...we gon' find you...

You have GOT to see these. I...have no words. Watch the first video first- duh. It's comedy in and of itself. I mean. I'm sad that this young lady was the victim of an almost rape...I mean...I don't mean to laugh...I mean...it's just how HILARIOUS she reacts to it...but more so how her brother reacts.



but then...you need to watch this beauty. I dunno who has the time or energy or knowhow to do it...but it made me laugh until pee came out. True.Story. (btw- you can stop watching after like 1:14- cuz then some other guy sings and it's lame)

...me is sooo booty...

I mean...I'm SOOOO behind!!! UGH! My excuse?! Well...I have been editing alot...and then there was the 5 days that DLo was gone for Staff Retreat...and the fact that Jude went through a "boycott sleeping" period. Oy!

So...this will be my "ketchup" blog.

Let's see...what's been going on??? Um...uh... Well.

Jude- is getting SO big so fast! He's cracking us up left and right! Jude is working VERY hard at talking...although...we still mostly don't understand him!!! His newest thing is counting. And it.is.adorable!!! He never says one. Ever. I'll say one...then he says two...and I'll say three...and he says "fooooe"...then I say five...and he repeats "fiiiiiieeeey"...haha...then "siiiihhhh" I say seven...and he says "aaaaaaeeee" and "nieeeey"...then I say ten...and he repeats "ten!" It is seriously the cutest thing ever! My favorites are when he says "fiiiieey" and "niiieeey!" or when he is counting his trains and they are in all different orders! ;) He is SO big too...wearing 3T clothes is of the past...all his 3T shirts are too short...and the 4Ts are getting there! 4T shorts/pants are starting to be snug too! Ugh! I've refrained from buying new shorts this season, though- b/c who KNOWS what size he'll be next summer!!! Hmmm.... Jude has gotten better at listening...but also throws the most awesome fit if he doesn't want to do something. It's pretty fantastic...and I find myself laughing and being mortified all rolled into one! We're still potty training...and have gotten rid of diapers completely...although we're still in pullups! Jude does a good job trying to stay dry- for the most part- but still won't tell us when he needs to "go"...so unless mom and dad are on their "A game"...Jude usually has a couple accidents a day. I have hope though...that the more he's able to talk, the better he'll be! Um. He's a little fish, too! I had my friend, Bre, give him swim lessons this summer. He had like 6 or 7 lessons...and by the end of the summer, can hold his breath and swim underwater short distances!!! He'd go alot further if he'd use his arms...but he always has an arm out trying to reach me! Haha! :D

Derrick is really enjoying his job at CCV. And...I got to admit...so am I!!! He gets so much more time at home...we're just finishing a nice 4 FULL days he's had off! It's just fabulous! Right now, Derrick is planning and preparing a charity event for his birthday. I'm so excited for him...and for raising money for an organization that we are both very passionate about. It will be a BIG bday for him- 30- so hopefully it can be a really big thing! :D

Me? Oh geez. Um. Well. I have my good and bad days....like everyone else! I've been finding myself on the "sadder" end of the spectrum lately...partially b/c my friends are back to work...and partially b/c I've not been reading/praying like I should...and partially b/c my friends keep LEAVING ME!!! ::coughcough- Love and Linds and Amy and Walthos!:: But things are getting better and I'm blessed to have a son and daughter who brighten up my life...and a husband who puts up w/ my crazy! ;)

I have a plethora of pictures to upload...hmmm...but somehow I do not have the motivation! ;) So...I promise to be more diligent at updating! (Sorry, Love!!! haha!)

...Adventures w/ Zoe...

These pix are kinda old...from the beginning of Aug...but I wanted to share! I got to watch Miss Zoe during the first week that teachers go back...and we had a blast playing. I honestly don't think Jude and I have done as many activities in one day as when Zoe was here! Well...the first day, at least (You'll see the huge mess in the last few pix...we OBVIOUSly had aLOT of fun!)!!! The second, Miss Kim was kinda exhausted- so we did a LOT more lounging and reading!!! :D

...Mockingjay...

