Pumpkin Carving

What fun they had getting all messy! LOL I didn't get pics of that, but they each chose the design they wanted, and I "helped" Faith, while Justin and Falyn carved hers. Not too shabby! They had fun, and that's all that counts. :)

Yes, my child would rather be naked than wear clothes all day, ANY day!! LOL


Concentrating very hard on her carving. They did good! Daddy helped with the hard parts.




All decked out for tomorrow night.

So proud!! And yes...Bunny makes it into ALL kinds of photos! :)

Faith's Baptism

FINALLY some pictures!! I've had to hound my mom and Venus (and still haven't gotten the ones from her yet), but we have some photos!! Here's is Faith, in all her cute and adorableness, when she was baptized on September 24, 2005. She was NONE too happy with the water being poured on her head. LOL These are the ones my mom and little brother took. Click on them to see them larger.

Faith's Godmother: Venus Byrd
Faith's Godfather: BJ Symons(who wasn't present)

Yes, we're aware of the killer blue eyes!!


Really...have you seen a more adorable child lately?? I think not! ;-)


Daddy looks a little drunk, huh? LOL





From Left to Right
Back row: Ariyan and Kevin Anderson, Kevin Bird
Next Row: Falyn, my mom, Brandi Anderson, brother Mikey, Jason Lemons, Karen & Tristan Bird
Next Row: Justin, me, Faith, brother Jonathan, Jeremy Byrd, Jebbye Lemons
Front: Venus, Niki and Kevin Byrd

9 weeks and counting...

But who's counting right? LOL 9 weeks till I am officially due to have this baby! Yes, that's right...you have NINE weeks till Christmas!! I am hoping I only have 7-ish more weeks till I can hold my little man, but seeing as this is a "textbook" pregnancy, I can see him holing on until the day after Christmas. Those of you that knew our boy name for the girls, already know his name, but I'm not telling if you forgot!! LOL Yes, all the aches and pains and discomforts of being 7 months preggo are setting in, and MAN my feet HURT!! I had my last wedding of the year Saturday (YAY!) and only have family sessions left, and those are cake walks! :)

We got 95% of the nursery done this weekend, and it's SO darn CUTE!! I wasn't sure what the heck to do with a boy, and now that I look at his little room, I am looking forward to all the new experiences of what having a boy will be like. I think it's finally sinking in. I'll take some pictures and post them today. The girls have all thier luxuries in their room now...so now, when they need a "time-out" they have to go to MY boring room! LOL

I also finally got some photos back from my mom of Faith's baptism, and I will post those too. She's such a cutie pie!!

I hope you all had a great weekend. Looks like I am coming down with a cold, and my throat is KILLING me!! I see the Dr on Wednesday, so hopefully he'll tell me I can take more than Halls. LOL Did I mention...I'M TIRED TOO?!?

Disney Pics

Starting with Animal Kingdom (the first day in Orlando)...we weren't very impressed with AK...we had more fun the rest of the trip. Future reference, click on the pictures and you can see them larger.

The girls in front of "The Lion King Tree"...the name of it has escaped me, I think "Living Tree", but if you look close, you can see all the carvings in it of animals...pst..it's not a real tree! ;)

Justin and Falyn on the water ride...look how SOAKED she got! LOL

Lilo and Stitch - Faith was sleeping. Falyn LOVED them!!

MAGIC KINGDOM

MGM STUDIOS


"Honey, they shrunk Falyn!"





Faify LOVES her some JoJo!

Thanks Ang!

Now you have a little music to listen to (thanks to Angie's blog). This is my current favorite song. Brings back a ton of memories for me for some reason. And for those of you that don't know...I don't even really listen to this kind of music. I am a country girl to the bone! But I LOVE this song!! Lyrics here, video all the way at the bottom.

Photograph - Nickelback

Look at this photograph
Every time I do it makes me laugh
How did our eyes get so red
And what the hell is on Joey’s head

This is where I grew up
I think the present owner fixed it up
I never knew we ever went without
The second floor is hard for sneakin’ out

And this is where I went to school
Most of the time had better things to do
Criminal record says I broke in twice
I must’ve done it half a dozen times

I wonder if it’s too late
Should I go back and try to graduate
Life's better now than it was back then
If I was them I wouldn't let me in

Oh, god I...

Every memory of lookin’ out the back door
I have the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It’s hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Every memory of walkin’ out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was lookin’ for
It’s hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Remember the old arcade
Blew every dollar that we ever made
The cops hated us hangin' out
They said somebody went and burnt it down

We used to listen to the radio
And sing along with every song we’d know
We said someday we’d find out how it feels
To sing to more than just the steering wheel

Kim's the first girl I kissed
I was so nervous that I nearly missed
She’s had a couple of kids since then
I haven’t seen her since God knows when

Oh, god I...

