The Little Things

Easter 2011

2011-04-29T15:05:00.001-05:00

My big four year old with his cheesy grin "protecting" his girly girl sister with her "bracelet" on. Ha! Love them to pieces!

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-22T13:55:00.001-06:00

8 months

2010-10-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

She is our little sweetheart. So much fun to see her personality develop and grow. Sweet, sensitive, observant, loving Brooklyn. We love you, pretty girl!

$1

2010-09-05T19:53:00.003-05:00

I got upset at Walmart because the girl pajamas were $5 and the boy pajamas were on clearance for $1. So....I rebelled and bought racecar pjs for my little girl. Ha, I showed them...

"Look, Mom! What are these cars doing where the butterflies are suppose to be?"

Bath time fun!

2010-09-05T19:40:00.003-05:00

Splish splash, I was taking a bath...

My pretty girl in the tub. I just can't get enough of those big sweet eyes. Makes my heart melt. And check out those two bottom teeth!!

I realized recently that we dont have any pictures of Brooklyn sitting up in the bathtub. We took lots of pictures of Branson in the bathtub when he was younger. I think this is because Branson spent lots of time in the tub (he loved it!) and Brooklyn's baths are fairly short. You don't get to play much in the tub, Baby Girl. So sorry! Her nighttime routine follows certain steps and takes a fairly long time (especially since her bedtime is 7:30!). First we eat solid food, then take a bath to wash the solid food out of our hair, then nurse, then drink a bottle. (Yes, we want to make sure she will stay full ALL night long...ha!) As of right now (7.5 months), she is still waking up between 4-5 to eat, but has gone as long as 6:30. We are working towards 6:30 every morning. Im not opposed to letting her cry, but when she wakes up Branson at 5:00 in the morning, Im not ok with it anymore. :)

And...while Im kinda writing things down that she is doing right now and I dont want to forget, here are some 7 month highlights:

-weighed 16.2 at the doctors office at 7 months. 30% weight, 30% head, and 50% height. He said you were long and skinny.

-eating a TON of baby food, but the doc said to give you as much as you want. (1 jar in the am, 2 at lunch, and 2 at dinner with some cereal and puffs thrown in randomly)

-just learned how to pick up the puffs and put them in your mouth. About half of them end up on the floor or in your seat

-love to watch Branson, Rufus, or just about anyone. You are content to sit and watch people most of the time. We are so grateful that you are a happy, content baby. Such a blessing!

-You are soooo quiet! Some fussing and some "talking" but not really babbling much. (This speech path momma is trying to be cool and not stress about it. I think it is just your personality.)

-You are sitting up great, but dont seem to be too interested in crawling yet. You love watching the action, but don't act to interested in being a part of it. That is fine with me!

We LOVE LOVE LOVE you, Baby Sister!!

She loves her brother!

2010-08-23T16:17:00.002-05:00

I know that I have been a pretty bad blogger and right now the thought of "catching up" is very overwhelming. So...Im going to start right where I am and go back and fill in when I can. Here are my beautiful kiddos! They are having so much fun with each other. Branson loves Brooklyn so much and feels so important when I let him "keep care of her" when I go to the restroom or somewhere else very short. :) He recently did something that accidentally hurt her (it didnt even leave a mark) and cried harder than she did. He has such a sweet big brother heart towards her. I pray that loving and protective spirit remains a part of their relationship forever!

Brooklyn absolutely adores her big brother! She just lights up when he walks into the room and starts talking to her. He can make her smile and laugh when she is fussing. It is just so awesome to watch their relationship develop. When I start feeling guilty about not spending as much time with her as I did with Branson at this age, I just have to remember that she gets to grow up with a big brother and that is a wonderful gift!

Love them both to pieces!

Happy Fourth of July!

2010-07-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

Summer cousin pictures...gotta love trying to get all those kids to look at the camera and smile. :)

Easter family pics

2010-04-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

Snuggles

2010-04-02T14:10:00.000-05:00

One of the Cutest Nieces EVER!

2010-03-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

Mommy and Me

2010-03-16T13:12:00.000-05:00

Papaw's Big Helper

2010-03-14T10:08:00.000-05:00

Funny Faces

2010-03-10T10:01:00.000-06:00

Shy

Mad (Grrr...)

Happy

Sad :(

Kissy

Surprised (and watching TV..hehe)

Hope you enjoyed our many changing emotions! :)

Six Weeks

2010-03-10T09:55:00.000-06:00

Jumpin on da bed

2010-02-23T09:59:00.000-06:00

One Month

2010-02-21T09:52:00.000-06:00

Above and Beyond

2010-02-12T13:45:00.004-06:00

I bet that none of YOU have a mother in law that would give up her time to come and stay for over a week, helping with new baby and toddler (day AND night), sweep and mop your floors, clean your bathrooms, and make you cake...THEN take your sick (pink eye and cough) two year old home with her for a couple more days while not feeling that swell herself, just so that you could take a trip with the newborn. I bet you dont...because you just aren't that lucky! :)

Thanks, NeyNaw! We love you!

just playin

2010-02-12T09:50:00.000-06:00

twin cousins

2010-02-06T09:47:00.000-06:00

Best Brother

2010-02-03T09:43:00.000-06:00

Touchdown!

2010-02-02T09:42:00.000-06:00

Daddys sleepy girl

2010-02-02T09:35:00.000-06:00

2 weeks old

Thanks Mimi!

2010-01-28T20:04:00.002-06:00

My mom just left us after having been here helping out since Brooklyn was born. We are sad to see her go! Thanks for all your help, Mom!! We love you!

Next week Scott's mom is staying with us. We are so blessed to have family close and available to help us. Should be a fun week!

Best Invention EVER!

2010-01-28T20:01:00.004-06:00

No...not the live in Mom that takes care of the kid and washes dishes. :) (Although that is great...) But the Sleepy Wrap! It is fabulous! Brooklyn loves it, it is easy on your back, and sometimes it is the only way she will calm down and go to sleep.

By far the best thing that I bought for her that I didnt have for Branson. In fact, she is sleeping in it on my chest right now. Snuggles and blogging...fabulous!

Big Brother

2010-01-28T19:52:00.002-06:00

Branson is such a good big brother!! He loves his baby sister and wants to make her happy all the time. When she cries, he says, "Its ok, baby sister, here I am." :)

I pray that they will always be the best of friends!

One Week Old

2010-01-27T20:20:00.000-06:00

Brooklyn,

You are such a blessing! This week has been more wonderful than I could have ever dreamed. You are eating well, sleeping well, and do not cry often. Every parents dream!

I had a hard time nursing Branson due to low milk supply, so I was really worried that the same thing would happen this time. I started out better by waking her up to nurse her every two hours for about three days and then going to every two hours during the day and every three hours at night. So far it has been working. At her one week appt, she weighed 6 lbs 8 oz, which is only 4 oz from birth weight. We go back next Thursday to make sure she is gaining weight. So far, so good!
We have to wake you up at night to eat after three hours, so I dont really know how long you would sleep on your own. Probably at least four hours...you are totally out when I am trying to wake you up! Feels funny to wake a sleeping baby, but you eat and go back to sleep so easily. I am actually getting more sleep now than I was when I was big pregnant. Between all the fun pregnancy symptoms, like heartburn and frequent potty trips, I was up at night A LOT. I feel much more rested this week. Crazy!

