2nd Annual Halloween Party (from Hell)

Last year my good friend, Angie and I decided to have some friends over to paint pumpkins with the kids. We really had so much fun that this year we decided to go all out and have a big fun Halloween party. Thanks to Martha Stewart and Disney Family, we found really good looking and tasty foods for the party. We also decided that each kid bring a pumpkin to paint and wear their costume. We had bobbing for apples and other games as well. It took Angie and I almost the entire day before to prepare our food. Menu as follows:

Witch Cupcakes

Mummies

Eyeballs

Bones

Swamp Juice (add lemonade)

The agenda for the day was all planned out. A game first, pumpkin painting second, snacks, apple bobbing and making of their own caramel apples.

All the kids wore costumes so we gathered them up once everyone had arrived for a group photo. They were all so precious and actually cooperated well for the picture.

After the photo we instructed the kids to head outside for a game. They went and sat around the base of the tree in the backyard. Unknown to anyone there was a rather large fireant bed right at their feet and bottoms. I happened to be the first adult outside and noticed the ants all over Korbin, Bexley and Case. I grabbed the kids away from the ants and began to tear off socks and shoes. By this time they had all been bitten and were screaming. I didn't realize at this point that Maddie had sat in the fireant bed! Angie ran inside and got Calamine lotion and immediately put it on the kids bites. Then all of the sudden she said, I've got to take Maddie to the ER and left!! Left me there all alone with with 17 kids. Granted the other parents were there, but they had no clue what to do or what we had planned.

So at that point with the kids deathly afraid to go into the grass, we went inside for snacks. This seemed to calm everyone down; except for me. I was a wreck. I was running around not knowing what to do, shaking, trying to get food plates and drinks ready, etc. Thanks to Gil, Angie's brother for helping with the drinks or no one would have gotten one. After the kids ate we were able to go outside again. The girls began painting pumpkins while the boys bobbed for apples and vice versa. After everyone got their apple, I dipped them in the caramel for them.

Once the pumpkins were all painted and apples coated with caramel we played one more game (that did not end up so well). It was a twist to musical chairs. We had a ghost figurine that the kids were to pass around to music. Once the music stopped whoever had the ghost in their hands was eliminated. Should have thought about the consequences of eliminating 3 and 4 year olds from a game before we started. Gracyn ended up winning with Bexley in second along with a tantrum because he wanted to win. Ugh!!

All in all I think the kids had a great time. Dalton said the bobbing for apples was the funnest part of the party! Next year, dads are coming and there might be vodka in that swamp juice!!

Oh and Maddie, she was given a shot of epinephrine and prescribed an epi pen!

What a Summer

I really wish I could keep up with this blog I started, but I can't. I can't keep up with laundry either, just ask my husband. We have had a fabulous, lazy summer. It was full of swimming, soccer, good cookouts and lots of friends.

Bexley played soccer for the first time this summer and had a blast. He is a fairly good soccer player and I can't wait until he's a bit older and can be more competitive. He received the award for "the most fun player" from his coach because no matter what, Bex was always having fun!

Bexley also learned how to swim this summer. He can actually jump off the diving board and swim to the side with NO HELP!! I am so proud of him, especially since we didn't even spend any money on lessons. He learned it all on his own; with a little help and coaching from mommy of course. Beau is also going to be a good swimmer. He loves the water and with floaties on in the baby pool, I can let him go and he can handle it on his own! The boys also enjoyed time on the slip and slide and water park with their besties.

Brye and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary this year! Thanks to Rob and Jo for coming to spend the weekend with the boys we were able to get away. We left on a Saturday morning (after soccer, of course) and went shopping; which we never get to do alone anymore. We bought fancy clothes for our night out. We then went and checked in at The Mansions on Turtle Creek. A beautiful old hotel in uptown Dallas. Brye made reservations for us at a wonderful restaurant called Nick and Sam's. The manager found out about our special occasion and treated us to caviar, champagne, and a wine tasting. It was fabulous! We have had a wonderful 10 years together and I can't imagine my life without Brye and the two precious little boys he has given me. Brye has literally shown me the world and I have enjoyed every minute of it and can't wait for more!!

