Living Life's "Playbook"

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T23:32:00.001-06:00

Year In Pictures New Year's Card

Shutterfly has elegant holiday invitations for your party.

View the entire collection of cards.

Finally a post (from Hawaii)!

2010-07-03T14:49:00.014-05:00

Almost one year later and I am finally making a post to this blog! Needless to say, our lives are busy and it takes a trip to Hawaii to find the time to catch up! I'm going to do my best to go back and add some posts with pictures from this past year. It has been a life-changing year for us (for a few reasons), but we are doing well and enjoying every moment we have together as a family.

Gage is growing up so fast and keeping us on our toes. He is such a fun-loving, caring, smart and charismatic little boy. I can't believe he will be three years old in August! He is looking forward to his third birthday because he thinks he will have so many more privileges, like chewing gum or having a Dr. Pepper. He asks, "When I'm three, I can have gum?" or "I can have Dr. Pepper when I'm three, right Mommy?" He finished his first year of "school" in May. It was a rocky start in August with a few weeks of tears as I dropped him off, but he finally adjusted and absolutely loved his bible school. I am amazed at how much he learned throughout the year and couldn't have asked for better teachers. I think they loved Gage just as much as he loved them! Gage is ready to go back to school, but I'm afraid he is going to be sad when he doesn't have Ms. Amy, Courtney, and Jessica for teachers! I am so thankful for Gage and have cherished all of the special memories and commentary that he brings! He makes my heart skip a beat with joy every day!

Eric continues to be the best husband and Daddy in this world! I really am a lucky gal and thank the Lord for him every day. I enjoy watching him interact with Gage. They love each other so much and their mannerisms are so alike it is scary! This past year, Eric was promoted to Defensive Coordinator for the Frisco Liberty Redhawks. They had a GREAT season and went three rounds deep into the playoffs. It was such an exciting season! Our parents even got involved this year to cheer the Redhawks on along with many more fans. Although football season for a Coaches family is very exhausting, we look forward to it each year! We are hoping that the Redhawks can excel even further this year...it's right around the corner! Eric has a couple more weeks off for the summer and then it's back to the field house!

I am keeping very busy with work and motherhood! I left my previous employer of 4 years in February as Senior Wellness Coordinator for a new opportunity as Account Director for Viverae, Inc., a health management company based out of Dallas. It is the best career decision I have made and I know that I have found my career "home." It has been such a breath of fresh air and is so nice to work for a company that truly practices what they preach and VALUE their employees. We are a group of professionals that work very hard, but we also have a lot of fun! I love that it is required of us to work out in our fitness center three days a week and to participate in 2-minute fitness drills throughout the day. This is just one of the many things that we do to take care of each other and our health. The sacrifice of working from home with my last employer and now driving into Dallas (1 hour commute) with Viverae has been WELL worth it. Eric and I are hoping that we can move to Dallas in the very near future so that I can be closer to work. We found a great neighborhood that will put us exactly halfway to each of our work locations. Now we have to mentally prepare to put our house on the market and we aren't quite ready for that yet!

We try to spend as much time as we can with our family and friends and have had some really great times over this past year. Unfortunately, we have experienced some challenges with Eric's parents who are in the middle of a divorce right now. They have been married for 38 years. It has been a really hard time for all of us. Eric's mom is living with us now so that has ALSO been quite an adjustment! We are taking it day by day and know that God wouldn't put anything before us that we can't overcome. Keep Eric and his family in your prayers as they go through this trying time.

I'll work on some previous posts in the next couple of weeks so check back on a complete update. For now, I will leave you with this spectacular view from our vacation beach house! Aloha!

Big Birthday Weekend!

2009-08-16T23:51:00.008-05:00

Gage turned 2 years old on August 14th. We threw a big Birthday bash on Saturday to celebrate with our friends and family! Birthdays are special to us and we enjoy putting together a day of extreme fun for Gage and his friends (and for the adults!) This year we had a bounce house and a pinata. I think the kiddo's had a blast!

We are so thankful for this handsome little fellow that has brought so much joy to our life. It's hard to imagine life before his arrival on earth! Thank you to our friends and family for celebrating this day with us and for your unconditional love and support over the years! Enjoy the pictures of our fun-filled day!

We had a football themed party and gave out eye black to each kiddo that wanted to wear it!
Even Grandma enjoyed the bounce house! Gage's lil' "girlfriend" - Ava! Gage and Miss Cassidy! Lining up for the pinata! He's not quite sure about this, but he had some nice "whacks!" Mai - taking her swing! Michael - what a cutie! And they swarmed like bee's! Gage didn't know what to do! But, he did enjoy the candy! Abrielle - being silly! Time to open presents - LOTS of presents! And time to eat the cake!
Happy 2nd Birthday Gage! We love you so much and look forward to many more!

El Jefe

2009-08-05T19:00:00.009-05:00

In addition to coaching and teaching 100 hours per week, my husband and his good buddy have started their own brewing business - El Jefe Breweries, inspired by an old "wise"man. (Sorry Mark - you aren't that old!) I'm hoping it takes off...I have no problem marketing a tasty beer...this could be my lottery! (Ha!) Check out their website at http://eljefebrewery.blogspot.com/.

This was their first batch...I'm not a beer drinker so I'm not the best judge of taste, but I hear it tastes pretty good.

Gage helped put the labels on the bottles. Don't worry - no El Jefe for the little one! He has about 19 more years to wait!

My lil' Superman

2009-07-30T22:45:00.012-05:00

Working out with Mommy! Show me your muscles! He looks so tough with that eye "back" (i.e. eye black!)

My little Superman. Doesn't he melt your heart?

July is flying by!

2009-07-14T22:45:00.020-05:00

Time is just flying by! We have been trying to get the most out of our short summer since Eric will be back in full swing with football season soon (with his new position as the Defensive Coordinator!) Here are some pictures of our July adventures!

We had so much fun at the Celina Balloon Festival! I highly recommend it! We plan to make this a yearly tradition. The day started with some carnival food, shopping, and watching some local talent (Gage especially liked the tap dancers and ended up stealing the show.) Then we watched the hot air balloons gear up for their take off. The night ended with a great fireworks show!

We also took some time off of work in July for a family vacation. We decided to spend a week at the lake house and had a nice, relaxing time. We enjoyed water skiing, tubing, jet skiing, going to the park, and good times with our family and friends. We also celebrated my niece's 1st Birthday. I can't believe she is 1 already! Time really does fly!

Rocking Chair - Yea!

So much FUN in June!

2009-06-30T16:38:00.031-05:00

We have really enjoyed our summer so far. It's always nice to have Eric home more and to spend time together. June went by fast, but we had a lot of FUN!

My family from Kansas came to visit for a long weekend and we took them to the Dallas Aquarium. It was SO much fun and the kids really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it! As you can see, the parents enjoyed it too!

We have also really enjoyed spending time at my parents' lake house. It is such a relaxing place to retreat. We have had a blast tubing, waterskiing, swimming, cooking out, and spending time with family and friends on the weekends. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great time! We look forward to many more memories!

Our friend, Laura, invited us out to ride her horse, Blaze, and Gage had a blast! I thought the horse would scare him, but he didn't even flinch! He did not want to get off the horse! Maybe we have a future Cowboy! Mommy and Daddy got to ride Blaze too, although Mommy gets a little anxious around horses! Thanks Laura for a fun day with Blaze!

Our good friends, the Z's, welcomed their new baby boy, Parker, in June. Big sisters, Mai and Ava, came over to play so their Mommy could spend some quality time with her new little man. We had a "dance party" and it was pure entertainment for me! The video below is a little long, but well worth the time - I especially like my husband's moves!

We hope you have enjoyed your summer so far! Stay cool!

