Fourth of July Weekend

We had a great Fourth of July weekend, which was spent with family, friends and food!

Robin, Brad and his three girls drove from Columbia, Missouri to visit.  While they were here, the swimming pool and diving board got a workout.  There were a lot of raft races, flips and dives.  The Girls were such a big help with the Boys; they took turns feeding them and bathing them.  We had big fun!

Debbie, Roger, Jamie and Mitchell took time out of their busy weekend to join us for dinner.  It was great to see them and hear all about Aunt Debbie's goats and chickens; we can't wait to take the Boys for a visit when they get a little older.

On Monday, July 4th, we participated in our neighborhood parade.  The Girls made signs and we all walked the parade route. It was fun and HOT. We were treated to watermelon in the park afterwards. 

Here are the Boys in the parade!

Hey Mom, we are HOT!

Here are the Boys and Girls on the last day of their visit.

Riley, Jackson, Lauren, Brooks and Payton

A Star in the Family

My cousin, Kelly, has made several commercials and this one is currently running here in Oklahoma City.  Check her out.

Mother’s Day 2011

Dear Mom,

When you take on as many things as you have – the busy days and sleepless nights, the comings and the goings, the learning and the accepting, and you do them all with love, you are not just pretty amazing, you are the perfect definition of what a Mother should be. I hope to be as wonderful of a mother to my children as you have been to me.

All my love,
Kenny Kay

________________________

This year Mother's Day takes on a whole new meaning, but I'm not going to write about being a new mother. I'm going to keep this special day all to myself. I'll just say this, my heart runneth over with love.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there.   

City Girl

I am a City Girl.  That's all there is to it.  Not necessarily by choice, rather it's all I've ever known.  I've only swam in a pond a couple of times, I'm not a fan of bugs, I've never been camping.

Easter weekend we loaded up the car and headed south on I-35 to Marietta, Oklahoma.  We stayed at the home of our good friends that we've referred to as "The Farm" since I was a child.  Not really sure why we call it The Farm since nothing is "farmed" there.  While on our get-a-way, we did and saw things we wouldn't normally in Suburbia, America.

#1 - My cousin's son, Blue (who is 8) shot a snake and brought it to us to see.  It was huge!  When I asked what happened to the belly of the snake he replied "well, I shot it" as if saying, what else do you think happened to it. 

#2 - Aunt Lenora has a couple of chicken coops and we ate fresh eggs in the best chicken salad ever!

#3 - Trent and I hiked to the creek at The Farm with ear protection, eye protection, lots of ammunition and a hand gun.  Yep, it's time I learned to shoot a gun.  I'll admit, I've been a little anxious about it (ok, a lot anxious) and finally overcame my fear.  Here are a few photos of me and Trent in action.  Blue shot the snake at age 8, like no big deal, and here I was (at a much more mature age) a little nervous. 

  

I couldn't stop laughing while Trent was taking my picture. 
By the way, the gun was not loaded at this time.

  

Finally, a serious face.  Hand guns really aren't a joking matter.

 

Doesn't he look tough!

  

He's a much better shot than I am.



Easter Weekend

We traveled to Marietta, Oklahoma for Easter weekend.  I can't believe how much stuff we took.  Just take a look at the back of our car. 

 

You would think we were going to be gone for a week, nope just two nights.    

Bottles, diapers (lots of diapers), wipes, formula, baby food, several changes of clothes for each kiddo for each day, jammies, blankets, toys, etc.  Then stuff for me and stuff for Trent.  We considered taking Bailey, but so glad we didn't because she and her stuff (toys and dog food) wouldn't fit in the car.  I'm pretty sure I over packed, but better to have too much then not enough. 

  

The Boys did pretty well in the car considering the 2 hour trip took us 3.5 hours with construction and we got stuck in a hail storm.  Luckily no hail damage to the car.  I'm so glad we have a big vehicle because I was able to crawl in the back and feed them during the ride. 

It was great to get away for the weekend and to spend time with family and friends.  It was a lot of work getting us all packed up, but well worth it. 

More posts to come on our weekend adventures.

Travel Tip:  Fill extra bottles with water for the car ride so if they get hungry or just need some comfort all you have to do is add powdered formula.  I only packed two bottles for the car ride down, but wished I would have packed extra, if for nothing else, just peace of mind. 

My handsome Boys on Easter Sunday. 
Brooks is on the left and Jackson on the right.

My Village

My Village is Grand.

It consists of endless amounts of family and friends.  I could not have survived this journey thus far without each and everyone of them. 

Today I salute my cousin, Jade. 

I haven't spent a lot of time with her as an adult since there are 13 years between us. When I left Ardmore she was around 5 years old. I got to see here on occasion and each year that we celebrated Christmas in Kansas.

For the past few weeks, Jade has kept the Boys a couple of days a week.  This means for me that I don't have to load up the Boys and all their necessities for daycare.  These two mornings a week for me are glorious!  Sometimes the hardest and most stressful part of the day is the morning...getting everyone fed, dressed, bottles made, bags packed, car seats loaded in the car, car seats unloaded at school and carried with all their garb to their classroom.  For the Boys, it means one on one time. 

