Yes, I still blog.

TEN on TUESDAY....or almost Tuesday.

1.Cade is 3. Although I have no pictures to show of it. He is 3 and we had a fabulous party to celebrate his BIG day.

2,Our Dell laptop is busted again. I will never buy a Dell again. We have only had for a little over two years and we have already sent it in twice, only to have it break down again.

3. The quilt I have been working on is coming together. I have the borders left to sew and then probably some sewing to do by hand. I should be done by spring break. I'm making this quilt for my grandma. I don't think I've ever been so excited about giving something to someone....

4. This week we're going to see Kenny Chesney at the rodeo! Should be a great show!

5. I start volunteering this weekend at our church- Northside Christian Church. I just love our church!

6. I made the best bruch the other day for my mother in law. She works so much during the week that she never quite gets the chance to come down during the week....so I offered to make brunch so that she could come down to see Cade. I made Mixed Berry Galette- it was so yummy! You'll want to make two doughs when you make this dish! I also made a sausage, egg and cheese dish a recipe from a friend at school. The table was set with our "good" silverware and I even served our OJ in ourWaterford pitcher.... and she noticed! Can't wait to make the Galette for my parents-- they were both out of town this weekend and missed out. =(

7. A certain person in my life has been a little nicer lately and that makes my day a little better.

8. Loved that I got to spend Saturday on the couch with my husband. We watched Benjamin Button, which was really good. Cade took at trip to Conroe with Julia.

9. Say a little prayer for a precious, little toddler named Layla Grace. Go to laylagrace.org for more information.

10. Chacos Tacos with hubby in just a few.

the sweetest thing

Tonight after putting Cade down for the night I walked out of the room and stood by the door. A few minutes pass and then I hear the sweetest thing coming from his room.... he is saying his prayers all by himself. It was the most precious thing I heard all day.

The sweetest image flashes through my mind... two little hands and a bowed head.


He is the best.


rest well.

Cade has left the building

Oh thank God for mother in laws (and mothers). I have the day all to m self today... minus the sleeping grouchy pants in my bed (Travis). So far in my 38 minutes of being alone I have: successfully sewed 3 strips of fabric, ironed and pressed the pieces. I have flipped the channels and seen bits and pieces of shows without a goofy character or annoying music playing. I'm about to go to Kroger and get a few basic supplies and then let my day unfold from there.

peace and quite.... love it!

"It's not what you make, it's what you save."

I heard that on the radio this morning on my drive to work and loved it.

TOT

10. Cade calls his sunglasses- hey babies-- just like his dad
9. Cade is closer to 5 than he is birth-- thanks Travis for bringing that up.
8. Looks like I can start getting my resume. I'm officially looking for a full time teaching job.
7. I'm ready to see just how cold this artic blast is going to be.
6. Travis bought me a bible. Now I can stop whispering to travis that I don't have one every time the Pastor says to open YOUR bible.
5. Yay for Husbands that take off just becasue the weather is going to be REALLY cold tomorrow....we are still hoping the mayor will send home non-essential city employees so we don't have to burn our own time.
4. I want to know why dvd players never last..... argh.
3. Sometimes friends reveal more than you really want to know. TMI is TMI.
2. It's really taking me some time to think of ten things.
1. This morning at our staff meeting during our daily prayer, I looked over at Cade and he was praying with his hands together, head bowed and eyes closed... the sweetest image ever.

"I'm on the good list"-- Cade

Cade had a great Christmas.....once he had his juice cup and actually came to see what Santa had left. He eventually did wonder over to our front room and see that there were indeed toys left but it wasn't until he put his cup down that he actually saw what was there..... silly little boy!

He ended up getting quite a few things- a home depot work bench, a farm animal set, new wooden blocks, and a new bike. The Grandparents and the rest of the family did their part in spoiling him too... lots of clothes, books, a tricycle and hot wheels....even a remote control car that is supposedly safe (for the house). haha.

10 on Tuesday

1. Cade seriously needs a haircut!

2. We had a mini Christmas party at our house this morning. We baked and decorated sugar cookies and them we even constructed a gingerbread house!