Beau got to enjoy his first "fishing" trip with daddy this summer too! Bex got to go with Brye a few times and even got to reel in some fish. We only caught two on this particular occasion, but they were big ones and I can't wait to eat them!

Beau has really taken on a wonderful personality. He is so funny and does this little nose crinkle when he smiles! He learned how to use a fork on his own and no doubt will take his brother down very soon. He has had a few black eyes and even chipped a tooth, thanks to Stella. He will be my rough and tumble, but me sweet one too. Man does he love to snuggle.

The rest of our summer was spent with our dear friends. We played in the park, fed the ducks and I got reunited with sorority sisters and their kids I hadn't seen in years. I cannot believe it is already over, however I look forward to seeing what the school year brings for Bexley and getting to spend some quality alone time with Beau. Welcome Fall!!

Florida

Finally, a family vacation. A REAL one. Thanks to Brye's job, he gained enough Rapid Rewards to get us three free airline tickets to anywhere in the continental USA. So we took advantage and booked a flight to Florida! We figured a shorter trip would be better for the boys so we flew out from Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale on a Thursday morning. We spent two days in Ft. Lauderdale just beachin' it up then drove to Ft. Myers and Sanibel Island on Saturday.

The flight to Florida went great. It happened to be timed right at naptime so Beau was tired and slept almost the entire way. We enjoyed shrimp at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. the first night and just strolled along the beach on the way back to the hotel. We spent the next day on Ft. Lauderdale beach, just enjoying each other. Bex loved swimming in the waves although they were pretty high and he couldn't get very far. That night we went to a wonderful restaurant for dinner and on the way home Brye and I spotted a guided fishing boat. We checked out the prices, "just to see" and it so happened the boat was expected to leave for an eight hour tour "right now". It was only $65, which was really cheap. I told Brye to go for it as I knew he'd never get the chance again. So he did! The boys and I strolled back to the hotel and had an early night. Brye didn't get home until around 4:30 AM!! The boys were up on their normal schedule at 7:30. I tried so hard to keep them quiet, but was commonly unsuccessful. Brye eventually got up and took a taxi to the airport to get us a rental car and then we headed to Ft. Myers.

Bex in Ft. Lauderdale

Beau

Bex and Brye building Sand Castles

I had never been to Florida so the drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Myers was really amazing to me. The Everglades is not exactly what I expected. I don't know why I always pictured more tropical scenery than just vast grass and what I call swamp lands. I was corrected on the last day of the trip that The Everglades is not swamp. We spent the day driving and taking in the scenery and sights of Florida and Sanibel Island. We got checked into our hotel and strolled the beach. On Sunday, we had a wonderful day on Ft. Myers beach. The weather was really great. It did rain for about 2 minutes, but that did not stop Bexley from swimming. The ocean waves were not big, so Bex was able to really play in the water. Beau even enjoyed it a lot. We could hardly keep him out of it.

Bex running along Sanibel Island

Bex playing in the Gulf at Ft. Myers Beach

After our day at the beach, the boys took a nap and I scheduled a Pirate Cruise for us to take. It was so much fun. Bex was very apprehensive at first and even began to cry at one point because he was scared of the pirates. We bribed him with a real pirate sword and he was good after that. He even got to have one of the pirates paint a Jolly Roger tattoo on his arm. He got to pick out "treasures" from the treasure chest, and play games with the other kids and pirates. He was even brave enough in the end to take his picture with the Captain. It was well worth it. After the Pirate Cruise we met one of Brye's old co-workers for dinner. It was so nice to see him again. He was such a dear friend when we were living in the UK. He kind of "took care" of us, showed us around London and really made us feel comfortable with living 5,000 miles away from home. We had such a great time in Florida. The flight home was not as great as the flight there. Beau was just exhausted and didn't want to sit still. He wasn't screaming so much as just constantly moving, which made me and Brye exhausted as well. We were glad to be home.