Family Reunion

2009-05-29T22:27:00.021-05:00

We spent Memorial Day Weekend in Houston for a GREAT Family Reunion, hosted by my Aunt and Uncle at their home. It has been years since I have seen most of my family from Kansas and it was so great to see everyone. It's so much fun now that most of my cousins have their own children. We were so close growing up and it's just so crazy to me that we all have children now! It was fun to see our kiddo's interact with each other. It was a weekend filled with laughter, love, old stories, and some tasty Margarita's! My Aunt and Uncle know how to throw a party and we had a weekend full of fun events, including our own suite at the horse races. Thank you Aunt Audry and Uncle Bill for your hospitality. We had so much fun and love you so much!

At the horse races!

Gage's Horse Race Dance!

*****

Aunt Audry and cousin Layla

Gage and Grandpa - hanging out! Let's see what "Bill" and "Bob" are doing - miniature horses! Some of the Fam hanging out at the "Gates" Sports BarAre you a "Gates?" :)Taking a swim with Dad!

3 Wheeling with Mom!Cousins! Uncle Jason and cousin Joely

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T21:06:00.001-05:00

Mom's - it's just "what we do!" I couldn't explain it any better than this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK5uPBF-s5Y

Happy Mother's Day!

Lake House Weekend

2009-05-04T20:33:00.004-05:00

My parents finally bought their lake home that they have always dreamed of and we are so excited to have a "Fun House" to escape to! We spent the weekend at the lake and enjoyed our time with the Fam. The water was still a little too cold, but that didn't stop my crazy husband from jumping in!

The BIG 3-0!

2009-04-28T21:52:00.010-05:00

What matters most in life is often viewed as peripheral to the things that we usually focus on. Passion takes a backseat to production, wellness to working, and balance to busyness. The old adage that "life is not a dress rehearsal" is so true, and yet we act to the contrary by putting off what is truly important or indulging in things that are not.

I vow on my 30th Birthday (TODAY, April 28th!) to not focus so much on my age, but to meditate on my life at this exact moment. I hope in this next year to reshuffle my priorities. Spend more time with family and friends, take care of my body and health by exercising more and eating nutritious food, and to offer to help those in need.

My mom says that the 30's were the best years of her life and I hope that rings true for me too! Thank you to my wonderful family for a fun birthday celebration!

My motto for this year:

"Don't just count your years, make your years count. "
- Ernest Meyers

Easter Weekend

2009-04-12T21:36:00.024-05:00

We had a wonderful and busy Easter weekend! It was so nice to have a 3-day weekend. It was much needed for me! Eric, unfortunately, had to work, so Gage and I spent Friday with some good friends from out of town. We met at good ole' Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth, then we headed to their Lake House in Granbury for some R&R, but stopped to enjoy the bluebonnet's first.

Saturday we joined the neighborhood for an Easter egg hunt and to meet the Easter bunny! Gage LOVED picking up eggs, but was not very fond of the Easter bunny as you can see from the picture below! Priceless!

Saturday night we went to Easter service and then stopped by Grammy and Grampy's house for dinner. On Sunday, we went to Momo and Popo's house to eat some yummy enchiladas! Gage was so excited to see his cousin Max. He absolutely LOVES Max who is 6 years old. He copies EVERYTHING that Max does. He is Max's little shadow. It is so cute! I had fun playing with the boys and being silly. I am the SILLY Aunt! By the end of the afternoon, they were both tuckered out on the living room floor!

We ended our weekend with a trip to the pond to feed the ducks - Gage's favorite thing to do right now! He loves throwing the bread and quacking like a duck! And the duck's like him too! When they see us coming, they run TOWARD us! Surprising that ducks have a memory!

We hope that you had a lovely Easter weekend and remember what this time is all about! HE has Risen!

Surprise!

2009-03-23T22:41:00.007-05:00

This past week was Eric's 30th Birthday. I wanted to do something extra special for him since I do think that he is EXTRA SPECIAL and hey, you only turn 30 once, right?! I miraculously pulled off a surprise party for him on his actual Birthday and it was so much fun! I rented the "Chicken Coup" at the new Babe's in Frisco and gathered 48 of our closest friends and family for some dinner, drinks, and cake. Eric was shocked that he didn't have a clue! Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate! We love you all so much! Happy 30th Eric - your officially an "old man" now, married to a "young" woman. (At least for 1 month!)

His entrance - Surprise!

The chicken dance - he does it quite well! Eric, Ronnie (Gage is named after this wonderful man), and Gage. Touchdown! Eric and his brothersThe De Los Santos Fam!Make a wish!

Joely - the Diva!

2009-03-15T22:57:00.008-05:00

I hope you enjoy your "funglasses" miss thang! I love you!

Just a few pictures!

2009-03-04T23:50:00.005-06:00

Thank you Grammy for the new boots! Little Hugh Hefner!

He really knows how to charm the ladies! He sent Valentine's day cards to all of his girlfriends!

He loves working out with Mommy and Daddy. Taking a "breather" after his push ups! And YES, he CAN do push ups! Better than me actually! He's been getting into Mommy's jewelry! Yikes! Don't look Dad!Our entertainment every night! Never a dull moment!

My little slugger!

2009-02-22T21:38:00.010-06:00

Eric is officially knee deep in baseball season and they are off to a good start! We recently had "Family Day" at the Liberty Baseball Field. It's a chance for the baseball players and their families to get to know more about their Coaches and to meet the Coaches families. One of the player's mom's is a photographer and asked if she could take Gage on the field to take some pictures. Of course, I was thrilled! Take a look at my "little slugger!" He's so darn cute! And so is his Dad, of course! :)

Good Quote

2009-01-26T16:51:00.002-06:00

I came across this quote today and it touched my heart.

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -Philo of Alexandria

I'm so excited!

2009-01-21T20:19:00.005-06:00

I'm super duper excited that my sister FINALLY started a blog. I've been urging her to do it since she was pregnant and she finally gave in - and I think she likes it! I don't get to see my sweet niece as often as I would like to so I'm glad that I can keep up with her virtually! Check out my sister's blog for some good sense of humor (including blasts from the past) and cute stories about Joely! I especially love "Eat your peas!"

http://pbandjrb.blogspot.com/

Gage and Joely's Photo Shoot

2009-01-18T20:32:00.017-06:00

Gage and Joely had their 1st photo shoot together in December and I just got my CD with all of the pictures! My sister and I wanted to get some good pictures of the kiddo's together to give our parents a nice portrait for Christmas. The photo shoot was very humorous! It was almost impossible to get both Gage and Joely to smile and look at the camera at the same time! But, we were very pleased with the photos! Cynthia ( www.yourcandidmemories.blogspot.com ) came to our home and set up right in our living room. She brought some fun props for the kids to play with. She is absolutely amazing and so fun and patient with children. We are looking forward to another photography session in the Spring! Thank you Cynthia - we love our photos!

Here are some of my favorites! Enjoy!

5 Years

2009-01-03T16:40:00.009-06:00

Today, Eric and I celebrated 5 years of marriage! Wow! It doesn't seem that long ago that we were standing on the altar sharing our vows in front of our family and friends. January 3, 2004 will always go down as the best (and most fun) day of my life. It was the start of a new beginning with my very best friend. We continue to be the best of friends and always remember to put each other first. The past 5 years have brought us so much joy and adventure. Thank you honey for being my "rock" and for your unconditional love!

December at a glance!

2009-01-03T16:39:00.015-06:00

December came and went in the blink of an eye! I'm not sure if it was a blur for me because of my intense work load and long days in the office or if it was because we were booked with events every weekend. Probably both. I'm glad I survived it and I'm glad it's over!

I use to LOVE the holidays, but as I get older they seem to become more stressful and hectic. The only thing I look forward to is spending time with my family, time off from work, and great holiday food. If it were up to me, I'd do away with the gift giving and be just as happy celebrating with family and friends with good food and conversation. I'll never forget what the Season is all about - the birth of our Savior - and for that I am thankful for the Season - but I think our commercialized world has taken the meaning of the holidays to a whole new level and I just don't like it!

