Busy (FUN) weekend!

This weekend was jam-packed of things to do, and fun to be had. So without further adieu, let's get to it!

Saturday morning we woke up bright and early and headed to San Marcus for my annual family reunion. Unfortunately, Jesse had to work, so he was unable to go with us. But, Ryleigh was excited nonetheless. =)
The reunion was inside the pavilion this year, which made all the difference in the world. Actually, people were putting on jackets, because they were cold...unheard of! We would hang out inside, chatting with people for awhile, then go thaw out outside, and come back inside. Haha. The Little family had great attendance, as usual, and we took a good picture of everyone.
Matt and Michelle were going to take Savannah on the train that goes around the entire park. We see them take off running from the building, and jump on the train- determined to get a seat! Ryleigh and I followed, and managed to get the seat right in front of them. So fun! Ryleigh enjoyed riding around, seeing kids playing, ducks swimming in the streams, and pretending to be a big girl, sitting by herself without a car seat.
As always, we have the annual "Oldest and Youngest" picture, and this year it was my Granddad and Ryleigh! Of course we had a hard time getting Ryleigh to sit still, as she is always on the GO, but it turned out cute.
I had to leave early and missed the pinata. Since Ryleigh is the youngest, she got to go first...and needed a little help from all the adults...
Later that night, they all went to eat and Ryleigh was apparently a great source of entertainment for the entire family. Despite the fact that it had been a really long day and was way past her bedtime, she was all smiles and laughs.

So, the reason I left the reunion early, was because my friend Erin was getting married in Austin. The ceremony was very sweet and heartfelt. JT looked nice in his dress uniform, and of course, Erin looked absolutely beautiful.
Since Jesse was stuck working at home, I was once again alone at a wedding. However, Thomas and Lindsey (and Chris for awhile, until Heather got back) let me be the third wheel and hang out with them. Thanks guys!!

Thomas and Lindsey are getting married in November, and I know they are getting anxious and excited...as are we! Looking forward to sharing in y'alls big day soon.
JT's groom cake was unbelievable- biggest groom's cake I have ever seen. It was Kyle Field! I had to take a picture to show Jesse and remember this unbelievable cake! I did not stay long enough to actually taste any cake, but I'm sure it had to be good. I am curious how they went about "cutting" it though...
Thanks again for hanging out and letting me be your third wheel, Lindsey!
Sunday morning, my family headed out to Lake Travis. Uncle Charlie brought his boat, and we rented a partially covered barge and jet ski. The boys arrived early and got all the boats ready, and the rest of us girls showed up and jumped aboard!

Ryleigh and Savannah looked cute in their super big life jackets, all lathered in sunscreen. When I say lathered in sunscreen...I mean lathered in sunscreen. Ryleigh is so pale, I just knew she was going to fry out there. Luckily, she did not! Her little face began to turn pink towards the end of the day (just from being warm), but she did not burn. Success!

Ryleigh kept climbing into the driver's seat of the barge- either by herself, or on Uncle Rick's lap. She wanted to steer...scary to think of her behind the wheel already.
The newlyweds, Micah and Sarah, on the jet ski. This picture was taken pretty early on in the day, and before Micah busted his head open. Yes, it would not be a family get-together without drama. Poor Micah, he knocked his head on the corner of the boat's windshield and split it right open. Four or five staples later, a frustrated Micah still came back and ate lunch with everyone, despite the fact he was hurting pretty good. So sorry for the bad luck, Micah!
Ryleigh loved floating in the lake. I had no doubt she would like the water, but I was nervous about just letting her float in her life jacket. So, I brought the floatie, and Ryleigh would just lay back, completely chilling out.
Julie thought it would be fun to try to kill me and throw me off the jet ski...I warned her, "if I go, you are going too!" We did not actually fall off, and I was even brave enough to drive. I don't know why machines like that make me so nervous, but they do. I was proud of my attempt to hang on tight to Julie and then to drive myself.
I also went tubing behind Uncle Charlie's boat. Jake and I were having a competition to see who could last the longest, and I think we tied. It was a lot of fun. However, it is now Wednesday, and my body is still sore and recovering from holding on to the tube! Yes, I'm officially old.

All in all, it was a very fun weekend. Ryleigh and I were both exhausted Sunday night when we got home, and fell asleep very quickly. It was worth it for the hang out time with family, and lots of laughs shared.

SHOUT OUT!

I have to send a nice big CONGRATULATIONS to my sister, Sarah! I just heard she was offered her first teaching job, starting in a few weeks! Wahoo! Most of you know that finding that first job can be the hardest, and she has had some rotten luck with several school districts. This job came from out-of-the-blue, and landed in her lap. Who says God is not in control??

Congrats, Sarah, and I can't wait to see how you touch the lives of those Kindergardeners.

P.S. You should start your own blog, so you can share stories with us! Hint, hint...

P.P.S Susan, I'm still waiting on you to start your blog too!!

New ride

We finally did it! We have been talking about doing something different with our car situation for awhile, and have been researching options for a few months. Last weekend, we made a decision. We bought a scooter! And it happened very quickly. Scooters in Houston are flying off the shelves, per se.

