The Daily Grind

the time has come

2010-09-21T13:17:00.003-05:00

We have been successfully avoiding this moment for the past 8 years. Deployment. We have been blessed so far to always miss the deployments. Now, his time has come. He leaves for his continued training in Fort Lewis, Washington this weekend. He will then get to come home for Thanksgiving and then off to Iraq. He won't be home for good until next September.

Please pray for us all during this time. Pray for strength for me to go on each day as a single mom. Pray for the kids to understand and accept this time. Most of all, pray for Jacob. Pray not only for his physical safety, but also to guard his spirit and mind during this time. Pray that he comes back home complete emotionally and spiritually as well.

War is not easy on families but it is harder on the troops that are away and in a far less than desirable place. they see things that we would never wish our worst enemy to see. They are on guard 24 hours a day, every day they are gone. it is no wonder that so many of them come home physically, but mentally, they are injured. I refuse to accept that as normal. I refuse to accept this fate for my husband. So, please, join with me in covering him with prayer!

Gavin is 2!!!

2010-09-21T12:53:00.004-05:00

Our sweet little boy turned 2!!! I cannot believe how time is going by. He is so big and funny. Oh my goodness. he thinks his purpose on earth was to entertain us. He is loud, rambunctious, goofy, and smart! he is talking so much and he gets so excited when we can communicate. he is just absolutely gorgeous!! That cotton hair and big blue eyes! ( I say they are turning green, but that is a debate in our house ;)) I haven't taken him in to the doctor yet for stats, but i did measure his height. it was 34.5 inches tall. Which if you buy into the whole double the height at 2, he will end up around 5'9". About right considering almost all the men in our family are around that height.

Right now is totally into trains! and football. Hilarious how excited he gets when football is on the tv. he goes and gets his toy football and throws it and then tackles it over and over again. I guess its just one of those things that are natural instinct.

He LOVES his big sister. They play so well together. As soon as she gets home from school, he runs to the front door to hug her. He is just so excited. then, they get a snack and disappear to the play room together. IT'S AWESOME!

We are so blessed to have the most awesome kiddos ever.

Pictures of Friends

2010-09-21T12:32:00.002-05:00

I recently took some pictures for Trinity's little BFF and her sister. Yes, it was in their ugly burnt orange! But we decided to do a cute little rivalry picture with Trinity in her Maroon. The rivalry starts young!! While we were out, we decided to do a few Red, White, and Blue pics for the kids. I am putting together an album for Jacob's deployment.

First Day of School

2010-09-21T12:04:00.003-05:00

Well, we have a kindergartner and a high schooler!! Craziness! Trinity started kindergarten at Seashore Learning Center and LOVES her teacher, Mrs. Carroll. I have a kind of funny 1st day of school story for her. (or me...) We went to the meeting before school started and they were adamant about the traffic schedule and drop off points and all that stuff... I was under the understanding that we followed these rules and did not walk your kid to class. so, we went the day before and dropped off supplies and practiced walking to her class. Well, the big day came and we talked about dropping her off in the line and where to go. As I am shoving her out of the car with her big ole backpack, one of her friends moms walked by. She said, "Oh Trinity, you're going to kindergarten today.... all by yourself." is that code for "you are a bad mom?" I then noticed that EVERY other parent was walking their kid to class. I asked T if I should get out and walk her. She said "Nope. See ya later! and walked off to class." What an independent little girl!!! But I was so disappointed with myself. Why did I not think that EVERY other parent would walk their kids to class? Oh well. What a memory of her first day of school.

And Garrett... big man in high school! I don't have pictures, but his mom wrote an awesome blog on his school career! check it out!

Catch up ONCE AGAIN part 2

2010-09-21T10:31:00.005-05:00

My family got to come down in July for a little family get together at the beach. Jeremy and Jamie came down and surprised us with little Ella and Noah in tow! we had a great day relaxing on the beach and grilling fajitas for dinner... too bad I don't have any pictures to prove it!! I don't take my camera on the beach much :)

The next day was SO HOT! we took all the kids to see the Lexington Battleship. very cool. I would like to go back when its not so hot outside.

Jacob had the very cool opportunity to go sailing in a race before he left town for more training. It was an ALL weekend event, but he had a great time.

Catch up ONCE AGAIN

2010-09-21T08:52:00.006-05:00

Man, the last 6 months snuck past me again. I really stink at this blogging thing! I will try to get better because I know a lot of people who follow this don't get on Facebook. So, I pledge to be better!!!

Lets see... over the last 6 months....

Trinity Graduated from Pre-School! The beginning of our last summer before real school begins! Gavin got to hang with the older chics! Ladies man!! hahaha

We went to Disney World in June!!! Awesome memories for the kids (and for me). Trinity and Gavin got to fly for the first time! Garrett is an old pro at it now, but he was an amazing help with the little ones. Jacob had to meet us there because he was flying in from Kansas City. We stayed in a resort for a week and got to go to Disney with the Millimans for 4 days! Lots of fun! Here are some of my favorite pics.

Garrett got to go back and forth and visit us a few times over the summer. We got to spend some good, quality time with him. We all miss him when he's not here. Lately Gavin has began asking where Bubba is all the time. And Trinity talks about how much she loves him and misses him, yet they argue and pick on each other the whole time they are together!

I wanna be an Astronaut!

2010-03-16T17:00:00.006-05:00

We were in Houston this weekend for a friends wedding. It was in the Clear Lake area so we decided to take the kids to NASA. Trinity has been learning about space this month at school, so she really enjoyed it. She was so mad it was Spring break this week because she is ready to go back to school and tell all the other kids about it. Garrett was not with us :( and it was weird doing a family outing without him, but he has the t-shirt! Kids always miss out in these situations.

The family in front of the new Ares I launch vehicle

(they are retiring all other space shuttles-just FYI)

UH-OH- Sisters got the wheel!
And now the little dude is taking a shot at it!

Daddy showing them how its done

SO CA-UTE

Getting ready for Blast Off!

I'm going to Mars!

She's got muscles!

Excuse me! I'm on the phone!

Little Dude was so fascinated by the floating ball

HUGE

Miss Priss

Tram Ride was Gavin's favorite part

She LOVED this part

Learning the skills

So cute

Cool Rocket!

Miss Priss next to the HUGE rocket

My Cutie Patooties!

Awww... an Astronaut with a Binky in his mouth.

catch up... again

2010-02-12T09:11:00.007-06:00

Wow... I really stink at this blogging business :) It has once again been quite a while. Since my last post, we had a great Thanksgiving and a wonderful Christmas. We made our trek up and down 35 to visit all the family and that was awesome. We got to visit Schlitterbahn Christmas which the kids loved!

This winter was a little different than it was last year. Last year, we were playing on the beach at this time. This year, it has been raining non-stop and freezing cold!! ugh... I hate being cold.

Things are going awesome with my youth group at church. We are growing by leaps and bounds and God is doing amazing stuff in these kids hearts and lives. Being in this position gives me reason to work harder in my life to be a good, christian role model... and I love the accountability.

My mortgage business has been slow, but I have finally started getting some photography business up and going. My mom and I are doing 2 weddings this Spring. We are so looking forward to gaining the valuable experience.

Garrett is growing up to be such a mature, responsible, and amazing kid. He is funny (sometimes we have to put his smart buttedness in its place!) and sweet. He helps out around the house and loves to be here with us and his brother and sister. We just love having him here too. We are really looking forward to the summer when we get to spend more time with him.

Trinity is doing so well in Pre-K. She loves school! And some of her male friends... we are going to have to watch this one!! She is a social butterly (hmmmm... I wonder where she gets this from??) And she is soooo beautiful! Sometimes I look at her and wonder how she got to be so pretty :) I may be a little biased...

Gavin is HILARIOUS! He strives to make us laugh all the time. Whether it is putting silly things on his head or making faces, he loves to make us laugh. And he loves to laugh himself. He is saying lots of words. Momma, Dada, No, Thank You, Ball, Football, baseball, basketball, more, water, mine.... He obviously loves sports! Whenever he sees ANY ball, he runs to it laughing and plays around. So cute. And he is absolutely, positively the most handsome little boy I have ever met!! Once again, i may be a little biased ;)

Jacob travels a lot lately. It stinks, but we are making it. We are so proud of him and all the amazing things he is doing at work. He is growing into such an amazing Officer that his soldiers can respect. We celebrated 7 years in December. Crazy... It has gone by so fast. Love him!!

Anyway, I think that is it for now. Better go.

Amanda

It does exist!

2009-11-16T20:08:00.003-06:00

So, 2 months ago, Sarah called me and asked me if I wanted to run in the San Antonio Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon with her. I laughed at her and told her that I can't even run the mile to the end of my street without stopping twice to throw up! Then, that Sunday at church, my pastor was talking about Making Goals and "setting the date." He said the best way to follow through with something is to make a date to complete it. That way you have something definitive to work towards. SO, I was standing there in the shower and it hit me. I CAN DO THIS! So, I called my good friend Tasha and told her that I would go out and buy a jogging stroller that day if she would sign up with me. She agreed. It was on.

We began jogging together in the mornings. And let me remind you that I am NOT a runner. Never have been. I was the kid picking flowers on the runs in school. SO, I was starting from scratch. Poor Tasha tried to encourage me. I was getting better, but still nowhere near where I needed to be. Then, Tasha realized she could not come that weekend to San Antonio with me because she sings at church and couldn't get off. So, I was already registered and going in this alone. Not entirely alone because my sister was doing it, but she is waaaaayyyyy ahead of me in running experience. So, I started at it alone. I kept telling people that I was doing it so I couldn't chicken out. It worked, because that is the only reason I didn't back out.

Then I found out my friend Kelli from Humble would be there and she was more on my level. I'm not sure what came over me that morning, but it was not me. I was energized, enthusiastic, and excited. I started off doing awesome! I jogged for 8 miles without stopping!!! and thats when I realized that a RUNNER'S HIGH DOES EXIST!! I loved it. At about mile 9 my knees, ankles, and hip flexors were about to give out on me. But I kept praying Phil 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And He did. He gave me the endurance and perseverence to keep going. AND I DID IT! In 3 hours 1 minute I crossed the finish line. I had just run 13.1 miles!! OH MY GOODNESS... I cannot believe I accomplished this.

I couldn't be more estactic. I feel like a true runner now. I want to do it again. My body hates me right now and I feel every bit of 30 years old. But I loved it. This was the first, but will not be the last. Here are a few pics to remember this great day.... And I have the t-shirt and medal :)

Me and Kelli Fain at about mile 3- Still smiling!

Me, Kelli, and Sarah after the race with our medals!
My sweet sister. Thanks for pushing me!

Random pics

2009-09-29T13:13:00.002-05:00

Tank is getting so big!

He is working on tearing up my back yard one day at a time... nice weeds I know.

He has made a new bed for himself :)

A beautiful Sunrise out of my backyard.