Each year we throw a "Tacky X-Mas Party" to celebrate the Season with our good friends and to raise money to help a family in need each Christmas. We held the 3rd Annual Tacky X-Mas Party and had a blast as usual. I was very proud of my tacky vest and skirt this year - compliments of the Goodwill. Thanks to all of our good friends for a fun time! I DO look forward to this party every year! This year, Clint and Trey won the "tackiest attire" contest with their matching Elf outfits. Absolutely hilarious!
Me, Julie, and Cassidy - my two closest friends. Nice sweaters ladies! Cassidy - I spotted somebody at work wearing your same sweater. Ha! Some of the "tacky" crew. Check out those Elves - did I mention they are ex-football players? What size tights are those anyway? Each year my Employer has a Christmas Luncheon. It's a nice time to hear about our company's success and to mingle with coworkers that you don't see very often. These are the fabulous and intelligent ladies that I work with. I couldn't ask for a better team! My cousins from Kansas came down to visit for a long weekend. We had a fun time with the kids. Colin is 2 months younger than Gage and they really enjoyed playing with each other. They also made a trip to the mall to see Santa. As you can see below - it didn't go so well for Gage. The "freak out" picture is priceless and I can't wait to show that one off when he is older! We had fun spiking up the boys' hair during tub time. Thanks for coming to visit Colin - come see us again soon! We had a few birthday parties to attend in December (Gage is so popular you know!) We planned the "look alike outfits" for Gage and his friend Myles, but it was impossible to get a picture of both of them looking at the camera. This is the best shot that I got. Thanks Cassidy for the cute outfit! Maybe Santa will be Gage's "Homeboy" next year! I think the pictures of Gage sums up our actual Christmas. He was so much fun and I just loved his reaction to his gifts. Go figure that the new ball from Auntie Jen was by far his favorite gift!

I hope that each and every one of you had a special holiday and best wishes to you for a Happy 2009!

Thanksgiving Dance Grooves!

2008-12-31T02:06:00.005-06:00

Gage and his cousin Max break it down on Thanksgiving day at Momo and Popo's house. The video is sideways, but I still think you will get a good laugh! Enjoy - I do every day with this dance machine!

I've been tagged!

2008-12-31T00:17:00.008-06:00

I've been tagged by my friend Allison! (http://www.livelaughlovefortoday.blogspot.com/)

The instructions:

1. Go to the place where you store all of your pictures on your computer and open the 4th folder.
2. Open the 4th picture.
3. Post the picture and provide an explanation about that picture.
4. Tag 4 people to do the same.

My 4th folder is labeled "Joely Reese" and includes my favorite pictures of my cute little niece. In this picture I am snuggling with this sweet little girl at my parents house. Joely is probably around 3 months old in this picture. There is nothing better than holding a baby close and taking in the smell of such a sweet thing. I just love her! And I'm glad I could share a picture with you!

I tag:

1. My cousin, Megan - http://busygirl.tumblr.com/

2. My cousin, Jill - http://jill-lifesjourneywithcolin.blogspot.com/

3. One of my best friends, Julie - http://journeysbyjulie.blogspot.com/ (maybe this will motivate her to post something new too!)

4. My good friend and fellow Coaches Wife, Laura - http://onyourmarkgetsetwhoa.blogspot.com/

Picture Recap

2008-12-14T21:43:00.020-06:00

Since I am so behind, I am posting a picture recap from the past couple of months. I'll post more later!

*********************************************

My little handsome man on Thanksgiving Day!

Thanks Dad for sitting with me at the lil' people table. This turkey is yummy!

The Grandparents at the "Adult" table!

The BIG "kids" table!

Sweet Joely! Such the big helper. Gage decided to sort the laundry for us - and then got caught in Daddy's sleeve! Happy Halloween! This is the cutest little skunk I have ever seen. How about you? The last picture sums up the end of the night of trick-or-treating and then a football game! The kids had a fun time and Ava made sure that Gage was okay. Such the little princess she is! Eric and I attended a very FUN Halloween Party. Don't we look fabulous in our 80's workout gear!? Thanks Landon and Holly for such a fun time!

The Pumpkin Patch adventure with Auntie Jen, Cousin Joely, and Grandma! Auntie Jen's Birthday Dinner. Isn't little Joely so cute?! I just love her!
Gage's first taste of Ravioli! What a mess!

Cousin Erin's 14th Birthday Dinner at Red Lobster. Gage loved the lobsters!

The Love(s) of My Life...

2008-11-13T23:50:00.003-06:00

Oh how I love them...

Things as of late...

2008-11-13T23:07:00.014-06:00

Where has the time gone? I'm not sure where to even begin! My weekly blogging fell off of the to-do list the past couple of months, but I vow to do better and get back on track! I've disappointed a few blogging fans - I do apologize! We have been very busy. We are always on the Go! Go! Go! between our busy schedules and chasing a very active 15 month old!

Football season just came to an end. The Redhawks missed the playoffs by one game so we were very disappointed. Eric's goal for the year was to make the playoffs so he was bummed and has officially "banned" watching any High School playoff games until HIS team makes them. We will see if he can make it - I have a feeling he will be getting the itch to catch a game at Texas Stadium over the holidays! He is actually working "normal" hours until the first of January (Baseball Season) so it will be nice to have him home more.

I took a new position at work and am now working more in the office (vs. at home) and traveling some. I'm excited for the opportunity, but have been feeling a little guilty that I am not home as much anymore. I'm trying to find my work - life balance with this new position and still adjusting to the "in-office" atmosphere. I have a great staff so that makes it fun! I recently had Lasik done and am excited to report that I no longer have headaches from staring at my computer all day and can see very well! I definitely recommend it, although it was kind of a weird experience.

Gage is still cute as ever and so much fun. He is becoming very ornery and is into everything! He is so curious and intelligent. We are so thankful that we have family to watch him and love him while we are at work. He suffered his first ear infection last week and it just broke my heart! He is back to himself now!

We do our best to spend time with our family and friends as often as we can and have had many get togethers in the past couple of months. Baby showers, birthday parties, football gatherings, dinner dates, road trips with the kiddo's, bowling...always a fun time! We swore to never be "that couple" that gave up their social life because of children and I think we have done a good job of staying social. We just love our family and friends. They are the best in this world! That's a small recap of our "happenings." Hope everyone is doing well!

Too funny!

2008-10-06T22:02:00.008-05:00

I think I might send this one to Funniest Home Videos. Be sure to watch it to the very end - and don't worry - he got right back up to do it again! Didn't even shed a tear!

1 Year Stats

2008-09-22T22:54:00.019-05:00

I'm finally getting around to posting our little man's 1 year stats! Have I ever mentioned that it's nearly impossible to reschedule a "check up" with a Pediatrician? You have to schedule these appointments months in advance and if something comes up, well...you are just out of luck! You might be lucky to get the "1 year check up" on your child's 2nd Birthday! Anyway, something came up with work and I had to reschedule. We finally made it in to see Dr. G - at almost 13 months!

I am proud to post that we have one very healthy little boy! Dr. G gave him another A+ on his "report card." Stats are as follows:

Weight: 23 pounds (50-75%)
Height: 31.8 (97%)
Head Circumference: 19.3 (100%)
Development: A+

Each appointment gets a littler harder as Gage starts to realize that someone is going to poke and prod him. Poor Lauren, Nurse, and our friend from church, always has immunization "duty" and has to endure those sad big brown eyes and short screams. Thank goodness it doesn't last long! Those tears just crush my heart (and Lauren's too!)

It's amazing how smart a one year old really is. Gage never ceases to amaze me! He picks up on things so quickly and loves to copy Mommy and Daddy. He knows how to change the TV channel with the remote and holds our cell phones up to his ear to talk. So funny!

