fireworks!

A couple of weekends ago, we were so lucky to be visiting Brady's family during the annual Scandia Community Celebration.  This is a huge event that Brady's mom puts a lot of time into...filled with great food, games, and a spectacular, hour-long fireworks display.  We are so glad we could be there and had so much fun!  The best part of the evening was...Willie!!!  He made a special appearance...signed loads of autographs (Parker got his arm and hat signed), played football with the kids (my son is the one who tackled him...Willie's such a good sport), and shot off the first firework.  It was such a fun night!

Yes, that is a real tank in the background...Brady's mom's client is a collector.

My knock-kneed little man was in awe.

Willie, Grammy and the boys.

Parker getting his second autograph.

P loved the bounce house!  Plus, you can see his Willie tattoo:)

Yeah...I don't have many shirts that still cover the lil' wildcat:).

Parker HATES loud noises so once they started testing the fireworks, we had to wear these...

So pretty!

blessed

We are so blessed to be here to celebrate milestones with our friends and family this year.  I can't tell you how hard it was to be away for two years and not be there for weddings, showers, birthdays, births, etc. 

I am so glad that we were here this year to celebrate my mom's birthday with her.  She always, always puts her kids first (now her grandkids:), and we are so blessed to call her mom.  

Love you Mom!

my kind of nesting...

We have officially been living out of suitcases for 8 weeks...that means that right now, I am having to resist the urge to nest...in the traditional sense...I cannot prepare the nursery, clean out my cabinets, scrub the bathrooms, or rearrange the furniture (I know, I'm crazy)...so instead I have been doing the following...

...moving in new tenants to our old house...what a relief to have that house rented out for another year...

...scrubbing bathroom tiles and replacing things for the new tenants...nothing like making something look nice for someone else:)

...finally getting my driver's license...that's right Brady and I are now officially legal!!  Poor Brady had to retake both the written and driving tests...better him than me:)

...signing Parker up for preschool, zoo camp, swimming lessons, doctor and dentist appointments...

...buying our first of two cars...yay! (we ended up getting another highlander...so predictable:)

...doing my first good neighbor program meal delivery...without a gps...it took me a while to remember where all of the streets in valley center are...

...getting reactivated in junior league...I am so excited about my placement and can't wait to get started next week!

...scheduling a painter to come in the day after we close to paint all of the trim and the walls on the main floor...it will be so, so nice to have it done!

...ordering curtains online for the kids' rooms (wow, it feels weird to use the plural version of kid:)

...filling a closet in my parents' house with diapers, wipes, white onesies, car seats, baby bath and lotion, and anything else that I can buy without having a home or knowing the gender...this poor child...

Anyway, we are so excited for all that is to come and hoping that the lil' wildcat doesn't make an early appearance!

Brothers and Baseball

We have spent the last two weekends doing two of our favorite things; hanging out with our brothers and watching K-State baseball.  First we met Brady's brother, Cortney, in Manhattan to watch the Cats against the Sooners (or 'the Oklahomans' according to P)...it was a great way to celebrate Cort's birthday.  Parker loved getting to meet Willy, watching the game and then getting to run the bases after.  Such a great day!

Last weekend we met my brother, Landon, in Oklahoma City for the Big 12 Tournament.  This was the first time we had been able to see landon and we were so excited to hang out with him!  During the game, Brady was chosen to do the beanbag toss...he was not too excited until they told him that P could go on the field with him.  Parker was so, so excited and he and the other guy's son really hit it off and played so well together.  We had such a great weekend!

We have been playing a lot of baseball lately.

The boys all did so well that they both won the full $400 in gas cards!

this week...

this week we have signed a contract on a house...we close two weeks before the baby comes...
this week we have tried to get our US driving licenses...it is really difficult to prove residency when you're living in your parents' basement:)
this week we have debated whether or not to paint the trim in our new house about 25 times...jury is still out...if you have an opinion I would seriously LOVE to hear it...
this week we have discussed what kind of vehicles we should purchase...oh but wait...we don't have our licenses yet, ha...
this week I have daydreamed about what the lil' wildcat's room is going to look like...
this week we have debated about wood floors...we really need to decide on the trim soon...
this week Parker and I went to the zoo twice...love, love, love watching him get so excited about the animals...
this week I acquired another pregnancy-related rash on my belly...darn sensitive skin...
this week I realized that while I love, love, love being home, I hate, hate hate having to drive everywhere...
this week I was reminded of how blessed we are...while it is going to be a crazy couple of months...we are so happy that we are close to friends and family (and not only because they can help us get it all done:)

my favorites

I have been so terrible about uploading photos so this post is basically a dump.  Just some of my favorites from the last few weeks including our last few days in London.  Love, love, love this little man!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so, so blessed to have so many wonderful women in my life.  I have an amazing mom and mother-in-law, and wonderful grandmas.  Now, I am even more blessed to be a mom to my p diddy and lil' wildcat...so, so blessed...happy mother's day!