Trip to Poppies

2009-09-29T12:54:00.003-05:00

We got to go to Houston to see my dad and his family. We went to Seth's little t-ball game and it was so cute! Watching a whole bunch of 4 year olds acting like it was the first time everytime they got up to bat was so cute. I can't wait until I can see Gavin in some cute little baseball pants.

Gavins Birthday Party!

2009-09-29T09:57:00.006-05:00

We had a super fun birthday party for Gavin and his little cutie patootie BFF Cali on Sunday. We had a swimming party at Chris & Tasha's new house. The kids had a blast! I had so much fun making their birthday cake! Jacob and I sat down and pretty much played with play-doh (gum paste) to make the decorations for the cake. Jacob was a big help and we had a good time doing it together. I thought it turned out pretty good.

My handsome little birthday boy!Say CheeseMmmm... yummy icing

Another handful pleaseI don't want my hands dirty :)Yuck... get this off my hands!Ahhh... good to get dirtyWhat? Just eating my birthday cake!Bathtime. Why is my water green?

Getting cleanI can help with my presents. Just going to take a nibble on the bag.
So much fun! what do I play with first?

Trinity and Claire watching the present show.

Mommy helping open presents

Tasha and Cali out by the pool

Everyone swimming

The two birthday kiddos!

Why is everyone leaving?

Garrett is Playing Football

2009-09-08T22:18:00.004-05:00

Well, our little boy is all grown up! *sniff sniff* He is playing football this year and we couldn't be prouder! Thanks to Tomi for being the great photographer that she is, I stole these pictures off her facebook of his first game tonight. Enjoy. If anyone is interested in his schedule for the Fall, let me know. We are definitely going to try to make it in town for at least one.

Summertime...over

2009-08-19T09:20:00.007-05:00

So, it has been a while. I have joined the Facebook world and have fallen behind on my blogging. Today seems as good a day as any. I got Trinity off to school, drank my cup of coffee, so here we go!

YES, Trinity started school today. It is not kindergarten, but it is preschool. Very structured and full time like kindergarten. Uniforms, lunchboxes, backpacks and all. She was so excited, maybe a little more so about new clothes and new friends than learning itself. But that is what school is about, isn't it. A social experience as well as a learning one.

Here are some cute pictures of her this morning before her Daddy took her to her first day of school.

This summer seemed to go really fast. We had Garrett for 5 weeks which was the longest he has ever stayed with us. It was so much fun! He was such a good helper and a good big brother. Trinity had so much fun with him around. Yesterday when she woke up, she asked where he was :( I had to tell her that he went home to his mommy's house. That is so hard for a little kid!

We have become really involved in our youth group at our church (they call it Element). We had a bonfire on the beach, a lock-in, a concert, and then services every Wednesday night. I am having a lot of fun with these kids. And hopefully making a difference in their lives! I got to have one of my friends from high school come and perform. He is called Son of Thunder and he performs Christian rap music. The kids really enjoyed it! Plus it was good to see him and the good things he is doing in his life.

We also decided to venture out there and get a puppy. One of our good friends bred their bulldogs. Jacob has wanted a bulldog for as long as I have known him. Well, we couldn't afford one... BUT, one of their puppies had to have a hernia removed on its tummy and the chest cavity closed up... so, they adopted him out to us. And he is just precious. I am still getting used to training a dog and having another little thing to watch in this house. But he is a cutie. Jacob named him Tank... how fitting!

We went to a family reunion on my mom's side of the family. It was the first time in a LONG time that all of us were together. Everyone was there. All 12 of my cousins and their families. It was a long drive with 3 kids to Snyder, but it was fun.

BUT, on the drive home, I started feeling really bad. My stomach was hurting terribly. I went to the great military doctors on that Monday and they thought I may have kidney stones. SO, I went to get a CT scan the next day. Luckily I did! They sent me straight to the hospital with an appendicitis. So, 2 days and $25,000 (thank God for insurance) later, I was home and all drugged up! I couldn't lift my baby for a week! It was no fun :( Thank goodness for my moms. They all came to help me with the house, the kids, and be my nurses.

Everything is finally feeling back to normal. Trinity is in school, I am back to work, and hopefully back into some kind of routine. I will be better about blogging in the future, I promise!

My funny babies

2009-06-07T22:44:00.006-05:00

New Pictures of my babies! We went to Landa Park to take pictures of my little angels by the water. It was a lot of fun and it was a beautiful day! I love photography and especially taking pictures of my children. Enjoy :)

So, I find out today that Gavin has about as many faces as Trinity does. He cracked me up when I got home and saw all the different expressions I caught on camera. Sweet Boy!

Great Weekend!

2009-05-17T21:05:00.008-05:00

So, We have a TEENAGER! I can't believe it. Garrett is officially a teenager now. I met him almost 7 years ago and it just blows my mind what a great young man he is becoming. He was always a sweet little boy, but he is just so grown up now. The maturity is amazing! So, he got to come see us for the weekend. It was quite an eventful weekend.

We started off at the Corpus Christi Hooks baseball game Friday night. Jacob got to swear in some new soldiers before the game, so we got to go hang out. It was fun, but the kids lost interest fast! SO, we went home to get some rest before a LONG saturday.

My sister and her family came into town. She was running with some friends in the Beach to Bay Marathon which is a team marathon. A few runners dropped out in the last minute so Jacob got up to go fill in on their team.

Then off to the beach. We got Garrett as skim board for his birthday. For those of you who don't know what that is (because I didn't before we moved here), it is a thin wooden board about the size of a boogie board. You slide it across the shallow surf of the water and you jump on and skim across the water. If you have balance, you don't eat the sand!! If you are old like me, you eat it hard and make your knee swell up. Fortunately, I was the only person with injuries. Well, we had a fun time at the beach with friends and family. Here are few pictures.

Garrett making Skim Boarding looking so easy

Jacob taking his shot at it.

Tasha, much more graceful than me!

Gavin, covered in sand. He wouldn't quit eating it!

Kenley and Lance on Boogie Boards

Lance, digging a hole for the kids... I love this guy. He brought a freakin' post hole digger to the beach! Hilarious. Only Lance...

Garrett showing us all up

Sarah and Kyle

Kenley and Trinity eating junk food! Its vacation!

And Kyle LOVED his ice cream. An Ice cream cart goes up and down the beach! who knew?

Me and Jacob

There was a fish in that bucket Lance caught with a net!

Sweet little Cali

Goofy Ethan with his seaweed wig

Jacob and Gavin

Cade Loved his ice cream

After the beach we had the Schaded's over along with my sisters family. We grilled hamburgers and had birthday cake for Garrett. It was a fun night. We ended our weekend with church on Sunday and baby dedication. At 8 months, we finally got to dedicate Gavin to the Lord formally. We were glad to have all our family there.

8 Months and 2 Teeth!

2009-05-17T20:54:00.004-05:00

Well, its about time! He finally has 2 teeth on the bottom. They are adorable little SHARP things poking up. They are making his little smile that much cuter. he already bit me once... He is a happy boy because he LOVES to eat. I know you can't tell by looking at his skinny little legs, but he does. He is already eating the 3rd Foods. A 6.5 oz jar, a fruit, and a veggie at dinner. That is a lot for a little boy. And you ought to see his bowl of cereal and bananas at breakfast. But he screams at me the whole time I am feeding him if it is not fast enough. Funny little boy. He will not crawl! He hates being on his belly. Probably because of our tile floors. I put down blankets and try to have tummy time, but it just doesn't fly. He whines the whole time! Oh well, he may just go straight to walking.

So, this is the best picture so far of his little teeth. I will have to try Lori's technique of taking the picture while he is alseep! (thanks for the tip Lori )

so far behind

2009-04-27T21:15:00.004-05:00

Where do I begin?

Well, to start off, my little boy is 7 months! Going on 8 on the 12th. I cannot believe how the time has flown. He is so unbelievable cute and sweet. I can't even begin to tell you. He has the most adorable, huge, open mouth smile.

I mean, seriously. Look at that toothless smile. I want to eat him up! To top it off, he is a mama's boy. His face just lights up everytime I walk into the room. Love him, love him!

UPDATE ON HOMEMADE BABYFOOD!

It is still fun and easy, BUT I have broke down and bought store baby food at times. I have done it for months now and I can honestly say that it is good and fun to do something wholesome for my baby, but I am not so sure that it is cost effective. It is for sure on the vegetables, but the fruits are expensive to buy fresh and a little more of a pain to make. Except for bananas. They are easy and cheap. And with apples you can buy an organic jar of applesauce pretty cheap compared to pre-packaged baby food. But the hard ones are squash, peaches, pears, and anything you have to bake. Oh well, I love my little guy.

UPDATE ON BREASTFEEDING

I am a champ!!! I cannot believe I have made it 7 1/2 months! I love it. I wish I could have done it with Trinity this long. It is so much easier than formula and smells a lot better =) And it is so sweet to bond with him in this way. I crack up at how he can't miss a thing going on around him. So he is constantly poking his head up to smile at Trinity or laugh at his daddy. I pretty much have to go to a quiet room to feed in peace. Jacob is a little uncomfortable with Gavin's stroking while eating, it cracks me up.

What a good friend!

Jacob and I had 5 kids this last weekend!!!! My friend and her husband went to the Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference this weekend and we kept their 3 kids. Ages 12, 8, and 7 months. Trinity had a blast playing with her friends. And so did Gavin. Here are a couple of pics with him and his little buddy Cali.

Sweet Little Cali

What a mean little boy stealing her sweet bow!!! they are so cute together. We could sit them across from each other with some toys and they would play forever. he loves his little girl friend!

What else has been going on... probably a lot. that is all I can think of for now, but I am sure I will think of something I forgot in the morning.

more to come... miss me ;-)

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T13:12:00.001-05:00

~Beauty~

2009-03-27T12:56:00.002-05:00

Is my neice Ella Nichole not the most precious little thing in the world??? And her mommy is lucky enough to have an amazing photographer friend that takes her pictures all the time. Her name is Kacey Luvi. Amazing!! I aspire to be a great photographer like her.

Many faces of Trinity

2009-03-04T21:35:00.007-06:00

So, I took the kids to the Botanical Gardens today in Corpus Christi. I guess I was expecting it to be a little more like the one in Dallas and it was not... I was not impressed. I pretty much went for selfish reasons because I was looking for new places to take pictures. So, Trinity kept hopping in every picture. I want you all to see what I have to deal with being the mom of the sassiest child ever. About every third picture she had some face with attitude! I will start off with a sweet one and then you'll see.

eyes to die for

2009-03-02T18:05:00.001-06:00

You just can't help but love these eyes. I just love him so much!! Jacob thinks his ears are starting to stick out. I say in this picture it is just because of the hat... maybe not but they are still cute.

braggin on my man

2009-03-01T23:14:00.002-06:00

You know, we are always so quick to b*tch about our spouses when they irritate us or do something wrong. But, we very rarely just sing their praises when they do something nice or sweet. I feel like I need to take a minute to brag on Jacob.

