When our country is in the middle of the scariest debt crisis of our history, all this mommy can do is focus on these three sweet little beauties!  I took international business in college as an upper-level elective (only class I took in the business school; I just wanted to be with Mike), and what’s going down in Washington right now, would’ve been so interesting to get a live commentary from our professor, Dr. Van Auken.  I wish I hadn’t received this education, because it is frightening to me.  There are so many moving parts to make this world go round; it is insanely more complicated than I can even comprehend now.  All that class did was teach me exactly that.  I envy those who are clueless on this subject because what can I do?  I’m a fixer, and all I can do is sit back and watch what happens.  Hopefully there will be a resolution/compromise today.  All eyes are on Washington, even this stay-at-home mom in Texas.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/14/us/warning-of-global-risk-leaders-urge-us-to-solve-its-debt-limit-crisis.html?hp&_r=0

*The littles weren’t in their full costumes because it was too hot!  Anna Kate is going to be her favorite Disney character for Halloween, and it’s not Belle.  Any guesses? 

Happy 8th Birthday, Emily!  We love you!

Julia and Anna Kate, Autumn, Jovie, Noelle, Emily and Brianna having fun at Camp 8 Rocks!

Best friends forever!

Sleeping bag race before arts and crafts and everything else under the moon my creative friend, Rachel (Emily’s mom), could think up!

Happy 8th Birthday, Emily!  You are so special to our family!  You’re like a 4th sister to our girls, and Noelle is so blessed to have you as one of her best friends in the whole wide world!  Way to grow, Emma-P! 

After the ramen and applesauce incident at lunch today (story on Instagram), I needed to end this day reflecting on Rose’s newborn goodness.  This precious, calm, peaceful bundle sure can make big messes these days, but after all is said and done, I love our beautiful mess!

I wasn’t feeling so great last Saturday, so Mike took the girlies to Noelle’s cheerleading game!  The Pond girls love their Daddy so much! 

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the girls are wearing pink bows and socks to support the cause, and the boys are wearing pink socks as well.  So cool!  A cold front moved in during the game.  Check out the sky!  The girls ended up freezing, but thankfully, I had packed Noelle leggings… and then strangely, the very next day (we had a Sunday game too), it was so warm they didn’t even need their undershirts!  Crazy Texas weather; you never know what you’re going to get!

Sweet Rose loves our new bigger picnic blanket!  I’ve searched for a bigger one that more kiddos can sit on for a long time and finally found the perfect one to do the job!  It’s super comfy too!

Noelle is still totally loving cheering with her friends for the Bobcat football team.  Her favorite thing is performing, of course!

I can’t believe Noelle is almost half-way through elementary school!  Time is flying by!  Mom and I put together this cute fall scene in our yard a couple of weekends ago.  We have enjoyed it so much!  Thanks for your help making us smile everyday, Mom!  You’re awesome!

What a beautiful bunch of lovely little girls with their Poppa and Rara! 

We had so much fun weekend before last with my parents and brother’s sweet family celebrating John’s big 30th birthday!  Nancy, Saylor (4 months), Harper (2 years 2 months), and John Boy are a ladies and gentleman kind of family too (no little boys)!  Anna Kate, Harper, Noelle, and Rose had the time of their lives spending the weekend together under one roof.  There’s no better time than cousin time, and we can’t wait for our Ebert cousins to live in the US again soon and join in the fun!

Poppa time!

We’re ThePondFam5, having a good time… having a good time! (I’m a dork… but are you singing the song?)

The Banks girls!

This child of mine! 

Sweet Noelle and Poppa games with Rose

Cake time!  When we went to pick up the cake earlier that day, they showed it to us, and I was like, “It says Happiest 30th Birthday?”  They said, isn’t that what it’s supposed to say?  Umm…no!  Have you ever seen a cake that said that?  I was so confused because I was the one that placed the order.  I’m thinking at this point and said out loud, “Who would order a cake that didn’t just say Happy (insert number) Birthday, (insert name).”  That’s pretty standard birthday cake lingo in the biz, right?  Anyway, everyone at the cookie company started laughing about it and pointing fingers at each other, trying to figure out who wrote it to pick on them.  So, you know me, I said, “Can you just take a couple bucks off and we’ll be good to go?”  So they took $5 off, gave Noelle a bonus cookie… which is all fine and good, but the best part was all the laughs that I knew would continue on throughout the day and into the cake reveal (John’s always been a jokester and loves goofy/silly/funny things), so I knew he would crack up.  What the cookie company/that artist didn’t know is that their mistake actually made the day even that much more fun!  We got so many laughs out of those few extra letters on that cake and then some…

Out of all the 30th birthdays you’ll have in life, John, we hope this one is your best!  It was just too much fun!  I guess you had to be there… maybe you’re following this late-night story I’m trying to tell you, maybe not.  Who knows?  Regardless, we got a cheaper cake and priceless entertainment!  That’s what you call a win-win!

Happiest 30th Birthday, John, lol!

The Bobcats first official game was last weekend (9/28), and the girls loved wearing their mums the football players gave them the night before at the pep rally!

Carson and Noelle (Aww!)

Go Bobcats Go!

Emily, Noelle, Brianna and Ava so excited to get this party started!

Rose and Harper

The girls get on one knee and cross their fingers when a player gets hurt; it’s really sweet!  Here’s little sisters Sydney and Anna Kate enjoying the soft grass before the cold front moved in!

Here I am trying to monitor the sugar intake from the spirit sticks (lol), and Noelle introducing cousin Harper to Carson.

Cousin time!

The girls always love to perform for their team after the football game is over!

Happy 9th Birthday, Yuuki! 

Yuuki is Tomomi’s son and is a year older than Noelle.  Tomomi is my Japanese pen pal that I’ve had since the 5th grade, when there was no internet, and we really were pen pals!  Through the years, we’ve kept in touch, and reunited once when I was in college and Mike got to meet her too!  We’ve never met each other’s children, but I really look forward to the day that we do! 

Here’s Noelle being her sweet and sassy self, enjoying her fun happy life!  So glad she wanted to try the sport of cheerleading for her 2nd grade extra curricular activity this fall.  So far, she has loved every minute of performing, and that makes me want to say, “Hooray!”