A few pics from Rockwall

I think I already posted about this trip, but didn't upload any pictures. I didn't have very many.... but this is us with our good friends Jeff and Allyson. Trips are always fun with them!

Egg Hunt at Abby's

This morning was fun, and convenient I might add, as all I had to do was walk through my backyard to get to Abby's! Gotta love that with 2 kids! Anyway, they had great snacks for the kids, lots and lots of riding toys, and a fun little hunt. Channing was a little aggressive with the hunting this year, and quickly surpassed the limit, so she had to give some up! She was a good sport! Well, Jaxson, he didn't understand why he couldn't open every egg the minute he found it and scarf down the jelly bean as fast as he could. We had to make a getaway a little early because my little monster obviously needed a nap! Nice relaxing day afterwards! Trying to get all caught up on my blog because the next few weeks should be busy with Easter, scheduled sessions, and then getting ready for the big trip!

Vienna, Here We Come!!!

Well, after a fun easter egg hunt at Abby's (post and pictures to follow soon!), I came home to find 2 very wonderful surprises! #1. My small canon power shot was repaired and had been delivered... yay (I get tired of carrying my "big dog" around everywhere!), AND....... our Vienna, Austria docs were in!!!! Okay- now I am excited. This is a dream come true! I just can't wait to see all of the old world buildings, and the Gala is going to be AMAZING!!!!!! Cannot wait! April 20th, we're off!

BEST WEEKEND EVER!

First of all, before anyone tells me, yes I know picking bluebonnets is illegal..... we didn't technically pick it, it kind of "broke off" when we were moving the bench. Anyway..... LOVE LOVE LOVE the weekend we just had! The weather was PERFECT all weekend! Hot even! Saturday we got the play area pretty much finished.... we may not have grass but the kids have a nice area with pea gravel, swing set, their playhouse, and soon will also have a sand pit. Not that they need that now, but again, some day we will have grass and they will be glad to have a little sand reserved to remind them of our grassless days! Saturday night we went to the Ag booster dinner/dance, and just to get a sitter, get semi- dressed up, and to socialize is just awesome! And we know so many more people than we did when we went last year, so it really was fun! This morning we worked in the nursery at church, and today we finished up the play area, but the BEST part was that I wanted to take Chann and Jax's portraits out in the bluebonnets, and for once, praise the Lord, they actually participated, smiled, and I got both of them together. I am on CLOUD NINE about this. You just don't understand how frustrating it is to try to get pics of your own kids when you are getting pretty good and taking everyone else's. Really great weekend!

You're going to think I am NUTS, but......

I am TOTALLY addicted to meditating. Okay, no, I am not all "new agey" and all of that, but I have serious sleep issues, and listening to these calm people on my ipod tell me to relax, well, I love it and look forward to any chance I get to hop into bed and stick in my ear phones. Paxton wishes that I was just excited to get into bed, but really, guided meditation is AWESOME for the high strung! And then there are all these different types.... "evening inventory", you walk through your day, examine what you need to do better, and then let it all go... I really like that. There is one for energy in the morning... tons of these things. I love it! Maybe I'll be vegan next time I blog.... just kidding.... that's NOT happening.

The things I love!

Being with my family (dad, uncles, step-mom) this weekend made me realize how blessed I really am. Actually- I have had many moments like that over the past few weeks. Channing has been such a dream, and I love having her around, and we just seem to be having the best time together. Jaxson- well- he's not really a dream right now, but so cute, and cuddly, and wonderful! Of course Paxton, as always, makes me realize everyday how lucky I am to have found him. And it seems like I just keep having great conversations with strangers, mostly on airplanes, that really make me think, and make me realize there are some really good people in the world, sometimes it is just not easy to see that. Back to this weekend.... My Uncle Bob from CA drove in and I really wanted to see him, but it was going to be $1000 for us all to fly into Tulsa, so I decided to take the free kid (Jaxson), and left Channing for a father/ daughter weekend here. They had a blast.... sea world, restaurants, lots of playtime, not to mention a very bad sunburn and scolding for Paxton from me! But anyway, it was so much fun at my Dad's.... we play lots of cards, got to eat Thai food (my FAVORITE), and did some site seeing. I never realized there were such upscale neighborhoods in Tulsa with gorgeous architecture. I love seeing the older, tudor style homes. Jaxson was a trooper for the most part, until Sunday. He was so tired and cranky, but by the time we got to the airport, he had worn himself out, and although he didn't sleep, he was pretty quiet. I was exhausted too, and was SO HAPPY TO be home! But the trip made me think about all the things I am grateful for.....

