Ackley Happenings

Birth Announcement!

2011-02-11T14:02:00.000-06:00

Welcome Corbin Alexander!

2011-01-26T18:09:00.003-06:00

On December 30, 2010 at 2:27am, we got an early New Years gift! Corbin decided to arrive a few weeks early, but was a healthy 7lbs 8oz and 18.5 inches long! We are so blessed with this new addition to our family! He is such a sweetie!

First Day of Spring?

2010-03-20T19:43:00.004-05:00

It's snowing in North Texas on the 1st day of Spring! What a wacky season we have had! I love this pic of our beautiful blooming tree and Hayden's snow covered car.

Milestones

2010-02-26T20:37:00.003-06:00

We've had a few milestones at our house this week. On Wednesday, Hayden climbed out of his crib for the first time. Owen never did this at all, so it was a new experience here. We went ahead and converted his crib into a toddler bed. He LOVES it!! Has slept all night the past 2 nights :-) He is so very proud that he's now in a big boy bed! I forgot to get a picture of him and his new bed.....I will add that tomorrow...check back!

Today Owen had a milestone of his own, He lost his 1st tooth! He was home from school...yes, strep again. Don't get me started! Anyway, he and Hayden had just finished lunch. He came to ask me something and I noticed something was missing. I asked him where his tooth was. He got a puzzled look on his face, felt the hole in his mouth and said "What the Hell?" Bad mommy moment for me....I could not stop laughing! He knows not to say that, but it was a WTH kind of moment...lol! After the laughter finally died down, we went on a hunt for the tooth. I seriously thought he had eaten it. Nope he had thrown his plate in the sink and there it was stuck in the salsa on his plate. So, after a quick run to the ATM, the tooth fairy will be visiting our house tonight.

Oh Man....

2010-02-26T20:29:00.003-06:00

where is that damn dish fairy when you need her?!!

Winter Wonderland in Texas!

2010-02-11T19:21:00.004-06:00

7-9 inches of snow in North TX???? Yes...it's been snowing all day and it's still coming down! So pretty! Kids got out early today and will be off tomorrow. So exciting to have a real snow day!!!

This is What Happened.....

2009-12-20T19:25:00.005-06:00

when we tried to get a Christmas picture of our boys! Luckily, noone was hurt in the process...lol!

Off to Kindergarten!

2009-08-24T09:12:00.003-05:00

Owen is now an official kindergartner! We had a super smooth morning...no trouble at all! He was so excited to go! I was able to take him to his classroom. He walked right in, hung up his backpack, found his seat and started on an apple picture. There was only 1 other student there so I had a chance to chat with his teacher for a minute. That was nice! Then I gave Owen a hug and told him to have a great day. His response..."See ya". Didn't even bother to look up from his picture! The best part of the morning was that no tears were shed by either of us! WooHoo!

Owen wanted this picture taken in our driveway. He said "so the sunrise is behind me". He thought it was cool to be going to school shortly after sunrise...lol!

Karate Kid

2009-08-02T14:10:00.004-05:00

Owen had his 1st belt test yesterday. He did great!! Scored an 8.5 out of 10 on his evaluation. So he now has a junior yellow belt and steps up to the next class level. We are so proud of him!

More Pictures

2009-07-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

End of School Year

2009-07-06T11:36:00.001-05:00

I forgot to post these back in May! Here are the teacher gifts I made and our Graduate!

We've Been Hit

2009-07-05T11:29:00.002-05:00

By Hurricane Hayden!!! Look out, there's no telling what he'll destroy next!

RIP

2009-06-26T10:53:00.003-05:00

Michael Jackson was a huge part of my childhood. His concert was the 1st concert I saw. It was amazing! I was only 7 or 8, but I have many memories of that night. Off the Wall and Thriller will always be 2 of my favorite albums. Despite his creepiness and strange behavior the past few years, I think he had a big heart and will always be the best artist of all time! I am truly saddened by his death and I pray for his children and other family members. Rest in Peace MJ!

Summer Fun!

2009-06-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Staycation Fun!

2009-05-31T20:21:00.005-05:00

Last weekend we decided spur of the moment to have a quick staycation in Dallas. Even though we only live 30 minutes away from Dallas, there are many things over there we've never taken the time to do. We found an awesome rate to stay at The Renaissance Hotel ($75!!!). It was a beautiful place to stay! On Saturday we headed out and went to the Dallas World Aquarium. It was great! Next we had a quick lunch and went to check into the hotel. I tried to get Hayden to nap while Rob and O went to the rooftop pool. Hayden never napped :-( That evening we went over to a restaurant that sits right at the edge of a beautiful lake. It was fun to watch the boats and enjoy wonderful weather. On Sunday we spent the entire day at The Dallas Zoo. We loved it! It had several things that the Fort Worth zoo doesn't have. The boys loved riding on the monorail! We left the zoo exhausted from a long fun day!! It was a nice break from the usual routine!

Check this out....

2009-05-22T23:24:00.002-05:00

I just stumbled upon this blog and I find myself quite intrigued. It is fun to check in on the nest everyday. My boys are loving it!

Muffin Tin Monday

2009-05-11T12:54:00.003-05:00

Pretty much every Monday the boys have thier breakfast and/or lunch in a mini muffin tin. They LOVE this!! I saw the idea on a blog and had to start it at this house. It's a fun way for them to get a nice variety of foods. The pictures on this post are actually from a couple weeks ago. That day Owen had sliced ham, popcorn, carrots with ranch dip, grapes, and cheese which was eaten before I had a chance to get a picture. Hayden had sliced ham, green beans, cheese, grapes, and whole wheat bread. Today was similar....they had veggies with roasted garlic hummus, leftover grilled chicken, pretzel sticks, and string cheese. Yummy and Fun!!

Say Cheese!