We have to give major props to Amy and Andrew who actually found the scooter for us on Craigslist. Jesse and I had gone to their house last week and tried out their two scooters, learned more about the ups and downs of scootering, insurance, etc. They actually told us about this scooter, but said the lady who owned had since sold it. Yeah she did- she sold it to a family who then sold it to us! Same scooter! Small world, or what?

It is a 2008, Vitacci Retro with just over 300 miles on it. And it is cool.



We had it sitting in our garage for a few days waiting to buy helmets, but now Jesse has been driving it every day to work. It gets up to about 55 mph, so we will not be riding it on any highways or anything- just back and forth to work, and little errands around here. It gets approximately 100 miles to the gallon, and costs $6 to fill up. Niiiiicce.

We have not decided if we are going to sell the Altima yet. We're holding on to it for now to make sure this new situation is going to work for us, and confirm we are ready to be a one-car family. I think it will work, but I am anxious to see how the weather will play into our plan. Only time will tell.

The scooter, still nameless, will also bring some more "fun" into our lives. How much more fun will it be running little errands on a scooter? Or going on date nights, wrapping my arms around Jesse? Originally, I wanted to learn how to drive it so I too could run errands on it and what not. Well, then I actually tried and "laid it over" shortly after leaving our driveway. Haha. (I'm laughing now...not so much then.) The whole handlebar/gas/brake concept must be too much for me. Who knows, maybe I'll try again later, but for now, I'm just enjoying being a passenger.

Wahoo for fun! And thanks again Amy and Andrew for all your help and advice!! Can't wait to go ridin' with ya! =)

The nursery

I have had the pleasure of working in the nursery at church this summer. I have been assigned to the baby room, which holds babies from 6-weeks-old until they start crawling. Needless to say, we have quite the variety! I have loved getting to hold little babies again, give bottles, rock and sing to little baby boys, and even listen to their little cries.

We had 6 adults assigned to the room, which normally equals out to about 2 babies per adult- no big deal. Babies sit in swings or exersaucers, lay on their tummies and giggle at you. But this Sunday, those cute little cries erupted. No joke. We had 17 babies (after we finally had to call the parents of one...we started with 18!). We ended up pulling in 3 extra adult help because literally, all of the babies were crying. I don't know if there was something with a full moon or what, but that was a lot of crying. It started out with just one or two babies, and then one by one the rest of them decided to join in. Even those babies who never cry, are always happy, joined in.

I guess that is what babies do, and I had forgotten that side of little ones. The uncontrollable, mommy-only-soothed cry that has the power to shake you to the core. Not fun.

But, to end on a positive note, it certainly puts Ryleigh's "rough days" in perspective. I know I have said this before, but I'll say it again; I am glad to be on this side of the fence. Newborns are sweet and cuddly and soft and immobile, but they are a hand full!

Date night

Friday night Jesse and I decided to have some hang out time alone. First time in awhile, actually. And it was nice. =)

We went to eat at BJ's Restaurant and Brewery. Jesse wanted to try the Santa Fe eggrolls or something, which have black beans in them, and you will be proud to know that I tried them- and liked them! (I hate beans, for all you who may not know my weird quirks. I love green beans, but that is as close to a "bean" as you will see me get.) So this was quite an accomplishment. Dinner was very good, and we were impressed.

Afterwards, we went around to a few shops looking at things, and decided we were over it. Jesse suggested we go fishing at the golf course, which sounded nice and relaxing. We had to move lakes a few times after no bites, but finally went to a location where we made a bet. Jesse bet me that if I did not catch a fish after 10 casts, he would buy me dessert. On his first cast, he caught a bass. A few casts later, he caught another. And then another. Meanwhile, I was on my 9th cast with not even a nibble. I made him switch poles with me, determined that mine was unlucky. Two casts later, I caught one!! And Jesse said mine was the biggest! However, it was the 11th cast...and he owed me dessert! Haha.

After the sun went down, we went a few more places and then headed back to pick up Ryleigh. It was a fun night, and I enjoyed hanging out and laughing with my husband.

4th of July Celebration

We had a really nice of 4th of July. We spent most of the day being lazy (though we did squeeze in a workout) and just enjoying hanging out as a family. Our church, Faithbridge, was having a huge community-wide celebration and concert. We thought it sounded fun, and we knew a lot of our friends would be there, so we thought we would try it out.

When I say we were BLOWN AWAY with this event, it is an understatement. We parked at the high school and were shuttled over in large, air-conditioned buses. I think I heard them say they had over 16 buses, ready to shuttle people back and forth.

We arrived at the church campus, and were handed picnic blanket with the Faithbridge logo on it; one per family, to keep! There were concessions for snow cones, funnel cakes, water and soft drinks...all for free. Yeah, did I mention this whole event was free?

We found our friends, Hayden & Lauren and Thomas & Lindsey, and added our blanket to theirs. The weather was so nice! It was not humid and actually had a nice breeze, so sitting outside, with friends, was quite the relaxing atmosphere, despite the fact there were thousands of people everywhere.

Nathan and Christy Nockels (formerly Watermark) gave a concert while we were waiting for the sun to set. I never get tired of listening to them. Ever.

