crazy busy week--

So...this is why I haven't blogged in almost a week.  It makes me sad.

I had a paper due today.  Stayed up till 2 last night doing it.

I have a Calculus test tomorrow, as well as Lab, & Georgraphy class from 6-9 where I have another paper due & a Quiz.  BLAH.

Then Thursday I have an American Nation I test which is SO totally NOT my thing--we have over 100 "key terms" we have to know about & there are 70 scantron questions & 2 essays.  Yeah...so I may not sleep until Thursday night.  I am so totally looking forward to Thursday at 12:05.


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MDO, parade & more!

We have had a busy week!

Monday I had class & Mr. Grant came & watched Ryder for me...what a BLESSING!  They played outside most of the time & Ryder was so excited when I told him Mr. Grant was coming over--the first thing Ryder said was "Icee?"  Haha!  I swear that kid never forgets anything!

Monday night, Jake came & got Ryder so I could go out to eat for Rachel's birthday!  Me, Kelly, Rachel & Katie all met & Zaza's for some yummy specialty salads & may or may not have gotten some gelato!  ;)

Me & mom had tickets to hear Erin Brockovich speak after that...so I met her at UCA for that!  My writing class last semester was focused on "How corporations affect our every day lives" & we watched Erin's movie & I fell in love with her!  It was hard to believe that it was a true story...& when I heard she was going to be at UCA I knew I wanted to hear her speak!  I wasn't as GREAT as I thought it was going to be, but it was good.  She is still pursuing companies that are polluting our drinking water...

Ryder ended up staying at Jake's over night & brought him to the house Tuesday morning before MDO..



Dad went with us to drop Punkin' off & poor baby cried when I left again...It breaks my heart.  I went to Chick-Fil-A to get some chicken minis to drowned our my sorrows.  :(  & then off to class I went...




They said he had a pretty rough day at School & cried most of the day, but we are working on a new bed time routine...dinner by 6, bath by 7 & bed by 8 hoping that this will help improve things!  But thinking about how much our time together the passed couple of weeks has drastically changed, I think it's just going to take him some getting used to.



Tuesday night was the county parade & I wanted to take him!  Poor thing fell asleep on the WAY there! Ha...but that wasn't stopping us!  We walked SO SO far (but it felt good to get some exercise) & sat in front of Morgan's store & watched the parade with her!  We even saw Miss Arkansas Kristen Glover!  He loves the bands, horses, tractors & "pretty girls"!  Ha!  =)








One thing that did go right on Tuesday at MDO was that Ryder went up to his teacher & told her he had to go pee pee & she took him & he went!  OH MY GOODNESS!  I take him to go here at home, but never has he come up to me & told me he had to go!  I was so proud of him & told him if he would tell me when he needed to go here at home I would let him wear "big boy underwear" & sure enough he did, so I put his cute little booty in a pair of Thomas underwear!  =)

I have never forced things with him when it comes to potty training, & I guess I'm starting to believe that "they will show/tell you when they are ready".  So...we are slowly stepping up our game, but at Ryder's speed!



This is my new favorite weakness snack.  Starbuck's lemon pound cake formally known as their lemon loaf.  They used to be good, but now they are EVEN better.  Uhh...I think I'd rather have one of them than a coffee!  ha!



& here is my lil booger last night when I got home from night class...(underwear were on over his diaper) isn't he just the sweetest thing?  Sometimes it's still hard for me to fathom that HE.IS.MINE.



Here is a lil sneak peak of Ryder's FIRST school pics Ms. Donna e-mailed my mom today.  I just about SQEALLLLLED!

Today he went to school again & cried when I left & kept saying "Mama come back...come back"  It broke my heart again, but I knew he would be perfectly fine once he got his mind off of things.

He had a much better day at school & got all four smileys!  & he got rewarded with a sweet tea from Sonic!  ;)  We came home & went & got Brett from KeeKee's & played outside for a little bit until just right before the storms hit!  We had a great day together & I just love that little boy!  =)

KeeKee's new puppy!

So...these are from the night mom & dad got Brett!



Uncle G & mom went to pick him out & he just won over their hearts!  He is a ball full of FLUFF!



We all instantly fell in love with him...even though we were still upset about loosing our lil Trixi.



Looking back on these pictures, he has already grown up SO much in just two short weeks!



A few of my friends came over that night to see him!  =)  He is just so chill & calm...which Trixi WAS NOT, especially as a puppy!



Pop Pops getting some lovin' from his new friend!  =)



He seriously just sits there & CHILLS--I LOVE IT!  We've never had a chill lap dog, even though he will get up to 30 pounds...



We are so thankful for having little Brett in our lives, & Ryder already has a new best friend! =)

Uncle G's Gator!