2009-04-25T14:42:00.002-05:00

Up Up and Away

2009-04-09T12:01:00.001-05:00

Birthday Week

2009-03-29T21:31:00.004-05:00

Big Birthday Boy!
Bubbly drink at The Magic Time Machine

Pirate Owen

Hayden with Grammy and Pa

Rob with our waitress "Ariel"

Making Firefighter Hats

Playing Firefighter Games

All suited up!

Cake...Yum!

Hayden hanging with Grammy and Pa again

Hot Wheels!

To Owen

2009-03-25T12:46:00.003-05:00

Dear Owen-

Today is your 5th birthday! I cannot believe you are already 5 years old! You have grown into such a sweet big boy. I remember every moment of the day you were born. I was and am so proud to be your mommy! What an amazing gift!

You are doing so well in preschool. You can read and write all your letters. We have been working on letter sounds and some sight words and you've done an awesome job! You love playing with your friends at school, but you despise rest time. You are really into legos, hot wheels, and all kinds of games. In the past few months you have become fascinated with science experiments, reptiles, bugs, and dinosaurs. Unlike me, you know the names of all of them! You have had a great time taking your soccer class at school this year. I think we'll do the team thing again in the fall. Next month you are starting karate which I think will be lots of fun!

You are still a laid back kid. You like to be on the go and see new things most of the time, but every once in awhile you ask to have a stay at home day. You play very well with Hayden. He idolizes you! You are a patient and caring big brother and I love to see you guys play together.

You love to crack jokes and make me smile a million times a day. However, my favorite time of day with you is at bedtime. We snuggle up in your bed to read books, talk, sing songs, say prayers etc.. It's a nice calm and quiet time for just the 2 of us. Your favorite thing to do with daddy is go see the Dallas Mavs play. You've been to a few games this season and you love it!

You have some pretty big things coming up this next year. Next fall you will go to Kindergarten. I cry already just thinking about it! You are very excited to go to "the big school". Now that you are 5 you will be doing your 1st communion at church. Daddy and I also think you are ready for a few more responsibilities at home, so we will be redoing our chore list and starting a weekly allowance for you.

As I write this, you are at school enjoying cupcakes with your classmates. Tonight we are going to a place called the Magic Time Machine for dinner. We've heard it a super fun place! One gift we are surprising you with tonight are tickets to Disney on Ice. You and I are going tomorrow night. I think you'll be so excited! Then on Saturday, you will have your party with several friends..a firefighter party!

I look forward to the next year! Enjoy your birthday sweet boy! Daddy, Hayden and I love you so much!

Happy Birthday!

Love,

Mom

Mom and Me

2009-03-07T14:33:00.003-06:00

I saw this cute questionnaire over at A Look Into Our Lives. Had to give it a try with Owen! He loved answering the questions!

1. What is something mommy always says to you? "I Love You"
2. What makes mommy happy? "When I give you a hug"
3. What makes mommy sad? "When I cry"
4. How does your mommy make you laugh? "She tickles me."
5. What was your mommy like as a child? "A baby"
6. How old is your mommy? "I don't know!"
7. How tall is your mommy? "40 feet"
8. What is her favorite thing to do? "To pick flowers because girls are crazy about flowers. They just go nuts."
9. What does your mommy do when you're not around? "Clean"
10. If your mommy becomes famous, what will it be for? "You'll be famous because you always clean up the house."
11. What is your mommy really good at? "Cooking"
12. What is your mommy not very good at? "Go-cart driving"
13. What does your mommy do for a job? "Nothing"
14.What is your mommy's favorite food? "pizza"
15.What makes your mommy proud of you? "When I do something really good and work on my lowercase n."
16. If your mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be? "Ben 10's sister"
17. What do you and your mommy do together? "Fun stuff"
18. How are you and your mommy the same? "The same eyes"
19. How are you and your mommy different? "We don't have the same hair"
20. How do you know your mommy loves you? "She gives lots of hugs"
21. What does your mommy like most about your daddy? "When he gives you kisses."
22. Where is your mommy's favorite place to go? "The mall"

Wednesday Recap

2009-02-25T13:00:00.005-06:00

What's new around here? Let's see....

Rob and I got to have a little getaway last weekend. It was great!! We drove down to Austin. It is such a fun city! We met up with friends Friday night for dinner and a movie. Saw Slumdog Millionaire. Great movie...so glad it won the Oscar! We got to sleep in both Saturday and Sunday. That was heaven....I had not slept through the night in months. WONDERFUL!! On Saturday afternoon we headed downtown, found a rooftop patio, and enjoyed yummy mexican food and margaritas. Went bar hopping a little bit the rest of the afternoon. Then that evening we had tickets to Esther's Follies. If you are ever in the Austin area...go see this show! I haven't laughed this much in ages! We loved it! The boys enjoyed staying here and getting spoiled rotten by my parents. It was so nice to get away!

Owen had his re-check at the dr on Monday. Tested positive for strep once again...Ughh! He has now been diagnosed as a carrier of strep. He's on a super strong antibiotic (3tsp 3x/day) to try and eradicate the bacteria. We go back in about 10 days. If he's still positive, we will then move on to seeing an ENT. We want to put him in karate and swimming lessons. We have to keep waiting for him to be completely well. We are now just a month away from his 5th b-day. I cannot believe I am about to have a 5 year old!!

Hayden is a little wild man! Cute and sweet as can be, but a major stinker these days! He loves blocks, books, balls, and any of Owen's toys he can get his hands on. His vocabulary is growing everyday. I stay super busy chasing after him these days!

We are having gorgeous weather this week, so we are heading straight to the park after school today. Hope you all have a great day :-)

Happy Valentine's Day......

