FABULOUS FOUR

Rant. So what?!

2011-12-21T14:29:00.003-06:00

Hello....um, whoever might randomly come across this and care enough to read it. Yes, I realize it has been entirely too long since I've blogged so let's just all pretend that we haven't missed a beat and we'll pick up right here.

Today is one of those days where I can't quite decide if I am just being selfish and whiny or if most SAHM's feel this same way at some point. Either way, I'm just going to throw out my rant and hope tht when I'm done I will feel better and get over it.

I'm convinced that my son is on a mission to cause me permanent headaches when it comes to naps and bedtime. This hasn't always been the case though. Up until about 3 months ago he LOVED his bed, even when he got out of the crib. He NEVER co-slept with us (mostly because we learned the hard way with Blake) and he always went down awake and fell asleep on his own. Lately, he has become the anti-sleep monster! He is clearly tired yet fights me tooth and nail. Every excuse in the book, dozens of trips down the hall after he has been tucked in, lots of crying and mostly just driving me completely insane and wearing me out to total exhaustion. Sounds like a barrel of fun huh?! Yea. Not so much.

This whole fight to the death at bedtime routine is getting super old. I'm over it. And by over it, I mean, I am on the verge of a mental breakdown. Sigh. So of course, today, I have spent nearly 2 hours putting him back to his bed and still he is fighting the nap.....as he yawns. I NEED my down time.....I NEED some quiet.......I NEED the one hour a day to do whatever in want in peace! Is that skiing too much? To him it is, apparently. I think about how I literally get zero alone time during the course of a 24 hour day, generally. They need a break from me and I need a break from them every so often, right?! Don't get me wrong, I love and adore my children. I am generously blessed to be able to stay home with them. But does that outweigh the desire to have some uninterrupted "me" time? No. Now the burning question....am I being a selfish and whiny complainer or is this the norm? Either way, it is what it is. This mama needs to be other things besides a mommy 24/7.

Ok, I've made my point. I think I'll go make the grocery list, fold laundry, pick up toys, do the dishes and plan dinner while I daydream about the things that used to make me interesting, lol. Until next time....

Kids Christmas Party 2009!!

2009-12-21T12:26:00.006-06:00

We got all of the kids together this year for a gift exchange and it was SUCH a fun night! Everyone played well together and the babies were just as sweet as pie. Between ELEVEN kids and EIGHT Moms, I'd say it was a success! Can't wait for next year with all of the new babies to join in the fun. =) Enjoy!

Anna & Makenna, Randi & Easton, Joanna & Wyatt, Jacob, Kristin & Kaitlyn, Lezlie & Gavin, Me & Jaxon (Blake is on the front row, BIG cheesin'!)
Sarah & Jayden, BLAKE, Libby, Addison & Lacey

Blake hearts Easton! He asked her to "help" him open his gift from her....so cute!

Time to eat! Look at all these little ones gathered 'round!

1st attempt at pictures....
Wyatt, Easton, Blake & Kaitlyn (Blake had her hand resting on Easton's leg the whole time! They are so sweet!!)

2nd attempt:
Libby, Jayden, Wyatt, Eastin, Blake, Kaitlyn, Makenna....and a stray! Jacob!! LOL

Time for Gifts!!!

FLASHBACK FRIDAY!

2009-12-18T12:02:00.001-06:00

ROAD TRIP!

2009-12-16T12:43:00.007-06:00

We loaded up luggage for four, toys, movies and dual DVD players in the SUV & headed north to Oklahoma to visit family! Leaving at 7pm on Friday night was a great idea...for BLAKE! Jaxon on the other hand. Well let's just say he wasn't a happy camper for the first 3 hours or so. SIX hours one way is a looooong drive for anyone! Once he settled in and got some sleep it was much better. Poor little grumpy boy. He wanted HIS bed! We made it into Skiatook at about 1am. Got to bed by 2:30am and wrestled a very sleepy boy back to sleep.

Saturday was a FULL day of fun at Grandmother's house and by nightfall, the whole family was there for dinner & LOTS of playing for the kittle ones. It was a packed house but the kids had a blast! Sunday we got to have a big breakfast at Grandmother's and then by nap time we loaded up and headed back to Forney. The trip home was much more pleasant despite the small detour and being in the car again for 6+ hours. It was a good trip! MUCH needed time with the family we don't get to see very often & lots of fabulous memories!

Blake snuggled up in Grandpa's lap

My guys!

Uncle Craig had to get his nap in too!! LOL

HAPPY baby boy!

Yes, they were bringing it back to the old school!

Breaking the wishbone

Cousin Crista with the munchkins

Playing outside with Grumpy (Uncle Craig)

What a smile!

