Taylored Life

1st Trip to the Zoo!

2009-11-13T20:55:00.003-06:00

Since Ross and I both had Veteran's Day off and it was such a gorgeous day, we decided to take Jackson to the zoo for the very first time. He now knows lots of animals and the noises they make, so he had a blast! The monkeys were probably his favorite, and the Houston Zoo has quite a few of them. Here are some pictures from the day. There are more in the album.

Quasny Wedding

2009-11-13T19:56:00.004-06:00

I finally got all of our pictures posted from the last couple of weeks. The pictures of Jackson waddling around as a penguin are in the 12-18 months album, and the pictures from my cousin, John's, wedding are in the Rainwater Wedding Album.

After my cousin's wedding in Arkansas, Ross and I made our way to St. Lucia for another wedding. We spent several days relaxing on the beach before our friends, Todd and Heather, got hitched! They let me and another friend, Kathy, document the event, so there are lots of pics in the album. Here are my favorites from the day of the big event.

The morning of the wedding, Kathy and Ryan and Ross and I took a short hike to Fort Rodney.

Then the girls got together for a little relaxation, fun, and pedicures. Here are Heather and her mom enjoying their pedis.

The guys spent their morning relaxing in their own way, but we managed to catch a glimpse of them at lunch.

After lunch the girls got busy getting ready for the big event!

Here comes the bride.

Getting hitched!

The happily married couple at their reception.

A couple of posed shots.

A walk on the beach before wrecking the dress...

Skipping away to change for dinner.

The whole group after dinner.

It was a beautiful wedding and a great week! We can't thank Ross' mom enough for watching Jackson so we could be a part of these events. She had her hands full with a sick, teething baby and a broken down car. Fortunately, everyone is doing better this week!

Rainwater Wedding

2009-10-31T22:39:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we enjoyed a wonderful rehearsal dinner with the bride and groom, Sarah and John, and today was a perfect day for their beautiful wedding. John is one of my cousins, and we were so excited to be part of the festivities. Since I'm an only child my cousins are the closest thing I've got to brothers and sisters, so they hold a very special place in my heart! We are so happy to have Sarah joining our family. She is such a sweet and genuine person, and I look forward to getting to know her better and better over the years! Here's a picture of them from the rehearsal dinner and one of me and Ross at the wedding today. I'll post more in the album soon.

Waddle, Waddle, Waddle

2009-10-31T10:00:00.003-05:00

Jackson is a penguin for Halloween this year. He has a book called Waddle that he loves. When he sees the penguin in it he says, "waddle, waddle, waddle" and rocks from side to side. He dressed up for school on Friday, and we managed to get a couple of pictures. He's learned what to do with a cell phone too...

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-25T20:41:00.004-05:00

Today we made what will likely be our first annual trip to the pumpkin patch with Jackson, and we took lots of pictures of Jackson exploring the rows of pumpkins...more in the album!

While He Was Gone...

2009-10-25T19:53:00.006-05:00

While Ross was busy in Korea, Jackson and I dealt with some ups and downs, which were expected since Ross was out of town. The day Ross left was the day Jackson had a fever of 103 and was found to have an ear infection on top of the flu! With Jackson being sick that Friday and Monday being Columbus Day, we enjoyed a 4 day weekend together. Once the medicine kicked in he seemed like his usual, happy self.

We had a short work/school week because Jackson and I headed to Ruston, LA on Thursday for LA Tech's Homecoming Weekend festivities. My mom graciously volunteered to drive to Houston and make the trip with us to help entertain Jackson on the 5.5 hour drive.

Friday was a big day for me. Aside from my usual Industrial Engineering Advisory Board meetings, I was honored as Louisiana Tech University's Young Alumnus of the Year.

Since Ross was in Korea and wasn't able to join us, a lot of our family and friends came to support me. I had to give a short thank you speech in front of a crowd that we're guessing was between 200-300 people. There were 7 other people recognized as well, the Disitinguished Alumnus of the Year and an alumnus of the year from each college. It was a really nice ceremony, and I made it through my speech!