3. My dad is doing well after his heart procedure this morning. His heart fell out of rhythm a few weeks ago. The doctors were able to shock back into rhythm with electrical pads... one shock did the trick. Thank the Lord.

4. I've almost got everything wrapped for Christmas. I need to still get stocking stuffers for Travis and one more little thing for Cade and then I'm done.

5. I love Christmas. I love the lights. I love the music-with exception to a few songs/performers. I love being with my family and I love, LOVE, Love my tree.

6. Travis and I are having a date night tonight. We're going all out..... beer and tunes after Cade goes down. Might be fun... and like old times.

7. This past weekend Cade and I went to Fredericksburg to see Gigi! We had fun looking at her tree, opening presents and touring downtown at night. The lights are so pretty on Main Street. I love the old town feel of Fredericksburg-- it feels like home to me!

8. I had dinner with my good friends Paul and Stuart while I was in Austin. We had some good laughs at the table- especially about "as seen on tv gifts". All I know is that I LOVE my Snuggie.

9. I'm going to be sad in 3 days when Christmas is over and my decorations will come down soon after.... boo.

10. Merry Christmas to my dear friends and family.

TOS ten on saturday

Ten On Saturday.

Well for start I actually captured Cade smiling in a picture and his face isn't squished together. So this one is going in our Christmas cards.
2. I celebrated my 32nd birthday on Monday. A whole 32 years.... geesh where is the time going. My family watched Cade so Travis and I could celebrate with Becky and Andrew at Cyclone Anayas.... Poinsetta Margaritas are so yummy!

3. Since turning 32 (yes, just in the last week) my eyesight has gone from 20/20 to 20/15. I went in for an exam on Thursday and had to get eye glasses for driving. I don't mind wearing them....but I'm not happy with the frames I picked out. I liked them in the store but now I just feel like I should be living in the 50s or have a bee hive. So I'm hoping in the next few months I'll either A) win the lottery and buy a pair of Kate Spade designer frames B) find a coupon for some cute-r frames that won't cost a fortune C) lose my glasses or that they happen to be destroyed by the 2 year monster living in my house or D) my eyes will self correct and I will no longer need eye ware.

4. I am spoiled. I have 2 snuggies and YES I'm wearing one now. My hands and arms are perfectly warm as I type away on my laptop.

5. Christmas is 13 days away. I still have so much to buy but I'm kind of in that place where I just want to say enough is enough.

6.Today I volunteered with our Church to deliver Angel Tree gifts. Wow, that was eye opening. It's so easy to take what you have for granted until you see how others are living. So glad I went.

7. Two weeks ago it snowed! Cade loved it! He ran inside and said MY HANDS ARE FREEZING. It was so cute!

8. I'm wanting the new Pioneer Woman's cookbook for Christmas. I love cookbooks and actually use them.

9. I'm planning on going to Austin on Saturday- Monday. Hopefully I can run out to Fredericksburg to see Grandma before heading home. I miss her!



10. Time for bed.... I was up before the sun today and I'm sure tomorrow is going to be an early one again....

Thankful for....

wanted to take the time to list a few things that I thankful for....

hugs - the kind that sneak up on you
friends- the ones you talk to daily or every once in awhile but it seems like it was just yesterday that you spoke
babies- Cade is such an amazing little boy. love him!
kisses- butterfly ones, eskimo ones- pecks- any and all
sunny days
chilly nights
putting up the Christmas tree even if it's November
Church
comfy shoes
My Sister and her family
Grandma
Travis-- love him and he loves me even when i'm in a mood
red birds
parents that have dinner at your place
new friends, old friends, computer friends, face to face friends, phone friends, once a week friends, daily friends, facebook friends and..... YOU.

what a girl wants

1. a brownie pan

I've always loved slicing into the pan and taking out the middle piece.

I don't really care for the crispy edges or rounded corners. I like the ewey gooey middle.

2. anything cupcake

especially cupcake liners.

not your plain grocery store kind.

but something extraordinary like the ones found at

http://www.fancyflours.com/

3. the snuggie

i can't tell you how many times I've wished that my comforter, blanket or throw would cover me up and keep the tops of my arms warm as I typed on my computer. And with all of the designer prints available, I'm sure there is one to suit everyone....well everyone with cold arms.

