Update:

All we really need for this upcoming trip is THIS for Ransom: 

Freak out! Advice! Exclamation point!

So, do to some unexpected turn of events, Ransom and I will be headed to Texas at the end of April! This is exciting on soooo many levels. Ransom'll get to chill with his grandparents, celebrate with his cousin Kilsyth on her first birthday, walk in the March of Dimes walk in memory of our dear friend Evan Wade and all in all have a grand ol' time.

But here's where it gets dicy.

I was literally awake until midnight last night worrying, making lists and trying to think of all possible travel scenarios for flying to Texas alone with my almost 9 month old. So, here's where my readers come in...tell me what to expect: security ( luckily we're flying through the Columbus Ga airport so things shouldn't be as crazy as they would be in Atlanta...), check in ( what can I take as carry on, what can't I?) and flights ( keep in mind Ransom will most likely be sitting in my lap, unless a miracle occurs and we get an extra seat!)
Ok, go...give me a piece of your mind ( Amy B, I'm looking at you...):

A blog post about nothing of consequence

This is my favorite age of Ransom's so far...I'm definitely not a "baby-baby" person...or an infant person. As much as I loved Ransom when he was teeny tiny its SO FUN that we can now actually play together. He finds the most random things funny-yesterday I blew air in his face with the snot sucker ( ignore how gross that sounds) and he belly laughed for like ten minutes.

Also why is that Ransom likes really annoying kiddy music that sounds like carnival music, he'll bounce around in his own "dancing" way, but you put some GOOD music on...and no dancing! Where did he get his music tastes?!?


My friend Rolinda and I are throwing a baby shower in a couple of weeks. I loooove throwing parties. I love decorating the table and coming up with fun things to serve. I love party games. I love banners pretty paper products.

Ever since my umbrella got destroyed in the winds of Fort Benning- it has been cloudy and chilly outside. I guess that's one small solace that we're not missing out on nice weather because of lack of shade.

So for about a second I thought about following Dancing with the Stars this season, and then I realized its like TWO HOURS LONG, TWO TIMES A WEEK!! Who has that kind of time to commit?!?!
Honestly.

"So fun you'll think you've died!"

That was the slogan for my "Mystery Cruise: Heavenly Cruises" mystery dinner party that Brett and I through. And I have to say...I think I've found my calling. I had SO. MUCH. FUN. writing that thing, that to be honest, I don't think I even cared how the actual event went! Well...ok....I cared a little! Any good hostess cares if her guests are having fun!
But, since most of my guests were Hooah army guys...I felt like the only people that really matter were the girls, and I think they had fun! :-)

So, to give you a taste for the evening these where my characters:
Gloria the Opera singer, Rocky the body guard ( Gloria's), Trevor the Cruise Trainer, Larry the Lifeguard, Sally the Cruise Director ( this was me...), Robin the Ex-Beauty Queen, Winston the Oklahoma Oil Giant ( married to Robin), Robert Picknees the Ex-Con/Businessman, Tony the Ex-NYC Cop, Tom and Dom the Siamese Twins

The deceased Poppy Pemberton was killed in her room, strangled with one of her diamond necklaces....whoooo did it!?!

I won't give you all the details of the players-but they were all fun to write, everyone had a funny quirk of some kind, and they all had clues to who the murderer was...I tried to write it so that there were at least three people that seemed guilty.

Fail.

I left the Patio Umbrella up and it got broken in a rain storm. LAME-O.

This is sad on more than one level. Money fail.
And afternoon fun for Ransom fail. ( I definitely need him under shade when we're out there together!)

At least the second time around I do not have to order a base ( which is DEFINITELY the most expensive aspect), but all in all I feel crummy. And its times like these I sorta wish I was a teenager and Brett could ground me or something- I mean, I feel like I deserve some punishment here. :-(

a relationship

My relationship with coffee started when I was young. You could say it was a "high school romance" that stuck around.

It has made getting up in the mornings bearable for at least ten years.

When Brett and I were first married I had the greatest job IN. THE. WORLD. as a barista at a local coffee shop...seriously, if there was a job that I'd like to do again it would most DEFINITELY be that one!

And then when Brett was deployed instead of having to go to therapy-which is, I hear, pretty expensive-I had a very real and intense "one latte a day" habit at Starbucks.

But, as with most relationships, things changed...and something came between me and coffee...something that neither of us expected.
 I got pregnant.

Don't worry, it wasn't coffee's baby. It was Brett's. But it did affect my relationship with coffee straight away. I was sooo sick during my first trimester that I went off coffee cold turkey. And then, once I
started feeling better and I once again tried to experience my former love, I experienced the worst heartburn IN LIVING HISTORY.

And so back to cold turkey.

And then, as you may remember, when I finally got Ransom out of me and I was able to go and experience my very first latte for almost a year....I had actual tears in my eyes. It was a special moment:

But, little did I know, I had apparently hurt coffee's feelings during my long absence and it turned on me like a jealous jealous lover. Thus I was awake that night at 3am-unable to sleep....unable to sleep during a period in my life when sleep was very VERY important. 

And so I turned to a lesser form of my love. Decaf. 

Its not the same. 