Beau's First Birthday!!

So this post is way overdue as are many others, but better late than never.

My baby is ONE! I can't believe it. It seems such a short time ago he was such a tiny little infant. I have loved every single minute of his short life and cannot wait to see what the next years will bring. Since Beau was so lucky to be born on May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) we decided to incorporate some culture into his party. Poor guy is gonna get Mexican food on his birthday every year for the rest of his life. Reminds me of when I was young. My birthday happens to fall on Feb. 13th, so I always ended up with a strawberry cake; and many times in the shape of a heart. I used to get irritated, but now I can totally see where my mom was coming from! So we had fajitas, a pinata, and maracas as party favors! We borrowed a bounce house from Jodi; invited 10 of our closest friends and their kids which sounds like not that many but 10 of our closest friends turns into 20 because they are couples. With their kids (everyone has at least two) we ended up with about 40 people at the party! It was a blast. The weather cooperated; Brye was a genius with the food and it was a great day. I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was in the moment and just didn't.

We had a second party for Beau at his paternal grandparents over Mother's Day weekend. It was Kemp's college graduation as well. Congratulations Kemp!!! It was nice. My dad and sister, Jennifer got to come with her kids and our good friends, the Grishams joined us. It was short and sweet and a really good time. His second taste of chocolate cake was a little messier than the first, which was fun. Thanks to the grandparents spoiling him as usual, the car was loaded down with toys on the way home.

Beau learned how to walk about two weeks before he turned one. He has gotten really good at it and can pretty much run if he wants. He can also climb the stairs which is very scary, but he loves to play upstairs in his room or Bexley's room. He loves tomatoes, cheese, and grapes. His favorite word is "cracker" and anything in a box is a cracker. He does love crackers too! Banana's are an all time favorite as are Eggo waffles. His laugh is just like his mommas "cackle" and he has eight beautiful teeth that light up the room when he smiles. His eyes are as blue as the ocean and his hair as white as cotton. He is more beautiful than I could ever have imagined him to be. And yes, he looks just like his daddy. I love him so much.

The Innocence of a Child

Last night I was doing my Bible Study and Bexley, as always, wanted me to read his bible to him. I told him I would when I was finished. He then started asking questions about God, Jesus and living in the clouds. I'm not sure exactly how he worded it but at one point he asked how we get to live in the clouds with Jesus. I had no idea how to explain it to a three year old so I simply just said, "we have to die". He said, "i don't want to die". I told him I didn't want him to die either but explained to him that if he did, he would get to see Nonnie!! He then asked how we get up there; if we fly. I said, "no baby, it's complicated". He innocently looked at me and said, "God just grabs us by our wings!" I immediately had the biggest smile on my face and tears running down my face at the same time. That's exactly right. He knows Nonnie is his special angel and that one day he will be one too. It's as simple as that. If only we could all see the world as a three year old does.

Two years ago today my life was turned upside down. Two years ago today my mother died. Since 6:00 pm last night, I have relived every single moment of my last days with her. I know I shouldn't do that to myself, but in a way it helps. It's amazing to me how I can recall details like it was yesterday. I remember what I was wearing, what I ate, what I said to her when I left the hospital that night. I remember packing her bags for the hospital thinking she'll need something comfortable but presentable because she'll have visitors. When I cry, sometimes I cry because I am so jealous that she is in Heaven with our Lord praising him like I know she always wanted to. Sometimes I cry because I am so sad that my children are not going to know her. Bexley got to meet her but he was barely a year old when she died; he'll never remember how much she loved him, and as much I tell him, he'll never understand how special he was to her. Most of the time I cry because I just miss her so much. I miss calling her with recipe questions, with medical questions or with parenting questions. No matter what, she was always right. I miss her hands, her smile and her skin. I miss the way she smelled of latex gloves when she came home from work or of onions after cooking dinner. I especially miss the way she would laugh until she wet her pants!! Words can never express how special my mother was and that's what I'm most afraid of. I will not ever be able to share with my children how special she was. She was not only the best mother, but the best wife and I can only dream of being the kind of wife to my husband that she was to my dad. Most people knew my mother as a nurse and a wonderful nurse she was. She was an even better mom. I miss her more and more everyday. She was my biggest fan and the best role model I ever had. Now I have comfort knowing that she is now my Guardian Angel. I love you, Mom.

