine's possible, I am so thankful for many others whom I love today!! 

Valentine Festivities

After a crazy day and some seriously excited kids, it was time to celebrate friendship and love at school today! Both my little valentines had a great time at their parties! Treats, games, crafts and of course the ever so thrilling passing out and receiving of Valentine cards! It's the best! 

Riley hugging Avery! 

Keags and Miss Isenhower in their red tutus. These two are so cute and each call each other "weird" as a nickname. 

Still not sure what to think about the cute Dontrell in Keagan's class who gave her a little stuffed bear and a picture of the two of them getting married in a rocket ship!! Hmmm. Until your 16 lets just celebrate friendship!!