Leaving Texas and a Pictli Discount

Friday was the first day I had internet on my computer since we moved two weeks ago, and I'm gonna say what you already know, moving is hard! The day the moving truck got to our house I was on a plane heading to Florida. That was the easy part (for me), and I recommend all women leave their husband to do the dirty work while his parent's watch the kids haha. Honestly, the bachelorette party I was heading to was for a close friend and had been planned well before our move, so the timing was just a little bit of God smiling down on me and giving me some relief.

I used to go to Florida every year, but hadn't been much since moving to Texas. Let me tell you, if you haven't it's a must. The white sand and emerald water are heaven on earth! I flew back Sunday and went to our empty house to get the last few things and video a little bit so the kid's can see where they used to live. The following week, Matt drove our car up (and plants that I am sure will die in the cold), and I flew with both kids a few days later (it was a feat).

My parent's took the move pretty hard, so when Pictli contacted me about trying out their service, I knew just who I would send a framed picture to. You can choose to upload a picture from your computer, facebook, or instagram which made it easy since my mom walks around showing an instagram picture of them and the kids all the time. After I selected the picture I just chose a frame and I was done with my easy, customized gift. I will say that I wish there was a little more of a square frame selection since most instagram pictures are square...I'm sure that will come with time.

My mom loved it! The quality of the print was good and best of all, she was able to take it right out of the package and display it. It would be a great house warming, wedding, or new baby (to the grandparents) gift. Pictli was nice enough to give my readers a 20% discount until the end of May with the code: NT1504. 

Have a great week!
Nikki

Taking In Texas | Part 1

        We are down to one last family weekend here in Texas. While moving is stressful and busy, we are making an effort to enjoy what our neighborhood and city have to offer before we're gone. I do some volunteering for a local children's shelter, Parks Youth Ranch. It is a fantastic privately funded shelter for homeless youth in the area. The kids there will touch your heart forever. A few weekends ago they hosted their 2nd Annual children's fishing tournament. They had tons of treats, bounce houses and games, and Matt and I took on the fishing tournament portion since he really wanted to do something for them before we left and loves to fish. It was a great way to get out and help, and my parents brought the our kids out to enjoy the ranch. Abram got to try his hand at fishing for the first time ever. I'm sure this will continue at the lake this summer, but it was fun to watch his excitement when he got to fish next to the big kids.

       During the week I try to take the kids running in the double stroller a couple times. It gives me chance to get some exercise while they get to relax. Our neighborhood has several playgrounds that we pass during my run and lately the weather has been nice enough to bring them to the playground. Abram is obsessed with slides and Julip loves to swing.

       We also got to say goodbye to a few close friends and family this past weekend with a laid back bbq, in the backyard. Even though it had been raining for days and the backyard was a swamp, we set up the bounce house with a tarp to give the kids a way to get out their energy. Julip was in hog heaven for her first bounce house experience...surrounded by tons of dirt-covered balls to chew on.

    We are trying to finish up some of the house stuff during the week to give us some time for one last Houston adventure this weekend. I want a zoo trip and Matt wants a boat trip...we will see who wins. Hope your weekend was amazing and your Monday only takes one cup of coffee!

xo,
Nikki

House Hunting & Egg Hunting

I think I've mentioned here a time or two that we are moving...to Ohio...from Texas...SOUTH Texas to NORTH Ohio to be exact. It will be a big change for our family. We will also pay for good snow advice next winter.

We listed our {first} house a couple weeks ago, after what felt like a decade of talking about it. We had three offers within the first 2 days, one of those being from the first people who saw it. It was a huge relief for me since the staging was all mine.

We lived with my parents the entire week we kept it on the market. Then, we headed straight to Ohio to buy a house while my parents watched the kids. We had about 50 houses on our first list and narrowed them down to 20-something in different areas of Cleveland. We knew nothing about Cleveland so the first few days were just driving around to see different areas. By the time Friday came we had narrowed them down to our top two. It was straight out of an episode of House Hunters {I hate that show}...I always feel bad for the people because there is never a perfect answer. House 1: Location and House 2: Roomy and updated. 

In the end, after lots of tears from me, we went with house 1 and paid a little more than we would have liked for a smaller house that is in a great location. We will be down-sizing and cutting out the guest bedroom completely so that will be a challenge. The yard is great, as well as the community, and there is lots to do in the area...the lake is a mile away. Matt has always dreamed about being near the water and this will probably be the closest we ever get to a lake house, so that's what we will call it!

