Texas and Tahoe!

What a busy week!  Last week was wild...I am still playing catch up :)

On August 31st, I had my 30th birthday party, on September 1st, I turned 30 (!), on the 2nd, Eddie flew to TX and on the 3rd, Cal and I hopped on a plane to join the Williamson family for Labor Day weekend and the season opener in Cowboys Stadium.  Cal and I stayed out there for the week so he could get some good Grammy/Poppy time.  After Texas, Cal and I flew up to Lake Tahoe for my cousin's wedding....

Here are some pictures documenting our journey....

At RDU airport trying to wave at the planes.  This was before the WORST flight of my life :) Cal never slept and was WILD throughout the 3 hours it took to get there.  We were in a window seat with two other people next to us.  He flung milk every where and had graham crackers all over the woman next to us.  I had the shakes for 2 hours after we landed.  It was ROUGH. 

After we landed in DFW, we strapped him into the car and he was out like a light-- of course! 

Grammy had balloons in the house since we all know what a fan Cal is... he carried them around the WHOLE week-- those balloons would not die!  He was given golf clubs as a birthday gift and would swing them at the balloons :)  Also, his aunts were there acting as paparazzi...

Cal sitting in Poppy's chair playing with his golf clubs that were an early birthday gift from Grammy and Poppy.  They gave him a gift every few hours while we were there!  He loved the clubs and carried them EVERYWHERE we went while we were out in TX!  Actually, they went to Tahoe too! haha

Game Day! The bottom two pictures were from the grocery store in Fort Worth!  I was AMAZED by them!  The first one is boxes of Diet Coke with purple Fanta spelling out TCU. The second one is Fanta and Diet Dr. Pepper with Dr. Pepper making the football.  We walked into the store and I could not get over the amount of time that must have taken a grocery store employee!  (it's the little things, right??) 

The top two pictures are riding the family bus to the game and the bottom pictures are from the game.  Cecilia, the adorable little girl hugging Cal is the daughter of one of the football coaches.  We spent some time with Cecilia and her mommy, Jenny, while we were out in Fort Worth.  Cecilia is SO FREAKING SMART!  Her mom is doing something right.  That child is 2 1/2 and can count (really high) can say her ABCs, can point to a letter and tell you what it is (she's about ready to start reading), and thanks to Dora, the girl can count to 5 in SPANISH!!!  And she's TWO!  Isn't that impressive?  (okay, I just went off on a tangent there...)

This was a highlight of the game.  Mr. Cal Boy made it up on the Jumotron at the game!  The crazy thing about this picture is it was taken by some random girl who was just trying to take a picture of the field and who didn't even know Cal.  A friend of my sister-in-law's saw it on this girl's facebook page and took a picture of it and sent it to Tricia.  Small world, right?

Poppy's "shrine" of Cal pictures.  I try to send Patty and Big Ed a picture a day, and Big Ed will print out his favorites and put them up on the board.  He can't bring himself to throw any away.  When the pushpin will not hold any more, he will remove a few and put them in a folder on the side of his desk marked CAL.  That folder is about to need a backup--it's overflowing. 

This picture just cracks me up.  Getting in the tub with his TCU shirt on (and his little cheeks hanging out--haha)

We took Cal to the mall one day to look for some new shoes.  We pulled into the parking lot only to discover we left his stroller in the garage back at the house...opps!  So, we rented one of these little creations.  It was interesting, to say the least!  Cal had his first and only melt down the entire week at this mall.  And it was a DOOZIE!  You would think it was his terrible twos from the way he threw a fit.  Lord, help me when the terrible twos really do hit! A few graham crackers and he was good to go with some new shoes too!

We celebrated Cal's first birthday with the Williamson's while we were out there.  He LOVED the cake and had a blast eating/smashing it.  haha-- SUCH a mess!

Fort Worth has a wonderful children's museum that we visited one day.  Cal had a great time pushing the shopping cart around and he was obsessed with the bubble tunnels. 

