Remembering Grammy

I think it is definitely time for a post dedicated to my sweet, loving grandmother (Grammy)....that we lost to the Lord the weekend after Easter this year. She was just the most amazing, godly woman!! I have never met anyone else like her, and she added so much love and laughter to our family, and extended families. She has been missed very much since she passed away, however, we do remember her with extreme fondness and lots of sweet memories. She was Chris and I's last living grandparent...so we treasured every moment that we spent with her. She loved Chris like her own grandson..which was so cute! :)

I was fortunate to have had 33 years of life with that little sweetie....and I know that she is in a much better place now, where she is not suffering. She would have been 94 this August...what an acoomplishment!! :)

I just wanted to post some pics to remember my amazing grandmother, and all that she meant to our family. I just wish my new son-to-be could have met his sweet Great-Grammy!! But I know that she is looking down smiling on us all!
We love and miss you Grammy! :)

Blistering Heat Wave..

Ok...so I am going to be real honest, this heat wave is compelete misery!! I have never been trapped in my house the way that I have been the past couple of weeks!! UGH! :( For the love..can it PUHLEASE go away soon!?? I mean add a "bun in the oven" and raging hormones to the already 105 degree temps..and you do not have a pretty situation on your hands. I think it has made me a mean person. :)

What is going on anyway? I was watching the local news (horrible excuse for news), and they were talking about how last summer it was over 100 degrees for 12 days. And that seemed hot!! And now it has been over 100 degrees for like 12 days straight in June alone. Oh goodness!! This is going to get bad! :( I can almost handle when it is like 99 degrees, maybe teetering on 100 if I need to...but I have realized that 105, etc just DOES NOT work for me. So I have locked myself in my very well air conditioned house (Chris-sorry but the AC bills are going to be so high this summer!!)...and I only go out when I can be in a pool, or run to and from my car VERY fast. I try to never let my car sit out in the heat of the day for more than about 30 min..b.c you know what kind of miserable experience that is! :( I feel like every day I have a very hot blowdryer blowing in my face..and it just won't go away. And you have got to love that TX humidty too...it just tops it off!! :(

So enough of that rampage....but I just had to share. I know that I cannot be the only one going through this misery alone. Let's hear it for all the other pregnant women that are going through their 3rd trimesters in the TX heat! You go girls!! :) You can come to my house and hang out if you want..since I don't leave much these days! HA! :)

Only 10 more weeks until the Baby Braden gets here..and then maybe by Sept it will have dropped below 100 degrees. :) If not, then Chris-maybe we really should consider that move up to the Northeast!! :)

Celebrating Braden in Beaumont....

Well, I am back!! :) I am only getting around to about 1-2 posts per week at this point, so I need to step that up for sure!! Sorry if I am already letting folks down.....ha! :)

This weekend we made the trek down to the good ole' Lake Charles, LA to see my family....and to have my baby shower down there in Beaumont. :) It was a fun time, and I got to see lots of family and friends....and that is always a treat! :) Thank you all for being there..it was awesome to catch up with you ladies!! :) After these 3 awesome showers that we have just had, Braden is going to be one spoiled little boy! HA! :) I don't know how one kid could use all of this amazing stuff!! He needs a sibling! :)

We also got a lot of R&R which I am a HUGE fan of these days..b.c I know that it is coming to a very quick halt! :) Or so I am told! HA! :) And Mom and Dad-thanks for all of the amazing food that you made this weekend!! I ate so much of that yumminess! I could have probably skipped food all day today and been completely fine..if not for that growing baby in there. :)

Here are some pics from the shower fun...yay! :)

Loved the super cute cake..and with Braden Christopher's initials. :)

Me and my Mom!! :) Why is she so pretty? :)

Amy and Sophie.....
Me and my sister in law Jennifer....

Sweet Aunt Becky... Ashley, Sandra, and Carley... Gayle and Caleb...Stephanie and Kathy....

LouAnn and Becky.....

Me and my cousin Lindsay......

Love baby shoes.... :)

Braden got a wonderful "Beach Basket" from his cousin Lainey!! :) It was filled with the cutest stuff including this fun beach towel that we cannot wait to use! :) And you should see his swimsuit from Gymboree that my brother picked out!! HA! LOL! :) So fun! :) He even has his own personalized sand bucket!!! Oh yes he does! :)Super cute monkey shoes that Jennifer painted for him! :) Matches some of the cute overalls he has gotten!

I hear the buttpaste is the best.. :)

Happy Father's Day Chris!!