WARNING:  This is so REDNECK, & I can't even believe I'm blogging about it...but it IS kinda a big deal!  =)


If you recall, I mentioned how my found out he got a gator tag a couple months ago.  This is a really big deal because only 46 people in the STATE get a tag!--& he was one of them!!  He actually put in for the tag like at midnight the night it was due!  Ha!  Him & a group of his friends all put in for a tag & decided if one of them got one, they would all go together.  

So last weekend was THE weekend!  You could hunt Friday & Saturday night--NIGHT meaning 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise.  Friday night the scooped them out & saw 15-16 alligators just out & about hanging out, some little & some rather large, but Garrett wanted a BIG one so he was waiting it out!  Also, they have to be at least 6 feet long for you to even strangle/catch & then kill.

They ended Friday night without anything & decided they were gonna go back Saturday night & get'um one!  Well...another guy down at the farm went dove hunting Saturday morning at a different watered area & spotted a "10 footer".  Seriously though...so he told G & they went & looked around for the gator that afternoon & they spotted him!  So, G decided they would hunt in that area that night instead because he would gather get that big one!  DUH!

So...they spotted him that night a few times but apparently it was never JUST RIGHT to catch him so they loaded up & headed back to the other place full of them...& this is what he came up with!  A 7 footer!--NOT BAD!


I am just glad that he got one...even if it wasn't the big one he wanted!  I truly believe this is a once in a life time experience & I'm glad he got to experience it!-& he may never get to again!  My dad went with him & said it was an adrenaline rush like no other...& this is from a man who has hunted elk in colorado & lived a pretty full & exciting life!


They took the gator & are getting some steaks make out of the back leges (apparently that's the only place good meat is) & they took some skin from his belly & are going to try & have some boots made out of it which I think is pretty cool!  & I don't know if they are getting the head mounted or what...but it's a pretty neat ordeal & I'm proud of my little bro!  =)

Sweet letter from Birmingham...

So...once again, last week I get a card sized envelope from an out of state friend--Allie!  My college roommate!  It was unexpected, but with Ryder's birthday having just taken place, I figured it was something for him!...La-di-dah...just opening it up as I walk across the street to my parents, no big deal.

WRONG!!!

There is this super cute lil card like thing with some paper dolls on top!  I just SQUEALLLED!  It was so unexpected & just so darn cute!  I couldn't believe the time & energy she put into making these for all of us!  & even our hair matched!  =)


There's me!  She had written a super sweet note inside mentioned ALL the things we've done together ( there are ALOT) & how thankful she was that we were placed on the same hall Freshmen year & both pledge EEE!  Also...the fact that we only lived in the same town for a year & a half & that's all it took for our friendship to flourish!  It was such a super sweet hand written note--& everything she said to me, I would say to her in return!  Eventually...asking me to be her MOH for her SPECIAL day!


I am so honored & so excited to be a part of this exciting day to celebrate the love that Allie & Josh share!  I immediately called her but she didn't answer so I left a high school girly squeal voice mail saying YES!  Haha!  I can't wait for next August!  I look forward to all the fun things between now & then as well, but Fay-town better watch out in August!  =)

Allie,

Thank you so much for letting me be apart of such a wonderful & special day!  You are a life long friend to me & I am HONORED to stand by your side!  We've already made so many memories together & I can't wait to see what memories the future holds for us!  I love you & thanks for being such a GREAT person & friend through all my ups & downs of life!

...the perfect Saturday!

Today was the perfect day!  Just me & my lil man...& we didn't even leave the house!  We snuggled in bed until about 9:30--he is seriously the best snuggler every!  He had been awake for about an hour & would just lay there with me & kiss my back & put his arm around me & say "Good Mornin' Mama" & "I love you Mama".  Things that will just melt your heart!  The second I said, "Do you wanna get up & go for a walk..?"  he was up & out the door!

We went for a good morning walk, that ended with him walking (more like trotting) all the way home...he just loves to run & be out doors!  

We went outside on the front porch & waited to see Mr. Nick ride by on his bicycle for his first 50 mile ride!  HOW IMPRESSIVE!  What an accomplishment!  It was fun to see him & cheer him on!  

This afternoon we played outside some more & went & got Brett to let him play outside too!  I did a little bit of homework & it was just so nice & enjoyable out there!  Ms. Amy came by to see us & also brought us Sonic drinks!  =)  She's the BEST!

If this doesn't scream ALL BOY I don't know what does!

I'm thankful for a chill, relaxing, no schedule or routine kind of day at home with my baby boy!  =)   Back at the grind of things tomorrow...

Lion King 3D

Yesterday after we came home from his appointment, he took a nap & then we got up & got ready to go see Lion King 3D!  This was also the first movie I went to see in the theaters as a kid, so I thought that was kind of night!  I asked Kelly & Grant to go with us & was so happy that they could join us!  

