They Sipped, They Saw

We had a Sip and See while we were at my Mom and Dad's so that our Dallas friends could come meet Joshua. I so badly want to have the skills to throw elegant and/or cute-type get togethers. You know, pretty table, good food and drink, and everyone has a great time. Besides my mom, I feel like Sara, Jessica, and Maren have taught me a lot in this area and I hope to make them proud!

Everyone did their part to get ready...

Sorry to have caught this expression, Dad. I promise he was doing his chores with a cheerful heart!

Even Grayson did his part

As a bonus, Hope and Billy came in from California for the weekend.

And we put them to work. They're considered family, right?

Anyway, Billy grew up with a Martha Stewart- type mother (hospitality-wise, not personality!) and had all sorts of tricks up his sleeve when it came to icing the cupcakes. Perfection!

Hope volunteered to vacuum because she believes she should stay out of the kitchen. However, as with everything else, if she would spend a little time at it she would be a great cook in no time flat!

Yummy cookies from our hometown bakery that not only made our birthday cakes growing up, but our wedding cake as well. They still don't take credit cards. Old school like that. Aren't you glad I gave you that information?

Table

Don't forget the sipping

And the seeing

Lauren came all the way from Houston. Houston I say!

10L Roomies - Kristi. Missed you!

Lindsey from high school

Kimberly- fresh from her honeymoon

Lauren and Britt. I know this looks posed but it actually wasn't.

With Kay

Grandma and Joshua. My Grandma, that is. Maisie! (J starting to look a little fatigued)

The Gusses. Knew me before I was born. And I have to give a shout-out to Alan, a faithful blog reader!

And we're out

With my oldest friends and new little Lucy (and Avery for that matter)

Another oldest friend, Britt, and my new friend, his fiance, Lauren.

Kyle and Joe ("the brothers") reunited plus Ben!

And to all of you and many others that I didn't get pictures of, thanks for taking time out of your busy weekend to honor our sweet little...um, big boy. Love you all!

The View From Here

(Not the current view from here, mind you. But the view when we were in the hill country of Texas with Joe's fam)

To begin with...those cliffs...that's where the river should be...going on 8 months without a drop of rain...

You know it's dry when even the cactus is dying...

The Farewell Tour

We're back. And (sort of) ready for action. We have spent the last month visiting family and friends in Texas and Seattle before our big move. (More about the move in a later post) I didn't mention the trip because I'm not into advertising to the world that we are not at home and COME ROB US. Not that the world reads this blog, but you never know.

So 3 plane rides, 3 houses, 2 time zones, 2 children and 1 month is a little overwhelming. But what can you do? Really, we had a great time, the kids did pretty spectacular for all the crazy and we are safely back home.

Obviously I cannot write about the entire trip (especially Texas, our Texas) in one post. So here is a little teaser and I'll be back soon. (Once I claw my way out from under piles of laundry)

The Woo-Woo

Somebody has a new nickname. And it's Joshua.

Joshua's looks definitely favor Joe's Mom's (aka Donnette, aka Ami D) side of the family. They are the Wootans. So my mom (aka Carolyn, aka Gran) has taken to calling him her little Woo-Woo. And it's kind of cute.

But besides all that, our littlest boy is FOUR MONTHS OLD. Oh dear, he might as well be off to high school. That is how fast this is going.

A little bit about the Woo:

-weighs 15 lbs 2 oz (50%) and is 25 in long (75%!)

-favorite word is "a-goo"

-prefers Mommy to Daddy (right now)

-loves watching big brother

-starting to giggle

-sleeps 7-8 hours at night

-3 naps during the day

-loves to eat! hip, hip, hooray!

