Respect where respect is due

Lately I have fallen back in love with an old, faithful friend that I had overlooked for a long time. How long has it been since you had a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich? Friends, it had been awhile for me. I had one the other day and suddenly was overcome with memories of the celebration on my taste buds. Salty and sweet, protein and sugar, it is joy all in one. Do your self a favor and retry one today.

What did you think of Grey's last night?

I loved, Loved, LOVED it.

I thought the end was GREAT! I loved Derek's talk to Meredith. (which I know some of you don't like Meredith) I really do like them and I think he is so sweet to her.

The two proposals were good too. Who do you think will say yes?

What will happen to Chief Richard and who will replace him? I think he will end up running the free clinic maybe.

Bailey was great in this episode too. I loved it when they called her the Nazi and also when Richard said she would be chief one day.

What did you think of everything?

Thanks for the recipe ideas and encouragement. Any time you think of a good idea on stuff like that, please post it to me or email me. I appreciate it so much.

The weekend is here. I can't wait. :)

nothing new under the sun

Well, friends, here it is, another week, and I don't have much to blog about from Nelsonland. We are all good. Cody is working all the time and Carley and I seemed to be iced or snowed in during the weekends. It has been great to get this time with her. She is so precious and change all the time. 2 of my favorite things about her are captured in this picture.

1. Pigtails - I have started doing her hair in pigtails and I think she looks so cute. She loves them too and always touches them and smiles.

2. Reading out loud - Carley loves to read to us and to herself. Lately her new favorite person to read to is our boxer, Ali. She sits and reads to her and follows her around the house. It is so funny. I couldn't get a good picture of her reading to Ali, because Carley kept crawling to the camera so this is the best shot I could get of the two of them.

In other news, life seems to be kicking my tail these days. I am having so much trouble getting everything done. Working all day then playing with Carley is busy enough, but now I am trying to cook 5 nights a week. Lord, help me. It really is very challenging to get stuff that is easy and that is healthy for Carley to eat. Any tips out there? I am really looking for new ideas and tips on how to stay organized and efficient. I am feeling very overwhelmed at all that has to be done to keep life going. Cody is so helpful and a wonderful partner. Today he went to the grocery store and Sams for me while I was at work. It was so nice to not have to worry about that this week. I just feel so overwhelmed at all there is to do, but so blessed to have an AMAZING husband, a PRECIOUS daughter, and a great job all that I enjoy. Any tips or suggestions are VERY welcome.

Lastly, I am now teaching Carley's bible class. (and Charlie's too) It is so hilarious to sing to a room full of blank little faces that randomly will "pat" or "twinkle" when you want them to do so. It is so fun. If you have never sat in on a nursery class, I highly recommend it. You will get a good chuckle out of the little cuties.

That is all for today. Hope all is well with each of you. Your blogs and your friendships bring me such joy.

Book Reviews and family update

Since Thanksgiving I have had the opportunity to read some great books. Reading is a great mental get a way for me. If you are thinking of reading a new book, here are my reviews of some of the ones I have recently read. I would love any comments or thoughts on these books as well.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers - WOW! This is an incredible story of love, grace, and redemption. I know it has been out for awhile. I really encourage you that if you haven't read this in a while or have never read it, you must do so. It will really touch your heart. It is loosely based on the biblical book of Hosea. This is truly an incredible book and one that I could do an entire post on individually.





Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot - This is the sequel to the book I blogged about last year called Size 12 is not Fat. It is a hilarious mystery about a former pop teen star who is the assistant director of a college dorm. It is really cute and a good read. Meg Cabot is such a great author of chick flicks in book form.


Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot - Meg does it again! This one is about a girl who can't keep her mouth shuts and always gets herself in hilarious situations. Amazingly to you out there, I can really relate to her! :) It is a cute love story and it has really humorous takes on the history of fashion as well.



The 5 People you Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom This book has been around for several years too. I had seen the TV movie a couple of times and was really touched my the storyline. One of my friends at work told me I needed to READ the story one afternoon. It really reminded me of impact and purpose here on earth. It is a quick read so take an afternoon and treat yourself.


Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie. This is a steamy little story that has no value but is a really juicy and interesting read. It is a real page turner and very cute. There is a mystery involved and a nice story of personal growth on the part of the flawed heroine. Mostly it is a cute little steamy love story and an easy no brainer kind of read.


Any other books out there that you recommend?

Also, the big news on the Nelson front is that Carley hasn't had a bottle since Monday. She is fully on sippy cups and whole milk. She adjusted MUCH better than I thought she would. Since she isn't taking a bottle, she doesn't like to be rocked at bed time or nap time. She just wants her paci and Ellie Phant and to go lay down. I sure miss our cuddle time, but I am really enjoying her new independence. I know it will be a phase like all good and bad things in baby land are, but I am enjoying it. Oh, one more thing, her 5th tooth popped through. What happened to my little baby?

Hope you are having a warm and safe weekend.

Random thoughts and a few pictures

I have really enjoyed my two weeks off with Cody and Carley. We have had so much fun as a family. I have also been blessed to be around some of my friends this week. I am constantly reminded what a support system I have and how blessed I am to be surrounded by such neat and special people.

In my laziness over the past two weeks I have been able to catch up on reading, TV, and movies. I am going to save my book reviews for another blog, but here is where I am on the entertainment world.

You're The One That I Want - Yes! Grease as a reality show! I am ready to watch it on Sundays. It is either going to be really good or a total flop. We shall see.

Friday Night Lights - Earlier this fall I stopped watching the show because it didn't connect with me. My sister got me hooked back on it over the break along with the help of a marathon on Bravo. It is SO good and will definitely be part of my Spring line up.

Days of Our Lives - All I can say is Billie and Nick .....GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yuck! Days is good right now though and I am anxious to see what will happen.

The Holiday - It is really two chick flicks mixed into one. It is really cute and a definite see for the ladies out there.

Night at the Museum - It was cute. It was creative and funny. Cody really liked it.

We Are Marshall - I really thought this was a great movie. It isn't your typical "rise from the bottom to be the best" kind of movie. It is incredibly touching and the characters are really struggling with a myriad of emotions through the movie. I thought it was really good.

Of course I am ready to find out what is going on with Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Heroes, Wysteria Lane, Brothers and Sisters, and Studio 60.

What show do you like best of these three: Identity, 1 vs 100, and Deal or No Deal. Which one would you go on?

Finally, here are Carley's 1 year pictures.

Such a big girl!The famous best friend Ellie PhantOur favorite BIG grin!

We think she is so beautiful!

A Week in Recap

Last week Alyssa, Clint, and the girls came in for Christmas. We had such a great time. Santa brought all 3 girls Cabbage Patch Dolls and a million other things. Christmas was so special this year. Carley being around just changed everything. It is so fun to see her learn and explore. Here are a few pictures before church on Christmas Eve. Carley loves her cousins and her aunt and uncle so much!On Wednesday we had a pre-party with the O'Rear's before they left town at McDonald's. Note to self: Birthday parties at McDonald's are much less stressful than birthday parties at your own home.
Then we had a little cake and ice cream party on Thursday night. It was so sweet to have so many friends and family come to celebrate this special day with us. We were truly blessed and humbled that so many cared. Here is her AWESOME cake and a few pictures from the party.

Getting ready for the big day!

Some of our friends and family

Isn't the cake cool?
Here she is in a diaper and ready to dig in!

Our sweet one year old!


You might notice the large bump on her head where she walked into the wall right before party. I should say"tried to walk" and hit the wall.

Sunday we went to church then ate dinner with some of our good friends on New Year's Eve. After dinner, we came home and rang in the New Year with hot chocolate and our pjs. It was SO fun!

One bittersweet thing did happen this week, our friends Trey, Kelli, and Drew moved to College Station. We will miss them so much. They were very involved in our class and church. They are always willing to help out and lead. Kelli taught in the nursery while being tired and pregnant all fall. They are a great Christian couple and dear friends. We are so happy for them that they are back in the "Aggie" land they love, but we will sure miss them!

