Heaven must feel something like this...

How to Clean Your Toddler's Room:

2010-09-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

Let your toddler find a container of Vaseline amongst the diaper changing items in their changing table.
While you are cleaning another room, let your toddler smear said vaseline onto everything he/she can touch.
Go check on your toddler because he/she "is just being too quite...they've GOT to be getting into SOMETHING."
FREAK OUT because you just found 8 ounces of vaseline all over everything that you just cleaned from this morning's chores.
This is the tricky part! Gather soap, warm water, a wash cloth, and a large package of wet wipes and proceed to remove (hehe good luck) all vaseline from all areas of your toddler's room.
Viola! Clean room!

How to Have Fun Potty Training: Day 3

2010-08-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

Stats:

Attempts on the Potty: 18

Accidents in the Undies: 4 (HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?!)

Successful Potty Trips: 7 (YAY!!!!!!)

I have to be completely honest. If you'd told me that Austin would have those kinds of stats by "Day 3" of this 3-day intensive potty training adventure, I would have been disappointed. My expectations at the beginning were this: Austin would give me fits the first two days resisting my insistence on going peepee and poopy in the potty. I would be completely exhausted from fighting a defiant 2-year-old by day three. The whole potty training ordeal would be a thorn in my side. But on day three he would finally give in and totally submit himself to the potty everytime, telling me when he needed to go.

Every expectation BUMPED!

Sure, "Day 1" was hard and tiring, but it was the first day. Every first day of something new is always kind of confusing and tiring. But "Day 2" brought consistency and new accomplishments! It became a fun game to see how many pieces of candy Austin could get. And I never even realized that I was HAVING FUN until "Day 3".

Ahh. Good ole "Day 3". It was a great day. Only 4 accidents! And three of those were before his nap when we were outside playing in the garden. Well, Austin was playing in the garden. I was pulling weeds, not paying attention to Austin's cues. But that was the slight disappointment about Day 3. Austin still doesn't come tell me when he needs to go potty. I have to read his cues. We'll be working on that in the next few days. Nevertheless, I still had fun! I've LOVED watching him closely, reading his every move and facial expression. I've loved neglecting chores to play with my toddler all day long. I've loved his bright, happy, dramatic reaction to the simple act of having a successful potty trip! Its been so much fun watching him learn the past 3 days.

I know we're not done. We still have a long way to go...like using verbal signs to communicate when he needs to go and making it through the night. But I'm grateful for "Patty's Potty Plan" and all that its taught both my little tike and myself. By the way, if you noticed, the number of attempts has decreased over this 3 day period. That's because we no longer have to go every 10 minutes. I've gotten pretty darn good at reading his cues. :)

I hope you've enjoyed reading about our little adventure. I've sure enjoyed living it...surprisingly.

God Bless!

- Kate

How to Be Gleefully Happy About a BM: Day 2

2010-08-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

Our Potty Training Adventure, Day 2 went better than anticipated! :D Wanna see the stats of the day?
Drum roll, please...

Attempts on the Potty: 19
Accidents in the Undies: 10 (Two better than yesterday)
Successful Potty Trips: 5 (WOOHOO!!!!)

Yesterday morning I was kind of disappointed that I kept catching him AFTER he'd peed his new britches and got ZERO successful trips to the potty before his afternoon nap. I went through an ENTIRE pack of toddler undies before lunch! I was really beginning to question my motives and Austin's readiness.
But TODAY was a totally different experience! Today lifted my spirits as I reminded myself why we are attempting this at the ripe old age of two, and this morning I caught him THREE times before he wet his drawers. He got to munch on 3 M&M's for going #1 in the potty 3 times before his nap! AND he only had 3 accidents before his nap...as opposed to SEVEN yesterday morning. What a fantastic leap!!!
By the end of the day it seemed as if he was actually starting to grasp the whole idea of potty training as Brett and I constantly reminded him to keep his undies dry and go in the big boy potty. I'm so darn proud of my little guy! I KNEW he'd get the hang of it. :D

Tomorrow's goal: 6 successful potty trips and only 9 accidents. I think its do-able, don't you?

How To Drive Yourself Crazy: Day 1

2010-08-23T19:41:00.001-07:00

Today was the kick-off for a very important lesson in Austin's life. Potty Training. :) I've been thinking about it for a few months now. Austin's been showing interest in the potty ever since he was about 20 months old. As for the readiness checklist? Yep, he's totally there. Which is quite a relief for me because he's already in the largest size diaper they make!

Back about June, I called a lady here in Mountain Home who has 9 children with whom she's used one certain approach to potty training and its worked for all 9 of them. SURELY it could work for Austin.

The Plan:
A 3-day Potty Training Intensive, to sum it up. Go cold turkey on the diapers. All underwear, all the time...no training pants. Give the child as much juice/water/milk as they want all day long for 3 days straight, but cut them off an hour before bedtime. Take the child to the potty every 10 minutes. Have them sit on the potty for 2-5 minutes. If they go #1 they get 1 small piece of candy. If they go #2 they get 2 small pieces of candy. If they go #0 they get none. Sure, its bribery, but by the 3rd day they begin to realize the ultimate goal.
This woman always starts her children at about 22 months. I figure its not too early to at least try since Austin is now one month past two years.

My Plan:
A slight variation. No training pants, BUT diapers at night...because I am NOT expecting a 2-year old to make it through the night the first few days of potty training. One thing at a time for us. We'll tackle nights at a later date...like 6 months down the road, later. ;)

Day 1:
Oh, Dear. How do I sum up Day 1? Ok, lets do stats...
Attempts on the Potty: 31
Accidents in the Undies: 12 (UUUUGH!)
Successes on the Potty: 1 (Yep that's right, ONE!)
This morning started out pretty tough. Austin did not fully understand what was expected of him. Which, I totally get that. Picture yourself in diapers all your life where you get to let loose anywhere, anytime. How awesome is that!?! But then one day, Mommy tells you "no more diapers!" WHAT?!? What are you doing to me, Woman!...you might think. ;) Then on go these strange, light-weight, action-figure covered, diaper-looking doodads and you all of the sudden get told "No, we don't do that anymore" when you've gone whoopty in your new tighty whities!
So, needless to say, I'm not surprised we had TWELVE accidents and only ONE success today. In fact, I'm THRILLED we had A SUCCESS today!
(Side note: I did actually explain my expectations and what we were doing to Austin long before we threw him into his new super-hero undies. He acted pretty excited to be able to wear them, too.)

Yes, today was hard. It was hard trying to get him to go to the potty every ten minutes. It was hard to try to get him to potty IN the potty chair. It was hard having to clean up twelve messes on the floor/rug. And it was hard trying to get Austin to understand why we were doing things differently today. But I know he'll come around.
Austin is a super smart kid. He's always been ahead of the game. He smiled early. He laughed early. He talked early. He walked early. I don't push him. I gently encourage him. And if he wants do things that 3-year old children are doing, by golly, I'm going to let him try. If he doesn't catch on in a week. I'm more than happy to let him stay in diapers a little while longer. But I'm not going to hold him back because someone else says he's not ready or not old enough.

So, I'll keep encouraging him. :)

PS. Tomorrow's goal: 2 Successes on the Potty! ;)

Worm Science

2010-06-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my sister-in-law the other day about worms of all things. ;) She and I have been trying to use worms for our buckets of compost for the benefit ofour dear Mother Earth and our own families' health by gardening organically.
Her problem was that her worms had crawled out and my problem was that they had died in my compost buckets. We also have a common problem with worms crawling into our garages when it rains and shriveling up and dying. So, not only can we not keep them in our buckets, but we can't keep them out of the garage!

Well, I had a great idea to set up a bucket of dirt in the garage, so whenever it rained I could save those worms and either use them in my garden or for when we go fishing. :) I seemed like a great idea at the time...until it turned hot, REALLY hot. The garage was scorching by the time the afternoon sun got to it and the worms were suffering. Not to mention, they really didn't have much in the way of food and water...so I didn't know until later.

Brett and I did a little research...Brett found the links and I read up on how to care for my worms. (hehe...that sounds funny) I was pretty surprised about how much I learned (that I wasn't doing) about my worms!

Here's what I learned...

Worms LOVE cool, moist dirt. If kept in a bucket, they need to be placed in a cool, dry, shady area with a holey lid on top. On hot days, put ice chips on top of the dirt. This will keep the dirt (and worms) cool as well as provide much needed water for them.

Also, worms need to be fed. (I thought worms just ate dirt! Nope! They need nutrition just as much as we do. How bout that?) Food worms love: pumpkins, watermelon and canteloupe rinds, fruit (except for citrusy fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges), crushed egg shells, banana peels, and veggies (except for onions and garlic). But feed in moderation. Unfortunately worms are not like us on the food side of things. More food does not equal fat worms. Neither does fatty food either...so don't try it. You'll only get dead worms. ;)

A little extra something you can add for your worms is shredded newspaper or damp paper towels. But don't use too much. Its best to layer it dirt/worms/paper/dirt/worms/paper. The worms will eat right through the paper and the paper will help keep the dirt cool and moist.

You could probably have a seperate bucket for compost than for your worms and feed your worms out of the compost bucket. This could actually be something you set up in stages for your garden! I'm thinking I'm gonna try this for my own garden.