Here is a run-down of the rest of the night, via pictures.
Ryleigh in her 4th of July outfit from Great Aunt Kathy. Thanks Aunt Kathy!
Hayley and Ryleigh kept sharing (and stealing) each others stuff. First it was the straw. Then a sippy cup. Once they received these (free) light up necklaces, they were really having fun with their little game!
Hayden, Lauren, Hayley, and Little Girl #2 Austin.
Jesse, me, and Ryleigh. I'm sitting at a very awkward angle here, trying to make sure no one can see up my skirt!! Haha. And Jesse, though smiling slightly, is still trying to hide behind us. Only a few more months babe, and those teeth are going to be shining brightly through your beautiful, perfect smile!
Lindsey and Lyric. Lyric is going to be Lindsey's flowergirl in a few months; she is quite the cutie, and sweet as can be.

Jesse, Ryleigh, and I went right up near the stage for the concert. No to sound obsessive, or put Christy up on a pedestal, but man, that girl can sing. It never ceases to amaze me how crystal clear her voice is; without recording or voice-overs. She is naturally blessed with a beautiful voice, and I just love to listen to her. I feel so blessed that her brother works for our church so we get the privilege of sharing worship with them from time to time.
I just love this picture of my man and my baby. We were having a great time, if you can't tell by Ryleigh's smile...
and then Ryleigh decided she wanted on "Mama's" shoulders. Didn't work quite so well...
so she settled for a hug from Mama.
Before the fireworks display began, kids were running everywhere, playing with donated Frisbees, balls, you name it. If we put Ryleigh down for even half a second, she was literally on the run, trying to keep up with the big kids.

*Side note: Can you see the "Too Cute" written across her bottom? It was too cute!

Once it got dark, a nearby-stationed army group conducted the presentation of flags, while each military unit's song played. Then, a few kids from the church led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Christy sang the National Anthem. I love watching Jesse during these times- the pride he has in our nation and those who serve it is amazing and something he is very passionate about.
After a countdown, the fireworks show began. I heard that it costs approximately $1000 per minute for a fireworks show of this size- ours lasted almost 20 minutes. And the entire thing was donated by HEB (along with all the concession snacks I mentioned earlier). Wow. God is so good.
Ryleigh had started to get tired, but she watched every minute of the fireworks.
Hayden and Hayley had fun watching the fireworks too.
(Lindsey, I took a picture of you and Thomas during the fireworks because you guys looked so cute, but my flash did not reach far enough and you can barely see you guys!)

Once the show was over, we assumed there would be a mad dash for the buses and major traffic jam. They were so organized though!! They lined people up into 16 lines, and just kept moving. We were on the first bus round (and no, we did not run to the buses) and never had to wait. Exiting the school parking lot was more of the same- zero wait time.

All in all, we were more than impressed. It was a fun, family-friendly event we got to share with friends, with amazing music, awesome fireworks, and a special celebration of our nation's freedom. We will definitely make this an annual tradition.

Busted...AGAIN!

I heard the rustling in the room next door, snuck in with camera in hand...
and CAUGHT YA! Again...
Once you realized you were not in trouble, you thought you were quite hilarious, and kept laughing at yourself, running back and forth, trampling over your mess.
You make me laugh, baby girl. You make me laugh. =)

Surprise!

Early last week my sister, Susan, called me with good news: she and her boyfriend, Brent, were coming to Houston! They live in Minnesota, and though we occasionally get to see Susan (not nearly enough!), we have not seen Brent in a few years. So, needless to say, I was very excited to hear they were coming for the holiday weekend. Not only that, but no one else in the family knew! Micah and Sarah were coming in town for a friend's wedding so literally our entire family was going to be together for the first time ever...and no one else knew but me!! (I'll admit, I felt pretty cool to be part of the surprise.)

So, the plan was that I was going to pick them up from the airport and then we would randomly walk into Mom's office and surprise her. However, first I needed to learn where her office had just moved. So, the diversion plan was for me to meet mom for lunch first (so I could learn how to get there with good reason), then go pick them up, and head right back to the office. Well, that morning Mom let me know that they were only going to have to work half-day, so she wanted to alter our plan...she did not know that messed up the whole surprise plan!! I finally cancelled lunch and told her we would do it another day. I could tell she was disappointed. I went to the airport and picked up Brent and Sus and instead, we headed to Mom and Dad's house, hoping she would be there. We snuck in the front door to find Mom dead asleep on the couch. We woke her up...and her initially scared, then confused, then excited looks were priceless.
I had to get back to work, but I hear they pulled surprises on everyone else in the family that night too: first Julie, then Dad, then Sarah. Everyone was pretty shocked and excited to see them.

Saturday was the first time we have all gotten together to hang out as a family. Brent and Micah had never met face to face (until Thursday). Saturday afternoon the boys went to play golf and the girls did some shopping and ate appetizers and dessert at PF Changs. (On a side note: I LOVE this place! It might be one of my new favorites.) That evening we were supposed to all have family dinner and then hang out and 'get to know each other' better. The boys had a slight rain delay at the golf course, so the evening was pushed later than anticipated, but it was still fun nevertheless. Conversation flowed and much laughter was shared. I'm so thankful for this positive experience; I think we all needed it.

