Valerie's Birthday

This post should have been written yesterday, so let's just pretend it was, okay?

I want to take a minute to celebrate someone very special to all of us today. Our baby sister Valerie. In her 20 years, Valerie has accomplished more than some people do in 40 years. She is strong, confident, independent, sweet, thoughtful, caring, brilliant, and FUN!! Valerie is the baby of the three of us, but sometimes can be the voice of reason for all of us. She has always had a natural spark that attracts everyone. She is known and LOVED by so many people for one reason - she is just VALERIE!!

Valerie started off as our little sidekick. She is 10 years younger than me and 8 years younger than Nancy, so she was our little baby. We cared for her, picked on her, dressed her up, babied her, but most of all, we LOVED her. Babied from day one by her big sisters, Valerie was always super special to us and to everyone else too. She sang songs at rodeos for tips, asked Mom and Dad the questions that we didn't want to ask (so they would say yes), and had to endure many mischevious little schemes that her big sisters put her up to.

She has grown from that little sidekick into a beautiful, charming young lady with an extremely bright future. I am so proud of the woman you have become Valerie. Your strength and independence are something that I admire.

Valerie is often the life of the party! She is fun, exciting, and full of life. There's never a dull moment when she is around!! She is Mom's baby, Daddy's Little Cowgirl, my baby sister, and Nancy's sidekick.

Her thoughtfulness and caring heart are evident with everything she does. She is a SUPER auntie to Barrett and he loves her so much!! He loves to see his Val-Val on Facetime and can't wait to hug her neck in just over a month. She sends the sweetest gifts for all of us and always remembers us on holidays and birthdays, which is so very special and always such a wonderful surprise.

Valerie has a gift with children and is one of the most sought after babysitters in Mabank. She loves kiddos and they LOVE her! I tried to arrange a deal with her many years ago that she could live with me for free and be our nanny, but that didn't work out so well for her career path. Aside from the fact that she lives in Lubbock and we live on the other side of the country, I just don't think that a long distance nanny would work out.

So today, Valerie, we celebrate YOU and the awesome young lady that you are. We love you with all of our hearts and miss you so much. We are proud of all of your accomplishments, but most of all, we are proud of you for just being you. It is so fun to watch you grow and develop into such a beautiful person. While we wish we could see you every day, we know that God has GREAT plans for your life and we can't wait to see each one unfold!! I want you to know what an inspiration you are to so many people and what a great gal you are!

I'm so proud to be your big sister.

Happy Birthday Little Sass!!! We love you!!

Fourteen Months...

This post is almost two months late, but I had to put these things in writing so I wouldn't forget.

Sweet Barrett,

You are now 14 Months Old!! How did the time pass so quickly? You are growing so fast that we can hardly keep up. We think you are the sweetest, funniest, smartest, most handsome little guy we know! Your personality is very inquisitive, loving, and outgoing - and you are just so much fun. Watching you grow is such a wonderful experience. We love to see you discover new things and learn more about this big world that you live in. Here is what you've been up to this month:

- You wear a size 4 diaper, size 12-18 month clothing, and a size 4 or 4.5 shoe.
- You sleep from around 8:00 p.m. - 6:30 a.m. We have a few rough mornings every now and then due to teething or runny noses, but you are getting the hang of things. Way to go big boy!!
- Napping has improved as you've grown too. You take a short 35-40 minute morning nap and then a longer 1 hour nap in the afternoon. Yeah Barrett!
- You LOVE to eat. The first thing you want when you wake up is to go downstairs to eat breakfast! Some of your favorite foods are bananas, BLUEBERRIES (balls), Spaghettios and meatballs (balls), oranges, peas, Nilla wafers, FRUIT SNACKS, and any type of fruit that we can find. You are such a great little eater!
- Milk is not really your favorite right now, but you seem to like it a little more each day.
- You can sign "more" and "all done"
- Books are some of your favorite things too! This month, you have really loved From Head to Toe by Eric Carle, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Llama Llama Red Pajama, and of course anything by Sandra Boynton
- Two more molars have made themselves known this month, although it hasn't always been pleasant for you. poor guy. Your upper right and left molars and lower left molars are coming right through!
- Your personality and vocabulary has really developed this month, with lots of new words, motions, and understanding.
- You have added the words, hot, "nak-nak" (snack), "bu-ba" (bubble), Boo!, "ha-buda" (Happy Birthday, or something like it :)  "wow", and "pop-pop" (for your ball popper)
- You can shake your head yes and no, make the animal motions with your Eric Carle book (the gorilla thumping his chest is a favorite), and love to nod yes and say hu (uh-huh) - SO CUTE!!
- Some of your favorite activities are reading books, being outside, playing with Doc and Daisy, and being anywhere with your Daddy
- When you are playing, you like to carry things around - your tractor, baskets, etc. and just show us how strong you are!
- One of your favorite new activities is sitting in chairs. We do have to remind you to sit on your bottom, but you LOVE your new blue chair and your rocking chair too. It is so fun to see you becoming a big boy and doing these things all by yourself.
- You have so many favorite toys that I will just list a few notables - Your Hide N' Squeak Eggs are always a big hit, any sort of ball, your new fire truck, the dancing dog, and ALL of your stuffed animals. They seem to get lots of sweet Barrett kisses!