4. the roomba 560

buyhappier.com

if you have wood, tile or concrete floors this has to be the miracle device that could save your relationship with your significant other. I'm mean who wouldn't want to program a little iRobot to sweep your floors daily and want nothing in return. not even an "i noticed you swept, thanks."

sounds like a sweet deal to me.

5. a 12" skillet

a chef's must have.

6. oven mits

....we have one pair of mits....

that's not really getting the job done... I want to be able to open one of the two drawers where one might find an oven mit and actually find one....or many for that matter.

7. An Emergency Hammer

Because you never know when you might need it.

As an added bonus it has a built in knife that can cut through the strap of a seatbelt.

pretty handy if you ask me.

8. Jelly Roll

As in fabric.

super cute and trendy fabric.

9. A punch bowl

new or old works for me.

a ladle to match would be nice too.

10. A fun new OPI nail polish

ToT

1. Cade's imagination is really in bloom. For example, he pretends to hand you a coffee, let you take a sip and then puts the coffee down on the table for you.

2. Travis and I are going on a date on Sunday. Finally.

3. Cade is dressing up as the mail man this year. This was the only costume that wasn't too costume-y. He seems to not like anything different that the norm. So a blue shirt with a patch on it that says, US Postal and blue pants make it seem like an everyday outfit, instead of something special.

4. I learned to never put a whole chicken in the crock pot with a cup of liquid. The whole chicken fell apart and there were bones everywhere.... ick. So I tossed it. Next time I'll try adding just a bit of liquid and see where that leads me.

5. Last Saturday Cade and I went to the Ballunar Festival. It was great weather and a lot of fun. Thanks Becky for letting us tag along.

6. I love how Cade loves to listen to Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood on the iPod....and how he always wants me to sing with them....... so cute! Then of course there is Islands in the stream by Dolly Parton that he somehow knows the intro to.

7. I love the show Glee.

8. hulu.com is awesome!

9. I'm going to be making homemade brownies this weekend.... The recipe is from a local bakery out in Montgomery....they are famous for their pies but brownies top their list too.

10. I'm ready for my girls day out next Friday.

road trip

This past weekend- Cade and I loaded up and headed west to Fredericksburg. We had been planning this trip for months....it's become a tradition to head to Wildseed Farm this time of year. The pumpkins are gorgeous and the weather is always fantastic! Wildseed hosts a Monarch butterfly tag & release ceremony each October which draws in a huge crowd of people.

Here are few things I learned about Monarchs.

• a male monarch has two spots on the lower part of the wings, the female does not.
• a monarch butterfly travels thousands of miles south to Mexico when temperatures drop in the Northern US
• monarchs travel 25-30 miles a day.

Here are few pictures from our day at the Farm.

gigi & maxie

maxie, age 8

Cade sitting on a pumpkin. He loved talking on the "phone" or what is also know as a gourd.

Fun times at gigi's house.



My second cousin Erica and her little girl Blair, and her Mom Helen met us at Wildseed Farms. Helen lives in town and Erica leaves in Fulsner, TX (near Katy). I had told Erica about the butterfly exhibit several weeks ago and am so glad things worked out to where she could meet us out there. Once we connected we walked around and enjoyed the fresh air and the surroundings. We enjoyed lunch at the farm and then we headed back into to town to put the kids down for a nap.

While Cade napped and Maxie made cookies with Gigi, I headed downtown for some good old fashion fun-- shopping. Then I met Erica and Helen at Rather Sweet for a coffee and dessert-shortly after it was back to reality.... nap time is over way to quick these days!

When I made it back to Gigi's we loaded up and headed home to Buda. Somehow we got lucky and Travis #1 took over watching the kids and Stephanie and I went out on the town.... Buda's very own Italian Restaurant. It was pretty authentic and just what I needed after a long day in the sun!

This weekend the crew is heading down here for Travis' grandma's birthday. Hopefully I can sneak Maxie away for a little fall festival fun!

