December Celebrations

Is it just me, or does the entire month of December seem to fly by quicker each year? This month we celebrated my 29th birthday (the first of many 29th birthdays, I'm sure) by taking a quick "staycation" to the Plano/Frisco area. Each year Ryan's birthday, my birthday and our anniversary come around in the same 4-week period. To adequately celebrate all those momentous occasions, we started planning mini getaways each year....it's been a fun tradition that I hope we'll always continue.

Year 1, we stayed at Southlake Towne Square in the new Hilton and managed to get all our Christmas shopping done in one weekend.

Year 2, we tried out our posh Dallas personas, staying at the ZaZa Hotel in Uptown, riding the old-fashioned street cars, visiting the King Tut exhibit, and eating at a few of the many hoity-toity restaurants in the area.

This year was a little more low-key....we stayed at the Marriott in the Shoppes at Legacy (where the whole wedding party also stayed the weekend of our wedding), ate yummy Campisi's pizza and Original Pancake House goodies, and shopped our feet off at Willow Bend Mall. All in all, a great weekend with the hubby! Who knows how this tradition might evolve as we add Baby Griffin to the mix next year :)

That reminds me, I don't think we've announced it to the cyberworld yet, but we decided to name our little boy GRIFFIN THOMAS (Ryan's Poppa, who passed away this summer, and my dad are both named Tommy, so we loved Thomas for a middle name). We announced the name to our families at Thanksgiving, getting my family to play a game of hangman to guess the name, and having Ryan's family do a little word unscramble with puzzle pieces. It was a lot of fun for everyone, and I think we may have started a new naming tradition for the fams.

Little Griffin is doing great...moving around all the time and getting bigger every day. I'll post another belly pic soon, so everyone can see just how much we've grown :)

We've also been gearing up for Christmas at our house...and thinking about how different things will be this time next year. I can't wait to add our little guy to the festivities! I've always loved Christmas, and I can only imagine the new wonders I will see as I experience this blessed season through a child's eyes.

One more major celebration to add to the mix....my sisters, Jennifer and Amy, BOTH graduated from Baylor last weekend!!! What a huge accomplishment! We all headed to Waco to celebrate with them (before Ryan and I continued south to Houston for a friend's wedding), and cheered our hearts out as they walked across that stage. I hope they both know how proud of them we are....Ryan's been a part of the girls' lives since they were in middle school, so I think he's been looking forward to this occasion as much as I have. We loved our time at Baylor and I'm so glad all my sisters got to experience the same thing. Jen & Amy, we love you and can't wait to see what God has in store for you.

Busy Fall - November

Okay, so I'm way behind on my blog posts, so I'm going to start catching up with a quick rundown of our November. This time of year is always crazy for us....and even more so with a baby on the way. So, here we go....

Baby News: First, our BIG news....we confirmed this month that Baby Fitz is a BOY!! We're so excited, and Ryan already has his eye on a miniature Baylor football jersey for the little guy :) I'll be sure to post again when we've decided on a name. Here are two pics from our most recent sonogram, and a couple of pics of my growing belly (at 20 weeks).

Already sucking his little thumb - how cute!

It's hard to really see anything in these, but the one below is pointing out that he is definitely a boy!

In other exciting news, I started feeling little "Trigger" (that's Ryan's nickname for him) start moving around a few weeks ago...what a fun, indescribable feeling! I know there are challenging times to come (with the pregnancy and parenthood), but it's so neat that God gives expecting moms these little miracles along the way!

November 4th: Ryan and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary! For those of you keeping score, that's 9 total years together - yea for us! This past year has been filled with blessings, and we've enjoyed a deeper sense of commitment and affection as we learn to abide in our love for each other. Our actual anniversary was on a week night, so we kept it low key and went out for a romantic dinner. It was a great night....Ryan booked me a massage and pedicure later that week, and I gave him a small leather overnight bag (leather is the traditional 3rd anniversary gift) and the tiniest baseball glove I've ever seen, so he could get ready for that first game of catch with Trigger :)

November 8th: Ryan turned the Big 3-0!! That's right, my hubby officially said goodbye to his twenties and embraced a new decade of life. To properly say farewell to his youth, I planned a surprise party, with a few of our close friend and family members. He was definitely surprised (and maybe a little irritated because I had to send him on random errands to keep him out of the house), and the party was a big success. We had a great time, and we're looking forward to many more birthday celebrations in the future.