I still can't believe that you aren't even suppose to be here for another week! I also can't believe how quickly another little one can plant themselves into your heart. We are so blessed.

We love you, baby girl, and I couldn't imagine our family any other way. Happy One Week!

Pappy's girl

2010-01-27T09:32:00.000-06:00

Handsome Boy

2010-01-26T19:42:00.000-06:00

Pretty Girl

2010-01-26T19:38:00.000-06:00

Family Resemblance?

2010-01-21T08:24:00.003-06:00

Brooklyn Anna

2010-01-20T16:51:00.003-06:00

Baby Sister is here!!! Momma and baby are doing great! So so blessed!

Brooklyn Anna

11:36 am

6 lb. 12 oz.

19 3/4 inches

Updates

2010-01-16T21:02:00.002-06:00

*I had all of December's picture on the computer and listed as to which ones I was going to post, when our computer crashed. :( So...Scott ordered some "fix-it" CD thing that will be here shortly and he is going to do his best to get them back. Thanks, honey!

*As for January, I am just 37 weeks preggo and "nesting" in other areas besides the blog. Sorry! :)

*I go to the Dr on Mon to check on Baby Brooklyn. So far, everything has been great and I really don't mind waiting another two weeks. Don't get me wrong, I am ready to not be pregnant anymore and I am more than ready to meet this precious daughter, but I am trying to be patient, let God be in control, and enjoy my last few weeks with Branson as my only child. He is so ready to be a big brother though. (not that he knows what that really means...hehe!) One of his teachers at school asked about his baby sister and he said, "Yeah, Im gonna have a baby sister and Im gonna protect her." :) He also told me the other day that he was going to change her diaper all by himself. HA! We will see about that!

*Hopefully you will hear from me soon. Im probably just going to jump in on the blog when I have this baby and then go back and fill in the missing months later. Just too much going on right now!! :)

Killing Time

2009-11-16T15:55:00.002-06:00

When Branson is in the mood to smile, we take pictures. Of course! He enjoys self-portraits and digital cameras are so great about instant gratification.

He took this one of himself....he has short arms. :)

Love that boy to bits!

Oops!

2009-11-15T22:00:00.000-06:00

No...there was no one killed in our hallway. Just a very unfortunate accident involving a red spray paint can. Here is Scott trying to hurry and clean it up as fast as he can....this involved gasoline, which stunk up our house for some time. We slept in the guest room last night because it was farther from the smell!

Thankfully, no paint got on the carpet. :) It just got on the tile, grout, walls, trim, my purse, Branson's backpack, and my leather jacket. We were able to get it off of the tile and mostly out of the grout (I heard we might be able to sand the pink color off...) and the trim. We will have to repaint the walls and I might just have to get a new purse...bummer! :)

For the time being, every time Branson walks by there he says, "That's a big mess!" He is right.

We have always said that our house wouldnt be perfect for long...we live here!

Drumroll please...

2009-11-15T15:40:00.000-06:00

It's a BABY GIRL!! :) We have known forever and I just havent been good at taking belly pictures or anything, so now that most of you know...Branson is so excited about his baby SISTER!

Having fun with PINK stuff!!

Now for the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad belly picture. Like I said, I am bad about taking them, so I went in and took one of myself just now. HA! I will be 29 weeks tomorrow and feel huge, but dont really have any complaints this time around.

We have been so busy with Branson, new job for Scott, new house, etc. that this pregnancy has FLOWN by! Such a nice change from being preggo with Branson and counting down the minutes! We have a little bit of the nursery done and no name picked out yet, but we are narrowing it down (I think!). I'm not due until Feb. 2, so we will have some time to decide. I have a feeling with the holidays upon us, the rest of the pregnancy is going to go by as fast as the beginning. I can't believe that we are having a daughter and Im so excited to meet her! Hopefully Ill get some better belly pics up someday...

Insta-trees

2009-11-14T16:01:00.000-06:00

From this...

to this...

in 3 hours! AMAZING!

Hehe...

2009-11-14T15:37:00.000-06:00

...hopefully not a glimpse into the future...

Favorite spot of all...

2009-11-14T15:30:00.000-06:00

The builders left a big pile of dirt in the backyard. Every little boy's dream!

"No Momma! I like it over one eye!"

Daddy's Big Helper

2009-11-14T15:23:00.000-06:00

Scott and Branson spent HOURS in the yard Saturday morning. Branson loved it and Mommy got to get caught up on blogging and mopping. :) It was kinda chilly, so they were bundled.

Picking up rocks and debris from the yard

"I'm helpin' Daddy."

The very best part of all...the BIG mow-mow. :)

New House preview

2009-11-01T15:14:00.000-06:00

We are finally in our new house!! :) These pictures are in the totally opposite order from what I had planned, but oh well. I didnt take many pictures because the house wasn't clean, but here are a few of my favorite areas...

The Playroom

Kitchen

Living Room (terrible pic, sorry!)

Front

We just love it! We are so blessed and couldn't ask for a better place to grow our family for the next years and years and years... :)

I'll take more pics as the house gets cleaned and decorated! :)

October

2009-10-31T10:16:00.000-05:00

I think I finally finished back blogging for October! Be sure to scroll down to see all the fun we had. :)

Girls Night-We love Corie!!

2009-10-28T15:08:00.003-05:00

The girls in our Life Group surprised Corie with a Girls Night Scavenger Hunt as a "going away party" of sorts. She loved the last time they did this, so Lisa sweetly put it all together for us to have a great night with each other. It was a blast!

It was also very windy, but this is the only picture we took of the whole gang! Man, I love these girls!

We love you, Corie!! Yall will do great in North Dakota and you better keep in touch! :)

My team for the night! Lets go girls! We got second, but that was only because of a rude cop that wouldnt participate and one small oversite on our part about having us all in a certain picture. Bummer!! Next time, ladies! :)
Thanks again, Lisa, for organizing such a fun night out for all of us! You are the best and we are glad you are back! :)

2 1/2 came and went...

2009-10-24T10:27:00.000-05:00

Your half birthday was on October 24. We were on our way home from the trip to Lubbock and I didnt even remember that you were two and a half!! I can't believe it! I have no idea how or when you got so big, but when I ask you about it, you say "I went to the lake and growed up!" :) You are talking constantly, asking question constantly, and always on the go. I guess nothing has really changed in that area. :) You were in the car with Mimi in the backseat, who always endulges you if you ask nicely....she had stopped talking for a minute and you held up one of your M&Ms and said, "Mimi? Mimi? Lets talk about it. You talk about dis." A minute of silence is a minute wasted in your book!

You are sleeping in a big boy full-size bed and doing great! We made the switch to the big bed at the same time that we moved to the new house, so it took a week or so to get adjusted, but you are really doing well. You don't come out of your room anymore and you only cry for a minute until you realize it isnt going to work. :)

You are constantly cracking me up with the things that you say. My current favorite (that changes every day!) is when I ask you if you are ready for something (like bed or bath) and you say, "No, not quite." You sound so grown-up!! We have been buds lately with Daddy being so busy at his new job ("working hard" you say). You love to play, color, watch TV, play in the sand pile in the yard, and right now...go to Hobby Lobby. :) For some reason, it made an impression. Hehe.