Every memory of lookin’ out the back door
I have the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It’s hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Every memory of walkin’ out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was lookin’ for
It’s hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

I miss that town, I miss the faces
You can’t erase, you can’t replace it
I miss it now, I can’t believe it
So hard to stay, too hard to leave it

If I could relive those days
I know the one thing that would never change

Every memory of lookin’ out the back door
I have the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It’s hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Every memory of walkin’ out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was lookin' for
It’s hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Look at this photograph
Every time I do it makes me laugh
Every time I do it makes me...

Maternity Portraits

Here are some photos that a fellow photographer friend of mine took of me. Maternity Portraits There are still more to come, including some of me and Falyn, so check the link again later. :)

WHOO HOO DISNEY!!!

So this past week was Fall Break here, and we went to Disney World! BLAST!! We left Saturday the 1st and came back Thursday. The girls are the perfect age!! They loved every minute of it, and Falyn is even tall enough to ride a LOT of the rides (much to my concern). She did GREAT! We were both very proud of her being such a good sport and not even thinking twice about any of them. She wanted to go!! She did get off the Test Track (think crash test dummies) and tell me, "Mom that one was a little bit scary." LOL But then she ran in circles with her arms out to show me how it turned!

TS Tammy...of course...my mom says we're magnets for these storms. Even while in Orlando, what forms off the coast, and rains on us on Wednesday a few times?? You guessed it!! A tropical storm! Good grief! She did not ruin our fun at all! It was rather warm and muggy this time of year tho, and Justin and I have decided that the week before or of Christmas is the best time to go. I just loaded up all the pics, so as soon as I have a minute (I have a wedding today) I will start putting them online for you to see. I have a CUTE one of Faith kissing Mickey on the nose and Dale too. She hugged Tigger and went bonkers over Jojo the clown! We went to storytime with Belle, and watched Cinderella be crowned a Princess. It was great!!

Pictures to follow soon! I have to get ready for work. Only one more wedding after today and I am ON MATERNITY LEAVE!!!! YAHOO!! Well, it officially starts Nov 11th, but no more weddings for the year!! :) How do YOU like hearing that there are only 11 more weeks until Christmas!?!? ;) he he I LOVE it, b/c I know that means I'll be holding my little man sometime in that time frame...EDD 12/26/05!!

xoxoxox

Faith's Baptism

Yes, FINALLY! Hush! It took so long waiting and waiting to see if my brother could be here, but he ended up not coming, so we had yet another child baptised without him present.

Faith had a GREAT day! Depsite the argument to put the dress on...my 2 yr old girl HATES dresses!!! She did great! My mom, Mikey and Jonathan came out (due to Rita) and got to enjoy the experience. She wasn't too keen on the water being poured on her head, but none-the-less she did great! For sure we won't wait as long to baptise our son! LOL After the ceremony, we went and had a nice lunch at Copeland's and then back to the house for ice cream cake. She crashed soon after.

I did NOT have my camera (yes...horrible) but Venus and Jonathan both did, so I am hoping to get some photos from one of them! I have nothing! :(

Ridiculous Hurricane Season!!

Ok, so now our family in Houston, that is normally worried sick about us here in "Hurricane Alley", are now preparing for Hurricane Rita. I worry about Oma & Opa's house and my mom & dad's houses with all those tall trees around all of them. I won't be able to stand it...guess now I know how they have felt all these times.

Say some prayers for Houston/Galveston. All those poor refugees from LA, that are now in Houston...ugh! This is ridiculous!!

This stupid storm better not cancle our plans to go to Disney World next weekend. Falyn would be devestated.

Hurricane Katrina

WOW...all I can really say at this point. Thank God that she didn't take the last second turn north that Ivan and Dennis did. Sadly, she aimed right at our dear friends Ryan and Angie's house in Slidell, LA. Please send out your prayers to them. Those of you that don't know them, (we rented their condo in San Diego) their girls are the same age as ours, and she is also exepecting her 3rd child in February. They are being allowed back into the city finally on Monday, and I am really praying that they have a house to go home to. Again, please send out your prayers to them, as well as all the victims of this horrible storm.