To Susan and Brent: thank you for coming down to surprise everyone. It was a fun weekend and we look forward to seeing you both again soon!

1 Peter 4: 7-11

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use what gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as if speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

I was reading tonight, and just had to share. I'm sure I have read this passage before, probably several times, but tonight it hit home. It is getting late, but I wanted to put my thoughts out there, and share my heart. I must admit, when I read this passage I felt immediate conviction. I thought of my husband, and though he is sleeping soundly in our bed, I wanted to wake him and apologize. No, this passage is not speaking in terms of wives treatment of their husbands, but strictly speaking to Christians regarding their treatment of everyone. Regardless, I felt the conviction related specifically to my husband.

"...be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." How often do I jump on Jesse for little things that do not matter? I allow my emotions to get the best of me and rarely stop to pray (much less allow myself time to clear my mind or control my self) before 'attacking' him for one reason or another?

"...love each other deeply..." Please do not misunderstand me here. You know I love my husband deeply. I know I love my husband deeply. And Jesse knows I love him deeply. But do I show him that? Daily? In a 'deep' manner? Somehow I have become calloused, even to him, and cannot show deep, uninhibited love for him. He knows I love him, but do I act on my love in a way that speaks volumes to him and others of my deep love for him?

"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." This one spoke volumes, especially related to my husband. When I think of the word hospitality, I think of inviting over friends or family, planning a nice meal, and serving my guests. I do not think the same of my husband. Why does he not deserve the same offer of hospitality, here comes the kicker, without my grumbling? Why can I serve others and expect no response, and expect him to thank me and think I'm so wonderful for what I do? Why can I not just offer kindness and hospitality without grumbling?

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others..." God has given me a very organized and methodical brain. He has given me the tendency to clean and attempt to be a neat freak. He has shown me that keeping my life in order makes me a happier (and nicer) person. So again I ask, why do I expect to receive kudos for using my gifts to serve my family? I know that these tendencies make me who I am, and if God has given me the ability and desire to keep a clean (not always clean, but you know what I mean) house, and do the dishes, and put away the laundry, shouldn't I embrace the fact that I am using my God-given gifts and talents to serve my family, rather than be bitter that no one else "helps" in these areas?

"...faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." Oh man. If God can faithfully provide me His grace over and over for all my mistakes, which we all know occur way too often, then why is it so much harder for me to give Jesse grace when he upsets me? Why am I deserving of God's grace, but Jesse is not deserving of Melody's grace?

After all of that, I was feeling pretty down. Where was my answer? Or, I should say answers, considering all of the thoughts racing through my head. But as I continued to read, I found it.

"If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised..." That is it. Of course, as a human, I am going to struggle with these areas. I am going to have a hard time serving my husband and my family, without grumble, and without expectation of earthly kudos or reward. I will get worn down and bitter. I cannot do it. So I MUST ask for strength that only God can provide. Strength to persevere when I have had a rough day and don't feel like doing the dishes. Strength to love my husband in action, not just words. Strength to reach out in love and hospitality, without expecting anything in return. And I do all this, not so that I can be praised, but so that others will see Him through me and give HIM the praise and glory, knowing that it is ONLY because of HIM that I can have the strength to give, in service, in hospitality, and in love.

Tonight, I'm saying an extra big prayer. A prayer for renewed strength that I know only He can give. For all of you wives and moms out there; I'm praying it for you too.

A good day

On Saturday, three friends met in Centerville for lunch. I have not seen the girls in over a year, almost two years (since Tory's wedding) and we were long overdue for some hang out and catch up time.

It took a lot of planning to coordinate our get-together, over 70 emails, and in the end, Danielle was not able to make it. However, Shelley and Sarah came from the Dallas/Ft.Worth area, Tory came from Tyler, and I drove up from Houston. We have all had some big things happening in life lately, and it was so great to catch up and hear what each one has been up to.

Its not very often that you find good friends that you keep in touch with; especially not from a work environment, which is where we all met. I consider myself very lucky to know each of these girls, and even more lucky to call them my friends. I miss you all, and look forward to our next visit!

Here are some of our pictures from the day.

Shelley and Sarah. We said we hate how no one ever remembers to take pictures during the "event" and then once you are leaving, we decide to take a couple rushed pictures. Sure enough, that is exactly what I did. So they laughed and teased me with their posed pictures of conversation.

Tory was laughing at their posing, and had no idea I caught her in the act!
Now for the real poses. =)

All four of us: Shelley, Sarah, Tory, and me.
Love you girls, and can't wait to see you and catch up again!

Not the best few weeks...

I must warn you, as the title of this post suggests, I might sound slightly negative and frustrated over the following paragraphs. Feel free to stop reading now!

Okay, so, I know we all have those weeks where everything seems to go wrong. It feels like "Monday" replays, over and over and over. Well what happens when it lasts longer than a week, or even two weeks? It is so easy to get overwhelmed with frustration and explode.

Not to sound dramatic, but I'm going to lay it all out there. Not for sympathy, but so you can understand where I am coming from.