We headed back to Houston, on Friday evening, and had company come in for Easter. I tried to get the kids ready early enough to get their baskets before church. Abram is NOT a morning person, so he refused his shirt and didn't smile until he saw the candy and animals. Julip was just trying to sit up without falling and had gotten a mosquito bite on the middle of her forehead the night before... These picture will be awesome to look back on haha.

It was muggy and overcast for the majority of the weekend, but luckily the rain held out for our Easter egg hunt. We all went to my parent's house after church where we grilled everything you can think of, dyed eggs, watched the kids get WAY TOO into the hunt, and had my mom's Easter strawberry crepes {made gluten-free for me}. I seriously had dreams about them the entire week before!

Abram loved playing with "the boys"; he always imitates everything they do. Whenever they were counting their eggs on the grass, he began throwing his into the grass, yelling " 2, 3, 8, 10, 14, 18, 20". He cracks me up...hope your Easter was fabulous!

xo,
Nikki

Forever on the Farm

       Growing up, my family moved regularly to follow my dad's job in the oil business. We never lived near my grandparents, so seeing them was always an exciting time usually intertwined with holidays and celebrations. Matt moved a few times as well, but they always returned to their family farm, in Louisiana. He spent his time after school working alongside his Grandpa on the farm, and has a strong connection with the land.

       When we met, I couldn't even imagine having that kind of history and roots to a place. His Grandpa's Grandpa built the Cajun farmhouse that still sits, nestled under the oaks today. His grandpa was born in, and died in that house. The trees that surround the house were planted by his Grandpa at the arrival of each grandchild; Matt can point and tell me which tree belongs to which person.

Sitting in his grandpa's favorite chair

       When everyone started to move away for work Matt's parents began discussing selling the farm; it was a lot for two people to care for as a secondary job. The sale went through weeks after Julip was born. Everything seemed to happen at once, and before we knew it we were having to make a quick trip to Louisiana to pick up the rest of Matt's memories. It wasn't the kind of goodbye trip we were hoping for with Julip only 3 weeks old and Abram fighting a fever and pink eye, but we made the best of it.

       I quickly contacted a friend who was just starting her photography business and asked if she could take some family pictures on the farm, as a surprise for Matt. There we sat as a family of four on a hot, humid August morning; trying our best not to look too sweaty and keep the kids in good spirits. It was Julip's first and last visit to the farm that will forever be deeply ingrained in her daddy's heart.

xo,
Nikki

Introducing Julip Pearl

So much has changed since my last post. I took my 36 week picture at my baby shower and hit 37 weeks the following Wednesday. That day consisted of trying to finish nursery projects, organizing our house after the carpet installation moved EVERYTHING around, and making returns with Matt my chauffeur because I couldn't drive. At dinner that night I mentioned to Matt how strange I had been feeling all day, but we brushed it off as a long day in the summer, while being 37 weeks pregnant.

The couple of nights before I had not been sleeping well and would stay up until 2, but that night I forced myself to go to bed around 10. I woke up at 1 am with some cramping and woke Matt up to tell him it felt very similar to a contraction, but when another didn't come for a long time I told him it probably wasn't and to go to sleep. Of course my mind was racing with "what if's" so I began googling and diagnosed myself with pre-labor contractions that can last weeks. 

The next day I would definitely need to pack my hospital bag and get the most important stuff done; just in case. Well those thoughts started to change when the pains continued to keep me awake.  I took the advice of the internet, at 3 am, and tried distracting myself by windexing the glass of a picture frame I had painted for the nursery that day. I could barely stand or walk, and after 5 minutes I gave up and slowly moved myself to the bedroom to tell Matt something was wrong.

"Matt, I was windexing and I can barely stand", was about how I said it. 

"Why were you windexing at 3 am!?"

He continued to brush me off and told me it was way too early and even if it was labor it would be a long time until I had the baby. He realized, at 4 am, that we may need to start timing the contractions, but they were 10 minutes apart and were only lasting 30-40 seconds. That is not what the books say is "go time". By 4:15 they had gotten stronger and closer, though they were still short, we decided we should figure out what needed to be in a hospital bag. I think we had only gotten the cameras, chargers, chapstick, and hard candies {I have weird priorities} packed before we decided we needed to call my parents to watch Abram so we could leave.