He has changed so much over the past year and a half. I never thought I would see these changes in him. He treats me with so much respect and care now. He considers my feelings so much more. He really makes an effort to do the little things I ask of him without me having to ask. I don't feel like I have to nag all the time. And trust me, it is draining on a woman to have to nag! When he goes to the store, he always remembers to bring me a "treat" like a york peppermint patty or something (yum, my favorite :-P). Even though I am getting fat and don't need treats quite as often! It just lets me know that he is thinking about me. He does sweet little things without my asking. And those are the things that matter.

He remembers to be sincere in thanking me for the things I do for him and the kids. He doesn't gripe when I try to make something new for dinner. He doesn't get irritated when I do nothing around the house all day and me and Trinity just hang out at the beach. (he may be a little jealous though)

He compliments me all the time. It actually feels like he is in love with all the things about me. He tells me what a good mom I am and what a good wife. He tells me how beautiful I look even when I know that I am looking rough. I feel so appreciated.

The most noticeable differences in him are in the way that we don't fight anymore. Of course we have a disagreement every now and then, but they end A LOT better than they used to. And they don't escalate the way they use to. We have both learned a much better technique of communicating with each other to where neither of us feel overly comprimised. Mature i tell ya!

He is also so great with the kids. He is learning such patience with Trinity! and he is helping me out so much with Gavin when he is home. He loves making Gavin laugh and teaching him new things. He has already taught my five month old to give a five. So cute! It is really fun to be a family. We miss Garrett and I wish he could spend more time with him. Jacob is at such a good place in his life where he could really step in and be a great dad to Garrett. But, we only get to see him now for 2 days a month... not nearly enough. (we could get him more, but we have to fly him down and that gets costly)

I am also so proud of how well he is doing at work. He works harder here than I have ever seen him work. He takes pride in what he does and what he is accomplishing. People are looking up to him and constantly complimenting his work that he does as a 2LT. Most 2LT are not capable of the things he knows how to do. I am just so proud of him! On a little sidenote, there is this spouse of one of his soldiers who calls her husband "Sarge". She doesn't ever call him by his name, only Sarge. So, I told him I was going to start calling him "The General"! Hey, it doesn't hurt to speak good things over his life!! Maybe if I keep confessing it with my tongue, he will make General someday!

Anyway, All this to say that I love my husband. He makes me very happy and we are so lucky to have him in our lives. He definitely brings excitement and joy to our lives. It doesn't get boring around him... unless it is Saturday or Sunday afternoon and it is time for his nap. ;-)

bitter beer face grin

2009-03-01T16:23:00.003-06:00

Gavin started doing this hilarious grin today. Not sure where it came from but we were cracking up. Jacob says it looks like the bitter beer face.

Why I Deserve to be Mom of the Year!

2009-02-22T17:51:00.003-06:00

This is absolutely terrible and I know that... I have this song on my mp3 player in the car. She started singing it one day and now requests it everytime we get in the car. She also requests Taylor Swift's Love Story... however, she belts out the words to this one. So, here is my pop star daughter.

working on my skills

2009-02-21T16:47:00.002-06:00

I am working on my photoshop skills... I love learning this stuff. It is so much fun!! This picture is my favorite picture of Gavin yet. I just love everything about it. You can check out some of my other stuff at http://touchofgraceart.blogspot.com/ I am working on a website and I will let you know when it is up. I am still trying to gather all my pictures to put on the blog and the website.

Misc Pictures

2009-02-09T18:29:00.005-06:00

Trinity took this picture of her toes after she had them painted at the salon last week. Sarah and I took her and Kenley as a treat. waiting on pictures from Sarah from the rest of the trip.

Poor Gavin. Trinity put her Hannah head band on him. I heard him crying and came running to see this poor little guy. :-)

Here are a few pictures from the beach this weekend. Garrett was in town and it was his first time at the beach here. Fun times!

Gavins first Cereal

2009-02-09T18:20:00.004-06:00

Well, it is that time... Yes, Gavin is already 5 months old!! We started him on Rice Cereal today. He took to it right away and LOVED it. Here are some adorable pictures of him. Oh, by the way, I am going to attempt to be super mom and make homemade baby food. I will let you know how that turns out. I have too much time on my hands these days. :-)

Gavin's Big Boy Haircut

2009-02-03T20:52:00.002-06:00

Gavin is growing so fast!! He has already had a couple of haircuts because he has that long blond hair. Once it wouldn't spike anymore it was time to cut it. But, as a lot of babies do, he rubbed a bald spot on the back of his head. It looked FABULOUS... let me tell you. So, we finally decided to give him a fade. It was hilarious watching Jacob trying to hold him still to do it. Of course I started out and then Jacob came in and asked if I wanted him to do it. I guess Daddy's are supposed to give the little boys a fade. =) It was cute nonetheless. So, I grabbed the camera and got a couple of shots. I know he looks semi bald but it is only because his hair growing in is white just like his sisters was. Here are my men:

wiggle worm!!

He thinks he is one cool dude Oh my goodness, I love those big blue eyes!!

Family Pictures

2009-01-29T10:01:00.005-06:00

We also took family pictures with the Pattersons this year. Sharon has been wanting this for several years now. So, my mom came up while we were all together for Christmas and took pictures. I thought they turned out pretty good.

I am a bad blogger...

2009-01-28T17:57:00.006-06:00

Man, things have not stopped around here for us. After the holidays with ALL our family, Jacob and I went on a trip for a week to Cancun. We went for my friend Kristi's wedding. It was so much fun and she was such a beautiful bride. I must say that I missed my babies though! Here are some Christmas pictures. I have been so busy lately that I have not posted these yet. I will post Mexico pics soon...

She really was happy about this gift she just wanted to do it by herself...

Garrett was fun to shop for this year. I love teenagers!

The big fat tattoo was Jacobs big gift this year

Mimi who has everything, got some beach attire for her visits

My beautiful "morning look"

Cutie Pie Corby at the Pattersons

My little Man Uncle Jeremy and Trinity and Corby
Joshua listening to the Christmas Story

Corby took the glasses off his toy. Too cute

Aunt Brandy

My Beautiful New Niece!

2009-01-28T17:46:00.003-06:00

Ella Nichole Harper

January 28, 2009 12:54am

7lbs 9oz ~ 20 inches

My brother and his wife Jamie had their first child early this morning. What a beautiful little girl to add to our family. Jamie and little Ella had a rough time during delivery and they ended up doing an emergency C-Section. But Jamie is doing well... a little tired and sore, but doing well. And little Ella is just amazing. I am already in love with her and i haven't even met her yet! I can't wait to see one of her big bows Aunt Amanda made for her cute little head. And we are all very happy that she has a head full of hair!! Here are a few pictures.

Our Weekend

2008-12-19T09:12:00.010-06:00

We spent last weekend in New Braunfels with my Mom and my sister. Trinity has a cousin who was born on her birthday and one that was born on Christmas. So, we went down there for thier birthday party. We also decided to do a small little party with her cousins that night for her birthday so she wouldn't feel left out. She was very sad because she wanted her friends from Red Oak with her :(

The birthday party was at a really cute childrens museum in New Braunfels. Here are some cute pictures.

Here is Trinity's mini birthday party. I attempted to make her a fun cake since she wasn't getting much of a party. Hopefully next year we will have some friends down here. This was my first time using fondent icing. It was fun, but definitely a learning experience.

Sarah got Trinity a "hannah montana" outfit she saw at Target. A gold sequined tank top and gold leggings. I can't get her to take it off. She has tried to wear it everyday since we've been home. Kenley has it on in this picture. They were dancing and singing for us and putting on a show.

Then, we got lucky because the museum was also hosting Santa Clause while we were there. And even luckier that my mom was the photographer taking the Santa pictures. So, we got some cute ones of them by themselves and together. I like it when Gavin tried to eat Santa's beard and almost pulled it off!!

And, my first ever attempt at making a gingerbread house. What a mess!! Trinity ended up eating candy the whole time and I was left to make the gingerbread house by myself. I never new it could be so difficult. Here are a few pictures. Most of them are of Sarah because apparently my mom didn't feel the need to take pictures of me and Trinity together with my own camera!!! I gave her a hard time about it!

Our Island

2008-12-11T12:37:00.004-06:00

We went for a walk the other day and I took the camera to show you how close we are to the water. This is actually on our street about a block or two down. This is not the Gulf side of the island, it is the Bay, but we are REALLY close to the water. It is really pretty here.

Then, the other night when a cold front was blowing in, it got a little scary to be on an island. First of all, it was around 75 degrees that afternoon and I had promised Trinity we would go to the beach for a little while to play in the sand. I pulled up to the beach head on and this is what I saw. It was really rough and scary! The part where we usually play in the sand was completely wet and partly under water... I was like HOLY CRAP. We aren't going to the beach today. Trinity cried the whole way home! Then that night it got SO windy. It was blowing the top off our hot tub and making scary noises all night long. Man, I would hate to be here during a hurricane. But it is another beautiful day today with the sun shining. Much better than being in ice right now!!

This is taken from my car window and no zoom lens... Where the birds are is where T normally plays.

My little Man!

2008-12-11T12:15:00.003-06:00

I think I am in love with having a little boy. He is so sweet and so cute. He is going to be my little pretty boy, I can already tell. Trinity is being such a good big sister. She is starting to enjoy him more because he smiles at her when she is silly. That and he is not quite as breakable anymore. She enjoys rolling around on the floor with him and holding him. Sometimes I just shake my head and think, "poor little guy". Here are some pictures I took of them the other day in the backyard.

Catching up

2008-12-03T13:18:00.005-06:00

Well, we have been just a little bit busy the past few weeks. We have finally moved to Corpus Christi and are trying to get settled in. A blog on that subject is coming soon with pictures of our journey and our new home.

We got all moved in the weekend before Thanksgiving and had a few days to unpack before we headed off to Houston to see my dad and family. It was a lot of fun with kiddos running around everywhere. Next year we will have one more addition to the cousins with my brother's first little girl Ella Grace. We can't wait! We had a nice relaxing time. Here are a few pics. my brother-in-law fell in love with the Wii which is hilarious if you know him. Not a video game type of guy.

Lance- Very addicted

Big Sis Kenley dragging around Kyle

Mae Mae

Aunt Jamie and Lil' Gavin

Sarah kickin booty at Wii

Lil' Stinker Seth (my little brother!!)

Cade learning good things from Uncle Seth ;)

Uncle Jeremy

Dad showing Lance and Kenley the ropes

After a fun filled few days, we headed back to our mess of a home at "the beach" as Trinity calls it. We have been trying to get all this mess figured out since then. The other night, before Jacob had to head to work and clean up like an Army boy again, I took some pictures of him on the beach. I thought they were really good. I loved the sky.

And the last thing on my updates: It is confirmed that I have a BIG boy! Gavin went for a checkup today and he is 12.5lbs and 24 inches long. He is 75th percentile in weight and 90th in height. I knew he liked to eat, now I know why. He is growing so fast that he stays starving all the time!!!

More to come soon! that's all for now.

~Amanda

The joker, an angel, and a skeleton...