After the ceremony I was asked to speak to the engineering students, so we talked about NASA and what flight control is all about. Then we wrapped up our advisory board meeting with mock interviews for the students who wanted a little practice. When I got back to my grandparents house that evening, Jackson was sick again! This time with a stomach bug that fortunately only lasted the day.

Saturday was LA Tech's Homecoming game, which they won! My cousin, Meg, and I made it to the tailgating events along with Jackson and my parents just before the game started, so we managed to catch a few friends and check out the Eco Car our friend, Heath, has helped oversee. Jackson loved honking it's horn!

We also had a great time hanging out at my Grandparents' house. There are lots of pictures from the weekend in our album, but here are a few more to enjoy now.

IAC in Korea

2009-10-22T19:31:00.005-05:00

As many of you know, I spent last week at the International Astronautical Congress in Daejeon, Korea. This was an amazing experience culturally and professionally. I had the opportunity to have conversations with the current NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden, two of the Associate Administrators, many astronauts, and several big wigs in large aerospace companies. I, also, saw the President of Korea speak and had dinner with the Vice Mayor of Daejeon. In addition, the organizers provided many opportunities to experience the culture of Korea. While I must admit that I wasn't crazy about all of the food, the entertainment was great! Unfortunately, I was using my point-and-shoot camera and the lighting was rarely good so I don't have much in the way of pictures. That said, here are a few pictures and a video.

A Few Firsts

2009-10-12T21:14:00.003-05:00

This week has flown by. I've been busy keeping up with 2 jobs and will continue to do so for another week or so. One morning this week as I was loading Jackson into my car to head to daycare, Jackson discovered the moon. It was still high in the sky, and it just seemed to captivate him. Several of the books we read at night have pictures of the moon, but I think this was the first time he noticed the real thing!

The other firsts for the week weren't nearly as exciting. When Jackson got home on Thursday he had a fever of 103! He was still acting like his normal happy self and eating like a champ, so we chalked it up to the vaccines he'd gotten the week before...even verified with the doctor's office. However, Saturday morning it became clear this was more than a reaction to a vaccine. It turned out the poor little guy had an ear infection on top of the flu. Both were firsts for him. He's now taking 5 different meds, but doing great with all of them. I can only hope he will always be this good about taking medicine!

Sunday morning his fever was already gone and he was back to his usual smiling self. He especially enjoyed the fireman's hat my friend from work, Lauren, gave him this week. Jackson has also learned to say cheese when taking pictures, which is what he's doing in the first one here if you can't tell.

Celebrations

2009-10-04T19:43:00.002-05:00

This has been a week for celebrations at our house. Monday, I found out I got the job I applied for...something I've been wanting to do for a long time, but I just became eligible to apply for this summer.

Wednesday, we got doubly good news. We found out we are having a little girl, and we also found out we're going to have a nephew! Ross' sister and brother-in-law were matched for an adoption, and the baby is due in early December. We are so excited and ask for your prayers that everything goes well throughout the rest of this process for all involved.

Then we spent the weekend in Leakey to celebrate Ross' 1st cousin once removed, Dick's, birthday. This was a bittersweet weekend because we found out the cancer has spread to his brain and he will likely have surgery this week, so more prayers are needed for this too! The birthday party was wonderful though. It was fun to see some of Ross' family on the Taylor side that we haven't seen in years, and to get to know some of Dick's friends a little better. He seemed to really enjoy the party, and Jackson did a great job of sleeping through it.

Despite the overcast and rainy weather, we enjoyed a little of the outdoors while we were there. I got a few pictures of JD playing on Leslie and Philip's swing and enjoying the pool from a different perspective...he wanted to walk right in! JD also enjoyed a fun ride around the ranch between rain showers, but I didn't remember to bring the camera for this one. Here are a few pics, but there are more in the album.

Another reality check that, yes, Jackson looks like Ross!

Playing with the "goggies".

The pool from a different view...

It's a...