At 5 am I could no longer stand it and knew we needed to leave NOW. We left with my parents close by and pulled out of the neighborhood; tires screeching. Ya, I got the movie moment I had been wanting. I kept thinking that they would tell me I am a wimp and send me home. Matt pulled up to the hospital, grabbed a wheelchair and wheeled me to the waiting room to be taken up. By the time I got to labor and delivery they could see it in my eyes that the baby was coming and quickly moved my name from a "monitoring" room to a "delivery" room. 

I fell onto the bed where they started hooking everything up like a slightly panicked, well oiled machine; then told me I was 9 cm and the only thing holding back the baby was that my water hadn't broken. They called my doctor and told me not to push. Then they asked me a billion questions while I screamed, breathed, and demanded drugs that I could no longer get. I professed that I no longer wanted a movie moment, and may have cursed my daughter for going against my plans... jokingly {maybe}. I have a feeling she will always be the leader in her life. 

At 5:30 am my super doc ran into the room, threw on his gloves and hat, and I began to push. Julip made her debut 20 days early, on July 31st, at 5:46 am; after 10 minutes of pushing. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was over. My doctor thanked me for letting him put on his hat and apologized for asking the nurse if he had time to take a shower before driving to the hospital. Apparently I was almost that woman who delivers in her car.

Julip was perfect. She weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and was 19 inches long. She scored a 9 on her APGAR {like her brother} even though she was almost 3 weeks early. I guess she wanted a July birthday like her parents.

She has dark brown hair that covers her head, forehead, and has some on her shoulders. She looks much more Persian than Abram did. She has dark eyes that are a greyish-brown we think. Her chin is pointier than Abram's and her face is heart-shaped. She has our heart lips, but they are not as pronounced as her brothers were. She has some pretty little eye lashes, my ears, a nose that looks Persian, and a long, skinny body. Her legs are long and thin, much like her feet. She constantly sticks out her tongue and sucks on her hands.

Her going home outfit Aunt Kiki picked out since it was still on my "to do" list

We are now one week in and her brother is in love; sometimes a little too in love. He always wants to know where she is and rubs her head, gives her kisses, wants to put on her hat, and tries to give her the pacifier...after he has stuck it in his ear. She loves to sleep during the day and party at night, and eats like a champ. When I had Abram I had finished the nursery by 34 weeks and packed my bags by 36; then we waited and waited. This time around I was much more relaxed about time and was caught completely off guard...I promise to post the nursery as soon as it is finished. Keep us in your prayers that she has a better tummy than her brother, and you can throw in a prayer for her to sleep long stretches at night ;). 

xo,
Nikki

Maternity Session for Baby #2

Around 32 weeks we finally got around to taking maternity photos. These have a much different feel than the photos we took in the country last time. I'm not sure which I like better, but let me just say I am so over taking maternity photos in the heat of the summer! The next baby will be a winter baby! 

Last pregnancy we gave ourselves 3 chances to get some good shots since we do them ourselves. This time was a one-and-done situation. We brought my mom to help us with the little man, and to take a few pics of us together. Abram was D-O-N-E after about 5 minutes so the majority of the time my mom chased him around while Matt took pics of me and "Pixie". We had so many cute family, couple, and mommy and two kids photos planned that we didn't get to do, but I am just happy I was able to capture the pregnancy with my beautiful girl!

 Trains kept passing which freaked me out, but Abram loved it

Making the best of a difficult toddler

I swear I blinked and went from seeing two lines to sitting here typing this post. Although I am getting SOOO uncomfortable that I am beyond ready to feel myself again; I am trying to take in what is left of this pregnancy. It really is such an incredible journey and before we know it she will be in our arms and growing up entirely too fast.

xo,
Nikki

Father's Day Weekend & Nursery Update

 When I met Matt in high school I knew he was a good person, but had no idea whether or not he would be a good dad. Then I saw him with our dogs. He is the doggy daddy that randomly brings home treats and toys because he sees something they "need", and yes they have always had a stocking for Christmas. Matt is as soft-hearted as they come. He hates that Bijou {our 65 lb hound} sleeps with us, but doesn't have the heart to kick her out of the bed. It sometimes gets to me that I am more of the disciplinarian, but having a loving husband who truly cares about everyone around him makes me feel so lucky! He has been the same way with Abram as he is with our dogs, and I know he will show "Pixie" how much a dad can love a daughter.