There are just so many things we love about you that it's hard to list them all. We are so blessed to be your Mommy and Daddy and can't wait to watch you learn and grow even more!!

Fun with Friends!!

As I have said before, we have some really fantastic friends that are our resident family. We get together for birthdays, holidays, and any day in between that we need a little fun! It has been wonderful to have a group like this that can walk through this challenging time of life together.

Not only do the adults enjoy each other, but our kiddos are all very close in age and LOVE to play with each other. They seem to have found their first little best friends and are just so darn cute! I just had to share a few shots of these little friends playing together.

Happy Weekend!

Cooking up a little something for ya

Sweet sweet boys

Kisses

Sweet silly girls

Super Bowl party!

Who says boys can't cook?

Hello?

Three little monkeys all in a bed...

He did this all on his own!

So blessed to have such wonderful friends!

SURPRISE!!!

As you know, Thursday was Ryan's 30th Birthday. I had planned a low-key dinner and a couple of gifts for his actual birthday, but had much bigger plans in store to really celebrate! We gathered a few of our closest friends on Friday night to celebrate his big 3-0!! I coordinated with all of the girls to have a surprise dinner at Bonefish Grill. We arranged babysitters for all of the little ones (which NEVER happens) and had a wonderful night out celebrating one of our favorite guys!!

I told Ryan that we had a dinner date planned and Amanda would be here to watch Barrett and we would eat dinner at 7:00. Everything went according to plan and we were out the door ON TIME!! It was a shock to me that we actually had it together and were out of the house without incident.

We drove a little down the road when the girls started texting me to STALL because our table was not ready! I had no idea how I could accomplish this since we were already gone. I tried slowing down Ryan's driving and asking lots of questions when I finally came up with a plan. I asked him if he had any gum. Gum? Yes, I know it was lame, but I was desperate. We have four giant containers of gum in the pantry, but none in the car! He agreed to stop at Walgreen's, where I was trying my best to make sure we had enough time so the group could at least hide near the table. I asked for lipgloss, debated on gum flavors and also had the sales girl assist in my plans to stall. Great job, salesgirl!

When we arrived at the restaurant, the table still wasn't ready, so I had Ryan drop me at the door. The gang squeezed into a corner and I arranged with the hostess to play along. She escorted us to the table and SURPRISE!! Ryan saw the group and was on to the fact that we pulled one over on him!

Our dinner was delicious and the company was even better! We had a wonderful time together celebrating Ryan's big day. I couldn't have done it without the help of the girls - from picking up the cupcakes to making toppers and a gift to helping come up with our group gift, everyone was tremendous! Our gift to Ryan was a compilation of the Top 10 Things We Love About Ryan. Allyson helped me put this together to make it pretty and it was such a perfect gift!!

Thanks to all of our friends for helping to make this guy's birthday so special. We love you all!

The birthday boy

My girls - love you all!!!

They think they are just sooo cute.

Much better

The whole gang, minus Didi

My man. Happy Birthday!!

Thursday Randoms

So, it's been quite the week at the Hall house. Ryan was gone for four days to a conference in Birmingham, leaving the B man and I to fend for ourselves. We had a great time together, just playing and doing what we do, with the exception of one minor unwanted friend - vomit. Yuck.