You are so excited about being a big brother. We talk about Baby Sister alot and you tell me all the things you are going to teach her. ("to obey, to look up when washing her hair" and one time "to not kick you in the face." Not sure where that came from...he didnt kick me in the face!) We have talked about how babies are little and need you to be gentle with them, how she will cry, and how we can't be loud and wake her up when she is sleeping, and how you are going to be Mommys big helper. Hopefully some of that will sink in!

We just love you to pieces and can't believe how much our little family of three is going to change very soon. Im trying to hold on to these precious moments with you as an only child for as long as possible!! Happy 2 1/2, Branson!

B and Me

2009-10-23T09:46:00.000-05:00

Branson and I got to spend A LOT of time together during the month of October due to Daddy's new job. He was working a lot, so we were awarded with quality time together. :) We had fun, especially on our trip to Lubbock. He is my little buddy.

Hugging my leg. I love it!

At the corn maze on the tractor. We almost didnt fit in the barrel between the both of us and my belly. :)

Corn Maze Fun

2009-10-23T09:24:00.000-05:00

The corn maze is the "thing to do" in Lubbock in the fall. We had to go see what the fuss was all about! It was a little cool and windy, but we had a great time and wore the kids (and adults) out! They had pumpkins, hay, the corn maze, a tractor ride, a mini hay maze, consession stand, and animals. We didnt walk through the maze because they said it would take about an hour and this preggo momma can't walk for an hour without having contractions. Eek! So...we rode the tractor instead. :)

The middle picture was this years maze design. AMAZING! The smaller ones are previous years designs. It is still incredible how they do that!

Just chillin'

This was a fun mini hay maze that the kids enjoyed, but Craig and I also enjoyed figuring it out. It was a "no-right turn" maze that you had to get through making only left turns. Super fun and we finally got it! :)

Craig and Branson enjoyed chasing each other through the maze. So cute!

Branson was pretty interested in this HUGE pig. Not only was he massive, but he wasn't pink...pretty confusing for a little guy. :)

Sometimes this is the best you can do. I liked this picture of Craig though.

Before we left, we had to try their "famous" corn suckers. The kids were ready to dig in before the wrappers even came off! They were sticky messes, but those were good suckers!

Thanks for the FABULOUS trip, Uncle Craig and Aunt JoDee! We always love coming to see you and it always feels too short! Love you all!

Jack

2009-10-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

After the pumpkin patch, we talked Craig into carving the big pumpkin for us. I was so excited to do this with Branson because he had never done it before and I dont remember carving pumpkins as a kid. (Craig does, but that is a whole different debate...hehe!) Anyway, we thought that they would just love it and make tons of mess. We were prepared with newspaper and stripped down to diapers. We need not have worried however, because this is a close as they got. Seriously...

(Dont let this one fool you...he promptly dropped the scoop into the pumpkin when he thought the "yucky" was going to get on him!)

We didnt have time to finish the face while we were in Lubbock, but here is proof that it got finished. And I just loved that picture of Adi. :)

Pumpkins Pumpkins Everywhere!

2009-10-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Branson and I headed to Lubbock to celebrate "fall" with Adi...and Aunt JoDee and Uncle Craig. :) We have started a tradition of taking pics of the kiddos in the pumpkin patch. Last year, we couldnt keep Adi sitting up and couldnt keep Branson still...this year, we couldnt keep either one of them still, but managed to get some cute pictures anyway!

They sat down and said "cheese" so we had to take the picture even though the background wasnt the greatest! These are probably the best we got of them together. :)

Branson loves his cousin Adi!

Look Adi!

When did he get big enough to pull a wagon with two huge pumpkins?!

It was just JoDee and I on this trip, both about 6 1/2 months pregnant with two toddlers. Im not sure what we were thinking, but we got some cute pictures and the kids had fun. They each picked out a little pumpkin to take home and were exciting about carving the big one. (Although they had no idea what that meant!)

Sea World...again!

2009-10-11T14:36:00.000-05:00

We ventured to Sea World again!! We got season passes last time and wanted to go when it was cooler and hopefully less crowded. It was super fun and we had a great time. Neynaw (or neyney as Branson calls her now!) went with us and I think she enjoyed it. :)

Of course Bransons favorite was Shamu! How could anyone not love Shamu!

Every time the person would dive off the end of Shamu's nose, Branson would raise one leg and bend over head first like he was going to dive off the seat. It was soooo funny!

We wore this poor little boy out! Only time for a short nap though before we were up and out to eat dinner and come home for bed. :)

Ok, maybe Shamu tied for ELMO! as Branson's favorite thing. We had to go see Elmo twice and were there early enough for front row seats the second time! He was a HUGE hit!

Bye for now, Shamu! We will be back! :)

By popular demand...

2009-09-28T13:17:00.003-05:00

We are a little less than a month from moving in!! So exciting! The brick and stone is finished on the outside, the cabinets are in, the doors and trim are finished, and the painters are there this week. I can't wait to see it all come together!

The beautiful wood bracing stuff will come off when it is completely dry, so use your imagination. :) This is our entryway. I just love it. It will look a little different when cleaned up pretty, but you get the idea.

Here is our kitchen cabinets without stain. They will be stained "warm chestnut" which is just a fairly dark brown color. Craig came to town to measure for the countertops today and we spent all morning picking out granite for the kitchen and baths. It was so much fun! We are going to have 8 different colors of granite in the house...watch out! Don't worry, it wont look too crazy...it is all gorgeous!

My favorite helpers out with me to take pictures. This is the office window, to the left of the front door.

All the major decisions are behind us and all we have left to do is be patient. So...to sing Branson's song from school, "Be patient, be patient, there's no need to worry. Be patient, be patient, we're not in a hurry." :)

Child Labor?

2009-09-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

One of Branson's favorite things to help me with is cleaning the toilets. (and dishes and mopping...do I see a water theme here?) He actually does a pretty good job of keeping the water in the potty. Looks like he is having a blast, right?

It's been 10 years!!

2009-09-12T14:24:00.000-05:00

I am pretty disappointed in myself for the amount of pictures that I took at my high school reunion! You would think I would get my camera out, but apparently I was having too much fun! :)

Me and Melissa all dolled up and ready to go.

It was my ten year high school reunion and I end up sitting with and visiting most with my cousin Kaely and her husband, Will (who I went to HS with). So funny! She is also pregnant and due two weeks after me. I love that we decided to take our preggo picture in front of the wall of wine. Cracks me up! I am hoping to take a better belly shot pretty soon, since I am nearly 22 weeks and have yet to post one. Oops!

A bunch of us got together at a friends house after the formal dinner to hang out and visit. It was sooooo good to see everyone and catch up. Facebook has helped most of us to stay in touch (or get back in touch) but it was great to see everyone in person.

Had a great time....party like its 1999! :)

Self Portrait with Momma

2009-09-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

All it takes is a digital camera (or lots of film!) and a little patience to take a good self portait with a toddler. :)

OUTTAKES:

When Daddy does your hair...

2009-09-07T14:11:00.000-05:00

It's coming along!!