2008-10-31T21:54:00.004-05:00

That is what my kiddos were for Halloween. We decided to take it easy on Gavin for his first Halloween. So, we just put him in a skeleton onsie that his big brother bought him. Trinity, on the other hand, thought her poop didn't stink! She kept talking about how beautiful she looked. OMG, what I am going to do with this child?? She did look pretty though- WAY TOO OLD looking! But, mommy did have fun doing her hair and make-up. And Garrett- WOW! He looked amazing. His G-Dad bought him The Joker costume and Jacob fixed his make-up and hair. He looked good. And my 4th child, Jacob, decided to paint his face at the last minute. So, I looked like the lame-o that chose not to participate. Oh well, it seems as though I am always behind the camera lense anyway.

We started off the night for about 15 minutes trick-or-treating in our neighborhood and then we went to a friends' house. They had a big "Octoberfest" for the kids with a hayride and bounce house. The kids had a great time. All the little girls were chasing Garrett around and acting scared of his costume. It was pretty funny.

Now, we are washing off the make-up and bathing the kiddos so we can head to College Station tomorrow for the big A&M game. We are excited to go to the game for the first time as a family. I will let you know tomorrow if my idea of a fun-filled day turns out to be fun or a headache!

I love Fall!

2008-10-26T14:37:00.007-05:00

We spent our weekend just enjoying the outdoors and doing fall things. Saturday we went to the park and the kids played for a long time. Then on the way home, we stopped at the grocery store to get some hamburgers to grill outside. I saw the pumpkins... I never got to carve pumpkins as a kid, so I thought it would be something fun we could all do together. So, we spent Saturday evening grilling out and enjoying family time. Lots of fun! Of course Jacob took over the pumpkin carving because he is such the artist... All I was good for was cleaning out the yucky pumpkins. Pictures of our evening:

Trinity cheesing it up!

Yuck! Cleaning out the guts.

Jacob trying to figure out the Gig 'Em design

At least Garrett got to do the little one

Gavin wanted to be in the middle of it all

Proud Daddy

Proud Mommy

The masterpieces!

So, after we were up late on Saturday night, we decided to sleep in on Sunday morning. We made a big breakfast together. Later, I got the kids dressed to go take pictures at the house I spotted yesterday. The owners were nice enough to let us use their yard. The pictures are cheesy but cute. Of course pictures taken at 1 in the afternoon are WAY too bright, but they are still cute.

Praise the Lord!

2008-10-21T14:34:00.003-05:00

We got our house under contract!!! I haven't really posted about this because we have been trying to see where we stood as far as timing, but Jacob has been transferred down to Corpus Christi. He is excited about it because it means good things for his career, but we are all a little sad. We are sad because Garrett lives here in DFW. We love our church and all of our amazing friends. This has all we've known together since we've been married.

We were really having to trust God in this market to sell our house. We didn't have enough equity in it to list it with a realtor, so we just had to stick a sign in the yard and get on our knees praying. On Sunday, a really sweet girl and her son came and looked at the house. She loved it and made an offer!! We are so blessed to be even selling our house in the economic situation we are in. So now we can rest easy and thank the Lord that he is taking care of us. It is so hard to always trust God and have Faith, but He always comes through.

We are going to miss everyone, but at least we will live by the beach so people can come visit us!!

My little guy!

2008-10-21T14:14:00.002-05:00

More new pics

2008-10-05T19:12:00.004-05:00

Gavin at 18 days

2008-10-01T19:02:00.002-05:00

OK, so they aren't the most professional pictures, but it was a 5 minute photo shoot because he was happy and awake! So, I took a bunch of quick pictures. I wanted to show everyone how much he is filling out and growing up. He's a cutie patootie!!

Cousins

2008-09-28T20:53:00.002-05:00

My sister and her family came to town this weekend. The kids had so much fun playing with each other. And we had a good time visiting. This was the first time she met little Gavin.

These girls are goofy!!!

Baby Kyle
Sweet Cade
Kenley loves my little man
Look how tiny Gavin looks!!

Life just doesn't slow down

2008-09-28T09:47:00.007-05:00

Maternity leave is usually supposed to be slow-paced and just enjoying this new little life. I remember with Trinity, I would just lay on the couch with her on my chest and we would nap all day. I would just hold her and stare at her. These last two weeks have not been like that at all. I am totally enjoying him and loving staring at him all day long, however I have not napped since he was born.

It has been crazy with work these past two weeks. I had 5 loans that had to close before the end of the month, so I spent the last two weeks on the phone and computer non-stop. Mom was here for a week and took care of everything to do with the house becaus I pretty much had Gavin under control. I felt great. It didn't even feel like I had just had a baby. Then mom left.

I developed Mastitis in my breasts. OMG, it was a living hell. The first day I didn't have a clue what was wrong with me. I started to get chills, I couldn't nurse, my head pounded. It was awful. I felt like I had the flu for 3 days. I finally got some medicine and on Friday felt like a whole new woman. But, I wish mom would have been here on week 2 because it was awful! My laundry is piled up and the house is a mess.

So, THAT IS MY EXCUSE FOR NOT BLOGGING OR POSTING NEW PICTURES!!! I hadn't felt like much of anything. Here are some pictures from the last week of my gorgeous little man.

His cute little angel face!!

His First Aggie Gear. Lots more to come of that!

Sweet Face!

Smiling little face!!

Finally Home with our Family

2008-09-13T19:36:00.002-05:00

To answer all your questions, YES, it was me texting during labor and posting to my blog. People have asked me if it was Jacob, but no, it was me. That is the glory of an epidural.

He finally came at 10:54am! After a long night of not dialating, he finally decided to make his entrance. Mommy was just a little bit pround!

And so was big brother and big sister. Look at Garrett, Trinity and Jacob's smiles. No denying they are related.

Daddy is proud too!

This is Gavin on day 2 after we got home. Lots more pictures to come!

sorry, i have been napping

2008-09-12T17:09:00.000-05:00

well, at 10:54am this precious little angel entered into our world. i am so in love with him already. He was 7lbs 9oz and 20 1/2 inches long. He has a head full of dark blonde hair like his sister did. I think he looks more like me than Trinity ever did. But both kids were cursed with Jacobs toes. Poor kids. He is so sweet and beautiful.
Mom went home to upload pictures for everybody and realized that we had both laptops here with us. so hopefully we will have pictures up tomorrow. More to come!

Getting closer

2008-09-12T09:10:00.000-05:00

My friend text me and said to get my feet rubbed because that put her from a 5 to a 10 in 30 minutes. so, i cant even feel my feet, but my mom rubbed them really hard. and now i am at an 8!!! i am beginning to feel a lot of pressure with each contraction so it could be very soon.

Beyond Frustrating!

2008-09-12T07:43:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are almost 8am and no baby. I have not changed since 4am when my water was broken. they bumped me up to the max on the pitocin. so, we are waiting. and I am beyond frustrated...

Happy Birthday Jeremy!

2008-09-12T01:18:00.000-05:00

Today is my brothers birthday! He is lucky to share a Birthday with my new little guy. Well it is now 1:30 and I am only at a 4. i was hoping to progress a little faster. I went ahead and asked for the epidural because the sciatic nerve pain shooting down my butt, hip, and leg are unbearable. so, i am hanging out, breathing through the contractions while i wait. more soon...

its finally time!

2008-09-11T21:33:00.000-05:00

well, we were supposed to induce this morning and about 6am we got a phone call from the hospital that said they were post-poning me until Monday. So, after some tears, I accepted it and went on about my day. Later in the day, i lost my mucous plug and started to feel labor like. So, i went for a walk to start some contractions... NOTHING. About 6:30 I got a call from the doc that said they were ready for me. YEA!!! So, I am here in the hospital now waiting for this little guy. Before she started the pitocin she checked me out and I am 60% efaced 3 cm dialated. I was 3cm with Trinity for 12 hours!! So, hopefully this one will go faster... I will keep you posted...

Jacob is Home!!

2008-09-02T10:03:00.002-05:00

Jacob graduated from his BOLC3 (Basic Officer Leadership Course 3) school last Friday. Obviously I couldn't make it because I am 3 weeks away from having a baby... But his dad was there to take pictures for me. Here is my handsome soldier in his uniform.

We are so proud of his accomplishments while he was there. He won the Mantia Award. It is a leadership award that 1 soldier in his class gets. Out of 55 guys (1 of those being a girl) he was one of three who was nominated by his peers for this award. Then he had to go in front of an interview board and answer questions about current events, the history of the award, and situational questions concerning what he learned while he was there. He ended up winning the award! We are so proud of him. He recieved an army acheivment medal and this will be on his record. Yea!! 5 months away from his family... at least he accomplished something :)

Forever 29

2008-08-28T22:04:00.002-05:00

Well, I am officially beginning my last year of my twenties today. And today was the most unmemorable birthday I have had in the past 29 years. Normally I am a huge birthday person. I make a big deal out of my birthday every year. At least to my family I do. But this year, I am here by myself with Trinity. So, I spent the evening making my 3 year old daughter take me to dinner. She begged for Chick-Fil-A which of course is her favorite restaurant. I was very adamant that we were NOT going there. So, we went to Johnny Carinos. It was not the most enjoyable birthday dinner I have ever had, but it was better than none at all.

And I have a great weekend ahead of me!! My husband graduates tomorrow!! And then he is getting in his car and coming home to us!! So enough pity party for my birthday, I have a great birthday weekend ahead of me.

Back to the whole "last year of my twenties" dilemna... I need a "bucket list". I know that 30 is not kicking the bucket...however, I need to compose my "things to do before I am 30" list. And I need to make this next year memorable and great while I am still young enough to do it.

So, I have a mission for all of you faithful blog readers: Post your ideas of things I should do before I turn 30. Then i will go over these items and compose my list to share with you all. You can be me accountability to actually mark some of these things off my list. Keep in mind I already have tattoos and a nose piercing... and I don't run for fun. So, thanks for your help in this!!

happy birthday to me :)

Oh, and did I mention that I already have a TON of gray hair!!! What the crap?!?!

Aggie Fever!

2008-08-27T07:45:00.002-05:00

I did something impulsive the other day. But, thankfully, I have not regretted it yet. I went online to check out the Texas A&M Football Schedule and came across a link for "discounted season tickets." Jacob and I have talked about doing this for the past 5 years, so it peaked my interest. I clicked the link thinking that there was no way I was going to be able to afford this, and low and behold, I COULD!! So, we bought two tickets to all the home games this year. Now, I am SO excited about the upcoming football season.

I am not usually a big sports fan, but I fell in love with football when I was in high school. I guess that's what happens when you have a high school football team who is actually good. Anywho, I then went on to the wonderful Aggieland (who have not had a great football team the past several years, but I LOVE to watch). All this on top of the fact that I was raised a Dallas Cowboys fan from the time I was a child. That is one of the reasons that Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I always loved stuffing my face will all my favorite food and then curling up next to my dad to fall asleep to the Cowboys game.

So, needless to say, this time of year brings on great memories and I can't wait to make more of them this year at all the Aggie games.

