Flashback Friday - Wedding Edition

I had the bright idea of adding a little spin to my Flashback Friday posts. For the next several months, I will be devoting my FF posts to my wedding. I actually thought of this recently; the night we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. You see... I have nearly 700 photographs from our wedding day, courtesy of our awesome wedding photographers. Yet, just a *snippet* of these photos are in our actual album, and in our home. So, I thought it would be fun to showcase them on my blog.

This week's theme?

Our Engagement

Unfortunately, we do not have any pictures of the proposal. However, I do have a couple of pictures that were used pertaining to our engagement.

This picture was my favorite one taken during our engagement picture session. We framed it, and used it as our guest "book" during the wedding. It hangs in our home today.

August 2007

This picture was taken by Bob's dad. We used it for our engagement announcement in our local newspaper.

December 2006

Want to play along? Just leave me a comment saying so, and make sure to link to my blog during your post.

Next week's theme: Bridal Luncheon (or something of that equivalent) Pictures

I know you don't want all of those pictures to go to waste, right? :)

Bobby's Fall Activities

Although it is nearly the weekend again, I had intended to do a weekend recap today. However, my pictures are taking forever to upload; so, I'm going to just write about our fall activities. I suppose I can do one giant weekend recap post, after this Halloween weekend.

I am really enjoying my time home with Bobby as he gets older. He is noticeably learning and saying new things each day. I am simply fascinated by how much his little brain processes. He's really coming out of his shell too. I know kids are resilient, but I think our crazy traveling schedule last month really did a number on him!

Anyhow, as I just mentioned, he is such a sponge. So, with that being said, I made sure to stack our schedule with activities this fall. He's not in MDO. And, I'm not planning on starting him in school until at least next August. It was important for me to give him daily interactions with other kids. Thankfully, just our neighborhood alone is sometimes suffice!

This fall, Bobby is again doing a semester of Kindermusik. He loves going, and the benefits of having your child involved in some kind of music curriculum is overwhelming {at least that's what all the important studies say} - Ha!

Kindermusik's website states, "You and your child will play, listen, and dance to musical activities specifically designed to stimulate early childhood development and strengthen neural pathways in your child's mind."

We are also attending story time twice a week at our local library. The first class is tailored specifically to 1 year olds, and is limited. We sing songs, read books, and eat a snack. The story time has a theme each week, and lasts thirty minutes. The second class is open to anyone, and is for kids 3 and under. It too has a theme, with songs, puppets, and stories. We usually will spend some time playing in the preschool area of the library after class, and pick out books for the week. It is funny because we will often run into neighborhood friends, or even friends from Kindermusik. We live in such a small town, I feel like sometimes...!

The last scheduled activity is play group. Play group is super casual, and often held outside (park or pool) or someone's house. We've been doing play group for almost a year, now that I think about it! It is fun, and I really enjoy this activity because I can catch up with my good friends too.

So, overall we are busy four days a week, which is perfect. I never feel rushed to get things done, and it still leaves a good amount of time to run errands and do our day to day stuff. This is beneficial, especially since I work most Saturdays.

Anyhow, I am looking forward to Halloween this year! Bobby is going as a puppy dog. He's going to make a cute one! We are heading to our friend's house for chili first, and then will be trick or treating in our neighborhood. I can't wait to see all the kids dressed up! Best of all, it's supposed to actually be chilly outside! I'm ready for some cooler weather!

What's in a Name?

I put my blog on lock down yesterday, so I could make a few changes. I've been wanting to rename my blog for a very long time now. There are so many The ____ Family blogs out there, and I wanted to stand apart.... just a *smidgen* at least.

And, I will also be the first to admit that I am technically challenged when it comes to this blogger stuff. So, please bear with me.... it is definitely not the finished product. The background is a bit loud, but it'll work for the time being. I have an idea of what I want, but I'll probably just have to hire someone to do it for me one day!

Anyhow... onto the new name. Bob's dad coined Winston (our labradoodle) regal, a long time ago. According to Dictionary.com, regal means:

1) of or pertaining to a king; royal. {not Winston.}

2) befitting or resembling a king. {not Winston.}

3) stately; splendid. {Winston!}

Winston is so photogenic, and stately in so many pictures.... hence, the nickname. He's also a pretty darn smart, talented frisbee catching pup!

So, back in either 2006, or early 2007, I created my first blog. I honestly don't remember the title, but it was Bob and I's life through the eyes of Winston. I think I had maybe 5 readers. So, I have gone full-circle with this blog. I will not blog through the eyes of Winston (as if!), but my blog's namesake will most definitely bring him the notoriety he once had {wink, wink.}

Here's to another 3 more years of blogging! (And, then some...)