Mia (Aunt Margie), Baby Lily, Grumpy (Uncle Craig) and Blake

Cousin Chris and Jax

Cousins, Rylee and Greenlee

On the road back home......

When she woke up she was saying, Mommy I want to get out and snuggle with you!

So we stopped for gas & a little snuggling! Then she wanted to take pictures.

Silly faces!!

Staggs' family photos

2009-12-16T11:43:00.004-06:00

Love by Laura

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-16T11:23:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-16T10:01:00.005-06:00

The night before Thanksgiving we always go over to my parent's house to help cook. This year Blake got to help! She was SO excited!! Jaxon just observed and drooled over all of the deliciousness that was being made in the kitchen. Next year, son! :)

We found Blake like this on the couch as we packed up everything to head over to my parent's house on Thanksgiving day for lunch. Tired, sweet, sweet baby girl!

My little turkeys were dressed in thier GOOBLE TIL YOU WOBBLE shirts and looking perfectly adorable! I have so much to be thankful for!

Standing up on anything he can find! BIG BOY!!

My sister, Sherryl, and Matt. Cute!

The evening of Thanksgiving, we had our same annual tradition of getting all the ads together and all the women get the game plan together for BLACK FRIDAY shopping mania. Jenn always goes with us and this year we had baby Reese to add to the fun! Eric got to play with Reese while the rest of us women gathered our thoughts and got ready for shopping at 2am! Here he is with sweet little Reese!

Time for a little catchin' up

2009-12-02T11:46:00.003-06:00

So, I've obviously been behind on blogging. Gosh, life got busy. So here's the run down on the last month at the Staggs' family.

Eric went out of town on his annual hunting trip to kansas with the guys the @nd weekend of November. It was a long 4 nights without him home, mostly because I just missed him being there. But I tried to make the most of the time I had with the kids by myself and we did some fun stuff! Friday night we had movie night with Kristin, Randi and all the kiddos. We met up with the other mommies and babies on Saturday mid-morning to play and have lunch at the park. Then on Sunday we went to church and to see A Chrsitmas Carol in 3D with Kristin and her kids. It was a fun weekend and we had a good time together but we were ALL ready to have Daddy back at home with us by Tuesday.

My mom finally got a job that same week and that was a huge blessing for her! Praise God! But it threw a kink in our situation for child care so we are currently working on the "next season" for our precious little family. God is working big in our loves so we are waiting patiently to hear from Him. More on that later I hope!

Blake's school had a Thanksgiving lunch before they let out for the holidays and i made treats! It was a fun little baking project, which I LOVE! I made Oreo Popcorn Balls and attached them to cardstock that I wrote little Thanksgiving messages on for the kids in her class. I even put little fall themed stickers on them. They turned out cute and I love to bake so it was a win, win!

We had a great Thanksgiving holiday as well! I will post pictures soon!

Wednesday Wow

2009-11-04T12:45:00.002-06:00

This is a serious belly! I was 9 months pregnant with Blake at Annie's wedding. (Some of you may know her as Erin!)

Random Cuteness

2009-11-04T11:48:00.003-06:00

She was SUPER excited when I told her she could play in my shoes when I took them off! I love this little girl so much!!

He was totally konked out! Why are sleeping babies so darn adorable?!

She is getting to be such a big girl! After church she went into her room and put her nap mat on her bed and just snuggled up and went to sleep, ALL BY HER SELF!!! Her Daddy will be so sad that she doesn't need him to lay down with her anymore.

Beautiful babies...I love to see them snuggle together. They really do love each other so much.

Movie Night @ Forney Park

2009-11-04T10:50:00.001-06:00

Last Friday night Forney hosted a Movie In The Park Night. It was a Halloween themed movie of Abbott and Costello form the 40's but we thought the experience would be fun for the kids so off we went! We met up with Kristin, Kaitlyn & Jacob so the girls could watch together and play. We open the hatch to the SUV's and got out our popcorn buckets, cookies & juice and had a great time just hanging out. It really was a cool thing to do. They had a full sized movie screen up and you could either listen to it in your car through the radio or outisde the car by speakers from the screen. It's as close to a drive-in movie as I've ever been and the kids really liked being outside. We didn't stay for the whole movie but we will definitely go back when they do the Christmas movie in December. Blake and Kaityln got into our car & they just played and giggled the whole time. It was so cute! Kristin and I are in for TROUBLE with those two later in life!!! They are US, made over! The boys played in Kristin's car and Eric went back and forth between the two cars making sure everyone had what they needed.

FREE FRIDAY NIGHT FUN IN FORNEY!!!!!!!!!