2009-10-04T19:39:00.003-05:00

Baby Taylor #2 is a GIRL! We are so very excited and can't wait to meet her! I had my 18 week ultrasound on Wednesday, and everything is looking good so far. We have put off all planning including names and decorations until getting this news, so let the planning begin! Here is a good profile pic of our sweet little girl. There are a few more in the album.

Maddie's B-day Party

2009-09-17T19:23:00.004-05:00

Last weekend Jackson and I made our way to a friend, Maddie's, 2nd b-day party. It was a lot of fun for both of us, but since there were balloons at the party, Jackson was ecstatic! I didn't take my camera knowing my hands would be full keeping up with JD, but these are courtesy of Maddie's dad. Thanks Mike! If you can't tell, balloons are still one of JD's favorite toys!

There are a few more in the album too, and yes, the bruise has reappeared. Although, he's getting better and better about not tripping and catching himself with his forehead...

Labor Day Weekend Fun

2009-09-09T20:07:00.002-05:00

Our Labor Day weekend was packed with even more fun than usual this year. We went to Shreveport as usual and stayed with my folks. Jackson had a blast walking up and down their street and playing in the back yard. We couldn't resist taking a few pics.

From there we made our way to my high school's danceline reunion. We all met at a park, ate yummy food, and had fun visiting. Most of us haven't seen in each other in over 10 years! Everyone looked the same with the addition of husbands and kiddos. Here is a picture of the girls. There are more from the park in the album.

Next was the main event...the Stone Family Reunion, which is Ross' mom's family. It's a two day affair filled with fun. We start off Saturday evening at Ross' Aunt Dottie and Uncle Jim's house with burgers, hot dogs, and all the fixin's. Sunday brunch is had at Ross' parents' house, and then everyone heads to his Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Laura's house for swimming, fajitas, and karaoke! Did I mention there are 45 people at each of these events? It's a blast! I love seeing how everyone changes each year. Here are a few pics from the events, but of course, there are a lot more in the album.

Jackson got to "ride" Grandad's motorcycle.

Taylor Family Picture

Just the 3 (or 4) of us

Jackson stopping to pose for a few pics.

Jackson and Anna Claire playing together.

Swimming is fun! Especially when Daddy throws me!

A little karaoke fun to end the evening.

And that's not all...we celebrated my Granddaddy's 82nd birthday Monday over lunch before we left town. Jackson's middle name, Dean, is after my Granddaddy, Harry Dean. We all loved spending time with them, and Jackson got really excited about the cake!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2009-09-01T18:15:00.004-05:00

THE GOOD...

Jackson's 8th tooth finally broke through, so he's been in a great mood lately. Ross has been busy working the shuttle flight, which means JD and I have had some fun, quality time together. Here are a few pics from playing around the house on Sunday.

JD with his duck, which he will tell you says "qua, qua"

JD playing peek-a-boo from behind the door.

I'm gonna get you...

What to do next?

We also had another ultrasound done at my last appointment, which was over a week ago...sorry for the delay! This was for the nuchal translucency test. It was fun to get to see the little one again so soon, but apparently it's harder to see through scar tissue (from my c-section), which meant it was harder to get a good pic to share. The little one didn't want to cooperate either. He or she was moving all over the place, which was very different from Jackson. Jackson didn't move at all. I remember them shaking my belly to try to get him to change positions, but I guess he was comfortable. Here's one of the better pics of Baby Taylor #2 from the visit.

THE BAD...

Of course, along with the good comes the bad. Last week Jackson fell at daycare. He landed on a chair with his mouth and almost put a tooth through his lip. After a couple of popsicles and some extra TLC from his teachers, he was good to go. I have to say I've been impressed with how quickly it's healing!

THE UGLY...

We are in the midst of our first home repair. After only 3 weeks in our new house, a wet spot appeared on the ceiling in our living room! We had someone come out to look at it today, but even they couldn't figure out where it came from. There aren't any pipes near that area. After they left, Ross noticed a very small spot in another ceiling upstairs that's fairly close to the area downstairs and both are close to a wall, so we're wondering if it's a roof problem or something...the roof was replaced last year though! Hopefully, we can get it figured out and fixed soon. In the mean time, there's now a hole in the ceiling of our living room!

