Hello, Brooks!

Earlier this month Carly and I brought dinner to our friends - The Blackmons: Chelsea, Ross and Cambree. I mean, if someone is going to let you hug on their newborn baby boy for an hour or two, the decent thing to do is bring them food, right? And hug and love on him I did. I only let that sweet baby boy out of my hands when Carly had to go to the bathroom - which was about 4 times in the hour and a half we were there. Why are "new" bathrooms so exciting to little kids?

These two friends need to have more play dates. They really like each other whenever we do get together.

Welcome to the world, James Brooks Blackmon!

Carly would have loved to have gotten her hands on Baby Brooks. She LOVES babies and can spot a baby carrier from a mile away. But since he was so new (just a few days old), I only let her touch his socks. But since I really talked up baby feet and baby socks on our ride over there, she was happy enough to just touch the socks. One day she will catch on to me and my games.

The Blackmons - a sweet, sweet Family of Four now.

Of course my baby fever is even worse now!

Choo-Choo Fun with Friends

I work full time. This means that sometimes our weekends are filled with errand-running and various other to-do’s. I wish our weekends could be filled with zoo trips and play dates at the park instead. I think that one of my New Year’s Resolutions will be to expose Carly to more things, to take her on more adventures and give her more opportunities for exploration. I would give you some examples of stuff we haven’t taken her to do yet, but that would just make me feel like a bad mom, so I’ll leave that part out.

What I will tell you about is a recent mini-adventure we had with my friend Cheryl and her sweet baby girl, Davis. We rode the mini train that runs along the trinity river in Fort Worth. It was adorable! At first Carly didn’t want to get on the “Choo Choo”, but luckily she let me plop her down in the seat and she was ready to go. We were only a few short yards out of the “station” and she was loving it!

The cost is small ($6.50 for Carly and I), the ride is the perfect length of time for a toddler (about 45 min) and the fun factor was BIG for Carly. It was a hit.

Now on to the adult talk. Cheryl cracked me up with a comment that she made on the train ride, so I had to share. As we were chugging along down the less-than-beautiful, somewhat sketchy looking Trinity River, this conversation took place:

Other Cheryl: It’s times like this that I think I am going to have a Law and Order Moment.
Me Cheryl: A Law and Order Moment?
Other Cheryl: Yeah, you know…like I’ll just look over and there will be a dead body in the river.
Me Cheryl: I don’t ever think that I am going to have a Law and Order Moment, but I do think that I will have a What Would You Do Moment.

Other Cheryl: I watch too much Law and Order.

Halloween 2012

Halloween this year was WICKED!

Okay, maybe not wicked, but I needed a tie-in to this adorable picture of Carly and Lola - still besties!

Carly liked dressing up as Minnie Mouse this year. She probably would have preferred going as Mickey Mouse because he is her fav, but I didn't ask her. So Minnie Mouse it was. And an adorable Minnie Mouse at that!

She did not understand trick-or-treating. She was very skeptical about going up to doors and asking people for candy. She liked to hang back and watch the other kids and then Freddy or I would have to walk her up to the door. Maybe she will catch on next year? 

 

She got to see her friends all dressed up in costume, too.

Even Freddy got in to it - for about 2 minutes.

Of course we stayed with tradition and the neighbors all came to hand out candy at our house. We set up camp on the driveway, so the kids get fours houses worth of candy at once. They love it!

 Carly had more fun just hanging out with us, watching the kids as they walked up to get their candy. And also she got to hang out with Lola on the tailgate, which is much cooler than knocking on doors and asking strangers for candy that mom and dad will likely end up eating anyway.



October Happnenings

Some things that happened in October:

I got to meet Melanie's newest baby Benjamin Michael.

I left Carly, Freddy and their koodies at home because I didn't want them getting this sweet baby sick.

I held him for well over an hour and my womb was doing cartwheels the entire time. While I may no have full-on baby fever, I am feeling a few of its symptoms. And can you blame me? Ben is stinkin' adorable!

Melanie and I have known each other since elementary school and I am so glad that we have re-connected.

Carly has made up her mind on how pictures should be taken.

Outside. By the front door. And/or with Lola. 

 Our neighborhood had their first ever Halloween Carnival. Carly had fun with her friends.

In other news, Carly was scared to ride this tiny merry-go-round without holding my hand. Freddy and I were dare-devil children, so we dont' know where she gets that from!



Alexis, Brett and Carly

 

Our neighbor Becky helped organize the whole thing.
Fingers crossed that they don't end up moving back to Nebraska.



We busted out Carly's Cowboys shirt. The Cowboys have busted out a crappy season.  

And don't get me started on the Colts. Yes, she has a Colts shirt, too, but I might have to donate that one.

I think that Peyton Manning may be in the running for MVP despite not being able to play a single game this year. My football heart hurts.

But she is a gorgeous little Cowboys fan, is she not?

November To-Do's

October was a bit..busy? stressful? upside down?

And yet, I was still able to not get everything on my October to-do list done.

How do I do it?!

I still plan to take a sewing class this month.

I did make the dry-erase board that I saw on Pinterest. But I stepped it up a notch.

At my grandmother's funeral I decided that I would make more of an effort with prayers. Ultimately, I would like to become a "prayer warrior" like my grandmother was, though I know that it doesn't happen overnight. So what better use for the dry-erase board than to use it for a prayer board?

1 picture frame + 1 sheet of scrapbook paper (trimmed to 8x10) + window crayons + peel and stick velcro = my cool new prayer board. The only thing that I would change is the window crayons. Do they make window markers? Those would be better.

And now for my Novemeber To-Do's:

1. Sew something

2. Go through Carly's clothes again and put them in under-the-bed-storage-bins

3. Do a cool craft with Carly

What are y'all doing this month?

My Grandma

My grandmother passed away on October 11, 2011.

I have been thinking a lot about what I would say about that - and her - on my blog.

I still don't know what I am going to write, but I guess that doesn't matter because what I remember is more important.  

She was wonderful. Loving, kind and caring.

I remember her hugs and sitting in her lap.

She taught me many, many things.

She was a great example.

She had an unshakable faith in God.

She was a Prayer Warrior.

She was loved.

Her passing has taught me things.

Always reach out - even if you think that person doesn't know or understand...and pray that they do.

Prayer is powerful.

Your children and grandchildren are your legacy.

What got me through it was my willingness to praise God. I praised God for choosing me to be my grandmother's granddaughter. I praised God for the time He shared her with us. I praised God for all that she did for me and how she helped to make me who I am today. I praised God.

Here I am - on earth - wishing she was here. But I know that she is heaven, wishing I was there, but enjoying watching over me, Freddy, Carly and the rest of her family.