Kristin and I with OUR BOYS & their paci's! LOL!!! They were sleepy boys....

Trick or Treat!!

2009-11-04T10:24:00.003-06:00

HAPPY HALOWEEN!!!

This was Blake's 3rd Halloween but her first time to actually go out trick or treating. She was very excited about it and she really had a great time even though there didn't seem to be many houses with a light on this year. My little PIRATE PRINCESS and the BABY PIRATE, as Blake says, made it until about 9pm and then crashed! We got to have Unlce John & Brooke and Dad Dad come over to go trick or treat with us which was FUN! We stopped by to see Paw Paw and baby Gavin while we made out way through the neighborhood. What a GREAT night!

Uncle John let Jaxon pick a "treat"...... A Tootsie Roll!!! WHAT?! Silly Uncle John! Jax DID enjoy chewing ont he wrapper for a bit though.

Getting ready for the CANDY FAIRY!
We talked to Blake about how she would get candy in her bag and how at the end of the night she could leave it out for the Candy Fairy & get a prize! She was VERY excited about this. So, we let her choose 5 pieces of candy to keep and then she left her bag overnight to see if the Candy Fairy would trade her for a SURPRISE!!! Turns out, the Candy Fairy is pretty awesome & brought her a Dora Dress-up Set! She was pumped!!

Halloween Party

2009-11-03T12:46:00.004-06:00

Fall Fun at the Arboretum

2009-11-03T12:40:00.005-06:00

BIG BOY!

2009-11-03T12:36:00.003-06:00

My little man is sitting up by himself now....has been for about a month. It's so bittersweet. He's growing so fast! We tried out his cart cover for the first time a couple of weeks ago and he LOVED being able to sit up and see everything. he's such a good baby!

Jaxon got to go play with Addy last week and this was how excited he was to see her!!

Reese - 1 week

2009-11-03T12:26:00.001-06:00

Look at this sweetness!

Welcome, Reese Lee Steed

2009-11-03T11:45:00.003-06:00

One of my oldest friends, Jennifer and her husband Ronnie, just welcomed thier 5th child (blended family) on October 27, 2009. She weighed 7 lbs 15 oz. and is just precious! They have 2 kiddos together and 3 from previous marriages but this family was thrilled to welcome baby Reese as the newest member of the Steed family! They are doing well and are home resting now. What a miracle and a blessing! Congrats Jenn & Ronnie! We love ya'll

Blake or Jaxon?!

2009-10-23T16:39:00.003-05:00

My sweet little monkeys! They look so much alike as babies. I had to get out some old pictures of Blake and compare. :)

Blake
Jaxon
Jaxon
Blake
Jaxon

Blake

Jaxon

Blake

Flashback Friday

2009-10-23T16:33:00.002-05:00

Here's a good one.... Torrie, Me and Lezlie (I was 9 months pregnant)
We were ringing in the New Year in 2007. Blake was born 17 days later. Whew!
This New Years celebration will be MUCH different for all three of us. :) Lezlie is ringing in the new year with a new baby, as am I, this year. Jaxon will be nearly 8 months by then & Gavin will be 3 months! And Torrie will be preparing for her little bundle of joy to arrive in February! Oh how things have changed....in a GREAT way!

Jaxon the Explorer

2009-10-22T11:11:00.005-05:00

He is really enjoying the fact that he learned how to sit up on his own & is having lots of fun playing with toys. He has started just playing in his bed when he wakes up and I couldn't resist getting some pictures of that happy little man! He's growing so fast!! Enjoy...

Costume Preview...

2009-10-22T10:43:00.002-05:00

I still have a few "tweeks" to perfect the PRINCESS PIRATE costume for Halloween but, Blake wanted to try it on so here she is!

Checking out her SUPER-D-DUPER cute "baby legs" leggings...ADORABLE!

Stay tuned for pictures of the kiddos in their FULL costumes! We are going to a Halloween party this coming Saturday... FUN!

Drool Baby Drool!

2009-10-22T10:31:00.004-05:00

There is ALOT of drool going on at our house lately......isn't it cute?! LOL!!