Another peek

We got to take another peek at our little man today. Today was the u/s at the Naval Hospital where they do all the measurements, and check the baby out. He's perfect! We saw 10 little fingers and 10 little toes, and even got to see him trying to suck on his hand! That was the SWEETEST thing I have ever seen! Brought tears to my eyes. I guess you don't really think about them doing that. Of course, you read it in all the books...they practice swallowing and sucking to be ready when they are born, but I guess I just never expected to see it. REALLY bummed that we couldn't vidoetape that. But, I did get a LOT of pictures of him, so hear are a few for you.





5 little toesies!!

Falyn's riding the bus!!

Where does the time go?? My *little* Falyn is old enough to ride the BUS?? She definitely thinks so! LOL Call me a bad mom, I can't for the life of me find her "first day of school" pics that I took (bad photographer too...I know!), but I did find the "first day on the bus" pics! She LOVES it! She is SO excited to ride it. Her little friend across the street, Victoria is in first grade and they sit together. Aren't they adorable?

This is in our driveway.


Here they are as the bus is coming. The stop WAS across the street from my house, but it's too stinkin' hot to stand out there in the sun, so we've moved over to my driveway in the shade. ;) And that's little Clayton...he lives down the street from us.







I'll tell you more about how her first year of school is going later...we're having issues, and it's getting out of hand. Later...

Faith Madysen - an update

Can you believe she's 2?? I can't. I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. I remember holding her for the first time, and thinking I'd only seen one other person as beautiful as she. I've watched her crawl, walk, talk and say "No!" like any other 2 year old. Being so far away from family, I'm sad thinking how little they know about her. I wish you could know her the way that I do. Even people that see her regularly, don't know the "real" Faith. She's SO smart! It's almost scary! She teaches me something new everyday, and I know all parents say that, but it's true. She learns something everyday. She studies things, and if you watch her closely when she plays, you can see the smoke coming out of her ears. And when she's figured it out, she wants you to know it. She wants to be right in my lap, and just out of arms reach. She's compassionate. She's giving. She LOVES her big sister, and hates her all at the same time. If you give her something, she makes sure she gets one for Falyn too. She's independent, yet helpless. She's strong willed, weak, gentle, rough. She can make you laugh till you cry, and just as mad! She's eager to learn, play, please and defy. She is a SNUGGLE BEAR!! She loves her daddy, but most of the time, wants her mommy. If you let her, she'll color you a brilliant masterpiece....on your walls! She'll be your shadow, and hide from you. She holds regular conversations with Grandma, Nene, Oma and Daddy on the other end of her Barbie cell phone. She'll repeat ANYTHING you say...so watch out! The "nu-nu" (pacifier) is her downfall. She'll try just about anything, but won't always eat it. Milk, applesauce, mac & cheese, and pizza are what she'd eat everyday if I let her.

Writing all of this just brings tears to my eyes. I never knew it was possible to love another person so much! My children have taught me a LOT about life, things I didn't know, I didn't know. They are brilliant and beautiful...and the light of my life.

Can you tell the preggo hormones are raging? I was finally able to get her 2 year photos yesterday, so I thought I'd tell you a little about my "Faify".

WHAT am I going to do....

with a BOY?!?!? OMG!! I am still in shock I think. Seriously did NOT expect for them to tell me boy! But, I guess that explains all the puking in the first 3-4 months huh? Here's some "in-utero porn" for ya! :) They are pretty dark, but my scanner isn't the best in the world. The first 2 are of his "parts" and the last one is a weird skeleton profile.

Baby to be!

Ok, I haven't posted it here yet...sorry! But I am SO excited that we are adding another addition to our family. I wasn't sure at first, and I was MISERABLY sick for the first 3 months, but now I am feeling this little peanut kick and roll, and it's awesome! We are due on 12/26, but the Dr suspects that since both the girls came early this one may too. Here is our first peak at the baby at 10 weeks.



On Monday (start of my 21st week) at 2:30 CST, we have an appointment at the u/s school to get a GOOD peak at baby Geigley and find out if it's another "she" or a "he" this time. Really, at this point, either way I am thrilled! Little nervous to have a boy, but thrilled none the less.

Little Bruiser

Falyn and Faith...what I can I say...those girls know how to duke it out like the best of them. This time Faith got the raw end of the deal...my best guess is they were playing tug of war over a book, and Falyn let go. Scared the crap out of me!! I think it scared Falyn good too. They can be so sweet to each other one minute, and MEAN as all get out the next. Siblings...

And.....here comes Emily.

Enough already! Please God send this one somewhere else!!!!! Angie, you coming? I'm going back to San Diego!!! LOL This is ridiculous!!

We made it thru!