Jackson likes fruit!

2009-08-28T18:43:00.007-05:00

Jackson really likes fruit! He starts saying "NANUH!" (banana) as soon as we walk in the door from day care. But, he also loves cantaloupe, watermelon, applesauce, etc. Here is a video of him eating watermelon. Keep in mind, he has already eaten an entire toddler meal and a fair bit of watermelon at this point.

And that's "more" he's saying if you can't tell. He can also sign "more" but gets a bit excited with the watermelon right there in front of him.

Rational Sentiment Update

2009-08-26T23:03:00.002-05:00

Due to our general busyness, I haven't posted much lately over at Rational Sentiment, but with things slowing down a bit, I'm hoping to post more frequently again. I added a post today on healthcare and I'm hoping to discuss the topic in more detail coming up. I've also added a permanent link to the site on the links page (you can click "links" above) so that those of you who frequent this site can find my other one when you feel like it.

We've Moved, 11 Weeks Prego, & 14 Months Old!

2009-08-15T19:49:00.004-05:00

We've moved! We've been here for a little over a week now, and we're starting to get settled into our new house. We owe a huge thanks to both our moms for helping us pack and unpack, as well as a handful of friends. We couldn't have done it without you! The first trimester of this pregnancy has been fairly rough for me as far as feeling sick and just being exhausted, which meant I wasn't a lot of help packing. Fortunately, around the time we moved I started feeling a little better and was able to do more. We've got the majority of the boxes unpacked. Now we're just down to the few that we're not sure what to do with...pretty good progress for a little over a week in my opinion!

I'm now 11 weeks pregnant with baby #2. We had a doctor's appointment this week, and aside from my blood pressure being really low, which explains why I've been SO tired, the baby looked great! We could see the heartbeat during the ultrasound, and we were given a picture of our sweet baby to bring home and share.

Jackson is now 14 months old! He's walking like a pro and only seems to fall every once in a while now. He loves the new house. He wanders everywhere and gets into everything. He has even mastered going up the stairs...we're working on going down.

He also has a few words to go along with the babbling. Shoe is by far his favorite word. He gets so excited about playing with them and wearing them. He has learned to say/sign the words "more", "eat", "done", and "milk", which have been a huge help at mealtimes, and he likes to say "quack, quack" when he finds his stuffed animal duck.

His new daycare has been wonderful. He loves being there and has learned so much. They do lots of fun activities to keep him busy. The activity he gets most excited about right now is music and dancing time. He loves to clap, stomp, and motion hooray for the song "If you're happy and you know it". He's made lots of great friends with the kids and staff. Although, I think he's a bit of a troublemaker...he's curious about everything including climbing on top of tables and running for the door when it opens!

Today we took a break from working on the house and went to the Bay Area Park. Bailey had fun at the dog park there, and Jackson had a blast on the swings and slides. Here are several pics to make up for lost time, and of course, there are more in the album.

Catching Up (Big Announcement Too)!

2009-07-22T18:18:00.003-05:00

There's been another delay in posting, but at least I can say our lives have been busy! I'll just hit the highlights for you. Backing up to the last post about the weekend we had an offer accepted on a new house...that very same day we found out that I am pregnant again! My first doctor's appointment was last week, and everything looks good. The expected due date is March 4th!

Since then we have also sold our house. It was only on the market for a whopping 9 days and had well over 20 showings in that short time.

Jackson also had his 1 year doctor's appointment where he got his first serious bump on the head...at least we were at the doctor's office right? He was toddling around the room and landed forehead first on a low shelf beneath a bench. A bruise and welt showed up almost immediately. Fortunately, he recovered quickly, and otherwise, he's doing great. He is now in the 50-75th percentile in height and the 35th percentile for weight. Both are higher than the curve he's been on, so he's definitely growing well.

I also turned 30 since the last post. The shuttle finally launched that day, which was a good present, and Ross and Jackson gave me some beautiful red tulips. I had fun taking pictures of them as you can see.

