Memories and a New House

A friend of mine from high school posted this picture on facebook(which I am totally addicted to...there are so many people I have reconnected with...not just for teenagers!)and it brought back memories. Oh, the carefree days! We were in the eighth grade a this is a picture from one of many dances. Fun times:
Am I just a little happy???

We signed our life away again this morning and now we own 2 homes. Not to worry as Matt has reassured me we can afford both. It was cheaper to buy a home in Ruston than to rent one! Our mortgage will be cheaper than the normal $1000 month for a 3bd/2ba house, so I guess I feel good about that. Hopefully our home in Benton will sell within the next 6 months. then we might up size next summer, or not, who knows!

Life has been hectic and it won't let up anytime soon! I am continuing to hit the ground running(literally) in the morning, awaking at 4:45 to meet a buddy or buddies. Home by 6ish and have to be at work by 7:25. I am currently running 5 days a week and take Thursday and Sunday off. Last week I topped out at 40 miles, with our long run being 16. Then I have class on Tuesdays and another one on the internet. The kids don't allow us to slow down in the afternoons..actually Landry comes home and takes a nap but Jake is in full force. We plan to move our things into our new home this weekend. After I run 12 miles. But hey, I turn 30 in November and don't plan on slowing down anytime soon. So forgive me for not posting enough! Jake was a doll on Sunday morning and slept until 7:10....has not done this since May. Landry woke up at 6:45 but she will lay there and suck her fingers until I get her up. It allowed me to stay in bed until 7 as well...that was nice. Well, I just got home from class and need to get prepared for tomorrow. Happy Wednesday!!!!!! Almost over the hump.

Mid-Week Update

SO glad we made it through hump day! I had a workshop to attend on Monday and Tuesday for school, so I did not have to be there until 8:30 both days....that was nice! I have had a cold for about a week now and just can't shake it! So I slept in yesterday instead of running and it was nice to stay in bed until 7. Haven't done that in a while. So I felt pretty guilty all day about missing my run(I am already in that stage) and when we got out of our workshop early, I decided to get my 5 miles in. Not a very pleasant thing to do in 80+ degree weather. But I got it done and 8.5 more in this morning. My right knee is feeling my weekly buildup in mileage and I am taking a DAY OFF tomorrow!

Matt and I went to Wal-Mart today with the babies and Landry fell asleep in the buggy...a first and so glad we have the shopping cart cover as she was face first on the front rail! We immediately went home for her to take a nap!!!

And we are closing next Tuesday on our house. Glad about that but not glad about being squished into an 1100 sq. ft. home! But it really will be fine. Sarah asked me this morning if I was packed and ready.....not even close and guess we should get on the ball! Everything is just hectic and busy right now! Add in 6 hours of graduate work and you have a great big party! But I truly wouldn't change anything right now...other than not having to take classes. I will be done with my add-on certification in special ed by March. Whew!

Matt is currently at a friend's house playing poker, the babies are in bed, mom and dad are at Bible study, and I am home alone. I am going to relax.

Weekend Pictures

Here are some pictures from yesterday and today. I started out early on Saturday as we wanted to get the run over with. I ran with Sarah Grigsby and Kennedy Coates and am thankful for their dedication! We wanted to try and run faster on this run than our last long run and were successful. We averaged 8:20 per mile for 15 and I was pleased with that. At the end I was absolutely exhausted and came home for an ice bath. I haven't done this since I was a runner at Auburn and forgot how cold they are........but felt great afterwards.


Jake and Landry thought this was the neatest thing. Jake kept throwing his sippy cup in the water while I pleaded with him to stop. I am such a wimp:)

We then made it to the Tech pep rally where Jake sored 2 balls! He was nice enough to share one with Landry...for a while anyway.

Then he decided to keep both of them. Oh the sharing wars we will have to tell!!
He loved eating spaghetti.....as you can see.
Not long after lunch he was out as we headed home for naps.
I thought this was a cute picture of them drinking their bottles before bed.