Happy Birthday, Carley

Wow, my baby girl is turning one. I can't begin to put into words how I feel. It is amazing how parenthood changes you. In a way, it is hard to remember what you did before them. Where did our money go? What was it like to go to Walmart with out buying diapers, sippy cups, baby food, wipes, formula, Mylecon, Humprey's, Infant Tylenol, teething toys, and the million other things that now fill our cabinets. What was it like to sleep more than 10 hours at a time? It is all such a blur. The funny thing has been how much life is not about me anymore. I read a quote this time last year that said, "Motherhood means your heart walks around in a separate body." That says it best, doesn't it? Our hearts are shared with a little one who can smile and make your world light up and cry and do the same. Carley has blessed us this year more than we could imagine. She is the light of our lives. Happy Birthday, Carley.

Here are a few things she does right now that make us laugh:

1. She says "happy" and claps her hands so you will sing her favorite song.
2. When she sees us, her face gets this huge grin and she speed crawls across the room to us.
3. When I go in to get her when she wakes up she says, "Hi" and waves.
4. When I pick her up off the floor and she is in a good mood, she pats me on the shoulder or the face and says "pat, pat, pat".
5. If she gets mad at you she throws her bow at you and grunts.
6. She snores.
7. When she sees her elephant lovie she starts screaming "eeeee" and picks it up and kisses her.
8. She loves food.
9. When she "tweets her beak" she touches her top lip instead of her nose.
10. Who am I kidding, every thing she does makes me laugh?

Happy 1st birthday, Carley!

PLEASE follow this link. I thought this was so funny.

You know you want to laugh....Click HERE

More Christmas Pictures

Santa Land

Tonight my parent and Cody and I took Carley to Santa Land to see Santa. Santa Land is this cool thing our city had done for 50 years! Mr. and Mrs. Santa are at their cottage for you to bring your children to see for free! There is a manger scene, animated reindeer, a 50 foot tree, hot chocolate, and good family fun. Here are some pictures from our night.

You can't read the sign that great, but is dedicated to the Mr. and Mrs. Santa that were there when I was growing up. The same sweet couple, Don and Evelyn Copenhaver gave of their evenings from 6-10 pm for 20 days each December for THIRTY TWO years. Can you imagine how many children sat on their laps?

Magnificat

I have to blog about my new favorite song we sing at church. It is called "Magnificat". The first time I saw the name, I thought it was a misspelling and they left out the n for mangnificent. But no, the name was correct. Then I started laughing because it reminded me of this STUPID musical (and I love, Love, LOVE, Musicals) that my Mom dragged my family to when I was in elementary school called "The Cat in the Castle" which I still make fun of to this day. So when it was time so sing the Magnificent Cat song at church, I was ready with eager anticipation. Now it is one of my favorite songs these days. Little did I know that in the Catholic church it is a known prayer and the "Magnificat" is one of the first ones they learn. It is the song that Mary sang when she visited with Elizabeth after finding out she was carrying the Lord. The main line of the song is this and it is a great way to cheer up a dreary Monday.

"My soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God, my savior."

Stomach bug Conquers 3 in local residence

That is what the news paper should say about our family this week. Carley came down with the stomach bug about 1:30 Wednesday morning. She has been running a fever of over 100 for 2 days. Cody came home sick Thursday with the stomach bug. He had a fever of 101. And in the middle of the night, it got me and I have been sick all day with fever too. We are all so miserable, but at least misery loves company. Cody took Carley to the dr this morning when her fever was almost 103 and they found a throat and ear infection for her as well. It looks like we all have seen the worst and are on the way back up.

I love winter bugs.

Our Week

Last week was a good, but crazy week for us. My uncle on my mom's side had a heart attack on Monday. He had double bypass surgery on Wednesday and is still in ICU in Fort Worth. Cody's grandmother on his mom's side passed away on Tuesday and her funeral was on Friday in Jacksboro. This week reminded me how quickly things can change and how important family can be. My parents were so wonderful and flexible this week. They were such a great support for Cody as he dealt with a lot of emotions. They were really supportive of me and I tried to balance my little family with our other families. They are both so good with Carley and such great grandparents. Anyway, both Cody and I learned a lot about family this week. We had a lot of conversations about the family we want to build and the goals we have for Carley and for us as parents. It is so good to take time and reflect on things especially on a day set aside for thankfulness.