2009-09-05T13:35:00.003-05:00

We have brick! And I love it!! :) It is pretty dark, but I love the variations in the color. It is so fun and I have loved this whole process. Lucky for me, my great detail oriented husband has taken care of all the little unfun stuff and I pretty much get to just watch the house go up. Great fun!

This picture is a little old...now the house is almost fully bricked and the entire inside has sheetrock. The mud and tape guys are suppose to come next week, then paint, etc. Its getting closer!! Yippee!

Fun Dat at the Zoo!

2009-09-02T14:19:00.000-05:00

We love the Abilene Zoo!! And the weather here has been great! So...a group of mommies from Life Group all got together to enjoy the morning.

Branson and I got there early and took our fabulous breakfast for a quick bite. Milk and a donut with sprinkles! A little boys dream! (Those are Spiderman tatoos on his arms by the way...he is super cool...HA!

Loved this pic of when Branson saw "Kandy Kane" come in... They are the bests of buds and the worst of enemies depending on the moment, but boy do they love each other. We are going to be so sad when they move...sniff sniff. (they found out the morning of the zoo that they are being transfered to Fargo, North Dakota for Jeremy's job...good for them because its a promotion, but sad for us!)

When I said "mommies", I mean't "mommIES." There were 7 Moms and 9 kids in our pack at the zoo that day. So so fun!

I laugh at this picture of Branson and Cole. They are new buds because Cole just moved back to Abilene and Branson watches and idolizes everything Cole does. However, in this picture it looks like they are about to have a showdown. HA! :)

The fire hydrant...the most interesting thing at the zoo according to Branson. :)

Gotta love feeding the giraffe....

Branson loves Ms. Corie...she always shares her snacks. :)

This picture just cracks me up! That second monkey is actually smiling for the camera. HAHAHA!

Bad Day

2009-08-28T13:53:00.000-05:00

So...if you ever wonder what happens when you pay too much attention to getting a bug out of your car and not enough attention to the road...

...and you are in the middle of nowhere and are 18 weeks pregnant...

But...God is good and I am only left with a bruised and/or cracked rib that continues to give me trouble. This isnt the best picture, but considering I was in a rollover just a couple of hours before...not too shabby! :)

I praise God that Baby #2 is fine, I am fine, and Branson was not in the car with me. So many things could have been worse and He gets all the glory for keeping me safe despite my own driving retardedness!

PS If you ever really wondered what rolling a vehicle feels like...take it from me, its not fun, so dont try it!!

Chocolate pudding or paint?

2009-08-16T14:02:00.000-05:00

Oh to have such joy in the little things of life again! He wasn't too sure about it at first (and I really did give him a spoon!) but he quickly got into the fun and I just let him play. I knew we were headed for the bathtub anyway. ;)

Where did my baby go?!

2009-08-14T13:16:00.003-05:00

We are beginning the transition into a "big boy bed." Branson loves his "blue bed" and likes that he can get in and out. He doesn't have that big of a space that he can get in and out of, but that is ok with Mommy and Daddy! He definately wont roll out this way! I know he doesnt look too thrilled with it in this picture, but that is because it was not bedtime and he wanted to play, not pretend to sleep for the camera. HA!

It took him awhile to figure out how to climb in and out correctly. This was his unconventional, yet effective way to enter his bed for awhile. :)

I do not want to jinx anything, but so far, he has slept 2 nights and 2 naps in his new bed and has not tried to get out once! I know that he knows how to get in and out because he does it all day while playing. So far, this minor transition has been a non-issue. I hope I am not speaking too soon. :) We hope to put him in a full size bed (with rails and mattress on the floor for awhile) when we move into the new house, so hopefully this is a good step towards that. Way to go, Branson! You are such a big boy and Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! :)

Looking like a house

2009-08-14T12:40:00.004-05:00

August 2

Branson sitting on "his potty." It is actually the stub for the toilet in his bathroom and he actually sat there and pooped in his diaper. HA!

August 3

August 11

He posed for these pics all by himself. So cute!

August 13 (too intrigued by the fire to look at the camera)

It is starting to look like a house!! We are so excited!

Family Reunion '09

2009-08-14T12:03:00.004-05:00

Family reunion in Dora, NM again this year. It was fun and we got to see a lot of people that we dont see very often. I was glad to be home though because we have been out of town so much this summer. This Momma will be ready for school and routines to start again!

Every year, the oldest Lawrence brother brings his singing group out to sing for all of us. They sing old church songs and have some cool harmonies....it is neat. RA is the one sitting down on the right. He and his wife are some of the sweetest people you will ever meet. I just love seeing them every year.

Here is the family enjoying the show...

Here is my son and husband enjoying the show...hehe... I was actually thrilled that Branson fell asleep because anyone that knows us well knows that he needs his sleep and is pretty picky about where he gets it. He isnt one of those falls asleep anywhere when he is tired type of kiddos. So...all weekend without a nap and going to bed after 10 was hard on him and his Momma! Aren't they precious?

Everyone wore their family reunion shirts on Saturday and by the end of the day, everyone was signing everyone elses shirt. (Well, I didnt wear mine because they didnt come in maternity style and I feel like a cow in t-shirts!) Here is Branson "signing" Kynlea's shirt. So funny!

He looks so big playing with the older kids!

The water balloons were Branson's favorite part. I love how you can tell that he is telling the balloon to "POP"!

I didn't have my camera out much, but there is a taste of Family Reunion '09!

Our Facebook Life

2009-08-13T09:08:00.002-05:00

I have been spending more time on facebook lately than blogging, so I thought I would share what we have been up too. Thanks, Chrys, for the idea!

Facebook Status Updates:

Where has my baby gone?! Branson stayed in his "big boy bed" all night last night and is wearing his new underwear today! AUGH! Im not ready for this!! (But, Im so proud of him!!)

My son just reported to me, "Im so handsome!" after I put on his shirt. Apparently he has heard that from me too many times! :)

found out yesterday that instead of getting a full classroom at one of my schools (like I was told was a strong possibility) i will either be sharing with the Sped teacher or be back in the bookroom. SLPs are always the first to get the shaft in the schools. I understand, but Im still bummed...

got home from family reunion to a dirty house and company coming tonight. Eek! thankfully, branson has been sleeping since one and I have gotten lots done. Just fighting the urge to lay down and take a nap. So hard...

I am tired of packing to go on trips. I love the trips...Im just tired of the packing!

Does anyone have any great and wonderful, yet easy but impressive snack or dessert ideas that I could make and take to the familly reunion this weekend?

I am finished with the dishes with only one sippy cup casualty...it was death by "heck no, I am not opening that!!" I think Im going to take a nap to reward myself for doing the dishes first. :)

has a sink full of week old dishes that are starting to smell and I REALLY dont want to wash them! This 'no dishwasher' thing stinks! (literally!) And....everyone now thinks I am a slob and wont want to come over again. This is how I will find out who my true friends are... :)

Branson went tee-tee in the potty to show off for my mom tonight! I guess it is time we really start potty training. Hmmm...I just dont think Im ready yet. :)

overdid it this morning with a playdate and lunch date the a friend. Branson was cranky at lunch and Momma had very little patience. My tummy hurts, Im tired, and I still havent cleaned my house! All will look better after a little nap. :)

had a great time at church this morning! We have been out of town for so long and I have missed it!

