Monday Carter Edition #64~Monday Blues

What's wrong...Monday blues gotcha' down?

Well, Monday Carter has a sure fire recipe for waving goodbye to those blues...

Now, listen carefully, and do exactly as she does. First, twirl around...

And end with your best pose...

Now for the good part. Throw your hands in the air and say (out loud) "I AM FABULOUS!!"

You're feeling better already, right!?

Happy Monday!!

2 Bits, 4 Bits, 6 Bits a Dollar...

All for Pops and Roxi (and the Cougars of course) stand up and HOLLER!!!

Today is the official kick off of Friday Night Lights in West Texas (and no I'm not talking about the TV show although I kinda' dig it too). Pops, although most people know him as Coach Spradlin, and the Cooper Cougars are playing their first big game and we're sending a great big cheer all the way from San Antonio!!

Their biggest fans (that would be Emme and Carter) hope that tonight brings a "W" for Pops...

And lot's of fans that will cheer along with Roxi...

We know she'll have some of the prettiest Coaches Wives in Texas to cheer with (I'm lucky to call them friends)...

And Carter can't wait to spend another season hanging out with some of the best coaches kids in Texas...

And, like the good big sister she is, I'm sure she'll be quick to introduce Emme to the gang...

Speaking of Emme, she is looking forward to experiencing her very first football season...

We hope it's a great one, GO COOGS!!!

Little Ballerina

Carter's adventures in dancing continued this week as she started a new class. I love my little ballerina...

To my sweet girl, I hope your feet continue to find joy in moving, twirling and dancing to your own beat!

The First Day

It's been conquered (and actually the second as well)! Yesterday was the big day that Carter had been waiting for all Summer...her first day of school. She was one excited little lady...

She is one of "those kids" that has a September birthday and missed the kindergarten cut off by two weeks. We've gone back in forth looking at the options, but feel so thankful that because of Nate's military service she is allowed to attend a Pre-K program offered in the public school system here. So, while she hasn't officially started Kindergarten, the fact that we are now attending the public school five days a week has us all feeling pretty official. She was as prepared as a kiddo could be...




And I have to admit I was feeling just a bit sentimental over her new white Keds. If my childhood memory serves me correctly a new pair of Keds were pretty much a staple item for me every school year...




and don't forget the back pack, you gotta' have a back pack...




Parents have a cliche' phrase that we're all pretty famous for, we go around saying it about as often as other people comment on the weather, but you just can't help it because it is SO true, so here I go, "They grow up so fast!"...




The other thing that goes with the "parenting territory" is how proud you feel of your little people...





And as our munchkin' waited in line with all the other school kids we were definitely feeling it...




and let's just say that when she flashed me this smile and look of confidence right before she headed into her classroom I was feeling it big time...




I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed a few tears, but unlike the day I dropped her off for Pre-School I had a little bit more than my milk to keep me company...



We had a great morning and when we picked the school girl up she was all smiles...



good thing cause' we've got one (actually two) day's down, and a whole year to go!!

P.S. For another "blast from the past" post check out this one on C's first day of Mother's Day Out!

Monday Carter Edition #63~Oh the places you'll go...

Summer has a way of making you lose track of the "Monday's", but with the first day of school upon us I'm bringing my little Monday Carter back! Today she headed out on an adventure that will span the next twenty years or so of her life and boldly walked through the doors of our neighborhood public school. Her excitement was contagious and Nate, Emme and I were so very proud of our Carter.

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You're on your own.

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

I'm sorry to say so

But, sadly it's true

That bang-ups and hang-ups

Can happen to you.

On and on you will hike,

And I know you’ll hike far

and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up of course, as you already know.

You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

And remember that Life’s a great balancing act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

Will you succeed?

Yes you will indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

~Dr. Seuss

Circus Baby

I love hearing sweet waking up sounds in the morning as they come traveling into my room via baby monitor. Okay...maybe that isn't entirely true. I mean I'm not exactly happy to be waking up but, once I get into Emme's room and see her sweet little face grinning up at me from the crib I'm totally over having to get out of bed. I love this little dumplin'...

And her room is up! As we continue with the "tour" we're headed into Emme's room...

It definitely resembles the one at our old house (considering I had just put it all together 6 months ago there wasn't much I wanted to change) but it has a few little additions as well. Like I mentioned before the jumping off point for her room was this adorable little circus print...

It was the inspiration for colors, prints and the overall feel of everything I did...

I am a big fan of color and prints. I love mixing and matching sheets with fun patterns with the bumper that my mom made for Emme's crib. The current combination is pink and orange...

Beyond the crib are some fun bean bag seats. I think they'll be perfect for Emme as she begins crawling and I'm sure in the not to distant future walking!

Heading over to the other side of the room and one of my favorite "new" things, this wall arrangement of some of my favorite "Emme" moments...

Another thing I am learning is to love what I have and use it! I had thought about getting rid of this dresser many times in the past couple of years (it was originally in Carter's baby nursery). But I'm so happy I didn't and really have fallen for it all over again...

Little touches like this vintage poodle add some fun...

As do personal things like this monkey from Aunt Kim...

Overall I love that the room feels sweet, colorful and happy. Three words that just so happen to perfectly describe the littlest person in our family. And speaking of little, Emme wanted me to share her room from her perspective, so this one is for all of her baby friends out there...

And with that she's off to join the circus!!

Celebrate the Eight

He Said, She Said

Eight years ago today He Said...