Thank God! At the last second, Dennis decided to make a sharp turn North, and luckily (well for us anyway) went on shore between Gulf Breeze and Navarre. Which put the eye wall going straight thru downtown, and we are in the BOONIES of Pensacola, basically right on the AL/FL border, so we only got 60-70+ mph winds. Nothing too serious. We did take some damage to our chimney tho, as there is a pretty big wet (well, now dry) spot in the corner of the girls' playroom, which is where the corner of the chimney meets the roof. We never lost power, but the back end of our neighborhood did, including Venus, but Jeremy has that house "hurricane rigged" using their generator so they pretty much had power, except a/c.

Falyn in all of her "adorableness", still wanted to sleep in the closet, so we let her take her nap in there, even tho it wasn't really that necessary. Faith and I took a nap in my bed and Justin hung out on the couch all day watching TV. Just like a man on a lazy rainy day! ;)

Over all, the theme of this storm seems to be "could have been worse"...which when they thought he was gonna be worse than Ivan, we got lucky!!

Stupid Hurricanes!!

Are you kidding me??? Ok, let's count...FOUR! TS Arlene (hit us), TS Bret (mexico), TS Cindy (hit LA, but of course, we got the EAST side!), HURRICANE DENNIS!! has a big freakin' bulls eye on Pensacola!! UGH!! Honestly, we can't handle another storm here, Ivan TORE UP Pensacola, and there are still TONS of people living in FEMA trailers. Ugh! What to do, what to do?

ANGIE!! Where are you?? I'm gonna come camp out on your front porch!! LOL I was fine until Justin started frekain me out about being pregnant and the air pressure. Anyway...say a prayer for us.

We found Nemo!

We took the girls to Nemo on Ice last night, and they had a BLAST! Ok, mommy and daddy did too. I was highly impressed with the presentation and effort that went into this show. I have pictures to get developed, but as soon as I do, I'll put them up.

I got to sleep in today, and it was NICE! Justin brought me breakfast in bed, and his present to me today is to do all the "honey do's" I've been asking him to do for months! Isn't he awesome?!? :)

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TOO ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!! I LOVE YOU!! HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Such a BRAVE girl!!

Whoever said that boys are more tough than girls was WAY wrong today! Falyn had to get her last set of shots before Kindergarten and boy was she ever nervous. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she had an idea that it wasn't going to be all peaches and cream. We had to wait our turn behind a family of 3 (2 boys and a girl) who were also updating theirs and their oldest boy was also going to K. So, as we're sitting there, she hears him SCREAMING and crying, LOUD and VERY intensly. Oh boy...she was NOT ready for this. She looked at me, and said, "Mommy, maybe I can wait to go to Kindergarten." LOL So sweet. I just kept reassuring her how brave she was, and how it would only hurt for a second, and then she would get a lolipop. Yea...she didn't believe me much I could tell, but she was trying.

So, then it was our turn, after we listened to the 2 yr old and 8 mo old get their shots. Oy. She climbed up on that table, nervous, and clinging to the bunny for dear life. I pulled her jeans down, and she laid back on the table. Faith sat right behind her head watching very intently. 3 shots here we go. The first two weren't too bad. They use those air guns now, so it's a *little* less painfull, but still stings. She just kept looking into my eyes, and I told her "Good Job! You're such a BIG girl!" A little "ow" on those two. Do you know that my baby, didn't even CRY?!?!? How brave is she? She got a little teary-eyed on the last one, but that one stung a little according to the nurse, it was the Polio shot.

Did you hear me? SHE DIDN'T EVEN CRY!!!!!!!! And that wussy little boy was screaming like the death of him! LOL YAY FALYN!! Such a big girl!! I'm SOOOO proud of you!!! xoxoxox

Unbelieveable!!!

Well...I did it. I registered Falyn for Kindergarten today. :( Seriously? I can't believe that she is almost 5 and even ready to GO to school! I mean, yea, I am used to her being gone all day at preschool, but KINDERGARTEN? BUS? HOMEWORK? I just can't believe it. We have to go tomorrow to get her a physical. Remember those? Man...time flies. I am just speechless about this. She is determined that when she's 5 she's ridign the bus, and we have told her that's ok. BUT...the first week or so, I'll take her, just till she's used to what to do & where to go, but you can be sure that I'll be at the school regularly. I'll be signed up for PTA and all the other things that go on with her class! I'm excited for her, but still in disbelief! :) I'm signing her up for a reading program at PJC this summer...just to get her a little more advanced in her reading before school starts. Anything to help keep her "up to speed". They work on phonics, comprehension, fluency & jut plain love of reading...which that part won't be hard, she loves books and "reading" to Faith. :)

Anyway...that was my eventful day. Off to finish cleaning up the playroom before I just start throwing crap away!