Lollipops & Cupcakes

Both yummy and oh-so very messy…
Cannon and I had a date on Saturday because Chris had class and then went over to his Uncle’s to help him insulate his attic. So, Cannon and I went out for the afternoon. He really is the BEST shopping buddy…he LOVES baubles and beads and LOVES all the extra attention he gets in woman’s boutiques. I know this won’t last much longer, so I take full advantage of it now. I attempted to take pictures of him for his Valentine’s Day cards with no luck. He was much more interested in eating all the “props.” I should have known better. We ended up in Uptown Park at Crave’s…shocking, I know. It’s so delicious! Strawberry was our guilty pleasure. Delicious.

Oh! By the way, notice that our little man’s hair isn’t so “fratty” anymore? Yes, he also got his first haircut. I am kicking myself for not documenting as well as I should have, but that is another story in itself. Short and sweet version, I am a BAD mother who trusted a Wal-Mart hair stylist! So, then we hauled ass over to where Chris gets his done and was fixed before anyone saw the initial damage. I was trying to be cheap, but ended up paying double for 1 haircut. Oh well! Looks good now. I swear he is going to be a heartbreaker!!! That boy is too cute! I am most def one of those Mom’s who thinks their kid is the cutest, but he is! And has the dimple to prove it!

Welcome to the BOYS CLUB!!!

I want to say how crazy it is that it seems like all my friends are having BOYS!!! (except for Miss Kherington Grace and Miss Savannah Head!)

Today I found out that Gatto (aka: Leslie Smith) is having a BOY!!! CONGRATS!!! Oh-so very excited for both you and David! Y’all are going to have so much fun!

Also, want to tell Mr. Holton Hull “WELCOME”…sorry, this is so late! (Look how cute he is!)

Right now the BOYS CLUB members are; Peyton Derrick, Cason Price, John Walker, Carter Davis, Holton Hull, Baby Smith, Tyler Jones, and Cannon Park (of course!) The list keeps growing…pretty fast! "You're my boy, BLUE!!!"

Playdates Are the BEST!!!

I am a TRUE believer that Moms definitely need “playdates” as much as the kids!!! Seriously!!! Especially me because a lot of the time it’s my “Saving Grace” to be able to chat about Cannon’s poop, how cute his single dimple is, how when he “scream/talks” it’s hilarious at home (NOT at church), his latest word, how to say bye-bye to the bottle, etc. Most of my friends are livin’ in the single world sans babies and simply don’t know my daily concern and struggles. Nor, do I want to chat about babies and hubbies 24/7 and bore them to death! I swear sometimes I miss the days when what I was gonna wear to the bar that night was my biggest priority at noon…or where to meet all the girls for happy hour drinks at 5:05 prompt. Those days are LONG GONE! I am completely okay with that, I swear. When I sneak in Cannon’s room in the morning to find him talking (in his own language) in his soft angelic voice to his Mr. Puppy or he randomly blows me a kiss as he “drives” by me in his Cozy Coupe while I am doing the dishes, I know this is where I am supposed to be. I am clearly a Mom now and I love it!

As I easily get “off topic”, I want to brag about how blessed I am with my other “Mommy” friends…I swear if it wasn’t for Carolyn, Sara, Kimberly, Chelsea, Macey, etc. who knows what would happen to me! Thank you ladies for letting me “vent” 24/7! Plus, we are all blessed with the damn cutest babies in the world. Our “boys-only” club is about to be invaded by Miss Derrick this year! Thank goodness because I definitely have been in a panic-mode for PINK! (THANKS MISS KHERINGTON GRACE!!!)

Playdates are the BEST!!! By the way, did you know diaperbags also carry wine bottles, too?!? Coincidence?!?, I think not…
Cheers to playdates!!!

Alamo Bowl Bound!!! Wreck 'em Tech!!!

Chris’ Christmas present to himself (& me) were tickets to the 2010 Alamo Bowl. It’s no secret that he LOVES Big 12 Football! And he is really starting to prove to me how much fun it is. In my college days, I preferred tailgating to going inside to the sardine-style packed stadium, but now I am a real Tech fan! Even though our beloved pirate was fired, we still had a phenomenal time. Just the two of us… We turned it into a little mini-vacation. We stayed in Gruene, visited with our fabulous & favorite friends The Watsons, and then got our guns up!!! Fun times!!! The air in the Alamodome was thick with controversy surrounding the recent firing of our dynamic and different coach, Mike Leech. The t-shirts were hysterical. “F.U.A.J.”, “Pirate 4 Life”, “Real Men Aren’t Afraid of the Closet”, “Congrats AJ, for coming out of the closet!”, etc. Too funny!
Regardless of the coaching chaos, it was refreshing to see so much school pride! Red Raiders were taking over San Antonio! During the day, we went to Mi Tierra’s, The Marketplace, Riverwalk…all you saw was Red and Black, awesome! We had a really nice time and I had fun with my Tech/SAE/Football Lovin’ husband, I heart my Red Raider!
Oh! Look at my oh-so fabulous Texas Tech ring that my FAVORITE Aunt got for me!!! Had to give her a shout out…I was also so so so impressed with her Tech spirit on game day, now I better see that enthusiasm during the 2010 football season, too! WRECK ‘EM TECH!!!