He "never" {his words, not mine} gets to go fishing anymore now that we live in Texas, so I let him spend Friday fishing with his brother and dad while I worked...easiest gift ever ;). Truth...Abram had bought him a fish fryer and cajun cookbook for Father's Day and wanted him to be able to use it. Me wanting homemade fried fish had nothing to do with it...maybe.

Saturday we dove straight into the rest of the celebrations with a 1st birthday party for one of Abram's future best friends. It was at a beautiful little park and all the kids LOVED running around playing. I loved the ice cream...

He found my necklace and when I grabbed my camera he stood there and said, "cheese"...I was stunned and he officially now has my entire heart!

Afterwards we made our way to Ikea. Abram passed out at the store while Matt and I searched and searched for some shelves/storage for the nursery. I swear this has been the HARDEST room I have ever put together. It felt good to stock up on items I may or may not need...just to feel like I accomplished something felt great! Abram rode his sister's shelves out of the store. Today I decided I didn't like them anymore, then decided I did...see what I mean...pregnant women shouldn't design their own nurseries; it is bad for everyone involved.

After our 1.5 trip to Ikea, which felt like we broke some speed shopping records, we needed a refresh so we headed to meet my parents for the last crawfish of the season and a little live zydeco music. We chowed down and danced until the place shut down. Abram had his first crawfish and danced his first Cajun dance. He spent the rest of the night throwing rocks and strutting across the lot to pick them up. He is amazing us by how fast he is learning the world around him, and by how fast he is learning to control those around him.

I'm so happy I was able to celebrate the awesome dad's in my life!

He wants to be just like dad

Sunday was a full-fledged nursery work day...

Progress:
All the walls are painted {including the focal wall}
The fan has been installed
We primed and put the first coat of paint on the dresser/changing table
Picked out shelving {hopefully it will stay}
Moved the rocker and crib into the room

Still To Do:
Finish picking/buying/painting artwork
Finish painting dresser
Install shelves
Pick/make rug, curtains, bedding
Finishing touches
....

Daily life week 6 & Summer Plans

This past weekend we played catch up and spent most of our time in the nursery or folding laundry. We did manage to get to our neighborhood pool for an hour, on Sunday. It's a kid's pool with a small slide; Abram was obsessed and after the 6th time down and us carrying him around while he lifted his feet in the water like he was on a ride, we called it quits. Sorry if Abram is in every pic this week...he is sort of my world.

It is officially the point in the summer where the heat and humidity are so high that my hair stays up and we only go outside when the sun is low, or we can get in the water. I have been trying my hardest to take advantage before it gets to the point of deathly hot; the kind that makes you sweat at night and the water doesn't even sooth you. It should be showing up about a month before baby girl "pixie" arrives. You will then find me parked inside with my feet up and a snow cone in hand.

We have also reached the point in toddlerhood where Abram has so much energy that his toys don't entertain him. He gets grouchy when sitting around the house for too long. We are trying to start planning at least one big activity a day during our weekends. There will be regular pool days scheduled and I'm trying to think of some things we can get for the backyard to entertain him and keep him cool. I'm also on the hunt for creative indoor activities that we can do for the second half of the summer. I would love to hear games, activities, and projects you have done with your kids; feel free to leave your tips and tricks in the comments or email me!

Having a child who is starting to understand the world around him has made me appreciate and want to celebrate each season that comes our way.

Here is our summer to-do list so far...it is pretty packed already:

• Get snow cones {Abram's first}...fun fact: my mom owned a snow cone stand when I was younger. I took the orders and made change, AND made the kid's snow cone menu with my own flavor creations.
• Go to the zoo
• Visit San Antonio
• Swim A LOT
• Make homemade ice cream
• Celebrate our birthdays and anniversary
• Visit the Kemah board walk
• Go out on the boat
• Finish the nursery
• Sparklers for the 4th
• Head to Louisiana to visit
• Welcome our baby girl!

Mother's Day Weekend/ Daily Life Pics & 18 Month Update

I celebrated my second official Mother's Day yesterday, and it was every bit as wonderful as I thought it would be. Matt went hunting with some of my family from Thursday to Sunday morning, so it was just me and my littlest man in my life. For some reason he was up at the crack of dawn on Saturday so we laid in his new big boy bed for about an hour before starting our day {well he poked me in the face while I tried to sleep a little longer}. We got to eat breakfast just the two of us, play/clean, and Abram watched "Up" all the way through for the first time! He wanted to sit on my lap while he ate and watched the movie, so I put my phone and chore list in another room and soaked him up. I needed that moment; it was my favorite Mother's Day gift.