4th of July

2009-07-05T20:40:00.002-05:00

Sorry for not posting last weekend. It turned out to be an overwhelming weekend. My mom was in town, which was a saving grace because she was able to keep Jackson while we signed all the paperwork to put in an offer for a new house, which was accepted! She was also able to help us pack some things to be put into storage so we could get our house ready to sell, and she kept Jackson while Ross took me to the ER for one of the worst migraines I've ever had!

This weekend was a little less stressful and a lot of fun. We made our way to Leakey, TX to visit with family. While we were there we participated in the Leakey 4th of July parade. Ross, Jackson, and I were crowd control for the Frio Spring Lodges' Float, which was a huge roller. Crowd control was needed because the float was not only throwing beads and candy but also popsicles! They were a huge hit on such a hot day, but we didn't want anyone to get squashed just for a popsicle! Here are some pictures of everyone getting ready for the parade. I don't have any of the actual action, but there are a bunch in the album.

Here are Ross and Jackson ready to go!

This is Ross' 1st cousin once removed, Dick, that owns the lodges and drove the roller.

After the parade, we made our way back to the Stepladder Ranch where Ross' Dad, John; a family friend, Buz; and Dick smoked some cabrito. Here are the guys enjoying the shade.

Aunt Leslie and Uncle Philip introduced Jackson to Noel, and then Jackson got to go on his first horse ride!

Then he had fun playing outside in the dirt. It was a great day!

Many thanks to Leslie and Philip for hosting us!

We hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T18:45:00.002-05:00

It's been another busy week. Aside from my photography class, there were lots of good things going on this week. We had painters at our house this week, which means the garage is officially done, and we are very happy with it! We also found out Jackson will be changing day cares next week. We are excited about the change, but once again sad to be leaving the teachers behind. Hopefully this will be the last change until he goes off to school though.

Saturday was our busiest day this week. We managed to get our yard work done before it got too hot. Jackson had fun lounging around in his PJs with Bailey while Ross was working.

Then we took Bailey and Jackson to Bay Area Park for a picnic and some play time. Bailey had a blast in the dog park. Her favorite friend was this sweet little 10 week old puppy that loved playing in the fountain.

Jackson had a great time on the swings and rocking on the horse before enjoying his first real picnic at the park. Here are a few pictures of the fun.

Saturday evening our friends, Katie and Jason, had a house warming party in Katy, TX. We had a great time catching up with some friends we haven't seen recently, while Jackson had fun hanging out with his favorite sitter, Ms. Heather.

Ross' 2nd Father's Day was...just as difficult as the first. Last year we were adjusting to a brand new baby. This year, Jackson decided not to nap, which made for a long, fussy day. Overall, it was still great though. We had a good, manly breakfast this morning followed by church and a little house hunting since Jackson wouldn't sleep. Of course we rounded out the day like any other celebration with a dinner at Lupe Tortilla!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

Photography Class #2

2009-06-18T19:46:00.003-05:00

I had my second photography class yesterday evening at Houston Center of Photography, and I've had fun playing around a little today with the settings on our camera. Here's one of the better shots from today. There are more in the album.

Happy 1st Birthday Jackson

2009-06-14T12:14:00.007-05:00

Friday was Jackson's 1st birthday, and he has had a great birthday week filled with several firsts. Monday Jackson had his first taste of whole milk. We're combining it with his formula this week, and he seems to love it. Tuesday Jackson started letting go and taking a few steps on his own at day care. When I arrived to pick him up, his teacher ran to grab him, stood him in front of me, and let go. He wobbled his way over to me with the biggest grin. I was filled with very mixed emotions! Wednesday I gave Jackson his very first hair cut, so he has less of the "faux-hawk" look as I like to call it. I followed him all around the house to get it done, but he did pretty well. He even took the comb from me at one point and tried to comb his own hair. It was very cute!