I am sad that I won't get to go to the first game this weekend because Jacob is driving home from Missouri that day, but we got to share our tickets with our very dear friends Tim and Danielle. I am hoping that their first trip to Aggieland is a great one!

Oh, and by the way, expect a lot of posts about my fantasy football team this year. sorry to bug you if that topic bores you, but last year I kicked butt... until the playoffs... Thank you Tom Brady.

I am a brave soul!

2008-08-11T12:36:00.005-05:00

OK, for those who don't know, I am attempting to get my amateur (semi-pro) photography career off the ground. However, I can't take pictures of myself, so my mom helped me out with my camera. I am going to post the maternity pictures that we took this weekend. A couple of them are a bit risque, so if you don't want to see, CLOSE YOUR EYES! I've already given my mother permission to use them on our website and her ads, so the world will see anyway.

OK!! IT'S TIME TO CLOSE YOUR EYES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM!

Trip to Houston!

2008-08-03T19:31:00.004-05:00

This weekend I took probably my last road trip before this baby comes. I took my friend Danielle to my hometown since she is from Minnesota and has never been to Houston. So, we went to Houston on Friday and went with my dad and his family to an Astros game. She is a big baseball fan, so it seemed appropriate. I grew up an Astros fan when I was younger... I don't follow the sport at all now, but going to games is always fun. It was bobble head night and we tried to get there early enough but as we got up to the front of the line, they ran out :-( We had a good time. See pics below:

Mommy and Trinity

T cheering on the team!

Sweet Seth giving his mommy a kiss

Minute Maid Park

Danielle and Trinity

My little Brother! Cutie Pie

Dad, Bethany, and Seth

Dad and Seth

Dancin' Machines

2008-07-31T20:04:00.001-05:00

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4D sonogram- Meet our little guy!

2008-07-19T10:24:00.003-05:00

Well, we had our 4D sonogram yesterday. It was sooo much fun!! You can see so much about the baby. He has chubby little cheeks, a cleft in his chin (like his daddy), the same mouth that Trinity and all my neices and nephews have (from mommy), his daddy's hands (trinity has them too!). He has a little hair right now but still 10 weeks to grow the rest. I specifically asked this question because my heartburn is awful!!

10 more weeks and I can't believe it is coming so fast!! I am ready, but first I need Jacob to come home. I am excited to hold this precious little baby boy, but he needs his daddy too.

Daddy's hands

Precious sleeping punkin' head!!
Definitely a boy!!

Home Sweet Home

2008-07-09T16:45:00.002-05:00

We finally made it home!! it was a fun 2 weeks, but we are happy to be home. We just wish we could have brought Daddy home with us. His place there was a little small for all of us and I am sure he was happy to have it back by himself. The drive home was miserable. But walking into my clean house and sleeping in my comfortable bed was worth the 10 hours on the road. (it is a longer drive when you have 2 kids in the car :) I will post more pics of the trip as soon as I have time to download them. Right now I am just trying to catch up with work...

My Beautiful Kiddos

2008-07-09T15:56:00.006-05:00

You can tell how annoyed he was with her :)

Awww... she loves her brother

Our Handsome little man

Ummm... she thinks she's a model

OK, enough is enough.

The sun was too bright, but still cute.

Life on Post

2008-06-27T09:16:00.003-05:00

Well, life on a military post is not all that bad. They really try to plan a lot of activities to take your mind off the fact that the nearest mall is 80 miles away. They have 3 pools, water sprinkler parks, lots of playgrounds, story time at the library, bowling alleys, and a movie theater. So, there is plenty to keep us busy. My only complaint is the size of the kitchen in this joint. Of course it is only made as a one person apartment, but it is ridiculous. Ohhhh... and the bugs!! The gnats are HORRIBLE! I take Trinity to the park thinking it would be fun and relaxing. I could read my book on the park bench in the shade... yeah right. I spend the whole time in a swarm of gnats around my head. I haven't seen the ticks here yet, but supposedly they are everywhere. My friends kid gets them on her ankles just walking across her front yard. Gross!

Trinity and I have made some friends. One of the guys in Jacob's class moved his family here and they are just really fun. So, Trinity has friends to play with and I have someone to spend my daytime with. It is making the time go. Poor girl though... she wishes I was here for the whole summer.

Garrett flies in tonight and Jacob's dad will drive him here tomorrow morning from Kansas City. I am hoping to have some fun activities planned for while he is here. Thank goodness next week is only a 3 day workweek for Jacob. Here are some pics of Trinity and her little friends so far.

We made it to Missouri!!!

2008-06-21T09:40:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a LONG day!! I had to work in the morning because I had 2 closings (Praise the Lord). Trinity and I finally got on the road around 1:30 and headed north. The drive was OK. We got a good start with no Dallas traffic. After we crossed into Oklahoma we hit a dead stop. We were there just waiting for 45 minutes! Trinity kept telling me to go! I had to explain to her that the cars in front of me were stopped. She was not happy. But we finally got going again. Trinity was so good in the car. She just sat back there and watched movies for HOURS! She never slept the whole time but she didn't compain much. It was pleasant. We finally got here about 10:30 last night. If we hadn't sat still for so long, we would have made it in 8 hours...

I am now sitting here in Jacobs little living quarters waiting for his lazy butt to wake up. He has NO food here and me and little Gavin are hungry. Trinity ate his last poptart... I will post pictures later of where we will be staying for the next couple of weeks. I am hoping we don't get too restless... Garrett flies up next Friday to come stay with us. I am hoping we can go down to Branson to check it out. We are about an hour and a half from there. There are some pretty cool shows there that the kids will love. I just want to see what all the hype is about! And it will give us something to do.

Well, you may hear from me a little more over the next 2 weeks. I am hoping I have some fun, exciting things to report... we'll see... I will be taking lots of pictures though. I hear it is beautiful here. I drove in the dark once I hit Missouri so I couldn't tell you much...

My olympic swimmer

2008-06-21T09:26:00.004-05:00

Isn't it funny how moms can always be so optimistic about their kiddos future? Well, Trinity did amazing at swim lessons. We took swim lessons at the YMCA with 2 of her friends from church. We signed up a day later so she didn't get in the same class, but she did get the advantage of being in a class with older kids. She kept copying everything they did. So, after 2 weeks, she is swimming like a pro. She can seriously swim underwater all by herself. Sometimes it makes me a little nervous because she looks like she is a drowning rat, but then she pops her head up and grins ear to ear. She is so proud of herself. And we are so proud of her too. Here are a few pics.

Update on my sonogram

2008-06-21T09:20:00.002-05:00

Well, Praise the Lord! My placenta has moved into place where it needs to be and the baby looks great! We got a good look at his little face. It was sooo stinkin' cute. Trinity went with me so she could see her little brother. She was so excited when she saw his face. I get one more sonogram in a few weeks. A customer of mine runs an OB office in Mansfield and they just got a new 4D sono technician who needs practice... so lucky for me... I get to let her practice on me for free. FUN!! As soon as I get it, I will post pictures. I feel like a look like a whale but people keep telling me how small I look for 6 months. I sure don't feel small... Oh well, the baby is progressing beautifully. He measured at 2lbs 3oz at the sono. Gonna be a big boy! Well, better run...

My big fat belly!!

2008-05-29T21:31:00.002-05:00

Just thought I would give an update on my growing belly. My doctor was shocked this week when I had gained 10 pounds since my last appointment!! I mean it was 6 weeks in between appointments and prior to that I had only gained 1 pound. This little guy has all of the sudden decided to pop out! According to the babycenter.com website, he is right at 1 foot long and over a pound in weight. Kinda makes you wonder why I've gained 11 pounds right?? Anyway, everything is looking good. I go back for another sonogram on June 19th to make sure the placenta has moved up and it is not blocking the opening to the cervix. Keep us in your prayers!! On another note, Jacob is gone again :( He was home for 5 days in between his two schools and now he is off to Missouri where he can't come home on the weekend. So sad... However, he asked me to come and stay with him there for the summer. This is one of the few schools that he has ever been to that I could go with him. So, he is checking into that possibility and in a few weeks, Trinity and I might be making a trek to Missouri. We will see if we can work out the details. Another thing... he is supposed to go to Sapper School (another 4 week school) after he graduates from this school on August 28th. This will put him home on the day AFTER my due date. Sapper school is optional and I have never made him feel bad for wanting to go. I realize that this may be his only opportunity to go, so I have kept my mouth shut. However, he told me today that he may not be able to go... bittersweet... I really don't want to spend the last month of my pregnancy alone, but I also want him to be happy. So, since he doesn't ever read my blog, I can express to you that I had a sigh of relief when he told me that...

That's all I have for now!!

BFFs

2008-05-18T18:26:00.004-05:00

Trinity and her little BFF were born only 3 1/2 weeks apart. I'll admit that in the first year or two McKennas mother and I would joke around about them being BFFs. But in the past year and a half, they are a little obsessive with each other. They ask about each other all the time and look forward to each time they get together. When I wake her up for church on Sunday mornings and tell her that we are going to church, her first response is "to see Kenna?" I quickly assure her that we are going to church to learn about Jesus and yes, McKenna will be there. We hung out a little this weekend and I took some pictures of the girls. They are so cute together. Hopefully we will have many more fun memories of these girls together.

Soccer is Over!

2008-05-18T17:03:00.003-05:00

Well, it wasn't the most successful soccer season, but we made it through with little tears. We slowly evolved week to week from tears to bribery to picking flowers to following the crowd to finally chasing the ball. It was the last week but we finally saw a little agression on the soccer field. She actually got to throw the ball in several times when it went out of bounds and that just put her in the game. She had the support of her daddy and her Mimi there to keep her motivated. Here are some pictures of the end of her fun season!

my head is falling down on my desk...

2008-05-14T12:29:00.002-05:00

Normally I wouldn't say that I am a big caffeine drinker, but now that I have cut it out of my diet, I realize how addicted I really am. I drink A LOT of water but it is doing nothing to keep my eyes open. I am not a person that is concerned with caffeine during pregnancy, however, my doctor told me that my amniotic fluid is low and I need to really increase my fluids. Caffeine is a diuretic, therefore I have cut it out. I am dying!! and its not that I am not getting enough sleep because I sleep until whenever I wake up. (yes I love my job) Enough rambling...

So, our little Garrett turned 12 on Monday. It blows my mind that he is that old. He was just a little 6 year old boy when I met him. And now he is on the verge of teenagerhood... CRAZY... check out his mommas blog to see some great pics of him over the years. Our little man!!

Trinity went to visit her Mimi in New Braunfels a week ago today and I am going nuts. I miss her sooo badly. The first few days were nice, but now I really miss her. And when I talk to her she says "mommy, I want you!" It just breaks my heart. But she is having a blast with her Mimi and Papa G... and of course my sister and all her kiddos. I get to meet my mom on Friday to pick her up and I can't wait!