Each morning I look forward to seeing what color socks she will wear or what color fingernail polish she'll sport. To quote her, "I don't do anything black and white." She is such a joy to be around.

Throughout the day, she sends me updates on how the Boys are doing; I really look forward to these.

One day I received this along with all these pictures.

"While Brooks took an almost 4 hour nap, Jackson and I had a photoshoot.  Brooks joined in after his nap."

Not going to lie, this one kind of creeps me out.

Look at Bailey in the background.  She just wants to join in the fun.

Knowing my kiddos are loved and cared for makes going to work so much easier.  Thank you, Jade, for that gift!

Stayed tuned as I highlight more of my Village in the coming weeks!

Happy 34th Birthday to Me

Today I turn 34, but what's even crazier is that Clint turns 39 on Sunday.  Clint...you are getting old!

Look at all that smoke!

Yesterday I received the best birthday gift ever.  We took Jackson to the pediatric heart specialist and they told us that his little ticker is healthy and no signs of a murmur.  Way to go Jackson! 

Jackson at the Doctor's Office.

Jackson

Brooks

I dressed the Boys up in big boy clothes!

Which one looks the most like Trent?

Lazy Sunday

Before babies, our weekends included breakfast in bed and lounging around watching movies. Now, things aren't quite so relaxed. However, we did get to spend part of this past Sunday morning in bed. The Boys love their boppy pillows, so warm and cozy.

Christmas Shopping

I can't believe Christmas is just a few weeks away. I've done a little shopping, but have more to do. This post is just a reminder that Kathleen's Etsy shop has been updated with lots of fabulous handmade items and all proceeds benefit their adoption fund.

What a great way to get some Christmas shopping done and to help them in their quest, which will give Jackson and Brooks another cousin.

Click here to see all her newly added items.

She made us the stockings and they are adorable!

Ready and Waiting

I think we are finally ready (or as ready as we are going to get) for Brooks' and Jackson's arrival. We are scheduled for surgery at 7:00 am on November 10. If all goes as planned, boys each weigh around 5.5 lbs and are able to breastfeed, we should be home by Friday or Saturday.

Since I'm not sure how much the little guys (or as Trent fondly refers to them "little men") will weigh, I've been on a search for preemie clothes. I finally found some footed pajamas that should get them through until the newborn size, which is 7 lbs.

I've been off all week and have run a million errands, made many returns, and even did a little cooking for the coming weeks. I know these next few weeks will be crazy and I have tried my hardest to get our house ready for my lack of attention upon our return from the hospital. We are stocked in the toilet paper, soap and detergent category. Everything is washed and some what put away, closets organized and I even made a trip to Goodwill. I think we have everything from preemie diapers to cases of wipes.

Let the craziness begin!

Dear Brooks and Jackson,

For the past 9 months, I have had the joy of keeping you warm and comfortable in my tummy. Now I can't wait to meet you, see your cute little faces and kiss those precious cheeks. Will you have blue eyes or brown eyes, maybe between the two you will have both? You may have caused me lots of heartburn, headaches and backache in addition to a million doctor's appointments and hospital visits, but I'm still ready to greet you and care for you in the outside world. I promise to keep you safe and care for you with every ounce of my being.

I'm a little anxious about how all this will play out, but I know we will figure it out together. With your Dad by our side we can get through anything!!!

I promise to give each of you your own identity, for starters by not refering to you as "the twins". I want you each to grow to be amazing individuals and will do everything I can to make sure that happens. I also promise to limit the number of matching outfits you wear!

In 5 days I get to love you even more than I already do, although I find it hard to believe that is possible.

See you in a few days...I love you both!

- Mom

WHY?

I’ve been trying to write this post for several weeks, but I haven’t had the right words and I felt the situation was a little too raw for me to broadcast on my blog. Now I feel like I can and hopefully the timing is right.

My brother and sister-in-law received some unfortunate news that they are unable to conceive. I’ve been struggling with this for awhile now. How did I get blessed with two babies at one time and they can’t even have one? How is that fair and why did it have to happen to them? Every time I sit down to write about this tears come to my eyes. I just want to make it all better for them, but it’s not in my power.

I am glad to report that they are working thru the grieving process and have decided to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia. This fills my heart with so much happiness. This process will have its ups and downs and it will probably take much longer than the 9 months I’ve endured to get my children, but they are both strong individuals and I know they will make it thru this chapter in their life. A tiny, precious blessing is coming their way and I look forward to our children growing up together.

They’ve started a blog about their journey and I encourage you to follow along; I know I will.

Kathleen is incredibly crafty and all the proceeds from her Etsy shop benefit their adoption fund. You can find her creations (everything from diaper cakes to little girl dresses to holiday decorations) here. Check it out often as she is always adding new items and remember that you will be helping their cause with each and every purchase!