If you couldn't tell, this was a football themed party, with one Baylor Bears room and one Dallas Cowboys room - Ryan's favorite teams. I made a football shaped cupcake cake (half eaten below) and some special sugar cookies for the occasion:

It's hard to tell in this picture, but I put up some framed shots of Ryan from his days on the junior high and high school football teams - so cute!

Dallas Cowboys: Speaking of football, I don't remember the exact dates, but Ryan and I were thrilled to be invited to several Dallas Cowboys games this fall - not just to see them play in the new stadium, but to see the game from one of the plush suites in the Owners Club!! All I can say is we have some awesome friends!

So that's it for now....I'll fill in more from October as soon as I can find the time. For now, we're looking forward to a great Thanksgiving with my family at the lake, and to cheering on the Baylor Bears with the in-laws at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

A little something to tide you over...

Okay...so I am woefully behind on my blog posts! It's just that SO much has been going on, I haven't had the time to write it all down. So, until I can collect my thoughts and arrange them into the perfect posts, here's a little pregnancy survey I stole from another blog to tide you over:

How far along?: 18 weeks.

Total weight gain: I know most women wouldn't really love fessing up to this, but I think putting it out there for all the world to see may make me think twice before adding that triple dip to my ice cream cone. So here goes...so far...7 pounds....not too bad yet, but we'll see how the next few months go.

How big is baby?: According to my weekly emails - the size of a sweet potato (5.5 inches long)! Still pretty small, but growing every day :)

Maternity clothes?: Yes and no....I've definitely outgrown the slacks I used to wear to work, so those are slowly being replaces with oh-so-comfy stretchy fabric pants. Gotta say - I'm loving them!

Stretch marks?: Not yet - but it's still early.

Sleep?: Great - these cool nights have made it so comfortable to snuggle in for a good night's sleep.

Best moment this week?: Hmmm....the week just started, so we'll see....

Movement?: Nothing I've noticed yet....I'm kind of bummed about that, but hopefully, I'll start having that experience in the next week or two.

Food cravings?: It might be that Halloween just passed, but my sweet tooth is back with a vengeance! Lately I've been enjoying some dark chocolate truffles...a gift from my sweet MIL :)

Belly button in or out?: I've always had an "outie", but it looks the same to me right now.

What I miss: Being able to go days on end without feeling like I'm going to gag for no reason - sigh...

What I'm looking forward to: Our next ultrasound in two weeks - it will be so fun to see our little one again!

Milestone: Does outgrowing pants count? :(

Rainy Days

As anyone living in Texas knows, we have been hit with quite a rainy season this fall. Mind you, I'm not complaining...I actually love rainy days. The overcast sky, the big dark clouds, and the distant rumble of thunder. I find this weather refreshing and comforting. While these rainy days may keep us indoors a little more often than we'd like on these cool autumn days, we haven't let them slow us down a bit. Last weekend was full of family fun...despite the rain.

We kicked the weekend off with a surprise birthday party for Ryan's sister, Blair, on Friday night. Her sweetie, Stephen, planned the whole thing, and she was definitely surprised. We all had our near misses as we talked with her throughout the day, but thankfully, no one spilled the beans before the party. She was serenaded by our waiters at the Mexican restaurant (and made to wear the ever-fashionable sombrero), and we even had a delicious birthday cake inspired by our beloved Baylor green and gold. Great job Stephen!

The in-laws were in town for the party, so they stayed with us, and my mom-in-law and I treated ourselves to a mani/pedi session Saturday morning before heading to Waco for the Baylor game.