Friday was lots of fun as well. We started the day by visiting Jackson's old day care teachers. They were so excited to see him...one of them even cried, which was very sweet. You could tell how much they loved him. From there we went to the mall for a special birthday treat. While Jackson was taking his nap, Ross got home from his week-long trip to Canada. He was so excited to see Dada when he woke up! Bailey had a vet appointment that afternoon, so we made it a family outing. Jackson got LOTS of attention from everyone there once they found out it was his birthday. I think it even helped us get in a little sooner. :-) We ended the day with an early dinner at Lupe Tortilla with our friends, the Montpools. Their three adorable kids played with Jackson keeping him laughing and smiling the entire evening. By the time we got home Jackson was ready to crash. It was such a wonderful day!

Yesterday we took Bailey to the new dog park where she got to run around with a pack of beagles. They were all much younger than Bailey, and it showed. She had more fun watching them run around in circles than joining them in the fun. Jackson got to play at the park too. He had a great time swinging and rocking on a horse. That afternoon we went to a birthday party for Jackson's friend, Chase, from day care. Jackson and Chase actually share a birthday, so it was a special celebration. They had all kinds of fun activities including moon walks and a ball pit. Jackson was in heaven!

Today we went to church as usual, and then spent the afternoon running errands. When we got home we all spent some time lounging in the baby pool in the backyard. Jackson had a great time splashing around and putting grass in the pool. Our friend Heather then came over to watch Jackson so Ross and I could have an evening out. We stumbled upon a restaurant called La Tapa Tapa, which turned out to be one of the best places we've been in Clear Lake!

It's been an amazing year with Jackson. Ross and I really can't remember what life was like before he got here, but at the same time this year just flew by. We have been so blessed to have such a healthy, happy baby boy and to be surrounded by such loving friends and family. It's amazing to see how much he's changed in such a short time. Here are my favorite photos from each month of his life so far.

The Good and The Bad

2009-06-07T20:38:00.002-05:00

It's been another good week at the Taylor household...for the most part. We had some plumbing problems with our kitchen sink that started the day of the crawfish boil. The disposal decided to quit, and in the process of replacing it, Ross discovered a leak on the other side of the sink that wasn't going to be easy to fix. Fortunately, Ross knows his limits and decided to call a plumber for that one! We now have a fully operational and draining disposal and sink! We also got a quote from a painter for the garage, so we're making progress there too!

I took a photography class from Houston Center of Photography this week, which I really enjoyed. I'm hoping to be able to learn how to really use our camera. I'm excited to now understand the simple stuff like shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. I see a whole new world opening up with this knowledge. Hopefully I can retain and apply it!

Saturday was a full, but extremely fun day! It started with breakfast with a friend from work, Melissa. I really enjoyed getting to know her better and am excited to have another girlfriend at work...no offense guys. From there we went to the Chili Cookoff hosted by Johnson Space Center. We met up with more friends from work and made our way to the cookoff in support of Stephen and Sara who were part of the competition this year.

We had a great time wandering around eating lots of chili. Of course, Stephen's was the best in our opinion. :-) Here are a few action shots of the fun.

It was a HOT summer day, so we were excited to spend the late afternoon and early evening celebrating our friend Emma's b-day and introducing Jackson to a real swimming pool. Jackson loved the pool and even went to bed at their house so we could continue the celebration. I didn't want to miss out on the fun, so we didn't get very many pics. You can see what we got in the album.

Today has actually been a rough day. Jackson is in the process of dropping his morning nap at day care. We didn't try it yesterday because he seemed really tired. However, this morning was a different story, so we decided to give it a try. He was a grump all day, which is not at all normal for Jackson, so I'm wondering if he's really ready to give up that nap.

We ended the day with a little scare. Jackson coughed up a little blood after going to bed tonight. He'd been asleep for almost an hour when he started fussing, which is not unusual. We typically let him cry for a few minutes to see if he settles back down, but tonight he got himself pretty worked up. When I went in to check on him, he made a sound like he was about to throw up, and when I looked in his crib, there were little spots of blood! I talked to the on-call pediatrician, and no one is too concerned at this point. I'm just supposed to keep an eye on him tonight and check him out in the morning since he's sleeping so well right now. Please say a prayer for him!

