Tuesday, June 29

One big baby

There can not be 11 weeks left in my pregnancy. I am too big, uncomfortable, and in pain to have that long left. Holy smokes. My other pregnancies were not like this. They were not this awful! Maybe this means she will have hair.

On a good note, I will be purchasing Jackie Warner's work out videos. She rocks! That is one thing that has helped me feel better, working out.

And last, eclipse! Need I say more?!

Wednesday, June 23

Always a baby

Oh that is so hard to resist!

Stephen has learned out to get out of his crib. This surprises me because he is so crazy, you would have thought he would have figured it out a long time ago. I'm glad it hasn't been until now.

Anyway, he will come in our room at like 6 am and just stand beside my bed. Natalie used to do it to and it kinda freaks me out! Anyway, after I laid him down tonight, i heard him playing, then about 10 minutes later I hear the door knob going back and forth. As I opened the door he was a little Teary and was saying "hold you! Hold you!" I pretty much think this is the cutest thing ever.

He reached his little arms up and put them tightly around my neck, rested his head on my shoulder, and through little sobs kept saying it.

Oh! Melt my heart! How can I be having another baby when he, who will be 2 next month, is still my baby!

Monday, June 21

cheap cheap cheap

(disclaimer* my spell check isn't working and I dont want to go through and re-read it, thats how lazy I am today)

WOW! Our computer is so unbelievably slow. It almost makes me want to give up on blogging today... but I will do it! Here is my weeks worth of posts all backed up~

This weekend we kept really busy. Friday night we were up late preparing for a garage sale. This was our first officially ours garage sale and it was a huge success. I will give this tip to anyone who wants to do one though, SELL WATER and popsicles! We made a killing. It was also 100 degrees so who wouldn't want a water or pop ice right?!
So I open the garage to start setting up at 645. I wasn't starting till 730. PEOPLE are crazy. I had about 4 people drive up, look, and even get out in the first 5 minutes. They are nuts.
And you can tell the people that garage sale regularily. They try to fanagal the price down on ANYTHING! Even something that is already 50 cents, "25 cents?" come one people! The hard part for me was selling things that I have barely used and that I spent alot of money on, only to get a dollar or two. Oh well, better than in the trash!
ANyway, this was our big tactic.... the sign.
Little boys are so much fun. Stephen has nataurally been drawn to his cars and trucks. I was a little nerveous about the barbies, ponies and dress up with sis around, but he has really become manly on his own! My new fav thing that Natalie never did was line everything up. He will get all of his vehicles and line them up, move them to a new location, line them up again, and basically do this forever! Over and Over! After they are all lined up he turns around and says "More cars please". Looks like I know a birthday present for that boy!
His other boy-ism is sports. Yesterday we were watching the US open and right as it was about to end, Stephen stands up on the couch, puts both fists in the air and yells "GO RANGERS!" (MLB team here). He repeated the same thing today in the produce section at walmart. Love our little fan!
I was feeling especially domestic last week and wiped up some homemade pretzels with the kids. OHHH fresh, those things are killer good!


Then we moved onto applesauce. Super saucy and delish!
This is my favorite cup. (obvious reasons)
And since I have been contracting up a storm, getting headaches, and leg cramps I knew I needed motivation to drink more water. Nothing motivates me like Edward!
Also motivation came this last week for me and I have started a new workout program, I dont think the scale will go up like it did at my last Dr.s appointment this time (fingers crossed) and my muscles are sore and feeling great! I love the feeling of getting in a good workout and knowing your body is changing!
Poor stephen this week has been getting all beat up. He isn't clumsy or wobbly, just fast and curious. First a black eye, next day corner of a desk in the same eye. Next day same side of face but cheek on pavement at pool. Next day was forhead on something. At the play place at the mall on Saturday he got kneed under the chin and started gushing blood like I have never seen. I for sure thought we were gonna have to do an ER run but luckily it stopped and I think it will heal on its own. Yesterday was fall off chair, hit head on table. Then run into TV stand corner with head. I just think he is nuts.
Love these two

When She chooses her own outfits to go out in 100 degrees....

True blue Texas

As we sat watching the us open tonight, we were shocked that Stephen sat there with us on the couch for a few minutes for watch. Just as it was almost over, boots stands up on the couch, raises both fists in the air and yells "go rangers"!

My computer has slightly been taken over the last few days, which I will blame my lack of posts on. I have tons of pictures I feel like but nothing to write without them! tomorrow I will picture blog, I swear.

We did however have a great weekend as always, and a fabulous fathers day. Brian got to golf almost everyday and I almost got a pedicure. An almost around here is pretty good! I rubbed some thick cream into my crackling, bleeding feet last night. I need to go so bad!
But I realized that Brian is the best. I knew this already but I am reminded everyday. What better day to do this than fathers day? He is an excellent father is all aspects, loving, kind, caring, generous, fun, but the best? His magic ninja "the force" powers. He can get Natalie or Stephen into timeout and behaving like an angel in seconds. It is incredible. But other than being the best father I could have hoped for my kids, I know he is the best husband ever.
He takes after his wonderful dad, whom we love and adore very much. Thank you for being such a great man Tony!

And last, but for sure not least, .my wonderful father. I love you so much. You are the most amazing man i know. You teach me and challenge me to be better, you care and love me and the kids so much. There is nothing I can say that can even come close to who you are but you are incredible.

So to the wonderful men in my life, happy fathers day! This obviously includes my radical brothers Dan, Brian, and Sean, but also my rawlins brothers chase, eric and Garrett. Love you all

Sunday, June 13

Hi, Im a babe

Tim Mcgraw is a babe and he always will be in my head. He may be getting slightly old, but he is still a hottie!
Andrea, Kathleen, myself and one of Kathleens friends Chelsea went to Lady Antebellum and Tim Mcgraw last night. COOL ME DOWN! Not just from the weather, since we were SUPER sweaty outside on the lawn.. but holy smokes - he is smokin!

