Beene Family

Mommy likes to get Muddy!!!

For the past few years JD has ran/biked in a race called the Muddy Buddy. This is a 6.2 mile run/bike that you do with a buddy. One of you runs while the other bikes. At each transition point you do an obstacle and switch to the bike or running. It always looked like fun, but I was always busy with my kiddos to train. This year my kids seemed to make that transition from being completely helpless to pretty handy to have around the house. So, this year I said to heck with it...I'm going to do it. I talked my sister in law Rachel into it and we were pumped! We began to train and that lasted oh...about 2 weeks. I have a joke that I am the skinniest out of shape person you will ever meet...and I'm not kidding! You would think that I would have running in my blood since my dad runs 100 miles trail runs...how amazing is that???? You rock dad!!!

Race day was upon us before we knew it. Our day started off at 5am getting to the site and checking in. JD and my brother in law Chad came out with the kids. They had made signs to motivate us.

 

My heart was pumping and I was nervous and excited all at the same time. I started off running and Rachel started on the bike.

 

Why do I look like such a goober running??

 

Rachel rocking the bike

 

I was feeling pretty good until about 3 minutes into it and I had the "What was I thinking" thought. So, I just pretended I was still in basic training and walking/stopping wasn't an option. Must have worked because next thing I knew I was at the transition point and was jumping on the bike.

 

I managed to find Julie, a girl I had met at the starting line - she was going along with my slow pace so we hooked up together to try and make this pass a little faster. 

 

By mile 3 I was happy and relieved it was half over and I swear to you the next thing I knew I was running the last mile. Whooo-hoo!

 

The last obstacle is the mud pit that you must crawl through...Rachel and I were happy we had made it

 

 

 

 

Rachel and I had 3 Goals:

Goal #1 - Finish...we must finish. Quitting was not an option
Goal #2 - Don't finish last
Goal # 3 - Don't die!

 

We accomplished all 3 Goals so I call this a success!

 

After the main Muddy Buddy Race there is a Mini Muddy Buddy that my kids LOVE!

 

I went through the mudpit again with Lauren

 

Next was Taylor

 

 

 

And Jakey....

 

 

My niece and nephew got in on the action as well

 

Hannah

 

 

Chase...then Jake went and tackled him

 

 

Emma got a little dirty too...she was not happy about it either

 

 

What fun we had!

 

Here is the crew!

 

 

We brought along 2 friends and I'm not sure they realized what they were getting into!

 

Lucky for me...JD didn't mind that I was a little dirty.

 

We washed off in the lake which was so friggin cold

 

 

 

 

But what better way than to spend the day with your family getting dirty!

 

 

 

 

 

Party like it's your birthday....

I interrupt this session of meet the Beene's to update you on our lives over the past week or so. In the near future I will write about JD and I - how we met, how in love we are - how he can't live without me.....  :)

We had a VERY busy weekend. Jake's last football game was this past Saturday and he was a little sad about it. He was a flag pullin' machine and had a great time. We have been involved in the UPWARD program with the church and so far we have been really impressed. They focus on the kids teaching them to play fair and be good sportsmen, rather than who's winning. I think our next UPWARD event is basketball for both T&J. That requires to much energy and effort for Lu.

 

On Saturday we had a party - Taylor and Jake are October babies...T is the 28th (today) and J's is the 14th so for 2 weeks a year they are the same age which they think is hilarious. I've tried to have combined parties so that it's easier on family to travel and of course so that I only have to do one party instead of two. I think my time is over...they are starting to complain and want their own parties. Next year will be busy and expensive! :)

This years theme was Halloween. We (well, JD, Bret, and Matthew) put cobwebs up in the tree and the house while I supervised. You can see my mom in that last picture probably telling Bret to be careful and not fall. HA!

The kids had a great time and drew chalk outlines of themselves. I know, sounds a little morbid, but they had fun and that's what matters, right?

 

After the chalk outlines we played like we were Mummies...complete with toilet paper wrap!

 

 

Lot's of food and candy. I had made Taco Soup thinking it would be cold outside, but as Murphy's Law would have it...we had warm weather for the party, but I think everyone enjoyed the soup anyway.

The kids and I made monster cupcakes all morning.

 

and caramel apples. Miss Lila liked hers so much she attached it to her dress....

 

Super Hero's and 50's girls seemed to be the popular costume choice this year.

 

My poodle skirt girls

 

If nothing else, we were all safe since we had so many super hero's in attendance...and Super Kitty over there. (aka Emma)

Everything from Bumble Bee's to Monkey's!

 

Even my sister and I got in on the action...we were rocker chics!

 

Vickie and I

 

The Party Crew

 

Matthew and Bret  

 

 

REX - the cutest cow I know.