Last week was another terrible week with work. Again, I do not want to go into details, but let's just say if some things do not change, I might have to make a change. I had to have a "talk" with one of my co-workers, that was probably one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life. I do not deal well with confrontation, and it is never easy to say things to someone that you know have the potential to ruin their day. Things are really rough right now, and every time I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel, a new tunnel comes along. I'm exhausted and needing something to change.

I was working late every night last week, and on Wednesday night I stayed up until probably close to 11:30, just working. I finally got into bed and fell asleep (it takes me normally at least an hour to fall asleep). Well, around 2:00 in the morning, I hear Ryleigh through the monitor. I have been really working on not jumping up the second I hear her. So, I laid there listening, as she rustled around a bit. Finally, she started screaming. I got up and turned the monitor all the way down. Fortunately, our house is not very large, so of course I could still hear her, just not directly in my ear. What started out as a little rustling, finally turned into an all-out fit. You moms out there know what I'm talking about. Ryleigh is at an age when she knows how to "turn it on" and really wail, letting me know she is unhappy with whatever decision I have made. Well, after about 10 minutes of this fit, I noticed a difference in the pitch of her wail. I got up, frustrated, and headed down the hall to her room. About halfway down the hall, I heard a loud thud. I ran the rest of the way, opened the door to find her face down on the floor. Yes, you read that right. Somehow, she climbed out of her crib and fell down. Needless to say, I sat down on the floor, holding her, and we both cried. I brought her back to my bed (there was no way I was going to put her back in her bed), but did not sleep all night, as I kept checking to make sure she was okay and did not have a concussion. It was a very long, sleepless night. The next day Jesse checked the bed, because we thought it was lowered all the way down, and had absolutely no idea how she climbed out. We were able to lower it literally to the ground, and now the front rail is above her head. I felt terrible. One of the worst mom moments so far. (The other including the time she fell off the changing table, while I was standing right there. Yes, it is a miracle that these little ones survive their mommies.)

Thursday morning, my sister-in-law, Gina, called in a panic. She had locked herself out of the house she was dog-sitting for. Her entire purse was locked inside. We thought there were extra keys to her car at her house, but it turns out both sets were in her purse. After leaving the dog there, we went back to her house and called a locksmith. Upon returning to the house, we found the dog was gone. The locksmith could not get in and was going to have to drill out the hole. He wanted a faxed copy of the owners approval...the owners, who were on vacation in Mexico!! Finally, on the "last try" he got it open. Once we got inside, there was a message from someone who had found the dog, and we were able to go get it. Just a long, frustrating day.

Friday I had to go into the office for several afternoon meetings. (Side note: who does that? Who, in their right mind, schedules afternoon meetings on a Friday?? And I had three!!) My sister-in-law, Jenn, watched Ryleigh for me. When I returned, she mentioned the rash under Ryleigh's arm. I had noticed the first little dot on Tuesday evening during her bath, but casually dismissed it, considering Ryleigh has very sensitive skin and almost always has a rash of some kind or another. Thursday night we had noticed it had started to spread and looked much worse. But once my sister-in-law brought it up, I realized it might be a serious problem. She and I got online and looked it up, and it looked just like chicken pox. I was still doubtful, since she is only one-year-old! When we got home and Jesse looked at it, he agreed it was a problem. Saturday morning, bright and early, Ryleigh and I went to the doctor. First they were upset with me because I did not call and schedule an appointment. (I did not know you could schedule appointments on weekends, and just assumed it was a walk-in-type atmosphere on the weekend.) Jesse met us up there, and we waited for an hour. When we got to see the doctor, sure enough, Ryleigh was diagnosed with chicken pox. The doctor said that based on the location of the pox, and the fact it was not spreading throughout her whole body that she probably did not have a "full" case of them. She had received the vaccine for the virus at her 1-year well-baby visit, and her body was reacting directly to it. The way I understand it, the vaccine is supposed to be injecting a very small amount of the virus into your system so that your body learns to recognize the virus and build up antibodies for the future. Well, in Ryleigh's case, her body definitely recognized the virus right away, and decided to fight it off with the usual method of breaking out in "pox." Luckily, with her being so young, she is not bothered by them, despite the fact they make me get the heebie-jeebies every time I have to apply the ointment to them. What started out looking like little acne, turned into big blisters that popped and looked like open sores. The worst part(s) of the whole ordeal was the fact that I had probably unknowingly infected both my sister-in-laws' kids, being around them Thursday and Friday, without knowing it. Not to mention we were then under house arrest, for fear of contaminating anyone else. Oh yeah; and when we were at the doctor, we learned Ryleigh also had a bad inner ear infection. Fun times.
You can see the chicken pox in the above picture. They pretty much stayed on the underside of her right arm, in her arm pit, and on the right side of her chest and rib cage. She got a few on her face and a few on her legs, but that's about it. She did not seem to mind. =)

Well, so now I'm caught up until last week. Last week, since we were home bound, we figured we would take on another home project: my office! Over the weekend I worked diligently to scrape the ceiling, paint the ceiling, prime the walls (I had bright red that required two solid coats of Kilz primer!), and begin painting the walls a light blue. It was a lot of work. I was about to tape and begin painting the trim work, when Jesse came in to inspect my work. He came up with a plan to modernize the room, by ripping out the current molding work and redoing it, all along the base boards, around the door frames and window sill. He went to Lowes to get the necessary hardware and I went to his parent's house to borrow his dad's saw. On the way back to our house the car started to overheat...again. And again. And again. I had to stop four times on the way home to let the car relax, then drive another few blocks, until we finally made it home. Needless to say, by that time, I was mad and so was Jesse. He has been driving the car for about a month now with no problems and the first time I drive it, it does this. I'm not joking when I tell you that the car is possessed. It knows when I drive and it hates me. It seriously has never messed up for Jesse- the problems only occur when I'm driving. I'm the one who ends up stranded. Nice.