But, then, this morning when I was all bleary eyed and delirious I decided to turn back the clock and go no holds bar back to our original glory. Just a little teeny tiny cup at 8am. 

We'll see if its forgiven me yet when I go to sleep tonight...but as for now, the fact that I have the wherewithall to write this post before 9am shows that there are still SOME good things about our relationship. 

*incidentally I've decided to implement a "before Ransom wakes up"  Quiet Time schedule....something I feel like is a long time coming since it seems to be less possible to get all the things I need to get done, done during his nap times any more. Thus there is a REAL NEED for my relationship with coffee to return to normal. A REAL NEED. 

Saturday fun

It was seriously 88 degrees outside today...we've been spending tons of time sitting out on our patio-Ransom finds looking up at the sky incredibly entertaining, Brett and I spent our time finishing up Book Seven of the Harry Potter Series...we've been reading it since before Ransom was born-we're sad to see it over but since we're starting The Hobbit after this I think we've found a way to find some consolation. 

We also went out for Frozen Yogurt this afternoon, and the yogurt place in Columbus now sells cupcakes too! Kind of Random but two things I love in one place. Not. complaining. 

good and bad

Majorly glad Brett and I got to hang out just the two of us for a whole 24 period.
Happy Ransom got to hang out with his Papa and Spicey for a little bit.
Excited that Brett gets Thursday and Friday off this week.

Really sad that my parents had to leave almost as soon as Brett and I got back from Atlanta. Really unhappy that my Dad's case of Shingles is not going well. A bit stressed and worried about my parents driving back to Texas in the current state.

Prayers appreciated.

Blissfully unawares

Ah, blog.  There has been so much on my mind of late that putting it all into cohesive thought has been beyond me. I find that even writing Ransom's Monthly letter seemed to be outside my realm. 

On Sunday night Brett blew our future out of the water...or should I say, Sunday morning, God blew our future out of the water and then he waited until evening to tell me ( yet another difference between Brett and I, how COULD he hold onto such big information like that!?!? ) . And just like that things changed. 

That's how a relationship with God can be sometimes. Dangerous. And yet as we face a very scary and a lot more faith-inducing future I think, there's really no other choice. We could chose "hard" and yet go with the very desires of our heart, or we can choose "easy" and face bleakness and second best. 

I'm sure I'll give you the details soon enough, but for now I'll stick with the abstract. Because really, the details don't matter...

"Is the Lord's power limited? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not." Num 11:23

I'm on fire!

We have people over for dinner several times a week. In fact, I think its probably one of the biggest part of my "job".  I'm a cook for a living! hahah!

But I've decided my cooking skills are not up to par on Mondays. For some reason I cannot seem to make dinner for more than the immediate family on Mondays...add one more person and I set the oven on fire.

Literally.

*sigh*

Anyway, note to self. Monday is our "off" night..or at least start ordering pizza for our guests.

I want the new ipad and other such ramblings...

Yesterday I read these verses in my quiet time: 

"For nothing will be impossible for God. " ~ Lk 1:37

" Is the Lord's power limited? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not?" ~Number 11:23

I usually take a second look when I see the same theme repeated twice in my readings in very different parts of the Bible. hmmm....looks like He's a BIG God, and sometimes I forget that when I pray teeny-measly little prayers. 

Ransom continues to look like a vampire. And enjoys chewing on things that don't belong to him. Between a Wii controller and my iPhone...you can see what won. ( at least for ME...Ransom TOTALLY still would rather have the iphone but as much as I love Ransom he is NOT chewing on my phone!) 

I really do think that the prospect of getting his little chubby fingers on my phone will officially drive him to crawl....we shall see. 

I have started doing Yoga in my living room three times a week. On Mondays my dear friend Keri is instructing me ( its nice knowing instructors!) and on Weds and Fridays, whatever I can find on Netflix On Demand...( does anyone have any good yoga that they've found on Netflix ondemand that they'd like to share with me?! What I did today was relaxing but not nearly strenuous enough...) 

I am still sore from Monday's workout. 

Its Wednesday. 

Whenever I make meals in my slow-cooker I am hungry ALL DAY. It smells SO good in here! 

Ransom has officially given up the third nap of his day. To be honest I am relieved. I was getting stressed every day wondering whether that day "would he or wouldn't he?!"...its nice just knowing that, no, he will not be sleeping any more...not until bed time!! Which is now thirty minutes earlier. 

I am a crazy scheduled mom. I realize this about myself. But I'm ok with it. This is how I deal with the uncertainties of motherhood. By being a crazy scheduler. 

I want the new iPad sooooo badly. Like THIS MUCH. 

Blame it on the vampire...

I haven't blogged in AGES!
I blame my "vampire" baby...seriously, the poor little man has been choosing to teeth all the hardest teeth all at once. He's got two more teeth coming in, and they are BOTH canine ( I looked it up) teeth. Anyway, this his greatly affected his napping and therefore greatly affected my blogging time.

But its March and so I figured you deserved at least a little "howdy, we're still alive over here!" kind of post...

So here's a little something that Brett and I laughed about for too long the other night.




You're welcome.
Now every time you see Wells Fargo you'll think about the vampire who took them down.

Annnnyway, now I'm late for a meeting...catch ya on the flip side!