1.) Knowing that Paxton will smile at me first thing in the a.m., even though he is NOT a morning person.

2.) having Channing climb in bed with us in the middle of the night, even though I complain about being woken up.

3.) the way my name is first thing that comes out of Jaxson's mouth when he wakes up.

4.) wildflowers.... I am obsessed with picking them and putting them all over the house.

5.) having all the windows open, and hearing the birds!

6.) knowing that if I have only a handful of people that understand me, love me just the way I am, and that I know I can totally be myself with (and vice versa), that's more than some people have in an entire lifetime. I am thankful for those people!

7.) Having someone else clean my house, even if just occasionally! Thank you OLGA!!!! You made my day Thursday!

8.) An extended family that can be screwed up at times, but is always accepting, loving, and supportive.

9.) getting into a made bed with clean sheets.

10.) finding a relationship with God after feeling a deep void for over a year now. Thank you for forgiveness!

Baby Grayson, Girls' night out, Awards Banquet, Jaxon's First Haircut

So much to tell...... It's been a very strange, very fun, very not fun, few weeks. I guess it all started with my very FUN girls' weekend in Dallas. Stacie hooked us all up with discounts at the Gaylord all weekend.... discounted rooms, spa treatments, dinner, free cover at the Glass Cactus. And it was just great to get way. But, alas, it was time to come home on Sunday morning and mommy was not feeling too perky after getting very little rest. But I was happy to see the kids, and they were happy to see me. I was happy to see Paxton, too by the way, and he held the fort down while I was gone. Anyway, Monday I felt AWFUL!!! Paxton kept telling me it was because my massage was too deep, I didn't get enough rest, and I had allergies. I agreed. But when the fever came, and I was aching from head to toe, I decided I was sick. Channing had been coughing for a over a week, but no other symptoms. Anyway, Payton and Laura had baby Grayson the week before, and we were planning to drive up on Wed. and stay with some some before our Awards banquet in Rockwall over the weekend. We drove up, but couldn't go see them because by this point we were all sick. Woke up on friday to get ready to leave my inlaws and head to the Hilton in Rockwall (m and m were going to keep the kids) and Channing is running 104.2 fever. YUCK!!!!! I still felt bad as well, Paxton sounded like someone off of a nyquil commercial- Jaxson was the only one okay. So- off we went to the dr. Channing and I got antibiotics... she had a bad ear infection and the dr. couldn't believe she hadn't complained. Anyway- Paxton and I went to the banquet -which turned out to be a blast! (Channing started her antibiotics and seemed to feel pretty good). Paxton earned the Master Agency Award, and a Multi Line Agency award. I was so proud of him, especially since we haven't even been here 2 years. And it's fun, you get to dress up, walk down a red carpet and have your picture made... they don't leave the spouses out at all. I really enjoyed the whole weekend. The kids seemed fine on Sunday when we got home... but then Channing's fever jumped back up to 101, and Paxton seemed worse than before, so we knew we couldn't all go see the baby. I decided we should all stay until Monday, get a good night's rest, and since I was better, I went to Grayson. AWWWWW- he's so sweet and cute. Really doesn't cry much- at least for now. Just grunts a lot. I did his pictures while we were there, too. I loved it, and love the way they turned out. Well, it's still been weird being home because we got back on a tuesday, none of us still feel very perky, and I really just need to get my head together and get back into some kind of routine. One fun thing.... Jaxson and Channing went for haircuts yesterday. Jaxson's first, and Channing's 2nd. Channing loved it- almost fell asleep in the chair. Jaxson HATED it! Paxton came to watch, and we took lots of pictures. We tried to distract him with "horsey" stories, since he LOVES horses, and a sucker, but nothing seemed to work!! You can barely tell either of them had anything done, but his big frizzy poof was starting to get to me, and her tangles where out of control! I guess that's about it... except I panicked because I thought I had CASA training today, freaked out trying to find someone to keep Jaxson, finally did, opened up my notebook and realized that, OMGoodness, my traning is not until NEXT FRIDAY!!!! I swear!