Happy Cupcake Day to you

Today was one of those days where nap time wasn't going to happen, which is fine and I almost prefer it that way...although I do like that extra "me" time when Cade does decide to nap. BUT like I said, today wasn't a nap time kind of day. So I got to thinking what would be fun for Cade and I on this no nap time kind of day. ...hmmm. Only one thing popped into my head....CUPCAKES.

I got online and did a search for cupcakes. Of course, Martha Stewart's site pops up. I narrowed down the search and found "the one"--Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes. I checked the ingredients, made a list of what we needed and we were off to get the goods.

When we got home I measured everything out so that when my little helper came around he would be able to pour and stir with ease. Since this was going to be a semi-messy job an apron was going to be an necessity....besides I was wearing a black shirt and we all know how flour and black shirts don't mix. Here is a picture of my cutie in an apron! (Note to self- by Cade a boy-ish apron for Christmas).

Cade loves helping in the kitchen. Reminds me of when I would "help" my Dad on Sunday mornings with pancakes or biscuits....he would always wear a towel over his shoulder when he was in the kitchen..I always thought that was pretty handy. I also remember helping my Grandma make chocolate chip cookies. She had this really colorful mixing bowl that she would use every time........ hopefully Cade will one day remember the times he helped me or Travis in the kitchen....

Here's my little helper. He lines with precision.

The cupcakes turned out light and moist. The homemade frosting was so easy and so delicious. These cupcakes are a must have for fall!

And since you homemade cupcakes aren't an everyday thing in the house....we put a candle on it and made up some silly song...it was a hit with Cade.

Dear Husband,

In case you missed my FB post. I decided to leave you post here.

This link will lead you to what I think could quite possibly be perfection....actually six of those links would be absolute perfection....especially on a night like tonight...but since C&B is way far, far, far away we're having soup in our boring soup bowls....without the fun miniture handles.

Love,
Wifey


P.S. Our oven needs one of these...

a few of my favorite things

1. I found this really cool freezer gadget online- freezcube. It tells you when your frozen food is expired. \ I'm always in question when it comes to how long something has been in the freezer. Sometimes I can't even remember buying some of the things in there. I usually just take a peek for an expiration date or just toss it all and restock.

2. I just love all of the fall flats that are out this season. I usually get two basic colors, red and black... right now DSW has all of their flats on SALE.

3. My favorite songs: Matthew West- going through the motions, Matt Kearney- closer to love- Jeremy Riddle - sweetly broken, Lady Antebellum- need you now and Carrie Underwood- cowboy cassanova.

4. Hmmm... I guess I'll put Travis down for number 4. Even though there really isn't any order to this list.... So, yeah. Travis you're one of my favorite things. Cade too. =)

5. Definitely loving the change in weather. Not loving my chapped lips.

6. I love my new chicken tortilla soup recipe. We are turning on the crock pot tomorrow and having date night at home with ritas and all.

7. We had free chic-fil-a sandwiches tonight for dinner. You just can't beat free!

8. I love the new season of fall shows! Finally something to watch!

9. I love that holiday market is only 41 days away!! Which also means my girls day out is 41 days away.

10. Loves that Cade loves shirley timple even if i don't. There is something about little girls singing that he just loves! Animal crackers in my soup is his favorite youtube video right now... so long cuppycake girl.

and there you have it.... a list of random stuff.

This and That

Tonight I finished sewing Cade's napmat. For a first attempt and having not used a pattern....I'm pretty please with it. Of course even after lesson I can't sew a straight line, but I'm thinking Cade really isn't going to notice that.

To make one for your little one you'll need: 2 1/2 yards of fabric, thread, a Kindermat and fusible velcro. I simply opened my fabric (I used a flannel) and folded it over the mat. Cut up one side of it and then removed the excess material. Then I sewed up both long sides. I then made a 1" hem on the ends. I placed my Velco within the the 1" hem and fused it to the material using my iron.

Simple and easy AND washable!

Next time I'm going to try to add an additional blanket cover and then maybe a pillow and a handle/strap. BUT for now this one will have to work.

I had Cade try it out this evening. I told him this is your nap mat, lay on it, and go to sleep. So he laid down, closed his eyes and started to snore...... so cute!

Such a fun age!

I'll post pictures tomorrow. I'm hitting the sack early tonight.

