Are you ready for this cuteness?

Let the cuteness begin....


My personal favorite....




Could he BE cuter???




Look at his hair!!

He's trying to hug YOU!!!

Oh my... I have a heart breaker on my hands.

Holt, Bubba, Aslan, Simba and I are off to the lake. I'm sure we'll have lots of fun pictures of the kids too. James and Sue will be meeting us down there on Friday... so more pics to come!

Some firsts!

First time you can kinda see the Nugget's new teeth.... can you see 'em???



I can see 'em on my big 'ol head for sure!




First time biting into something... technically baby food is a solid... but this required biting...



YUMMY..... thanks Ms. Nicole!!!

First time in the Big Boy car seat that Grandpa Harold bought Tristan! My little guy is getting so big. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Well... I am not so hot with the camera when I'm excited.... can you see the crocs that Aunt Connie gave Bubba??

Here they are but he was wiggling.... so it's a bad shot but you get the picture - too cute!! For those of you on Facebook... she posted pictures of the little world she has created for him at her house. He has a bouncy toy thing that Connie made, he has little swimmer diapers, a bathing suit and toys!! My oh my... someone loves the little guy!

This is Tristan's first time in the swing from Julanne... or maybe Trish... I can't remember.. but we love it!!

He just woke up but I promise... he loved it.

he looks so emotional doesn't he? LOL

First time I've kissed him... ok, in that nano second!! I love my boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More to come...I'm on a roll!

Bubba meets his Aunt Natalie!!

Natalie has waited as long as she could... her hubby Brad shipped her off to Texas to meet Tristan!! There was a very real possibility, she would have stolen him if I hadn't watched her very closely!!



Nat (as I call her...) has been a friend for a few years now and I swear, she's the kindest soul I've ever known. She's giving, sweet, loving, compassionate and she loves animals more than I do... can you imagine? Oh and did I mention, she's Bulgarian... don't mess with her. ha!



She's a great mom to Christian and Josh as well. Christian is like my "other" child. I was there when she gave birth, as a matter of fact, I held her foot and stands as one of my favorite memories to this day. It was amazing.

We hung out and just laughed and told stories all weekend. It was so fun to have her here and it gave me a little piece of ME back. She quiets my soul, she makes me laugh and without saying much of anything, she just gets me. We talked... a lot... and one thing I love most about her is she calls me to the carpet about my crap. Only a true friend can do that and do it with a hug. It's her delivery that amazes me. She was Christ to me this weekend and boy oh boy, did I need that.

I think I possibly held Tristan twice all weekend, because she couldn't get enough of him. He loves her and they played and played and it was fun to watch. She always told me I'd be a mom... or that I'd be a GREAT mom... so now that I am one... she screeches "I TOLD YOU SO!!!" It's sweet and one of the few times in life I like to admit that I'm wrong. Boy was I ever.. I LOVE BEING A MOM!!!

Sorry it's the same scenario... we just didn't stop to "record" memories much... but as you can see....

Nat loves her little nephew!!

I love you Natalie Simpson...thank you for all of the clothes, thank you for coming, thank you for loving my child like I do. I love you and miss you!!! Maybe someday we'll have twin moving trucks ... hee, hee, hee

Such a loved little boy!

Grandpa Harold heard that Bubba is getting a sand box so he sent some money to help us build! I ordered Tristan this awesome set... it got great review and looks so cute!

As soon as the city is done ripping up our backyard... we will begin.

Holt is building a sand box and then there will be a little side area in the grass (I think) for the pool that Deb Steiner bought him.

Then our next door neighbors gave us this cool (I can't think of what it's called) thing that's a metal structure with a canopy over the top (to provide shade) and we'll put that over there too under the tree. Then.... we will have a small fence around the area so the dogs can't get in there until we let them. We'll have a poop free zone. YIPPPEEEE

Tristan says THANKS GRANDPA! Can't wait for his little play area because he can almost sit up!!

Happy Father's Day Holtie (and Grandpa!!)

So Friday began Father's Day for Holtie. What do you do for someone when you are 100% broke? You re-gift!!

So I received a gift certificate for a massage. I don't like to go by myself... and I was going to go with Holt but they couldn't get us both in this weekend so I sent him for an hour and a half instead!!

Here is Daddy getting his card from the Nugget......... GC included!

So today, I decorated the house with these little signs to show "Daddy" how much his little guy loves him!!

This is our personal joke from an old tv show... I'm Mama and Holtie is "NOT THE MAMA!!"

Gotta get creative when you are poor!!

And to my dad.... Happy Father's Day... I know Tristan can't wait to meet his Grandpa!! WUHOOOOO!

The "joys" of flying...and the JOY of great friends!!

To make a long story short.... last Thursday we headed to Love Field to fly off to see John and Ging and of course... Collin. The excitement quickly faded with the mass chaos at the airport. Weather was bad, tornadoes, high winds, hail, etc... it was B-A-D. Who cares, we're up for a challenge.

We were traveling and little did we know we wouldn't arrive in Louisville for 12 hours. Yeah. Lovely. After standing in line for what felt like 100 years - we got our boarding passes. Stood in security...only to find out IF we EVER boarded the plane (delay upon, delay, upon delay) we'd be stuck in Birmingham. For TWO days. I don't know about you but Alabama isn't my #1 place to be "stuck" so we decided (after 2 hours) that we just couldn't do that to us or most importantly to Tristan. So we packed our things, canceled our tickets, took the shuttle to our car and left.