Swine in '09

2009-10-22T09:58:00.002-05:00

My precious baby boy somehow managed to get the swime flu last week. This past Thursday, the 15th, he woke up with a low grade fever. I fed him and he was ready to go back down for a nap almost immediately. While he slept I was on the phone to the Dr. finding out what was considered a "teething temperature" as he is at that age where it could have just been teeth. When he woke up, 2 hours later, he was BURNING UP! I totally freaked. I do NOT handle fever well. It totally freaks me out. So there I was taking a rectal temp. and calling the Dr. again. Result: 102.5 fever. Poor baby looked miserable. He was so lethargic and just puny looking. I gave him Tylenol and was on the phone yet again to the Dr. office. We got an appointment and headed to Dallas.
Dr. Finkleman sees us at about 2:30p and it had been 3 hours since I gave Jaxon Tylenol for the fever. It hasn't even touched his temperature, at all! He still had 102.5 and was pitiful. They did both a nasal swab and blood work to test for both types of flu. Then we waited. (the longest 20 minutes of my life)When the Dr. came back in and told me what we were facing I thought I was going to pass out. My BABY had the H1N1 flu! Whaaaaat??! He's too young for that! I was shocked and scared to death. Luckily, we caught it in the first 24 hours and we left there with a prescription for Tamiflu. Other orders were to keep the kids apart, for Jaxon to be on quarantine for 5 days and to keep him hydrated. His fever broke but then returned late that night at 103.2! Again, I was terrified. On the phone to the nurse, she told us how to treat the fever and that if it went up to 104, head to Children's. UGH! I did NOT want to see that happen. So, I was up every 3 hours alternating Tylenol and Motrin to keep that fever away. It worked!!
As if telling Blake that she couldn't come near her brother wasn't going to be bad enough - I had to totally remove her from the house in order to keep her healthy. She though she was on vacation though because she got to spend 4 days with my parents, whom she totally adores. I, on the other hand, was REALLY missing my sweet girl. I called her about 8 times a day! Sometimes she was too busy to talk to me but other times she would ask if Bubba was sick? Does he feel better? etc. She's such a great big sister.
Jax and I spent the next 6 days together....and Eric was there to help me or give me a break from time to time. A sick baby boy is no fun! He was uncomfortable, achy, sleep deprived, grumpy and overall just sickly. I spent my down time sterilizing things, cleaning with bleach, doing lots of laundry to keep germs from setting in & trying to stay healthy myself. It was a hard week to say the least.
I was SO ready to have my girl back home and for us to have a normal, healthy family again! Blake came home Sunday afternoon and it was very evident that she missed Jaxon! And he missed her too! They were SO glad to see each other although we still had to try and keep them somewhat apart. Jaxon started to feel better somewhat by Monday but finished his medicine Tuesday and was doing even better by then. He still couldn't sleep well but he was smiling again and playing some, which was good to see. Thank God for the advancement of modern medicine for getting my little guy back to normal! God is good!

Cutie pie

2009-10-13T16:49:00.002-05:00

What a handsome little man! I couldn't resist taking his picture....he looked so cute in this outfit. :)

A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E

2009-10-13T16:33:00.004-05:00

I think it's safe to say that I love my kids to infinity and beyond! (We watched Toy Story Friday night, lol) And I can't get enough of taking thier pictures! They are so darn cute!! Here are some of my lil man. He's getting so big! He had his 6 months check up last week and he weighed 15.1 lbs and 26.5 inches long. He's officially allowed to have solids now so I gave him a sample of green beans...it was NOT his favorite but he sure does love his cereal! And he has learned to hold his botle pretty well. it kind of makes me sad but he's doing so good. Don't worry though - it's breastmilk in the bottle. He's still nursing most of the time but we had a bottle ready to go so he guzzled it down. Sweet boy!

We took big sister with us to the check up to see if we could get them both a flu shot while we were there....she didnt know that was my plan but it worked out for us because Blake got the flu mist and she did great! Jaxon didnt get his shot so we have to go back for it in a few weeks. Bummer! But, by the end of our appointment (11am) they were both in the car and passed out before we even hit the highway. They snoozed all the way back to Forney from Dallas. ENJOY! =)

Random Fun at the Staggs' House!

2009-10-13T16:25:00.004-05:00

We were just having a lazy at home last Sunday after church...we did laundry, slow cooked some soup for our home care group that came over that evening, watched some football, played alot and the kiddos napped. We love these kind of days around the house.

Why did she decide that she needed to take off ALL of her clothes in order to wash her hands after dinner? WHO KNOWS!!! But it sure was funny! Silly girl!!

Visitors with baby Gavin!

2009-10-13T16:10:00.002-05:00

Blake was SO SO SO excited to FINALLY meet Gavin! She couldn't wait to hold him and see his tiny feet!! She got to hold him with Lezlie's help and she thought she was big stuff. Then she spent the entire rest of the night glued to Lezlie's side, staring at Gavin and talking to him. It was adorable! The best part was when she randomly decided she should sing to him.....so she began to softly sing Jesus Loves Me, and she held his little hand. It was so sweet! I love that little turkey. She's such a sweet, sweet soul!