Merry X-Mas to us...again! (Part 2)

I preface this entry and whole heartedly admit that we did NOT document this evening with the intended photo coverage that we had planned on. Shame on us!!! I blame it on us being completely pooped…and me drinking way entirely too much chardonnay! (Thanks, Graham!) As tired as we were, Cannon was definitely ready to open more gifts…and he did! Santa definitely repeated another felony on Sugarberry Court, littering their living room with toys galore! He got so much great stuff, especially his very own Red Rider wagon, puzzles, toys, clothes...even drumsticks, thanks! (hehehe!) I swear that boy is so so so spoiled, I know I keep repeating, but it’s oh-so very true. We need to move very very very soon to house all our “stuff!” It’s no secret that I LOVE to consistently give good loot to The Salvation Army, but it’s getting ridiculous. I keep the really nice stuff and sentimental, but seriously he has so much very very uber-cool stuff, he is only lucky boy. I think his Grandparents are MOST definitely to blame…(I can’t blame Chris and me!) I think both sets of Grandparents would gladly claim they are responsible for this!

Cannon is definitely NOT the only one who is spoiled rotten…Chris and I made out like bandits, too! All I can say is…thank you, thank you, thank you! All of our gifts were so sweet, thoughtful, and perfect! My favorite was my cupcake tin (so perfect!) and my big ol’ bag from my FAVORITE store, Anthropologie. I know Chris LOVES his safe and stuff, too. We both were so thankful for all of our gifts…

So, enough “present” talk…I want to say there is something about Christmas that will always make me feel so energetic, alive, elated, and loved. I am not sure I am clearly portraying what I want to say, but will do my very best. I am sad the holidays are over. I love the smell of Warm Cinnabuns (Tyler Candle) burning while wrapping presents, I love shopping and finding that perfect gift for a loved one, sing Christmas carols at the top of my lungs with Cannon in tow, putting up Christmas décor with Chris while sipping wine, wearing our ridiculous matching pj’s and taking photos in front of the tree, simply being all together with the family all day and all nite long, hearing Chris say on our road trip back to reality how blessed we are and how this Christmas was better than the last, helping my Mommy cook in the kitchen, watching my Dad, husband, and son have quality time together...The holidays make me glow, completely euphoric time for me. I love that feeling and always wish they were longer, but know that I will get to unpack that favorite ornament again in a mere 12 months, listen to Bing “Walking In a Winter Wonderland”, and make gingersnaps with my Mom very very soon.

"Fah-la-la...", Our Second Christmas!!! (Part 1)

Our second Christmas as a threesome was one to remember. All I can say is Cannon LOVES Christmas music. (Thank you Aunt Claire for a fabulous X-mas music montage, but Page’s purchase from Pier 1 def was #1!) Cannon LOVES Kellie Pickler’s Santa Baby. I swear the kid drops it likes it’s hot and shakes that little booty as soon as he hears it, it’s hysterical. His Gigi sings it to him 24/7, so I think between the repetition and mere mention of Santa in the lyrics he LOVES it so much!

So, I will start at the very beginning…

On Christmas eve we decided to go to the early service as a family, we were dressed to the “9’s”…my boys looked so handsome. Cannon wore his brand new New Balance tennis shoes and was loving the extra cushion and traction on the soles. There was definitely an extra bounce in his step…keep in mind. his walk often resembles a drunk midget so he is not the most “stable” walker on the block. As soon as the service started, goldfish no longer kept him occupied and he was ready to run. So, Chris excused himself and walked him to the hallway to let our little filly run. I couldn’t stay put without my boys, so I followed… We stood on opposite ends of the hallway and let Cannon run back and forth to both Mommy and Daddy. During Lap #5 there was a CRASH…followed by a CRY! Our boy bit the dust…and his lip. So, our first family trip ended with an injury. Literally, we were in church for about 15 minutes…total. So, now looking at all these pics you can see our little man’s first fat lip, time to celebrate! (I am blaming Balderach!) Lucky for us, he is tough and I don’t think it bothered him for more than 5 minutes. Just hurt his Mommy to see her baby boy hurt…

Later in the evening, we ate too many tamales (NOT from Bob’s Tacos), Mark’s signature chili (Thanks Marlboro!), and queso. Delish! Sandra arrived with Tyler in tow about dinnertime and the boys were so happy to see each other and fight for their Popper’s attention…and Sandra’s scarf. Too funny! Cannon is so into super soft stuff right now…he snuggles with Mr. Blankie when he is completely awake just to feel how super soft it is. I think it’s a comfort-thang, but who knows?!? So, we all put on our matching pj’s and went to bed…waiting and hoping Santa would come…and he most definitely did!!!