 

Everyone had a good time and at the end of the night, there was a line for the birthday loot.

 

 

Today happens to be T's actual birthday. She thinks we are going to Chili's tonight to celebrate...what she doesn't know is that I bought HSM3 tix (High School  Musical 3 for those who haven't been brainwashed by Disney) She will be shocked...pictures tomorrow!

Ciao!

 

 

 

 

 

NKOTB - Living out my 14 year old dreams

***DISCLAIMER - You will probably have a different opinion of me by the end of this post, but I don't care...I am going to write it with the level of excitement that can only be described as one of the most fantastic evenings of my life! And with that you will probably be sorely disappointed at what this triumphant event really was***

 

Okay, with this post you will either be green with envy or think I'm an absolute crazy person due to my level of excitement. People, Kim and I went to the NKOTB concert last night in Dallas...I'm still giddy with excitement.

We started off the night as intelligent women looking to have a sense of nostalgia from our youth...

 

We started off with having a nice sushi dinner at Sushi Zushi in uptown Dallas and then headed over to the American Airlines Center for the show.

Natasha Beningfield opened and we enjoyed it like the civilized career women we are. Calmly clapping and singing along. But holy moly, then the boys came out....WAHOOO I was 14 again and my mom wasn't there to tell me to stop acting like a fool!

We danced, we sang, we screamed, we jumped around...oh and did I mention we sprung for floor seats?? Oh yes...we were close and could see EVERYTHING!

Towards the middle of the show they showed up about 10 rows behind us coming up from underneath on a stage. They preformed a few songs and we of course were digging it because well, it was just cool. Then the most amazing thing happened. We noticed that security was starting to flank our area (we were on the end of row) and we realized...holy guacamole they are going to go from that middle stage past us to the main stage. We almost pee'd ourselves. What seemed like hours later they were coming...

We of course stood there (aka jumping and screaming) waiting for them to rush by. Now, don't be jealous, but we touched all 5 members of NKOTB!!! I even made eye contact with Danny and I'm pretty sure we shared a moment. :) Okay...you can all hate me now. LOL!!!

There rest of the show was just icing on the cake and I sang Hangin Tough and The Right Stuff with a new purpose.

So needless to say, we had a ball, acted like fools and I'm here to tell you that I'm so glad we went. Being 14 again was so flippin fun. When we rolled in at 1215am still giddy with excitement, JD accommodated us with taking pictures and watching us do some of the New Kids dance moves. Today, my body hurts from girating for 2 1/2 hours and I have little to no voice. Such a fun night. As silly as it sounds, our evening would make the best MasterCard commercial.

$75.00 for floor seats
$50.00 for Sushi Zushi Dinner
$45.00 for NKOTB concert tshirt
$10.00 for parking

Reliving your NKOTB years...PRICELESS!!!!!!!

 

 

Meet the Beene's - Lauren Edition

I bet you thought I forgot about Lauren's post, didn't you??  :) Life has been busy and at my office they keep making me work..what's up with that? But, I am finally finishing up the kid portion of the Beene family.

Where to start with Lauren...She was a surprise from the beginning. In fact, I didn't know I was pregnant with her until I was 4 months along and felt her move. I'll spare you the obvious details of why pregnancy wasn't obvious to me, but lets just say there were reasons and I have very easy pregnancies. ;) JD and I couldn't agree on her middle name I wanted Grace and he wanted Elizabeth so we combined the two for the longest name we could have possibly thought of: Lauren Elizabeth Grace Beene. (aka Lulu)

Lauren is my hellian and I mean that in the most loving motherly way. Just when I thought I had raising kids figured out, I had Lauren. Look at this face. Freckles (or sprinkles as she calls them) gently placed across her nose large hungry blue eyes. How could she not be sweet as pie?

 

Well, Internet...she has a sassy side. Little Miss Lulu is full of spunk and if she's not singing or dancing she bossing someone around. You will see that most of her pictures have a certain dramatic angle to them. She is never without her accessories.

 

I love this little girl and I keep telling myself that God doesn't give you more than you can handle. :)

 

Lauren started kindergarten this year. She isn't really into the lessons as much as she is music class and what uniform she is going to wear that day. (which by the way, MUST be a skirt)Her teacher says that she is a wonderful student and is very well behaved in class.

 

We've had a few milestones happen this summer. One being that she will actually jump in the pool. This is a huge accomplishment for her! As you can see from her picture below, she was ready to go and a breathing treatment was not going to stop her!

 

She is a sweet girl and the way she is brings absolute joy to me (most days! HA!)