Mother's day breakfast at the kid's table...still half asleep

 Then things got a little crazy and when I couldn't take being out of breath anymore from leaning over, at almost 26 weeks pregnant, my mom came to save the day. We ran some errands, I finally took the plunge and shopped at a maternity store {my first time}, and then we took Abram for his first fro yo to celebrate my new, lose fitting clothes ;).

 Sunday I got to just relax a little and go for a family walk. Matt Abram came through in the gift department more than I had anticipated, and got me both the Kendra Scott earrings AND Kelli Murray art I had been eyeing for a couple months. We have tons of art in our house, but so much of it was bought to fill space...I have been weeding things out and starting to collect art that I LOVE and that means something to me. This piece represents the new me, as a mother, and I am so excited that I can stare at the beauty every day and be reminding of the real joys in life. 

source

Later we went to my parent's house to have a Mother's Day lunch and then my mom, sis and  I met some of my friends for a mani/pedi session. Needless to say I did NOT want to have to stop the fun and go back to work.

 Time is passing by so fast...

Speaking of time flying; Abram turned 18 months last week! I look at his one year pics and cannot believe how much he has changed in 6 months. He went from just taking his first steps to running and talking. He is a full-fledged toddler these days and with that comes a lot of fun, hilarious times, but also a lot of exhausting moments.

Health: He was sick throughout most of the winter, and is now on Zyrtec every day. Sometimes we have to use an inhaler to stop his wheezing...it is crazy that getting his adenoids out didn't really help. The past few weeks {knock on wood} with the warmer weather has seemed to help us manage it better.

Abram sleeps great {most nights} and moved to his big boy bed last week. The kid turns 360's while he is asleep so I think moving to his full-size bed has just given him more room to not get tangled. I'll be doing a separate post on the transition.

What he will eat still changes daily, but we are managing. Grapes, watermelon, and yogurt of some of his favorites. 

Abram loves running, jumping, pretend falling, standing on chairs/etc, drawing with his water/juice, coloring, eating with a spoon, doing everything himself, dancing to music, baths, climbing the stairs, throwing balls, bubbles, food, going down the slide, his golf clubs, being rocked to sleep, reading books before bed, playing with legos {the larger ones}, sitting at his own table to eat snacks, and mimicking everything you do.

He hates when he can't move so he still despises being changed or dressed, sitting still, being strapped into his carseat and stroller, getting his face wiped, learning to share, getting his teeth brushed, waiting on food, and eating veggies.

Entranced by "Up"

Since his first birthday he has gotten tubes in and adenoids out, celebrated Christmas, gone to his first Mardi Gras parade, and hunted Easter eggs for the first time. He has moved up in classes at daycare, given up pacifiers and bottles, and moved to a big boy bed. His first REAL word was ball {spoken with a Russian accent}, followed by bubble. He can now say mommy, daddy, uh oh, more, ball, bubble, water {wawa}, doggy, owl, horse, moose, car, hot, eye, mouth, socks, and shoes. He will repeat just about any word you say and if he knows the sound affect to go with it, he will follow it up with that {doggy ruff ruff}. He has no clue what is making my tummy so big...

Have a great week!

Darlin' You're the Mint to my Julep...

Can you believe I have never had a mint julep!? I have also never been to a Kentucky Derby Party...until this past weekend. 

When I got the invite I jumped at the chance to make a big, over-the-top, annoying hat. I grabbed my beach hat I got on sale, for $5, at Target last year, put a ribbon around it so that I could glue as many flowers as I want without ruining the hat, and perused the floral aisle of Hobby Lobby for an HOUR! Hobby Lobby is so draining...

 my hard work paid off...it even had a bird!

The party was so fun and I seriously have some creative friends. There were adult only mint julep cupcakes, a horse shoe cake, and tons of food and betting. Here are a few party pics...

For the rest of the weekend we set up our gazebo and Abram's big boy bed...wish us luck! I also took some time to relax since last week I had to go to the hospital for dehydration...nothing serious...I just apparently need a ton of water when I am pregnant {flashback to 2 years ago}. No pics were taken this time; Matt was too busy chasing around Abram and picking up fruit off the floor. 

I am continuing to take my picture a day even if my life seems monotonous to others, the pics mean so much to me! Have a great week!