Due to some nasty drainage, the little guy's tummy was a little wacky, so we enjoyed four fun-filled days of yucky. Needless to say, Ryan and I had the most un-romantic Valentine's day ever. I took Barrett to the doctor to figure out the culprit, which was just a little acid reflux due to the combination of penicillin, drainage, and a little tummy irritation. Ryan got back into town just in time to meet us at the doctor's office, where we picked up a quick prescription for some generic Pepcid and were on our merry way.

We spent the rest of our Valentine's Day cooking a little dinner and watching a movie together before crashing. Romance? Maybe next year. All I had for my sweet Valentine was a card I picked up a few weeks ago. So sad. Barrett and I were going to make some little lovies for our favorite people, but that will need to wait until next year too. Sorry folks.

Anywho, we've got big exciting plans for the weekend - the GRANDPARENTS are coming!! Woohoo!! Grammy, Pops, Aunt Nance and Dustin will be joining us for a few days and a fun visit. The crazy folks are making the 16 hour drive to come and spend their free weekend with us - let the spoiling begin! We don't have many big plans, but I'm sure we can come up with something.

Anyone heard of The Color Run? My BFF Abbey mentioned this on Facebook earlier this week and it piqued my interest, so today, while I was supposed to be doing other things, I looked up The Color Run.

What is the Color Run?
The Color Run is a one of a kind experience that is less about speed and more about enjoying a color crazy day with your friends and family. Our events, are all about people of all different speeds, ages, shapes, and sizes toeing the start line. Whether you are a casual morning mall walker or an Olympic athlete, the 3 miles of the Color Run course will be the most enjoyable real estate you’ve traveled in a VERY long time.
How does it work?
The Color Run pretty much has 2 SIMPLE rules. 1. White shirts (any mostly white T will work great) mandatory at the start line and 2. Color plastered EVERYTHING at the finish!  Runner/walkers begin the 5k at the start line like a brand new pristine coloring book, they end looking like they fell into a Willy Wonka… tye died… vat of colored goodness.

http://thecolorrun.com/about/

So, I'm thinking this sounds like a must-do in my book. These are the next two. Who's with me??

TENNESSEE/ October 20 **REGISTRATION OPENS SOON

NORTH CAROLINA / October 27 *REGISTRATION OPENS SOON

That's all the randomness for today folks. Happy Thursday.

Happy Birthday Ryan!!

Exactly thirty years ago today, something wonderful happened. A sweet baby boy was born in Sherman, Texas. Today, I want you all to know just how wonderful this Oklahoma boy is. I know that I am a little biased because he is my husband, but he truly is one of the kindest, most gentle people I have ever met. Loved by everyone, his bright smile and those cute dimples seem to have a way with people...especially me and the old ladies who are his patients.

Ryan loves his Jesus, his family, and his Sooners - which even this Cowboy fan has grown to love (or at least cheer for.) His care for other people makes him an excellent doctor and an even better husband and friend. He works hard, plays hard, and loves even harder. Even though his job carries a workload and stress level most of us cannot imagine, he always leaves it at the front door. With little time for rest and relaxation, he makes the best of the circumstances and has as much fun as he can on a limited schedule.

He is the true definition of a friend.  

   

Always up for an adventure, he is one of the most fun guys I know. Whether it is learning to do a backflip off of a boat, taking ballroom dance classes, or running a race - this guy knows how to have a good time!

He is the BEST husband I could have ever asked for. When I prayed for a husband, I had a "checklist." Ryan met every single one of those criteria and more. I remember our first date and knowing I would marry him from the time he rang the doorbell! My oh my, how far we've come!

I learn something about life from him each and every day. His patience and grace are something to be admired - especially with all of my crazy hare-brained ideas. He always agrees to my "bright ideas" without complaint, even if some of them aren't so bright. We have had more fun and great adventures together than I can count and I know there are many more to come.

Ryan is the most thoughtful man I have ever met. Ever the romantic, any gift from him is sure to be just the thing to knock your socks off! He makes me laugh constantly and appreciates my sense of humor, no matter how warped it may be. His strength makes him the person I can count on and he is the voice of reason when I need one. He is the one I want to come home to every night and the hand that I want to hold. He truly is my best friend.