He LOVES to read books and can point out each character or animal in the book. He likes to pull every book out of his collection and turn through all of the pages saying "Ooh, Ooh!" Each night before bed we pick out a few books to read and enjoy every minute of this time as a family. His favorite book right now is, "Where's Spot?" He likes to open the "flaps" to find Spot the dog. Pop-up books are a big hit right now!

Most hours of the day, Gage is holding a ball (think it's in the gene's?) And this kid has an arm! I'm predicting future quarterback or pitcher. We love playing ball with him. He gets so excited when we play "catch" and laughs at Mommy when she says "set hut!" He must know that Mommy stinks at playing football!

Gage is VERY receptive and vocal when he wants to be. I've taught him a few signs and he has picked up on that very quickly. He does say a few words such as Dada, More, Wow, and occasionally Mama, however not as much as Mama thinks he should say this word. When you ask him to say Mama, he says Dada! Go figure! I'm determined this is because Mama always talks about Dada when he is gone - he just hears it more! (It can't possibly be because Dada is his favorite!)

Gage is such a good eater. He will eat anything. This kid can put down more food than I can! Some of his favorites right now include bananas, blueberries, waffles, and peas. He is officially off of formula (thank goodness!) and drinking whole milk. He wasn't too crazy about the milk at first, but now he loves it! No more formula or bottles and surprisingly the transition was a breeze! Now, if I can only get him to let go of the paci when he sleeps!

Gage especially loves his bath time. He has tons of toys and likes to throw all of them out of the tub and watch Mommy and Daddy fetch them. Or he will line all of them up on the bathtub wall and then knock all of them into the water one by one. I've noticed that he likes organizing things (I think we all know who he gets that from!)

He is taking small steps, but hasn't quite taken off on his own yet. It's coming very soon, I just know it! Although, this kiddo could win a race by crawling - he is so fast! He enjoys pushing his "Dozer" around the house and especially likes taking it outside to push on the sidewalk. If the bull dozer gets stuck, he gets very angry. He definitely gets his lack of patience from his Father! (Sorry honey!)

He is so curious, silly, independent, and darn right rebellious! He loves crawling up on the couch and trying to get down on his own. He is into EVERYTHING and keeps us on our toes at all times! Never a dull moment, but I love every minute of it! Most importantly, he is the happiest toddler I have ever known and I love to hear him laugh. It is so contagious!

Although Gage is ALL BOY, he does have a sweet and loving personality. He gives us "sugars" and hugs and has the perfect knack for melting hearts. He will be a lady killer!!

I could go on forever about Gage. We are so thankful for his good health and exceptional development. It's amazing how this little guy has changed our lives and brought us true perspective on what really is important in this world. We count our blessings every day!

Liberty (35) vs. Lovejoy (7) - It's a win!

2008-09-17T23:19:00.011-05:00

Liberty came out with a win vs. Lovejoy at Pizza Hut Park! Go Redhawks! My family came to the game to support the Redhawks and we had a fun time. Even little Miss Joely enjoyed the game. She was a little angel! Thanks Mom, Jen, Jason, and Joely for coming out to our neck of the woods to watch the game. It means a lot to us (especially Eric) for your support! We love you!

Liberty Redhawks (2 Wins - 1 Loss)

Liberty (14) vs. Highland Park (42)

2008-09-13T23:04:00.010-05:00

Well, we didn't come out with a win from the Highland Park game, but we still had fun. The score sounds a lot worse than it really appeared. The guys actually played pretty well considering the competition.

Laura and I packed up all of the kids (3 car seats!) and made the trip to Highland Park together. We made a quick trip to our favorite fast food joint - Chic-fil-a and then we were on our way. The ride was pretty humorous as Ava kept unbuckling her car seat and I was doing my best to coax her to buckle it back up while Laura drove. Gage didn't quite know what to think about riding in the back with 2 little ladies!

We thought we were doing good to arrive a few minutes early, but little did we know we were going to have to park a mile away from the stadium. I really didn't mind as I got to admire the BEAUTIFUL homes as we walked by. I loved the atmosphere...families and neighbors were sitting out on their cute front porches listening to the sounds of the football game. It seemed to be a very close knit neighborhood with kids wandering from house to house to play. What a great place to live. It's comforting to know that places like this still exist. Maybe we will find a neighborhood like that one day.

Each week I look forward to the Friday night lights. Let's hope I don't have to report back with anymore defeats!

(1 Win -1 Loss)

Off to a good start! Liberty - 30, Brewer - 19

2008-08-31T23:34:00.013-05:00

It seems as though the hard work of the Liberty Coaching Staff is paying off! This past Friday was the first game of the season and we came out with a WIN! Hooray! Gage was a little skittish during the 1st quarter as it was very loud, but he warmed up throughout the night and was such a trooper! He even threw up his hands for the touchdowns! He was especially happy when he saw his Daddy on the sidelines. It just melts my heart when they both light up when they see each other. Gage kept pointing at Eric during the game as if he was saying. "Look, that's my Daddy!" So cute!

The football families celebrated the WIN with an after game party at Mark and Deborah's home. Deborah went above and beyond the call of duty and hosted a great party! Needless to say it was a very late night! I love spending time with the other football families. We are each other's support system from July to December and it's nice to spend time with friends who truly understand the life of a Coaches' family.

We really do miss having Eric home and at times it can be very frustrating doing everything on my own, but to see the excitement of the Coaches and Players after a WIN is so rewarding and makes the time lost worthwhile. I can only hope that these players will look back and appreciate the time, effort, and love these Coaches put forth every day for them and that they will turn out to be great men and exceptional role models for others. It truly is the reason why Coaches do this job. It really isn't about winning or losing, but about shaping young men to become successful in LIFE.

If you don't belong to a football family, or know someone of a football family, you will never know the commitment and passion in this profession and the sacrifices a Coach (and his family) makes to fulfill this job. They work harder than any other profession that I have ever known and make FAR less than minimum wage when you break down the time spent on the field. I admire my husband for the hard working and generous man that he is. I wouldn't ask for anything more or for a better role model for our little man.

Next Friday, it's Liberty vs. Highland Park, and this will be a tough one! Highland Park is always good and they will have home field advantage. We are looking forward to a little road trip. Keep your fingers crossed for a WIN! Go Redhawks!

Liberty Redhawks: 1 - 0 (So far, so good!)

Turning One Is So Much Fun!

2008-08-24T22:13:00.036-05:00

I'm finally recovered from the Big Birthday Bash we threw for our Big 1 Year Old last weekend! It was a great evening spent with TONS of friends and family. We are so blessed to have such a great support system who have SO much love for our little boy.

Tio John and Gage

The Grandpa's and Gage. I love this picture!

We had a "Puppy Party" and served a traditional Mexican dinner (compliments of my wonderful mother-in-law) with chicken enchiladas (that were to die for!), beans, rice, queso, and guacamole! Yum! We went through 6 trays of enchiladas and ate every single one of them. I'm not kidding when I say we had a big crowd! I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off and am disappointed that I didn't get as many pictures from this celebration as I had hoped. Thank goodness my sister and her husband took some for me, otherwise I wouldn't have any! My sister also took a video of Gage eating his Birthday cake that is just priceless. The file was too large to send in an email, so she posted it on youtube. Check out this mess! Be sure to watch in high quality (lower right hand of video.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw2Jt-vaG_E

The Invitation:

Much cuter in person than it appears in this picture.

I put a paw cake on each table with stuffed puppy animals. The cupcake "Cake" was a big hit and so much easier than a real cake! Gage did have is OWN cake though!