#76- Read 50 books
Mockingjay was my book #7 of 50. I've been SO looking forward to this book...seeing as it is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. AND we have been waiting a YEAR to find out how it all ends!!! Oh my word!

This book reveals what happens after the Capitol destroys District 12...how Katniss survives the loss of her home...and rises above to become the symbol of the rebellion. Now living in District 13...Katniss and her best friend slash potential something more must find a way to get the other districts to join the rebellion and ultimately try and overthrow President Snow and the Peacekeepers in the Capitol. ...oh...and save Peeta, of course!

Oh my word. Did I EVER love this series...and this book did NOT disappoint! :) If you have NOT done so yet...you MUST read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and then Catching Fire and then Mockingjay! You will love it! :)

...SEVEN...

I'm gunna blink one times too many and before I know it...it's going to be time to celebrate Emme's first bday! ::bigsigh:: I truly cannot believe how quickly time is flying with her. I always thought Jude's first year of life whizzed by...but it was nothing compared to this! :(

I'm constantly amazed at my lil princess. She is such a joy and a blessing in all our lives. She is the cutest little crack up...and has the girliest demeanor! My heart melts each and every time Jude gives her kisses and she just smiles the biggest smile. Lil Smoosh! :D

Let's see...what is Miss Em into lately?!
* She is for SURE cutting her first tooth... (cranky.pants.mcgee!)
* She is eating more and more solids...to the point where she was boycotting her bottle for solids! So mama had to cut back on the amount of "cubes" Emme got!
* She is sitting up like a pro...
* She is ::this:: close to crawling, but can get anywhere she wants be rolling and using her HEAD to scoot! LOL!
* Talks up a storm "yayayayayayayayaya!"...
* She's OBSESSED with her blanket (in her crib) and likes to scare mama by sleeping w/ it over her head! (I have to go in every night after I know she's asleep to take it out!)
* She tolerates her jumperoo...
* She loves grabbing her brother's hair...
* ...and mama's face whenever she's taking her bottle!
* She refuses to keep her hair bows in her hair...
* ...and puts EVERYTHING into her mouth!

We are just so stinkin' in love with that lil munchie!

...first impressions...

#98- Volunteer at church

YES! Another thing I can check off my list...I have finally started volunteering at church... I've been wanting to find an area to serve for a while...and when we were at Palm Valley I tinkered with several ideas of things I wanted to do...but it's so "hard" when you have kids...time is limiting...and when your husband is on staff...well...it becomes even more difficult to find a place to serve and not have your babies in the nursery all day....

So. I'm serving in the Children's area under my motherinlaw...but...I'm not teaching...ohhhhh nonono...I am inputting data for First Time Guests. Basically...if you are a first timer...or have brought a guest...you fill out a card w/ your info...and I'm one of the peeps that puts you in the system allowing you to check your child in! Um...btw...GENIUS program...!!!...when you check your children in...you can register to do it w/ your FINGERPRINT...I know, right?! And it's always reassuring to know that not anyone can come pick your child up...as they need a tag that matches your child's! Anywho...rambling... have a million other blogs to write...so TTFN.

...when mom's away...

#72 Stay at a nice resort in PHX- just to get away

Okay...this blog is WEEKS in the making...I've been waiting and waiting and waiting to write/post it b/c I needed to steal some pictures...this is what happens when the only camera you have is HUGE...so you don't bring one! Anywho.

I got to attend the 2nd Annual "Girl's Getaway" Weekend w/ my ladies. This is the FIRST time since having my babies that I've gone away...the first time that mama hasn't been there for 24 hours...the first time, really since we got MARRIED that I've been the one that has over-nighted somewhere other than home w/o my significant other!!! WHOOOHOOOO! ;)

Now. I'll be a lil honest. I was SUPER excited to getaway...I mean...a mama needs a break to recoop and get her priorities straight...but I wasn't so much excited about going...the night before, I even complained to Derrick that I wasn't so excited- I didn't think I'd have alot of fun...and despite how much I NEEDED to get away...I really really really didn't like the idea of my kids and I being apart! :(

Can I just tell you, though...I'm SO glad I went! I had such a blast! I mean...it's not like we did a whole whole lot...considering I was gone LITERALLY 24 hours...but it was nice to be child-free and worry about no one but myself! I was actually kinda sad that it ended so soon- and look forward to a TWO day getaway next year (right, Karen?!)