Jesse did not have time to work on the car, so, all week, I had no vehicle and was literally under house arrest. I was going to go crazy. I do not do well cooped up, day in and day out. And I get agitated. And mean.

Then Wednesday morning I received a call from my mother-in-law informing me that they had taken Jesse's grandma Gertie to the ER Tuesday night and ended up admitting her to the hospital. There was no word yet as to what was wrong, but she said they did a ton of tests the night before and should know something soon. Wednesday afternoon, I got another call from my mother-in-law, though I could barely tell it was her, through the tears and crying on the other end of the line. They received the test results, and were pretty sure that Grandma Gertie had liver and colon cancer. Please keep in mind that Grandma Gertie is going to be 88-years-old next month. I'm not saying that she can't fight the cancer, but I'm sure it is a much harder battle when your body is older. Needless to say, we dropped what we were doing and headed straight to the hospital. Jesse's mom and dad were definitely struggling with the diagnosis, and needed someone there to take their mind off it. Ryleigh provided just the distraction. =) Grandma Gertie was in good spirits, and never once mentioned the word cancer. The doctor's need to do a colonoscopy to learn more about the cancer in her colon, see how quickly it is progressing, and figure out a plan of action. Unfortunately, her blood was too thin and would not thicken enough to clot during the procedure. So, in the mean time, they are giving her large injections of vitamin K and getting her to eat a lot. Hopefully they will be able to do the procedure by Monday of next week, and we will know more. At this point, we know there are masses throughout the liver and colon and the mass in the liver has metastasized there. No, I do not know all the ends and outs of cancer, and truth be told, I was hoping to not have to learn all of this lingo for awhile. Please forgive my terminology, if I'm speaking out of turn. When we left the hospital that night, Jesse's dad walked us out, and we could tell he was really torn up about the whole thing. His dad passed away over 30+ years ago, so he has been taking care of his mom ever since. Now, no one is sure how to take care of her, and what the best solution is. We both hugged him and told him we would be on our knees about the situation.

Thursday was snap day. Literally. I snapped on Thursday. I wont go into the details, but know that it was not pretty, especially for Jesse and Ryleigh.

Today, I feel better. I spent a good deal of time in prayer last night, and I have peace about a lot of the trouble situations we have faced and will continue to face. Tomorrow, I get to go meet some friends from college whom I have not seen in a long time. I'm looking forward to seeing them, getting out of the house, and spending some time by myself (in the car).

If you have made it this far through all my rants, complaints, and negativity, thank you. I'm sorry this is a "downer" post. Things have been pretty exhausting lately, and I have found that getting it off my chest and pouring it out, whether to a comforting friend, the faceless blogosphere, or on my knees in prayer, I feel better.

Please be praying for Grandma Gertie, as we are still facing a lot of uncertainty right now. Pray that the colonoscopy will be easy and will retrieve the information they need. Pray for the oncologist as he/she determines a plan of action for treatment. Pray for Jesse's family, as they are all very close with their mom/grandma, and are all taking this news very hard. And please pray for Grandma Gertie specifically. I do not know if she is saved. I can not be sure of her salvation, and that is scary at this point in time. I also ask that you pray for her own state-of-mind. She is one who is constantly on the go, and I pray that her spirits stay good during this slow down period.

Thank you, friends. Thank you for letting me "bring it all" to the table.

Wordless Wednesday

Walking, talking, climbing, clapping...basically the cutest thing ever. =)

Once again...

...I have fallen off the bandwagon.

Did I mention last time that life has been CRAZY? This time, I can say more specifically that work has been crazy. But considering this is a blog about me and my personal life, I dont want to get into all of that.

However, do check down below, because I have quite a few new posts with some of the cool stuff that has happened in life along the way.

My little big girl

Ryleigh is changing and growing more and more every single day. Honestly, it is incredibly hard to believe how much of a little person she has become. I know the saying "learn something new every day" sounds cliche, but I think when you are a toddler, the saying is true! Jesse and I are amazed by the things she does and the connections she has made.

For example, if you hand her a phone, she will immediately put it to her ear and say "ho?" (which is gibberish for "hello"- no I don't answer my phone calling out mean names to people on the other end). Or, if you just watch her when she is playing in my bathroom, she will remove a q-tip from my drawer and put it up to her ear. Or when she hands you something and says "tank u" as she gives it to me, because that is what I always say when she hands me objects. These are things we never taught her- she just learned from watching us.