Of course, as soon as we got settled in our seats at the stadium, the rain decided to make an appearance once again. We were caught in quite a downpour, but we were well prepared with hoodies, panchos, and plastic seats cushions. Luckily, the rain let up after a while and Baylor went on to win its third game of the season. Go Bears!! All in all, a great weekend!

Happy Fall Y'all!

It's officially fall at our house! This is hands-down my favorite time of the year! I love the cool weather, throwing open the windows (and reducing the A/C bill at the same time), decorating with pumpkins, wearing cute sweaters, and spending our Saturdays returning to our beloved Baylor for football games and good times with old friends. I love the family gatherings that always happen this time of year and making the first hot chocolate batch of the year. I know some of you out there are summer lovers, or spring aficianados, but in my opinion, you just can't beat the autumn season.

Despite what Ryan may think, I even enjoy those lazy Saturdays that come along every once in a while when we spend all day snuggled up on the couch, watching college football, and consuming enormous amounts of chips and queso, pizza, and Dr. Pepper.

The fall is always busy for us, as I'm sure it is for many of you, and this year is no different. I'm pretty sure every weekend from here till Christmas is booked with football games, weddings, family reunions, and holidays. So far, we've already made it to two Baylor home games and will be heading back to Waco tomorrow for another game. We were pretty disappointed to hear that our star quarterback may be out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, but we'll be there to cheer on the team no matter what!

Here's a sample of us decked out in our game day gear - I also love that every football season gives me a good excuse to buy new outfits for the games :)

Things are going well with Baby Fitz too - I'm feeling much better these days and I got to see the baby on another ultrasound a few weeks ago. Our little one is apparently quite an athlete already - he or she was bouncing around and waving at me the whole time :)

Our Little Lime

After weeks of impatient blog silence, Ryan and I have some very exciting news to share....a little Baby Fitz is on the way! Our bundle of joy should be arriving on April 3, 2010, and we're thrilled! According to the weekly baby emails I get, Baby Fitz is about the size of a lime right now (which might explain the title to this post to those of you who were wondering).

I have to admit, we've been hoping for a baby for a few months, but we're still having a hard time believing this is really happening...maybe that's why God gives you nine months to get ready :)

It's such a surreal feeling to know the Lord is stitching together a little person inside me right now. I had my 12 week check-up today and got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time - wow! What an amazing Creator we love and serve. I feel so blessed to be a part of His plan for this new life.

I'm sure I'll have lots of exciting baby posts in the future...but for now, enjoy our little one's first picture (from the 8 week sonogram):

Cooking with Fire and Wild New Decor

Last weekend we had a great time officially "christening" Ryan's new grill. Every August, we celebrate another healthy year for Ryan, and this year's celebration included the purchase of a new, manly grill. I have to admit, this purchase may have been partially motivated by the fact that Ryan's little sister has been taunting him for weeks about his inadequate outdoor cooking devise. Blair bought her first house a few months ago and somehow ended up with a grill much bigger than ours :) Naturally, we could not let this go on....in fact, as we were shopping for the new grill, Ryan made a point of calling Blair to ask how big hers was....just so we could be sure ours was bigger :)

So after buying this enormous man-oven, we had to invite a few friends over to "bless" it with a multitude of meats. We had six couples from church over, who each brought their own main dish. The ladies stayed inside...content to be relegated to salad duty, while the guys broke in the grill. It was a great evening!

As if all that manly grilling action wasn't enough, we also added some new macho decorations to the house. After two years of anxious waiting, Ryan finally got the call that the animals he shot in Africa were ready to be brought home. So, we are officially a "hunter's household" with animal heads hanging in our living room (I did put my foot down and kept them out of the bedroom!).

Lucky for Ryan, I grew up in a family where the hunting theme always dominated a least one room in the house. My dad is a serious hunter, and he's the one who invited us to join him on that amazing trip to Africa. Here are a few pics, and I have to say, I think these animals actually look beautiful in our home. They are certainly conversation pieces!