Mr. Grant got Ryder his first ICEE!  Oh boy!  The kid slurped it down before the previews were even over!  & he wouldn't even think about wearing his special 3D glasses!  He would YELL out the name of all the animals on the screen, but he got to be pretty ansy & wild, so we sat out in the hall way for about half the movie!

I enjoyed watching it though, because I caught a lot of things I didn't catch as a kid!  It's funny that I also knew a lot of the words & knew ALL the words to the songs!  Ha!  I actually HATED the movie as a kid because of when Simba's dad died.  :(  I always made my mom fast forward that part.  Hehe!

We came home & KeeKee brought Brett over to play for a little bit...

Look how PRESH they are!  Ryder has a brand new buddy!  Mom & Dad got Brett last week....not even a week after Trixi passed.  Mom just couldn't take it any more!  They normally don't do boy dogs, but he won mom's heart over!  He is so calm & chill, but also knows when to have fun!

 Ryder always wants to pick him up & poor lil Brett acts like he doesn't care!  Ha!  Sometimes Ryder has to chase him around a bit to be able to catch him....it's pretty funny!

Mom named him Brett because she wanted to name me Brette Lauren, but dad wouldn't let that happen.  So she finally got her "Brett" after all!  =)

2 year old appointment

On Friday, we had Ryder's 2 year old appointment.  It's hard to believe once again that he's two years old!  

From what the Dr. saw Ryder looks like a healthy little two year old boy!  He is in the 90th %tile for height & 40th %tile for weight.  She didn't seem to be too worried about his weight being sorda low because he is so active!  She didn't even have to ask if his vocabulary included 50 words because so talkative when she walked in the room!  He seriously wouldn't be quiet!  She then said he has the vocabulary of a 3 year old!  

I was so happy to hear I had a healthy lil boy!  He got the flu mist, tested for anemia & his last round of a certain shot.  He didn't cry the whole time they were squeezing blood out of his finger, but he cried when they put the band aid on!  Ha!  & he cried for half a second when he got his shot, but I told him we were going to Chick-i-tah & he was fine!  =)

I make it a point every day to say thank you for my son's health.  There are so many little kids out there dealing with things that adults, much less kids shouldn't ever have to deal with.  We have been so blessed by Ryder's help & I don't want to take it for granted for even half a second.

Green Cart Deli!

We have this hot dog cart in town called the Green Cart Deli--it is ran by solar power & has been quickly growing in popularity!  It is out at the Village on Tuesday & Thursday nights & I finally got to go! 

 Ryder placing his order!

 & I haven't mentioned the new addition to mom & dad's house yet...but his is a little preview of precious lil golden-doodle Brett!

 I didn't get any specialty hot dog on the menu because everything had like one or two things I didn't like...so I made my own! This may look gross, but think about it as a hamburger!  You would put all this on their...so why not a hot dog?!  It was YUMMY!  The hot dog man gave me a hard time about not picking something off his menu!  :P

Mom's "New Yorker"...

If you get the chance to go eat at the GCD I would HIGHLY recommend it!  You can follow them on twitter as well to see where they are going to be during lunch & dinner at @eatgcd

ENJOY!  =)

Ryder is BLESSED!

Last birthday post...all Ryder's wonderful presents that we are already enjoying SO much!  I try not to buy Ryder too many toys throughout the year because he gets more than enough for his birthday & Christmas each year!  All I can say is we are so blessed & so thankful for all the wonderful people that love my little boy so much!  

Naynee got him a little box full of craft stuff!  Perfect to keep up with all of his stuff in one spot!  There was also some cool play dough that doesn't dry out that I had never heard of before!  But we love it!

 Also...a cute little baseball picky bank that I think I'm going to use as inspiration for his new big boy room (that I kinda already had in my head!)  =)

 What FUN--a jack-n-the-box!

 Mary Beth got him a Thomas pillow pet & to say Ryder likes it is an under statement!  This was a perfect gift for my lil man!

 & of course an Atlanta Braves T-shirt from Tonya!  =)

 Ms. Allison got Ryder some new Sperry's...because he definitely needed them & she wanted to get us something he needed!  What a blessing!  Thank you so much Allison! When Ryder opened them he said "SPEERRRRRRY'S!"

 & his daddy got him a lil four wheeler!  He wasn't too sure what to think about it at first...

 Cousin Hannah tried to help him out a little bit...

He finally got a hang of the gas pedal & was ON THE LOOSE!  We couldn't get him off that thing!  We are going to have to work on his stirring a little bit though!

Again...thank you to all our wonderful friends & family for such wonderful & fun things for my lil man! We are so grateful!