2009-02-14T15:35:00.002-06:00

from the Ackley Infirmary! We've been a sick house once again this past week! Here is what we've been dealing with-
Owen- strep again!!
Hayden- pink eye and ear infection
Rob- thankfully he only got pink eye!
Kelly- pink eye, bacterial infection in throat of some kind, and mono! I had the triple whammy!! I went to the dr 4 times, had a zillion tests, 2 different antibiotics, steroid shot, IV steroids last Monday, 2 kinds of eye drops and a lovely eye patch due to one eye that wouldn't heal! It's been crazy, but thankfully Rob stepped up to the plate and handled everything very well! The boys are feeling much better and I feel better everyday. Still very tired, but that is what happens with mono. At least I can see again and swallow without excruciating pain!
I've heard that lots of our friends and family have been sick too. I hope everyone is on the mend soon! Our dr said this is the roughest season she's seen in a long time! Tell me about it!!!!!

I'm Back

2009-02-02T22:09:00.002-06:00

I think I finally dug myself out from under the mountain of tissues, tylenol, dr visits, pedialyte, chicken noodle soup, and fussy children! We all seem to be well and I pray we stay that way! January was just a blur. I think I spent more days home with sick kids then I did out and about with our usual routine. So, I didn't have much to blog about and no pics to post because I didn't even touch my camera between xmas and Jan 31st. We did have a fun outing on Saturday. I'll post details and pics soon.
Be back soon! :-)

Are You Kidding Me???

2009-01-03T13:42:00.002-06:00

Just got home from the Minute Clinic. Owen tested postive for strep...AGAIN!!! He just finished his 10 day antibiotic on Wednesday night for strep. The nurse there said to follow up with his dr on Monday. His tonsils are gigantic and she said she would recommend having them removed. I am all for that if it relieves him from all these yucky illnesses! This antibiotic better work or I am going to lose it!!!!!

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-30T15:45:00.005-06:00

Dear Santa...
Mailing Letter to Santa

Hospital at Santa's Village

Ornament Factory at Santa's Village

Xmas Eve

Pa and Hayden on Xmas Eve

Opening presents!

Xmas Morning

Hayden checking out what Santa brought!

Owen's Martian Maker

Hayden loved Owen's Hot Wheels Gloves

Hayden is the School Bus

School Bus Fun!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-27T10:24:00.002-06:00

Did everyone out there have a nice Christmas? We had an awesome Christmas! Despite the boys and I having strep throat just a couple days before xmas, we were still able to get everything ready and go ahead with all of our holiday plans.
My parents joined us on xmas eve. We enjoyed a bunch of appetizers, opened a few gifts, and lots of laughs together. I really wanted to go to xmas eve service at church, but Hayden was still sick. We didn't want to push it.
Christmas morning was a blast!! The boys went crazy over all that Santa brought them. That guy went a little nuts this year. Toys were, and still are, all over the place! They both played all day long. It was fun! In the afternoon, my Grandmother, Aunt Beverly, and Uncle John came over for xmas dinner. It was a very nice afternoon! My parents spent another night with us. On Friday the boys went their merry way while my mom and I hit Target, Kohl's, Pier One, and Party City for after xmas deals. We lunched at Pei Wei too...yum! It was a fun couple of days!
A big thanks to all of you out there that we received gifts, cards etc.. from this year. We are beyond spoiled!! Oh, and it's not even over. Rob's mom is coming in town on New Years Day and we plan to exchange gifts with her while she's here. Can't wait to see you Peggy!
Today I think we are off to Ikea to spend some xmas money. WooHoo! I love Ikea!

Xmas pics will be coming soon! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Extreme Makeover...more pics!

2008-12-17T11:54:00.008-06:00

Despite the freezing cold weather on Monday, I spent about 8 1/2 hours out at the Extreme Makeover house. The high that day ended up being around 30 degrees and the wind chill was around 18. Even with that kind of weather it was totally worth it to be there! I was in the front row all day. It was so cool to see how the show comes together. All the designers and the crew were super nice too. When that bus moved around 3pm and that family saw the house it was an amazing sight! The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have Owen with me. He loves the show and move that bus is his favorite part. Unfortunately, it was just way too cold! I also would have loved to have been a volunteer. I tried to sign up, but they were already covered with plenty of volunteers. Anyway, enjoy the pics!

Blue Shirt Volunteers

John Littlefield

Eduardo Xol

Here comes Ty!

Ty again :-)

Furniture Crew

Let's Move in Some Furniture!!

Practicing Move That Bus

Getting ready for family

Family comes home!

Paul visiting with all the fans!

MOVE THAT BUS!!!

Family sees house

Hug the designers

It's Official

2008-12-14T20:21:00.002-06:00

I have completely lost my mind! Not only did I brave the crowd and go back to Extreme Makeover house today, but Owen and I are going to go bright and early tomorrow morning as well. I AM NUTS!!! It was much busier today then yesterday. Saw lots of cool things going on, got a few more pics... so it was fun. My only wish was that the weather we had today (70's) could repeat tomorrow. No such luck...the high tomorrow is around 40 degrees! Pray that we don't freeze to death or get trampled by crazy Ty fans!!

Extreme Makeover Day!

2008-12-13T20:38:00.007-06:00

We had an awesome day out where they are filming extreme makeover. It is maybe 10 minutes from our house, so of course we were going to go check it out. We got there at the perfect time. We were looking at the house with all the other spectators. Next thing we know, a production assistant tells the group that they are going to be doing some filming in the VIP tent and they'd love all of us to fill up that tent. Inside the tent they were setting up for an auction for the March of Dimes. They did a few of the auction items then the film crew came in to set up for an actual shoot for the show! Once they were ready, we were thrilled to see 2 of the designers, Paul DiMeo and Tracy Hutson, come through the door! They were literally 2 feet from us! They began filming thier scene and it took forever, but was super cool to watch! Luckily, Hayden fell asleep and Owen was patient. It's a good thing because once we were in the shot we couldn't leave. The shot had to stay the same. I got several pics of the 2 of them acting out the scene. Basically, Paul was pointing across the room for a lady to pass him a sandwich in the middle of bidding. He kept waving his arm for the sandwich but the auctioneers thought he was bidding. He was oblivious until the end when he had won the auction..I think it was $3200 for a bike. It was corny, but cute. After the filming was finally done ( we were in the tent for about an hour and a half), we got to get a pic of Rob and Tracy with sleepy Hayden in the back pack. I wanted to get a pic of Owen next to Paul, but Owen got shy and wouldn't cooperate.