This next picture looks totally mean... it isn't. Boots had already woken up from his nap this afternoon and was playing. He kept running over to natalie's door and pounding on it waiting for me to come and get him. When I would come he would scream SO loud!! So I was grabbing him and covering his mouth and bringing him back in the kitchen. We both were laughing soo hard, so although this looks like torture, it was all in good fun!
Yesterday before the concert our friends came over for a world cup watching party. We made Poutine and Hot dogs for the USA/ENGLAND game. OK so is poutine from french Canada, or from England? I didn't know but since both are "Canadian" - ish we made it to celebrate. I was stuffed but it is always soo good!
On to another week of hot summer, swim lessons, keeping my flowers from dying in heat, and getting ready for girls camp! I feel like I have a million things to do! I am getting a little worried about my legs blowing up at camp this year. It is in July, which is deathly hot in Texas, and me + heat + pregers dont really like to mesh well!
I am 26 weeks and feeling larger than ever! But more importantly, more uncomfortable than ever! I cant believe I still have 14 weeks left. THAT IS A LONG TIME!

Friday, June 11

Thursday, June 10

wet swim class

This morning at Natalie's swim class, I let boots bring his blanky along. He was feeling extra tired and needy and I thought I would be SOO nice. We sat there with the overcast sky for 15 minutes, only to have it start POURING rain. I mean SLAMMING down. They continued on with class and all the parents huddled under the canopied area of the patio. This is meant to block sun, not rain. We got wet. REALLY wet. Finally 5 minutes later they called it and cancelled. By that time, not only was Natalie soaked from her lessons, but me and Boots were drenched, like we had been thrown into the pool! It is a good thing I didn't have anywhere to go after and that I didn't get ready AT all before hand!
As for her progress, we are getting there. She still wont put her head under for her teachers, but she will at our pool of course. Were working on that!

Last night was one of our Girls Camp activities. Our girls are so fun and had a big party and sleepover. We tried to tie dye shirts, which was super unsuccessful! But fudge bars were a success!! After he downed this puppy, he managed to biff it off of a bench and pull it right down onto his eye. He has a full on shiner. I think this is his first! Way to go little dude!
Love these girls...and that little man!
Ok now an opinion. I am making a new table runner and my kitchen is black with red accents. I thought it might be kinda fun to bring in some other color... which fabric do YOU like?

Monday, June 7

end result

I got the redecorating bug the other day. I was sick of every single room in our house. Brian would kill me if I redecorated very much so I decided to take on the kids bathroom. I have been wanting to do something in there for a long time as we have had it purple and black for a long time, and change was IN ORDER!
I went back and forth between a few ideas, like pirates or under the water and finally decided on BRIGHTS!

Bathroom Before:
Bathroom After:Favorite idea and item in bathroom:
I had the kids hand paint these canvases in only the bathroom colors to put above the toilet and i love how they turned out. I love the whole bathroom. And it got out my bug to redecorate!
Our friends had us over for dinner and play tonight, always super good and super fun. Thanks guys!

Well we got a bunk Bed last weekend for the kids, since they will be sharing a room when baby comes. The baby furniture was all moved into Natalies room and all the rest moved into Stephens room. But Stephen is so not ready to be moved into a big bed yet, nor do I want them sharing a room yet... so he sleeps with the girly stuff on the walls, and Nat sleeps in Stephens room on the bunk and she LOVES it! Once we finish decorating in there I will post some pictures.

Nat started her second round of swimming lessons today and she got bumped up to preschool intermediate! The only thing she wont do in class is put her head under. Oh well, she is improving tons! I am glad we have her in the classes though since this summer is KILLER hot. It has been over 100 so many days now and the only time I am happy is sprawling out in the kiddie pool with some ice in hand. Seriously, this is going to be a long summer!

We also have been working on her "f" pronunciation with her. She will say it with a P sound. So I will say, Natalie say fffffffffff-lower. And she will repeat "ffffff-power" I am giving up, she will get it when she gets it! She wont do it forever so I am not at all worried or concerned about it!

Stephen is talking so much and is getting into more and more, if that is even possible. He is running faster, jumping higher, and doing more than I thought he ever could! I think he is the reason for my contractions, I think I should put myself on bed rest when he is awake! Probably the cutest things he says right now is "ko-kay" for ok, and the worst but still sadly kinda cute... "yucky boogers" while his finger slides up past his knuckle into his nostril. He is for sure a boy. Anyway, he is a special spirit and he brightens my day every second of it, even if he is busy busy!

I have said it before and I will say it again, I love being a momma. What a blessing!

Wednesday, June 2

98 degrees

They were an excellent group weren't they?

But really this is what we do all day when it is 98 degrees outside. I think it was over 100 actually.

Pool and Sprinkler. I spent over 5 hours out in the sun in the privacy of my own backyard today and it was awesome. No better way to spend nap time then suntanning on a trampoline chomping on some sonic ice!
And one of my biggest pet peeves it dirty children. I bathe my children daily, with the exception of a really really tired kid or something crazy! But baths and bed are always in my routine because when they wake up in the morning I want to kiss all over them and not worry about what is all over their fingers.

MOVIE SIDE NOTE, we went and saw Alice and Wonderland this weekend and we thought it was EXCEPTIONAL! It was so good, way better than expected and so not weird like we thought! Anyway, I hate it when punk kids come in and talk, move around, and text all through the movie. If this happens at the Eclipse midnight viewing, I will throw down some fist, and you DONT want to mess with a group of pregnant women at Eclipse!