If she is hungry, she will either go and bang on the pantry, or stand in front of her high chair, fussing and reaching for the tray. Or if she is tired, she'll try to pull on the front of her crib, begging to be put to sleep. The girl knows what she wants. =)

When we take her to the pool, she watches the other kids very intently, and just this week, she started purposely putting her face in the water and kicking her legs. How did she know to do that? We never taught her that! She has started climbing into chairs and sliding down the side of the couch when she wants down. She has no fear. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing...

She has also learned several things from direct imitation. If you throw back and laugh real hard "ha-ha-ha," she will smile and say "ha-ha-ha." If someone is coughing, whether real or faking, she feels the need to clear her own throat. When Jesse sticks his tongue out at her, she sticks out her own tongue. If she sees me scratch my arm, she will either scratch her own arm, or come over and scratch mine!

Needless to say, we are having a blast with Ryleigh. She is learning every day, and so are we. We get so excited every time we see her try something new.

But it just further reminds me that she is no longer a baby. Sure, she still likes being held by Mommy. Yes, she still uses a pacifier (we are working on it!) and takes a bottle at night (though we have switched to whole milk). But she is not the needy baby she was, even 3 months ago. She does not depend on me to remember to feed her or put her down for a nap; if I forget, she reminds me! Crazy right, that at one-year-old, she is already "taking responsibility" in a way, for her own well-being.

Enough of that, or what started out as a fun post will turn sad as I reminisce of my baby.

Here are some fun recent photos:

At her 1-year well baby visit, we watched anxiously as she tipped the scales at 20.0 pounds, the minimum weight for the forward-facing car seat. I would not have been so anxious about turning her around, except that she is sooooo tall, her poor little legs were getting squished, and when she would get tired of being in the car, she would kick the seat and jar her whole body. Needless to say, as soon as we got the go-ahead, we turned her around! And now we have a happy little girl in the car.
*On a side note, the first night we installed the car seat and went for a ride to "try it out" I totally teared up. It was the first time in a long time that I have seen Ryleigh and thought that she looked really small. Maybe the seat was just extra big, but whatever the reason, she sure looked small to me.
Another recent change is her sleep attire. The entire first year of her life she wore full body pajamas, with leggings and snaps down the center. Lately, she wears little shorts and t-shirts, pants and sleeveless shirts, and even nightgowns! Just one more sign of my baby turning into a little girl.
Ryleigh refuses to sit in her exersaucer anymore. She might let me put her in there for about two minutes, but that is about it. However, she still occasionally enjoys watching her Baby Einstein videos. Since she has mastered climbing in and out of her rocking chair, I moved it into the living room to see if she would sit in it for five minutes.
Sure enough, she loved it. Oh, and did I mention she is back in the "posing" stage? Around 4-6 months, she would always smile and giggle for the camera. Then she got active and could not be bothered to stop or smile at the camera. Now, she is just a little ham. I love it. =)
Well, there you have it. My long overdue update on my little, big girl. Growing like a weed, learning right and left, and yet still super sweet. Ryleigh is more and more fun everyday, and I'm so thankful to have this little one in my life.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Jesse!

Yes, this time last year, Jesse was a Dad. But, being only a few weeks into the job, it was hard to see what he could do, per say. Now, a year down the road, I can say that Jesse is an amazing Dad. He loves to love on Ryleigh, playing with her, and sharing his life with her in a way that only he can. Sure, he does things different than I do with her, but thank goodness for that! Jesse is learning his own way to parent Ryleigh, and I'm so thankful to see their relationship evolve and grow. Ryleigh loves her Daddy, and gives him snuggles and smiles unlike any other. Her face perks up and her smile when she hears him get home from work, or when she hears his voice on the other end of the telephone. These two have a special father daughter relationship, and I look forward to watching it continue to blossom in the years to come.

Jesse, thank you for all that you are to our family. Your hard work to support us does not go unnoticed, and your desire for adventure and fun has helped to keep life interesting. We are so lucky to have you in our life, as husband and daddy, and I'm glad we stop, if only for one day, to recognize all that you mean to our family. We love you!

To my own Dad,

Thank you for all you have done for our family as well. I know growing up in a house full of 5 women, you got overlooked often amidst the drama. I know we took you for granted and never full appreciated all that you did for us. I see things now that I did not see before, now, having become our own family and having our own daughter. It truly puts things into perspective. I love watching you and Mom continue to love on us kids, our spouses, and now your granddaughter as well! Our family continues to grow, all because of the love and sacrifices of you and Mom. I love to watch Ryleigh smile at you or cuddle against you. You certainly do know how to wrap around the fingers of little girls! So thank you, for all you are and all you do. It no longer goes unnoticed. =)

To my father-in-law,

Thank you for raising your family with love and support. I know that my husband did not turn out so wonderful simply by chance, so I thank you for investing in him and his life. Thank you for accepting me into your family, and treating me like one of your own. And thank you for loving Ryleigh so cutely! Her latest "pa-pa-pa" trick is pretty stinkin' cute, and all because you taught her! Thank you for always encouraging us and showing us that family is most important.

