Monster trucks and musicians

Thankfully, for Jeff, we have two little girls who aren't super girly. They are the perfect blend of tough, strong yet gentle little ladies. And with that being said Braelyn loves cars and monster trucks and babies, barbies and makeup. She is great! So when we heard there was a chance for us to see the monster trucks again in Abilene, Jeff, James and I jumped at the chance to take Braelyn and Dylan. Jamom and Jampa watched Happy because sitting in high rise bleachers with an antsy one year old just didn't sound like too much fun! I am always a little hesitant going to these events, knowing we will stick out like a sore thumb. I am in no way snooty and can get along with anyone but can I say that we are not, ahem, redneck at all? So, the kids had a great time watching the show and it was pretty entertaining. Even I was laughing and clapping at the huge trucks smashing cars and doing wheelies, it's pretty cool :)

But the highlight of my night was better than that.. A man walked in with his little boy and I immediately noticed he stuck out there more than us. He was sharply dressed, taking pictures of his little boy and was surronded by people. As the show went on, my brother noticed that everyone kept taking his picture. My brother is the world's biggest Texas country fan and said to me "I think that is Aaron Watson" and I was like "yes, that's it! That's who it is!" We knew he lived in Abilene but I didn't want to assume it was him and feel like an idiot so I got on my phone and googled him. The pictures looked like him so I checked his twitter page and BAM, he said he was at monster trucks with his son. So we waited till the show was over and I, embarrasingly, approached him and said "Are you Aaron Watson?" LOL He was so nice and took a picture with us and just talked. He was super friendly. I apologized for bothering him when he was out but he said no he loved meeting fans and he was so glad we came up. Here is the song he is most famous for.. 3rd Gear and 17. I have met a number of "famous people" and I can say he was the nicest I have ever met. He spent a couple minutes talking to us and talking to Dylan and shaking our hands. If you are not a fan of his, now is the time to jump on the band wagon. He was a great guy.. and can I say really cute? :)

UPDATE: After I posted this blog I found this great interview that Aaron Watson did back in March 2008. Go read it all but I will share my favorite part:

"I'm an Abilene, Texas boy. I'm not a Nashville, Tenn. guy. I've got a great little church that I attend every Sunday. And there's great school districts in our town, and you know, Abilene has just that old-timey feeling. And I'm gonna be honest with ya, At the end of my road, when I'm on my death bed, do you think I'm gonna be thinking of how many records I've sold? Honestly, my legacy is my music, my legacy is the life that I live and it's through my boys, the kind of men that they become. So I'm more worried about raising good Christian men than I am about becomin' famous worldwide. My philosophy is that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. I truly believe that. We don't drink and we don't act like rock stars. I run a Christian organization. I'm all about wherever I go, me and my boys tryin' to be a positive influence on whomever we're in contact with. It's really just about lovin' everybody. What we've done in five years, it's just absolutely unheard of and it's phenomenal. And that's because we've got a lot of folks prayin' for us, and a lot of folks wantin' to see us succeed. And we work really hard. So I'm absolutely just thrilled. Thrilled and so thankful that I can make music that I like and that people like it enough to buy it. I mean, think about how crazy that is."

Our colorful weekend

Friday, Jeff and I took the girls to our last 2009 trip to the fair. They had a blast again. Braelyn can do the rides but had to do most alone since Happy is not big enough :( She didn't seem to mind but I can't wait till next year when they can ride together :) Lots of fun with our kids and close friends. Can you see the pic of me and Happy on the giant slide? I had a minor panic attack during that one! They won't let you hold the babies in your laps anymore.. they have to ride in the lane next to you and you can hold their hand. Well it goes FAST and she started slipping back and I was literally reaching over the other side to hold her up so I didn't lose her! She was giggling the whole time :) Can't wait until the fair next year!!

Chris and Kristie got here Friday night, after we got home from the fair, and they stayed the weekend. On Saturday, Jeff, Chris and all their boys went to Lubbock for the day and Kristie and I could not decide what to do for the rest of the weekend. So we decided to remake Happy's room, which was never painted in the first place. I knew we were going to do the colors off the quilt Kristie made her but I was hesistant about putting so much color in one room. I didn't want the room to look small or suffocate you when you walked in. So Kristie and I headed out to pick paint and chose the perfect colors. We did two walls (green and blue) and then took a break to go to dinner and came back to do the other two walls (opposite walls, both pink). It turned out perfect! We kept joking about how the green wall was getting brighter but it is an awesome color and the room looks great. It is very colorful, probably not everyones taste, but it is perfect for Happy and our house! Thanks, Kristie, you are the best!! :)

Here is the collage of us and our work in progress:

And here is the finished product! Kristie also made the valances on the tops of the windows to match the quilt and then we bought black curtains to go under them. I love it that it makes the room so dark for sleeping time and bright with colors and light when you pull the curtains back! It's awesome!