Not only is Ryan a fantastic husband, but he is the BEST Dad ever!! Barrett is his pride and joy. From day one, Ryan has been my right hand man, never leaving me to go it alone. I truly don't know what I would do without him. Whether changing dirty diapers, helping with bath time, or taking bedtime duty, he is always there. No matter how little sleep he has had, he never tires of being the Dad that any child would love to have.

Barrett loves his Daddy so much and is a true Daddy's boy!

There are so many things to love about my sweet husband and words alone cannot express just how wonderful you are to me and how much you mean to us. So today, honey, on your 30th birthday, I want you to know just how much I love you. I am so proud to be your wife. Here's to 100 more birthdays together!

Happy Birthday Nancy!!

You know those people in your life who know all about you and love you anyway? Those who are so close that you don't have to say a word to know what the other one is thinking? Who can make you laugh and make you cry and make you laugh again with just a look? Well TODAY - yes, today - is the day we celebrate the birth of just one of those gals!

Today is Nancy's (also known as Aunt Nance, Nanny, or Na-Na) BIRTHDAY!!! From the time I was two years old, Nancy has been my very best friend. We were always in it together - playing house, school, or beauty shop - and making huge messes! Today, we are still in it together - sharing fashion advice, beauty tips, and everyday life even though we live hundreds of miles apart. We spend our extra money on plane tickets  to visit each other and STILL cry every time we have to say goodbye!

Nancy is one of the most beautiful people I know, inside and out. She has a gift with children and was born to be a teacher. Her bright eyes and smile are contagious and can brighten any room. Nancy's heart is as big as Texas! She always goes the extra mile to make you feel special. Nancy is a wonderful gift-giver and always knows just the right touch to help you feel loved.

Nancy is the most wonderful "Auntie" and loves with her whole heart. Barrett loves his "Aunt Nance" and she adores him too. Whether it was rocking him in the middle of the night as a newborn, teaching his Mama the "baby bounce" or reading Barrett stories, she has always known just what to do. Aunt Nance spoils Barrett with lots of wonderful goodies - books, fun toys, and darling clothes - and that is just so special to us! 

I wanted to take the time today to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little sister and best friend. I am so proud of the woman that you have become. Thank you for making a difference and walking through life with me. Thanks for plucking my eyebrows, making me laugh, and helping me get it together in those times that I have needed it most. I admire you for your strength, perserverance and kind heart.

While we don't see each other more than a few times a year, you are always on my mind and in my heart. I am so grateful that God blessed me with you for a sister. My wish for you today is that you know just how special you are as you celebrate your day.

Happy Birthday Nancy!!!

We LOVE you!!

Sesame Street LIVE!!

We kicked off the New Year with a bang! Not really, it was more like - Daddy's on call, Mommy's asleep on the couch, and Barrett is sleeping (hopefully) soundly until (possibly) 7:00 a.m. on New Year's Day! However, it was still fun to see the arrival of a New Year, and get ready for another year of fun!

Our first activity of the New Year was going to our very first live performance. Sesame Street LIVE came to town with their show 1-2-3 Imagine! Our resident family girls decided that we would take the little ones to see the show. They had discount tickets for a Friday afternoon, so with some special permission from my boss, I cut out a few hours early for some fun!

Barrett has a new fondness for Elmo (thanks to the lifesaving YouTube videos on my phone), so I thought we would give it a shot! It was a HUGE success! He and his little friends loved the music, bright lights, happy characters and lots of activity. It was a very cute show and so much fun! If you are thinking of taking your little one, please GO!! Arm yourself with plenty of snacks and sit away from the stairs, but just GO!

Barrett had to enjoy a pre-show snack of graham crackers and water

Our Mommy and Barrett shot

Watching closely for Elmo

There they are!

This is the whole gang, with the little gals munching on some popcorn

More characters and "Big Duck" as Ellie calls him...

So pretty Mom!

He loved clapping along and dancing to all of the great music!

After the show, we tried to get some shots of the kids with an Elmo cutout near the merchandise, but this was as good as we could get. They were all worn out, but had a great day together! I hope we can make this one of our "family traditions!"

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?