Jackson's 1st Birthday Party

2009-06-01T15:20:00.003-05:00

Sunday we celebrated Jackson’s 1st birthday with a smaller group of family and friends at a nearby park. His birthday is actually June 12th, but we wanted as much family as possible to be able to celebrate with us. Since everyone was already here for the crawfish boil, it was perfect timing!

The party had an animal theme focused on monkeys since JD is our silly little monkey.

Balloons are one of Jackson's favorite toys these days, and since this park didn’t have swings or anything appropriate for Jackson’s age, I came up with the idea to fill his baby pool with balloons like a ball pit. It was a great idea…it made the rest of the park look really festive since the wind quickly blew them away. :-) We managed to keep a few of them in the pool though, and Jackson really enjoyed it.

He also enjoyed his first taste of cake, so I guess he has his dad's looks and his mom's taste! It was a very cute process. The little smash cake had curled ribbon on it, which he carefully removed and handed to me before poking the cake to decide if it was edible. It didn't take long for him to get the hang of it though!

Jackson loved being the center of attention. There are more pics of him hanging out with friends and family in the album. He got so many wonderful gifts, and it really meant the world to us to have everyone there to celebrate this milestone with us. We are so thankful for all of our friends and family!

The Perfect Equation

2009-06-01T15:13:00.003-05:00

188 pounds of crawfish + 72 cobs of corn + 20 pounds of potatoes + 10 pounds of mushrooms + 10 loaves of bread + friends and family = an awesome crawfish boil (in my opinion)!

Ross’ sister and brother-in-law came in Thursday night followed by all of our parents and my grandparents on Friday. We enjoyed a relaxing dinner with the Taylor family Friday night, and then we all got busy Saturday morning preparing for TWO parties, the crawfish boil and Jackson's 1st Birthday!

We had a great time hanging out with everyone at the crawfish boil on Saturday. Unfortunately, we forgot to pull out our camera until almost everyone was gone, but we managed to get a few pictures. Jackson liked petting the crawfish, but he’s not yet a fan of eating them…we’ll keep working on that!

Part 2 of the weekend (b-day party) is coming soon...

Our Week...

2009-05-25T20:52:00.003-05:00

This week started off a little rough, but ended well. On Monday Jackson was sent home from daycare with a low fever, so Ross took him to the doctor on Tuesday where we found out he has bronchiolitis again. He's now taking 3 meds for it, an antibiotic and 2 breathing treatments, which both have to be given twice a day. Honestly though, I think I dislike the nebulizer for the breathing treatments more than Jackson does. He's doing pretty well with them so far. As long as we can keep him entertained, he really doesn't even notice it.

Late Tuesday night our friends from our life group, Pam and Brian, had their baby, Jace, and I got to hold him Wednesday after work. He is absolutely adorable!

Towards the end of the week we got to spend some time with our friends Jenny and Brandon. I honestly can't remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did that night. We always have so much fun hanging out with them. If only our schedules didn't make it so hard for us to get together...we literally planned this dinner over a month ago.

The weekend has been fun too. We had dinner with our friends Bekah and Jeff Friday night. Saturday and Sunday we spent all day cleaning up and running errands for the parties next weekend, and Ross finished the fences!!! (Yes, one of them has been down since Ike...we were one of those people.) Sunday night, our wonderful friend, Heather, babysat so Ross and I could have a nice dinner out. Today we did lots of yardwork and more cleaning, but we ended the day by grilling out with our friends, Emma and Chris, and their daughter, Clara.

Throughout the weekend I tried to capture a few pics of Jackson doing his favorite things since I never got an 11 month post out there. Here he is closing the doors to one of his favorite toys.

Here he's hugging a bear, but not just any bear. This is the bear that I had as a baby. My dad even did a sketch of me holding this bear, so it's really sweet to me...

Jackson also loves turning the pages of books, playing with them, and being read to.

Now that Jackson has mastered crawling, he's decided to check things out from a different perspective...like his exersaucer. He seems to like crawling through obstacles...maybe he likes a challenge.

Of course, he also loves Bailey, and we just think he's the cutest little guy ever!

There are more pics from this weekend in the album too.