We went back to spectator area and watched all the volunteers work on the house, which was coming along quite nicely. It was almost time to catch the bus back out of there, but before we left Eduardo Xol walked down the street to film a scene in the front yard of the home. I didn't get any great pics of him, but he's the one in the black sweater and white cap standing with a group of blue shirt folks. No sign of Ty or the 4th designer John Littlefield. Owen and I are going to go by there again tomorrow. Maybe we'll be lucky again :-)

Can We Build It?? Yes, We Can!!

2008-12-08T15:29:00.001-06:00

Pictures!

2008-12-01T21:19:00.003-06:00

Happy December!!

2008-12-01T11:53:00.003-06:00

Hope everyone out there had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We celebrated with all my family. It was chaotic, but lots of fun too! I am so excited that it's now December! We took a trip out to a tree farm yesterday. Owen helped us pick out our tree and he even helped Rob cut it down. It was a great family outing!! I had never been to a tree farm before I met Rob. He grew up going to them. I do have to say it is now one of my favorite holiday outings. It's fun to walk through the field of trees, pick one out, and chop it down ourselves. If you get a real tree, I encourage you to see if there is a farm in your area.
So, our tree is here and decorated, our outside lights are done, and I hope to get the rest of the house decorated over the next couple days. I am going to finish my xmas shopping by the end of next weekend. I have to!! Then it's on to wrapping, shipping, doing xmas cards, baking cookies, etc etc....! My "to do" list is endless, but I am super excited for the holiday!! I'll get pics posted soon!

Menu Monday

2008-12-01T11:31:00.002-06:00

Here's our plan for the week-

Monday- Sesame ginger stir-fry with brown rice
Tuesday- Chicken burritos
Wednesday-Baked fish, veggies, and brown rice
Thursday- Brushetta chicken bake with salad
Friday- No cooking...attending a xmas party!
Saturday- Black bean chili

What's for dinner at your house??

He's On The Move!!!!

2008-11-03T11:03:00.000-06:00

My baby is officially a walker!! Waaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's been taking steps for awhile now, but the last week or so he's been all over the place. He's so proud and so am I!! :-)

Halloween Fun!!!

2008-11-01T09:11:00.003-05:00

I Love This!!

2008-10-30T16:06:00.001-05:00

http://mccarthymayhem.blogspot.com/2008/10/twas-night-before-elections.html

Pumpkin Patch, Zoo, and the Fair...Oh my!

2008-10-20T20:54:00.003-05:00

Question Of The Day

2008-10-13T23:08:00.004-05:00

"Mommy, what rhymes with penis?"

Thanks to Owen for asking me this question at 6:45 this morning!

Not Me Monday

2008-10-06T13:25:00.006-05:00

I am going to join in on this blog carnival fun started by Mckmama. If you want to play along too, Just visit here !!

Here are few things I most certainly did not do this week-

1) I did not cry like a baby because my baby turned one yesterday. I am not that emotional...nope...not me!

2) I did not almost wreck the car this morning because I was watching Hayden dance in my rear view mirror. I am far more careful then that!

3) I did not stay up very late 3 nights in a row and party at a wedding like I was 21 again. I know better then that. I am too old for that!

4) I did not enjoy the fact that Hayden woke up around 11pm last night and I got to have another moment of snuggling on his actual b-day. Nope, not me!

5) And finally...I certainly did not stuff myself with seafood and other yummy food this weekend while visiting in Massachusetts and completely blow my diet. Nope..not me..I have way more control then that.

So, what did you not do this week?

Then And Now

2008-10-06T11:10:00.001-05:00

What a Weekend!!!

2008-10-05T17:38:00.002-05:00

The biggest event this weekend was Hayden's birthday. My sweet boy is ONE today!! We had a nice celebration for him this afternoon. He devoured the cupcake and has been playing with all his new loot for hours now. Happy Birthday big boy! It has been an awesome year since you arrived and made our family complete! We Love You!! XOXO :-)

In addition to the birthday bash, we also had the honor of attending the wedding of our friends Justin and Jamie. Actually, it was more then that...Rob had the honor of officiating thier wedding. It was such a neat ceremony and I am so thankful that my parents kept the kids so I could be with Rob for the special weekend. The wedding was in Andover, MA. We got to spend 3 days up there and it was beautiful! We had a blast! We are completely worn out (6:30am flight today) but glad we made it home to celebrate with Hayden!

I will post b-day pics soon!

No Way!

2008-09-27T22:07:00.002-05:00

I am in denial! There is no possible way that my BABY will be one next Sunday. 7 short days from now! That just can't be right! Wahhhhhh!!

Random Pics

2008-09-27T22:02:00.002-05:00

BORRRING!

2008-09-04T11:01:00.002-05:00

How is it that my sweet 4 year old boy has turned into a teenager virtually overnight? Lately his response to several things each day is "Boring!". Of course this is said in the most drawn out and most annoying way! Here a couple examples-
Me: Owen it's time to get your shoes on.
O: Boring!

Me: Ok, we are off to soccer practice.
O: Boring!

Me: Owen and Hayden...it's bathtime.
O: Boring!

WTH? Sorry life can't always be exciting dude! Deal with it!

Hayden Pics

2008-08-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

Oh where oh where can she be??