Mommy and Me Monday

Both photos courtesy of Paul Perdue.

For some reason, I am having technical difficulties and cannot attach the button for Mommy and Me Monday. If you want to play, go here.

Happy Monday & Have a Great Week!

The Makings of a B-A-B-Y

Image courtesy of Bob Ross.

Or, something like that...

As I see Bobby change and develop each new day, I have started feeling the pressure of really wanting to add to our little family. Having had Bobby at 30, I thought that naturally the next one would be born at the ripe, old age of 32. Well, I'll be 32 in December, so... I can only hope we can swing that! Ha! I don't know why I put all of these stupid timelines, deadlines, etc... on my life. It is actually kind of stupid, and I need to just trust that things will happen when they're meant to happen. This last statement rings so true for me lately {ding, ding, ding}, and I am thankful to have learned or realized this over the past few months.

Bob has definitely given me some perspective on having another child right now. We've had a rough few months financially, due to Bob's layoff in June. While we have managed to stay afloat, we have also realized that we were not as prepared for such a calamity; as we had thought or hoped. So, with all that being said, we have become wiser with our finances. And, while the mommy in me wants to hurry up and procreate again; I do agree that we should wait a little while longer. It is stressful enough having a newborn. There is no need to add another stress on top of that.

I think I'll probably look back on this post one day and laugh. My family will be complete. My child(ren) will be happy, healthy, and perfect. And, I'll wonder why the heck I was ever even thinking these thoughts? Ahhh.... but, who cares? :)

Bobby Updates

Bobby on the computer at the library, after story time.

I realize it has been quite some time since I've done a Bobby update. So, here's what he's been up to...

- He's talking a lot more. He can now say his name. He also says Harper (his friend). He says nap now, instead of just night-night. He loves to make monkey sounds. I feel like this is the beginning of the "talking non-stop" phase we'll gladly endure for the next few years.

- He is getting better with his utensils. He still cannot poke his fork into the food. But, once I do it for him, he can bring the fork to his mouth and eat. We've had a lot of hit and misses. He seems to favor his left hand, but will still definitely use his right hand.

- Toys he's obsessed with: Lego's, tool bench, Mickey Mouse push-toy, cars, his bear, books.

- Household stuff he's obsessed with: opening and closing doors, turning on faucets (and, sometimes leaving them on), the washing machine, pots and pans drawers, climbing everywhere, stairs, and light switches.

- Loves playing outdoors!

- Bobby almost always has the same thing for dinner lately that we eat. This of course is easily done, because Bob is home earlier these days. Love that!

- Usually goes down for a nap between 12 - 12:30. On average, he'll nap for 2 hours.

- He had his first illness (besides a cold) this past Saturday with the stomach bug.

- He colors during the nursery at church.

I think that's about it; at least that I can think of. He has been very clingy toward me, ever since I left him for a night. Go figure. He's lately been a little rascal at home, and more reserved while in public. He seems to be branching out some more.

I hope everyone is having a good week thus far. I've hit the train park everyday this week with friends. It's a great workout walking the hills to get there and back. The kids love it too. The weather is gorgeous here today! I love this time of year. We are headed up to the resort later for a friend's birthday dinner. Looking forward to it!

Happy Hump Day!

The Zoo

Last week, Bobby and I headed to the zoo with Volree and Cooper, our friends across the street.

We had a fun afternoon, and the boys had a great time! We got there around 2:30pm, and stayed until about 4pm. It was a nice way to kill some time that afternoon. Volree and I, along with most of my friends have annual zoo passes. Volree, who is taking up photography, took some great pictures. Without Bob's help, I couldn't figure out how to transfer the downloaded pictures she sent, to my desktop. So, unfortunately most of these pictures were dropped in straight from her email. I have been a Mac user for 2.5 years now, but there are still some things I need help with - obviously!

Love, love, love this picture of Bobby. Volree did some of her photo editing magic on it to liven up the colors. Notice his Safari shirt he wore that day!

Cooper and Bobby taking a break on a bench.

Bobby sucking on his two fingers - classic move.

Cooper checking out the animals, and Bobby, checking out Cooper.

Mommy showing Bobby the sea lions.

Ok, so these two pictures were stolen straight from Volree's blog, which is why they are bigger.

How awesome is this picture of the tiger? His eyes are beautiful! He was laying right by the glass.

We were lucky enough to stumble onto the lion/lioness den for feeding time. It was pretty cool!