I could not believe the amount of gifts that Gage received! Turning 1 is by far better than Christmas! In fact, I think we have enough toys to get us through the next 3 Birthdays AND Christmas! The gift opening was quite a scene as every child wanted to "help" and eventually turned chaotic. Poor Gage just sat on my lap and watched as it all unfolded. And of course, after opening all of the great gifts, Gage went straight for the new ball that my sister purchased last minute at the grocery store! I'm telling you - these fancy toys are over rated! We have had fun getting out a new toy every day and playing with something new. Gage especially likes his new bull dozer that he can push on his own. He is such a big boy!

This picture doesn't even do it justice!

Thanks Auntie Jen for writing down all of the gifts and helping with the party!

Thank you so much to all of our friends and family that helped us celebrate this big day. It's a celebration of a wonderful life and the fact that Eric and I have made it through 1 full year of parenting! It has been the best year of our lives and we look forward to many more! We love you all!

Happy 1st Birthday Gage!

2008-08-14T23:29:00.011-05:00

Today is Gage's 1st Birthday! I still cannot believe he is already one year old! Where did the time go? I can still vividly remember being pregnant (3 days past due!) and the day he was born (Miraculous!) It seems like it was just yesterday! This past year has flown by but it has been full of so much joy! I just can't put into words how Gage makes my heart melt! Especially when he gives me "sugar" (kisses) and hugs!

We are looking forward to his BIG BIRTHDAY BASH this weekend, but we had to do something for his actual Birthday! I took half of the day off from work so I could spend the day with Gage. We met Eric, Momo, and cousin Erin at Babe's Chicken Dinner House for lunch. Gage had his first taste of Babe's smoked chicken, mashed potatoes and cream corn! (And loved every bite!)

The gals at Babe's wanted to sing the Happy Birthday Song and scared Gage to tears when they put the red cowboy hat on his head!

We baked a mini chocolate cake and took it with us. I think we enjoyed watching Gage dig in even MORE than he enjoyed the cake!

Happy 1st Birthday Gage! We look forward to many, many more years! We LOVE you SO much!

Never a dull moment...

2008-08-10T22:53:00.019-05:00

Although it looks like my son has a big fat lip, that's not the case. That's him sucking the window and making faces at us at Grammy's house! I'm still laughing about this one! There is never a dull moment with this little squirt!

Now that Gage has been in our life for almost a year now (this week!), I can barely remember life without him. Although I do remember it being easier to run to the grocery store on a whim! My how our life has changed! Eric and I have always had fun together, but this little man of ours has brought so much MORE joy and laughter to our lives. He is so much fun and we just can't get enough of him! I hope each day with Gage will bring even more meaning and happiness to our lives. I dread the day that he starts breaking my heart! Right now I'm just glad to be his #1!

Here are a few funny moments from the past 2 weeks that I captured on camera. I wish I could catch them all, but by the time I run for the camera, he has usually moved on to a new adventure!

Waving at us! He's very social!

He's been caught getting into Dad's drink of choice!

Discovering that he can fit INTO the kitchen cabinet!

Good Times In Granbury

2008-08-04T22:20:00.018-05:00

Last weekend we made a trip out to good ole' Lake Granbury to visit some of our good friends at their lake house. We took the entire family along including my side of the family and Eric's side of the family. We had a BLAST! I'm so glad that our families get along and enjoy each other's company - I know I am very lucky as that isn't the case with most in-laws!

We had a great time cruising the lake, riding the jet ski, relaxing on the porch, eating great food, and most of all - tubing! I haven't laughed so hard in ages! I especially enjoyed spending time on the lake with my sister. She even went tubing - 3 weeks after giving birth! She is very brave! We haven't been out on the lake together in a long time. I think we convinced our parents to buy a lake house and a new boat. Dad will be retiring very soon! I hope Gage and Joely will have just as much fun as my sister and I did growing up near a lake! Good times!

Yes, that is me screaming my head off!

Eric, Mom, and Me! My Father-in-Law, Sister, and Mom! My sweet niece, Joely!
My sweet boy!

For the love of the game

2008-07-27T23:25:00.006-05:00

The last 2 weeks have been a blur! My blogging is slipping through the cracks!

Eric is back to work full-time and gearing up for the 2008-09 Liberty Football Season. I'm officially back to football "widow-hood!" I have to admit that this "go around" is not as easy for me as it has been in the past. Now that Gage is growing into a small boy and becoming more active, it's harder to get things done and I realize how precious our time with Eric really is. High school coaches spend more time in the field house than they do in their own homes and a coaches' wife serves as the backbone for the family. It takes a deep love for kids and football to put in the exhausting hours of a high school coach and a very supportive woman to accept the responsibility of holding down the fort at home! Some days I really do have to pray hard for strength and patience to get me through it! The reward is knowing that your husband is shaping and molding young boys to become exceptional men and that somehow you are making a difference in this world.

My husband is an incredible role model and such a hard-working man. He has a love for the game of football that is indescribable, but most importantly a heart for making a difference in kid's lives. When I get frustrated or tired of the sacrifices we make, I find comfort in knowing that it's more than a game of winning or losing.

In lieu of the upcoming Liberty Redhawk Season we have been practicing with Gage and he has mastered throwing his arms up in the air for a touchdown! I'm sad to report that I haven't taken a picture of this yet, but will do that soon! In the meantime, I am posting a picture of Eric and Gage from last season. Wow - how time flies! Gage was 1 month old in this picture! We will be celebrating his 1st Birthday in 2 weeks!

Go Redhawks - let's kick some butt this year! Love you honey!

A Recap

2008-07-13T16:41:00.007-05:00

Here are a few pictures from some of our events the past two weeks. We have been keeping busy and enjoying our summer! Eric has one more week of play time and then it's back to work! We are going to miss having him home! He has been such a good "Mr. Mom!"

Gage celebrated his first 4th of July with good food, family, friends, and LOTS of fireworks! He had a few "jumpy" moments, but overall did great and enjoyed the show!

We celebrated our nephew, Max, 6th Birthday! Happy Birthday Max! We love you!

Max LOVED his Nacho Libre mask that we bought in Mexico!

Gage had his first Lil' Entree with mac-n-cheese and green beans with carrots. It was a huge hit and mommy took him straight to the bath tub when it was all gone! Mac-n-cheese was "two thumbs up" and "Oh" so good! Gage has also discovered that Tupperware is very fun!

We went to Blue Fish with Gabe and Laura (our Sushi Guru's) so Eric could try some new Sushi. It was a nice date for Mommy to dress Gage up in his little linen outfit. He looked so handsome! He had a good time pretending to drink some Saki.

This weekend we went to a Ranger's game (also with Gabe and Laura) and had a great time. Eric put on his rally cap in the 8th inning, but it wasn't much help. The Rangers lost, but we still had a fun time! Thank you Grammy and Grampy for watching Gage while we were out on our fun date!

We hope your summer has been as fulfilling as ours! It really is a time for fun, family, and good friends! We thank the Lord for each and every day!

The Notorious K.I.D.

2008-07-13T16:24:00.002-05:00

Joely Reese Bowers

2008-07-09T22:06:00.007-05:00

My beautiful baby niece has arrived! My sister and brother-in-law are doing great - just trying to adjust to their new Mommy and Daddy schedule! We love you Joely - now tell your mom to start that blog! I need daily pictures!

Vacation #2 - Mexico!

2008-07-05T16:08:00.013-05:00

So, here it is - the pictures from our fabulous Mexico trip! Eric and I left Gage with the grandparents for 4 nights/5 days and traveled with our good friends, Julie and Ryan, to the Riviera Maya. We had such a good time! We are definitely future travel buddies as we are all very laid back and didn't depend on a set "itinerary." The one day we did have an "itin" it fell thru thanks to that "darn Miguel!" He stood us up with the car rental for our Tulum "adventure." Apparently, Tulum has the prettiest beaches in Mexico. We will check it out next year when we make the trip for Julie and Ryan's wedding!