The girls and I went out to dinner with Lezlie last night and then headed over to my house so Mr. Gavin could come down and meet the ladies! He was being passed around like a sack of potatoes. He loved every minute of it though I'm certain! Randi got to be the lucky one to be the accessory to his photo shoot! Too cute...

Happy HALF Birthday!!

2009-10-07T08:55:00.003-05:00

Jaxon is 6 months old today! I can hardly believe it!! He has been such a joy to our family and we are soaking up every day of watching him grow. He's such a sweet baby. Happy Half Birthday JAXON!!

Cabo San Lucas, MEXICO!!

2009-10-06T15:47:00.033-05:00

**warning: This is a LONG post** Cut me some slack, we WERE there for 7 days!!

Saturday, September 19, 2009
Packed and ready to spend a solid week in paradise with my love! Only trouble is, we have to say goodbye to our sweet little ones. =(
We head to the airport with the beach on our minds! After a quick trip to the bookstore we grabbed a bite to eat at TGIFridays in the terminal where we goofed around with the camera, not knowing what to do with ourselves since we had no kids with us to preoccupy our minds! LOL!! We board the plane for a 2 hour and 45 minute ride to the beauty of MEXICO!

So we make it Mexico, drive into Cabo, check-in to the resort...and it's 10pm! Whew! What a day! But, here's the digs we stayed in for the week and you can tell how excited we were to actually BE THERE!!!! (even if it WAS late)

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Eric made it a routine to get up every morning and watch the sunrise on the balcony. We had an AWESOME view of the ocean from our room! So we started the day with a beautiful sunrise then off to enjoy the town and some good eats & drinks.

2 for 1 drinks ALL DAY!!! The speacilty of Cabo, The Miami Vice, is what I had...YUM! Half stawberry daiquiri and half pina colada!! Eric had another speacialty with a name I can't put in type!! hahaa! We had the most fun at this beach restaurant, MANGO DECK. If you ever go to Cabo, check it out. Our waiter made fresh guacamole at our table and it was to die for! We also had a GIANT shrimp cocktail that was SO delicious. Mmmmmmmm

A beach dog came up to the table and of course, Eric had to make friends with him!

And so it begins.....
We were in paradise for 7 days, 6 of those we spent on the beach; therefore here is the first of SIX bikinis I packed for the trip. I have to admit, I was still very self concious of my wanna be bikini bod - but I just went for it! I'd lost 10 lbs and nearly 12 inches for this trip and I met my goal!
BIKINI #1

Next, we went headed back to the Resort SPA for out COUPLES MASSAGE and my facial! Talk about a breath-taking place! Relaxation and worry free, WE WERE! I wish I'd gotten to take my camera into the stunning room where we had our massages. The spa was a great way to start off our vacation!

Wouldn't ya know the Cowboys were playing a "history making" game back in Dallas and we were strolling the streets of Cabo on our first night in the city. So as luck might have it, we came across a sports bar with an amazing special (see the sign) and we stopped in to check the score. Cowboys vs. Giants - We didnt stay long enough to watch them finish the game but I did get to sign our names on the wall before we left! It was a good night!!

Monday, September 21, 2009
So we started the day with a beautiful sunrise again and Eric caught up on his reading. For the record, I DID read 3 books to his 1.5 while we were there! =)
Then we headed to the pools! One pool has a really cool and very realistic looking pirate ship that the waters circle around. Would have been super fun for Blake!

BIKINI #2!!

After some fun in the sun we headed downtown to the MARINA and checked out a few hot spots for good drinks and maybe a snack or two. We did lots of walking!! It was scorching hot but we didn't care....
This was the view at Soloman's Landing:

HOLY HOOTERS!!! I couldn't resist taking this pic for my BF, RANDI! Love you! =)

We stopped off at the Harley Davidson Bar for some DYNAMITE DAIQUIRIS!!! Yummmmmm

Since our room had a kitchenette bult in & we were going to be there for 7 days, we took the advice of the locals and went in to town for some groceries! Can you believe it?!?!?! We were at WALMART in MEXICO- what a vacation! HAHAAA!!

After a long day we decided to take our books and go to the beach for the sunset and relax a little. By the time we got to bed, Eric was saying "No more pictures!!" HAHA! And it was only day 3!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009
You guessed it! Up with the sun, again! Isn't it beautiful though?

After sunrise and some breakfast we headed to the pool. Man was it HOT! Around 11am it got pretty entertaining around the poolside and Eric decided to be a contestant in a game where you try to putt a ping pong ball into a hula hoop, IN the pool! He didn't win us 2 free margaritas but it was fun anyway. He's so crazy!

BIKINI #3!!