That's right people...since I'm the official decorator of the house, I naturally had to jump in and make sure the placement of Mr. Impala was juuuuust right.

The gemsbok was quite a bit heavier, so I reluctantly let Ryan handle this guy :)

This is Ziggy, our zebra rug...we've had him for quite a bit longer than the others....I have to admit, it looks really cool in our living room.

Ahh memories....this is where our journey into Hunter Chic began...rockin' the khaki!

Anniversary & Cherished Friends

The weekend before last, Ryan and I had a blast celebrating my parents' anniversary with an intimate dinner party. A few months ago my sister Heather suggested that it would be nice to plan a special dinner for them this year. So we reserved a private room at Silver Fox - a great steak and seafood place - and surprised Mom and Dad with a little dinner party. My friend Mary made beautiful flower arrangements, Heather brought a cake from the same bakery we both used for our wedding cakes, and I made a fun slideshow - thank you Mac computer! All in all it was a fabulous evening, full of laughter, great food, and the sharing of sweet memories. Congratulations Mom and Dad! We love you!

As if the anniversary celebration wasn't enough excitement for one weekend, we also had the pleasure of welcoming some dear friends from Florida for a brief visit. My old college roommate Paige was in town with her sweet, albeit demanding, hubby Jordan (what's the big deal about wormy apples and not being served breakfast until 10:30 a.m.?) and their ADORABLE little girl Finley. I just LOVE you guys and I'm so glad we got to spend a little time with you this summer!

We miss you Codes - counting down the days until we share our "family" bed at Homecoming!

We'll Miss You Poppa

Last week, Ryan and I got the sad news that Ryan's grandfather (Poppa to us) had gone home to heaven. We've known his health was declining for the last few months, so it wasn't a surprise, but his sweet presence will still be missed in our lives.

Poppa was a great man, husband, father and grandfather, a truth that was evident in all the stories we heard over the weekend and during the sweet memorial service. Ryan's mom delivered a beautiful, touching eulogy, and we continue to keep her in our prayers as she mourns the loss of her Daddy.

Poppa had a great sense of humor and loved to welcome new members of the family (including me) by offering them a piece of "candy." Thankfully, I had been warned before hand that Poppa's "candy" was actually chewing tobacco! An accessory he never left home without :) My favorite memory, though, is how every time I saw Poppa, he would ask me if I had a rolling pin and if I knew how to use it to keep Ryan in line :)

Poppa was very special in Ryan's life too. He cheered Ryan on at all of his baseball games when he was growing up, gave him his first taste of tobacco, and loved to take him fishing. We can only hope that our own kids have such special relationships with their grandparents.

What a comfort to know that Poppa was a man of God and is finally home with his savior now. We'll miss you, Poppa and look forward to rejoicing with you again one day!

"For I am ready to be poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Independence Day

I'm a little late posting this, but our family motto is "better late than never" so here goes.  For the 4th of July this year, we continued our new tradition of gathering with family at Legado.  

Legado (Spanish for Legacy) is my parents' house on Lake Lewisville.  Ryan and I love heading out there and are quickly becoming "lake people."  In fact, Ryan's got the itch to buy a jet ski now, and it's all I can do to pry the SeaDoo catalog out of his hands these days.

Anyway, this year we met up with my folks, my sisters, my aunt and uncle, and their crazy kids at the lake house to celebrate together.  We spent all day Friday out on the lake, cooked out Saturday and watched the local fireworks displays by the lake that night.  Lake Lewisville is a great spot to watch fireworks because you can see shows by Lewisville, Flower Mound, The Colony, Frisco, and probably a few others I couldn't pinpoint.  We even had our own fireworks extravaganza as the boys (including the "big" boys) set off a truck load of pyrotechnics purchased from our local fireworks stand - they put on quite a show!

Ahhh.....a great way to celebrate the 4th!  I forgot to bring my camera, so I'm at the mercy of my mom and sister to send pictures of the weekend.  I'll post some as soon as they come through!