I am so lost and bored without Trinity and Jacob that I even went to a movie by myself the other night. I really wanted to see "What Happens in Vegas" and I know I can't go when Trinity is here... so, the fat pregnant girl got her drink and popcorn and went to a movie by herself :) It was worth it though. I loved the movie.

Anyway, not a whole lot going on in my little world. I wish i had more to comment on or talk about... but oh well. I do live in Midlothian, TX... that should explain it!

No more bows... bring out the trucks and army men

2008-05-01T11:32:00.003-05:00

Well, its official.... as official as they can get before the baby is born... ITS A BOY!! I am in a little bit of shock right now because this whole time I thought it was a girl. Then about 2 days ago I started to think it was a boy. Maybe God was preparing me for this. I hope he prepared Trinity 8~) I told the girl doing my sonogram that we HAD to find out what it was because (thanks to the military insurance) this was my one and only shot. So, after she did all the important stuff, she started looking for the goods. She had to shake him alot!! Then we saw his little hand move down there... she said its a boy for sure!! He's already playing with himself! Then he finally moved his legs and started showing off.

Then he wouldn't close his legs!! He wanted the world to see! So, there you have it. Trinity won't have a sister!! But she will be happy with a little brother too. Poor thing will probab ly be dressed up in princess costumes and forced to play dolls and school... I can't wait to tell her.

So, we are 1 week away from being halfway there. On September 25th (or around that date) we will get to meet little Gavin Avery Patterson... So excited!!!

1 more Day!!

2008-04-29T20:59:00.002-05:00

Only 1 more day until my sonogram!! I am excited, nervous, and a little sad all at the same time. I am obviously excited that i will find out who this little person is inside me. I am nervous because I am praying that everything is OK and what I will do if it is a little boy!! and I am a little sad that I have to go to this exciting dr. appt by myself :( I really wish Jacob was going to be there with me. Oh well, I guess that is what is happens when you are an Army wife. You get used to being independent.

Back to what I will do if it is a little boy... I don't mean this in a bad way. I just want Trinity to have a sister. Sisters are the best and I want her to experience that. And since Jacob says this is the last one... its my one shot! However as I lay there in bed this morning thinking about what I will think and feel if the doc says its a boy, I kinda got a nervous excitement. A step into the unknown. I mean, I know what they are like 6 and up (from being a step-mommy), but a little mommas boy of my own... I don't know. I guess I am really excited either way. I mean, we have a boys name picked out but I can't think of a girls name for the life of me... Maybe thats a sign.

Anyway... 1 more day... keep watching for updates...

I wanted to crawl under a rock

2008-04-14T23:01:00.002-05:00

Well, after church on Sunday, Trinity and I had to run to Waxahachie to go by my office. So, I asked her what she wanted for lunch. Her being the 3 year old she is, her face lit up as she said "pizza!" So, I opted for the cheap and easy Cici's buffet. As we are chowing down, Trinity looks over at the couple sitting diagonally across from us. All of the sudden, she blurted out loudly "Momma, that lady's butt is too big! It needs to be smaller, like yours." I wanted to die right then and there. I tried to avoid eye contact with the couple as I scolded Trinity. After I explained to her that some people are bigger than others and it isn't nice to point it out, she said, "but her butt was too big for that chair!" I just had to turn my head the other way to avoid my laughter. I picked up the phone and had to share the story with her daddy. Oh, the things children say. And to think that I have tried to be so careful in not using the "fat" word to avoid a situation like this. They will say it anyway!

My growing Belly

2008-04-10T21:37:00.002-05:00

I am still camoflauging myself well, however, the belly is starting to protrude. It just amazes me that it is progressing so quickly. I am 16 weeks today and almost all my pants are too tight. I am not quite ready for maternity clothes and this in between stage absolutely sucks. I can't believe we are already 4 months pregnant though. It is going rather quickly since I have been so stinkin busy lately. I am just ready to find out who this little person is inside of me. We won't find out the gender for another probably 5 weeks... and its driving me nuts! Technically the doctor may be able to tell this early, but she doesn't like to do sonograms this early. She would rather wait until I am 20 weeks. My appointment won't be until I am 21 weeks though... I don't see why not. She does the sonograms in her office. Its not like I have to make a special appointment. Oh well... have patience, right? Anyway, here is a lovely picture of my growing belly.

I've been tagged....

2008-04-06T11:30:00.002-05:00

Well, my friend Melissa has "tagged" me. I am supposed to come up with 7 things that you probably don't know about me. Here we go:

1. I am a true loner. I love having friends and people I can talk to, hang out with, and call close friends. But, I truly love being alone and can catch myself isolating myself. It is not healthy to do it as much as I have in the past. It is definitely something I need to work on in myself.

2. I aspire to have a real green thumb. I always call my mom and talk to her about my flower beds or different plants I see around. She always knows what they are called, what they are "kin" to, and how to care for them. I want to be like that. I am very proud of my flower bed right now and my little container garden in my back yard. We will see if we produce any vegetables!

3. I have always wanted a really big family. I always said that I wanted 4 or more kids. Now I'm not so sure. I'm thinking this one may be my last. (Jacob says it definitely will be... we'll see).

4. Now, this is embarrasing... One boob is bigger than the other. Not just slightly. A whole freakin' size! I have contemplated plastic surgery. Maybe someday. Not to get them much bigger, but to make them the same size.

5. I used to LOVE ice cream! I could eat it all the time. My favorite growing up was Blue Bells Dutch chocolate or Pistachio Almond. However, in the past 5 years, I can only eat very moderate amounts. Jacob ate sooooo much ice cream in the first year we were married that I got so grossed out on it. I could hardly eat it at all for a while.

6. I am not a clean freak. I wish I was. My dad is and my mom is not and I took more after my mom. I think the older I get, I am getting better, but not nearly where I want to be. I have always had a hard enough time picking up after myself that I have felt so overwhelmed dealing with a slob of a husband and a kid. I must figure this balance out before another kid comes into the world!!

7. I am super picky about a fast food hamburger. One of the only places I will eat a hamburger is Whataburger. Not sure why, but all others just dont match up. I would be screwed if I lived in another state that doesn't have one...

OK... Now I have to come up with seven people I am going to tag... Hmm... Danielle, Ruth, Jamie, Jacob, Tomi, Jen, and still thinking of the 7th... I don't have that many blogger friends.

all alone

2008-04-06T11:25:00.002-05:00

Well, Jacob is off. He drove away about 30 minutes ago. I am having mixed emotions. I am looking forward to a little time by myself. I want to get this house clean and organized. I want to cook meals that I can't cook when he's home. I don't want to share my laptop with anyone in the evenings. BUT, I know a week down the road, I am going to miss him like crazy. In the end, I hate being alone. Especially being pregnant. That is no fun. I will probably be blogging a lot over the next 6 months. So, you will hear from me soon... Keep me in your prayers!

Our little soccer girl!

2008-04-06T11:06:00.003-05:00

Ever since Trinity was born, she has been going to her big brother's soccer games. Everytime we would pass a soccer field on a Saturday morning, she would talk about how she was going to play soccer like her brother. Well, the time came when she was finally old enough to play! We shopped for cleats, little miniature shin guards, and the coolest ball with her name on it (they actually had a brand with a pink ball named "Trinity"- we didn't customize it!!). First practice comes... she's a rock star. All over the ball, dribbling like a champ! We thought, man, she's a natural. We were so pumped for gametime on Saturday. The big day arrived, she warmed up with her team, then the tears started to flow. She did not want ANYTHING to do with soccer that day. We begged her to go out on the field, we bribed her to do anything. No luck. Wasted Saturday. But she sure did look cute! I got some great pictures of her during warm-up...

Well, this Saturday rolls around and she is not quite as excited about her game. She was more excited about me french braiding her hair. However, there were NO tears! She sat on the sideline with her friends when she was not in the game (at one point she was laid out on the grass with her arms crossed behind her head... she looked like she was soaking up some rays). She listened to her coach and did whatever he told her. Literally. The coach would yell for her to come here. She would. And then she would stay there until he told her to move somewhere else. Even if the ball was WAY on the other side of the field with her entire team, she stood where the coach had brought her. It was hilarious. Had I brought my camera, every picture would have been with her by herself on an empty field. Towards the end of the game, she was getting the idea that she needed to follow the ball wherever it went. The other kids actually kicked the ball off her cleats a couple of times. We decided that we would consider it as a kick.

Not sure if we have a future soccer star on our hands, but man, it sure is fun to watch. We were so proud of her for getting on the field this week and playing... more stories to come.

I'm back...

2008-03-18T13:58:00.003-05:00

OK. The last month has been a nightmare! I have felt absolutely horrible. I could barely eat and ALL smells made me want to vomit. I would be fixing Trinity breakfast and have to run out the back door to gag several times... NOT FUN! I could barely keep my head off my desk everyday about 2pm. My house was a wreck because I had no energy or will in the evenings. I didn't even want to step foot in the kitchen to make dinner because the smells bothered me. I hit 12 weeks last Thursday and it is so amazing how I feel like a whole new person. I am trying to get my household duties back on track and I am not wanting to puke all the time. AMAZING! Hopefully the rest of the pregnancy will be good except of course the last few months of sleepless nights. I went to the doctor on Monday and got to hear the heartbeat. Everything sounds good and is right on track. Unfortunately we will not get to find out the gender for 2 more visits... So, another 8 weeks. That sucks because I am so anxious! I have to figure out how I am going to setup bedrooms in this small house. With one boy and one girl already, somebody is sharing a room!! And I'm sure the 11 year old does not want to share a room with an infant! poor guy. We need a bigger house... Jacob is scared to buy a bigger house right now because of the way the market is. It would be impossible for us to sell our house right now and if we buy another one and rent this one out, there is a chance we will get transferred within the next year. He doesn't want to be stuck owning 2 homes here! I can understand, but this house is already cramped!! Oh well, its not in our timing! I have to keep reminding myself of that.

Thats it for now. Other than sickness, nothing has been going on in the last month. Hopefully I will have something more exciting or meaningful to talk about soon. Ciao!

I feel sorry for the girl

2008-02-15T16:29:00.002-06:00

I have to admit that I am a closet celebrity dish guru. I love People, US Weekly, and even Perezhilton.com. I have come across this lately that could not go unmentioned. I am also a big fan of The Hills on MTV. Jacob and I both started watching it this summer while we were apart and laughed about it when we got back together. I am a huge fan of Lauren Conrad (aka LC) and not so much a fan of Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. If you have no idea what I am talking about, then you can just ignore the rest of the blog, but if you are interested, here is the quick up to date. Heidi and LC met at Fashion design school in San Fransisco. LC brought Heidi into The Hills/Laguna Beach world. Heidi was just a young girl from a small town in Colorado who wanted nothing else but to be part of the Hollywood scene. They became best friends and roommates. Heidi started dating the biggest loser on the planet, Spencer Pratt. He is good looking, but a total scumbag with no real grasp on the reality of the real world. Heidi moved in with him, he told lies about LC, and the friendship was done. Now that you are in the know, we can move on to the present fiasco at hand. Heidi has decided that she wants to be a pop star! Oh, don't we all? But i am not going to record a song/album and make a homemade video to be made fun of all over the internet. Who does that? With the connections they have in Hollywood, it seems that they could have done it in a little more professional fashion. Unfortunately for her, they chose to release the single and the video. You must check it out... For a good laugh... i honestly feel sorry for the girl and the embarrassment she must feel. The saddest thing about it is that Spencer probably talked her into it. he is looking at her with $$ in his eyes... Sad...