Weekend Recap - Family Tailgating Party

We had an okay weekend. It would have been much better if Bobby and I hadn't been struck by the stomach bug! For me, it started Saturday night around 9pm. Bob had just gotten home from a neighborhood party (see below...), and I headed straight to bed complaining of an upset stomach. Well, I groaned in pain for a good 4 hours, before I finally got sick! It was bad, and lasted another hour or so. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as the last time I had the stomach bug; but, it still sucked. We had no idea Bobby had it too, until Bob went into his room Sunday morning. The poor little guy had vomited all over his crib, but never made a peep. We are both feeling better today, but not quite 100%.

Thankfully, I had bought these for all of my toilets during my last grocery trip:

Ha!

But, aside from that mess, we had a good weekend. On Friday, for the second week straight, I again had a little happy hour with my girlfriends in the neighborhood. We met at my friend Claire's house, and fed the kids dinner. It was so nice out, and we enjoyed feeding the kids, and having some wine on the patio. Bobby played really well with the other munchkins. We are thinking of making this a weekly tradition, since Claire is moving back to England in December. Boo.

On Saturday, Bob was again stuck doing some work for a certification. I ran errands while Bobby napped. Afterwards, I took him and Winston for a long walk. We then headed to a family-oriented tailgating party in our neighborhood. My friend Brooke organized it. Everyone brought their own BYOB, and a side dish or dessert. Brooke's husband set up two screens and projectors. There were a couple of bounce houses for the kids too. We had a good time. Too bad our Gators lost, yet again! Bobby was ready for bed shortly after our game started, so I headed home. Bob was able to stay and enjoy (or rather, not enjoy) our game with the neighbors.

I stole these pictures from my friend Lexy's Facebook page...

Bob and Lexy's husband Steven. They are Mississippi State fans!

The two jumbo screens!

The neighbors tailgating before the sun set.

Bobby and Steven.

Bob helping himself to some yummy food!

Well, as you can imagine, the rest of our weekend was spent recovering from Saturday night's debacle. Bob took care of Bobby all day yesterday, so I could catch up on my sleep from the previous night. I'm so thankful for such a helpful and loving husband!

Hope you had a great weekend too, and an even better week ahead!

Three Years

Bob and I celebrated three years of marriage today!

It is hard to believe the things we've done in three years: get married, move, build a house, get pregnant, move again, have a baby, and change jobs (Bob) - Whew!

One of our many traditions in our marriage is to watch our wedding video on our anniversary. It is a reminder of how important our family and friends are in our life. It was particularly emotional for me this time around. I saw people in the video who I've drifted apart from, and people who I miss. I saw our family and friends, and realized how amazing these people are. How fortunate and lucky I am to have the life I lead? I know you most likely feel the same way.

The struggles and hurt we've endured these past few months have taught me so much. I finally know what's important to me. I finally know to not sweat the small stuff. I finally know that life isn't always going to go the way I want. I am amazed at the support I've received from my friends and family. And, more surprisingly, the support I've received from people I barely know, or did not expect. People truly are a beautiful thing, don't you think? The letters, emails, texts and phone calls have been overwhelming regarding my dad and his current health. Perhaps it's a Southern thing, or a Christian thing? Or, a human thing? Either way, it has been nothing but abundance love.

I cried tonight watching my wedding video and seeing my Father/Daughter dance with my dad. Dad, I love you so much, and I hope you realize that you are an amazing man and have a family here in Birmingham that cares so deeply about you!

I am thankful for Bob. I am thankful for the parents that brought us up. I am thankful for our extended family. And, of course, I am thankful to our close friends.

A marriage not only represents the bond between two people, but also between their family and friends.

Be happy, be yourself, and be loved...

Strike One

How can life really be that bad, when you have this sweet boy?

As I previously mentioned, we've had a rough past few months. You know the saying, bad things happen in 3's? Well, let me just say, I now believe this stupid myth to be true. At least in my case.

The first thing that we had to endure was Bob losing his job at the end of June. This was definitely a shock and surprise to us, and I feel, the people he worked with as well, and his clients. Bob's former company moved us to Birmingham in June of 2008. Thankfully for us, we love it here; and it did not factor into our outrage once he was laid off. Now, you see... if I had written this post right after it happened, it would have been much more emotional, and filled with anger and hurt. However, the day it happened, we both said that it was a blessing in disguise. We knew that right off the bat.