What A Christmas

Well this year was probably one of the most memorable Christmases EVER! Brye and I decided last year that Santa would be coming to our house from now on instead of Grandparents. It was very hard for me to make that adjustment given that the rest of my sisters would be at my dad's for Christmas morning. Our plan this year was to wake up Christmas morning, have our family Christmas then drive to Childress for Christmas with my family. Due to Brye's work schedule we were not going to be able to make it all the way up to Canyon this year, so Brye's parents decided to come to McKinney to spend Christmas here with us! They arrived on Wednesday afternoon and Jo and I made Christmas candy together and got to do some last minute shopping. Christmas Eve day it began to snow some. It rained a bit first then a few flurries came here and there. We again had some errands to run so about 1:00 pm while we were out and about my sister Julie sent me a text. She and her family had set out for Childress around noon that day. Her text stated they had to pull over and ditch the luggage rack from on top of the car due to the blizzard. They were packed full! She said they were only about an hour away!! The snow started to get thicker here and only about 30 minutes later Jodi called. The highway to Childress was now shut down. She and her family who were also on their way to Childress were just entering Dallas. They have a six month old and didn't want to risk it by continuing on and were too far to turn back around. She asked if they could stay with us tonight. Of course! I wouldn't have it any other way. Julie and her family were now stuck on the highway somewhere between Decatur and Wichita Falls. Every now and then we would get a text from her, they haven't moved, they had moved at maybe 5 miles an hour. The snow here was really starting to come down. Jodi and her family got to our house around 3:00 pm. Julie had still not budged on the road. At 5:28 pm Julie's text said they still had not moved at all. It was beginning to get dark and now we were worried. Brian passed around a 12 pack of Coke to other stranded passengers on the road. Throughout the evening still no movement. I have never felt so hopeless. All I wanted to do was go and get them or take them some coffee or hot cocoa, but nothing could be done. Semi trucks were jack-knifed and blocking any flow of traffic. Rescue crews could not get to them and snow plows were getting stuck as well. At one point Julie stated they reached the Jolly truck stop which was only about 15 miles from Wichita Falls. They were stopping to rest, bathroom, etc, but as soon as they pulled in all the power went out. There were stranded people everywhere; out of gas! Finally around 11:00 pm Brye read online that the military was going to send 10 HumV's out to help. It had only been 12 hours!! We had to go to bed and no sleep was to be had. The worry of my sister and her babies out in the middle of no where was too much. We awoke, or got out of bed rather, around 7:00 am and I had a voicemail from Brian's sister from 3:30 am stating Brian and Julie's cell phones were dead and she was trying to reach my dad to let him know. I called her immediately and asked what was going on. She said they reached a Wichita Falls around 3:00 am and by the grace of God found a hotel room and stayed the night. I just broke down in tears. They were safe and warm! I called my dad and told him the news and he too just cried. It was a feeling of relief I have never felt before. I've never in my life been so worried and helpless and hope to never experience it again.
The snow here was beautiful and we had a great White Christmas morning. Santa brought presents for the boys and filled stockings for the girls as well. He took their big presents to Childress ;). We spoke to Julie and she informed us that Santa came to the hotel!! The Highway Department was still reporting road closures around Wichita Falls so we took our time getting ready to leave. Julie and Brian set out around 10 am for Childress from WF. We headed out around noon. We were cruising pretty well until we reached Bowie, then all the sudden the roads became nothing but ice! It was horrible. Traffic slowed to a crawl of about 5 to 10 mph, stopping every now and then. I began counting cars on the side of the road. It was an amazing sight. There were even cars that I assume had run out of gas just sitting in the middle of the road. We reached Wichita Falls and the bridge to enter was at a stand still. Jodi was a bit ahead of us and said to take the 287 loop around the city so we did. The roads on the other side of Wichita Falls were not much better. We finally reached Electra and as quickly as the road became icy, it became clear. Our normal four hour drive to Childress was already at 4 hours and we were still 1 1/2 hours away. We finally made it to Childress around 7:00 pm. Julie and Brian got there around 4:00. It was such a relief to be home. Brye and I had questioned if it was worth it but I couldn't imagine not being there with the rest of my family so yes, it was worth it! The rest of our weekend was great. We had good food, great quality time with everyone and the cousins had a blast together. Needless to say, the drive home went by very fast!! However, when we approached DFW Bexley started to notice the snow had melted and he himself had a meltdown. We scraped together the snow that was left on the ground and made a tiny little snowman! He loved it.
Oh and the final stranded tally?
Cars: 195 (and I am not kidding!)
Semis: 35
Snowplows: 1
Dropped trailers: 3
Snowmen: 2

