Murray Family: February 2014

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Ladies Coffee at Fort Campbell

Nashville with Pop Pop and Nina!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

We have been trying to get Margo to stop sucking her thumb for several years now, trying all kinds of tactics. Since she's turned five we've been encouraging her even more to stop but she just isn't interested. My mom suggested having Margo pick a day to stop sucking her thumb, making it fun, and staying consistent about it. Once we got home in early January I showed Margo the calendar and let her pick a day anytime in January or February - she picked February 14th because we had on the calendar that it was Pop Pop's bday and Valentine's Day. We prayed a LOT before that day arrived and asked for God to help her as she stopped. That week in our school lesson was about perseverance, and I tried to connect the concept with other times that she persevered and continued doing things that she didn't want to do. February 14th came and we had a fun morning celebrating Valentine's day, we went out to the mall to let her jump, went to Chuck-E-Cheese to let her play, ate at Noodles and Company where she got her favorite meal there (mac & cheese), went to PetsMart to get a beta fish, and finished with dessert at Chick-fil-a. She also wore a "thumb guard" (I'll have to take a pic of it, but it's a glove that just covers her thumb and goes around her wrist). That night we prayed for God to help her persevere and have victory in this addiction. I am so proud of how well she is doing and I know my faith has grown as I've seen God take her from a crutch to having confidence now! This is another milestone that we can look back on and I am so proud of her!

Dentist Visit

Daddy playing on the kids games - he got high score but we weren't sure if he should be proud of that in a kid's dentist office...

Margo playing a race car game all by herself - I've always had to push the pedal for her in the past - she's growing up!

She was very proud to tell the dentist and hygienist that she stopped sucking her thumb. She does have a cavity that we have to have filled next week :( but at least Nina and Pop Pop will be here to go with her for moral support! :)

Big Girl Bed

So excited to get into her new bed!

She loves the loft setting - we added all her dolls underneath later.

The quilt is one that Jim's grandmother made and Grandma passed it down to Margo! The sheets are ones that Margo picked out - horses!!! :)

Margo's new set-up with a light and her fish, Valentine (Val for short), next to her bed.

Dolls underneath her bed.

Ladder to get into bed!

All her stuffed animals ready for snuggles!

Bookshelf, lava lamp, and CD player set up!

Margo's new fish, Valentine!

And lots of pics of her room set up...

Getting Back!

We came home to lots of mail - Margo's favorite was her Christmas gift from her friend Constance. It was a pillowcase with Margo's name embroidered on it and Casey, our guinea pig next to it! It is SO cute! :)

And the night we got back was karate practice. Margo was excited to tell her Sensei about her trip to San Antonio and to get back into karate!

Texas-isms

"Drive friendly - the Texas way" - driving in Texas was fun and fast, the speed limit rose at least 5 miles an hour faster than any other state we've visited, ranches lined the interstate, and all the off ramps for the interstates had frontage roads along the side that kept you at around 55mph - helpful but you definitely had to know where you were going. Another side note - there were Texas emblems everywhere on bridges and overpasses - you can make out a square on the side of the overpass to the left of the "Welcome to Texas" sign.

9 Nails - I guess they have a specific clientele? Either that or you have to pay extra to get your tenth nail done? :)

Our favorite Texas vehicle - a Jeep Wrangler with longhorns on the front!

Lots of interesting store decor in small towns that we drove through.

After talking to a local to confirm this, we found that Corpus Christie calls this area "city of lights" - which is a line of oil refineries on the Gulf before you get to Corpus Christie city.

Texas pride - Margo kept calling our waffles "America waffles" I had to correct her that it was just the state of Texas, but I think most Texans would be happy to hear her call this shape the USA. :)

Dallas skyline

We saw Whataburger restaurants all around Texas and finally stopped at one for lunch. They may be a Texas thing, but I still love my In-N-Out Burger! :)

Crossing over to Tennessee! A Memphis building is this pyramid that doesn't have anything in it right now but was built as a 1/3 replica of a pyramid in Egypt because Memphis is named after the city in Egypt. It was good to know we were getting closer to home once we crossed into Tennessee! :)

Our last night in a hotel after over two weeks on the road - we were ready to get home but Margo loved checking out all the amenities and toiletries in our room and getting settled in.