Stage 1: Compost Bucket - put left over food (minus bones, meats & proteins) in a bucket mixed in with top soil to let the food decay.
Stage 2: Worm Bucket - put some of the decaying food into the worm bucket to feed the worms and creat super nutritious gardening soil.
Stage 3: Garden Soil - transfer much of the soil and worms into your garden to create healthy, hearty, tastey veggies and fruits!

And the best part of all...if your worms are healthy and happy, they should quadruple every 27 days! Worms will produce a small cocoon every 27 days out of which 3 baby worms will emerge. Isn't that great!?!

I'm really diggin my new pets...now that I know what I'm doing. ;)

Austin Swims!

2010-06-03T08:49:00.001-07:00

My little baby is starting to swim all by himself...well, with the help of a life jacket. But he's the most adventurous little tike I've ever seen!

Go watch this video on his video blog...

(Click Here)

Did you see him!?! Isn't he awesome!?! Well, the video doesn't quite do it justice. Just as Austin asked, I got in...after I turned off the camera and put it in a safe place. ;) So, when I did he clung to me for a little while, but then started letting go little by little. Eventually he was pushing off of me with his feet and swimming towards the dock all by himself!!! This little guy is taking to swimming like a fish to water! I gotta say, I am one proud mama. :D

SCREECH, BAM!

2010-05-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Recognize the sounds in the title of this blog? I gotta say, its been years since I've been in a car accident. And the last time I was, it was all my fault. This time...it was not.

Brett and Austin and I were on our way to the grocery store when it happened. All three of us in the car. My thoughts were on Austin the entire 500 milliseconds as it occured. We were approaching an intersection just 100 yards from a red light, so thankfully we were only going about 20mph or a little less when we hit the guy. He had a stop sign. We did not. He stopped at the stop sign. He did not see us, so he began to pull his 70's model full-sized Ford truck through the intersection. I gasped! Brett swerved to try and miss him, but it was too late. Our left front end met his right front end with unexpected force...a force that would later prove to be enough to put all three of us in pain. The entire half second seemed like it took a full 30 seconds. Slow motion...just like the movies. The few seconds following, silent. Then Austin says "Boom! Truck." :) My observant little 22 month old.

Brett and I looked at each other, then at Austin, making sure we were all ok. Everyone was fine, but then adrenaline was still pumping through our veins.

The next few minutes were full of calling the police, the insurance companies, moving the cars, and talking to a couple of Mountain Home police officers.

A few people stopped to see if everyone was ok, an affirmation to what I already knew, that we have good people surrounding us here. One of those people was a really sweet old lady in a minivan who offered us a ride back home. Austin and I gratefully took the offer. Come to find out, she lives not one mile from us. The kind officer who took Brett's statement turned out to live not one mile from us in the other direction. Its so nice to see neighbors taking care of neighbors around here. You don't see much of that these days...even in the South.

So, the sweet little old lady took Austin and me back to our house where I put the carseat in Brett's car and returned to the scene to pick up Brett.

On our way to get groceries after the accident (ya gotta move on with life, right) I was talking to Brett and he was saying how repentant and sorry the guy who pulled out in front of us was. My heart went out to him. A simple mistake will cause him grief and inconvenience for the next few weeks. Now, granted it will cause us the same grief and inconvenience, but I still felt bad for the guy.

Later on, Brett went to the hospital to get checked out. He was in a lot of pain. He took the brunt of it, being in the driver's seat. Everything checked out except for a bit of swelling in his back and neck. Austin and I will go to the doctor on Monday just for precautionary measures. I'm sure everything is ok with us, too. We just want to be certain since we're both feeling the effects of whiplash already.

All in all, everything is ok. We're ok. The car will get fixed. It will be worth less...much less, having been wrecked now, but we are ok. The other guy is ok. Everything is fine and we have good people all around us. :) We are blessed!

Struggles of a Stubborn Woman

2010-05-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

I am a stubborn woman. Ask my husband, he will confirm it. I used to be a stubborn teenager (and before that, a stubborn little girl). Ask my mom, she will confirm it. If things don't go my way I stress out and question whether or not I'm a good person, teacher, wife, or mother. Sometimes I'll cry or even throw a hissy fit. :P The latter is more fun, but the former is more mature...so I alternate.

Lately, I've been having a major problem...because of my stubbornness.
My problem is my calling in church. I HATE PRIMARY! Maybe I should rephrase that. I HATE BEING IN PRIMARY! Primary itself is actually a GREAT program for the children in the church. The problem is that I don't do well with other people's kids. I never babysat as a teenager for a darn good reason. Other people's kids stress me out. I don't know how to relate to them, nor do I want to. Back in February I was called as the Nursery Leader. AAAH! The only thing worse than the combination of me and other people's kids is me and other peoples TODDLERS! Have I already said "AAAH!"? Because, "AAAAAAH!" I hardly feel like I have a handle on MY OWN toddler! What the heck was the Bishop smokin when get got THAT revelation!?! hehehe...I had to laugh at that one.
So, because of my stubbornness and my fear of other people's TODDLERS, I've been carrying around this grudge, this resentment for anyone associated with this calling. I've been snarling and snapping at everyone who asks "so, how's your calling?" Poor, poor innocent bystanders. I'm not one to hold back much. I don't put on a facade for the sake of saving face. I'm not two-faced. What you see is what you get with me. And when I'm in a foul mood, its pretty obvious. Embarassing sometimes, yes. But you can never accuse me of being fake.
(BIG SIGH)
Today, I've had a change of heart...a big change of heart. I someone at church opened up to me today. This woman was not someone whom I thought would ever do such a thing with me. I am her Visiting Teacher, but I'm intimidated by her, so I never make the effort to go visit her...much less, call her. She told me that she had once been in my position...with a 10-month old...while pregnant. And she endured it for a year and a half! WOW! I was floored.
I sat there thinking for a while. My heart was softened. I thought to myself, "surely, if this woman can do Nursery with a 10-month old and a baby on the way for 18 months, surely, SURELY, i could handle 9 more months of Nursery with my own toddler." (Bishop promised I would only have to be in there for a year.)
Every begrudging feeling, every ounce of resentment melted away. Replacing it was a love and respect for the women in Primary and a new understanding that the man who called me to this position was listening to the Holy Spirit.
I knew then that it was time to submit my will to that of Heavenly Father's. Hard as that may be for me, I knew it was the best thing. :)

Who knows, maybe this calling will help me become a better mother.

Anyone for Lunch?

2010-04-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't he the cutest little boy ever!?! Gotta love a yogurt covered smile. :)

Easter Pictures!!!

2010-04-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

You absolutely MUST go to this website and check out the fabulous pictures that the oh so awesome photographer, Jaren (soon to be) Beavers, took of our little family!!!

CLICK HERE!

Thoughts...

2010-03-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

So, Brett and I are sitting here in the our hotel room in Branson, Mo taking a little mini-vacation during spring break. Meemaw (Brett's mom) is back at our house watching Austin for us.
Its been nice not having to chase a toddler, tame his tantrums, and pick him up every 5 minutes...but, by golly, I MISS HIM!!! I think about him every 30 seconds and wonder what he's doing, if he's having fun, and wondering how many times he's gone looking for me. My heart just yearns for his little embrace. My shoulder longs for his resting head. My cheek longs for the softness of his. I wonder how long I'm going to last. :)

On a lighter note...we're having family pictures taken by Jaren Froyk (soon to be Jaren Beavers) next Wednesday morning! I love taking pictures!!! I think it's so much fun. And this girl is an awesome photographer. Check out her blogsite.
Tina, my friend and the girl I teach dance for, uses her for our dance recital pictures. She's super sweet and great to work with. I'm really looking forward to our appointment.
So, check back soon because I may have some pictures posted...or at least a link to where you may see some. :D

Mother's Day Out

2010-02-23T06:12:00.000-08:00

In the next couple of weeks I'm going to be putting Austin in somewhat of a pre-preschool for one day a week. Its a place with a Christian curriculum and they actually have lesson plans for kids under 3 years old. So, it makes me happy that its not just a day care center and that he'll be in a Christian environment. And its on my way to the gym! I also like that we can just do one day a week, because I don't know if I could handle any more than that emotionally. I already feel guilty that I'm considering one day a week. Afterall, I'm supposed to be a full-time mom. I'm supposed to be able to teach him his ABC's, 123's, shapes, colors and all that good stuff, all the while keeping the house clean, cooking supper at night, and keeping myself in shape...somehow...right?

Well, it'll be great for Austin to learn how to play with other children. And I get some time to workout, sew and clean up the house without feeling like I'm neglecting my son. :) Hot bikini bod, here I come! HAHAHAHA!

Hello. My name is Leslie, and I'm addicted to Facebook.

2010-02-18T18:12:00.001-08:00

You don't have to be Catholic to observe Lent. In my opinion, everyone who celebrates Mardi Gras should observe Lent. It is the sole purpose of Mardi Gras. You fatten up on "Fat Tuesday" before you begin your 40-day fast on Ash Wednesday. And everyone who parties hard on Mardi Gras could stand to benefit from Lent, I think. Now, of course, because I'm not Catholic, I don't do the whole Ash Wednesday ritual. I don't go to church, have ashes spread on my forehead in the shape of a cross and confess my sins. I do more of a private contemplation, instead. I think about what I'm giving up, how its going to make me a better person, and what else I can change to better myself.