And after all that, we spent most of the day Sunday EATING, my favorite hobby! Hope your weekend was great too! Let me know what you think about Happy's new room!!

Fair and major prayer request!!

Monday night we finally made it out to the West Texas Fair! It was a blast! The kids were loving their lives! I took so many pictures so I had to combine them into three collages of only the best ones :) Hope to go back soon before the fair ends on Saturday!
It was very cool to watch Braelyn at the fair this year. Although, last year she was tall enough to do all the rides and games, she was not mentally or physically prepared. And this year she could do it all alone and I was so proud of her. She is an amazing little being!

Happy, on the other hand, won't be tall enough until next year so she could only do a couple little rides with Mommy (Lauryn, still too short too!). She loved it though!

Do you see my kids on the left side of the collage hanging on the gate. They are twinkies... monkey see, monkey do! They have so much fun together. And of course, I made Lauryn take a picture with me and she didn't love it but I promise, she does love me :) Alyssa, our big girl, got to do the bungee rope jumping. it looked pretty fun and she had a blast!

PLEASE PRAY
If you keep up with me on Facebook you might have read about me asking for prayers on Tuesday. Braelyn had to go into her ENT because she had an ear infection, that was draining, from the ear that still has a tube in it (the other tube fell out in July). While we were there he discovered the other ear (one the tube has already fallen out of) was also infected. In case you are keeping up, she just got over the flu last week and now a double ear infection. Long story made short, Braelyn has already had surgery for tubes at 15 months old and then surgery for tubes and adenoids removal in January 09 and now that the one tube has fallen out it is looking like we are going to have to do it all over again. He put her on an antibiotic and is going to recheck her ears in 3 weeks but he said unless he saw a "drastic improvement" we will be sending her in for a third surgery soon. I am heartbroken that my baby has had to go through all this. Braelyn is often sick and has been through so many tests, sicknesses, breathing treatments, medicines, allergic reactions, procedures, hospital stays, ER visits, doctors visits and surgeries than any child should ever have to endure. Basically she was a perfect healthy, never sick once, baby and then at her one year check up had an ear infection and was diagnosed with asthma two weeks later. Since she turned one it has been non-stop. Words could not describe the stress, worry and more stress that Jeff and I have faced with Braelyn. If you feel inclined, I would really love some prayers. Our precious baby needs a break. I am praying for a healthy, healed, happy three year old that can get a cold without being sent to the hospital with asthma (which happens every time). Sadly this has become the "norm" for us but it shouldn't be that way.. I know Braelyn can be healed and I have 100% faith in that!
Okay, well, I actually set down at the computer to post and talk about the fair and someone it turned into that.. hmm. Thanks for reading all that and keeping up with my family. I appreciate all the prayers, really.

What have we been doing lately?

Lately we have been:
Playing with our favorite cousins and letting Daddy give us fake mohawks. Cousins are the best!

We have been eating all the time and taking naps everyday with our best bears.

We even went to the West Texas Fair and Rodeo Parade with our Uncle James, Dylan and Colby!

We have been really mad when Mommy tries to take our pictures even though we were looking so cute! I can not resist that grumpy little face, Miss Happy! And Braelyn, always ready to smile :)

Lately we have been having so much fun and seeing lots of rain!! Hopefully the rain stops so we can go to the fair soon! What have you been doing lately?

Happy, Flu and Fair

Kristie bought this outfit for Happy at Old Navy last weekend. If you know my baby.. it's funny :)

Precious Braelyn has been fighting the flu.. still.. all week! It has been a looong past few days! Lots of high fevers (think 104), lots of TamiFlu, Motrin and Tylenol, lots of Lysol and hand sanitizer and very little sleep!! So far, so good today.. I know she is past the bad part and she might even be healed.. time will tell.

No word on if we are going to make it to the first night of the Fair tonight. Just going to have to wait and see how Braelyn does all day and if it doesn't rain some more. It hasn't hardly rained all summer here and then the week of the fair we have chances of rain every day! Bummer.. we will make it though.. several times, I'm sure! :)

Something to look forward to..