Sort of.

I asked Holt what would happen to our bags. Quite frankly, I just wanted my hair straightener and my new jeans. So he asked me to circle the airport while he found out. After about 30 minutes, he told me to pull up and get out... HE SOMEHOW GOT US ON A BOOKED FLIGHT. I mean booked SOLID. Grace of God and skills of my hubby. The chick at the ticket counter loved him. He totally flirted and I loved him for it!

After being in line AGAIN... for another hour and a half... we FINALLY got our boarding passes. WUHOOO! We landed in St. Louis with sheer excitement only to find that Mr. T pooped his pants in a BIG WAY. Ooops. packed the spare clothes in my LUGGAGE not T's diaper bag. Wonderful... helllooooooooooooo gift shop! Onesie. $14.95 - crap. Oh well, I've bought about 2 things for him as far as clothes go. Now we're up to 3. You can't see it but his onesie says St. Louis...



THEN, we boarded the plane and off we went. All is well... until Holt dumps and entire glass of red wine all over the 3 of us. HILARIOUS because now we are all pink. Man oh man did we laugh. Anyway... and I'm seriously cutting out ALL of the drama as all of you Facebookers know... we arrive. Poor Ginger has driven in torrential rain to get us and I am SO thankful because did I ever need to see her!!! John was out of town so we headed back and hung out all night. Oh yeah... I forgot to mention... they lost our luggage. Lovely. Tristan didn't mind a bit... he LOVES flying and riding in his awesome stroller (thanks Steiner) that I almost didn't bring.. (thanks Mom!)

Whatever, I didn't care. I was with my bud, a friend that FULLY gets me. That can look me dead in my face and tell me I am being a jerk, that I am wonderful, that she sees what is beautiful in me... she is like a Ya-Ya that I just found. For many that may not mean much but for those that know my girls, it's the highest complement I can offer. Ginger is... well, Ginger.

more on her later....

On Friday Ging had to work so I stole Collin and the four of us headed off for a walk. We got a little lost and it was perfect because we ended up at the Gardens for one of Abe Lincoln's friend
Clay something or other. I know, my dad is just shaking his head right now. it just doesn't register. Ugh... anyway... this is their garden... there is a civil war monument there and I'll bet money my dad knows exactly where I am even though I am there and I don't... :)

The boys fells asleep so I pretended...

John finally made it home and we just hung out all evening. John got his Father's Day gift early (a long board) so he and Holt rode that and a bike, we played games and laughed... it was awesome. It felt like home and my heart was happy.

Saturday morning our luggage FINALLY arrived so we were off to the lake.... I love the lake and was excited to get out in the sun - here are the boys on their lakehouse journey together!!

We boated and while we were out...we saw a little family of ducks. You can't see them very well but this is just a cute picture... Bubba had sun in his eyes but he's still adorable if I do say so myself!

Here are Holt and Ging (two peas in a pod....) kickin' it....

and the boys once again hangin' in their tent... SPF 40 I think - wuhoooooooooo

Here's Johnny....... Uncle Johnny to Tristan and boy oh boy do they love each other. So sweet!!

My and my little man. I think I like him. :)

For me... this next picture is one of those stolen moments... where I had no clue that the eye of the camera was on me... I was just loving on my boy... while the love of my life caught it all in action.... these are the moments I live for.... when I can look back and reflect on a perfect moment in time when all was well with the touch of a baby....

And me, Tristan and Ging... she's very Jackie O wouldn't you say? Little hottie....

Ok, so back to Ginger. I love her. I mean, really, really, really to the core of who I am love her. She's my 2am phone call..she gets me even when I don't make sense. She's a light at the end of a dark tunnel... she's a source of peace. I hope that I am some of this back to her. I hope I can encourage and enlighten and love her the way she does me. God gave us a special gift...we had our first child within 5 weeks of each other and we will have that for a lifetime and for that... I am forever grateful. John is actually more like me and Ging more like Holt... so it makes perfect sense that when the four of us are together we are real. We fight in front of each other, we laugh, we argue our point and these are the friends that nothing can be said and it's not awkward, it's peaceful. It's heavenly and I am thankful. I love my friends!!!

Ginger Moore Smithwick......... I adore you.

Ok sorry.. back to the trip.. here's Holtie flinging Bubba... they have so much fun together!! Can you tell that this is the guy that wasn't sure he wanted kids? Bah..complete rubbish I know!

Another stolen moment.............. LOVE this picture..

I have about 50 so you are lucky you are only getting 2 ...

or 3... how could I NOT show this one??

Here's John...he's a ton like me just a lot less crazy. He shoots you straight, makes you laugh and man oh man...he's fun. Never...EVER... try and poke him in the face with a stick... EVER. Take my word for it.... :)

Oops...one more.. it's my blog I can do whatever I want!!

These glasses prove to be a hit time and time again....

Funny don't you think??

Ginger's Dad's name is Glenn. And I love him........ he has a million funny stories and I had a blast getting to hear them!! I don't have another close up of Sarah.. but next time I will! Collin in his cool shades.........

Last but not least... we were heading back to the dock and I caught this. A stolen moment in time where two of the most important people in my life were just being fully present in the moment, enjoying the sun in their eyes, the wind in their hair... and each other. It was WONDERFUL.

Gotta love Daddy's and their boys.

Sweet moments between a father and his son...

God is good. Life is good. Amen.