This evening we headed out on the party boat/sunset cruise/dinner....it was fun, HOT, but FUN! (There seems to be a theme of that for this trip, huh?!) On our walk down to the boats, everyone was making comments about my BOOTS! Gotta love it when even in another country, people can appreciate a lil' bit of Texas & a country girl with super cute boots on!! =)

THIS IS ONE HANDSOME MAN RIGHT HERE! xoxo

Ok ok, I know it usual does NO justice to the scenery when you try to take "scenery pictures" but I think these turned out pretty darn good. This was one of many times that I was in complete awe of God's creations, while we were on this trip. Amazing!!

This was the part where we got to go inside and eat dinner & see the "show". It was great food and great entertainment! My battery died on my camera before they got to the part where Eric was volunteered to participate in a stunt! Wish I'd gotten it on film! They put a broken off cigarette in his mouth while a guy swung these whips around within INCHES of his face to knock it out of his mouth & they never even touched him! It was pretty cool!! We ended the evening with some dancing under ste stars while they played some good music on the top level of the boat as we drive back into the marina.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009
It's an especially early morning for us today! We had to be at the marina BY 6:15AM! Eric had been looking forward to this day all week! FISHING TIME!!!! Yep, up before dawn & on the seas for 8 hours trying to coax in any of the amazing fish of the Cabo Seas! We chartered a private boat. 28ft and just us with the Captain & his deckhand. Fancy! I was dragging but the sunrise (of course) really made it worth it. Wow! Absolutely stunning to see especially from the water. God is good! Eric was pumped about reeling in something extraordinary & off we went......

Around 11am - WE GOT A BITE! Eric fought him in and it was a beautiful Tuna! Into the live well he went and we were off to see what else we could drag in. Unfortunately, we didn't catch anything else. Eric was a little bummed BUT we had a great time together, alone on the boat with the seas whipping around us. It was pretty romantic. =)

BIKINI #4!!! (this was my FAVORITE ONE)

When we got to the dock, there were guys there waiting to see what we caught & to take it to be cleaned so we could either have it cooked for us or ship it home. We opted to ship it back since we had to send back a cooler full of "Mommy's Milk" and the fish Curtis had caught while he was there the week before us.

A long day at sea made for an early night. When we got back to shore, we headed to the resort & hot the pool for some night swimming. I'm pretty sure we were in bed by 9pm that night!!

Thursday, September 24, 2009
HAPPY 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
This is our official wedding date but we decided to celebrate our "night on the own dinner date" on Friday which had always been our dating anniversary date. It worked out because Friday was our last night in Cabo and it was our original anniversary date from when we started dating 11 years ago!

So we decided to hang by the pool for a while and try not to get even more sunburned than we did the day before on the fishing boat. We had a good time just relaxing and enjoying each others company.

BIKINI #5

At lunch time we headed into town to a recommended restaurant for some yummy shrimp! It was a good meal and I got serenaded by a one man mariachi band! LoL! The Shrimp Factory is a must do, if you are ever in Cabo! Mmmmm

Just goofing around.........

By this time we were REALLY missing the babies! =(

THIS WAS MY STASH OF MILK FOR JAXON...... Nothing like traveling with a breast pump!

Ok, off to the pool and maybe the beach....MAYBE! It had been red flagged all week, meaning the currents were too strong to swim in....hmpfh!
Eric was really enjoying his reading!!!! HAHAHAAA

We head out to the beach anyway. I'm out there about calf deep in crashing waves, when they reached the beach. We're just looking around and taking in the day when a HUGE wave comes and literally pulls my feet out from under me and throws me onto my butt! It was hysterical!! My towel that was on my shoulder got soaked; I lost my hat; and there was sand in every inch of my swimsuit! Eric was rolling.......
So we decided to just gow ith it! We got in and braved the waves (somewhat) until the waves finally won. It was lots of fun! The sand was EVERYWHERE when we got to the beach shower before going back to the pool area! Good times! That night we ordered in room service and watched some documentaries on shark attacks...why?! Who knows!

It wasn't until I got back to the room when I realized that my camera was BROKE!!! I have no idea how that happened but at least I could retrieve my pictures from the memory card. Darn it! Still having a day and a half in paradise - I NEEDED a camera!! So.....

Friday, September 25, 2009
It rained ALL morning.... some pretty good storms rolled through and it was black skies over the roaring seas as we watched from the balcony. We were actually happy to call it a snuggly morning and curl up with a book. Wait, I didn't have a book! I'd already gone thru 2! We were out to Walmart to find a book, IN ENGLISH, in the rain.... fun times. It didnt last too long and we got a disposable camera while we were out. Man that was different! You dont realize how many pictures you take when you know you can just review and delete the ones that you dont like. I've sent the FILM out to be developed so I'll have to share those later......

