Prayers

Will you all please pray for my younger sister as she has hit a hard bump in the road of life. I am praying that she finds peace, happiness, love, health and answers during this trying time and that peace and calm will be brought over our entire family. I only want the absolute best for her and I know in my heart that God has a plan, its just not clear what that plan is right now. I am thankful for his blessings, his abundant blessings in my life, and I want his love and blessings to shine in her life, my parent's lives and all those who surround her for support as well....I pray that he heals the loneliness she feels and brings her to an everlasting love....

Just a Picture

What a difference a Year Makes!

It was almost 80 Degrees here today and there wasn't a cloud in the sky! Far cry from Monday's weather. Ryder and I took advantage of the warmth and hit the park this afternoon. Two parks to be exact, because the Park that has a little slide has no swings and the park with swings only has big slides that are overcrowded with "Big Kids" who pay no attention to the little ones as they plow right over them...sorry for the rant! While Ryder was swinging I started thinking that this was about the time last year I took him to the park for the first time. I took a picture of him with my phone a year ago (almost) and I took one of him with the same phone today. All I can say is GEEEZ, they grow so fast and what a huge difference a Year makes!

Icy Texas Afternoon

I've been sitting here working at my desk and the lights keep dimming almost like the power is going to go out. I went into the Kitchen and looked out the back window to find our trees covered with Ice. Its really pretty...just hope it doesn't cause a lot of trouble out there! I am praying to keep our power this afternoon! It is supposed to warm up tomorrow...this weather never lasts long here!

Out with the Old and In with the New

We've started out 2009 a little more grown up! Out with the Highchair and In with a New Booster Seat! Ryder is sitting at the table with us and feels like such a Big Boy! Thought I'd share his excitement with you!

I have also been getting out a lot of other OLD things! I seriously think there are probably 15 Bags of Trash to set out tomorrow. Not to mention there is now a whole section in our Attic dedicated to the Next Garage Sale. We made a trip to Goodwill and still we could furnish an entire daycare with all of the baby items in the second attic which Ryder no longer uses but I am afraid to part with.

I started organizing before Christmas so that it wouldn't all be so overwhelming once the first of the year came. The only room I skipped over was my office upstairs. For awhile I have been wanting to move it downstairs to a room that was serving as a formal living room. Formal livings are pretty, but really useless. Throw a kiddo into the mix and there is absolutely no need for one in this house! Yes, I'd like to pretend that we host lavish house parties where people sip mojitos while sitting on my beautiful chaise lounge, but alas I will assure that does not happen!

I kept dreading moving it all down because that inevitably meant I would have to go through the colossal mess of that room and it was so much easier to shut the door and forget all about it. Not to mention that I was home when the two large men delivered my desk and I really thought that I was going to have to call 911 because one of them was surely going to bust a gut in the process of getting it up to the second floor.

My husband's idea is that the two of us or him and our neighbor could bring it down the stairs...I didn't work out so well!! Thank God for Matt's parents. Between the four of us we got it down! There was only one slight incident when I thought my husband was going to be pinned between a wall and the desk damaging all sorts of internal organs.

The next day we sorted and cleaned the rest of the junk in the old office and I now have it manageable. I have decided not enough closet space in this house, but I think that comes with all homes (or so this is what I tell myself). Just need to decide what we are going to use that room for...playroom or second bedroom?? Right now it is basically a blank slate...so we will see! Here is the end result downstairs....Wa-Laaaa! :)

My 2008

I "blog-lifted" this from my sweet friend Crystal's facebook page! Totally a great idea so I thought I'd post my version here:

January 1, 2008, we woke up elated that our 3 month old baby was sleeping through the night. Blessed to have a nice sized consulting load to supplement our income. Began going to the gym religiously and feeling a lot better! My baby boy turns 6 months old. He and I drive to San Antonio to meet Matt there on business. See Miss Brenda, Shop at Outlets and Ryder meets the Valles family for the first time! Discover Blogger thanks to Misty! Went on our first camp out with baby in Spring where Matt's Mom taught Ryder to drink from a straw. Ryder learns to crawl and the next week we leave for vacation on the beach in Florida. Ryder hates the sand and we take turns going to the beach and staying in condo with baby. Decide we shouldn't go to beach again for awhile. Matt changes jobs so that I am no longer a part time single mom. I.e. New Job=No Travel. Ryder begins feeding himself table food and we did away with bottles! Sounds silly, but saves me so much time! Ryder starts Mother's Day Out and turns One with a big boo-boo on his forehead. I started a Bible Study thanks to my Neighbor Paula! I have learned so much and made new friends. Economy takes a turn for the worst and suddenly all my work goes away. Since No Work, we drive 6 hours in a car with a baby that did absolutely wonderful to camp in Arkansas. Sesame Street a Musical Celebration will always remind us of this trip, LOL! Hike with Grandma & Grandpa. Ryder meets his Great Great Aunt Irma. She loves Ryder to death! Ryder starts walking just in time to go door to door trick or treating in his spooky skeleton costume. Holidays are approaching and my workouts seem to be tapering. Spend Thanksgiving at Aunt Kara's and then Aunt Mindy's. Go shopping, shopping, shopping...Ryder rides the carousel for the first time and LOVES it! I turn 31 and then Celebrate Christmas. Ryder made Christmas so much fun this year. Make New Years Resolution to be back at Gym 5 days a week, become more organized in every aspect of my life and make it to Church every week. We have no plans for New Years Eve other than playing Wii and eating yummy food, woohoo! We love you all and wish you the Best in 2009!

Christmas

I can not believe Christmas has already come and gone! Why does time fly by so fast? We had such a good and blessed Christmas this year! We were with both of our families on Christmas Day and Ryder was a trooper the whole day. I could not ask for a better little boy. He is so carefree and absolutely just goes with the flow. He didn't really understand the concept of opening presents this year, but he LOVED all of the new toys. It was almost like he looked at us in confusion. Not sure why we were giving him all of this new stuff, but gladly playing with it since we put it right in front of him! I think sometimes we tend to get wrapped up in the commercialism of the holiday and forget the true meaning of Christmas. We have a little book called "The Christmas Story" which is a 5 page, very colorfully illustrated book detailing the birth of Jesus. I started reading it to Ryder at the first of December and now every night he pulls it from the bookshelf for us to read. I am sure it is purely coincidence and in all actuality is probably just the book that is easy for him to grab, but as long as he pulls it out, I will keep reading! Needless to say, we got some pictures of the present excitement and I could not have received a better gift than the joy that was on his face!


Playing with the Camera...



If you know Ryder, you know he loves "Gucks"!



Ryder: "Mama, this Keyboard is FANTABULOUS!"



He is telling us all about his fancy Elmo Restaurant



Christmas Eve Services