This year, I'm giving up Facebook for Lent. I know its not the traditional type of food or drink one usually gives up for Lent, but I think it'll do more for me than...say, giving up chocolate (oh the horror!) or caffeine (though that wouldn't be half bad). I'm giving up Facebook because it has taken over my life. I find myself surfing my friends profiles and playing Farmville more than I clean house. I'm shirking in my responsibilities as a Mother, a Wife, and a Homemaker. Those three things should be top priorty to me, yet in the past months, Facebook seems to have been #1. So, for the sake of reprioritizing, Facebook has to go. And when Lent is over, I hope to be in a solid habit of putting Austin, Brett, and my home before anything else. Of course I'll still get on to see what my friends are up to and to post the occassional few pictures of Austin, but I won't let it rule my life like it has been. I'll limit myself to once a day AFTER my responsibilities have been met for the day.

So far it hasn't been that bad. I do find myself tempted to just take a peak, but I stop tell myself that I can do this. I'm a person with great self-discipline when I put my mind to it. And I haven't really missed it that much. :) So, here's putting my mind to it for the next 37 days! Wish me luck! :D

How much do you know about Mardi Gras?

2010-02-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Louisiana, I was taught all about Mardi Gras. Did you know that there is more to the cajun holiday than just beads, dablooms, and high-energy parades? Did you know that it's actually a predominantly Catholic holiday?

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday." Its the day before Ash Wednesday where people gorge themselves on sweet bread (King Cake), alcoholic beverages (if they aren't Mormon), and the company of good friends before they begin their 40 day fast of their choosing in similitude of Christ's 40-day fast. Following the 40 days is, you guessed it, Easter! :D And we all know about Easter.

There are 3 colors that traditionally represent Mardi Gras, they are Purple, Green, and Gold. They are symbolic of the gifts the Three Kings brought to Jesus Christ when he was born. Gold represents gold, obviously. Purple represents frankencense. And Green represents myrh. I've also heard that they represent Justice, Faith, and Power, but I don't buy that.

The King Cake that is so popular this time of year is a sweetbread baked in the shape of a circle in representation of the path to the Christ Child that the Three Kings took to confuse King Herrod. There is also a baby that is always hidden in the cake. This obviously represents the Baby Jesus, being hidden from King Herrod. A modern, fun tradition: the person who finds the baby in their slice of cake typically holds the next Mardi Gras party...or brings the King Cake to the next party. :)

So, now you know the typically unknown facts about Mardi Gras!
I'm craving some King Cake...

Happy Mardi Gras!

PS. For the record...the act of showing boobs in exchange for beads is something only performed by tourists.

Reflections

2010-01-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, in a land far far away...ok maybe just 8 hours from here, I used to want to be a beautiful princess adorned with a diamond-studded tiara, matching earings, necklace and bracelet, and wear fine silk gowns everywhere I went. It's true. I was a shallow teenager with only two things on my mind...beauty and boys. My two sole purposes for anything I ever did as a teenager were to make myself beautiful and make myself more attractive to the boys. (ugh)
What changed? When did I stop caring about whether or not I was the most beautiful girl in the room? Was it marriage that changed it? Parenthood? Or just plain maturity?
I no longer have this sneaking urge to go primp and preen myself in front of the mirror. I'm appalled at myself for ever having that urge!
Do you know what I want now? I want to be honest, humble, gentle, kind, and patient. None of those things have anything to do with beauty. Sure, I still care about my appearance. That's just part of being raised in the South. It's just not my biggest priorty these days.
Hmmm...maybe that's my new year's resolution. :)

This is why I haven't blogged in a while...

2010-01-14T20:16:00.001-08:00

My friend posted this as a note on her Facebook page. I've never heard or read this poem before but it dawned on me when I read it...I may not be a great house-keeper, but it matters not as long as I'm a great mother. :)

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, Lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek-peek-a-boo).
The shopping is not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there is a hullabaloo.
But I'm playing "Kanga" and this is my "Roo."
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, 1958

Christmas Wreaths

2009-11-14T18:13:00.000-08:00

I volunteered to make a Christmas wreath for a Silent Auction that the Hospital Auxiliary is holding in the next 3 weeks. Each department is decorating a wreath and the one with the highest bid wins a prize. So, I came up with a few ideas and couldn't figure out which one I liked best, so I made all of them. Let me know which one you like by voting for it in my poll on the left side of this page. The one with the most votes will be turned it for the Auction. :)

Thanks for your help!

A Good Weekend

2009-09-29T07:39:00.001-07:00

We had a great time with the Prescotts this weekend! We left on Friday morning from Mountain Home, met up with Dana and the boys in Tulsa and headed over to Oklahoma City. Austin seems to be doing better and better traveling as he gets older. We'll pop a Baby Einstein DVD in the player and it'll keep him occupied on an otherwise boring stretch of pavement.

Oh! But first I must tell you about the bikers we saw on the way there! We stopped at a Gas Station on the way to Tulsa and saw a big group of bikers. Austin LOVED the bikes. He said "Ooh!" every time one reved its engine. He stood there for 20 minutes hardly moving an inch just watching all the bikes. Boy am I in for it. :P (Side note: I'm not a biker hater. Most of them I'm sure are good people with a love for the open road and wind through their hair...or across their scalps. ;) I simply don't like them because of the people who don't exercise caution for them while driving and wind up causing the fatal accidents. That's my beef with bikes.)

So, once we arrived in OKC, we went to eat supper at this really great Mexican Restaurant that gives you complimentary hot handmade tortillas along with your chips & salsa. YUMMY! I absolutely MUST find a great homemade tortilla recipe after having that experience! No more store-bought Mission tortillas for this family!! :)

The next day, after Keith and Dana went to the temple, we went to this HUGE outdoor wildlife Expo. It was pretty cool. There was a part where the kids got to experience some primitive means of hunting such as Atlatl, Goose Knocking, Ax Throwing, and Archery. Then, inside the arena they had all kinds of booths surrounding this huge pond where kids were kayaking. One of the booths had a big tank of freshwater fish by which Austin was completely enthralled! (Remind me to get a fish tank with some guppies or goldfish for him for Christmas.) And two booths down from the fish were 3 people holding falcons and talking about falconry. While Micajah was mezmerized with the art of falconry, Austin just wanted to stare at the birds. So, we stayed and watched the birds for another 20 minutes. Although, there was much more to see at the expo, we were all getting hungry and Dana had a $25 off coupon to a really awesome BBQ place just down the road. So, we couldn't pass that up!

After we ate our fabulous plethera of BBQ'd meats, we headed back to Tulsa. Dana and I stopped at the Stake Center for the General Relief Society Conference and the boys went back home.

Conference was great! I always dread going to them, but I'm always glad I'm there after I arrive. This time was no different. Its kind of like working out. You never really wanna go, but once you're there, you're glad you went. I suppose these things are like getting a spiritual workout. :) So, back to the Women's Conference...we were delighted with a sit-down lasagna dinner with our choice of peach, cherry, or apple cobbler for dessert with ice cream and entertainment from some Mong young women who did a couple of Mong dances for us while we ate! It was quite the cultural experience! Which leads me to think...wouldn't it be so cool to see first hand every culture's style of dance? And wouldn't it be even cooler to see it in their native land? THAT would be quite the bucket list item!

So, anyway, after we went to church the next day, we played outside with the boys, took some pictures, and Austin got to run around naked for a while, while I took more pictures worthy of blackmail later in Austin's life...not that I would actually use them for blackmail... ;)

As, Sunday was winding down, Dana and I were outside with the boys while eating breakfast for supper. Keith had me make a dozen scrambled eggs. Well, I volunteered to make eggs and he suggested I make a dozen. So, it was a large portion of eggs we served with some pancakes. The boys noticed the large portion of eggs and I mentioned how many eggs Gaston would eat when we was a "lad". Dana knew exactly who I was refering to and we entertained the boys with a little bit of Gaston's song from Beauty and the Beast. I don't think they knew who or what we were singing about, but it seemed appropriate...you know, for the eggs. :)

I like to think our weekend was pretty enjoyable. I enjoyed it and Austin always loves hanging out with the boys. I think he and Zachary are warming up to each other. And Brett didn't seem to complain too much. ;)

Austin's First Birthday!!!

2009-09-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I'm more than a month late posting this! Forgive me (batting my eyes)? :)

So, Austin's birthday was July 24th, most of you Utahans are thinking, "Hey, that's pioneer day!" Well, I never really celebrated pioneer day, even as a Latter-Day Saint...mainly because I was born and raised here in the South and we don't tend to have many ancestors who made the trek from MO to UT. My point is that July 24th is all about Austin in our household. :D

Austin and Grandpa Kingrey

I worked really really hard on Austin's birthday party. I invited pretty much everyone I knew. I planned on doing everything I could think of as decorations are concerned. And I thought up an entire smorgasbord of food for the 50 people who had RSVP'd...including a paper mache'd whale with a chocolate fountain spout. ;) I was planning this party to be THE party of the year! Afterall, Austin, our dear darling, our entire world, was turning ONE!!!

In the process of planning and buying decorations, food, and entertainment, I stressed myself out, put my darling husband through H E double-hockey-sticks and back ( who already had a million things to do to prepare the house/yard for the party), and expected far too much of my close friends and family.

Two days before the party...let me back up...one month before the party I agreed to do a cake for a baby shower a friend of mine was throwing for her sister. The baby shower was to be held the same day as Austin's birthday party. Number 1: I should have said no and saved myself the stress of an additional cake to bake on top of Austin's HUGE cake. But my reasoning?...I thought to myself "what's one more cake? I'll just do it on Thursday so I can do everything else on Friday."