2008-08-14T21:45:00.002-05:00

Wow...I didn't realize it had been so long since I've blogged. Our days have been jam packed lately! Owen finished up summer camp. He had a wonderful time. I am glad we have a couple weeks off before the school year begins. He is excited to start soccer practice next week!
Hayden is growing and changing like a wild man! He is into EVERYTHING these days! I predict that he's walking within a month. He has transistioned to mostly table food and he's down to 2 bottles a days. Hopefully, we'll just have the nighttime one in a month or so.
I've been crazy busy with pta playgroup stuff, organizing a family volunteer organization for the preschool, and it has been our turn to lead children's church on Sunday. I'll be glad when August ends and all these projects can be up and running! Whew!
Ok, I know that is a quick and boring update, but I am off to catch up on sleep! Goodnight!

TAGGED!

2008-07-28T21:50:00.002-05:00

Kim and Shauna Tagged me! (forever ago...sorry I took so long!)

Here are the rules:
a. Link to the person who tagged you.
b. Post the rules on your blog.
c. Write six random things about yourself.
d. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blog.
e. Let each person know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blog.
f. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

1) I am terrified of going down escalators! Going up I am fine, but I hate going down one. I'll walk way out of my way to find stairs or an elevator before going down one.

2) I am really annoyed that Owen thinks he has outgrown preschool shows such as Thomas, Bob the Builder, Diego, etc... All he wants to see is SpongeBob, Spiderman and other crap like that! I can't stand those shows! I want him to stay with the nice stuff awhile longer. Sigh....

3) I love love love cuddling with either of my boys when they are sleepy. Makes my heart happy :-)

4) I am so sick of laundry! It never ends! I just folded and put away 4 loads. It is one of my least favorite chores.

5) Beginning in Sept, I'll officially be a soccer mom. We signed up Owen for a team this weekend. It will be cute to see a bunch of 4 year olds chasing the ball!

6) I am looking forward to getting away with my husband in October. His best friend is getting married in Massachusetts. Here's the kicker...they have asked Rob to officiate the service! Should be interesting! Hopefully, I won't laugh through thier entire ceremony! lol Did you know you can be ordained online? WTH??

Now I tag Jen and Judy All the other bloggers have already been tagged!!

Busy Busy!

2008-07-28T11:27:00.002-05:00

This past week was super busy around here! My niece and nephew came for a visit. It was so much fun! Owen had a blast with his cousins. He spent a couple nights with them up at my parents house (we called this cousin camp) and then they spent some time down here too. We went to the movies, fort worth stockyards, swimming, and my Dad and Rob took the kids to ride gokarts and play mini-golf.
I have been busy this week with pta and preschool board stuff. Gearing up for the beginning of the school year is way too much work...lol!! I still have a load of stuff to do. If anyone has any tips or advice on how to start a parent volunteer organization from scratch, please let me know!!

Vaca Pics!

2008-07-21T13:19:00.004-05:00

Vacation Highlights

2008-07-21T12:53:00.007-05:00

Here are a few of our trip highlights!

We traveled through 8 different states.

We drove a total of 4,250 miles.

We had a total of 64 hours of drive time.

We stayed in 5 different hotels in addition to spending 4 nights at Rob's parents home.

Our total bill for all of our hotels= $45.00 Oh, how I love hotel reward points!!

Some fun places we visited were http://www.bigtexan.com/72ozlive.htm, http://www.enchantedforest.com/enchanted_forest.html ,http://www.portlandcm.org/ , http://www.thetrain.com/ , http://www.deerfarm.com/ , and http://www.wildwestjunction.com/

My Medical Drama

2008-07-13T16:29:00.002-05:00

Some of you have asked what exactly happened a couple weeks ago, so here are a few of the details. On Tuesday June 24th, we ate dinner as normal about 6pm then Owen and I headed to play at our neighborhood pool for a little bit. I felt really full after eating even though I didn't eat much. About 30 minutes or so after getting into the pool, I started feeling icky. I wasn't sure what the deal was, I just felt nauseated and really bloated. I managed to convince Owen to move to the baby pool. I sat on the side while he played for a few minutes, but my symptoms kept getting worse and I developed a horrible pain in the middle of my chest. I tried to stay calm for O's sake. I had no cell with me and all I could think about was getting back home. Before I could think about much else I knew I was going to get sick. I grabbed Owen and rushed to the restroom. Owen was so sweet. He kept asking if I was ok, he gathered up all our pool stuff for me, and kept saying "you'll be fine mom you'll be fine". After I barfed my guts up, I was able to get us to the car( thank god I had driven down there that night!). Luckily, it was just a short drive home. By the time I got home, the pain in my chest was excruciating. I tried laying down and it just got worse. After a short time Rob finally said he was calling 911. They quickly arrived and off I went for my 1st ever ambulance ride. Owen was such a trooper. I know he was scared to death, but he waved goodbye and said the dr would take good care of me. Rob said O cried right after we left. In the ambulance and at the er, they were ruling our heart issues first since the pain was right in the middle of my chest. Luckily, after several tests my heart was found to be just fine. I alerted them of my gallstones that I developed during my pregnancy with O. The er doc came in to exam me and took one look and said I was having a major gallbladder attack. He sent me for an ultrasound of my gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, liver, and kidneys. That hurt like hell! I came back from that and he gave me the news that I was being admitted and started on antibiotics right away. I had a high white count and they were afraid of an infection from my attack. I finally got admitted about 1am, sent Rob home, and tried to get a little rest.
The next day was just a day of waiting. Waiting to see the dr, then waiting to see the surgeon, waiting for my IV antibiotics to be done( I had 4 rounds of them within 24 hrs), then waiting to be squeezed in for surgery. They finally operated around 9pm to remove my gallbladder, which they described as packed with stones. I was out of it for the night, but the next morning I was able to get up and about a little bit. There was alot of pain, but since I've had 2 c-sections, it wasn't a big deal. They did the surgery laproscopically, so I had 5 incisions ranging from 1/2 inch to 2 inches long. I think I had a total of 14 staples. I got to go home Thursday evening. I was lucky to have my mom there taking wonderful care of the boys and keeping up with the household. She was a lifesaver! We also had wonderful meals delivered from some of the pta ladies. Rob and the boys enjoyed all the yummy food! I was on liquids only for a few days, but slowly got back to solids again. I was very sore and tired for a couple days, but once I caught up on rest, I felt great. I saw my surgeon on June 30th. He said all looked fine and gave me the go ahead for traveling. So, on Tuesday July 1st, we headed out on our journey to Oregon and then down to the Grand Canyon. It was alot of fun and I am so glad we were able to go ahead with our plans despite my little medical issue. I will post vacation highlights and pics soon. Thanks to all of you who called, e-mailed, brought food, sent flowers, etc.... I am blessed with so many great people in my life! Thanks again!