STAY TUNED FOR THE LAST DAY OF VACA!!!!!!!!! =)

(later on 10/7/09 - I got the FILM back! hahaaa)

Once the rain stopped we threw on our suits and headed to the famous LOVERS BEACH! We took a water taxi to get there, which is the only way to get there actually. Lol! Then we were dropped off at the beach with no way of getting back to the mainland unless our taxi driver actually came back for us by boat! I guess we tipped him enough because he DID come back in 2 hours to get us. =)

The Pacific Ocean side of this beach is aka Divorce Beach.... if you go into the water on this side one of two things happens: 1. Youre wife will be so mad at your for trying to take on the deathly rip tide that she will divorce you. 2. You wont have the chance for a divorce because you will die. LITERALLY. People die going into those waters every month. It's told all over the town - Do NOT go into the water on the Pacific side of the penninsula. We took thier word for it and took pictures instead. This was a very romantic spot! A desserted beach with nothing but sand and sun. It was awesome!
BIKINI #6!!

After some fun in the sun we went back to the room and got all gussied up for our romantic dinner to celebrate FIVE GLORIOUS YEARS OF MARRIAGE!! The restaurant was fabulous! The ambience was wonderful; the night was cool from the earlier rain and the celebration of our marriage was such a treat! We ha a fantastic time but the food was less than par. Boooo =( BUT, the wine made up for it! We had a good evening.

And thennnnn.... of course, we had to use up the rest of the FILM so here ya go!

Overall, it was a FANTABULOUS trip! Remembered why I fell in love all those years ago and how we've kept our love alive! We missed the kids tremendously and can't wait to plan our first Family Vacation to CABO! Maybe next summer....

Welcome, Gavin Zayne Buchanan!!

2009-10-06T12:28:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to Lezlie and Aubrey! Lezlie was such a trooper! She was on bedrest for over 6 weeks while Nurse Aubrey took care of her at home, before she delivered baby Gavin, early at 36.5 weeks pregnant on October 2,2009. Thanks to a great Dr. and supportive husband, she only had to push for about 30 minutes. Yay! Gavin was born at 5:44pm, 4 lb. 14 oz. and 18 inches long. Praise God for this miracle baby! He is so handsome and I can't wait to watch him grow!

PHS 10 Year Reunion

2009-10-06T10:57:00.008-05:00

Wow! Where has the time gone? Ten years have flown by and alot has happened in that time. Eric and I started dating my senior year; since then we have gotten married, built a house, made careers and had two beautiful children. What a great story to share! We went from Senior Year to 10 Year Reunion! Here are some pics from the Saturday night event...Enjoy!

** I do plan to share the pics and details from our anniversary trip to CABO & the birth of Lezlie's baby, Gavin. I'm still working on them so the time line will be a little off... **

Me & Kristin.... Cute huh?!

Marcus, Eric and Randi

Eric, Marcus & I

Randi, LOVE HER!!!!!!!!

Eric and I.... Senior Year to 10 Year!

Kristin, Amber, Tim, Me, Jason & Tara

Lindsay, Marcus and I

Justin & Erin, Eric & I, Joah & Sarah

The husbands were getting along just fine! :)

Me & Leigh Anne, my oldest friend!!! We've been friends since we were 4! 25 years!! Ohhhh , the memories!

Whick

Jen, me and Randi

Sarah and I

Kristin and I, friends for 11 years

Love the girls!

My BF, Randi... she's a nut! (We go back about 12/13 years)

Ahhh Jenn! Even at 36 weeks pregnant she's atill a beauty! (Friends for 25 years!)

Me, Jenn & Randi

All you need is LoVe!

2009-10-02T12:28:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday Dad!

2009-09-28T16:27:00.003-05:00

Today is my Dad's birthday! Happy birthday to the best Dad and Paw Paw in the world!!!!!! We love you so much!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-09-28T16:09:00.002-05:00

Husband,

I could never have imagined, dreamed or prayed for someone as wonderful and loving as you are. I can only count this marraige as a sheer grace from God because I don't deserve such an amazing man. You are truly one in a million. I have no doubt that we were made for each other. You are and have always been my rock, my best friend and my true love. In our 11 years together and 5 of those as a married couple, we have experienced so many things together. I can't express how honored I am to call you my husband. Thank you for being you; for believing in us; for giving me the beautiful children we have; for always being on my team; for making me laugh and for never forgetting that we're in this together. I hope our love continues to flourish for the next 95 years.... you are my heart.

I love you!

Fun with Family

2009-09-15T12:57:00.003-05:00

Just a few random pictures of us over the last few weeks! Enjoy!!