Three weeks before the party I agreed to do another cake. A two-tier wedding cake for a wedding to be held the same day as Austin's birthday party. Number 2: I should have said no and saved myself the stress of TWO additionsal cakes to bake on top of Austin's HUGE cake. But my reasoning?...I thought to myself "Eh. I might as well do this one while I'm in the groove of baking this other cake on Thursday."

Two weeks before the party I agreed to yet ANOTHER cake! Where on earth was my sanity!?! A two-tiered chocolate with chocolate covered strawberries cake for Austin's Doctor's birthday party to be held the day before Austin's birthday party. Number 3: I SHOULD HAVE SAID NO and saved myself the stress of THREE FLIPPIN CAKES to bake on top of Austin's HUGE FLIPPIN birthday cake! But my reasoning?...I thought to myself "I have a lot of respect for Austin's Doctor's wife. She's a great person and I want to make a good impression. Besides...what's one more cake gonna hurt?"

Wow, kinda stresses me out thinking back on it.

SO, on the Thursday before Austin's party, I baked THREE cakes. By the time Friday rolled around, I was so tired I could hardly stand it AND I still had a million things to do for Austin's party, family in town to entertain, etc etc. Friday was all about cutting up fruit for the chocolate fountain, baking Austin's HUGE birthday cake, making sure I had all of the decorations and tableware ready to be set up, and praying it wouldn't rain the next day during the party. I couldn't possibly have too many hands to help me. My mom, my dad, Brett and my best friend, Dawn, did SO much for me that day. I'll forever be indebted to them for their hard work. And as much as they did, I still didn't have enough help. I just planned too much and invited too many people. I really got far too ambitious.

But despite the troubles in carrying out all that I had planned, the party went really well and everyone had fun...even my darling nephew Chase, who is mentally challenged, had a great time! The rains did come, but dispersed before the party started. We did move most of the decorations and the food into the new garage, but the kids were able to still take advantage of the kiddie pools and the slip-n-slide...though I did forget to break out the water guns...but then that was probably a good thing. ;) I got to spend some time with my family and close friends. And, thanks to my sister-in-law, Dana, we got some GREAT pictures of the whole event!

The Cakes

Austin's Birthday Cake

I didn't get to get a copy of the baby shower cake...sorry 'bout dat. ;)

The Wedding Cake

Dr. Robinson's Birthday Cake per request of his wife

The Decorations

The Picture Banner
With the help of a few of my friends, I made this banner made of fish-shaped scrapbook paper and ribbon on which were pictures of Austin every month from birth to 12 months! :D

Table Skirt (to look like water...it had little fishies randomly attached to it!)

Happy Birthday Crab!
I made this big paper crab to go beside Austin's Happy Birthday Banner.
There was a crab on the birthday party invitations...that's where the crab idea came from. :)

The Whale's Chocolate Fountain Spout :D Yummy!

I made this with paper mache'!!! So much fun!

Havin' Fun!

Dig in...

Happy Birthday to you...!

Austin takes the cake...the top layer anyway. ;)

He does this with his feet every time we put him in his high chair. :)

Colonel Cake!

"Here, Daddy. You have some, too."

A big cakey kiss for Meemaw! ;)

Aftermath of the big cakey kiss.

"DONE!!!"

Ah! Don't get it on my shirt!

Time to hose off and go have some more fun!

AUSTIN IS WALKING!!!

2009-07-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, July 9th at 11am Austin let go of my hand and started dancing, then he proceeded to take 6 steps towards the nearest table in the living room. Later that evening we were able to coax him into doing it again for the camera!!!

So, check out Austin's blog for the video...

www.austinsawesomeadventure.blogspot.com

Shame On Me!

2009-06-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

I am such a bad blogger. So much has been going on lately. Its been so nice outside so Austin and I have been spending time in the yard (Austin, eating pine bark mulch, and I, watching Austin closely so as not to choke on pine bark mulch. Seriously, what is his fascination with it?). Also, I've been trying to get a few sewing projects done for a couple of boutiques that sell my stuff. AND, I just got done with our studio's dance recital! Woohoo! So, ya'll forgive me, I forgot that I even have a blog until about a week ago...and now I'm just finding time to tend to it. :)

Ok, so I really don't have time to blog about how the dance recital went. Well, maybe just a little blurb...
Dance Recital went really well! It was my first dance recital to direct. I've been in countless recitals and helped produce a few more, but this was my first as THE dance teacher, coreographer, and director. Not to mention, I had TONS of help from my main gal, Tina Smithee...owner of the dance studio.
We had a few little mishaps with music, curtains, lights, and placement of the girls here and there, but overall, I think it went GREAT! I was pretty pleased and we got compliments. :) I love my girls, but I'm so glad its over.
Things I've learned from this experience...
1. I WILL NOT be the only dance teacher next year. I found myself running around like a chicken with its head cut off. AND I was dancing the ENTIRE time! The girls asked me after the recital why I was so sweaty. I told them "you only had to dance a couple of times, while I was dancing the whole recital through."
2. More teachers = more help back stage, more help coordinating, more help coreographing dances, more help picking costumes, more help wrangling kids, etc.
3. Nothing, not matter how perfectly you plan something, will ever go as planned. So be prepared to wing it! ;)

Ok, so enough with the dance recital and on to the main topic of my life...AUSTIN!
Wanna see some pictures we've taken lately? Of course you do. ;)

Hangin outside while the weather's nice

Mr. Muscles

Austin and his new trike that Aunt Dana gave him! He LOVES it!

Duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh...Batman! (w/ no britches)

Austin was kinda shy about getting into the water when we went out on Norfork, but in his defense, that water was pretty cold at first.

Austin and his first tube ride! (but not his first time on the lake)

Woohoo, Dad!

All tuckered out. :)

BIG CHEESE

2009-04-06T19:21:00.001-07:00

Austin has a new smile and its so cute! Whenever he sees the red light on the camera, he's learned that its about to flash, so he does this big cheesy grin. Its the cutest thing!

On Austin's 8 month birthday, we had this balloon floating around the house. He thought it was the coolest thing. :)

Austin's BIG CHEESE

Baby in a box!

Brett was toyin around on the harmonica the other day. Austin LOVED it!

Brett and I were out on Saturday laying timbers to build a sizable garden beside our house. We let Austin play in the grass...one of his latest favorite pastimes.

He likes to eat grass...Parent magazine says its healthy, so we let him! ;)

Cute Austin Pics

2009-03-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

All by himself!

2009-03-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

Brett called me when I was on my way to dance class earlier today. He said he was putting Austin down for a nap and walked out of the room, when he heard Austin stirring back in his room.
So, Brett walked in there and found Austin sitting up in his crib! He's been sitting up by himself for a little while now, but not until this evening did he actually push himself up into a sitting position all by himself! I laughed with pride when Brett told me about it. :D

A video of this newly acquired talent to come soon... :)

Oh,Baby! by kate

2009-03-14T14:43:00.001-07:00

Check out my new website! Brett's been hounding me about selling the things that I like to make for fun...so I'm finally doing it!

Its still a work in progress. I still have yet to add pictures of things like the burp rags, diaper bags, and aprons, but its getting there!

If you have a boutique and would like to sell Oh, Baby! by kate in your store, I have a wholesale price sheet available. Otherwise, you're welcome to buy my stuff on eBay. The links to the items for sale are on the side bar.

Check it out...

Oh, Baby! by kate

Austin's 6 month Accomplishments

2009-02-18T07:24:00.000-08:00

Between the ice storm and Macy's passing, I haven't really had much time to blog about Austin's accomplishments this past month.
So, here are some pictures that hit the highlights...

Austin's legs are now strong enough to support himself standing against the back of the sofa and chairs. Its his favorite thing to do now. I s'pect he'll be walking before he crawls...but we'll see. ;)

I got Austin this really awesome shades at Carter's in Branson. He didn't seem to mind having them on his face. We'll definitely be testing them out more when it gets warmer outside.

And Austin now sits up completely on his own! Here he's propped up with pillows, but you'll see in the next picture that he really doesn't need them anymore.

Austin now plays with his frogs patiently while I run his bath water.

And he LOVES sitting up in the bathtub. I could hardly bathe him the first time because he was splashing around so much. He loves bathtime now. :)

After the ice storm and in the middle of our 8-day power outage, Keith came over from Tulsa to let us use his generator. My parents also came up from Louisiana to let me borrow Daddy's generator. Austin loved the attention that Nanna and Papaw gave him.

We had a great time and I was glad to get to spend time with my parents. :)

Macy Lou Kingrey

2009-02-07T18:22:00.001-08:00

Hush a bye and goodnight,
In the sky stars are bright,
While roses in bloom,
Gently fragrance the room.
Close your eyes now and rest,
May your slumber be blessed.
Close your eyes now and rest,
May your slumber be blessed.

Hush a bye have no fear,
Little angels are near.
Ere watch they will keep,
While my Macy's asleep.
Dream the dark night away,
'Til God's Son brings new day.
Dream the dark night away,
'Til God's Son brings new day.