Hannah rocks!

2008-02-12T09:47:00.000-06:00

We finally got to take the girls to see the Hannah Montana Miley Cyrus 3D concert at the movies last week. Jamie, my sister-in-law, flew in from Phoenix to hang out for a couple of days. So, I went down to New Braunfels to hang out with the kiddos and my sisters. We got the kids all pumped up to see this concert. But first, we had to introduce Hannah to Jamie. Now, you have to know Jamie to fully appreciate this part of the story. When I first met Jamie, I used to laugh at how hysterical she would get over Kelly Clarkson. One time she called me from a Kelly concert and held up the phone for me to hear her screaming like a little girl. She always had the song playing as her ringtone. borderline ridiculous, but entertaining nevertheless. So, the night before the movie/concert we put on a DVD that the kids had of Hannah. Jamie got sooo excited. By the end of the trip, she knew all the words to the songs. And Sarah talked about Hannah like she was her mother or big sister. She kept saying how proud she was of Miley Cyrus... it was pretty funny. On to the big concert... my mom met us up there and we were ready to rock out in the crowd of screaming kids. We went to the early showing to beat the crowd. Well, we beat them alright. We were the ONLY people in the theater. Oh well, we put on our 3D glasses and rocked out. Trinity and Kenley were a little more apprehensive about the 3D glasses, but they enjoyed it all the same. I definitely think that the adults had more fun than the kiddos. Lets just face it, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, and we don't ever want to grow up!

Your Help is Needed!

2008-02-03T12:18:00.001-06:00

I have a very dear friend that I grew up with that is in need of your help. Her name is Ivonne Thompson and her husband is Anthony Thompson. Here is what happened in her words:

"Anthony is a Corpsman third class with the United States Navy. He is stationed with the second batallion, seventh marine unit out of Twentynine Palms, CA. He was deployed for his second tour of combat duty on January 29, 2007. Anthony takes great pride in his job and in "his" marines.
Anthony was injured on April 20, 2007 when a SVBIED (suicide vehicle born improvised e device) was detonated under an overpass where they were standing post. He and 7 other marines were injured in the incident. Anthony sustained a head injury, an injury to his lower back, a punctured right lung and minor scrapes and scratches on his legs, hands, arms and face. He was medivaced to 3 different medical stations before finally being sent to Landstuhl Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany. There he was cared for by loving hands of the ICU nurses and doctors for just shy of a week. On Friday, April 27, 2007, he was then medivaced to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. " -from her journal at www.caringbridge.org/visit/anthonythompson

In a recent email from Ivonne:

"I regret to inform you that I received a phone call this morning to let me know that the Navy Medical Board came to the conclusion that Anthony is 100% disabled (I am well aware of that fact) and will now be medically retired sooner than expected.

Let me start by back-tracking to give you the full background of this decision. I had been asked in Nov. about possibly retiring Anthony, to which my response was, “Not anytime soon; he’s not finished with his medical treatments.” I thought that would be enough to prolong the inevitable, I was wrong. On December 21, 2007, I was presented with the paperwork for Anthony’s Physical Evaluation Board (what I was told was the first step of the Medical Board process). I was explained that the PEB process could take 60-90 days. Since the PEB had been started, I couldn’t stop the Medical Board process; all I could do was appeal once they made their final decision. So although I was upset that this had all been started, I had comfort knowing that I would have 60-90 days to prepare a well thought out and written letter of appeal. Since being given this information, I have been “blowing any horns and whistles” to make sure I have the support to help me fight for Anthony.

This morning at 8:45am, I received a phone call from Senior Chief Giles at Jacksonville Medical Hospital (to whom Anthony has been attached) to inform me that the Medical Board had made their decision and they have found Anthony 100% disabled. A process that I was told would take 60-90 days, took 27days. Now from today’s date, I have 15 days to present a formal letter of appeal to then have a formal trial to fight this decision.

Here’s our dilema, I wanted to keep Anthony active until ALL of his medical treatments have been completed. The Medical Board process, which leads to retirement, will more than likely interrupt his medical treatments. To insure that Anthony gets as far as he can get we CAN NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!

According to Tricare (the military’s insurance company) legislation, Tricare does not have a supplemental fund to supply cognitive rehabilitation for veterans (but they do have the funds for active duty military); therefore, we would depend on the VA to supply cognitive rehabilitation or outsource to another facility. The process of outsourcing from the VA is not guaranteed. In order to be guaranteed the appropriate rehabilitative treatments, we MUST keep Anthony active duty military or lobby to have Tricare change their legislation. Since the latter of the two will most likely not change in the immediate future, our only option is to appeal this decision with full force.

Another point, since 30% of the injuries coming back from this war is TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) or other head related injuries, the Department of Defense must update current protocol and policies to be more in tune with the unique battlefield casualties that have become the signature wound of this war.

So fellow supporters, we are asking for your help! We are asking you to contact your Congress persons and Senators, as I too will be, to help either change Tricare legislation, Department of Defense policies in reference to battlefield casualties or to support Anthony’s active military status. We know we can count on you all because of the support you have given us thus far. I will keep you abreast of any and all information I receive and hope you will do the same!

With sincerest regards,
Ivonne Thompson
HM3 Anthony Thompson’s wife

Being an Army wife, this is something that we all fear. Please pray for this family and speak out. You can contact your Congressman at this link: http://www.rallycongress.com/veteranhealthcare/

Ahhh.... Relief

2008-02-01T22:25:00.000-06:00

OK, so now I'm thinking I may have exaggerated my condition on my post. I had a few bad days where I felt like death warmed over. And I really must have been having a bad day when i wrote all that. I'm feeling a little dramatic ;-) Because I actually feel fine now and have for the past couple of days. I have been working out and cleaning my house and going to work. My only complaint is that I am tired... but I can deal with that! I like to sleep.

Now that I've made my confession, lets talk about the Lost Premiere. I am a little disappointed. I watched the 2 hour recap on Wednesday night and got so pumped about the "2 hour" premier. 2 hours -my butt!- it was another 1 hour recap before the premier. What BS!! Then the much anticipated premiere began... dun, dun, dun... a big moment... what a freakin' let down!! OK, by watching the 3 hours of recap, we already knew that Jack had made contact with the freighter, we already knew that Charlie had died and claimed that the boat was not who they claimed to be, we already knew that Locke attempted to kill the girl from that boat (forgot her name), we knew that Jack and Kate aka Freckles made it off the island and that Jack had gone off the deep end. So, pretty much, the only thing new we learned, was that Hugo made it off and he claimed to be one of the "Oceanic 6". So, does that mean that only 6 made it off the island. Did the others chose to stay? Are they alive? With only 8 episodes remaining due to the lovely SAG strike, they better give me more to go on before I lose interest...

Just for laughs

2008-01-30T20:56:00.000-06:00

My dad sent this to me today and it makes me smile so I had to share it.

Chelsea Clinton recently discussed current events with a U.S. Soldier.

She asked if, as an American fighting man, anything scared him.
He told her there were only three things he feared:

1) Osama

2) Obama

And Yo Mama!

Ugh..

2008-01-30T20:18:00.000-06:00

OK, not to brag or anything, but my pregnancy with Trinity was Soooo easy. I felt good most of the time, I wasn't sick at all. Just the usual tiredness. So, the thought of getting pregnant again seemed like a great idea. I thought that this would be fun to have a little addition to the family. Easy, No big deal... WRONG, boy-oh-boy was I way off. I have the opposite of morning sickness, I have evening sickness. I feel great all day and then when I get home at night with my little angel who I am supposed to be taking care of all by myself while daddy is away, I get sick. All I want to do is go to sleep. I am scared of eating anything in fear of puking or just plain feeling like hell. I have found so far that I can't eat fast food, or at least anything fried. I am OK if I stick to plain, normal fruits and vegetables, but throw anything good, or weird in the mix... stick a fork in me 'cuz I am DoNe. Yuck. I can't wait for this to pass. I am hoping that this will be over soon. I am praying that at the end of the first trimester I will be over this feeling and I will feel great again. Like I did with Trinity. Pregnant bliss...

And on top of it all, I feel like I am already starting to pooch out in my belly. I was 5 1/2 months with Trinity before I showed and now I am only 5 1/2 weeks. What the crap? All for this little miracle we call life :)

Yours truly,

Fat, pregnant, sick, and all alone in Midlothian

ADDICTED!!

2008-01-25T08:55:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness... Jacob bought the Guitar Hero III game on Monday and I can't put the stinkin' thing down. It is borderline ridiculous. But man, I am so good!! Or at least that is what I keep telling myself. And you feel like you are really playing the songs. I am feeling like a true musician with numb callouses on my fingers!! I know, that means we are playing way too much. I usually get mad at Jacob for staying up and playing games on the X-Box, but last night that was me. I seriously sat there for hours and just kept saying, one more song. I couldn't believe how I got sucked in. For all the times I have gotten mad at Jacob for his addiction and losing track of time.... Here it is.... "I'm Sorry." Because now I know how it is.

New things in the new year

2008-01-23T08:47:00.000-06:00

Well, we have some fun and interesting news in our family. Last month we decided it was time to continue to grow our family. Since Jacob and I have been back together, we really struggled with the idea because we were scared of us not making it. We have finally made it to a point where we are both actually trying at the same time. It makes a world of difference!! Things have been going really good with us. So, we decided to give it a shot. And well, it took. The first time!! We are pregnant. Barely, but pregnant. I am only about 4 1/2 weeks right now so it is still so early to be talking about it. But, I have faith that this precious little baby will continue to grow and develop. It was really hard in 2006 when I miscarried at 12 weeks, so it is really hard to get my hopes up. I haven't been to the OB/GYN yet, but I did confirm it with my regular doctor... gotta get referrals with the great Tricare insurance... So, from what I can tell, my due date is September 25th. The thing that stinks is that Jacob will be gone the ENTIRE pregnancy. He will be gone to Ft. Sill for 6 weeks and then to Missouri for 12 weeks. He gets back right before the due date. So, this summer, if anyone wants to come visit me and hang out, I would LOVE it!! We are soooo excited. We weren't going to tell the kids this early, but Jacob spilled the beans to Garrett this weekend. And get this... funny... Garrett's mom is pregnant too. She is 4 weeks ahead of me, so Garrett will have 2 new siblings within a month of each other. He is excited. He said that he hopes at least one of them is a boy. Well, thats it for now. Please pray for us and this little precious baby!