Bethany, I believe in miracles because of you. For the last thirteen months I've lived in a remnant of heaven, experiencing a love that is beyond belief. You light up my life like it's never been lit before. Your beauty is intoxicating, your love for God so motivating, your creativity fascinates me. Your compassion and understanding are captivating. Your loyalty soothes my soul. I wonder what I've done to gain the favor of God that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I consider myself the most blessed man to have ever lived. You're beyond my wildest dreams. There's never been anyone in my life, nor will there ever be, that compares to you. You're life's greatest treasure and what we have is immeasurably more than I could ever ask or imagine. So today Beth, I take you to be my wife. I pledge to be true to you, to be faithful to you, to respect you, to be your biggest fan. To be your listener, your provider, your confidant, your lover, your warrior, your companion, your very best friend. Only God knows what our future holds...I'm sure there will be days when we can't imagine life getting any better and days we can't imagine life getting any worse. I'm just excited that no matter where the roads of life take us that you'll be there to laugh with, to cry with, to jump in the lake with all of our clothes on, to almost get run over as we run across the damn training for a marathon, to go to the capitol and dream about me being President, to go to Wendy's at 1:00 in the morning, to take pictures with, to watch football with, to sit on the dock with. But the most important thing is that you're with me and I will always be with you. No matter what the future holds, from this day forward until the end of my life, I will love you with all that I am.

And She said...



Nathan, the moment I first saw you my heart skipped a beat and I don't think it's been quite the same since. You have continued to amaze me with your joyful smile, your outgoing personality, and your sensitivity and thoughtfulness to my every need. I've been swept off my feet by your romantic charm and challenged by your athleticism and intelligence. I find peace in your arms and comfort in your deep sense of commitment and love or our Lord. You are truly my best friend and you make life more wonderfully full than I ever thought it could be. I look forward to daily adventures and slumber parties every night. I know that as our love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things...it will ultimately never fail. I could find no great joy than spending the rest of my life making you happy. I pray that the Lord will be our stronghold in good times and in bad, but this I know for sure...no matter what happens tomorrow my heart belongs to you.

And they've been trying their very best to live happily ever after ever since...

Happy Anniversary Babe...I love you.

Motherhood

As I mentioned before whenever we visit Abilene we are lucky enough to have some built in friends to hang out with. One of our first stops was at one of Carter's favorite places Lissa and Parker's house...

She loves these kiddos and always asks (more than once) when we are headed to town if they can play together. On this particular date they decided to beat the heat by heading out to the pool. They were all having a great time...

and enjoying showing off their mad jumping skills..

It is still hard for me to believe this is the same child that wouldn't put her head under water at the beginning of the summer and I'm loving it!

It was all fun and games until I told Carter that it was time for us to go. We have had good and bad stages with this and right now we're smack dab in the middle of a bad one. I'm quickly becoming that mom that just wants to grab her and run when it's time to leave, if only to avoid the embarrassment of a full blown melt down on her part because the fun in over.

So...back to Lissa, Parker, and the pool. As soon as I mentioned it was time to go Carter got this defiant little look on her face as she slowly started to move to the center of the pool. It was as if she was trying to work up the nerve to say out loud what was going through her head. And when the words finally came out they were pretty bold if I do say so myself. "NO...I'm not getting out and I'm standing in the middle of the pool so you can't get me!" I have to hand it to her, it wasn't a bad plan on her part. I mean she was standing in the middle of the pool and I really couldn't reach her. We stood there facing off as she was took a stand in the name of being 4 almost 5 years old.

Well, I did what any good mother would, I commanded her to get out...which didn't work. I threatened her...which still didn't work. Which led me to, "If I have to get a swimsuit on to get in there and pull you out you aren't even gonna' believe the trouble you're going to be in..." as I slowly walked toward the back door. At this point Lissa and Parker, who are older and wiser, were saying things like, "Just get out before she gets back!!"

Just when I thought I really was going to have to go in after her nature helped me out. A wasp slowly began flying around the water and as she got a little more nervous about the proximity of the wasp she slowly backed up in the water. With every step she got a little closer to the wall...

until finally....

I snagged her!!

The stand was over and it was my turn to take a stand for motherhood and remind her why it's so important to mind our mamma's!

Fast forward to the next day we were having lunch with a couple of other sweet friends, Mindi (who has been one of my besties since the 4th grade) and Mandi. They have adorable little boys Cooper and Hudson who are best buddies...

We were all enjoying some Chik-Fil-A. Well...most of us were enjoying it. Hudson and Cooper were just having one of those days were nothing was going their way. The chicken was a little hot...they collided in the play room (resulting in a bloody lip and sore head)...even ice cream didn't seem to help as they both battled brain freeze and would spontaneously bust out crying every few bites...

Meanwhile in the midst of the crying Mindi's son Grant spit up (read more like threw up) all over her. Carter (after having "learned her lesson" the day before) looked on from the other end of the table...

and Emme was pretty content to chill...

Let's just say it was a little chaotic...

But you know what we did?? Like the good moms they are my friends laughed...which led to us all laughing...and we laughed a lot! And it was like we were laughing right in the face of motherhood and saying, "HAHAHA, you just thought you could stress me out, but no such luck because WE'RE LAUGHING!!"

I learned a great lesson that day, laughter really is the best medicine. Because Life is good...

And there's no reason to sweat the small stuff. And as chaotic as kids can be sometimes the moment is only as bad as you allow it to be. Because at the end of a crazy day there are sweet things like this that put things back in perspective....

I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to witness such sweet friends and mom's in action and learn from them. I think sometimes that is what it's really all about.

We'll be looking forward to our next visit to West Texas...

Football season is just around the corner!!

P.S. If you ever find yourself taking an evening walk in the West Texas heat and your four (almost five year old) who was eager to walk is suddenly not so eager...

Just let her hold your baby! It serves as a double stroller in a pinch (and the dogs pulling them along helps too!)