Dear Macy,
When we met you, you were just a 6 month old adorable mutt rescued from the streets and being cared for by a sweet college student, Emily was her name, in Maumelle, Arkansas. We were looking for a perfect companion for our dear Clyde since we had just moved from the country to the city and we were both working full-time. We loved you instantly, including Clyde! He chased you around Emily's back yard and you had the best time together. We new that you were perfect for our family.
We took you home and played fetch with you. Clyde taught you how to play "Keep Away" with your favorite bone. And when we would pass out treats to the two of you, Clyde would gobble his up, but you would bury yours along the privacy fence saving it for later. We laughed each time you ran off with your treat because we knew exactly what you were about to do.
You had a personality all your own. You were sweet, prissy, and a little finicky. You absolutely LOVED attention and took every opportunity to place your head beneath our hands. You were spunky and loved everything about life. And the way you pranced across the lawn was enough to put a smile on anyone's face.
When we moved here to Mountain Home, it was hard for you to adjust at first. However, you quickly recovered and became anxious to explore your new surroundings. Several times we had to retrieve you and Clyde from having escaped the back yard fence. Eventually, we let you both run free once a day. You would run far and away, teasing cattle and horses, and always returning home for supper. Sometimes you'd come home with a fresh bone from a carcass of some sort, usually a dear.
Austin, your favorite person, arrived on the scene in July. You treated him as if he were your own. You loved on him, licked him, and sat by him every time we came outside. I knew right away that you would be best friends. I imagined you and him running through the fields by our house and playing "Keep Away" like you used to do with Brett and me. How I wish you were still here to give Austin some "lovins."
I regret the day we decided to get you spayed, for it was the day we chose your death. You pranced happily into the Vet's office, not knowing that you would be a paraplegic the following day. We were upset to find that you had lost feeling in your hind legs and tail the day after the surgery. And we cried when 3 veterinarians told us that there was nothing more we could do for you except medicate you and hope for the best. You were never the same. Your demeanor was changed. You were no longer the spunky Macy we grew to love so unconditionally. Our hearts were broken. It hurt to see you struggling, dragging your hind legs across the back yard just to get a drink of water.
Our decision to take your life, in order to give you happiness was not a difficult one to make, seeing you depressed and helpless like you were the last few days of your life. We knew that you would never be as happy as you once were. We also knew that you would be well taken care of in heaven.
Daddy had a dream about you the other night. You had at last returned to your home in Heaven and you were so happy and so beautiful! Your coat of fur was exquisite, shiny, and perfect. You were prancing around so daintily like you had done here on Earth. You pranced over to Daddy smiling and sat right in front of him, like you wanted a treat.
Macy, we will see you again and I promise that when we do, we'll play a very long game of "Keep Away". I miss you terribly! May God bless and keep you.

Love,

Mama

7 Stages of Grief

2009-02-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

There are seven emotions one experiences when grieving.
First comes shock when one first finds out what happened or what is wrong.
Second is guilt when one thinks to his or herself "I should have...".
Third is anger when one usually searches for someone or something to blame.
Fourth is depression, the stage where the magnitude of loss is realized.
Fifth is the upward turn, when depression begins to lessen.
Sixth is reconstruction, when one actually begins to move on with their life.
And finally, seventh is acceptance, when one finally looks forward to planning for the future.

I have experience these seven stages repeatedly in my life. One experience that is still quite vivid in my memory is when I learned that I would not be able to carry a healthy baby in my belly.

The first day I was in shock. I gave one big cry after I got off the phone with my doctor. I spent the rest of the day repeating to myself "Holy Crap! I can't believe it." Later, I tried to dismiss it and told myself "Its not a big deal. We'll adopt." But inside I was still in shock.

The second stage caught up with me that night. I laid down to rest my head for the night and my emotions began to overwhelm me. Guilt was setting in. I cried and cried. I told myself that I should have never been born. The world would be so much better without me. I cried some more. I imagined every dream of every child I wished for slipping through my fingers. I cried in Brett's arms. I wanted to die (though I wasn't suicidal, I just wanted God to take me). And I cried myself to sleep.

The next few weeks I would spend blaming God for making me endure such a trial. Amidst the scowls at the heavens, I blamed my mother for giving me such a trait. Bless her heart, she had no idea. But that didn't matter to me. She gave me that wretched gene(which I now jokingly call my "stupid gene") that made me infertile and she and God were to blame. I also hated every pregnant woman who stepped into my line of sight. I loathed the baby bumps I seemed to see everywhere I turned. I wanted to scream!

I eventually got over the anger stage. I apologized to Heavenly Father for cursing him the past few weeks. I also apologized to my mother for blaming her for something she had no clue was in her DNA. And I resolved that all those pregnant women couldn't help that I wasn't in their shoes. Then, I became sad. I became very, very sad. Morbidly depressed might describe it well. I cried again, and again. This stage must have taken the longest to get through, or so it seems.

A few months after I got the devastating news, the depression finally began wearing off.

Soon after that I found myself smiling and laughing more often.

Then, about March, I had heard that Austin's birthmom was looking for a couple like Brett and me. And that's when the seventh and last stage of grieving finally entered my world. I began planning what my life would be like with a little tike again. It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me...not the whole grieving experience, but Austin coming into our lives when he did.

I learned a lot from the stages of grieving I went through recently. But it wasn't something I wanted to go through again so soon.

Have I mentioned how much I love my dogs? They are family to me. When I lose a loved one, even a dog, I cry hard. I love Macy and Clyde with all my heart.

We took a healthy and happy Macy in to the veteratarian clinic to get spayed on Monday. We assumed it would be a routine surgery with zero complications. What unfold the next few days after her surgery was enough to send me back into the 7 stages of grief.

Brett went to pick up Macy from the vet clinic to find her in serious pain. The vet assistants just told him she was "being a baby." We didn't really worry about it at the time. We just made sure to take extra care of her. The next morning, we noticed that Macy wasn't getting out of the shade & off the ice she was laying on and into the sunlight, like she usually does on a nice sunny day. So, I went outside to pick her up and move her into the sun. I assumed she was just in far too much pain to move, I would move her. As I picked her up, I notice that she didn't wince. As I toted her across the fenced back yard, I noticed that she wasn't moving her hind legs or her tail. Again, I attributed it to her painful recovery from being spayed.

After a while, I went to a friend's house to work on a project. Brett called me on the phone to tell me that he was taking Macy to the vet, that her hind legs were still out of commission. He said he went outside to feed the dogs, when Macy started her way to the back porch, her legs dragging behind her. I was shocked! I thought surely she would regain the use of her legs that evening after the pain settled a little. My heart was broken for her.

Once at the vet, we learned that Macy had a swollen disc in her back. How on earth could this have happened? Doc gave her a steriod shot to reduce the swelling. We hoped that would cure the paralysis. Still in shock, we went home and resigned to waiting it out through the night.

The next day they did another x-ray. No signs of swelling or fratures, and no signs of Macy walking. I began to feel guilty for even suggesting we get Macy spayed. Maybe she would be ok if we'd waited a month or two. Maybe the vet & vet assistants would have been in a different mood and nothing would have gone wrong. Maybe things would be different.

After a couple of days of Macy being kept overnight by the vet, we started trying to put things together in our heads. And that's when the anger set in. Macy had gone into surgery happy and healthy and walking. She came out of surgery in writhing pain. And the vet assistants paid no mind to the amount of pain she was in, writing her off as "being a baby." If they'd only took her seriously and checked her out, maybe they would have found something. Maybe she'd still be walking. It also makes me think..."What did they do to her? Did they drop her before or after the surgery? Did they break off the tip of the needle in her spine when administering anesthesia?" Someone is to blame for my dear Macy's misfortune and I'm not letting this fall by the way side. That is where I am now. I am angry. I am livid! I'm losing one of my best friends! I love Macy! I'm beggin God to be merciful to my 3 year old mutt. Please, God, give relieve us with a miracle! I miss her terribly. I want to bring her home and have her frolic and play with Clyde in the back yard. I want to play "keep away" with her favorite bone again. But because of someone's mistake, I only have a very very slim chance of that ever happening again. I'm so mad!

I'm completely aware that this stage will pass. I will move through this and I will move on. But if I'm going through this over the loss of Macy's legs, will I start this whole thing over again if we have to put her down?

I don't think I can.

I love Sushi!!!

2009-01-18T19:05:00.000-08:00

So, Brett and Austin and I had the chance to go down to Little Rock this weekend. We had a great time!

Before we left on Friday I took the opportunity to check out the local library on Thursday. I got my library card, finally, and was intending to check out a few books...namely Marley & Me, The Host, and The Secret Life of Bees. All had been checked out. Not really surprising seeing as how all three are quite popular right now. So, I reserved them for when they're turned back in and found an interesting looking Audiobook, The Sweet Potato Queens' Guide to Raising Children for Fun and Profit. I highly recommend it! Though, it is very much a PG-13 book. Or should I say PG-15? It has the F-word in it a couple of times (which bugged me), and the A-word and the D-word are frequently come upon. Aside from the language, the book is hilarious! The author really does have great advice for the Southern Mother. (She also has some not so great advice, but that not so great advice is to be taken as a joke.) ;) Funny, listening to her on Audiobook has gotten me recommited to my Southern accent. Since moving to Arkansas, it kinda faded...ok significantly faded. How on earth am I supposed to convince the everyday stranger I come upon that I am truely a Southern Belle when I've lost my accent? So, you'll be hearin lots more ya'll's, fixin to's, by golly's, I'll be darned's, and how's ur mom n em's. LOL! ;) Ok, so back to this weekend...

