And more yard work
Saturday, April 3
Singing to his shoes
"Well mom, I am bored with your pictures..."
"...so I think I'll eat some grass..."
"...and wave at the cars going by. Hello!"
Singing to his shoes
"Well mom, I am bored with your pictures..."
"...so I think I'll eat some grass..."
"...and wave at the cars going by. Hello!"
Yard Work
Wednesday, March 31
Here is Dexter supervising the work from his cage...I mean playpen. He was so good Sunday afternoon as we transplanted and dug holes in our reconfigured front bed. It seemed like an easy enough task to re-shape the bed and stick a few azaleas in the ground. Oh no. Well, maybe it would have been easy if we didn't try and do everything else that weekend.
In the last 3 days we have:
-put out 1 pallet of grass in the backyard
-planted 19 new plants
-transplanted 8 large shrubs
-reshaped the front bed
-tilled up bed
-transplanted 30ft of monkey grass
We have one azalea left. YES! Here are a few more pics of the front yard - I have an album of all the yard work done started under "our pics".
Dexter's funny moods
Monday, March 22
Wearing Daddy's socks. "I look AWESOME!"
Hello old friend Marcus - so good of you to visit!
Maggie's Wedding
Sander and I out, without Dexter. It deserved a pic. We had a great time at my dear friend's wedding. They had a similar story to ours - good friends for a long time, dated for 7 months, engaged for 5. I really can't believe Sander and I have been married almost 5 years now. As we looked back at our friendship, time dating, and now marriage, I am astounded at how quickly the time passed. It has been a great 5+ years!
Everything was yellow! I loved how they decorated. They used the pear trees and other wildflowers that were in bloom and it looked terrific!
Old Irish dance friends. We tried to get a pic of all the old group, but this was the most we could get at one time.
The beautiful bride!
Baby Gifts
Friday, March 12
For my many mom friends, check out Cookie Magazine's latest gift guide for the 0-2 year age range.
http://www.cookiemag.com/gear/products/2008/08/birthday_presents
Squiddo Train set, $30 from Brio
This is one of my FAVS. I love the bright colors and unexpected shapes. Enjoy the link! Click here for the full post after the jump…
I'm crafting and sewing again
My dear friend Marisa has inspired me to sew again. She is making the most amazing bib necklaces and selling them here, on etsy. Such a great price and they are fabulously made by hand.
So, here is the story on the outfit, as I know you are dying to know:
I thought that I would go and buy a new spring outfit for my friend's wedding (which is tomorrow) and have been shopping/looking online for several weeks. Nothing has been just what I had in mind. Well, really I think I have the bug to design and sew again. When that happens I don't want to buy anything because I know if I make it myself it will be just what I want. So, I decided since I don't have time to make something for the wedding, I can liven up what I already have. See below for the brooch I made out of scraps of raw silk I just had on hand (anyone else have piles of unused fabric lying around, or is that just me?). The beads come from old earrings. I may add more, but I didn't want to overdo it with the crazy pattern on the dress.
Tree down
Here it is almost down. This guy was awesome and just climbed the tree with his foots spikes like it wasn't hard at all.
I thought I would really miss the tree, but nope. I love the house even more! It looks so clean and ready for anything. Gutters perhaps?
No Regrets!
Monday, February 22
Life is so precious. I think we take it for granted most days because that is how we are wired. If we thought every waking second about the meaning of life we would be wound so tight we couldn't enjoy it. Yet, sometimes there are bumps along our "normal" path and these bumps force us to take a look at why we value what we value and why we do what we do.
I have seen several close friends hit those bumps these past few weeks. Even today I heard of a loved one going through tremendous life change that is not pretty, not good, and completely unjust. Why? I can't say I know that answer. Why people suffer, why people go through times of tremendous stress is something people have been debating for centuries. I'm not going to even try and touch that question in a blog. But here is what has struck me hard...in a moment's time, your life can go from "normal" to completely crazy, and it is basically out of your control.
Ok, so that doesn't sound comforting or encouraging. I can imagine you're thinking, "Why are you blogging about this? You want us all depressed?"
Absolutely not! Why I am blogging is to encourage you as long as you have today, live it to its fullest! Are you doing what you want? Are you living for something bigger than yourself...or your bank account? I mean, with the economy the way it is, our dollar could be useless tomorrow. Are you using it today in a way that maximizes its potential?
Last night I went to a dinner honoring our ministry partners at church who live all over the world, using their time, money, and talents to help those who have no hope for a better future. They are sharing Christ. They are sharing access to health care. They are sharing their very lives.
Today may be all I have. So today I plan to sniff my sweet baby's head as much as possible. I plan to take him outside and let him play (his favorite), even if that means I don't get to finish the project I had planned. I am going to cook dinner and make sure I plan time to hang out and chat with Sander. And, as we make decisions about what to buy, what to save, and all the little life things we do - I want to be sure we have no regrets. No regrets that we didn't celebrate life and all the little phases. No regrets that we didn't do more to help others. No regrets that we bought a lot of stuff we threw away.
I know I don't share a lot from the Bible on here, but this section from the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians is so applicable to what I am thinking this week....I have to share:
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.Basically it says: figure out what God wants from your life and then be smart enough to do it once you know. Don't waste your time on stuff that just makes you feel bad the next morning and you regret, but instead sing, be thankful, and do it all because Jesus Christ has made your life meaningful.
Life is hard. Life is short. But as long as we have today, live it to the fullest! It may look like the smallest thing to you, the little choices you make make to live without regrets, but I think of the Mother Teresa quote: "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." What a letter it is. Let's be a part! Click here for the full post after the jump…
Kisses
Tuesday, February 9
Dexter loves the mirror, he loves himself, and he loves to practice "kisses". This is so adorable! Just click the picture above to watch.