Slow Down My Little Magnolia

My baby boy is growing too fast. He got moved to the next class up in daycare this week. I sat at my work computer watching the monitor as they brought him in for the first time, and I {not him} just cried like a baby. He is the kind of kid who stands back and observes for the first 15 minutes and then dives in. For that 15 minutes every motherly worry came to me; will the other kids play with him, will he handle the change well, are the teachers nice, etc...  It was the first time I wasn't physically present for a big transition and I didn't want him to have to go through it without me. 

He fit in perfectly, but I think another reason for my tears is because he is just growing so fast. I anticipated his arrival so much and felt so connected with him before he was born. Then he arrived and turned our world upside-down; we really weren't prepared and it was tough at first! 

Now, it has been amazing! 

I prayed for a child with character and he has it! His personality is perfectly quirky, sweet, and adventurous. We just have so much fun laughing at and playing with him and I know this, like the baby phase in the past, won't last long...it is killing me. I find myself looking back at his pictures with tears in my eyes...probably in part to being pregnant and emotional. ;) For a while he no longer needed me to rock him to sleep and I thought that was a big accomplishment. Now he lets me...I think it is because he knows I need it more than him. I don't want to see his fat wrist crease fade away so I just stare and try to smell him up while I rock.

Before I got pregnant this time around a friend joked that he was getting his teeth so fast so he could grow up and make room for a sibling. It hasn't been long since that comment and now #2 is on her way {full steam ahead...half way today} and we are ordering a big boy bed for #1. Everyone tells you it passes quickly, but you don't believe it. I pray that his little sister learns from him and has the same awesome character that he does, but with her own twist. I know he will be a fantastic big brother and I hope I can handle another child growing way too fast. Bear with me over the next 5 months; they are bound to get a little emotional.

xo, Nikki

Weekend In Pics

A wedding on Friday, a pirate birthday party on Saturday, and the Iranian New Year Festival on Sunday...most random weekend in a long time. Sometimes random works!

Not to mention we also got started on the little misses nursery too! Score! I would say we had a successful weekend...

We cleared out the Ikea shelf {and put everything on the guest bed} and started painting the focal wall :)

enjoying feeding himself...

handsome men ready for the wedding

party animal

pirates eating pizza

Happy Monday!

Let's Take it Back to Mardi Gras Weekend

A weekend so refreshing I would like to do it all over again...

Who says pregnant girls can't have fun at Mardi Gras!? When the woman on our float found out I was pregnant she was shocked. I had been dancing to every song {we are a dancing family}, so she was sure that this baby was gonna come out ready to party and having a good time :). I reassured her that as soon as a song comes on Abram starts to shake or drop it like it's hot!

Our friends invited us to be on their float for a parade, in Baton Rouge, and it had been so long that there was no way we were turning it down. The theme was Flamingo Dynasty {flamingos are always a part of the theme}, so we rocked the camo and pink...and a couple beards. Our friend buys pool floats on sale at the end of the summer to throw...GENIUS...I have never seen this done and they get the crowds going wild!

 Our parents split watching Abram back in our hometown, and my parents took him to the children's parade where he racked up the goodies. They were throwing balls like crazy and that happens to be his FAVORITE.THING.EVER and the only word he says, on repeat.

The weather was perfect and we got crawfish after the parade for the first time all season. It felt good to be back in Louisiana; we cannot wait to show our kids the rich traditions and culture of our home state!

Picture Catch Up

       Life has been a whirlwind, but let's get real, when is it not? I am trying to make a schedule for commitments and this blog is one I would desperately like to stick to. So here is my catch up post so we can get back on track {in pics}.

       We won the float contest at our group of friend's Turkey Tailgate...BIG achievement right there. It was a couples challenge, using only what crafty items were on the table and about 20-30 minutes. This is our float with our prizes. We actually tied floats with a Christmas float, but our tie breaking candy corn throw & catch in the mouth challenge gave us the win! Who knew I was so good at catching candy corn being thrown at me!?...I have a tracker on those things.

Went to a friend's wedding

We enjoyed Thanksgiving with my family this year, and got to spend some time with my 99 year old granny. Girls lost pictionary during the final moments.

Abram got tubes in his ears and his adenoids out...long time coming! They wheeled him to the OR in a wagon; which made it easier on me.