Friday we hung out and ate Shotgun Dan's pizza with Ryan & Laura. Austin had a great time watching Andrew run around in circles. We laid him on the floor on his pansa (as we call it - Spanish for tummy) and his head would go side to side to side to side watching his cousin's every move. He wants to be a part of the action so bad. I think that's why he seems to be much more interested in sitting up and standing, than crawling. :)

Saturday was our big day. Well, I guess it wasn't really that big, but we did more than anticipated. In the AM, we woke up and Ryan and Andrew brought over some Krispy Kremes. :) Andrew asked if we'd go to Chuck E. Cheese with them. We were happy to oblige. After Chuck E. Cheese we hung out with Brett's Mom & Dad while they cooed and played with Austin. Lunch rolled around pretty quickly and our bellies were growlin for something satisfying. We headed over to the new Copeland's. K, my Louisana friends (ya say it Loozyanna-hehehe) all know what Copeland's is. A nicer restaurant (not too expensive) with very good cajun food. I love it! So, we had to go. Mom offered to keep Austin while we ate. I really don't have to say whether or not we took her up on her offer do I? C'mon. ;) So, Brett and I had a nice quite sit-down dinner, just the two of us...and some tastey food.

While we were out, we stopped by Babies R Us to check out a couple of carseats I've been eyeing for Austin. He's pretty much grown out of his first carseat already. The boy is so tall! I've been looking at them on Target.com but I wanted to feel just how comfortable they are. So, I got to do that...AND I ran into an old friend of mine whom I haven't seen in a about a year...who is pregnant! It was great to see her. I love catching up with old friends. :)

After we checked out the carseats we headed back to get Austin, hung out a little longer, then left to go back to the house where we were staying.

Did I mention that we're friends with our old family doctor? Dr. Linda (as we call her) is an fantabulous family doctor, and because she's such a great doctor, she stays so busy. Anyway, she has a really nice, large house in Little Rock. She invites us to stay in one of her guest bedrooms when we come to Little Rock. She always has a pack n play for Austin to sleep in, and a very comfortable king-sized bed for Brett and me to sleep in. Not only is her house very warm, comfortable, and inviting...but she is too! Definitely a Southern Belle in my book. :) We love her and Austin loves her and its always great when we get to stay with her for a weekend.

Anyway, because she's always so hospitable to us, we decided we should take her out to eat on Saturday night. (This is where the title of this blog comes in.) We chose to check out a new Japanese Sushi Bar/Hibatchi Grill (over beside the new Copeland's). Upon entering the restaurant, we were asked if we'd like the Sushi Bar side or the Hibatchi Grill side. I was very tempted to say HIBATCHI! HIBATCHI! HIBATCHI! But Doc Linda and Brett said Sushi, so I went along with it, mainly out of curiosity. Now, I should clarify that I have had sushi before. I guess I just haven't been that impressed with what I've had. I ordered the Dragon roll, which had crab, eel, and avacado and was drizzled with some kind of teriaki-ish sauce ... MMMMhmhmhm! The BEST sushi I've ever had! And at the end of the meal I did not feel stuffed nor did i regret anything I'd eaten. I was completely satisfied. And it got me thinking...hmmm maybe I should try to make sushi for Brett and me at home. What a healthy supper! The perfect addition to our whole gotta-cut-back-the-calories-at-supper-time thang we got goin on now.

Then, Sunday morning we got dressed early and Doc Linda made pancakes and bacon for us for breakfast. Yummy! We headed to church in Cabot where we met up with the Browns. And they had us over for a super yummy Roast Dinner after church. Then we hung around, played on the Wii a little, ate some Rocky Road ice cream and headed back home. :)

What a great trip! ...not to mention the sushi! ;)

The Mother I Want To Be...

2009-01-10T14:54:00.001-08:00

My birthday is coming soon. I won't tell you the exact day...mainly for security reasons here on the good ole internet. Plus, many of you already know when my birthday is. And for those of you who don't will probably find out on Facebook. I'm rambling...

Anyway, I've noticed that many people reflect on past years of their lives when their birthdays roll around. And I probably would, that is if I hadn't had the most wonderful thing happen to me on July 24th this past year. But up until then I've spent so much time dwelling on the past and kicking myself for really dumb decisions I've made. So, this year, on my birthday, I'm going to ponder the past, present, and the future...of motherhood! I'm pondering the many mothers who have affected my life in some way. I'm pondering the person that I am today. And I'm pondering on how I can become the mother that I want to be for Austin and for the children we'll adopt in the future.

One of my best of friends shared a secret with me the other day...how to be the perfect mother! She said to me (I'm paraphrasing here) "think of at least one great quality of each woman who has touched your life and apply it to your own life." So, that's what I've been thinking about lately. Who has touched my life? What qualities stood out the most in these women? And what can I do to apply these qualities? I thought it might be best if I write these down (or type).

1. The first of all these women has to be my own mother. And if I could choose just one quality to apply to my own life it would be her Southern Hospitality. She was always warm and welcoming to anyone who came to our home.

2. Second would be a woman who was my CTR teacher. For those of you who aren't LDS, this lady taught me Sunday School when I was about 6 or 7 years old. She gave me my first Book of Mormon. She's a very righteous woman who has always been diligent in keeping God's commandments. She's always been a great leader at church and a great example to all those who look up to her...I being one of them.

3. Third is a woman I became acquainted with at church in Little Rock. She was the Relief Society President of the Pinnacle Mountain Ward when Brett and I were there. She was always (and still is) so kind and accepting of everyone. She was never judgmental.

4. Next is a wonderful woman with whom I served in the Young Womens in Conway. She was the Young Womens President of one of the Conway wards (I can't remember which...I think 2nd ward). She was and still is the classiest woman I know. I'm not refering to class as in how much money her family has. I'm speaking of her character, her poise, and her grace. She lights up a room whenever she walks in. I can't help but smile just at the thought of her.

5. Fifth and the last person I'm going to list (but definitely not the last person I'm going to think about) is a family member that I hold so dear. I think of her everyday. The example she sets for me is probably unbeknownst to her. But when I think of what kind of mother I want to be, I think of her. The most desired quality of her's is humility, though there are many, many others. You would never know what social class the world places her in if you sat and talked to her. She's so spiritual and never thinks she's better than anyone else.

There are so many other women I want to pull desired qualities from. But I wanted to begin by writing down a few that I think of most often.

How am I going to apply these qualities to my own life? One at a time and one day at a time. :)
Starting here in my 28th year of life, I will strive to be more like these women in every positive way. Wish me luck!

Austin Accomplishments & Funnies

2009-01-07T13:35:00.001-08:00

We're spoon feeding now! Not for all meals, but we are taking the time to teach Austin how to eat from a spoon in the evenings everyday. I must say, he's doing quite well! We do a scoop and a half of cereal (mixed with his soy formula) and then wash it all down with a 3 oz bottle. Once he starts getting more down his throat than down his chin (and everywhere else he decides it needs to go), then we'll add another spoon feeding to the schedule. :) But for now, its once a day...and very messy(but that's the fun part, right?).

Gettin the hang of cereal from spoon.

Our new favorite accessory...cereal!

Another thing Austin is doing now is figuring out his feet. He loves staring at his toes and reaching for his feet. Sometimes they keep him entertained for a full 10 minutes. Its funny to see him grab his feet and topple over sideways, then roll back onto his back and start all over again. :)

Oooo! Feet!

I decided that I wanted to cut some hair off of the back of Austin's head. I wanted to save his baby hair & put it in his scrapbook before he lost it all.

Before the hair cut!

After the hair cut!

Hahaha! I'm kidding! Though I really did cut his hair as you can see in the above picture. I got the hair that I wanted, but I did quite the hack job. Its crooked and uneven. I can't very well get it straight though. He's far too interested in what I'm doing when I'm trying to make it look better (scissors in hand). We'll just have to wear cute little beanies when we go out in public...at least until his hair grows back out. ;)

I'm still adding videos to Austin's blog. Hopefully I'll have it completely updated by the end of the month. We'll see. ;) Click HERE if ya wanna take a peek!

Oh, I almost forgot! I made some curtains for Austin's Nursery. The white sheers alone weren't blocking out enough sunlight and were making it difficult to put Austin down for a nap. So I added these today to his window. They worked like a charm! It was so much easier to put him down for his naps today. YAY!

Brett's Got Mad Dancin Skills!

2009-01-01T10:51:00.000-08:00

Most of you have already seen this video on Facebook. I'm mainly posting it for my family and friends who aren't on Facebook.

Anyway, Brett reluctantly agreed to go to a Ballroom Dance Class with me being held at the Studio where I teach dance. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he caught on to everything! :) From now on, I'm hitting him up for a few dances when the opportunity comes.

This video is of us doing doing a Waltz step...with a turn. :) We also learned the Hustle with a turn and a cuddle. ;) THAT was fun! I wish I'd gotten a video of that.

Austin's Very Own Blog!

2008-12-31T17:56:00.000-08:00

Austin now has his very own blog! It'll mainly be devoted to the videos we take of him as he grows up.

Check it out...

www.austinsawesomeadventure.blogspot.com

Austin Rolled Over!

2008-12-30T06:11:00.000-08:00

Yes, last night after we put him to bed and turned out the lights, after we left the room, so that we could not see, Austin rolled over in his crib from his belly to his back.

