milestones...

Guess who has decided to just become a big boy right before his mommy's eyes??

This little one swaddled in his hospital blanket 2 years and 4 months ago is now sleeping in a big boy bed (full size)...

This little one snoozing on mommy's shoulder pooped and tee-tee'd on the potty tonight before bath. He's tinkled several times, so tonight was big time. I carried on, jumped around, acted like a big fool and his eyes sparkled. I think he was really just pumped up about getting his "potty candy"!!

I just love this pic and had to throw it in.

B and I put his bed together this weekend and I cried all day. It makes me sad that time has flown by so quickly.

I have pics of Brooks "helping" us put the new bed together, but they are on the new camera and I still haven't learned how to download em...Allison I wish you were here to help me!!

Finally, a beach post!!

We went on our first family vacation the week before Memorial Day and I am just now posting..sorry I'm fashionably late!! It was so much fun. We met two of my dearest friends, Holly & Jamie, and their families for a week in Gulf Shores, AL. I have posted just a few of the pics from my digital camera. After I figure out how to download the 400 plus photos on my new camera, I'll blog again.

Can I just say...thank heaven for the portable DVD player!!!

Brooks is crammed into the backseat, he almost didn't fit. I DO NOT pack lightly.
Sword fighting with Duncan at the hotel in Jackson, MS on our drive down
My sweet little beach boy..Holly, Duncan, & Ryon in the background.
Me and the boys
2 of my most favorite girls in the whole world..

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my boys. We went to church and then had lunch at a great Latin restaurant. This was our first time to dine there and it was yummy. Then, we came home for naps and played outside when Brooks woke up. Bryan cooked a yummy dinner:grilled BBQ chicken, zucchini & squash that had been marinating in Italian dressing, and angel food cake, strawberries, & whipped cream for desert. He cleaned up the kitchen, unloaded & loaded the dishwasher, and folded towels for me. It was a perfect day!!

Photo before church

Tulips, my favorite

It's a beautiful restaurant
I loved how they served the water
I just love him to pieces
Climbing the stairs is o' so much fun
My fancy new camera just in time for our trip to the beach next week

My precious little boy makes me laugh everyday!! I truly feel blessed that God gave him to me. I am thankful that he is healthy, eager to learn, and full of energy. I hope you all had a special Mother's Day too!!

Week in the country

Last week, my hubby had to be away on business so we packed up and headed to my parents. Brooks loves to spend time "in the country" playing outside and doing all things boy. Here are just a few things he does each time we go for a visit:

*ride in the farm truck down to the pond to throw rocks in the water

*play in Poppa's toolbox in the bed of his truck and get absolutely filthy

*get the keys to the shed out of dad's bathroom(he knows where they are), walk out to the shed, unlock the door -with Baba's help- and play on the four wheeler's

*play on the big, blue tractor

*hit golf balls

*new activity:work in Poppa's garden

He has so much fun and is exhausted when we get home. Fun times!!

Snuggling with Poppa before bedtime..they adore each other!!
We went to visit my Aunt Dona and Brooks wouldn't cooperate for a pic until we bribed him with M & M's
Playdate with Duncan..reading books which only lasted about 2 seconds. Brooks is very busy these days and moves quickly.
Showing Mimi and Papa how to work in the garden
He loved these plastic garden tools

I have been tagged

Melody, a sweet friend of J's, tagged me and I'm a few days late getting this posted. She is just as creative as Jamie and I've loved getting to know her through blogging. Thanks for tagging me M!!



10 years ago what was I doing?
In 1998, I was in my junior year at Texas Tech University. My major was Elementary Education, so I was spending a lot of time in classrooms and doing stupid projects that would not help me in the least once I started teaching!! Hadn't met Bryan, my hubby, yet.

5 things on my "to do" list today?
1. Make Bryan & I dentist apt.'s
2. Go to Target to shop for our trip to the beach next week
3. Grocery shop
4. Work out with Ame
5. Go to the post office to complain about the mail lady not delivering our mail b/c contractors park in front of our mailbox. A few weeks ago, she bundled our mail with a rubber band and wrote on a piece, "mail undeliverable b/c box couldn't be reached"??? Does she not have legs to get out of her truck and walk over to our box??

Things that I have actually gotten done today...
Brooks and I went to Target before nap. When he wakes up, we'll head to the grocery store and post office. I am not a complainer, but this lady has not picked up my bills for the last time...I did have the red flag up that should've alerted her!!


If I was a billionaire I would...
Put an end to puppy mills, tithe 10% to my church, buy a home in Hawaii, travel thru Europe, open some sort of outreach center for underprivileged kids to come after school and learn how to cook, garden, paint, etc...


What are my 3 bad habits?
1.Cokes with great ice
2. dipped cones from Dairy Queen
3. reading People magazine


Where are 5 places I have lived? we move a lot
1. Atlanta, TX hometown
2.Arkadelphia, AR
3. Lubbock, TX
4. Amarillo, TX
5. Abilene, TX
6. Mill Creek, WA (north of Seattle)



What are 5 jobs I have had?
1. Texas Dept of Transportation-job in high school thru the DECA program
2.Pam's Hallmark
3. Double T bookstore in college, only for several months
4. Teacher- 2nd, 3rd, & 4th grades
5. Mommy to Brooks


3 people I would like to know more about?
J fill this out I know you love em', and anyone else reading that wants to

$2.50 a dozen

Take a look at these beauties...I kid you not, they are sold for $2.50 a dozen about 6 months out of the year in the city where I live. My house will be full of them all summer long. They are not only beautiful but smell yummy too!! I got red ones for Mother's Day.

"El Rancho Not So Grande"

Sorry it's taken me so long to post something new!! We've been busy since returning to Texas in November and haven't slowed down a bit.
We spent the last weekend of April in Llano, TX at my brother-in-law's place on the river. "El Rancho Not So Grande" is so fabulous and we'd missed spending time there while living in Seattle. We ate lots of yummy food, Brooks fished for the first time, and just relaxed. It was a perfect weekend. Enjoy the pics:

Lunch at Stonewalls was so good

The fam at lunch minus a few

Brooks was so excited about sharing a pizza with his Baba

Playing at the park downtown Llano with Aunt T after lunch

Ton, Mimi, and I did a little shopping on the square after lunch

Uncle Dale getting Brooks' fishing pole ready

My two fishermen

Brooks is not the least bit happy about posing for a picture with all of the men

Headin' down to the river

Isn't that sweet

He caught a fish

My grandparents dancing on the screened in porch

Jax is a little river rat
Mimi and Papa
Brooks loves our Jaxon so much..they are buddies.

This is what I did most of the weekend..caught up on my magazines and relaxed.

Brooks was sick and running a fever during our trip. I took him to the ped after we got home and he had a double ear infection. His very first one and I had no idea. He never pulled on his ears or complained of them hurting. But, he did have a tough time sleeping at night. The last night we were there he woke up and cried out about 15 times. I felt like the worst mommy in the world!! He did have a really great time and played hard.