Why Oh Why

2008-06-26T19:10:00.002-05:00

does it take so damn long to be discharged from the hospital!!!! My surgeon released me a little before 5pm, yet here I sit tired and very ready to see my boys! Just sign your papers, take out my IV, and kick my butt out the door puhhhhlease!!!!

Hangin out at the Hospital

2008-06-26T13:37:00.002-05:00

Most of you out there already know that I am in the hospital and had surgery last night. I seem to be doing well, but still don't know if I get out of here today or not. When I am feeling stronger, I'll post about exactly what happened Tuesday evening that led to Rob calling 911, hospitalization, surgery, etc...
Thanks to all of you that have called, e-mailed, and thought of me during this time! I love you all!

Hayden Video

2008-06-23T12:30:00.003-05:00

Kid's Fest!

2008-06-18T11:35:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday we went to a Kid's Festival. Even though it was almost 100 degrees, we all had a blast! We got to see helicoptors, firetrucks, play games, visit several vendor booths, watch a turtle race, go fishing, win cool prizes, and Rob even participated in a pie eating contest. We'll be going again next year!

Father's Day, Baptism and More

2008-06-18T11:13:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile...no extra blogging time lately :-( We have had a million things going on! Owen is having a blast in summer camp and swimming lessons. He's just about swimming on his own. He's such a fish! On Monday, he got to go on his first field trip with school. They went bowling. When I asked him about it after camp, all he talked about was getting to ride on the bus...lol!

Hayden has been Mr Busy Busy lately! In the past week, he has started clapping, clicking his tongue, and he's almost crawling. He's all over the place and into everything!

We had a fun Father's Day! My parents came down and we went to church then out to lunch. They came over for presents and cake. In addition to Father's Day stuff, we also had Hayden baptised that day. It was such a special moment! He laughed and smiled through the whole thing. He looked so sweet in his white outfit! For some reason, we only got a couple of pictures on my camera, but my mom got several.

This week I am trying to get my house in order. It's been a disaster for awhile now! Also, I am working on preparing for our vacation. I can't believe it's less then 2 weeks until July!

Poor Buddy!

2008-06-09T11:45:00.003-05:00

Hayden woke us up around 11 last night. He was breathing funny...scared me to death! After talking to the nurse and reading online, it was decided that he has croup. About an hour after he woke us up, he started the barking seal cough. We sat in our bathroom with the hot shower on full blast. The steam seemed to help alot! After an hour or so, I got him back to sleep. I put him down in our room. I was so worried about his breathing. He slept ok. Woke up around 3am and was burning up. After tylenol, he slept until almost 8am. Other then breathing funny and the horrible cough, he's acting normal today. Of course, I am a zombie....lol We managed to get up and out the door on time to get Owen to his first day of summer camp. He also starts swimming lessons this evening. Crazy crazy day! I think I'll go take a quick nap....Yawn!

Happy 8 Months!

2008-06-05T21:05:00.004-05:00

Hayden is 8 months old today! He is doing something new just about everyday! He is so happy and loving. It makes my heart melt! Along with 2 teeth, this month has brought many changes. He says dada ALL THE TIME! If he's awake, he's saying dada. It is so cute! He'll only say mama when he's sleepy. He has started reaching for us when we go to pick him up off the floor or out of his crib. He has started eating a few finger foods. Everyday he gets a little better at picking up the little pieces. Some favorites right now are pancakes, banana, peaches, cheerios, and gerber puffs. We are working on the sippy cup, but he hates it. I guess I need to try a couple different ones. I have a feeling he's going to be a little tougher to break from the bottle. Big brother O was all done with bottles by 11 months. Oh well, he'll get there eventually.
Hayden loves to play, especially with Owen. He watches every move O makes! One of his favorite things to do is sit beside his toy basket and empty it out one toy at a time. He'll sit there forever inspecting each toy. He is loving going to our neighborhood pool, loves bathtime, and is Mr. Social everywhere we go. Oh, and he has the greatest belly laugh! His little personality has really come out lately and he is such a sweetheart!
Happy 8 months Hayden! You make me smile and I love you very much! :-)

Future Dallas Cowboys!

2008-06-03T21:31:00.003-05:00

The boys went on a tour of Texas Stadium.They got to play on the field, check out the locker rooms, luxury boxes, and all the other behind the scenes stuff. They had a blast!

Reading and Playing

2008-06-03T21:28:00.000-05:00

End of Year Teacher Gifts

2008-06-01T17:25:00.003-05:00

Owen's last day of school is tomorrow. I am kind of sad to see the year end. Owen's teacher Ms. Sara has been so wonderful! She is so fun, creative, and loving to each child in her class. Owen has really enjoyed the schoolyear! I made these end of year gifts for Ms Sara and the 2 school directors. The pic didn't turn out too well. The card stuck in the plant has a pick of Owen and says "Thanks for helping me grow". I hope they'll enjoy them!

eta- Everyone at the school loved the plants. Owen's teacher cried when we gave it to her yesterday morning and she cried again when I picked O up from school. She made me get all emotional too...lol. She said she really enjoyed having Owen in her class and was going to miss him dearly. He is such a sweet and funny boy!