How do I know this? Simple, really. Brett put him down on his belly to sleep (don't gripe at me all you back-to-sleepers, its the only way Austin will sleep for longer than 30 minutes at a time). Austin was almost asleep. Then, after he turned out the light and shut the door, we heard Austin talking to himself (cooing and gurgling, really, but you get my point). After a few minutes we heard him go "oh" and get really excited. Then he started fussing a little. So, I walked in to try and calm him. I turned on the light, walked over to his crib and there he was, lying on his back, smiling at me as to say "look what I just did!"

I called to Brett and asked him if he'd laid Austin on his back, very well knowing what the answer was. He came to see why I'd asked such a question, very well knowing why himself. We both stared in amazement at our growing little boy.

We pulled him out of his crib and placed him on the soft, carpeted floor and cheered encouraging words and clapped our hands all for the sake of trying to get him to do it again...to no avail.
After a little while we called it a night and finally put Austin to sleep in his crib (this time with no contest from him).

Maybe next time he'll decide to roll over in front of the camera. ;)

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

We went to Tulsa again for Christmas. We had such a great time! Keith's brother, Cameron, and his wife, Alice got to come too. It was great to finally meet them. They're a great couple.

Anyway, I'm not blogging much about Christmas. I'll let the pictures do the talking...

Well, I guess these pictures don't really say a whole lot, so click here if you want to see more.

For Time and All Eternity

2008-12-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

'Til Death Do You Part - is the famous phrase for many newly weds and families around the world. It holds a certain heart-felt warmth when they think of the lives they'll lead together. They'll come home to each other, 'til death do they part. They'll raise children together, 'til death do they part. They'll enjoy grandchildren together, 'til death do they part. And they'll grow old together, 'til death do they part.

To these families I would like to ask, what if there were something more for you? After this life, I mean. What if there were no "'til death do you part"? What if you could enjoy motherhood forever? What if you could be with your soul mate forever? Think about what it would be like to spend a lifetime making all these wonderful memories with your family and then suddenly the bonds that tie you together are dissolved. Could you stand being just friends with your most loved ones for the rest of eternity? Does it really make sense that you would be just friends after this life with your family?

Heavenly Father is our Father. Jesus Christ is our Brother. We have a mother in Heaven, too! And before we came here to Earth we were all spiritual brothers and sisters, every one of us. How could we even fathom a measly friendship with those we swear to spend sickness and health with in this life?

There IS more. Families can be together forever, through this life and beyond death. We can keep those same ties that bring us so close for eternity.

Could you imagine if everyone had an eternal marriage? The whole world would be family! Doesn't it seem like God intended it to be that way in the first place? It just makes so much more sense than "'til death do you part".

Brett and I had the very special opportunity on Saturday the 20th to make our bonds with Austin eternal. Brett and I were married in the Dallas Texas LDS Temple back in August 2001. There, we pledged our love and devotion for all eternity. Had we been able to conceive Austin on our own, there would be no need to take him to the temple. But, not regrettably at all, such was not the case. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful experience! So peaceful and serene and...heavenly. Perfect. Surrounded by close friends and family, we made Austin ours forever. He will forever be our son, the love of our lives, beyond the grave. How peaceful it is to think that, if anything should ever happen to any of us, we'll be together again as family.

After Austin's sealing on Saturday morning, we all headed to one of the closest church buildings where the Dallas 9th Ward meets. There, one of the Bishopric was nice enough to open the chapel and allow us to have a private name and blessing ceremony for Austin. His blessing was like most. Mission, temple marriage, etc. But two things stood out from the usual. One, Austin was blessed with clarity in recognizing the Holy Spirit. And two, he will be a natural leader. How comforting it is to know such things.

Now that Austin is legally(we finalized on Thursday) and eternally ours, it all feels complete. I feel like he's completely mine now. And I love and adore him more and more each day. :) What a perfect Christmas this has turned out to be!

Here are a few pictures we took after the sealing & blessing...

wanna see more pictures?

Kingrey Elves!

2008-12-15T16:35:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Weather

2008-12-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

How awesome is it that the snow is clearing before we leave for Dallas and only returning after we get back home?
Seriously, I was looking at the weather forecast to see if there's any chance of Austin's sealing & blessing being delayed and...nope! Snow today, Ice tomorrow, rain for the next couple of days, some sun over the weekend, and the snow returns next Wednesday. Dallas? Same partly cloudy weekend!
Lets hope the weather sticks to the forecast. ;)

Austin Update

2008-12-11T05:29:00.001-08:00

So, we went for Austin's 4 month check-up the other day. The diagnosis? He's a happy, and very healthy baby boy! He weighed in at 16.5 lbs (75th percentile) and stretched to 26.5 inches long (90th percentile). :D Our baby boy makes us so proud! (I feel so goofy saying that.)

So, funny story...
Brett watched Austin on Tuesday Evening while I went to Yellville to teach my Hip Hop classes. He wasn't feeling all that great (darn cold), but offered to watch him anyway. After dance, we headed to church for a Relief Society Christmas Dinner, where the three of us played Baby Jesus, Mary & Joseph in the program following the dinner. (Pictures to come later.) But that's not the funny part.
When we returned home, and I went to change Austin's diaper in his room, I noticed this smell. It smelled like dirty diaper. I have a Diaper Genie and it works really well. But thinking that there may be a hole in the bag, I changed it and turned the fan on to get the smell out. A couple of hours later, I put Austin to bed and the smell was still there, and a little more pungent. I looked around the diaper genie and around the changing table to see if I dropped a diaper & just forgot about it. But I saw nothing.
The next day, I noticed that the smell was even worse. As I went to change Austin's diaper later that morning, I opened up the top drawer, and the smell hit me like a ton of bricks! I looked over into the right portion of the drawer, and there it was. A dirty diaper...a dirty, stinky, poopy diaper in the top drawer of the changing table. I called out to Brett and asked him about it. Turns out he was a little more tired from his cold on Tuesday than he had led on.
He kind of felt bad about it, but I had a good laugh. ;)

Austin was so sleepy one evening, he fell asleep in my lap.

Daddy & Austin playing

Take a close look at this picture. Austin is doing this really funny thing with his pacifiers lately. He looks like he's trying to put the whole thing in his mouth when he does this, but I think he's just trying to chew on the hard part because he's teething. Have I mentioned that Austin is teething? Infants Tylenol & Baby Orajel are our besties right now, but we do try to limit the use of them. That's what teething biscuits are for anyway, right?

Austin loves goin to town on his rice rusks. Yes, I do know about the choking hazard these things present. But I watch him the whole time and remove the pieces that start to give him trouble.

We got a Bumbo for Austin! I've been eying these at Target for a while and finally got one on ebay for $15 less (shipping included) than they sell at Target. It took him a day or two to get used to it, but he's been sitting up a lot better ever since we got it.
A friend of mine cautioned me against getting one because her baby kept tipping over in her's. But I had already bid on it and I won. I'm not worried about Austin tipping just yet. He's hardly top-heavy sitting in it. When he exceeds the weight limit for it, then I'll put it back on ebay. Until then, I'll just keep a close eye on him. :)

Anyway, that's all for now! Hopefully, next time I post will be about our adoption finalization and sealing! Until then, here's hoping you have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

The Chicken or The Egg?

2008-12-07T17:22:00.000-08:00

You know those questions we all have that nobody but God knows that we just can't help but ponder anyway? You know, like "Which came first? The chicken or the egg?" Or "Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?" Ok, maybe not everyone wonders about the belly button, but you know what I mean. ;)

Well, one subject I just can't help but ponder is the widespread phenomenon of increased infertility and increased unwanted pregnancies lately. Are they related? Did God make so many women have fertility problems because there needed to be women like me who would need or want to adopt? Or did He let many young ladies get pregnant because He knew that so many women like me would experience infertility? Or maybe He created women like me, because He knew that Lucifer would tempt many young ladies into certain situations.

I just wonder, if I had been born into the same family 50 years ago, would I still have fertility problems? Would Austin be there for me to adopt?

I realize that everything happens for a reason. My life is the way it is because that is the way it is supposed to be. Things are the way they are because of God's plan for us. But I just can't help but wonder...

Please understand, that I don't mean to offend anyone by my curiosity. I'm just so ... curious. :)

Thanksgiving at the Prescotts

2008-11-30T17:14:00.000-08:00

Oh, we had such a great time at the Prescotts for Thanksgiving! What a great trip! :D

We arrived late Tuesday night and we're immediately greeted by the whole Prescott family!

I should say that the Prescotts are related to us by way of Brett's sister, Dana...for those of you who aren't familiar with them. :)
As soon as we got there, Austin woke up and demanded a bottle. And Aunt Dana was more than happy to oblige. So, while she fed him, we all gathered 'round to chat and ooh and aah at how cute and cuddly Austin has gotten, and how much he's grown since the last time we were there.

Austin was even happy to show off for Uncle Keith how well he can stand up. ;)

But after chatting a little while, through yawns and eye rubs, we all reluctantly said our goodnights and went to bed.

The next morning was full of hustle and bustle. After Austin's 5am bottle, Dana and I went to pick up some last minute groceries at WalMart before the mad crowd arrived. Thankfully, the parking lot didn't really start filling up until we were headed out the door.
Arriving back home (the Prescotts') after an hour-long detour at Walgreens (seriously, the chick said it would be only 15 minutes), we began pulling everything together for the big meal!...but not without playing a little with Austin...

