It's A GIRL!!!

Just yesterday Mike and I went in for my 20 week sonogram to check the baby's health and find out the sex. As everyone knows I was hoping for a girl since we already have a boy and we only plan on having two children, but I was mentally prepared for it to be a boy since that was what everyone thought it was going to be. To my surprise it is without a doubt a girl. I am over the moon and we are beyond thrilled. Everything else looked great in the sonogram as well. I cannot wait to meet her in 4 1/2 months! Oh how our lives will change, but in a good way :-)

My little girl

It's a girl!!!

NPDS 2012 Spring Program

Yesterday James' preschool held their Spring Program, in which each class sang a song for parental entertainment (I use that word loosely, but the kids were adorable). Here's a video of James' class singing their song, "A Wise Man Built" and some pictures of his class.

James' class getting ready to sing

James with Baw Paw after his performance

Strawberry Picking 2012

This past Tuesday my best friend, Margaret and I continued our annual tradition of taking James strawberry picking. We had just been hit with a big storm the night before so we weren't sure what to expect, but besides being a little muddy it was a perfect cool morning for picking strawberries. And the berries couldn't have looked better. They were plentiful and huge...now we know to definitely go at the beginning of strawberry season. James as always had a great time.

James is all ready to pick strawberries

James picking the best strawberries

James with Aunt Margaret

James getting a little help from Margaret

A shot of some of the strawberry patches (those are peach trees in the background)

He did such a great job!

the gorgeous strawberries we picked

Spring Break 2012

Another year, another spring break. Unfortunately we couldn't travel this year since Mike had to be out of town, but I tried to make sure I kept James busy with activities. On Monday we attempted to make paper mache eggs using balloons and tissue paper. I haven't actually finished them yet, but here's some pictures of James having a ball:



We first had to tear up the tissue paper into pieces

Then using modge podge you adhere the tissue to the balloon

James hamming it up

James with the "almost" finished products

I think I need to add another layer or two of tissue paper, then paint it with glitter glue to make it pretty. Once that dries I can pop the balloons and I'll have paper mache eggs to use for decoration. These also look like they would make adorable hot air balloons. You just would need to attach a little basket underneath and hang them. Just another option.

On Tuesday my best friend and I were planning on going to pick strawberries (a yearly tradition now), but they happened to be closed that day (hopefully we can go this week). So we decided to go the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch instead. This is somewhere you can drive your car through and animals will come up to the car to be fed. James really enjoyed them, but was very disappointed that the Zebras weren't out.

James feeding one of the animals (these ones were ruthless)

checking out one of the animals (don't remember what these were)

James and the Llama



We were able to feed baby goats in the petting zoo afterwards, which James really enjoyed

On Thursday we headed to the zoo with my sister-in-law and cousins Louisa and Aiden. By the way, remind me never to go to the San Antonio Zoo on Spring Break. Talk about a mad-house. We luckily got there early in the morning, but it was still crazy crowded and by the time we left around noon it was three times as crazy. Despite that, the kids had a good time as always.

James and Aiden studying the map



checking out the black bears

Again with the map (little boys and maps!)

James and Aiden on the hippos

To wrap up the week we headed to the Magik Theatre to see "If You Take a Mouse to School". I highly recommend taking your kids to one or two of these shows. The theatre is great and there is an amazing playground (of course I didn't get pictures) right outside of it to have a picnic lunch afterwards. I definitely plan on taking James back there throughout the year.

James reading his activity book waiting for the show to start

James waiting for the show (we sat up the balcony so the kids could see a little better)

James and his buddy Josh from school

All in all it was a great Spring Break, but I am definitely glad James is back in school this week and Mommy can have some alone time :-)

Happy 7th Anniversary

It's hard to believe, but I have been married to my best friend for 7 years. Here's to many years to come!

DIY Easter Wreath

Gotta love Pinterest! I was looking for an easy Easter wreath to make and where better to look than Pinterest. With numerous options available I settled on the plastic egg glitter wreath. Check it out!

The finished product

You start by getting those readily available and cheap plastic eggs that you can find anywhere. Then you need toothpicks, a foam brush, modge podge, iridescent glitter, foam wreath form, ribbon and clear enamel spray paint.

Start by sticking each egg on a toothpick (either in the small hole available or use the egg's opening) and then place them in Styrofoam. Then using the foam brush paint, one at a time, paint each egg with the modge podge and sprinkle with the glitter.

Here's James working his magic :-)

Then place those eggs back in the Styrofoam to dry. Here's a picture of the eggs finished and drying:

Once they are dry you can spray them with the clear enamel to help keep the glitter in place. Once they're are completely dry you can glue them to the wreath form. First wrap the form in ribbon so that the form doesn't show through. Then using a hot glue gun, glue your eggs to the wreath. Add a ribbon for hanging and viola! you have a glitter Easter egg wreath.

My Birthday Weekend

This past weekend was my 32nd birthday weekend and I am very blessed with wonderful friends and family who planned a lot of wonderful things for me. My actual birthday was Friday so my wonderful hubby took the day off to spend it with me. It started with a doctor's appointment, which normally wouldn't be something you would want to do on your birthday, but this was an appointment with my OBGYN in which we got to hear the little ones heartbeat, so it was a treat (we find out the sex at our next appointment on March30th!). We then went and had a nice lunch at one of my favorite places, Mon Thai Bistro (they have the best sushi!). After lunch we picked James up from school and took him roller skating, which he absolutely loves. I have taken him before myself, but it was really great to have Mike there with us so we could experience it as a family. As always, James had an absolute blast.

Isn't he adorable?!

James and Daddy ready to skate

Skating with Daddy

After we finished up with skating we headed over to my parents house for a birthday dinner they had planned for me. I feel so blessed to have my family nearby now so that I can spend my special days with them.

James and I with the delicious birthday cake

I would have been satisfied with just that special day, but my wonderful husband planned a date night for us the following night at Tre Trattoria. Of course I forgot to take pictures from that night, but we had a lovely time. Then on Sunday my best friend Margaret planned a spa day for me and some of my friends, which started with a wonderful brunch at her house.

The hostess with the mostest :-)

The wonderful spread: cranberry bread with cinnamon cream cheese, butter cheese (it's some kind of delicious french cheese), fruit salad with minted yogurt, salmon bites, deviled eggs (not picutred) and mimosas

Me and my girlfriend Courtney

Me and my SIL Mel

Ready to get my facial!

Me with all of the ladies after our makeovers (from the left: Monica, Margaret, Courtey & Melissa)

Thank you to everyone for a wonderful birthday. I am looking forward to many many more!