Branson got home and re-enacted his fall of the jetski ("but its ok."), told me proudly "I poop in Neynaws baftub!", named the baby "jungle book", and sang the baby to sleep "baby I love you, the bible tells me so..." Man, I have missed him!!

wishing my boys would get home. They have been gone since last night, which should be great to have time to myself, but...I miss them. :(

just got home from vacation, went by our new house site and they were pouring foundation! So cool to watch! When we told Branson it was time to go he said, "No, I still looking at da house." :)

just got back from a super fun girls weekend in Dallas! Headed to Possum Kingdom for a weekend at the lake. Busy busy and fun fun fun! (then...back to work, but shhhh...we aren't talking about that!!)

House Updates!

2009-08-01T18:31:00.002-05:00

We signed papers on the land on Thursday, July 16 at 2:30. I went out at 8:30 on Friday morning to take pictures of the lot and there were already guys out there working on it with the lines laid out for the forms of the house. Soooo exciting!!

By Sunday, the forms were laid out and the big tree chopped down that was right in the middle of the entry way.

Then the plumbers came in and did there thing, then it started raining in Abilene. Who woulda thought?! So...the foundation was delayed a couple of days, but when we got home this Friday from vacation (two weeks after signing) we have a foundation!! We pulled up right when they were finishing pouring it and there were 15 guys on the site all speading and smoothing, etc. It was so cool!

I think the framing will be done next week, so hopefully I'll have more exciting pics to come! This is so fun! So far, things have gone smoothly, the decisions have been fairly painless, and Scott and I haven't argued about any of it yet. (We kept hearing horror stories about how hard building is on your marriage. Eek!) We have picked windows, brick, stone, shingles, and exterior paint colors. So fun...and so much more to go!

My Brave Boy (or OUCHIE!)

2009-07-15T08:51:00.002-05:00

We got home last night and in about 2 seconds Branson was screaming like I had never heard before. He was trying to get a toy out of the corner (in the basket under the table), slipped, and hit his mouth on the table. (At least, thats my guess, since I didnt see it.) I ran over to him and he had blood everywhere. I am not good with blood and tend to freak out in emergencies. I was pretty proud of how calm I stayed, knowing that if I freaked out, it would make it much worse for Branson. So...I called Scott, who was unloading the car, and we went to work on Branson's mouth. I was so worried about his teeth, but apparently the table scrapped the gums but missed the teeth. Who knows? But, his teeth seem fine. After about 5 minutes he was done crying and telling us, "no, it's all better." when we asked to put another paper towel on his lip. (It was still bleeding!) I was so proud of him for being so brave! Check out the battle wounds...with the last picture thrown in to end on a good note. :)

Life Group Lake Trip

2009-07-13T08:18:00.000-05:00

Our Life Group has talked about going camping for awhile now. We tried to get that organized, but the whole camping with toddlers thing didnt really appeal to many people, so we decided to stay inside at Scott's parents house. One couple had to back out because of a sick kiddo (We missed you guys!) and one other couple came in on Saturday and left Sunday. It was busy, fun, and pretty exhausting with little ones. We had a good time though and I think a few of us came back pretty sore! :)

Jeremy and Crystal were staying at a friends cabin on the lake, so we met up with them on Friday night for some visiting, eating, and skiing. Super fun!

Daddy

Jeremy

Crystal and Creed

Jeremy and Corie came in Saturday morning and apparently I didnt get my camera out until the kids were ready for bed that night. :) They are precious though!

Sunday on the water. Branson loves it. Sunday he was content to stay in the back and just watch however, because on Saturday, he and Momma rolled off the tube and he went under for a second. Very scary for a two year old. I bet he wont be riding the tube with Mommy any time soon even though I would venture to blame the driver...ahem! :)

Ms. Kennedy (or KandyKane)

They play so sweet together....sometimes!

One of the kids favorite activities was "fwimming." Better know to the adults as "drowned the adults." Very tiring, but fun. :)

Thanks for going to the lake with us, guys! We had a great time!

Lake Fun on the 4th

2009-07-04T07:58:00.000-05:00

We went to Brownwood to celebrate the Fourth of July. We had a fun time on the lake, but it was VERY crowded due to the holiday, so we didn't play that much.

Rufus checking things out...

My brave 2 year old riding the "duskys" with daddy...

I love that Daddy is holding on to Branson and Branson is holding on to Rufus. Hehe.

"Tooting with Daddy!"

July 3rd

2009-07-03T19:51:00.000-05:00

Aunt JoDee, Uncle Craig, and Adi came to town for the Fourth of July. We always have so much fun hanging out with them. I can't believe that next 4th we will have two 6 month olds added to the mix...wow!

First on the list of things to do was make pretzel sparklers. Seemed pretty easy, so we let Branson "help."

Here is the ONE sparkler that he covered in sprinkles. He did great, but it just wasn't entertaining enough for him.

He preferred shoveling in the sprinkles as fast as he could! Silly goose!

Momma offered grapes as a healthier snack than just sprinkles. It worked for awhile.

So pretty...

Here comes....Ms. Fourth of July!!

And Branson under the table, still eating sprinkles. :)

Yummy...popcicles!

Helping Pappy and Uncle with the sprinkler....

Mimi and her two grands. (Branson had just busted his lip on the concrete, so he wasn't up for smiling....I think Adi just got jealous that he had all of Mimi's attention!)

Cute pic of Adi at the mall. It is impossible to get these two to both look and smile at the camera at the same time. I would settle for looking at the camera at the same time, but....no. :( Oh well!

We miss you guys already! Come back soon! :)

Big Things in June!

2009-06-30T09:38:00.000-05:00

1. New Tahoe! Yippee! We had been talking about trading in my Taurus for something a little bigger. Scott found a good deal on this used one and we snagged it. So excited! :)

2. New House!! I know this picture is crummy, but hopefully, it looks like house plans! We signed to build a new house that will be completed hopefully by mid November. We close on the lot/construction loan (I dont know how this all works) soon and they will break ground shortly after that. I hope to post lots of progress pictures. We are soooooo excited and will be more than grateful for the space after living in the duplex for 8+ months. :)

3. New Baby!!! Saving the best for last!!! Don't know why the pic is turned and it is actually a picture I took with my camera of the sonogram, so it is crummy, but there is a baby in there!!! We are so incredibly grateful for this baby that God is growing in my womb. We have learned some hard lessons lately about trusting in Him and His timing for our lives. And, obviously, I couldn't have planned it more perfectly! I am due February 4, which leaves us plenty of time to move into the house and get ready for new baby.

Thanks for being patient with me....this first trimester is wearing me out! More posts to come soon. :)

My Little Workaholic

2009-06-29T15:40:00.000-05:00

If anyone needs business advice, give us a call. We are very busy around here. :)

Summer Fun

2009-06-29T14:38:00.000-05:00

Lots of random pictures from June...

Gardening with Mimi

Swimming! The first thing Branson asks when we get to Mimi and Pappy's is, "Put feet in water?" which means..."can we go swimming?" The feet is just the beginning!!