Oh and my dad is doing better. He says his pain is better and the numbness is going away. So hopefully the injection will take full effect by morning.

update

So I'm a little behind on all of the happenings going on with our lives.

Travis and I joined a new church this past weekend- Northside Christian Church. It's the perfect fit for both of us. Cade loves it and we've already met some wonderful friends.

Cade is on his way to being fully potty trained. He hasn't started being verbal about telling us he needs to go but he will usually go when I ask him to. We're still wet when we wake up but we're not as wet as we used to be.

I'm super excited that all of the fall shows are starting. Looking forward to GREY'S, Desperate Housewives, and DWTS. Those are must sees every week.

School is going great. I love, LOVE, love the kids. It's going to be a great year with this bunch.

Wednesday is the big day for my friend Susan- she's delivering her twins! Hudson and Luke will arrive around noon! We're praying for Susan and Brandon as they enter a new chapter in their lives together.

I finally bought some new curtains for the living room. I went with a soft green-- on the lime side. I am a "red" accent kind of person but have just got burnt out on it...I came across some awesome accessories at Z Gallery in a fabulous green color and decided that this was the change I was needing to make- so I bought a few things- candle holders, napkin rings, and potpourri mix all in this vibrant green color. I love it!

Next Monday is my Grandma's birthday. I'm thinking about when I'm going to go up to see her.... I know we're making a trip mid October but I really want to get out there to see her now. I miss her!

Tomorrow my dad goes in for a steroid shot in his back- OUCH. The drs are hoping this will give him some much needed relief in his right leg (it's numb knee down- and now swelling is occuring in the ankle). I'm hoping it's a simple procedure and that he will be home by noon. They had an MRI sort of scan done last week and determined that his disk is degenerating and the nerve is pinched between the disks. Poor guy! He does seem to be doing better and the therapy is helping... but there is just no feeling in his leg. I had that happen when my foot falls asleep...so I can only imagine what he's been going through the past month. I just want him back to normal.

Cade has started praying at night- He/We used to do it all the time and then he wouldn't say them. So I slowly getting back into the habit of saying a goodnight prayer. We pray for our family and friends/his friends and such.... the other night he said "dear God, help Grandad feel better..." It of course was said in a two-year-old voice- which is just about the sweetest thing to listen to. Hopefully our prayers will be answered.

that's all for now.... it seems like I haven't had a full night of sleep in forever... so I'm calling it a night.

tara

update

I have been meaning to update this for awhile but never had a quiet moment but today is different- my mom has Cade and my husband is asleep. So just a quick update before I have to be Mama or Wifey again.

Travis and I have BIG news........ we saved $200 by switching electric providers. Reliant was killing our budget the past few months so we made the decision to drop them and go with a company that would cut our bill nearly in half. And it did. Our nearly $400 bill went down to $190 for the months of JULY and AUGUST. I can't wait to see what next month will be..... (well. I take that back. I really can wait). powertochoose.org

Julie called today and announced that she just had her 4th little boy- Nathan Thomas (although she hasn't decided for sure on the name). He was 7.7lbs with red hair. I don't know how she does it with 4 boys! She's amazing!

Today would have been my Papa's 88th birthday. He was an amazing man. I'll never forget they way he smiled, or the way he talked. The way he would laugh at Grumpy Old Men or how he would say, "Sure is Good." From when I was just a little girl to when I was an adult he would always beat me in the first hand of dominoes only to let me somehow win the next time.....and he always knew which dominoes you had in your hand...he loved that game. Thanks to him I have happily beat Travis several times! Thank you for the memories Papa. I love you and miss you.

Cade is doing great. I think he has hit a growth spurt over the last few weeks- his appetite is growing he can't seem to get enough to eat! His vocabulary is huge as is his imagination these days. He is really into puzzles, books and blocks. He loves saying "S-T-O-P, STOP" at every stop sign he sees. He knows all of his uppercase letters and can count to 13- and then jumbles up the rest of the numbers to 20. He is constantly saying or doing something that takes you by surprise. He is absolutely growing up WAY too fast. This past week we met Cade's teachers. He loves them already. He keeps telling me that miss G and miss J have ears and hair.... I think he's going to have another wonderful year at ELP.