Ahhh...why do they grow so fast?

Fun at the Fishery!

2008-06-01T17:12:00.004-05:00

Rob and Owen visited a fishery last weekend. They had a great time! Here are a few pics!

You Know What I Need

2008-05-29T12:01:00.002-05:00

Owen and Rob went and had a Daddy/Owen day last Friday. They went to a fishery. I'll post pics soon. Anyway, they were hanging out there for the day and they took a picnic lunch. I packed a lunchable for Owen. As he sat there eating it he said "Dad, you know what I need?" Rob responded "No, what do you need?" Owen says "a dinnerable"

Handsome Boy!

2008-05-18T21:38:00.002-05:00

Owen's preschool performed at our church service today. This was him this morning. He was so excited to sing in front of everyone and wear this new outfit that Grammy bought for him. He did very well. Of course, I forgot to take my camera to the church :-(

Park pics

2008-05-18T21:19:00.004-05:00

These pics are from a trip we made to the park last Friday. The flowers there were gorgeous! Hayden was much too interested in the grass to look at the camera.

Look at Those Pearly Whites!

2008-05-18T21:15:00.003-05:00

Hayden cut his 2 bottom front teeth this past week. No more gummy smiles here!

Napkin Please!

2008-05-18T21:14:00.002-05:00

JUNO!

2008-05-18T14:50:00.001-05:00

Rob and I watched Juno last night. It is a great movie! I laughed alot and cried a little. It was a very enjoyable movie. I highly recommend!

Sidewalk Paint!

2008-05-12T12:52:00.005-05:00

Mother's Day Weekend!

2008-05-12T11:59:00.005-05:00

Wow...we had a very busy weekend! It was so much fun! Friday night Rob and I went over to the home of a couple from church. There were 4 other couples there as well. We had a fun evening of playing cards, chatting, and snacking on yummy appetizers. Saturday morning we got up and quickly packed our bags and headed up to my parents house. The boys enjoyed riding the mules (atv's , not the animal..lol) all over the place and they went fishing at 2 different lakes up there. That evening we tagged along to a party at my parents new neighbors house.
Sunday we headed to my Grandmother's house which is about an hour and a half from my parents house. We were about halfway there when one of our tires blew out. Luckily, my parents were just a few minutes behind us. They pulled over, we moved the boys seats into my parents car. I jumped in with my mom and we left Rob and my Dad behind to change the tire. Poor guys! We picked up my grandmother and headed to where we had lunch reservations. http://www.pappadeaux.com/ The guys finally joined us about 30 minutes later. It was a great lunch! Once we got home, we enjoyed playing outside with the boys. That was my favorite part of the day! Rob went and got take out for dinner. The boys gave me some new desk accessories and beautiful windchimes. Other then the tire issue, it was a fantastic Mother's Day!

What is Wrong With People??

2008-05-08T15:26:00.003-05:00

Hayden and I were out running errands before getting O from school. The first stop we made was a popcorn shop. I was waiting on a gift basket to be made for O's teacher (teacher appreciation week). Anyway, this other customer decides to comment on Hayden. "Whoa, that is one big baby" she says. Since I hear this alot I just smile and nod...yes, he sure is. I thought that was the end of it, but I was so wrong. She goes on to ask his age, weight, what he eats, etc... WTF???? This is none of your business lady! Finally she paid for her stuff and was out of there. The lady behind the counter laughed and said "Some people just don't know how to shut thier mouths". Isn't that the truth!!
Then we went over to the grocery store. I went through the self check-out line. No one else was in there so the cashier lady comes over to talk to Hayden. She bends down to him in the stroller and talks right in his face. He bursts into tears! Back off lady!! Instead of understanding that he's 7 months old, has a little stranger anxiety, and that he didn't like her up in his face, she gets offended that he started crying. Again, WTF???? She says "What is wrong with him? All babies love me. You must have a real sensitive guy there. " If I hadn't been in a hurry to get O, I think I would have flattened her!

Thankful Thursday

2008-05-08T12:16:00.003-05:00

Feeling thankful today...thought I'd share a few thoughts.

1) I am thankful that Rob is coming home today. He's been gone since Monday. It's been an ok week, but the single parent gig gets old very quickly! I miss my husband!

2) I am thankful that after alot of searching we are pretty sure we've found our church home. We have met so many wonderful people. As I sat listening to our pastor this past Sunday, I had a great sense of peace. It's such a wonderful welcoming environment. We are going to join the church sometime this summer and I need to get going on plans to have Hayden baptised soon.

3) I am thankful that I get to go out with Rob tomorrow night. We have a joined a couple's group at our new church. We get together once a month for fun, food, drinks, etc.. Should be alot of fun! I am nervous about leaving Hayden with our new babysitter though. My parents are the only sitters we've used since we moved here. I know he'll be fine. I need to chill out my mommy nerves a bit!

4) I am thankful for my 2 healthy boys! We have so much fun together. They amaze me everyday and I cannot imagine life without them!

5) I am thankful for Owen's school. If he didn't have school today, we would have had a gigantic mommy/Owen battle! His 4 year old attitude has kicked in full force this week. We are working on getting a hold on it, but it's been a bit trying this week with Rob gone and all. So, I am very very thankful for Owen's school!!

6) Finally, I am thankful that I stumbled upon this blog... http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/
This is a remarkable family!! Little Audrey was only here for a short while, but her story has made a huge impact on many people including me. If you read this blog you will need kleenex handy and I think you'll be inspired by Angie's wonderful words.

Birthdays!