 

 

I'm sure one day she is going to give a boy a real test of his love. Which is just fine with me. :)

 

What is your name? Lauren Elizabeth Grace Beene

When is your birthday? May

What do you like to play with? Barbies

What do you want to be when you grow up? A singer

Who is your best friend? Riley, he's a boy; but he's not my boyfriend

 

 

Meet the Beene's - Taylor Edition

Next Beene you will get to know a little better is none other than Taylor.

 

To say Taylor is a good kid is an understatement. She is the best! Most of the time I feel like I have a little mini me running around and I love this.

Taylor is the reason we had 3 kids, we figured if they all turned out this great, then we would just keep on going. Note, we were wrong...but this will come up in the Lauren edition! HA!**

 

Taylor's teacher has told me she is the best reader in the class...this makes this mommy VERY proud! It's nice to see her have confidence in herself. This is something I severely lacked growing up...I want her to always feel like she can do ANYTHING!

 

Taylor loves to swim and would live in our pool or in the lake if given the opportunity. She's been a fish pretty much since the age of 3 and has the prettiest dive you will ever see.

 

She loves to be a girly girl and jumps at every chance she gets to go shopping or have a mini mani/pedi! (I've raised her well!) She never complains when I tell her and Lauren to clean their room knowing good and well she does it herself. She loves to help me around the house whether that be vacuuming, unloading the dishwasher or gathering clothes for the wash. Yes folks, I've hit the jackpot. She does this all with a smile.

 

 

She has the most contagious laugh and although at times it so shrill it will go straight through you, most times you can't help but laugh right along.

 

She's the only one in the house that is always 100% on my Razorback side. As you saw before, Jake bleeds orange and Lauren well..she can never really make up her mind.

 

Taylor is definitely a free spirit and enjoys life as it comes!

I sat down with Taylor for a little interview...

 

 

What is your name: Taylor Ashton Beene

Do you have any nicknames: Bug, Bugaritis, Tay

What grade are you in: 2nd

Do you like your teacher: Mrs. Jones doesn't play!

What do you want to be when you grow up: A radiologist (we have been grooming her for this since birth!)

What are your favorite things to do: Shopping, play with Hannah

What are your hobbies: Webkinz, reading, and riding my bike

What is your favorite color: Pink

Do you have any pets: A dog Gabby and 2 kittens Delilah and Lola

If you could have one wish, what would it be: to have my own room!

 

There you have it...next will be our sweet crazy little Lulu...

 

 

 

 

Meet the Beene's - Jake Edition

Today I had planned on writing about Taylor, but we've had a slight change in schedule.  Sweet Jake woke up this morning sick and let me tell you without going into great graphic detail, it was a long gross night! But, he's feeling better and is here at work with me for awhile. Since he's here I thought we would go ahead and let you get to know him.

First, let me say that Jake is one cool little dude. You would be hard pressed to find anyone much cooler. I, of course, am a little partial, but he is one of the sweetest kids you will ever meet.

 This boy loves his momma...and I of course, eat that up! Since JD is still working in Little Rock, Jake is the 'man of the house' and takes very good care of me and the girls.

He's a very loyal Longhorn fan(sorry AR family) and has been known to go a little too far with is Longhorn love. (testosterone gets the better of him, plus I'm pretty sure he's been brainwashed)

He's an adventurous kid and will not step down from a challenge. Whatever his daddy throws at him, he takes it.  I sometimes think he's 7 going on 16.

This boy also loves his daddy....and I mean LOVES his daddy. Our daddy hung the moon and also probably discovered it as far as Jake is concerned. One of his favorite past times is playing video games (which they can play for hours), going to Starbucks to get 'coffee' (aka hot chocolate), or their annual dove hunting trip. Between you and me...I think JD might have more fun on these outings!

He promises me that when he's a man he won't live too far away. He'll buy a big house so we can have 'celebrations' there and I won't have to clean it up. (love this boy)

I sat down with Jake and asked him a few questions:

- What is your full name: Jakob Daniel Beene
- Any nicknames? Jake, Jakey, Bubba
-What do you want to be when you grow up? A police man (mommy says no to this...to dangerous!)
- What do you like to do for fun? Play cars, video games, ride my bike
- If you had one wish, what would you wish for? That I would be rich
- What's your favorite color: Orange (oh geez...more longhorns)
- What kind of car do you want when you get big? Jeep
- What do you want for your birthday? An Ironman Costume
- What is your favorite team? THE LONGHORNS (he then proceeded to wave the horns in the air saying "Hook 'em Horns")

All in all....we love our Jakey, despite the Longhorn fascination....he's a fantastic son, wonderful big brother, and a very good friend.

I hope you enjoyed meeting Jake. Tomorrow will be the Taylor Edition!