Tomorrow is mama day- well for a short 2 hours so I can get my haircut and run a few errands. So thankful that Travis can watch Cade so I can get my hair done. Sunday is church at Northside Christian Church. This will be our second time there. Last week we enjoy the service- similar to Fellowship but much, much, much smaller. It's nice.....so we shall see if it's a fit!

Travis recently got his HAM radio license. He has been fooling around with it for a month or so. My dad is also an operator- builds his own equipment and talks to people from all over. Pretty neat hobby for both.

That's all for now......

row, row, row your boat

Travis' friend Pete came down from Alaska and stayed with us last night. He is actually on a month long road trip- traveling all over the Western states in his jeep. We decided to dine in and have chicken enchiladas with a frozen margaritas- he claims he has never had one of those. But he also claimed he stopped drinking...... 45 minutes ago. For dessert we served good ol' BlueBell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and cherry cobbler. He pretty much loved it.

Afterwards we were sitting around visiting and I got this GREAT idea to go up to The Woodlands and take the water taxi around Lake Woodlands (I'm guessing that's the name of the body of water around the mall). We loaded up and made our way down to the water. We boarded the boat and took off.... at a snails pace.

While on the "tour" I learned that deepest part of the lake is between 4-5 feet. Which is great information to know in case the boat should ever sink while on it....which I guess would never happen because I'm pretty sure the boat is taller than 5ft. Hmmm. So remember if it tips or sinks just get out of the boat, try not to panic, and simiply stand up.

The tour takes between 35-45 minutes. However, you are able to board on and off at certain points of the tour. We stayed put but next time I want to kill some time I might jump off at one of the many restaurants that over look the waterway. There is also this awesome water/splash pad for the kids just behind the new wine bar Crush. It also has a fountain similar to the one at Bellagio in Vegas where the water dances to music. I think there is a water show every 10 minutes.

Another bit of info the Capitan mentioned to the passengers was that the Anadarko building is the tallest structure between here and Dallas.....uhhh, isn't that pretty much obvious since there aren't any other major cities between here and there... it had a huge WOW factor on the boat.

After our tour we strolled around the waterway and found the water park and let Cade play for a bit. He loved that water jumped from place to place and that it changed colors. He was squealing with excitment!

After that water park we headed home and had our nightly run in with bedtime and then were up bright and early. Pete head out mid morning to Austin. He is supposed to visit the UT tower, the Capitol, Salt Lick, Hey! Cupcake, and Cabella's before heading to his next destination. He should have a great time seeing those sites.... after all it is Austin!

Anyway, it was a fun night. I'm glad we did something we normally wouldn't have done...and look at all of that useful knowledge we learned just by going down the stream.

10 on Tuesday

1. I love the song Big Green Tractor by Jason Aldean. It reminds me of the days when Travis and I were dating and spending every other week up at the farm. Now those days are limited to every few months but it nice to remember the days when things were just the two of us.

2. Cade is cutting his two year old molars and giving us (mostly me) a hard time about it. I have the bite marks to prove it and a bruise on my nose from him throwing things. I hope these teeth come in quickly and my sweet boy returns.

3. My neighbor is teaching me how to sew some really cute toddler dresses. She's planning on showing her collection at a craft show in September. She wants me to put my frames in.... hmmm that's a lot of painting but I think I'm going to do it.embellishedframes.blogspot.com

4. Naptime was over way to fast today.

5. My back is doing better. My nerves are better. I still feel a little twinge every now and then but I'm doing much better than I was a week ago. We shall see what the dr says next week. I go for my yearly check up this week and I'm hoping for a good check up there as well.

6. Travis built us a pergola. It looks great and the best part about is that we now have shade on the back porch.

7. 5-8 weeks before the baby boom hits Spring!

8. Cade is living in his VBS shirt. I wash it everyday. He wants to eat. sleep. play in it...everyday. The only thrill he gets from me washing it is throwing it in the washer... which he confuses with the dishwasher. hah.

9. My Grandma said the following while we were at her house last week- The cows coming home mean that it's going to rain..... not because they want food....

10. Is going to plan a night out on the town with my hubby- Perry's sounds good to me.