How was your Labor Day weekend? Ours was half great and relaxing and half stressful and worrisome! Friday, Chris and Kristie got here and we enjoyed all weekend relaxing and eating and baking and shopping and watching kids! And then Monday morning came.. Braelyn woke up with 102 fever. I hadn't the slighest clue what was going on so I figured it was an ear infection. Of course, the pediatricians office was closed on Labor Day so I debated a trip to the emergency room until I found out the walk in clinic by ACU was open. We got ready and headed out the door just in time for Braelyn to projectile vomit all over the front porch.. lovely.  So I dropped off Brylee and got to the clinic early enough that the wait wasn't too long. Her ears were perfect so he did a strep test (throat gag) and flu test (booger scan). Strep was negative and flu.. positive! I was bummed.. my kids always get their flu shots but the flu has hit Abilene extra early this year and no one has the shot yet so here we are. He prescribed TamiFlu for all four of us, in hopes that no one else will catch it. So yesterday Jeff and I took care of one sick little girl, who actually slept about 18 out of the 24 hours, and tried to keep the girls apart.. mission almost impossible since they are obsessed with each other. Anyways, Braelyn is feeling slightly better today and so far, no one else is sick!

There is a light at the end of the flu tunnel on Thursday.. West Texas Fair and Rodeo! If you know me, I don't need to express my love for the Fair any longer. This is one of my favorite times of year! I love the rides, games, junk food, lights.. all of it! Last year I think we went 5 times in the 10 days it was open. It is an Abilene tradition and I am sure my kids will take these memories into adulthood. Saturday is the West Texas Parade and I cannot wait for that either!

Here is a collage of our Fair trips from last year.. Look how little Brylee was! 5 months old.. and Braelyn had just turned 2! :)

Lots of things

It's been a fun and crazy week at our house. Monday we got results from Braelyn's kidney tests and everything was perfect! I am so thankful, I appreciate the many prayers that were sent up on Braelyn's behalf. We are so blessed.

Here is Dylan and James skating at the Bassetti Elementary skate night :)

My grandmother, who I shared before was having some health problems and in the hospital, has had a minor set back. She has been through weeks of rehab to build her strength back and is finally walking again on her own and then last night she fell and hurt herself again. I talked to my Papa today and she didn't break any bones (thank God) but she has a pretty bruised up hip and is very sore so she won't get to go home on Tuesday, which was the plan. I know she is pretty sad about that and I'm sure she is feeling pretty set back so if you would pray for her and my Papa, I would appreciate it so much. My Papa is Superman and handling all this like a champ. He is a great caretaker and he keeps those nurses and rehab people on their toes making sure my grandma is taken care of so pray for his strength.. I know he is exhausted and ready for her to come home!

Wednesday we went to look at a Suburban to trade my Equinox in on. After much debating and dealing, we picked one that we loved and got the most amazing deal ever! It is not brand new.. just new to us! :) The Equinox, although I loved her, had a hard life with the kids and was, quite frankly, falling apart so we decided her time with us was done! Haha! I am loving the new suburban because it has SO much room! Three rows and we needed it! Since I have Dylan most of the time, 3 kids was pretty packed in my old car. Plus the suburban is fully loaded and I am thankful for the leather seats.. the cloth ones on the Equinox were destroyed by three sweet little kids! :) Leather seats should be a requirement with toddlers! And to be honest, I have never owned a big, long car so I am really trying to not smash anything anytime soon :)

In other news, this weekend is the MDA Telethon and I would like to personally encourage you to make a donation to an organization that is very close to my heart. MDA, as most of you know, is one of the leading sources of funding for ALS research. My mother passed away from ALS in May 1999 and I can not begin to tell you how much MDA means to my family. So sit at home, enjoy your family and watch the marathon on tv while you make a donation. Here is the link to MDA-ALS and here is the link to the MDA Telethon website. So many of us are blessed with our health and we can help out even just a little to those who aren't so fortunate. It's all in God's plan.

This weekend we are having some friends, Chris and Kristie, over who are in town and Braelyn is beside herself waiting for them to get here! We can't wait! Looks like we are going to get some rain too so hopefully we can still squeeze in a Labor Day Weekend Cookout. Saturday, Jeff and I are watching his two neices and my nephew again for the tonight so wish me luck with 5 kids again! :) We are going to have a blast! Can I just tell you that being an aunt is sometime more fun than "mom".. I can spoil them rotten and send them home! :)

Is that enough updates for you? Sorry to write a long blog but I had to get it all out! :) Donate to MDA and pray for my Granny and Papa.. that is your homework for the weekend :)

Reality? TV :)

I have no thoughts on The Duggars having their 19th child.. lol Watch the video!

Also THE HILLS is back on September 29th. Sorry, this is my "high school girl" indulgence. I can't help it! I had the trailer for the new season posted here but the link expired and I can't find it again :(