Decorated for Christmas

We had our Annual Santa Pub Crawl. This is the only pic that can be seen publicly from the night. ;)

Celebrated Christmas with my family, and then his (on Christmas day)

New Years...on the couch...by the warmth of the fire...watching the countdown and the amazing "free" fireworks from our back window...while Abram slept. HEAVEN

Celebrating Valentines Day with both of my boys

Lots of playing at the park in the 70 degree weather

Then, Getting sick from extreme temp drops

Finishing the hutch for our friends and the shelves for our game room (game room almost complete and I promise I will post when it is)

Working

Oh and there was one HUGE Christmas surprise we got that I forgot to mention. 

Baby Tag #2 is on the way!

I was shocked...I mean I couldn't even say the word for about a week. So were our families when we told them for Christmas; I thought my mom might attack me for springing it on her while they were posing for a picture.

Oh and the best part {our fb announcement}: Roses are red, Violets are blue, Our little boy is sweet, Hoping our little GIRL is too! Yup...it's a girl!!! :) Another nursery is already in the works!

We Love Daddy!

       Happy belated Father's Day to all the daddy's out there! My dad is a state away, so I could only call to tell him that I love him. Sunday was Matt's first father's day. I have to say nothing makes me love him more than seeing how much he loves our son!

       We had been planning a Father's Day party, on Saturday night, with several friends who are dads and dads-to-be. Nothing fizzles out party plans like a baby making an early appearance! Yup, one of Matt's best friends welcomed his baby boy on Friday, two weeks early...just in time for father's day! Welcome to our growing group of kiddos baby Colton!

       Instead of a party, a few of us got together at a grill with a play place for the kids. It was under a shaded area and the fans were going, so our Texas heat was actually manageable. We had a blast! That may just be our go-to place this summer. Abram was the youngest of the kids there, so he was taking note of all their amazing skills and trying to follow them.

       Sunday morning Matt requested homemade waffles, so I added bacon, sausage, and chopped bananas to make it a real man's breakfast. He also requested my homemade chocolate bunt cake which I decided to make into cupcakes to give to other dads as well...we basically didn't want to eat an entire cake between the two of us.  We brought some over to the new parents, along with dinner, when they got home from the hospital. It is crazy how big Abram is compared to a newborn.

       The last thing on our list was to take Abram swimming. At the beach he hated the pool water and loved the sand. This NEEDS to change! We are trying to just get him used to water. At first he wasn't thrilled, but we sat there and watched the other kids and slowly got him all the way into the water. After that he realized he could splash just like in the bath and loved it! SUCCESS!! 

Just a couple of baby geniuses

Abram's hair has suddenly started to grow in at lightening pace; at least for him. It is also becoming harder and harder to tame. Every single day I try to wet it down, but as soon as it dries it fluffs back up.

Matt's brother swears it's a sign that he will be a genius (like Einstein). I accept that explanation because even though everyone can't decide who he looks like more; he definitely gets this bit of character from me! ;) My family called me Spike...

Still it would be nice to tame the beastly hair every once in a while...suggestions please! Until I can figure out what to do I'll just go with the baby geniuses theory.

Vacation Recap Part 2

       After a day at home to get over the stomach virus, we headed to Oklahoma for my brother's graduation. He graduated high school which made me feel like an old lady. I know I am not, but he is 10 years younger than me so I have always thought of him as my little baby brother that I would babysit and play momma to.

       He graduated on Friday night and we had a little celebration with our close family afterwards. I don't get to see them enough! I am so proud of my brother and so excited to see what he accomplishes during his college years and beyond. I know "uncle red" will be a great role model for Abram!

Our visit was very surreal. My parents live 5 minutes away from where the huge tornado hit, and my uncle's house was 1/4 mile away. On top of that, my aunt's sister was a teacher in Plaza Towers. She got a group of students into a closet and held the door shut while the tornado hovered above them. We drove around to look at the damage and I honestly cannot believe how destroyed the schools and a few other buildings were. It didn't really hit home until I saw people just getting to their houses to search for their belongings that survived. They were wearing gloves and climbing on top of the rubble. 

       I love blogging and reading blogs about home decor, crafts, and diy. When I came back to my house with all of the furnishings in their "place" and saw these blogs I love showing off their homes; it reinforced that all this stuff is just stuff. It can be taken in an instant! Please continue to pray for those hit in the tornado.

       Sunday we headed to church with the fam. The church happened to be the #1 recovery center for the tornado, and my mom had been volunteering as families came in the first day to search for loved ones, get a warm meal, and a place to sleep. Their message was "I heart this city"...it was wonderful! It wasn't the perfect visit (somehow we gave 11 family members the stomach virus on Sunday), but it was good to be in a place I once called home and see how everyone comes together. I love my family!