If you can't read the shirt, it says, "I'm getting a BABY COUSIN!" That means JoDee and Craig are preggo too! I am unbelievably excited! She is due two weeks to the day before me. How fun is that?! :)

Lots of fun pool memories!! Thanks, Mimi and Pappy for sharing your pool! :)

Sea World

2009-06-29T12:54:00.000-05:00

NeyNaw, Britni, Branson, and I ventured to SeaWorld in late June. Boy was it hot!! We had fun and Branson enjoyed it, even though he had Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease while we were there, we just didn't know it. He had a little fever and no appetite, but I just assumed it was from the heat and crazy schedule (meaning loss of sleep for the little guy). Oops! I felt bad when I figured it out, but he was still a trooper and LOVED Shamoo.

First, we fed the dolphins. Well, Neynaw fed the dolphins and we watched. Branson was not about to tough one of those fish, but he liked the dolphins. :)

Trying to jump in... :)
Hot and sweaty boy...trying to keep him hydrated with juice.

Renee brought a few hankerchiefs that she kept in ice water for when we got really hot. They were WONDERFUL! Branson loved his "panky" and requested it often. (I think "pink hanky" became "panky." Thats all I could come up with!)

The biggest walrus I have ever seen!

Shamoo!!

I loved this show with all the divers, dolphins, and baluga whales. So cool!

Branson's favorite activity in the hotel room was climbing on the air conditioner and hiding behind the curtains. So cute!

We did go back to the hotel both days in the middle of the hot afternoon for some rest/cool off time. It was much needed. The second day we decided to head to the kiddie water area and Branson loved it. It felt great!

I stole a couple pictures from Renee's camera, so these are out of order. :) The seals and sea lions show...

Me and Branson at dinner. I think this was the night that he has 102 fever when we got him home. Poor boy!

The best picture of us with Shamoo. Still blurry. Branson would cry when we walked away from him, but when you asked him if he wanted to go see Shamoo, he would say, "No, he's scared of me." It was so cute. I was proud of him for going up to him and not being scared.

He didn't act sick the whole time! Cheese! :)

We hope to go back when it is cooler...like October or November! :)

Before/After

2009-06-08T15:17:00.003-05:00

Before I went over to hang out the with girls last Monday...

When I woke Branson up on Tuesday morning for school...WHAT A SHOCK! (not a great pic cuz I just woke him up.)

Disclaimer: Yes, Scott and I had talked about shaving his head for the summer since he gets so hot and sweaty, but no, I didn't know he was doing it that night! HA!

Ethan's Man Party

2009-06-04T16:31:00.006-05:00

The Kirles were awesome enough to open their new home for our Life Group to throw Ethan a "manly" wedding shower. It was so much fun! As always, I took way too many pictures, so...consider yourself warned!

Branson on the way dressed as a "cool dude."

The land is so pretty and definately a little boy's dream!

Branson loved riding the "big horse" with Daddy. He is STILL talking about it!

So big and brave!

The Kirles cute little family. Crystal's boys couldn't keep their eyes off each other!

Little Parker man

Parker and his Momma

Branson waiting pretty impatiently for the horses to come back.

This boy LOVES watermelon! He ate about 5 slices and was asking for more. Ahhh...summer!

Such a cutie, Miss Kennedy!

Ethan with his loot.

Our group...Love you guys!

Love this pic!

Branson and Daddy fishing

Pretty soon after this, Branson was more interested in throwing rocks into the lake...really helping the fishing situation, I am sure!

And that is where my battery went dead! Bummer! The night was pretty much over and we had such a good time. Thanks again and happy marriage, Ethan! :)

Toybox/Crib?

2009-05-13T14:40:00.003-05:00

We were house-sitting for my parents last week while they were on an amazing vacation to the beach (not that I'm jealous or anything!). Branson was playing so quietly and being so good (which should have told us that something was up!) when I looked over and saw this...

He had taken all the toys out of the toybox, brought in his blanket, pillow, and stuffed animal and was fake snoring! So funny!

Then the boys proceeded to play in the box for awhile. Cracking me up! :)

Bathing Beauty

2009-05-13T14:34:00.001-05:00

I haven't pulled out my camera during bathtime in forever, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Yep, I still love those long, wet eyelashes! :)

Nightly Occurance

2009-05-06T14:21:00.000-05:00

Almost every night between 6 and 7, after dinner, but before bath, you can find us in our front yard. Either me or Scott sits on the front porch, door open to the inside, with Branson playing, running, mowing, kicking, falling, blowing, and laughing. He has so much fun!

Mowing the rocks. (I guess he hasn't quite figured out the purpose of mowing yet!)

Playing peek-a-boo behind the trees and looking adorable!

Sometimes the mow-mow needs "fixin"

Look at that sweaty hair and it is only MAY! I think by the time July and August roll around, the clothes will be off and the water hose will be on. :)

Blowing bubbles...so fun!

Now all we need are other kids on our street to play with! (We are still staying my parents duplex until we find the "perfect house" so there are mostly college kids around us.)

Branson is 2!!!

2009-04-26T12:24:00.000-05:00

Plan A: Zoo Party at the park by the Zoo, followed by a trip to see all the animals

Weather: Cold, WINDY, and predicted thunderstorms

Plan B: Move the party inside to Meme and Pappy's house...not a bad idea!

Here is Branson's cute lion cake that Meme made for him.
Playing with his Elmo birthday balloon that he made me buy at the store that morning.

Checking out his many presents. Elmo and Hot Rods...what more do you need?

There is always time for hugs for Adi!

He wasn't too sure about the cake on the floor, fire right in front of him, and everyone looking at him and singing....but he got over it pretty quick!

Blowing out the candles, with a little help from Momma.

No help necessary for this one...

He was so cute. He was eating his cupcake and Meme said, "Branson can we all have some of your cake?" (meaning the rest of it that was waiting in the dining room). He gave her a slightly sad look, looked at his cupcake, and held it out to her. Such good sharing!! We all laughed, told him what a good boy he was, and let him eat the rest of his cupcake. :)

He wasted no time re-learning how to get into the presents!

The final present from Mimi Lawrence and Aunt Rachelle was worth waiting for! He loves to "go fast" on his horsie! (It is really cool and sings and everything! Too bad Im too big for it!)

Thank you to everyone who came and helped celebrate my favorite 2 year old!! We love you all and wouldnt be here without you!

New Motorcycle

2009-04-25T14:12:00.000-05:00

Branson's birthday present from me and Scott was a new motorcycle. It makes music, has working blinkers, and his feet are about 6 inches from reaching the pedals! Oops! It came in a box, so you couldn't tell. Branson appears oblivious that his feet should go on the pedals and he scoots it around like he is the king. So funny!

Showing on his "lighty keen" helmet!

Chocoholic

2009-04-25T12:03:00.000-05:00

Branson was introduced to the joys of brownie batter. Wow...what a mistake! :)

I love his tongue sticking out on the side!

He is definately my child!! :)

Water babies!

2009-04-25T11:42:00.000-05:00

Branson and Adi were the only ones brave enough to try out the pool this weekend. It was cold to me, but they just loved it!!

Adi was brave first...

Then Branson thought he needed to join her. I love how they are reaching for the same pinecone...

and then Branson shares one with her. He makes a good big cousin!

Hugs...or choke hold? You decide!

Those kiddos had fun splashing in the water. I see much more of that in their future!