Wouldn't it be Loverly?

Hello all! Last month I posted about the beautiful flower arrangements my friend Mary created for our Mother's Day Luncheon. Since then, Mary has started a business preparing floral arrangements called Posy's.

I've seen some of her recent work, and it's truly top-notch. Mary is creative, thoughtful, professional and a pleasure to work with. She really made my vision come to life...keeping in mind my small budget. I'll definitely be using Mary's services again soon, and I highly recommend her to anyone else in the DFW area.

Here's a picture from a recent bridal shower she worked on - fabulous!

Patient Update

Thanks to everyone for the sweet thoughts about Dixie.  I wanted to let you all know that she's home and doing well.  She spent one night at the surgery center, which was not fun for anyone, but they said she was a real trooper.  The staff really seemed to like her and they even gave her a cute pink bandage.  She's getting lots of rest and attention now that she's home, so hopefully we'll have a quick recovery!

Sweet Puppy

Anyone who knows us knows how much we love our little Dixie dog.  She has an adorable, feisty, personality that belies her small stature.  We really think of her as part of the family....and she knows it!  Sometimes I'm convinced she doesn't really know she's a dog.  

So, needless to say, we've been very concerned the last few days as we've noticed her limping around, only using three legs.  She's had knee problems for a while, but they never seemed to slow her down until now.  I took her to the vet earlier this week, and he referred us to an orthopedic surgeon (am I the only one who didn't know they had such a thing for dogs?).  Today was our appointment with the specialist, who told us Dixie has a torn ACL and chronic knee cap displacement.  Sounds pretty painful to me, so I was more than happy to schedule surgery for her.  I realize she's only a dog, but she's enriched our lives for years, and we want to do anything we can to make her life more enjoyable too.

Tomorrow is the big day, and poor Ryan has the unhappy duty of dropping her off at the vet's office.  Over the years, Ryan and Dixie have become good buddies.....although the scars on his arm remind us that sometimes it's more of a love/hate relationship than true love.  I have to admit that Dixie has become a bit of a grumpy old lady the last few years.  Of course, Ryan just thinks her crankiness makes her that much cuter.  I think it might break his heart to leave her at the vet's, but he's putting on a brave face for her.  We'll be praying that the surgery goes well and she's able to get back to her crotchety old self soon!

Who wouldn't love that face?

Ryan decided to put Dixie in the trash can when we were raking up leaves....maybe her animosity has some foundation after all ;)

Long Live the King!

Last weekend, Ryan and I got to see not one, but two great music legends.....George Strait and Reba McEntire!  That's right, the King AND Queen of country music.  Together with Blake Shelton and Lee Ann Womack, these two kicked of the first of many amazing events to be held at the new Cowboys Stadium.  

Needless to say, Ryan was in heaven just getting to see the new stadium up close.  Most of you probably know what a huge Dallas Cowboys fan he is.....anyone remember his groom's cake?

I grew up listening to George Strait's music...Heather and I spent countless hours two-steppin' around the living room, standing on our dad's toes, to Amarillo By Morning and All My Exes Live in Texas ;)  So when I heard George would be performing in Dallas, I knew we had to go.  I called up the family and we all decided to go together.  Sadly we were missing Amy, who was getting ready to take the LSAT a few days later.  With such a big family, it's almost impossible to find dates that don't conflict with anything, so we were happy to get most of the gang there.

We decided to make a day of it, tailgating in the Rangers' parking lot before the concert.  Ryan made some knock-out burgers and we had a great time.  Here are a few pictures from the concert:

For Reba's encore, she changed into this red number and sang everyone's favorite "Fancy" - loved it!

Mom & Dad

The inaugural opening of the stadium's ceiling

From here you can see the Rangers Ballpark - Ryan's in heaven

It was a HOT day - so I'm definitely glistening here :)

The massive video screen - it will stretch from one 20 yard line to the other!

Over 60,000 people packed into the stadium to see these legends

Holmans, Fitzhughs, Benifer, Parkers