Bored

2008-01-16T11:53:00.000-06:00

Well, a week has gone by and nothing exciting to talk about or to report on this end. Trinity and I met up with Jacob last weekend in Marble Falls. He was staying at the Horseshoe Bay Resort for a work symposium... anyway, we took advantage of the room and a little time to spend together that we wouldn't have had otherwise. The resort would have been AMAZING in the summertime, but it was cold and not a whole lot to do. It is right on the lake and has 4 pools... and I don't play golf. We drove to Llano to go visit my aunt at her ranch to pass the time on Saturday while Jacob was working. My sister and her three kids met us up there for the day. They had SOO much fun running around outside at the ranch. I absolutely love it there and I have great memories of times that we spent there. My cousin came over with her little boy, Remington, who is an absolute cutie pie. It was a good day. Then, on the way back, we stopped at Ft. Hood to buy me a new laptop!!! Yea, I have been needing one for a LONG time. It was a pain in the butt getting all my info off the old hard drive, but nevertheless, it is done... And I am a much happier person :) I would be an even happier person if my stinkin camera was not on back order. I can't wait to begin taking pictures with it. So much fun!! Not much else to report or talk about. Pretty normal around here. Except I am starting a new workout tomorrow. I saw the infomercial and I loved the concept. My friend Kristi got it for Christmas, so I am starting it with her. I'll keep you posted on the results. Oh, one more thing, I got a link to this cool website earlier. Check it out: www.electoralcompass.com That's it for now!

Who is Barack Hussein Obama?

2008-01-08T09:55:00.000-06:00

I got this as a forward and it made my stomach turn. I decided to post it here as well as forward it on because I feel the information in this is so important!!

Who is Barack Obama?

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHEIST from Wichita, Kansas. Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.

When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school."

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that that he is not a radical.

Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education.

Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta .

Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background.

Barack Hussein Obama will not show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches.

Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy.

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States, one of their own!!!!

Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading our country?...... NOT ME!!!

CONCERN US CITIZENS WHO STILL BELIEVE IN THE FLAG, Pledge of Allegiance & show reverence to our flag.

This picture says it all!!

RespectSenator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin stand during the national anthem.Barack Hussein Obama's photo (that's his real name)......the article said he REFUSED TO NOT ONLY PUT HIS HAND ON HIS HEART DURING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BUT REFUSED TO SAY THE PLEDGE.....how in the hell can a man like this expect to be our next Commander-in-Chief????

Where is our future going and how do I make a difference?

2008-01-06T15:05:00.000-06:00

I am sitting here this Sunday afternoon with a clean house, a sleeping child, and not crap on tv. And as I was pondering what I should do, it hit me. My ignorance about politics and the presidential candidate race smacked me in the face like a ton of bricks. I began frantically searching the internet for facts on the candidates. I am beginning to realize how important this is to my family and my life. I have always considered myself a republican with conservative views. I hate war, but it is necessary and it has always and will always be a part of civilization. I stand behind my husband and his decision to be a soldier. That is our way of life. It has been amazing having a president like President Bush who supports the things we believe in. Now I sit here reading the bios and issues of all the nominees and I am just confused... I don't know enough about a single one to make an informed, intelligent decision of who to support. I have a friend whose blog I love to read and she is soooo supportive of Duncan Hunter. I have read some info on him today and from what I read, I like him. But I really don't think there is any way that he will get on the ticket. He is hardly even mentioned as a possibility here. There is not a single candidate that I agree 100% with on their issues. So, at this point, I should choose the most compatible candidate. Who the heck is that? It is sooo important this year. Our servicemen and women and their families are at stake here... And not to mention everything else that this election represents. I need some serious help and insight here... I am interested in hearing what everyone elses opinions and views are on this subject. Please comment.

Am I boring?

2008-01-03T22:25:00.000-06:00

So, after writing that last post, I thought of something I have to get off my chest. Have you seen the preview for the movie The Bucket List? It is a movie where these two guys know they are dying, so they make a list of things they want to do before they 'kick the bucket'. So, as we were making one of our drives down I-35 Jacob wanted to kill time writing a list of things that we wanted to do in our lifetime. I don't know if I am boring or what, but my list really sucked. Jacob has a TON of adventurous, crazy things that he wants to do. I mean adventurous things, places to go, events to attend, or things he wants to buy... and my list was boring. I guess I am just content. My main thing on my list was places that I want to travel to, getting my boobs done, and eventually getting my corvette. I think he was truly shocked at how boring I was...

Resolution Schmesolution

2008-01-03T22:07:00.000-06:00

Why do we do this to ourselves every year? I sat here bored over the last few days thinking about what I want to change this year. What I want to do more of, less of, better, or not at all. And I came up with a few that I have the greatest intentions of sticking to. I am trying not to be unrealistic like saying that I am going to train for an iron man triathalon or keep my house spotless all the time. Those things just won't happen. So, my realistic goals (I want to call them goals rather than resolutions because resolutions don't stick, goals are always present) are 1) to do something physically active at least 3 times a week... it's doable 2) to have a date night once a month doing something or going somewhere different or fun 3) to pay off at least one of my student loans. Now those aren't too bad, right. Those are realistic goals to have for the year. I hate the fact that we do this every year in January. Why can't we just decide to set goals at any point during the year and follow through? It's because we don't take them seriously. It is always about a time limit. I will go on a diet on Monday, or I will quit smoking at the end of this pack. Why not just put down the cheeseburger and throw out the cigarettes now? Why not tivo the show, get off the couch and go for a jog? The key is accountability. Pick an accountability partner with the same or similar goals and hold each other to it. Write down your goals, put them on the fridge, and stick to it. I had a manager in college at Outback who sat me down onetime and said that you will never follow through with your goals if you don't write them down. Its all about accountability...

The Never Ending Holidays

2008-01-03T00:42:00.000-06:00

Well, I believe they are finally over!! I thought it would never end. We made our way down to Round Rock the weekend before Christmas to spend with Jacob's family, then back up I-35 home to Midlothian for Christmas Day at our house. Jacob created a FUN Christmas tree for us this year. He did not want to do the traditional boring tree that I normally do. (Actually, he thinks its boring because its not like his moms tree!!!) So, he went out and bought and all white tree with LED lights and bought all pink, purple, green, and blue ornaments. It actually turned out really good. Garrett did not believe that this tree was his dads idea because it looked so girly!! Christmas was good at home with the kids. Jacob's mom came over and we just had a relaxed Christmas morning with a great big breakfast! Trinity got her "Rockstar Barbie" and Garrett got some Piratology things he likes.... and they got a whole bunch more stuff that I can't even remember... After a nice, relaxing day it was then back down south that night on the dreaded I-35 to New Braunfels until Thursday...Whew, I am sick of travelling. It was well worth it though to spend time with our families and to welcome my new little nephew into the world on Christmas Day. My sister had her third (yes, that is 3 kids!!) on Christmas day. It put a hiccup in the plans, but we'll forgive the little guy!! He was the best gift any of us could have had. At least he didn't come on the 23rd because we already have 4 people with that birthday on the calendar. He is absolutely precious!!! I love him so much already! All the kids were so cute together opening presents and playing so well. The smart Aunt Jamie got the girls Hannah Montana wigs for Christmas. Can I just say HILARIOUS! Trinity loves it! Now she can sing, dance, and look like Hannah... she's in heaven. Man, I need a video camera! So... The holidays didn't end there. Jeremy and Brandy (Jacob's brother and his wife) were in town from Alabama for the holidays. We got a babysitter for the weekend and decided to try to hang like we used to. I mean, it was our anniversary... So, 2 nights, 4 hangovers, and several hundred dollars later, we made it back to Midlothian... Just in time for the most uneventful New Years Eve in my life... We sat on the couch with Trinity (recovering) and watched new years on tv like old people. We didn't even call any friends over, or even crack a bottle of wine or beer... just sat there waiting for it to be over... Ahhh... and it finally was.
I was actually ready to go back to work on Wednesday. Looking forward to starting fresh and new!! And then we got sick... I took Trinity to the doctor today and she had double ear infections and possible pink eye!! and I have a throat infection... man, I just want things to be normal again... I want to get up in the morning (not too early) and go to work and not live out of a suitcase for a little while! Whew...

An Entertainer in the Family

2007-12-17T15:46:00.000-06:00

Well, we have an entertainer in the family. And no, Jacob has not been discovered for his unique dancing skills... Little Trinity has found her calling to be a dancer/musician!! And she has brought us many laughs. It all began with an accidental pause in changing the channels one evening. The show we stopped on was Dance Club 21, a local dance show. IMMEDIATELY, she stopped what she was doing and the 'rythym got her'. Her little hips started moving and then she couldn't control her body anymore. It just flowed with the music. We have progressed to an unhealthy obsession with Hannah Montana and High School Musical. I say it is unhealthy because she is only 3, or will be next week. A 3 year old should be dancing to Elmo or obsessed with Dora the Explorer... We are not that lucky. For her birthday we got her a Fisher Price Superstar Station where she can sing and it projects her onto the tv. She loves it!! She wasn't a big fan of the music options it gave her like "If you're happy and you know it" or "row, row, row your boat". So, the other night we began to download songs for her to sing along to. We were downloading some High School Musical songs and then we thought it would be funny to see her dance to some music from our days. OMG let's just say we had a night FULL of entertainment. Man, we are going to have our hands full with this one!

I'm new at this...

2007-11-29T20:00:00.000-06:00

Well the holidays are approaching quickly and we have way too much family to see and way to little time. It makes the holidays a little more stressful than I normally would have liked. We will be making two trips down the dreaded I-35 this month within one week so that we can please everyone :) At least for Thanksgiving we got to stay here and relax. We cooked a small dinner with Jacobs mom and then we got to go to the freezing cold Cowboys game. I have wanted to go to a Cowboys game on Thanksgiving since I can't even remember. I was a brainwashed Cowboys fan since I was a kid. Kinda like we are brainwashing our kids to be Aggies... and wow, what about that game last week!! Enough about football... it seems like that is all that we have talked about in my household the last few months... (thats because I am kicking butt in my fantasy league and I actually care about football this season)

Jacob and I have been through a lot over the past 6 months. It has been such a trying time in our lives and our marriage. We are trying to make our situation into a positive driving force in our relationship. We have both learned so much about ourselves and what we want out of life and our marriage. We are taking the steps necessary to be happy and successful. We want to thank all our family and friends who have never stopped believing in us or praying for us. We will always be grateful to those who stood by us during our darkest times and helped us through all this. On a lighter note, things are going well now... stay in tune to the blog to get our future updates. Maybe one day we will have an amazing testimony on how God can save a marriage...

Over our "separation" Jacob completed OCS (Officer Candidate School) and he is now a 2nd lieutenant in the Army National Guard. He now works at the armory in Irving by Texas Stadium with an engineering unit... Unfortunately his schools and training are far from over. He will be gone 2 weeks in February, 6 weeks in the Spring, and then another 12 weeks over the Summer... We have a long road ahead of us, but we can be grateful that he has not been deployed yet. We are all very proud of his hard work and what he has accomplished. He will make a great officer.

Anyway, I think this should get everyone up to date on us and our lives. So check back in the future. So long for now!