Terrific Twos

2009-04-24T13:14:00.000-05:00

Branson boy, I haven't done a monthly post in so long, I might not remember how! There is just so much to say and never enough time to put it all into one post. You are one of the most terrific people I know and I am so blessed to get to spend so much time with you. I love watching you grow up and into the little boy that God designed for you to be. You are energetic, fun, opinionated, curious, funny, mischiveous, and very good looking! :)

You love to "do it, Branson" or "do it myself, Momma!" but you never venture too far away. You love knowing that Daddy and I are right behind you cheering you on. And cheer we do! This birthday was a hard one for me because I can't deny that my toddler is turning into a little boy, but things just seem to get more and more fun as you get older.

We love to laugh at the funny things you say, which makes you say them even more. You love to laugh and make us laugh.

You are so curious and constantly ask, "Mommy, what doing?" over and over. You haven't started asking "why?" yet, but when it comes, I am sure it will come over and over and over! (Your teachers at daycare said that you were asking "why" a lot one day, but I haven't heard it at home...they must be dreaming..hehe!)

The basic care things like eating and sleeping come so easy now that it is crazy to think that a little over a year ago, your sleep habits were all we could think about! You will eat almost anything, but definately prefer ice cream and if we ask you where you want to go eat, you always respond, "Eat McDonna's." I agree that they brainwash at an early age!

You still take a great nap in the afternoon from about 12 to 2:30. During growth spurts, it can last up to 3.5 hours, which is very nice for Mommy. :) You get up around 7 and go to bed around 8. I am trying to ease up on being a schedule Nazi and I think we are doing alright.

You LOVE to "run faaaaaasssst" and watch "lighty keen go faaaaasst." (Translation: "Lightning Mcqueen goes fast.") You are definately your father's child with a slight obsession for things that go fast. :)

Your Daddy and I have worked hard the past 6 months or so on being consistent about disipline and requiring you to obey. We have our moments, but all in all, you are a pretty good kid. You obey well and when you dont, it's nothing that a short time-out won't fix. :) You seem to get your feelings hurt pretty easily and if we raise our voice, your little bottom lip sticks out so far as you start to cry. Sad, but really cute at the same time. You know how to obey and really want to make us happy. Sometimes it is just hard for a little guy to remember all the rules!

You are the light of my days, Branson, and I constantly thank God for the gift of being your Mommy.

I love you, little guy!

The Night Before...

2009-04-23T21:26:00.000-05:00

he turned 2! I was feeling a bit sentimental about my baby turning 2, so I had Mom take some pictures of me with my 1 year old for the last time.

This was my attempt to get him to smile for a picture...

Pleading

Sad face

Sweet talk

Success!

I just love that boy!!!

Branson loves his Meme!

2009-04-23T21:18:00.001-05:00

Zoo with Adi

2009-04-13T13:41:00.000-05:00

We have wanted to take JoDee and Adi to the Zoo for a long time, so when they came to town for Easter, we thought it would be perfect! Well...it was fun, quick, windy, and cold! The animals were all pretty active since it was cool, but the kids had to be cold since we didnt bundle them properly, so our trip was pretty short.

Branson and I go to the zoo often and the peacock NEVER has his feathers open. Branson was amazed!

I got a stroller thinking that since it was cold, he could sit in it and keep the blanket on. Think again...

Adi sat like a good girl in her stroller and seemed to enjoy it. She really watched Branson more than the animals, but whatever makes her happy... :)

The Mommas and their kiddos

I always thought that giraffes ate from trees because they couldn't pick stuff up off the ground. Nope! It just looks very uncomfy. (or "uncompty" as Branson would say.)

Thanks for going to the zoo with us guys and thanks for the pictures, Mom! We had fun but we need to do it again when it is warmer!! ;)

Easter Eggs!

2009-04-12T16:52:00.000-05:00

Easter at Mom and Dads! How fun!

Not too happy about taking a family photo. (Could be a child model with that face though..hehe!)

Looking for "doogle-bugs"

Yippee! Adi's here! Branson is being a good helper.

Lots and lots of eggs!

"Cheese!"

JoDee's mom made Adi's outfit...isnt it beautiful?! So cute!

Branson teaching Adi all about the world...

She is just gorgeous!

More Easter pictures to come!

Easter Family pics

2009-04-12T13:11:00.000-05:00

Fun with Friends

2009-04-11T22:33:00.004-05:00

We had such a fun day at Erin's house! She brought out the sand and water table and the kids loved it. Apparently I have some issues with getting dirty because the whole thing was making me a little crazy with all the mud and mess, but Erin helped me embrace "imaginative play." :)

Aren't they all cute playing together?

Mrs. Erin was very excited for Branson to wear this hat (since his daddy went to TECH!)

Doesn't he look so grown up in that hat?! He isn't even two yet and Im holding on as long as I can!!

Branson and KandyKane (Kennedy) saying "Cheese!" I love how Branson always calls her KandyKane. So cute!

Adorable!

And Kennedy's little brother Parker who is just too cute not to include. :)

Thanks for a great bday morning girls!

Check it out!

2009-04-01T09:07:00.003-05:00

I added a new picture to this post. Renee was nice enough to dig out this picture for me and I love it!

http://scottandkara.blogspot.com/2008/12/guitar-lessons.html

Momma and Branson

2009-03-24T22:24:00.000-05:00

Walking around ACU. Love that boy.

Spring Break: Zoo

2009-03-21T21:59:00.001-05:00

Day Three:
The last day of our trip, we went to the Albuquerque Zoo and Aquarium. We had so much fun! It was much bigger than the Abilene Zoo and it took us all morning for the Zoo and the afternoon for the Aquarium. I had a great time with my zoom lens getting close ups of all the animals. :)

Branson was leaning over, peering into the bushes, clapping, and saying, "ober he-ya!" (Over here!). It was so funny.

I put the camera up by the time we got to the Aquarium because we were tired and Renee was good about taking lots of video. :) Branson could have stood and watched the sting rays all afternoon. Since he loved them, I got him a stuffed sting ray at the gift shop. He calls him Mr. Ray and added him to the pile of stuffed animals that he sleeps with every night. :)

Speaking of sleep...Branson was out of it by the time we got back to the zoo and our car. He slept for an hour or so while we were headed home, woke up, watched "Monster's Inc. " on his portable DVD player, and fell back asleep about 10:30 pm when we were about an hour from Brownfield. He was so well behaved. I was so proud of him and am looking forward to our next vacation. Next time, maybe we will take Scott with us! :)

Spring Break: Train

2009-03-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

Branson's first train ride! Here comes the train! We had been talking about the train all day and we were missing nap to take our ride, but Branson was super excited.

He sat patiently and waited...

HA! (Anyone who believed that last line doesn't know us very well!!) He actually ran up and down the wheelchair ramp like a wild man until the train showed up. :)

Here is our attempt to get a cute picture of the two of us. Branson was saying something to the effect of "No, Momma takes the pictures!"

Branson and NeyNaw played a rousing game of "put your finger in my ear and laugh hysterically." They were so cute.