Bittersweet

Our lazy weekends that we love so much are about to come to an end. Sleeping in on a Saturday or Sunday morning with breakfast in bed, reading the newspaper and then a mid-morning nap are about to be over and I find this to be bittersweet. I know that the new lives, which are about to enter our world, will completely change the way we exist. I know that this change will certainly be for the better, but at the same time it’s hard to imagine what our new way of life will be like.

I love feeling the boys move in my belly. Will there be a void when they are gone or will I just be so busy (and tired) that I won’t notice or have just forgotten about it. Last night one of the boys rumps was poking through my belly!

I live in a constant state of conflicting emotions. Excited, scared (a lot of scared actually) and happy. Each one pulls in a different direction and I never know which one will win the tug of war contest at that time.

I know this last month will be very interesting. The constant wondering if they will arrive early, do I have everything at work ready to go if they do. I'm emotional, tired and have lost my "pregnancy glow". I try to still be upbeat and a generally happy person, but that is hard sometimes when I find it difficult to just walk down the hall to the bathroom!

We have another ultrasound on Friday and I'm eager to see how much the little men have grown.

Happy Birthday, Laynie!

I can't believe my niece is 14 today.

It seems like just yesterday she was a little bitty thing.

I love you, Laynie!

Happy Birthday

Today is my Father-in-Law's birthday. Clay, I hope you have a wonderful day!

BFF - Best Friends Forever

Did you have a friend in elementary school that you referred to as your "BFF"? Well, I did and we were inseparable. We had many phone conversations about what matching outfit we would wear to school the next day. Our Moms made us matching outfits for church camp. We even had the two piece heart necklace.

We looked as opposite as we could..her with blond straight hair and fair skin, me with my dark curly hair and dark skin.

We were in the same classroom our first two years at Jefferson Elementary. Then I moved to Lincoln Elementary and she remained at Jefferson. We were separated for a year, but of course it seemed like an eternity. Luckily the two schools shared the same Counselor and we would send notes and messages to each other through her.

In middle school, my BFF moved to a different city and our conversations became less frequent, but we always knew each other was there. We ended up at the same college but didn't have a lot of contact there either. After college we moved to different states and lost contact all together.

About two and a half years ago, I ran into her at the gym. I didn't know she taught there and was so excited when I saw her. It was wonderful to get reacquainted and to get to know her husband, little boy and her precious little girl (I could just kiss that little girls cheeks all day long).

I don't get to see her as often as I like as our hectic schedules seem to always keep us apart even though we live less than 10 miles from each other.

I met her for dinner last night and even though I haven’t seen her in a really long time, it was like no time had passed since I saw her last.

I can only hope that my boys have friends as wonderful as Allison!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

Today is our 10th Wedding Anniversary. In 10 years, we have…

- Lived at 12 different addresses (which means we’ve moved 12 times!)

- Lived in 3 different states…Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas (and made many good friends along the way)

- Lived apart for 3 years while Trent was in Law School

- Survived Law School

- Loved several pets including Boomer, Lucy, Bailey and one other, which I can’t remember its name

- Owned two homes

- Were Dallas Cowboys Season Tickets holders

- Vacationed in Chicago, New York, LA, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, Las Vegas and Georgia (and probably a few others places)

- Saw Bon Jovi, Dave Mathews Band, Kings of Leon, Elton John, Billy Joel, U2, Black Eyed Peas, Willie Nelson and Wilco in concert

- Took up tennis (learned that I’m not any good)

- Visited several MLB Ballparks including Wrigley Field, Rangers Ballpark, Coors Field, Turner Field, Minute Maid Park, and Busch Stadium

- Welcomed a nephew

- Said goodbye to a Great Grandmother and two Grandmothers

And soon we welcome 2 baby boys!

Who knew that this little boy…

And this little girl…

Would someday be this happy couple.

Thank you Trent for a wonderful 10 years; I love you more today than I did 10 years ago!


“Knowing you will be with me in all my tomorrows, makes my today so wonderful.” - Anonymous

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Bailey's Approval

We are in the process of completing a few home improvement projects before the little tykes arrive. Tops on the list are re-carpeting the house and remodeling the upstairs bathroom. As you can see, Bailey is trying out the carpet samples. I believe she has made her selection!

What a life!

39 Years Strong

My childhood memories of Mom and Dad's relationship are extremely positive and delightful. For example, while Mom was making dinner, Dad would walk up behind her and give her a hug and a kiss...every night like clockwork.

Not one memory consists of a cross word they said to each other. Now that I'm older, I realize that life is not a fairy tale, but rather my parents censored us from witnessing any difficult times in their lives and showed us, by daily example, how to love and treat each other with respect and kindness. Thank you for this, Mom and Dad!

39 years ago today, Mom and Dad tied the knot and what a great knot they did tie!

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!


"The secret to having a good married life is to understand that marriage must be total, it must be permanent and it must be equal." - Anonymous

The Bridges' Boys

Trent was right! We are having two boys.

Tomorrow I will post a few pictures from the ultrasound.