2008-05-06T20:48:00.003-05:00

We have 2 special b-days in our family today! Happy 11th Birthday to our niece Jordan!!! Hope your day has been extra fun! Happy Birthday to Peggy, Rob's mom!!! Hope you've enjoyed your special day! We love you guys!!!!

Peace and Quiet

2008-05-06T14:26:00.002-05:00

For the past hour, BOTH of the boys have been napping!! This a rare occasion in this house. They never sleep at the same time! It has been so nice and quiet. They were worn out from us hosting playgroup here this morning. I am going to enjoy the quiet while it lasts!

7 month pics

2008-05-05T21:40:00.004-05:00

7 Months!

2008-05-05T20:49:00.011-05:00

Hayden is 7 months old today! I cannot believe it! Time has just flown by since he was born. I want to hold on tightly to every bit of babyhood that is left. I am pretty certain that Hayden is our last child, yet I already long for that sweet little newborn bundle again.

Hayden has changed so much this past month. He's started talking like crazy and he is one LOUD little booger! He sits up all by himself now with a huge proud grin on his face. He loves to give hugs and kisses, play peek-a-boo, get tickled, and roll and scoot all over the house. He has finally gone back to sleeping all night ( thank the lord!) and has really settled into a nice schedule during the day. He has 2 teeth that are trying to come in, but still haven't popped out yet. I expect to see them very soon. He's such a happy, good natured, and busy little boy!

Happy 7 months Hayden! I can't wait to see what next month will bring! We love you!

Love and Logic

2008-05-03T15:47:00.002-05:00

This past Thursday night, I started a five week parenting course that is sponsored by the early childhood PTA that I am a part of. The course is called Love and Logic. I am really excited about these new parenting tips and I look forward to learning more next week. It's all about creating happy families and responsible kids. Check out www.loveandlogic.com for more info!

Not Much to Report

2008-05-03T15:21:00.011-05:00

Carousel Ride!

Alligator Friend

Cool Dude! (sorry it's sideways)

Happy Hayden

It has been a same old same old kind of week. We were very busy with school, playgroup, errands...the usual. The past 2 days we have had gorgeous weather. My mom went along with the boys and I to a bunch of garage sales yesterday. Found lots of goodies that we didn't need. It was fun! Owen had a pocket full of change and enjoyed picking out new treasures and using his money to buy them. In the evening, we headed downtown. We strolled around, went to the huge Barnes and Noble then ate at Cabo Grande on thier patio. It was such a pretty evening! We love enjoying evenings like that while they last. Won't be long till the TX heat takes over and we don't want to go outside at all, much less eat dinner out there! Today we went to a b-day party for Nevaeh, a classmate of Owen's. It was a Chuck E Cheese. Now the boys are napping and I am recovering from an afternoon at CEC!

Oh, the best news of all is that Hayden has slept ALL NIGHT for 2 nights now! WooHoo!

Sleep Hayden Sleep!!

2008-04-29T11:16:00.002-05:00

Dear Hayden-

Remember back when you were 3 and a half months old and you started sleeping all night (12 hours straight!). You did that for a couple months. Wasn't it nice? How about we get back to that trend! Momma is tired and you do not need to eat at night! You are 22 lbs! If you sleep all night, I promise to be alot less grumpy to you and your brother during the day. Ok, so do we have a deal?

I love you!
Mommy

My Latest Purchase!

2008-04-25T18:13:00.000-05:00

I seriously have a stroller addiction. I need help!!! I think I had 5 or 6 different ones during Owen's stroller years. Hayden has had a new travel system and a small lightweight stroller handed down from Owen. Well, I can't stand the little stroller...it's tiny! I call it the doll stroller...lol! It's perfect for a 5 year old and her dolly. Not perfect for me! It's going in our yard sale tomorrow. The travel system is nice, but not as convienent now that Hayden has outgrown the infant carseat. So, I went shopping for a new one. It was delivered yesterday and so far I am in love! It has all the handy features moms need, but it's lightweight and very easy to manuver. Hopefully, this will get us through Hayden's stroller years and I can finally get over my stroller problem. Well, probably not, but at least I am happy for now!

For Fun

2008-04-24T23:02:00.007-05:00

1. Go to Photobucket (don't sign in)....I used flickr.

2. Type in your answer to the question in the "search" box

3. Use only the first image

4. Copy the html and paste for the answer

Your First Name

Your Favorite Color

Celeb Crush

Favorite Movie

Favorite Adult Beverage

Dream Vacation

Favorite Dessert

Favorite Disney Princess

Random New Pictures

2008-04-22T21:59:00.005-05:00

Check-up Time

2008-04-22T21:32:00.003-05:00

Both boys have had check-ups in the past couple weeks. Owen had his 4 year old visit today. He is now 43 1/2 inches tall and almost 46 lbs. Other then some seasonal allergies he's healthy as can be. He got 4 shots today and was VERY mad about that. Thank goodness he's done with shots for a long long time! He's such a fun and sweet boy! He loves school, enjoys playing with his friends, is a super helper, and loves to play Wii with daddy. I have to pry both of them away from the Wii!
Hayden is growing and changing everyday! His 6 month check-up was about 2 weeks ago. At that time he was 20lbs 10oz and almost 28 inches long. He is trying so hard to sit up, but is still a little wobbly. He loves to play on the floor and roll and scoot around. He's all over the place! He is such a social baby and doesn't want to miss a thing. I am sad that his babyhood is going by so fast, but it is so much fun to watch him do something new. A few recent new tricks are using his sippy cup, giving hugs and kisses, giving five, and trying to say mama and dada. I love my squishy cuddly boy!

Our First Blog!

2008-04-22T21:20:00.003-05:00

I have finally gotten around to creating a blog. I hope this becomes a fun way to keep family and friends up to date on what is going on with the 4 of us. I'll try not to bore you all to death!! More to come soon plus pics once I figure out how to put them on here. Happy blogging :-)