It was hard to leave Gage and travel out of the country, but Eric and I really enjoyed having each other's full attention. I think a couples vacation is in store every year! Making a call from Mexico is almost impossible! I just received the phone bill for a 4 minute call - $47.00! Ridiculous! Thanks to our wonderful parents for taking care of Gage. We knew he was in good hands and he was definitely spoiled with lots of love!

We stayed at the Occidental Grand Flamenco XCaret. The resort was very nice, but we were misled to believe that it was beach front and that REALLY wasn't the case. It had a man-made beach/lagoon with a very rocky entrance to the ocean. We only spent half a day at the lagoon and decided that we had to sit on a REAL beach if we were in Mexico. So, we headed to Mamitas Beach Club in Playa almost every day to swim, lay out, and enjoy some cold drinks. The beach was absolutely beautiful and the sight seeing was...well...priceless. We also met a few locals at the beach that gave us some insight on what to do in town.

We took a Catamaran out with a local, Luis, and he took us to his "pool." He took us out in the ocean to show us the different shades of blue and let us swim in the most beautiful water! We had so much fun that we went back the next day and took the Catamaran out on a snorkeling adventure. It was a good time, but I forgot how exhausting snorkeling can be! I also acquired a nice sun burn!

We also made a couple of trips to the "New 5th Avenue." It is a trendy strip of shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars. We hit up the DQ for some ice cream while we were there as we got tired of eating the same hotel food every day! DQ has never tasted so good! One night, we ate at a nice restaurant called Divino's and then hit up the "Blue Parrot" as Luis said it was the best bar in town and raved about the fire show. It was a fun night and the fire show was AMAZING!!!

We also made a trip to the XCARET Ecological Park. We floated in a very chilly river thru a cave, went to the aquarium, saw the biggest turtles, said "hi' to the dolphins, snorkeled, laid on the beach, and probably walked about 10 miles! I have never walked so much in my life as I did on this trip! It did make me feel much better after consuming the greasy chips and guacamole (Yummy!!!)

Thanks to Julie and Ryan for making this trip so much fun! We can't wait for the next one. Some great memories to take away...

"It takes two"
"Boomcha Boomcha Boomcha"
"Chilly Willy's"
"That darn Miguel!"

But my best recollection of our beach adventures...

Beach chair - $2.00
Mango Margarita - $6.00
Men playing beach soccer in Speedo's -Priceless...

And to all the gals at work, we sipped many of these for you! We really did think about you!

Vacation #1 - Table Rock Lake

2008-07-02T00:05:00.026-05:00

I know I mentioned I would try to blog during the Table Rock Lake trip, but it just didn't happen. In fact, it hasn't happened in a while! I have so much to blog about!

I had so much fun in Table Rock with my family. It was our first family trip with Gage. We spent 7 days at Table Rock Lake in a cabin with a VERY CLOSE lake front view. The water has been up this season at Table Rock (the highest in it's history) and it was not far from our front porch. It was so beautiful! My Mom''s side of the family also joined us for this trip and it was so good to spend time with extended family. It was especially fun to introduce Gage to his second Cousin, Colin. Colin is 2 months younger than Gage. By the end of the trip they were very intrigued with one another and picking up on each other's "tricks." It was fun to see them interact with one another. And Colin is just so cute! We miss playing with him. We laughed pretty hard when we set this picture up. Colin's onesie says "He did it!" with an arrow pointing toward Gage who's onesie says "I Poo!" It was probably one of those "you had to be there moments," but we sure did laugh hard.

I had a great time visiting with my Cousins and catching up. I wish we could see each other more often. My Cousin Jill and I enjoyed sharing baby stories and other "girl talk" during long walks each night with the babies. We are both still trying to shed a few baby pounds and were each other's motivation for sticking to some kind of a workout. She also brought her Wii Fitness and that was a lot of fun!

I had SO much fun water skiing, jet skiing, and swimming. I was a little worried that I might not make it up water skiing since it had been over 2 years, but the "magic" was still there! I'm convinced that one day I will live on a lake and water ski every day! I absolutely love it!

Gage had so much fun on vacation. He had many adventures! We took him on a slow ride on the jet ski and he loved it. He was saying "Ooh Ooh Ooh!" the entire ride. (Don't worry we didn't take him outside of the cove and we were in idle the entire ride!) He also went on many boat rides. At first he was a little scared of the boat, but once he warmed up to the sound of the engine, he was enjoying the ride or falling asleep! He didn't care too much for his life jacket or "buzz light year" outfit. (One of his swimsuits had built in flotation devices - the picture below explains our dub of "buzz light year.") He loved splashing in the water and sitting in his inner tube, but he wasn't so sure about the blow up air mattress with Mommy and Daddy.

Of course, Grammy and Grampy spoiled Gage with lots of love and treats. Gage enjoyed dinner time with Grammy since she shared her plate with him. And well, Grampy was being silly with the beer can - - again, no worries - he didn't consume any of it! Grammy also taught Gage how to wave "hi" and "bye!" It is the cutest thing! He waves his little arm back and forth as fast as he can.

Thanks Mom and Dad for a WONDERFUL vacation. We can't wait for next year! It was tough to come back from such a wonderful trip, but Eric and I knew we had a short work week and a fun trip ahead of us - Mexico! I'll post pictures from that trip soon!

Table Rock Lake...here we come!

2008-06-14T10:39:00.001-05:00

We are on our way to Table Rock Lake for our family vacation!!! Yea! Yesterday, we left in the afternoon and drove to Fayetteville, Arkansas. We wanted to break the trip up so Gage wouldn't be confined to a car seat all day. We had a great drive and Gage was such a trooper. The drive was beautiful! Arkansas is so scenic and Fayetteville is such a cute town. We went to dinner at a local place and then drove down to the University of Arkansas to check out the campus and (most importantly) the football field!

I am excited for Eric to see where I lived as a child (Table Rock) and to spend time with my extended family. It is going to be a fun time! I'm going to try to post during the trip if I have access to the Internet. We are staying in a cabin so I'm not sure it will be available. I'm sure I will take tons of pictures!

Our little man...kind of a big deal!

2008-06-13T23:55:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to post some pictures I took over the past 2 weeks of our little man. He is growing so fast, AND moving soooooo fast! You can't take your eye off of him for a split second. He is crawling at the speed of lightning and pulling up on everything! He is starting to get brave and let go of furniture, so I think walking is well on it's way! Look out!

As you can see from the pictures, he has a mouth full of pearly whites. 7 teeth! He is talking more everyday and his favorite word is "Dada," although I don't know that he associates Eric with the word yet as he calls everything "Dada." I'm working on him to say "Mama" but no luck yet!

He loves my treadmill and stability ball. I'm thinking exercise is just going to be in this kid's blood!

I'm a big fan of the sloganed t-shirts. Here a few to share...

And one of my favorites...Gage's facial expressions. They are priceless! This is his classic facial expression. Everything is so exciting to him!

Falling behind...

2008-06-13T23:20:00.000-05:00

I've fallen off the blogging bandwagon! The past two weeks have been very busy! The good news is that we are officially on vacation (for 8 days)! AND Eric will also be home for the next 5 weeks with minimal work commitments! Yea! This is the first summer that Eric has not committed to working football camps. It will be nice to have him home more, especially to spend time with his little buddy, Gage!

Speaking of my husband, have you noticed that he has shrunk lately? The Coaches put on their own "Biggest Loser" challenge for 5 weeks and he lost a significant amount of weight! He looks great! I'm a little jealous that his weight came off so fast as I have been trying to rid of this pregnancy body for quite some time! I am happy for his success and that he has picked up some new, healthy eating habits. It's good for both of us as we motivate each other to eat better and workout most days of the week. Some days I really need the extra motivation!

