Sono news...


Well, our stubborn baby or shy and modest rather...had it's legs crossed throughout the entire sonogram. We go back in a week to try again. Very interesting that everyone voted BOY...we shall see.

On the home front, things are good for the most part. Last Tuesday my grandfather had a massive stroke and we took him to BSA in Amarillo. The next morning while we were visiting him I fainted and had to spend the day in the ER. No big deal, just stress and need to slow down. I feel terrible because I haven't been back to see my grandfather, but he would be the first person to tell me to take care of myself and my babies.

I'm marking things off of my to-do list and getting excited about the upcoming Bible study in June. I just know we are all going to be so blessed!

Olivia is going through a total Mommy phase...which is sweet, but boy is she getting heavy! She'll run up to me and say, "Mommy, I hold you," wanting me to pick her up! I don't want her to stay 2 forever....but I want to hold onto to these memories...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET OLIVIA

I can hardly believe that it has been 2 years. You have brought so much joy to our lives and like many other parents feel about their own children there are no words to describe the love we feel for you. I love the way you light up in the mornings and your sweet giggle, your gorgeous blue eyes and I'll admit it...your dramatic ways! You are so stubborn like both Daddy and I, you're a little bit of a perfectionist like your Daddy and sorry but that drama came from your Mama.

I hope you feel like a princess today!!!

Before you purchase those books....

We have changed the study we're going to start in June......

Charla visited with her sister-in-law Dawn over the weekend about the "Marriage on the Rock" study and decided it was more geared for couples......Dawn's group is also studying "Love and Respect" by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs and they love it....so we're going to do that one instead.

You can buy the book/workbook for $21.99 at http://www.christianbook.com/. Charla looked at amazon.com and half.com and found the christianbook website had the best price.

So....

"LOVE AND RESPECT" BY DR. EMERSON EGGERICHS

Get your books ordered and start getting excited...

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20 KJV

For those of you that are interested...

We will begin a summer ladies Bible study called "Marriage on the Rock" beginning June 15. It will be held at my house on Sunday nights at 8 o'clock. This study is 10 weeks long.

You can purchase books at http://www.marriagetoday.org/. The book retails for $15 and the workbook if you want it is also $15. You can find cheaper books at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.ebay.com/.

We're also getting a DVD to go with it and if you want to pitch in for that you can, but you're not obligated to.

I can't wait to start this!!!

Praise to the Lord!

I am finished with this semester and it feels soooo good!!! I have spent countless hours studying, stressing, praying, procrastinating....I thought May 5th would never get here, but alas, it has! I won't be able to go to summer school unless I move to Canyon (ha! yeah, right Dr. Hargrave) and taking classes this fall would be crazy because this baby will be here in October. I wasn't disappointed though; a nice break is what I need for my sanity and my physical health. I'm so excited to have these months to focus on my pregnancy, my family, my friends and my home! I didn't realize how much time I actually had until it was taken up by school. I have a big lists of things that I want to get done.

Here's a short version of my To-Do List:

Go through all of Olivia's toys/clothes
Figure out where the baby and Olivia's rooms will be
Have a garage sale
Help my mom with her garage sale
Canton - 1st weekend in June with Jenny, my soon to be sister-in-law
Go to Lubbock to help Jenny with her house hunting
Organize my pictures
Start a ladies Bible study in my home
Redo all of the files in my office at work
Vacation to South Texas to hang out with my hubby and do some antiquing
Blog more
Lots of home projects...too many to even name!
Get ready for my brother's wedding in September

What are all of your plans for this summer?