Chris-this post is just for you!! I hope you have had a WONDERFUL first Fathers Day!! :) If the amazing husband that you have been these past two years is any indication of what kind of father you will be...WATCH OUT!! You are going to be so awesome in your new role...and I cannot wait to see you in action with little Braden!! :) He is going to be such a lucky little man...and I know that he will adore you!! :)

Thank you for how wonderful you have been during the pregnancy!! I love you very much!! :) (And Braden does too!) :)

Austin Shower Fun

Awwww....what fun this past weekend!! :) I love my 10 super sweet hostesses that threw my Austin shower!! What a SUPER fun day it was!! :) Thanks to all of them for making everything so special for me....it really was! :) And thanks to all of the wonderful ladies that came to join in on the fun!! It was wonderful to see you all...and I am honored that you took time out of your busy Saturdays to celebrate with me! :) I have to share some pics of the amazing job they did with the fun decor and yummy food! :)

9 of the 10 awesome hostesses.......and Lynnae was there in spirit! :) Cheryl Mebane, Dori Flores, Amy Case, Stephanie Hudnall, Monica Garza, Melissa Tyner, Jenny Followay, Jennifer Meyer, Me, and Kelly Mebane. :)

Grub it up!! There was soooo much good food. I think this is about a 1/4 of the spread! :)

YUM!! :)

So many pretty flower arrangements!!

Love this little tree where my friends could write notes and mommy advice. :)

Sweet little Braden onesies.... :)

Mother in law, sister in law and little niece Riley.... :) Thank you for driving in from Dallas!

Monica, Kelsey and Christina....

Kary, Amy, and Jenny.......Laura, Shannan, and me......

Marcie and Anna....

Renee, Lori, and Michele.......

Tiffany, Nancy, and Alicia......

Meredith and Melissa......

My mom, Jennifer, Dori, and Pat.....

Dawn, Valerie, Me and Wendy......

Why do I always make these weird looks when opening presents? :) I love this sweet little hooded towel with his name on it!! Thank you Kelsey! :) I think that look represents me being amazed that you could do something like that! :)

And a super cute one that Jennifer caught of David and Caroline....

So Very Thankful!!

Yes..the title says it all! :) I am so very thankful b.c I got word from the doc's office today that I passed the 2nd gestational diabetes test!! YAY!! I am soooo grateful for that!!

I was not a huge fan of the 3 hour test that I took last week...with all of the needle pricking and fasting, etc. Ick!! :( Still not sure what I did that caused a false positive on the first one but I am glad to not have to be on a restricted low/no carb diet for the last 11 weeks of the pregnancy. I know it would have all worked out if I would have had to do a special diet.... but I do also appreciate one less thing to worry about toward the end. :)

Just a short update today...and I am praising the good Lord for that good news! :)
A little over 11 weeks and counting! :)

Walking For A Cure

This past Sunday was the Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis at Six Flags in Arlington. This is our 2nd year to participate in the walk since my precious niece Lainey was diagnosed with CF at 2 months. We walked last year when she was just 6 months old, and everyone carried on the tradition again this year for her 18 month milestone. She is just the most adorable little girl...and we are so blessed that she has been so healthy since her diagnosis. My brother and sister in law take VERY good care of their daughter, and make sure that they keep as much nasty bacteria away from her as possible, so she will continue to stay so healthy. We cannot wait to watch her grow up, and we pray every day that there will be a cure for this frustrating disease. We know that one day there will be, and we wait in anticipation for that time!! :)

Cory and Jennifer raised $21,000 this year for the walk...which is more than double what they raised last year!! They blew it out of the water!! WAY TO GO!! It is amazing to see them in action, and we are so grateful to everyone that has given money again this year for CF research. I had no idea how passionate I could be about something like this...but it has changed my outlook completely on giving money to many other medical causes. The money really does go to a good place.....and it really DOES work! :) There is a drug going through clinical trials right now that could change Lainey's life forever, and some of the money raised would go to funding research like that. Amazing! :)

They also had a lot of fun friends and family come out and support their efforts....which I know meant a ton to both of them!

Here are some pics of our fun at the walk!! :)

Some of the gang..............

More of the gang........

Cory, Jen, and Lainey....... :)

Jen and her super fun friends from highschool-Gretchen and Amber..

Cutting the ribbon to start the walk.....go Lainey's League! :)

Dad and Chris..........

Little Riley all decked out in her shades....

Chris and Riley just hanging out....

Lainey dancing to all the good music that was pumpin'......

Katie, Chris, and Riley.....

Mom pulling Lainey's decorated wagon....

Lainey at lunch after the walk. Is she not just PRECIOUS? :)

Mom giving her some love.....