Visiting Poppy at TCU's practice

swinging on some swings at the CUTEST park that Jenny and Cecilia took us to

We made it to Tahoe! The weather was much cooler--it was wonderful! Cal was wild on the flight again, but this time, my dad bumped Cal and I up to first class so he was wild with more room :)  Tahoe was GORGEOUS and we had a great time exploring.

At the rehearsal dinner out on the beach-- beautiful setting!

love some of these from the rehearsal dinner

At the wedding on top of Heavenly Mountain.  And it was just that: Heavenly!

Molly's little girl, Sydney, and Cal

Playing with Grandpa at the wedding-- it was too cute watching him!

Mom and Dad- good lookin' couple!

Cousins!  love love love her :)

Love these of Cal taking grandpa for a walk.  He was pointing at all of the birds and talking baby blabber up a

My cousins: Patrick and Molly on the wedding day-- LOVE them!

It was a great 10 days, but I was SOOOOO ready to get home!  Cal was a trooper the whole time.  In TX, he slept until 8:30 every day (9:30 EST) and took two naps a day, each over 2 hours!  He is super backwards now that we are home.  He is sleeping late, but his naps are all screwed up.  We will get back on track soon, I swear!

Two years ago today....

Two summers ago, I found a lump in my breast (what a way to start a blog entry, right??).  I had my annual obgyn appointment the week after I found it so I had the doctor check it out.  Breast cancer runs in my family so I was a little unnerved by the whole thing.  The doc checked it and wanted me to get an ultrasound on it just to make sure all was okay and to put me at ease.  I had my appointment for the end of August to get the ultrasound (they said I was too young to do a mammogram).

My mom went with me to the appointment and we were sure it was absolutely nothing, and everyone was just being overly cautious. 

The technician started the ultrasound and I noticed a frown on her face and I got a huge pit in my stomach.  She left the room and brought back a doctor with her.  He looked at the screen and said he thought I should get a biopsy on the lump.  uhhhh..... that was NOT what we thought he was going to say. 

I walked back to the waiting room where mom was and didn't say a word.  We went to the car and I just lost it.  I was terrified.  I didn't want to get Eddie worked up, since he can't handle me crying so I pulled it together to call him to fill him in on the outcome of the appointment.  Halfway through the call, I started crying (of course).  My mom took me back to school where I told the school secretary I was going to take the afternoon off to process all of this. 

Playing the "what if" game doesn't do a bit of good, but you really can't help it.  I kept thinking what if this is cancer?  What if I have to start chemo? What if what if what if......so morbid!

I had to call the cancer center to schedule the biopsy and it was a while before they could fit me in, so I had to sit and play the what if game for a couple of weeks.  It made for a quiet birthday celebration, that is for sure!  My whole family had it on their minds, but no one wanted to talk about the what ifs. 

On September 2nd, I went in to the cancer center and had my biopsy...had NO idea how much that one hurt!  Apparently, when you are young and your boobs are perkier and firmer it's harder to maneuver the needle around in there, as opposed to an older woman who has some sag going on (note: this was pre-baby.  I have plenty of sag now...). 

Anyway, to make a long story LONG, we left there and went to the Breast Clinic where I met a doctor who felt my lump and said right away, "that isn't cancer."  Uhhh....couldn't we have seen her first and had her tell us this??  She said she couldn't be certain, but that it didn't "feel" cancerous. 

She was the one who received the biopsy results and called me later that same day to tell me that yes, there was a lump, but that it was not cancerous.  yeeeehaw!  I called everyone in my family and we all cried the happiest tears.

Moral of the story......check your boobies, girls!  And don't take life for granted.   And don't freak out until you have to!

Birthday Fiesta!