Soon after we got the food going, the Taylors arrived carrying with them the the fabulous Spice Rats! They had 3 adorable rats called Ginger, Nutmeg, & Pepper. (Side Note: Taylors are related by way of Stacey, Brett's older sister...she's the eldest of the 4 Kingrey sibs. - Not calling you old, Stace, just older than the other three.) ;)

Thursday, we made the rest of dinner and then dug in! What a meal! Turkey, ham, homemade mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh green beans, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, homemade rolls, and a plethora of desserts. Mmm mmm mmm! Just the way I like it. I must say, though, that I do need to find a different dressing recipe. The one I made just wasn't up to par in my book.

Anyway, Friday Dana and I got up bright and early to hit the Black Friday sales! But instead of joining the insanity at Target, Walmart, or even Circuit City (huhuh), we headed for the mall, which was a lot less busy than we anticipated. We found some great deals at Macy's, Express & Gymboree. I got a $60 pair of jeans for $25 & Dana and I both got a free pair of pink lounge pants with our purchases! Gymboree was pretty busy. We probably shopped for 15 minutes and waited in line for 30. But that's what you expect when you shop on Black Friday. ;) We also wanted to check out Aeropostale, but the line looked an hour long. I'll brave Gymboree, but you can keep your Aeropostale. Haha!

So, after we got back home, we said Hello to Larry & Sharon who had just arrived and Farewell to the Taylors who were about to head out the door. But in the meantime, we played...

After the Taylors left, we watched my poor poor LSU Tigers lose to those aweful, wretched Razorbacks. (Big Sigh) I'm really hoping LSU finds a better QB for next year.

Saturday Sharon, Dana, and I went to see Twilight the movie...VIP style! I know the movie only got mediocre reviews, but I loved it. I can't wait until New Moon comes out! Ah!

After we got back from the movie I found these two dudes layed out on the sofa. How sweet!

Saturday evening brought an itch to decorate for Christmas, which put everyone in the Christmas spirit! We had Christmas music playing while we pulled out a new tree and boxes full of decorations.

Even Austin seemed to enjoy the new aura that filled the air...

Then Sunday we packed up and reluntantly headed home. We had such a great time at the Prescotts that we didn't want to leave. :) Maybe we can talk them into a New Years Eve party...hehehe.

Well, hope ya'll had a Happy Thanksgiving! And here's hoping you have a very Merry Christmas, too. :)

'Tis the season for giving Thanks!

2008-11-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

I realize that everyone is blogging about what they're thankful for. I almost didn't do this post because of that fact. But I changed my mind because it's always good to write down (or type) what you're thankful for. It makes you realize just how many blessings you take for granted everyday. :)

So here is my list...

I am thankful for:

- Brett and the wonderfully fun and eternal marriage we've been able to enjoy since August 9, 2001. Ok, so it wasn't alway bliss, but the hard times were well worth it.

- My beautiful, happy Austin who fills my soul with delight each and every day. I have waited 27 years to become a mom. He is my baby sweet. He is my dream come true.

- Trials that, even though we don't know why we've been given them, make us stronger and appreciate things and people so much more than we would have without them.

- Austin's beautiful, graceful, happy, generous, noble Birthmother. I love her more than I ever thought I would. I will forever see her as a sister to me.

- My Mama, who put up with my teenage antics, and loved me even when I ignored her for so long while she was inactive in the church...sorry, Mom. I've always loved you, I have.

- My Daddy, whom I have so much respect for. He always took the time to teach me how important the scriptures are and how interesting the topic of the Second Coming is. We share a fascination for it. :)

- My Big Sissy, who carried me on her hip everywhere we went together when I was little.

- My Lil' Sissy, whom I love because she's my sister, no matter what she does.

- My mutts, Clyde & Macy, who helped me cope with my infertility, who keep my spirits high, who love me unconditionally, who keep coming back home every time we let them out of the back yard for a "run," and who accepted Austin with open paws & slobbery puppy-dog kisses. :)

- Brett's family, who took me in and accepted me as their own from the very beginning. I love them as my own family. :)

- The Prescotts living so close. I really hope Austin grows up getting to spend a lot of time with his cousins. He seems to really fit in as one of the boys. I like that. :)

- The temple and the opportunity to be a family forever. I'm very much looking forward to December 20th!

- Modern technology. ;) Without it I'd have no iPod, CRV, laptop, blogger, facebook, or ebay

- Modern medicine such as Mucinex, Tylenol Severe Congestion, and Infant's Tylenol, which I'd be very miserable without right now

- Friends in a town where I never expected to meet so many people my age

- teething rings

- cell phones

- a warm cozy home on my own little piece of Heaven

- big family Thanksgivings

- pink and red Christmases with twinkling white lights

- the ability to smell so many wonderful fragrances such as freshly cut grass, honeysuckles, turkey in the oven, banana bread, real christmas trees, and babies :D

- and finally, this life God has chosen for me. Sure, I'd change a couple of things from my past, but not for all the wealth in the world would I change my present.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for these things and so much much more.

To Cabot We Go, We Go, We Go

2008-11-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

Austin and I recently made a trip to Cabot to hang with my best friend, Dawn, whom I haven't seen since Austin was teeny tiny. We were definitely due for some time to catch up on things. We went down, just Austin and me. Brett was away on a camping trip with the boys.

When we got to Cabot we met up with a good friend of mine, Linda. For those of you who don't know, we used to be co-workers when I was designing kitchens and baths in Little Rock. We talked about everything under the sun, especially Austin. She was there when first found out about Austin. We became great friends. Shortly after I left Little Rock, she left the kitchen and bath showroom and went to work for a luxury horse trailer dealership. She also does bookkeeping for the ranch that the same guy who owns the dealership has. Anyway, every time I make my way down to Cabot, Austin and I try to go to lunch with her to catch up on things.

This trip she took us to the Ranch and gave us a quick tour. Austin got to see some show horses up close. (The rancher across the street from our house has show horses too, but we've never gotten this close to them.)

H&P Ranch

Linda, Austin, & a really big horse :)

About this time, Austin was getting a little fussy, but I just had to indulge. :) I love horses!

I don't think he knew what to think about the horses.

After lunch & a tour of the Ranch with Linda, we headed over to Dawn's house where we stayed for the next couple of days. Austin took quite a shine to Deserae. I think Des liked Austin too. :) She's gonna be a great mom, when her time comes.

Deserae with Austin

She held him for as long as Austin would take it. She's such a sport. :)

Des and I dressed alike on Saturday, so we had to get a picture. :)

Talin wanted a picture too. ;)

After we got home on Sunday, we relaxed and napped before repacking our bags to head to Little Rock with Brett for a Facilities Masters Conference he needed to attend.
I didn't get many pictures of the trip to Little Rock, but one that I did get was with an old high school friend of mine. Jessica and I were more acquaintances than friends in high school. But meeting back up with her in Little Rock (she actually lives in Cabot [isn't that funny?] but works at St. Vincent's) it made me regret not being better friends with her sooner. We're hoping to get together more often now. :) Funny how, when you mature, you see people in a different light. :)

Jessica & Austin (at Chic-fil-A)

We had a great time with family and friends last week. It was tiresome, traveling a lot, but nonetheless we had fun.

Now that we're all rested and back on schedule, its time to pack up our bags again to head to Tulsa for Thanksgiving. (Big sigh)...I mean, YAY! ;)

My Eternal Son

2008-11-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

As I think about the coming holidays, I'm elated and happily overwhelmed. I have to take a deep breathe. Mmmm...the smell of fresh bread coming from my kitchen fills my nose and reminds me that winter is already here. And now I hear Austin stirring...

Ok, I'm back...with Austin watching me type. :)

So, back to the holidays. I'm very excited about Thanksgiving. We're going to Tulsa where my older sister-in-law, Stacey, will meet Austin for the first time. It'll be us, the Prescotts, and the Taylors gathered around to celebrate the season with turkey, ham, and dressing. Brett's mom and dad will be coming up the following day. Larry has to work on Thanksgiving Day, but we'll get to spend time with them on Friday and Saturday. I'm just excited about spending time with the family as I am about eating the scrumptious food...well maybe a little more about the family. ;) Thanksgiving will be great this year.

But the holiday I am most excited about coming up is Christmas. Not for the presents, not for the food, and not for the decorations, but for a very special event centered around my son. On Saturday, December 20th at 9am Brett and Austin and I will all be sealed together as a family for time and all eternity in the Dallas, Texas Temple. Austin will finally be ours, eternally. :D I was hoping that this would be able to come about a while ago...like, back in August. Little did I know how long finalizing an adoption would take here in the state of Arkansas. But the day is at last fast approaching and I can't imagine a greater gift for Christmas than an eternal family.

My mom originally made this adorable heirloom blessing/sealing outfit for Austin. Its a one-piece collared outfit with a vest attached and satin ribbon on the vest and down the side of the pant legs...so adorable! But we decided to make it in 0-3m size because we thought that finalizing would be quick and painless. Needless to say, Austin is no longer in 0-3m. So, my mom is currently working on a white baby tuxedo that looks similar to this cute little one...

He'll wear it for his blessing, too. We're so excited!

Pic I Last Posted...

2008-11-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd add a few pictures that I posted last before the great destruction of my blog...sad, sad, sad.
Anyway, here they are...

Grrrr...

2008-11-11T09:12:00.001-08:00

Its been a week since I deleted my blog...totally not on purpose. I'm STILL waiting (growing impatient) on Google to restore my old blog. So, I thought I'd set up another one, just to post pictures and videos in the meantime...