Dexter Helps me Cook!
Friday, February 5
What a cutie! Click here for the full post after the jump…
Design*Sponge - the ideas are flowing!
Check out the full post here - worth the jump!
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/02/sneak-peek-emily-hensen.html
I want to embrace the Country Living motto: Live with what you love, get rid of the rest. Off to throw things away! Click here for the full post after the jump…
Christmas Pics
Friday, January 8
Soooo - I uploaded pictures about 2 weeks ago as I kept aluding to in my previous posts. I kept saying "see our album for more." Well, I uploaded them, but to my email address, not our joint email. I kept seeing them when I clicked but it was because I was signed into my email address, and not our joint email which would enable you to see them here. Anyway - won't get technical, but they are up where the world can see them now.
I added a lot of the ones my sister took to the end of the album. If any Ray is out there reading and has any extras, please send them my way and I can add them too. I know you took a lot!
Christmas Part III
I didn't think we'd make it to Richardson for Christmas. If Sander wasn't such an expert driver (thank you College Station ISD bus driving program) we would have been in a ditch or hit for sure. There were so many wrecks along the highway and I was a little freaked out. Sander told me I wasn't allowed to talk as I went a little overboard (who, me?) on the possible outcomes along the way. When we got to downtown Dallas it was "chock a block", so we cut through a frozen downtown, and finally made our way up 75. I started to calm down them. Whew. I am so glad we made it so Dexter could have his first Christmas with lots of loving Rays around.
Here he is with his Skuncle. That is Skyler + Uncle = Skuncle. Carrie would be Cantie (Carrie + Auntie), which she didn't like. We'll have to wait and see what nickname Dexter dreams up in a few months when he can talk.
Dexter got a few presents every where we went this Christmas.
It's official - he is now a Ray if he made the family line-up
Christmas Part II - Andrews Side
Requests have been flying for more Christmas pics. I have been flying solo here with Dexter a lot this week as meetings and work have kicked into high gear for Sander. Right now he is on a STEALTH (its an acronym, but I can't remember what it stands for...) retreat for a committee he serves on at Church. Our church is sending a relief and development team to the Republic of Georgia (remember, Sander went there last March). The retreat seems like it will be very informative - I can't wait to hear what he learns. I am sad it takes up all of tonight and all day tomorrow, but I'll survive by meeting friends at Lupe's tomorrow.
Ok, but we're talking about Christmas.
On the Andrews side of the family, we traditionally open gifts and celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve (which works out well as the Ray's celebrate on Christmas Day). Sander and I woke up at the crack of dawn Christmas Eve (5:45am) and hit the road for Ft Worth. By the time we got there it was snowing, and it only got worse as the day wore on. We made it to my aunt and uncle's house despite the icy conditions and really enjoyed our time there. I have many more pics in the album, but here are a few with my sisters and babies.
Sisters and babies in matching "First Noel" onesies made by yours truly.
First dance.
Putting Stephen to sleep so Meredith could finish opening her gifts. He is so laid back and easy going...ahhhh....
****Note, all pictures above were taken by my sister Meredith - thanks for sharing - your camera is better than mine!****
Good fences make good neighbors
Tuesday, January 5
Chronicles of Christmas - Part 1
Oh Christmas, oh Christmas, why do you have to be so hectic? The weeks leading up to Christmas I thought I had it all together. The lists were shortened with care, with hopes that some solace soon it would bear. Alas, even with a short list things had to be made, clothes had to be packed, and a supply of baby food to be made. We got out the door at 6:30am Christmas eve though, and so our trip began.
First stop? Grandmom and Jerry's (Big Guy) house. The highlight of the stop was the bag for Dexter. The first of many boxes and bags that he went NUTS for. He still isn't officially crawling, but he can army crawl just fine and was scurrying from one package to the next to see if he could get a bite.
Aunt Victoria was on hand to lend some help. One of the perks of having a baby around during a holiday is you get to dress them up in whatever hilarious outfit/hat you want. Doesn't he looks great? I love it! He didn't, and shortly after the picture was taken, the hat was off.
More to come!
Click here for the full post after the jump…
First stop? Grandmom and Jerry's (Big Guy) house. The highlight of the stop was the bag for Dexter. The first of many boxes and bags that he went NUTS for. He still isn't officially crawling, but he can army crawl just fine and was scurrying from one package to the next to see if he could get a bite.
Aunt Victoria was on hand to lend some help. One of the perks of having a baby around during a holiday is you get to dress them up in whatever hilarious outfit/hat you want. Doesn't he looks great? I love it! He didn't, and shortly after the picture was taken, the hat was off.
More to come!
Happy New Year!
Friday, January 1
Happy New Year from Dexter and the Ray family. We went out this chilly morning to check out the neighborhood. Since we don't have any real coats for our tropical baby, we made do with a Moby and Sander's old fleece.
Go eat some black eyed peas!
Neighbor Jane
Its been way too long since I blogged. Sorry any faithful blog followers...whoever you might be. The holidays are always busy with the baking, cleaning, packing, travelling, and eating. When it can down to it, I just didn't have the energy to blog. But, I have lots of Christmas stories to tell and pictures to share.
The picture above is Dexter with our neighbor Jane. She lives across the street and has been so sweet to our little guy. When the weather was warmer Dexter and I would sit on our bench after his afternoon nap and often we would have a visit from Jane. Now that the weather isn't so nice we don't get to see as much of her, but we paid her a New Year's Eve visit. Dexter has begun to really recognize her and smile so big anytime he sees her. I love to see how jolly our little former reflux baby is these days!
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