...So...what all did we do??? Well...Jaime and I got together on Saturday for some pedis, lunch, and shopping...then we got to the hotel long enough to cry over Emme's 6mo pix (that I picked up on the way), change, and go to dinner. We had a nice and loud (heehee) dinner at Maggiano's followed by dessert. Kerry and I were dropped off at the hotel while the other gals partied it up in the parking lot of ...hmmm...Devil's Martini?? Martini Ranch?? Ooooh, I don't remember- but they didn't actually make it in b/c the parking lot was full...and they are old ladies and didn't wanna walk! LOL! We played some games back in the room before finally crashing at like 1somethingam... Sadly...I didn't sleep in like I was so looking forward to (I mean...no kids to cry and wake you up!?! Come ON!)...but got up around 7:45am...got ready and met up w/ the gang for "breakfast" at the hotel...then we sat around talking in our cabana (which was no bigger than my foot)...I went down the lazy river w/ Karen a few times before needing to check out...annnnd that is pretty.much.it. LOL! Wow. Doesn't sound so "fun" when I recount my memories that way...w/o all the crazy (no...really- it was crazy) details! But it really was an enjoyable time...Jaime and I left and grabbed some lunch and hit up Costco before heading home...I LOVED coming home and seeing the look on Jude's face..."Hoooooolllleyou!!!!!" he said to me...and I held him for what seemed like an eternity! It's nice being missed!!!! :)

Things I'll NEVER forget:
* FREEDOM...
* pedicures...w/ white people...who we STILL couldn't understand!!!
* shoe shopping w/ Jaime...no really...I'm eyeballing an intervention here soon!...
* H&M vs. HH ...there is a BIG difference LOL!
* "the jug"
* uncorking the champagne (which is hilarious...since I don't drink...)
* SPANX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* hair accessories...
* Maggiano parking...I rode shotgun...and a couple of times...I was CERTAIN Karen was going to run someone over! LOL!
* "bye, Buddy...hope you find your dad!"
* "the dress"
* FIFTEEN times...
* other...not so quiet "girl" talk...
* Kerry's greenbean salad... laugh.out.loud. "Is that all you're eating?!"
* the lasagna debacle!
* standing up for myself...and not "going out"...b/c I'm really not a goingoutkinda girl!
* playing games...and losing (I HATE losing!)
* Catch Phrase... the word: "black"... my clue: "Love is...." I miss me some Love Breaux... :( my first and favorite black thing that popped in my head! :( I hate Japan!
* ooooooh that SONG! "dooodoodoona heyyyyy na dooodoodoona heyyyyy uhhh huh!" LOL! (Jaime and I heard it while paying for our pedicures...didn't know the song or who sang it and we were trying to "Shazam" it on my phone...but people were talking to much...so we "sang" it to the gals to see if they knew what it was...and they didn't. Heard it on the radio a couple weeks later... It's by Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam?! Are they still around?!)
* giggling at 1am in bed in the dark b/c that song is STILL in my head!
* Jaime...the chipmunk (idk...but those were some STRANGE teeth noises!)
* Kim...the snorer...to my defense...I warned them this might happen!
* the breakfast that ruined my life...the espresso machine was broken.... :(
* the cabanas...laugh.out.loud.
* celebrity gossip
* the iTouch that died after one song...
* the lazy river...
* getting rid of "evidence" of our shopping trip
* the OG...MMMmmmm...

I'm sure I'm forgetting something...but the list is long enough, right?! :) Such a fun time...can't wait for next year!!! :)

My BFF, Jaime



The Girlies



The Lester