To my grandfather,

Thank you for being you! Our whole family loves and respects you...why? Because you have taken a keen interest in each and every one of us individually. Your smile speaks volumes, and your laughter touches my heart. Ryleigh loves "going for a ride" with you in your chair, or playing with your cane while climbing up your leg. She loves you already, just like the rest of us.

All of the men in our lives make such a difference in our very existence, and many times, their acts of kindness or sacrifice go unnoticed, unacknowledged, and unappreciated. Not this year. Not anymore. I'm so thankful to every man in my life, whether you are my husband, my father or father-in-law, my grandfathers, my uncles, my cousins. You have all shaped me into the person I am today, and have helped create beautiful, loving families. You should all be proud of yourselves: because we are certainly proud of YOU!

Lots of love to all the fathers out there! Thank you for all you do on a daily basis to make life wonderful.

My new enemy...and best friend

OH. MY. GOSH.

Have you had the new Blue Bell "Mooo Tracks" ice cream? If you have not, or have not heard of it, go right now and try it!

I say that, but then I must warn you. Once you start, you cannot stop. I'm serious. I was told about this amazing ice cream on Saturday. I bought a half gallon on Sunday. And I finished the entire half gallon pretty much 100% by myself within six days.

Vanilla ice cream with thick chocolate fudge ribbons and chocolate covered peanut butter cups, holy moly, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Wouldn't you know I made this "discovery" right after we decided to become healthy!! UGH. However, after some research, (yes, I research ice cream), I learned that it is only a rotational flavor, which means I have to eat up and enjoy while I can!! What good is being healthy and living longer if you cant indulge and enjoy the goodness of life, right?? And ice cream, especially Blue Bell's Mooo Tracks ice cream, is definitely one of life's good things.

Trust me people, if you like chocolate, and Reeses are your favorite candy, this will be your new favorite ice cream.

If you are concerned you might, like me, indulge too much, then I say do not even try it, because man oh man, once you taste that sweetness, it is so hard to not keep a steady supply handy!

Time for a change- a "lifetime" change

We are not getting any younger. And neither are our bodies. My body has changed more in the past few years than it has in my entire life combined, and not just because I went through a pregnancy. My metabolism has slowed down. My used-to-be muscles, kind of hang now, along with other body parts that "hang" as well, if you get my drift. Jesse and I tried the P90X program last fall, and it was okay, but we never really saw results, and it was hard to stay motivated without seeing results. In the same breath, Jesse has trained for marathons and bikes on his road bike for hours at a time, and his body has not "changed" back to its youthful state either. So, we have both been bummed and frustrated.

Living in Houston, you cannot just "go for a run" around the neighborhood or park during the summer, unless you wake up at 5:00 in the morning, or wait until about 8:00 at night. The heat is just too much, and with the added humidity, your body simply cannot handle all the moisture. It is miserable to say the least. So, we knew we needed a gym membership somewhere to work out during these miserably hot summer months.

Jesse has had a membership to the YMCA for the past year, and has maybe gone up there a total of 15 times. I was frustrated the two times I tried to go with him, being overwhelmed with people, fighting for cardio machines, and a crazy childcare center that I refused to leave Ryleigh in.

Jesse's brother and sister-in-law suggested Lifetime Fitness. They have been members up in Dallas, and love it. I was leery, considering how nice the outside of the building is, convinced we would be spending an arm and a leg to join. We went and checked out, and immediately were sold. With over 400 cardio equipment machines, tons of weight machines, free weights, an 'ab and core' section, two studios for round-the-clock fitness classes, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, basketball and racquetball courts, an indoor rock climbing wall, AND an amazing childcare center...well, I'll say it again: we were sold!

We have been pretty consistent with our workouts now. I try to go on my lunch break, and have done a few fitness classes (Core, Fitness Pilates, Core&More) as well as several different cardio machines and weight machines. We also both did a body analysis test, to see where we are and help get us where we want to be. According to the test, we are both in "average" shape, with our body ages close to our actual ages. For example, I am actually 25, but according to the test, my body is the age of a 22 year-old. We have also met with a trainer who is trying to help us change up our routine and hopefully see some real results in the weeks and months to come. Of course, nutrition will play a role too, and they have an on-site nutritionist, if we have questions or would like a specialized meal plan to help us out.
All in all, we are very excited. Lately, we have gone up there and done our workouts while Ryleigh plays in the childcare center. Then once we are finished, we all change into our swimsuits, and go play together in the outside pool. She is not nearly big enough for the slides yet, but she has fun splashing and kicking back and forth between Mommy and Daddy.

I know this has to be a lifestyle change. Who knows how long our dedication will last. The good thing about this place, is it really is a fun place to go. It is not over-crowded, but there are a lot of families, and several friends and family members are also members, so we can all hang out together, while we sweat off calories! So far, we are really excited, and hope to continue to enjoy this new part of our lives.

Life lately

Hi! This month has been CRAZY. Literally, one thing after another, day after day. I have not had 20 minutes to put together a post, and yet there has been so much I have wanted to share! I am dork, and kept a short list, right next to my computer, so that I would not forget everything. I'm going to begin working on updates, and I want to organize according to their actual dates, so if you are interested, scroll down and check out all the neat things that have happened in our lives lately.

I have missed writing and sharing. It is good to be "back." =)