Vacation Recap

       Week just got back from a 1.5 week road trip. The first part of our trip was to Gulf Shores. It was our first family beach vacation! Matt and I used to go there all the time when we lived in Louisiana, but since we moved to Texas we have been missing the white, sandy beaches so much!

       We headed over there with one of my best friends and her family. They used to live there, so her 3 year old is a total beach bum. She also has an 8 month old that will be Abram's best friend...he just doesn't know it yet. We brought a tent and pack-n-play to the beach {yes we were those people}, and it helped us to contain the little ones and stay out there ALL day without getting too hot.

       Abram LOVED the sand. Within the first hour he managed to face plant right into the sand and come up with a smile. The water will take some getting used to....

       Most of our time was spent relaxing at the beach, but we did manage to make it out to Lulu's to listen to the live music and go to the zoo.

       It was a fantastic trip until about 10 minutes into our 9 hour drive home when we had to pull to the side of the road for me to throw up. Yup folks, I had a stomach virus for all NINE hours. An hour later Matt got the aches, chills, and fever along-side me and we moaned the whole.way.home! Luckily, it was a 24 hour virus.

Part 2 up next...

Mother's Day Weekend

Our Mother's Day weekend was a busy one. I think I prefer to be busy deep inside. Part of me gets so stressed, but the other part of me hates sitting around feeling bored so I create work for myself.

Friday, I was a vendor at a fundraiser for our local firemen to go to a competition in Ireland. Before I could attend that event, I had to get the decor ready for our friend's baby shower that took place, on Saturday. Of course there were kinks that I forgot to work out ahead of time, so Saturday we were running around like crazy. Procrastination is not at easy with a baby, but I happen to have one of the best husbands in the world. He ran around to multiple stores to find the white flowers I requested, which apparently were a hot commodity the day before Mother's Day.

Finally my decorating was finished and looked great! I forgot to take pics myself, so I had to rely on others...typical. It was a nautical theme so I had a great time making things, and dressing a little beachy too.

Sunday, I woke up to two smiling boys holding a card. Nothing is better than my baby's smile with those 4 teeth. He looks like a little rabbit! "Abram" had written the best little message for me and got me a paint sprayer...best.gift.ever! Look out, I just may walk around spraying things with paint now that I can! We went to church afterwards and Abram got to show his scooting moves for the pretty 9 month old in the cry room with us.Then we did brunch at one of our favorite cafes, and headed to the nearby board walk. It was Abram's first time to be that close to boats and the ocean. We are so excited to bring him to the beach next week!

How was your mother's day?

From pilot wings, to angel wings

Our family lost our favorite pilot last week. 

       My Uncle Troy lost his very short battle with cancer and received his angel wings, on Wednesday, so I took the rest of the week off from blogging to reflect and grieve.

       I have been trying to type this post for days, but start balling every time I would sit down. Then I read some of my aunt's blog. She has constantly poured her strong faith and prayers for her husband into it and seemed so much stronger than I was. 

You may remember me mentioning him in this post, when we ran in the color run in his honor. 

       This weekend there will be a celebration of his life, with the vibrant colors of heaven and live flowers to be planted in his memory. How wonderful...to be able to celebrate his amazing life!

       I took Abram on a walk in the park and began to think about how much he lived. Yes, he was taken from us too early, but I believe he left knowing he had LIVED! 

       He put tons of hard work into his company, and was rewarded for that work. However, he took joy in generosity, and loved sharing the fruits of his labor with others. He saw the world and loved my aunt deeply. They had a true love that was obvious and inspiring to everyone around them...almost contagious.

       He never stopped working on projects or trying to achieve his dreams. Troy had a passion for aviation and a love for boating.  He also had deep interest in politics and wasn't afraid to stand up for what he believed. Troy was a believer in Jesus Christ and was assured of the promises of heaven and eternal life. He was a man to whom family meant so much and I pray that he felt that same interest, concern, sharing and family love from all of us.

       Too many times lately, I sit inside with Abram just wishing for things to happen. Well it is time to start living like Troy. Those wish lists will be made into lists of things I have tried. I will teach my son to work hard, love harder, dream big, see the world, give to others, and not take anything for granted...in honor of Troy's life! Who's with me?