We were goofing off after church this afternoon and Landry was loving the attention from her brother!
She thinks he is the best!
All done! Have a great week!!!!

Funny Moments

We are on our way to get some dinner, but I wanted to add these really quick. This morning Landry had one arm coming out of her sleeper as she awoke. Mom saw it on the video monitor and sure enough when I went in to get her she was bare on one side. By the time I got the camera she had taken off the other arm. At NINE months old she has finally grown out of her 6 months sleepers.....bless her heart.

Mom got new Tupperware today and let Jake get into them. Who would have known he would take such pleasure in them. Forget stacking blocks with all the bells and whistles.....let them use the Tupperware:). He was so focused he wouldn't look at me!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Just wanted to wish my mom a Happy Birthday!!!!! She is my absolute best friend and although we have had our differences in the past, I am SSOO glad I have matured enough to know how wonderful she is! Thanks for everything mom:). I love you!!!
This picture was taken in Sept. '04 at the Race for the Cure in Monroe. I don't have too many pictures of us together-hence the dated the picture! Still working on getting my "figure back". Hope that goal will help me get through a 15 mile run in the morning. Have a great weekend! We are planning on attending the Tech game tomorrow night.

Family Pic

We paused for a family picture tonight and apparently Landry did NOT think it was a good idea! She was hungry and we were heading to dinner. The weather has been SO great this week:). I am loving it-especially in the mornings as we head out for our run. We are still planning to close on our house in 2 weeks. Looking forward to that.
Landry's GI doctor suggested that we make her bottle for 30 calories per ounce verses the regular 20 cal per oz....there is a formula on the back of her can on how to do this. Other than that he said she looked good. Mrs. Dorothy said she LOVED chicken fettichine today( I know this isn't the correct spelling-spell check did not catch it so let it go!)(she put in the food processor), so maybe her appetite will expand ,who knows! We are trying to put her on more people food and see how she does.

Have a happy Thursday...one day closer to the weekend!

I'm Back!

Well, we made it through another week and Landry is continuing to grow up entirely too fast. She had her 9 month appointment in Ruston with Dr. Slusher and weighed 16 pounds 6 oz/ 27.5 inches long. Jake went as well to meet our new pediatrician and was 33 lbs and 35 inches. We liked her! Landry is a much better eater as far as trying new things. She will eat just about anything and I am thinking she will eat more when she can eat more people food. We just need some more teeth to come in(she still only has 2). Friday she ate her weight in Monjuni's lasagna(I only gave her the shell part with the sauce-no meat!) and yesterday she ate a bowl of mashed potatoes from KFC. I am trying more and more new foods with her each week. She is very efficient at pulling up to a standing position and is cruising a little on the furniture. Jake is his normal WILD self! He is on the go and rarely slows down.....he is all boy!

Matt is back from Chicago and will be with us now all the time. He will start selling his new drug, Actose(type 2 diabetes drug) on October 1. Until then he will be working his old territory. He is taking Landry to the pediatric GI tomorrow in Shreveport. I will be interested to see what he says about her progress. She was 14lbs 10 oz at 6 months and still hasn't gained a full 2 pounds in 3 months. That is slow weight gain, but she is probably just going to be small-who knows. She is still on her specialized formula along with Prevacid for reflux. I will let you know.

Below are some pictures I took today...I got a little excited about the expected cool weather and pulled out one of Landry's fall outfits. Yeah it was still way too warm to wear it but maybe not by tomorrow! The bottom picture is from last night...the babies had a BLAST playing in Landry's bed. Jake rolled all over her and she just giggled up a storm . She is one tough cookie. Have a great week!

She had no idea Jake was about to whop her with a truck. We are working on being nice to sissy....we are working on it!
Trying to get Landry interested in books....maybe not yet! We keep trying though:) Jake having daddy read him a book.
Getting a picture with my princess
Playing before bedtime! Then Matt and I went to see the movie "Righteous Kill"....pretty good.