This past weekend we went to a high school graduation party for some of the Lewisville boys that Eric coached from 7th grade thru high school. It is now official that we are getting old! I remember watching these guys play football in 7th grade and thinking, "they are so young." They have turned out to be fine, young men. It's so rewarding to know that Eric played an important role in their life as their Coach and mentor. You can see from the picture, that they have all outgrown him as well! It was a nice party and so good to see some of the coaches and friends we came to know and love at Lewisville. Lewisville will always feel like our home as we dearly love the people and the pride in that community. Quite honestly, I think we will be back there one day. With Eric running the show of course!

Summer Fun!

2008-06-03T23:42:00.000-05:00

I'm falling behind on my Sunday night blog post! I've been too busy! I'm so ready for our vacation. T minus 9 days and counting! I'll be water skiing my hiney off and soaking up some sun at Table Rock Lake! I'm looking forward to 8 days of pure fun, rest, and relaxation with my family!

Gage made his first visit to Hooters this weekend. Yes - Hooters. For those of you who know me or my husband well, you know that we BOTH enjoy Hooters. I know some of you think I'm crazy, but I really do enjoy the food (although it's not healthy I know) and the Hooter's girls just crack me up. Anyway, we took Gage for the first time and met some of our friends - "GaLaura" and Wes. Gage wasn't in his best form because he had missed out on his evening nap, but we still tried to get a picture of him with the "girls." He wasn't too happy about it BUT, the girls loved him! And he came home with a Hooters "onesie!"

I took Gage to our neighborhood pool and he "splish splashed" all over the place. He loves crawling in the shallow end and playing with the small fountains. We also met a prospective babysitter who lives down the street! This kid is such a chick magnet! Check out his round belly and little "man" boobs! Why is that so cute when they are little?

Gage also went to his 1st Craw Fish Boil this weekend. We had lots of fun at Amy and Andy's place! Gage took well to everyone. He is beginning to be a little shy at first and will bury his head in my shoulder, but after he warms up he will take to anyone. He especially liked Joyce - I think he might have melted her heart! Miss Fran was also there and spoiled Gage rotten as usual! She is one of Eric's baseball player's mom and she loves Gage! We are planning to do a "photo shoot" with her sometime soon! She is a photographer.

Gage and I went to my parent's house Sunday afternoon to hang out while Eric played golf with some friends. Grammy and Grampy were excited to take Gage swimming in their pool. They bought him all kinds of cool swim toys and a neat turtle raft. He loved it. He also rode his mini-roller coaster and danced with Grammy. He has quite the moves already - not inherited by me as I have absolutely no rhythm! He is all his dad! (Minus the charming personality of course!)

That's all for now! Eric has one more week of school and then he is home for part of the summer. Yippee! He is going to be "Mr. Mom!" He already has play dates scheduled with some of the other Coaches! He's such a good Dad. I know he will have so much fun spending time with Gage.

Peek-a-boo!

2008-05-31T00:02:00.000-05:00

Gage discovered the shower curtain this morning as I was putting on my makeup and decided to play a game of peek-a-boo. Needless to say, he made me laugh and I had to snap a few pictures!

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-26T21:34:00.001-05:00

Wow! Where do I begin? This weekend was so wonderful! I actually feel rested up for once! I do think it was a blessing that my Internet service went down Friday afternoon and didn't come back up until today. I'm very guilty of working too often on the weekends. I think this was God's clever plan for me to take a break and enjoy an Internet free weekend! It was so nice that I might just shut the computer off every weekend!

Our house was torn apart this week with the installation of our new wood floors. (I'll post pictures later!) I spent half of the weekend putting the house back together and "re-decorating." The new floors have inspired me to remodel my house. However, that project will probably be on hold until I acquire a raise or win the lottery!

Eric had a 4 day weekend with only one football commitment so it was so nice to have him home. We had such a great time together and really enjoyed just hanging out all weekend. We really do enjoy the simple things in life - playing with Gage, taking long walks, eating dinner together, watching movies, spending time with our good friends...

I have to take a moment to brag on my husband b/c as much as he is away from home with work, he makes up for it every second that he is home. The minute he walks in the door he takes over with Gage to give me some down time. He's not too masculine to do a load of laundry, cook dinner, do the dishes or clean up around the house. And the reality is that he is just as tired as I am at the end of the day. A Coaches' schedule is grueling, and a Coaches Wife might as well be a widow 3/4 of the year, but I wouldn't have it any other way - as long as I'm in this not-so-normal life with Eric!

This weekend was full of fun, family, and friends. And as usual we had lots of sweet moments with Gage. He is becoming more active and mischievous. His favorite thing this week was getting into the entertainment center and pulling everything out...Cd's, blankets, remotes...all over the floor!

I met up with my friend Laura Friday night at our favorite little Mexican restaurant, Ernesto's. The guys had to scout so we decided to meet up for some good food and a frozen margarita. Gage and Ava had a "date" while we enjoyed our food.

This was my favorite moment this weekend - Gage's 1st pool experience! We went to Momo and Popo's house for a cookout and went to their community pool to swim. It was so much fun! Gage took to the water like a pro! For the most part, he loved every minute of it! The pool had a beach entrance so he was able to crawl around and partly stand up on all fours. (He's starting to stand up and crawl at the same time - if that makes sense!) The only tearful moment he had was when he crawled towards the deeper end and took in a huge gulp of water! He also enjoyed playing with his cousin Erin who loves to give him raspberries on his round belly! She is such a good cousin!

I want to end this post with a "thank you" to my family and friends (especially my Dad) and for all of our soldiers who have sacrificed their lives (past or present) in war to fight for our freedom in this wonderful country we live in. I am forever grateful. Happy Memorial Day!

Welcome to blogging!

2008-05-20T18:30:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited that my cousin Jill created a blog! She lives in Kansas so we don't get to see each other much. We were like siblings growing up. My mom and her dad are twins! Check out her blog to see pictures of adorable Colin! He is 2 months younger than Gage. We are looking forward to spending time with them in the Ozarks this summer! Welcome to the world of blogging Jill! See you soon!

http://jill-lifesjourneywithcolin.blogspot.com/

My good friend and fellow Coaches Wife, Laura, also started a blog:

http://onyourmarkgetsetwhoa.blogspot.com/

Her girls, Mai and Ava, are so cute and full of personality. Laura never has a dull moment in her house. She is always on the go! I'm sure her blog will be full of many funny Mai "isms."

Isn't blogging so much fun?!

9 Month Stats

2008-05-18T23:26:00.000-05:00

Before I get started on the adventures of this past week, I need to give a "shout out" to 'Team De Los Santos' biggest fan - Gabe McG! I'm hoping he is sipping his morning latte while reading this week's post. He enjoys giving Eric a hard time about my blog, but secretly, I think he enjoys reading it! I promised him this weekend that his name would be mentioned in this week's posting. So here you go Gabe! Good to see you this weekend! Your wit is always a good time.

Most of this week was a whirlwind, but it ended well with a great weekend. I'm getting better about keeping my office door shut during the weekend and using my time for fun, family, and friends! This week I decided that I wanted to become a brunette! As I get older, my hair is getting darker and I was so tired of keeping up with masking my dark roots. So, I did it. It really wasn't a hard decision as I find change fun and adventurous! Rachel, my stylist (the best stylist and hair colorist ever!), gets a good kick out of me b/c I always want something different. Something about a new "do" just makes me feel pretty and refreshed. I truly look forward to getting my hair cut and colored every 6 weeks! It brings me PURE joy - and I have a good time talking and laughing with Rachel! Gage also got his haircut (4th hair cut!) This kid has more hair than most adult men! So, here is my new do. In my heart, I will always be a blonde though! I DO think that blonde's are more fun!

Gage turned 9 months old this week. I can't believe it! I really feel like he was just born a few weeks ago and in 3 months I will be planning a 1 year old birthday party! Each day gets more fun as he grows and develops his personality. I keep thinking, "this is the most fun stage" and it just gets better every day. Gage made a visit to Dr. G's office on Friday for his 9 month check up (BTW...if you are looking for a Pediatrician in the Frisco area - he is highly recommended! I just think he is great!)