We all woke up Christmas morning to a smaller version of Toys R Us in my parent’s living room, it was completely littered with toys, perfectly wrapped presents, and stockings. Cannon and Tyler cleaned house! Their matching cozy coupes parked right next to each other were definitely a hit! Now, Cannon’s has a little Buccee’s sticker on the back so we can differentiate them. The Red Rider wagon awesome and we bundled up the boys after breakfast for a chilly ride. They resembled snow babies and were precious. Tyler preferred to push the wagon, while Cannon enjoyed the ride. Cannon got so much stuff…lotsa books, Handy (Chuck’s little brother), trucks, clothes, monogrammed Pottery Barn chair, fold-up chair for the beach, cute personalized handmade stool, and so much more…I am forgetting lots, I know! It’s no secret that when you become a Mom, the focus is off of you and all about baby. After all, it’s supposed to be! But, I have to brag…just a teeny bit about how thoughtful my husband was this Christmas… His thoughtfulness and gifts brought me to tears. He put a sweet homemade love letter, a gift certificate for a mani/pedi, haircut & color, along with some Nike jogging shorts that I LOVE. Of course, he did it in his completely unique style… He wrapped in a box with duck tape and threw in a brick to add weight and throw me completely off guard…and while I would have picked “normal” colored shorts…he chose to get me ones that matched Texas Tech’s home game and away games uniform colors. Too hysterical. I was truly expecting nothing. I swear I really don’t give him the credit he deserves. He does so much for us, he is a great husband and phenomenal father. (Hello New Year’s Resolutions…#1. Be more thankful for what I have!)
Christmas Day consisted of playing with toys, eating, eating, playing with toys, eating…etc. My Mommy made the BEST Christmas dinner (we are choosing to forget our big turkey fiasco, hint: the oven was not on a high enough heat)…so we ate a little later than expected. I swear it was not a big deal whatsoever. We were not starving. I think I consumed at least 50 gingersnaps that day and by the time dinner was served was suffering from a tummy ache, but ate right through it. Go me! The next morning we packed up and hit Hwy 59…off to the Thompsons and to celebrate our 2nd Christmas.

(I think next year we will most likely choose to wake up at our own home on Christmas morning and host a big Christmas breakfast…depending on where we call “home.” I just think it will be fun to really start celebrating with our teeny family and then joining in the festivities with the family for lunch/dinner…who knows?!? We have an entire year to plan!)

GEAUX(ing) to New Orleans!!!

This was our very first Turkey Day to celebrate all together because the year before we were a little preoccupied with our little newborn. Chris and I are doing our best to be as fair as can be balancing holidays and spending time with families. So, this year we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Thompsons and decided Christmas Day would be with the Jones’. (we did this because we really want the little ones to be together on Christmas morning with all their loot, too cute!) I was a little over excited because we were also taking a mini-vacation, too! Our first time to leave Texas with Cannon.
Hello New Orleans, Louisiana!
I absolutely LOVE Dada (Chris’ uncle)…apparently Cannon is a bit more skeptical. It turned out to be quite hilarious because as soon as he would make eye contact Cannon would produce ginormous crocodile-sized help and scream in terror! He was scared to death of his Cajun-uncle. First, I have to say THANK YOU so much for your generous hospitality. Dada’s house is nesteled right next to a reserve and blessed to be surrounded by beautiful swamp that won’t be touched for years to come. Chris and I had so much fun just “being there.” We enjoyed long walks around the property, building HUGE fires, cutting the firewood (cheapest marriage counseling, ever!), riding lawnmowers, etc. It was relaxing and the perfect R&R visit.
We decided to take a “day trip” to New Orleans where I did my best to sight Tom Brady, Reggie Bush, Kim Kardashian, Drew Brees…no such luck! I wanted to vote “Brad Pitt for Mayor,” but couldn’t find anywhere to cast my ballot. However, I was introduced to hand grenades, hurricanes, oysters…DELICIOUS! I also tried my best to tell Larry Flint’s girls that what they were doing was most definitely trashy and to “leave the biz.” (After a trip to Pat O’Brian’s patio) I really wanted to go to the cemetery and take pics, but it was pitch black on our way home and you couldn’t make me a billion dollars to enter that cemetery with all the voo-doo stores surrounding it. SCARY…and CREEPY, too!
Our Thanksgiving lunch was so yummy, as you can see Cannon LOVED it too. All, I can say is I LOVE eggplant!!! I had never had it and was a bit skeptical, but it was so good. It was stuffed with shrimp, crawfish, and “stuff.” Hello, calories! Goodbye, diet! Seconds…please!
Thanks Dru & Dada for the perfect Thanksgiving and MUCH needed mini-vacation! We had a lot of fun…let’s do it again next year! And hopefully we will win BIG at Harrah’s!!! (and Dada will get a hug from Cannon…haha!)
We are thankful for so much
-The Truly Thankful 3C’s
…before ending this I have to say that my FAVORITE story about Newey (Chris’ grandma who is in Heaven) is when she said the Thanksgiving Prayer and went on and on and on…thanking the Pilgrims, the Armed Forces, etc. A little too much liquid courage and she told absolutely everyone how thankful she was! LOVE IT! I think I may gladly carry on this tradition next year!