Here are some recent pictures.

Carley loved having breakfast with my friends Shannon and Marcia who were driving through Lubbock.

Carley and Charlie took bath together last week. They were hilarious! Amy and I will teach them about mixed bathing at some point, but right now they were too cute. We tried to get pictures in their ACU onesies, but never did get a good one. We will have to do individuals for the alumni magazine.
People ask me why I do not put Carley in hats very often. The reason is because when she has on a hat, I can't tell the difference between Carley and Cody. Here she is getting ready for church a couple of weeks ago. Or is it Cody? They both do love the recliner.

Carley loves Papa and Nana.

You Movie Must See

Saturday Night, Cody, Carley, and I went to the drive in. It was a great night. Carley did so good sitting between us then she fell asleep. The first movie was Santa Clause 3. It was good and just what you would expect. Cheesy and predictable, but very cute. After that was "Facing the Giants". I knew it would be good, but we did not know it would be AMAZING! We both cried at several points in the movie. It is so inspiring and motivational and a true testament to what God can do if you surrender to Him. You must see it. Do what you need to do, get a sitter, make a date, but make this happen. I promise you will not regret the time and money you spent to see it!

So Much to be Thankful For

Thank you for your wishes of health. I am feeling much better. I am still not 100%, but I am on the road to recovery.

Today is my last day of work for a whole week. That is right folks, 9 days without an alarm clock. (except for Carley) We will be here the whole time, celebrating with my family and just being together. I am really looking forward to it.

There is so much to be thankful for in my life. Thanksgiving is a great week to take some time and reflect on the blessings that are there every day, but we don't always give thanks for them.

This year has been a year like never before. Parenthood has rocked our world and blessed us more than we could have imagined. It has literally touched every single aspect of our lives. I am daily amazed at how children have a way of changing your priorities. We don't get to be with our friends as much, go to the movies as much, travel as much, or do things that we used to enjoy. However, nights at home just take on a whole new joy. Watching Carley learn and grow has recentered everything for us. At times, it is really easy to be selfish and wish for care free days. This week when I was sick, I really wanted Carley to be old enough to read her own book or watch a movie or somehting where I could just veg out. Instead, Carley learned a new word and sprouted a new tooth. Last night I was just holding her thinking how big she had become and asking for forgiveness for wishing away this precious time with a baby.

Another thing I am very thankful for is you, blogland. It is such a blessing to be able to communicate with family and friends. I love the glimpses into your life and the connection that I feel just seeing pictures of your life and hearing your thoughts. It is a blessing to have friends. Thank you for being my friend.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Tonsillitis

I have no tonsils, so how can I have tonsillitis? I am home from work today loading up on my antibiotic and drinking hot liquids. I forgot how bad having a sore throat can be! I left work at noon yesterday and went to the dr. Man, aren't antibiotics the best thing ever? Why are we so funny about going to the dr? It is like we are kids that don't want to admit we are weak. People, we are weak! Get your antibiotic, drink some spiced tea, and take a nap.

Back to bed. My throat is killing me.

Carley's 10 month pictures

Here are Carley's 10 month pictures. She is just changing so much right now. It is so hard to believe. I just had to share there.

Bangles - Eternal Flame

I heard this song in a public restroom the other day then it was on Dancing with the Stars tonight. I forgot how much I love it. Jam out to one of the cheesiest songs from the 80's for me!

Desperately Loving Desperate Housewives

I thought I had given up on Wisteria Lane until this season started to look pretty good. Then last night's episode happened and I am hooked again. I thought it was really good.

I am wondering who out there is watching it this season.....

Gabby and Carlos made up. Nora went down. It was really good.

My favorite line of the show was when Lynette said to Tom, "I really didn't want the other four (children) but they have grown on me, I am sure Kayla will too." She is so hysterical.

Any thoughts?

GA Spoiler

Warning here is a spoiler for tonight's episode ....

McDreamy's sister comes to town. So my theory is that the pretty lady in his trailer a.k.a. McHottie will turn out to be his sister.

I'll post more after the show or tomorrow.

Happy Thursday.