It was SUCH a fun birthday party!  We had close to 60 people show up and I loved seeing everyone together.  Here are some pics from the party!  Can't believe I am 30!!!  (I am leaving tomorrow for 11 days in Texas and Tahoe so I don't have time to write too much, plus I have another blog entry to do later today.....)

Dear 20s,

Dear 20s,

Tomorrow I will be leaving you behind and joining a new decade.  I am not sad to turn 30, but I do thank you for all of the fun times being in my 20s provided.  The wrinkles on my face cannot be blamed on turning 30.  I am happy to be able to blame them on the fun times on the beach (where I didn't put on enough sunscreen....opps), on the hilarious events that kept me laughing for hours and sometimes days, and even on my frustration working with students (which turned into smile lines once they figured it out!).   Realizing that when I am turning 40, I will not enjoy those wrinkles nearly as much, right now, I wouldn't trade those days on the beach or those happy times for anything. 


After watching the wonder that is The Bachelor Pad last night, I looked at Eddie and said, "I may be turning 30, but at least I am happy with my life right now.  I could be 30 and a contestant on the Bachelor Pad participating in a kissing contest....".  A little perspective, no?


I love you 20s, but it's time to say goodbye!  I have got to rock this next decade :)

So we think he can dance

Cal and I love to play together.  We get down on the ground and roll around and crack each other up (okay, he cracks me up.  I just make him stare.).  Yesterday, we rolled over a toy and it started making some noise and Cal started dancing to it.  Over and over again!  He loves to push the button and then dance! 
(sorry to repost, the first one didn't load the entire video)

MILF's Retreat

Yes, the title of this blog is gross.  We don't care.

This past weekend I headed to the beach with some girlfriends, a big bunch of mommas, for a little girl bonding freedom :)  We thought the title of our weekend was fitting!  Everyone left Friday afternoon and since I was gone all last week, I left Saturday morning and only went for one night.  It was so funny-- by Sunday morning, we were all up and at 'um ready to get back to our babies!
We spent quality time on the beach and in the ocean, went for a booze cruise and had a fabulous dinner out at a great restaurant.  We all enjoyed just being girls!

Here are some pics from the weekend....

This about sums it up.....

Scrub Island

What a week!  We had a wonderful time enjoying each other's company.  Leaving on Tuesday morning was a bit tough.  Our flight was early so both of my parents came over early and my dad took us while my mom stayed and waited for Cal to wake up.  I cried on the way to the airport (I know-- SUCH a wuss), but then sucked it up and was great for the rest of the trip!  My mom would send us updates throughout the day with everything they were doing and it helped me so much.  That way, I wouldn't be sitting there wondering what they were doing.  Cal had a big time at Grandma's house, and I think they both really had fun together.  I do think, however, that they were both ready for us to get home!  I think Cal's business might have worn out my mom just a tad :)  We came home to him walking all over the place (for longer distances), and he looked like he had grown 4 inches!  We were amazed!

Anyway....the trip really was special and made us realize how much the time together was  needed.  Here are a few of the TONS of pictures we took.  The resort was the nicest resort I have ever seen.  We lucked out and got a corner suite and it was INCREDIBLE!  I couldn't believe our luck!  It was a smaller group, which proved to be a blast.  Everyone knew everyone by the end and it was one big party every night.  I could party it up too, because I didn't have to get up and take care of a baby the next day!

Enjoying the Wine Pairings Dinner

We did a lot of sitting in the water with a beverage

Sitting in the water with a beverage!

Going to dinner one night

Our bathroom.  The tub was HUGE!  And it had a TV too!  I was in heaven (the tv didn't work so I wasn't watching it!)

On an all day island hopping trip.  We snorkeled and then went to a few bars on different islands: so fun!

On our way to the next island!!!

Again, we had a wonderful trip, but we are both glad to be home with our little guy.  We woke him up (sorta) when we got home last night and he looked at us like he had no idea who we were!  We had a ton of fun playing today....and I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off playing catch up!  There are more pictures here if you are bored and want to see more!