Bexley's 3!!!

My little Bexley is now three years old. It has gone by so fast and I am loving this age. Bex is such a talker and can really carry on a good conversation. I so wish I would write down some of the things he says so I'll never forget. One of my favorites that I can think of right now is if I get upset with him and raise my voice or punish him in any way, he'll simply ask, "Momma, you happy?" If I say no, he'll respond with, "hugs make us happy" and give me the biggest hug ever. Sometimes, I tell him I'm not happy just to get a great big hug. He is absolutely amazing and LOVES his momma. He loves his daddy, too, don't get me wrong, but man is he attached to me. He is still attending school two days a week and recently had his Thanksgiving program. Needless to say, he did not actually participate besides standing where he was supposed to and staring at the crowd. A little stage fright never hurt anyone, just ask Barbara Striesand. My dad, Poppa, was able to come down for Bex's birthday this year which was a lot of fun. Matt and Tanya and Bentley also got to be here. We had a pancake breakfast and everyone got to make their own pancakes. We had chocolate chips, cinnamon apples, blueberries, and bananas. They turned out really good. Grandpa and JoJo didn't make it this year but came for Thanksgiving the following weekend so he got to open more presents!! We splurged on the little guy this year and finally got him that four-wheeler he'd been wanting. We had promised it to him for successfully potty training but when your birthday is two months away, I had to hold off. He has enjoyed his four-wheeler a lot, but now that the weather is getting pretty cold, it's been parked in the garage for a while.

Bex is becoming such a good big brother too. He and Beau are now taking baths together and Bexley asks almost every night if Beau can sleep with him. Not too much longer, Buddy and he can. I can't imagine my life without my Bex. He makes me laugh and has taught me so much about patience and parenting :) Love you as big as the sky Buddy!!

Halloween; better late than never

So once again, another update. At least its something, huh? Let's see, my last post was October 28th so that means I am behind by 4 holidays and a birthday! How am I ever going to catch up. First things first; Halloween. Not much to say really. We trick or treated with Julie, Jordan and Case in our neighborhood this year, which was a lot of fun. The weather was great, the kids had too much candy and the dad's, well, they got to stay home and pass out candy. In addition to Halloween night, we also attended Fall Festival at the country club with the Palmers. Bex and Korbin had a blast hula hooping, getting faces painted and in the bounce house. The Haunted House was not so fun. Here are a few pictures, but most can be found on facebook.