Mary Catherine's Visit

We had a surprise visit from Mary Catherine and Clay today. They are in from Baton Rouge due to lack of electricity. We met them at Sundown for lunch today(how about today's weather!!! 63 degrees this morning!) and had a nice visit. Landry was the center of attention as Jake played with the sidewalk chalk.

Landry and MC
Landry is LOVING these cheezums! We couldn't stop laughing and she wouldn't stop eating them. She likes "people" food a WHOLE lot better than baby food. Maybe when we make the transition she won't be so small:)!
My sweet friend:)

On another note, Mary Catherine and Clay are training for the San Antonio half marathon. It just so happens that I ran with a girl this morning that is doing the S.A. Marathon too. We ran with 2 other young whipper snappers(aka fast and a lot younger!!) and I originally had not planned on doing the whole run with them, but the weather felt GREAT and I was just thankful to have some running partners(my stubborn side also kicked in). So I ended up running 14 miles with them and am now feeling it! That might be the farthest I've ever run. But it got me to thinking that I want to do the marathon as well. It is Nov. 16 and I am not sure it is a smart idea to do so much SO soon. So I am contemplating on what to do and we'll see. In the mean time I am enjoying getting back to my "old running self".

Matt leaves for Chicago tomorrow for a week of training on the new drug that he is going to sell. It is also a really busy week for me as we have open house at school and class on Tuesday. But we will make it through:). Be back soon.

Joker Jake

My dear child has become quite a fan of Big D's stickers. He gets them in the mail for donations in return....or something like that. But for whatever reason, he has a ton of stickers. So yesterday afternoon I found him like this. You gotta laugh at this. Nevermind the dirty shirt....he refuses to let us feed him and cannot fully grasp the fork concept. Life is never dull!


I caught mom and dad doing their best this morning to get Landry to eat all of her oatmeal. I was on my way to school and thought this picture was priceless! Landry is a big finger sucker and dad was trying to get her mind off of those things and get her to eatin'.

Message from Jake and Landry

Here is a message from the babies:

Yes, we bought a home earlier today...or should I say new to us. Matt and I have thought and prayed hard about the decision and decided to go ahead and buy a small(or better said VERY small) house that we can afford while we sell the one in Benton. This house has only been on the market for 5 days, so I am sure the current owners are happy! The market has been slow in Bossier, so it may take up to a year to sell our house. With that being said, we just don't want to impose on my parents for that long even though they love having us. We really hope to rent this house out one day and plan to never sell it....but who knows. For the time being it is ours and it will work. Here it is below:

We are not going to close until September 30th. The only thing I want to do is paint the kitchen...it is red and I just can't do it! Probably will go with a light mint green like we have in our current home. Matt is in charge of that as I don't paint. The experience I had before we got married painting wood paneling was enough to last me a LIFETIME. I vowed never again(but we have all said that right!). Keep you posted on the rest of the week as we DO have school tomorrow. And sadly enough I start my classes at Tech next Tuesday. How many hours can I possibly accumulate?????

The Weekend and Gustav

Here some some pictures from this past weekend. My brother Brian was passing through on his way to Dallas(his new home) and we got a couple of shots with him! Then we went to the get together for former Tech football players where we had a handful with the babies. At that point we decided not to take Jake to the game and my parents kept both of them. And we got to see a GREAT Tech game where they defeated Mississippi State team 22-14. I think this may have been the only time I've ever stayed for an entire Tech game:). Yesterday I went to a shower for a friend of mine from high school, Kim, who is due in November and had a good time catching up with high school buddies. Also found out we are out of school until atleast Thursday due to Hurricane Gustav. We won't get any wind, mainly just rainstorms. Now we are off to Bossier to see Matt's family until tomorrow. This break worked out great as Landry seems to be feeling under the weather and she needs to see her pediatrician in Bossier..we haven't found one in Ruston yet.