Now, this does not mean it was warranted. Bob was an outstanding employee, hard worker, and had the most positive attitude on a day to day basis. He produced results in his position, and made his company profitable. I know I am partial, obviously. But, these were the things we heard from his former co-workers. It was something that was done unfairly to him, and we feel, was a rash decision {the company had just brought in their 3rd president in one year, just days prior}.

So, you see... this was our Strike One for the summer. However, Bob is resilient. He is positive, smart, charasmatic, energetic, and just a go-getter! And, because of him, I was able to bounce right back too. Bob's working a new job now, and is quite enjoying it! I can see a positive change in his everyday demeanor, and he is throughly enjoying what he does for a living. I will blog more about his new job in a few days. I want Bob's input on the post, in case any of my readers would ever need his services! (insert smile here).

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

Train Park and Our Weekend

We had a pretty good weekend. I'm a bit tired, and ready to zone out to HBO's Boardwalk Empire. But I am determined to start blogging more regularly again. So, here's our weekend recap...

I started off the weekend with a little play date/wine date with two of my friends in the neighborhood. My friend Claire recently had a baby and wanted to have a glass of wine, and chat with the girls. I invited her, her precious newborn girl Chloe, and her son Cameron (born 3 weeks before Bobby) over. My neighbor Volree, across the street, also came over with her son Cooper (born 5 months after Bobby). Both Cameron and Cooper are in Bobby's play group. And, of course Claire and Volree are two of my closest friends in the 'Ham. We met in the late afternoon, and all three boys ate dinner and played, while we caught up.

On Saturday, I had to work. But, luckily for Bob, he was able to go to UnCorked on the Green. I was bummed to have missed this event, because it ranks as one of my favorites for our neighborhood's events. It is a FREE (for the public as well) wine and beer sampling festival. Hopefully I'll get to go next year! I know Bob had a good time with our neighbors, and Bobby was really good too.

After that, and work, we sat back and watched our Gators lose for the 2nd straight week. We are bummed over this - but, we couldn't feel too badly. Alabama lost too! Actually, it was just a crazy day in SEC football!

Today was a good day. I cooked a casserole for breakfast. I also made some soup for lunch, and made enough for the next few days. I even cooked meatloaf tonight for dinner. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen today cooking, and enjoyed it. Bob had to take an 8 hour online course for work, so he was pretty much homeward bound all day. After Bobby's nap, we headed to our neighborhood "choo choo train" park, for a much needed break. We are so blessed to have all the amenities we have, and this park is no exception. It is just over a mile from our home, and it really is beautiful. There is a train track that runs behind our neighborhood, and you can hear the train many times throughout the day. Some people probably would not like that, but we love it. And, trust me, it's not loud. Sometimes we have to strain to hear it. But, nonetheless, that is the reason for our gem of a train park. It was hot today (low 90's); so, this park was perfectly shaded, and it felt very comfortable.

Mommy pointing out the fish in the stream to Bobby.

Walking down the ravine, Bobby checks back to make sure his Mommy is still there!

Cute little butt getting into mischief.

Bobby holds down the Caboose!

"Look at me mommy and daddy!"

Even Winston joined in on the fun.

The "choo choo train."

Bobby makes a great conductor!

The bridge at the park... isn't it pretty?

Bobby and Daddy watching the fish, (which we fed.)

Love these boys!

Out of Hiding

Photo courtesy of Paul Perdue.

I am, for the time being, coming out of hiding. My blog has unfortunately taken such a backseat in my life. I hate that I am not blogging daily, if anything, to at least document the funny things Bobby is doing these days. I certainly have an active toddler on my hands, but it really is not much of an excuse. My life has been turned upside down in so many aspects the past four months. I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to talk about everything on here, but it has definitely opened up a few doors into my soul. Either way, I feel like I've always been so open on my blog. And if I don't blog about these happenings, then maybe I am not only short-changing my readers, but myself...? I've said time and time again, that my blog is also a journal for our family; and that does include not only the good times, but the bad times too. So, these are the things that I'm going to fill you in on over the next few posts:

- Bob's new job,

- Baby-making business (or lack thereof),

- Bobby's Fall activities (Kindermusik, story time at the library, play groups, etc...),

- Trip to Atlanta (visits with friends, professional pictures, schedules),

- Sandestin Trip (my first time leaving Bobby),

- Orlando Trip,

- My dad's health,

- My new found favorite activity lately (porch dates with friends).

I know some of these things don't make sense. It is more just a reminder list for myself. And, I also decided to NOT go private. (Dad, don't be upset!) :) I was having a pity-party for myself, and I thought there was no way I could just blog about my life to some strangers. But, then I realized, that someone out there, may be able to relate to my own struggles.