Oh...and when we got home, Aunt Terri had gotten her new washer and dryer delivered. Branson and NewNaw spent too long watching the clothes go around and around. :)

Spring Break-Mall

2009-03-19T20:19:00.001-05:00

During Spring Break, NeyNaw, Scott's cousin Britni, Branson, and I went to Albuquerque, NM to visit some of Scott's family. Scott didn't get off of work, so we missed him! :( But we had fun and Branson was so good and well behaved...even though we didn't get regular naps or bedtime. :)

Day 1: The Mall

All Britni wanted to do while we were there was go to the mall and shop. So...off to the mall we went! Branson found the carousel right away and wanted to right every single different horse. He loved it! (And he only got to ride ONE horse..hehe)

Off on our walk around the mall: Britni on left, NeyNaw, Branson, and Karen (Scott's aunt)

Build-A-Bear: NeyNaw was so nice to buy Branson a stuffed animal. He picked a soft puppy dog, gave him a hug, picked out a heart, rubbed it for good luck, gave it a kiss for love, (looked at the lady like she was crazy), and stepped on the button to fill him full of stuffing. It was so cute!

Then he just had to sit down next to NeyNaw to type up "Puppy Dog's" birth certificate...

We went to eat lunch at Johnny Rockets and Branson picked out some jammin' tunes.

Our last stop was the kids play area while Britni, Scott's Aunt Terri, and Karen went shopping.

It appears that I still mainly take pictures of Branson, so be prepared! :) On to Day Two: The Train.

Little Fish

2009-03-04T18:29:00.001-06:00

We need to get this boy some floaties and maybe some swim lessons! He LOVES it!

He really liked climbing the steps, but then he was in everyone's way. Oops!

Mommy trying to teach him how to blow bubbles. He kinda got it, but not really.

Cute boy with purple lips. I dont remember it being that cold. I just get lost in those brown eyes!

We can't wait until it gets warm and we can swim in Mammie and Pappy's pool.

"Do it Branson!"

2009-03-02T21:27:00.003-06:00

My guy and I had so much fun this afternoon and sadly, I have no pictures. I am not talented enough to take a one year old swimming at a public pool and also take pictures while keeping my camera safe and dry. I'll get Mom to come with me next time to take some. :) Ok, back to our afternoon. I decided to make good use of our membership at the YMCA and take Branson swimming before my water aerobics class. He was so excited and kept moving his arms up and down in a swimming motion in the car on the way over. We finally got there, put both our suits on, and made it into the water. You have to know that this child doesn't like...no, HATES to get his face wet in the bathtub. He will start crying if the water drips into his eyes. So...I wasn't expecting a lot, but we had been swimming a couple weeks ago and I knew he would like it. Anyway, the words I heard the most today...

"No, Momma! Do it Branson!"

He kept trying to push out of my arms and swim on his own! He is one! HA! (Well, almost two, but Im holding on to my one year old as long as I can.) He loved jumping from the side to me and was convinced that he didnt need me to catch him. He would take a couple steps to one side so I would start moving that way to follow him, and then throw his body the other direction to try to "trick" me. He would come up sputtering and laughing hysterically! So so funny! We laughed so hard and had so much fun enjoying each other. I'll get pictures next time!!

Oh yeah! We moved!

2009-02-26T22:05:00.004-06:00

The short version is this: We sold our house for asking price (!!!) and closed on Feb. 20. We looked at a ton of houses, but didnt find anything that was perfect, so we are living in my dad's two bedroom duplex for now. The moving part was a pain, but we are getting settled in. I only got my camera out twice during the entire move and here are the pics.

Branson was a big help labeling boxes...

...and helping to take apart furniture.

We had lots of guys helping and lots of trucks! Thank you for your muscles!

Hopefully we will be posting soon about a new building project. Who knows? :)

Happy Birthday, Ethan!

2009-02-26T21:28:00.004-06:00

Branson's friend Ethan turned 3! His party was Sunday and while we ended up being a little bit late, there was plenty of cake to go around! :) Branson made quick work of his and headed out to play with the big kids.

One of his new favorite games is "walka walka walka" and he tries to "walka" on everything! Curbs, timbers, low walls, anything! I guess realizing that you have balance is a pretty cool experience. I just like hearing him say "walka walka walka." :)

LOVED the motorcycle!

The birthday boy himself took the drivers seat and Branson was happy in the back.

After eating and playing at Ethans, we all went bowling. Talk about crazy! We had fun, but taking pictures in a dark bowling alley is not an easy task! Believe it or not, this terrible picture of Branson bowling and my rear end was the best one taken. HA! He had a great time with his friends, learning how to take turns, "roll da ball?", and eating grilled cheese.

Branson really enjoyed the sucker that came in his party favor bag. He still says "sucker" when he sees the bag even though the sucker is long gone!

What a good sharer!

Happy Birthday, Ethan!! Thanks for having us!

Under the Big Top

2009-02-26T21:13:00.004-06:00

Going to the "turkus"! We had been talking about the circus for a week and Branson was so excited to go see the animals. When we were walking up to the door, a lady stopped us, said she had extra tickets if we wanted one that covered two adults and up to three children. Sure! Although I thanked her, I didn't realize until we saw the ticket price, just how grateful I should have been to this woman. The adult tickets were $22!! That seems like a lot! So, that sweet lady saved us $44 and we used our savings to buy circus type cuisine such as popcorn and cotton candy. :)

We had a short little row all to ourselves so Branson could walk around, climb, and wiggle all he wanted. He had a great time!

Overall, it was about 30 minutes worth of cool stuff packed into 2 hours. But, Branson enjoyed the horses, dogs, and the elephants. I didn't take pics during the actual acts because I thought I heard the guy say something about no flash photography, but I could be making that up. You couldnt really understand anything he said. :)

Family fun on a Saturday afternoon!

Best Friends

2009-01-21T18:49:00.001-06:00

Branson wanted a picture taken with all of his stuffed animal friends. He sleeps in his bed, with an adult pillow and all of these animals. He knows them all my name, "monkey, bear, other bear, rabbit, other rabbit, duck, sheep, panda bear, little pillow, puppy dog, Mr. Ray, etc." That's all I can think of right now, but I know there are more. Doesn't he look proud?

Pictured from left to right: ACU bear, sheep, duck, monkey, Branson, other bear, rabbit, other rabbit, bear. Back left: panda bear. Not pictured: Mr. Ray (A sting ray he got at the aquarium)

Talka Jesus

2009-01-16T08:54:00.003-06:00

Mommy: Are you ready to talk to Jesus?
Branson: Yea!
Mommy: Dear Jesus, Thank you for Branson and everyone we love. Amen!
Branson: Talka Jesus a-din!
Mommy: Ok. Dear Jesus, Thank you for helping Branson be a good boy. Amen.
Branson: Talka Jesus a-din!
-repeat steps above about 4 times-
Mommy: You talk to Jesus. It's your turn.
Branson: squeezing his eyes shut tight "Jesus....AMEN!" as he opens his eyes wide for Amen.

So sweet.

ERT

2009-01-14T12:33:00.002-06:00

For some unknown reason, my son, you insist on putting a "t" at the end of every word that ends in -er. So...

fall over = "fa o-bert"
yucky diaper = "yucky di-pert"
tiger = "tigert"
splash the water = "pass da wadert"
Plus LOTS more!

I didn't realize how many words end in -er until trying to decipher your code! You are so funny!

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T13:38:00.001-06:00