44 ODD Things about Me!

1. Do you like blue cheese? yes
2. Have you ever smoked? Ever? yes
3. Do you own a gun? nope
4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite? idk can't remember the flavors
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? sometimes
6. What do you think of hot dogs? They are okay..
7. Favorite Christmas movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water
9. Can you do push ups? yep
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring
11. Favorite hobby? golfing
12. Do you have A.D.D.? nope
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? my bluntness
14. Middle name? Kathryn
15. Three thoughts I am having? I need to be studying. I can't wait for these finals to be over. I want some water.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly consume. Water, soda, water
17. Current worry. my finals tonight
18. Current hate right now? ummm idk
19. Favorite place to be? caribbean
20. How did you bring in the New Year? with my hubby who was not nearly excited about the ball drop as i was
21. Where would you like to go? Italy
22. Name four people who will complete this? ????
23. Do you own slippers? yes my mom got me some Nick & Nora bunny ones for Easter
24 What shirt are you wearing? some ugly maternity shirt....it's my least favorite but it fits..
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? sometimes
26. Can you whistle? not very good
27. Favorite color? green
28. Would you be a pirate? No
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? the same ones i've been singing since high school...
30. Favorite girl's name? Olivia
31. Favorite boy's name? ?? hope i get to use it soon...
32. What's in your pocket right now? lipstick
33. Last thing that made you laugh? how sad i can't remember
34. Best bed sheets as a child? Care Bears....i still have the pillowcase
35. Worst injury you've ever had? i've been very fortunate...no injuries
36. Do you love where you live? sometimes
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2
38. Who is your loudest friend? ???
39. How many dogs do you have? 1
40. Does someone have a crush on you? nope
41. What is your favorite book? The Notebook
42. What is your favorite candy? Reese's
43. Favorite Sports Team? Packers
44. What song do you want played at your funeral? i have a few...

On May 9th, 2006 a tornado swept through the northwest of Childress. This was the damage done to our fence and backyard...






























Last week Chris and his dad, Jerry staked out the new fence.....soon there will be posts here and then a new
fence!!! I'm sooo excited.





I never thought I would be so happy
to see a little neon orange stake!
I will never take my fence or
backyard for
granted!

Our new cheesy smile... just beautiful...uggh!!!

Our Easter Sunday






I can't believe these are the only pictures I got on Easter Sunday! We woke up to a non-working refrigerator. While I got Olivia ready for church, Chris spent most of the morning looking for coolers to put our food in. Finally, Chris comes in and tells me that he'll just meet me at church...but I look up at the clock and it's already 10:15 and I haven't even had a shower...I'll never make it I thought. So instead we called his parents to ask if we could use some of their fridge and freezer space for a few days. On the way to their house we listened to FBC on K-96 and sung a couple of hymns to Olivia which she thought was entertaining.
We made it to lunch at Thai Kitchen with my grandfather but by the time we got home Olivia was tired so we skipped the Easter Egg Hunt! So sad. Next year will be much better!
A few days, lots of take out and a new motherboard later our fridge is back in working condition!

Update on my ghostly complexion...

My sweet friend Sharon gave me some sunless tanning stuff that she used while she was pregnant! and guess what....I feel so much better!! I've only done 1 application so I know it's going to get even darker and I can't wait!

THANKS SHARON!!!!

Help!!

Okay, I have a tanning dilemma. For 3 years now I have sworn off the sun....but now I feel like I'm ready to jump back out there just with more protection this time like let's say SPF 55 : )... but what can I do in March while I'm pregnant?????

Today at lunch my husband told me that my feet are sooo white that it looks like I've got socks on...and there are dresses that I'm too embarrassed to wear because I look like a ghost.

Any suggestions??

So yesterday I'm trying to explain to my 22 month old what it means to be patient....you know - you can't have everything when you want it, you have to wait for mommy etc. and finally she looks up at me, giggles and says, "Mommy, you're soooo funny!"

Today she thinks I'm funny, in 10 years she'll think I'm sooo dumb...but maybe in 20 she'll remember all of these important "life lessons" and think I actually knew something....maybe.

Oh where oh where have I been?

Well, girlies...I'm in grad school and I'm awaiting baby #2, AKA Baby Diego/Dora (depending on Olivia's mood).

So I apologize for not being around. My blogs are more for my entertainment anyway...

Paige~can't wait to hear about the birthday book...I LOVE YOU!

Everyone else...I miss you all and hope we get a girl's night out soon.

Looking forward to spending Friday evening at the Tucker's!

More later, promise.

To be more Green this December...

This month I am making sure we recycle every piece of cardboard that comes through our house. I have a box out in the garage and I take the contents to the blue dumpster at the football field when it gets full.

The laundry soap has worked great for us. I haven't had to purchase it as often so it will save us some $$ in the long run and the box is cardboard so it can be recycled. Plus, I haven't had any go up my nose which is a plus (hi Fran!)....lol...