9 MONTH STATS:
Height: 29.8 (95%)

Weight: 21.9 pounds (75%)

Head Circumference: 18.8 (100% - I like to think that is all brains!)

Physical Exam: A+

Development: A+

We are so thankful for our healthy baby boy!

This week he picked up some more speed and encountered a couple of bumps and bruises. This is where it gets hard for mom to try not to be too overprotective! My favorite moment this week was playing "chase" and "hide-n-seek." Of course, this involves Eric and me getting down on all 4's and crawling too! Gage thinks it is so much fun to crawl with mommy and daddy on the floor and he loves trying to find us. We will hide behind a corner and he will crawl to find us and peek his little head around the corner and laugh hysterically when we say "boo!" So much fun!

Friday night was a fun night with my coworkers. We had dinner and a few drinks at Blue Mesa. (They have the BEST blue margarita's!) Since most of us work from home, it's always a fun time when we get together. I think our group is phenomenal and I am so inspired by each and every one of them! Here are a few pictures of me and some of my favorite gals.

Saturday night we celebrated our friend Courtney's graduation. She finished her Master's and we are so proud of her! Courtney is a Coaches wife so it will be nice to have her back for our social gatherings! She had a great graduation party - we had so much fun! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. It was good to spend time with the Wives and catch up. Only a couple more months before we gear up for football season and lean on each other for moral support! Here is a picture of some of us. Such beautiful ladies - inside and out!

Today was such a beautiful day outside. I enjoyed a nice run this morning. I'm finally back into a running routine since I've had Gage. Running is my stress relief time and although I always dread the latter part of the run, I feel so good when I am done. And I think it's finally paying off - I finally got into my size 2 skirt that I have been wanting to wear. Needless to say, this day started off well! After church, we went to lunch with some of our closest friends, Devin and Nicole, and then we came home and we actually took a nap! Yes, a nap! It was WONDERFUL! I don't remember the last time I took a nap. It was much needed. I always look forward to Sunday evenings for Desperate Housewives (one of my favorite shows). Tonight it was 2 hours long (Season Finale) and (as usual) filled with lots of drama. So, now I'm anxious for next season - who is that man that Susan is kissing? What happened to Mike? Oh my!

Joyful Moments

2008-05-11T23:41:00.000-05:00

This week was filled with many joyful moments. Gage started crawling last week and picked up some speed this week! We're moving in the fast lane now! His favorite things right now...mommy's laptop, the vacuum, and trying to pull the plastic coverings off the electrical outlets. Needless to say, we are keeping busy! When we say "no-no," he just smiles and laughs. It's hard not to laugh with him - especially when he has such an infectious grin!

This week we introduced the "protein" food group to Gage - turkey baby food. All I have to say is P..U..! I don't think anyone could pay me to eat that stuff! I couldn't help but laugh at the silly faces he made after each bite. I don't think he enjoyed it, but he ate it. However, he did enjoy the biter biscuit. There should be a WARNING label on the box that all babies MUST eat the biter biscuit naked and in a high chair. What a huge mess! He enjoyed every bite though and I enjoyed taking the pictures!

My favorite moment this week...Gage trying to work out with his mommy. I was doing some ab work on my aerobic step and he crawled right on up to join me. After each rep of my exercise, he would laugh hysterically. It was the cutest thing! Then he got stuck in a "push up" position and couldn't quite figure out how to get out of his predicament. He wouldn't drop to the floor so he was holding that little "push up" as long as he could - and then (muscles burning I'm sure) he belted out with a "help me" cry! I'm so excited that he is taking interest in fitness already!

We have really been taking advantage of this great weather with daily walks. Eric is finally out of "season" and home somewhat early so we look forward to a long walk in the evening as a family. Gage loves his daddy and just lights up when he walks through the door. Eric is such a great dad! And a wonderful husband! I am so lucky!

Today we celebrated Mother's Day. What a special day. It takes on a whole new meaning when you have a child of your own. I look forward to many more to come!

Prayer Request

2008-05-06T13:40:00.001-05:00

Please pray for our friends.

Our dear friends, Holly and Landon, lost their precious baby boy. Carrington "Cash" Wren was born very premature and his little lungs were not fully developed. He fought for one day in the NICU, but his little body just couldn't keep up. Please pray for the Wren family during this most difficult time. Please pray for their strength and God's grace. Please pray for my Supervisor and friend, Jennifer Thomas, as Mother's Day approaches this weekend. Jennifer and Richard lost their sweet baby girl, Lilly, in March to SIDS. I know this coming weekend will be extremely hard. You can send thoughts and prayers to the Thomas Family by visiting their blog - Surviving Life's Curveballs. Jennifer's good friends also lost their baby boy this past weekend. Please pray for the Marlowe family as they go through this very difficult time. I truly believe in the power of prayer and thank you for lifting up our dear friends into the Lord's hands. Don't forget to thank God for your blessings!

One more year...

2008-05-05T22:39:00.001-05:00

This past week I celebrated my 29th Birthday! I had a great week of celebration with friends and family. My good friends Julie and Katie took me to Macaroni Grill. The waiter welcomed me to the table by saying I might need a "walker!" He had fun giving me a hard time about my age, but ended the night well by bringing me a piece of chocolate cake - instant forgiveness! Yum! Thanks Julie and Katie for a fun night! You can check out Julie's blog in my favorite blogs. I am so proud of her - she just finished the MS 150 this past weekend!

I took most of the day off from work for my Birthday. Each year it is MY gift to myself and I love every minute of it! Gage and I had a play date with a good friend to celebrate. Eric took me out that night to the Cheesecake Factory for a fantastic dinner and piece of caramel cheesecake! Overall I had a great day. I was truly touched by the cards, emails, and phone calls from family and friends. In particular, from some of my old co-workers and clients who remembered my special day. It was nice to hear that I had made an impact on their lives. The smallest gestures bring me so much joy!

My sister came out to the house and spent the night with us one night this past week. She is 31 weeks pregnant and looks so cute! Having a baby girl! I'm so excited! We had fun with Auntie Jen. Thanks for the cute flip flops and gift card Jen! I also spent some time with my parents this past week. Mom has been watching Gage a couple days out of the week while I work. He loves his Grammy and Grampy! They set up a mini-roller coaster in the back yard and Gage had a blast! They bought me a Roomba for the new wood floors we are putting in the house this month. I am so pumped!

We had some good friends over Friday night for a cookout and to watch the Stars Game. It's always fun hanging out! We met up with my best friend, Cassidy, on Saturday night to celebrate both of our Birthdays. She also has an April Birthday. We enjoyed some fine Mexican food and margaritas! Early Cinco De Mayo! We ended the week with dinner at Eric's parents house last night. Gage spent some time with his Momo and Popo. His cousins, Max and Erin, stopped by to visit and play. Thank the Good Lord for wonderful family and friends! Now, here's to ONE MORE YEAR of the 20's!

Inspired

2008-04-27T14:11:00.001-05:00

So, my friends finally inspired me to start a blog. I went to dinner with the Coaches Wives on Tuesday (The Corner Bakery - my fav!) and two of my closest pals, Tracy and Laura, were talking about the "Confessions of a CF Husband." At first, I thought it was a new reality TV show that I must have missed out on, but ends up they have become hooked on this man's blog. They insisted that I check it out when I got home (I'm officially addicted - check it out on my favorite blogs) and it was then that I decided that I MUST start a blog. This will also be my motivation to document our special moments with Gage. I've had good intentions of keeping up with his baby book, but 8 months later and I only have 1 page filled out - oops! My how time flies! I've attached a few recent pictures of our little handsome man. Every day with him is such a joy. We are truly blessed!