-has long AND curly eyelashes

-generally very easy-going

-smiles with his whole being

-loves loves LOVES to be held

-big time drooler (this was never an issue with G so this is a new thing for us. May take after cousin Ben in this way)

Sweet Joshua-

We are thrilled you are ours! You are such a good boy and bring us so much joy. Your little face lights up when we come into view and this melts us every time. You make everyone's day with that smile- you have an equal opportunity grin. At 4 months you are desperate to sit up on your own, talk, and do everything you see Grayson doing. Just a little longer! Whereas Grayson was always content to sit and play and "figure" things out, we have a feeling you are going to be a "get up and go" boy. Oh dear! Love you so, so much!

The Road Back

Well. At church the other day my friend Ania suddenly exclaimed, "Have you done the Ironman?" (As in the ultra crazy triathalon) Me: "What would give you that idea?" (not my current body) Ania: "You have the watch! My husband wears the watch too- he did the Ironman in Australia." Well, of course he did. But let me tell you, if that was the requirement for wearing the Timex Ironman watch, most of my college friends and I would be watch-less. I should mention that Ania is recently from Poland and is way too trendy and cute to sport a bulky black watch at church. Unless she was doing it to show off that she completed a race. Like me. Except not. You should also know that Ania has given birth 4 times in 5 years. Her youngest is 6 months and I'm pretty sure she wears a double zero. Not just a zero. A double zero. I would swear she smokes, except she doesn't. And of course she is one of the sweetest, most down to earth people I know. And when she asked me about the watch, she was genuinely excited for me.

All of that to segue into the topic of this post: running! (and body after baby) When it is time to get back into shape my natural inclination has always been to hit the road. I had a really hard time running after Grayson and didn't get back into it until a month before I got pregnant with Joshua. So that lasted a while. Right. Six weeks after J's birth I started run/walking again. It was rough and the first few times my heart and lungs were like,"Oh sweet mercy! What is happening?!!" But 2 months later I am running for 30 minutes straight every other day. And I have to say I am running better than I ever have in my life. Even more so than when I ran a half-marathon. I don't think I've ever enjoyed it this much or been so motivated:

1. I usually run right when Joe gets home- in the middle of the fussiest time of the day for my little friends. They are ready to see Daddy and play outside and I am thrilled to have a break!

2. I use the W&OD trail in my backyard- not sure I could do without it.

3. Got me some Nike Free running shoes. Changing my life.

4. Soundtrack. Real quality, insightful music. (read Usher, Lady Gaga, etc)

Running at age 30 is very different than running in college. The trail is a busy place with lots of cute young girls in skin tight clothes, spray tans and long ponytails swishing back and forth. But the thing that gets me is this little missy running in front of me earlier this evening. She is somehow running and SHAKING HER BOTTOM from side to side at the same time. (I can see this clearly because of the above-mentioned skin tight clothes) I have never seen anything like it. AND (men, avert your eyes) she is either not wearing underwear or wearing a thong, both of which are unacceptable to an old-schooler like me. (Yes, I'm looking. How can I not? She is shakin' that thing all over the place). Tonight I wore a shirt that has at least 7 holes in it and a pair of shorts that I swiped from storage at summer camp back in 2001. Except the shorts are circa 1979. (Of course I also have on my hip and cool Nikes)

I can't really think of anything brilliant to wrap up this post. Except I am so thrilled and thankful to be running again. And proud of myself for sticking with it. The End.

Except!

I also have to give a shout out this evening to my sweet friend Melissa. When I was pregnant with Grayson we lived next door to each other, taught Kindergarten next door to each other and completed grad school together. So she was pretty much forced to endure every moment of my pregnancy. Good times for her! Anyhow, right now the doctor that delivered my babies is delivering Melissa's own sweet baby boy. And I am just tickled pink. I love you, Melissa, and I already love that baby too!

And for my mother, whom I will surely hear from if I don't post at least one picture of a grandchild:

Where is...

Look! There's Joshua!

Where are Joshua's eyes?

Where is Joshua's elbow?

Where is Joshua's knee?

Where is Joshua's mouth?

Where is Grayson?

Can you give Joshua a kiss?

So proud!