1. Name: Tara
2. Birthday: December 20th
3. Birthplace: Childress, Texas
4. Eye Color: Green
5. Hair Color: brownish blonde-blondish brown
6. Height: Short
7. Ethnicity: Caucasian
8. Weaknesses: chocolate, pizza
9. Most missed memory: Christmas mornings when Thad and I were little
10. Thoughts first waking up: I'm going to be late...again!
11. Last time you cried: can't remember
12. Song title that currently says how you feel: Good Day by Jewel
13. What is the perfect day for you? no work...just at home with Olivia and then ordering take out and watching movies with Chris...
14. Ever been asked for an autograph? once after we sang karoke in denton....we went to a restaurant and these same guys were there....we (I) was horrible!!
15. How do you vent anger? call paige or my mom
16. Who do you talk to most on the phone? paige or mom
17. As a kid, were you a lego builder? no
18. Do you chew on your straws? yes
19. Do you sing in the shower? yes
20. Who's the last person you stayed up late talking to on the phone to? don't remember
21. The last place you went to in a plane? New York
22. Do you cry at weddings? sometimes
23. Are you afraid of the dark? sometimes
24. What are you addicted to? TV
25. Crunchy or creamy peanut butter? both...I like to rotate...
26. Who do you fight with the most? ?? I don't really fight. I guess Chris but we hardly fight....if we do it's always about the same things.
27. Who can you tell anything to? Paige
28. Who can't you get enough of? Liv
29. Who makes you laugh the most? Chris and Thad
30. What is the worst feeling ever? boredom
31. How many pillows do you sleep with? One
32. How many rings before you answer your phone? it depends where i am in the house and what i'm doing. we only have 1 phone. the machine picks up at 4...
33. How many times do you press the "snooze" button? i just turn it off and then i'm late.
34. How do you sleep? fall asleep on my side and then turn over on my back
35. Last time you laughed: the other night at my dad while we were playing Catch Phrase-the Music Edition...
36. Ever looked at someone ugly and said "EWWW"? Never out loud…
37. What is your favorite color? it changes all the time...
38. What is your favorite state? New York

Are you supposed to leave mail on your mailbox for the mailman to pick up? or was that just "back in the day?"

Today I had left about 8 envelopes on my mailbox and I was at home when he delivered my mail. I muted the tv as he was walking up and then I heard in a loud voice as he stepped onto my porch, "OH MY GOD. UGGGGHHHHH!!!!" It was so loud it embarrassed me....

So I decide to walk outside and he was in between my house and my neighbor's so I grab my mail and call out, "Sorry." He turns around and stammers, "Oh, no it's okay. Have a great day!"

It was pretty funny, but I don't know that I will leave any mail out there again. Maybe he was just having a bad day.

To be more Green this November...

The Reeds are changing back to powder laundry detergent.

Because...

1) I'm tired of buying those big, bulky, plastic containers...that are hard to recycle.
2) Cardboard is picked up to be recycled in Childress.
3) It's cheaper.

Trick or Treat







Halloween was so much fun this! We went to TxDOT first. Going in there she had no idea what was going on but by the time we left she was all about Trick or Treating!!!
She knew all she had to do was carry that bag and people would happily give her some candy!
After TxDOT we went out to eat dinner...she was so good especially since Daddy was sneaking her some M&Ms.
We stopped by the house for a diaper change and as I was taking her out of the car seat she screamed, "Noooo. More candy!!!" I thought we have created a monster!
We got home that night around 9 and she was running all over the house! I had to get the video camera out because she wouldn't stop for anything. She was stripped down to her diaper, running around screaming, "Piper" at the top of her lungs! Our dog just looked at her like she was crazy. Poor Piper, she just wanted back outside!
If Halloween was this much fun I can't wait until Christmas!!!

I have about a handful of friends that I would do anything for. You think your friends are invincible...that nothing bad will ever happen to them.

Last week I sat in a hospital room staring at one of those friends of mine. She had just learned that she has a brain tumor. She's 26 years old. What???? I still can't believe it.

Whitney Kovar has such an uplifting spirit and a positive outlook on life...even now. She just wants to know what the plan is and get going on it. She refuses to believe she won't get through this.

Last Thursday they operated and removed a lot of her tumor. She was in surgery for 7 1/2 hours...she did amazing.

They did a biopsy and will have the results on Friday.

Please keep Whitney in your prayers.