How sweet is this? She LOVES her Daddy!

Cousin, Elizabeth; Jaxon; Cousin, Hallie; Blake and Aunt Cindy

Watching THE BOYS with Mommy & Daddy while Blake napped.....

Closet CleanOUT!

2009-09-15T11:54:00.004-05:00

So I decided last week to clean out both kids closets and drawers to get rid of everything that doesn't fit and is out of season since we are entering the FALL now. Yay for Fall!!! My all time favorite time of year! :) I had to do it while Blake wasn't home because she would never let me take everything out of her dress up closet. Years ago Eric added a third rod to the closet to accomadte all of Blake's clothes because they were overflowing everywhere. (imagine that!) I snapped on picture of the barest side of her closet where there are two rods and you can see all of the empty hangers that once were FILLED to the gill with clothes for the DIVA! When she returned home and went to find some shoes in the closet, she was devestated! I heard her from the hallway.... "Ohhhhhh NO!" "My stuff fell off here!" She thought that her clothes had fallen off the hangers.... not sure where she thoght they were since they clearly were not in the closet still. I couldnt help but giggle. She's SUCH a girl! I told her that the fun part is that we get to go shopping and get NEW clothes and shoes since her hangers were empty. We are on our way to filling it again! Eric and I did some shopping over the weekend and got a few things. I'll update the "new" clothes filled closet later. ;)

I can do it by myself.....

2009-09-15T11:46:00.002-05:00

Well, there is ALOT of that going around at our house these days! This is the most recent "I can do it by myself" event....... she will kill me when she's 13! It was so darn cute though! I couldn't resist. She was "washy washy" BMS;By My Self (which coincidentially are her initials) after going potty; BMS.... oh heavens!

Everchanging Jaxon!

2009-09-15T11:32:00.003-05:00

The most wonderful trick that baby Jax has learned thus far!!!!!!

I have been trying to teach him to recognize his name and it's working. Yay! BUT, the best part?! When I call his name and he looks at me I will say MAMA to him and he immediately turns on that perfect, toothless grin and smiles as big as his whole little face! This baby KNOWS his Mama and he tells me he does with that grin!

Since we started signing to Blake at about 6-7 months old, we plan to do the same with Jaxon. I am 1,000% certain that her sign language has been a crucial part of her being so advanced in her speech, vocabulary and converstaion skills. I can't wait to hear my little man begin to call for "Mama" and sign to us like Blake did.

On another note, this little guy LOVES his exersaucer! I mean, he REALLY loves it! He plays in it alot and he jumps like he's wearing springs for shoes! We have affectionately nicknamed him "Jumping Jax" because he will jump himself silly in that toy. I have to admit, he is THE only baby I've ever known that actually likes that type of toy. LOL! Blake was never interested in it. ;)

....Blake says....

2009-09-15T11:06:00.003-05:00

Oh my funny little girl! She can talk your ear off if you'd let her. She doesn't miss a beat and she hear EVERYTHING! These are a few of the latest things she has said that keep Eric and I rolling in laughter... Enjoy :)

The other night she was in the tub. I was getting things ready for baths; towels, pj's, lotion, diaper for Jax, etc. Eric stood in the bathroom holding Jaxon while Blake played. As I came into the room to get the baby and myself into the shower, our conversation went like this:
Blake - You gonna take a bath with me?
Me - No, not this time.
Blake - Are you gonna take a shower?
Me - Yes.
Blake - With Bubba?
Me - Yes, I am.
Blake (very serious face....thinking hard about what I had said)
Me - Maybe Daddy will take a bath with you?
Blake - WAAAAHOOOOO!!!!!!!!! (arms in the air and a huge smile)
I looked at Eric in disbelief that she A)just screamed Wahoo! And B)Where did she learn that? Funny girl!

Blake is going thru a stage where she like to repeat the same question over and over again until I am about to burst. Ahhhh 2 year olds! :)
So usually our conversations go like this:
B - Mommy, where are we going?
M - To Nana's house.
B - Where?
M - Nana's house.
B - Where Mommy?
M - We are going to Nana's house.
B - Where?
M - Blake, did you hear me the first time I answered you?
B - Yes.
M - Ok, then don't ask me the same question over and over when you know the answer.

SOOOOO, the other day she was in the back seat and Eric and I were in the front. She was just chatting away about everything under the sun. Eric asked her a couple of random questions like; Did you have a good day? Did you play with Dad Dad?
And all of a sudden Blake says to Eric, "DADDY, DON'T ASK ME ANY MORE QUESTIONS." AHHH HAHAHAHA!!! I can only assume that was her version of my response to her 50 questions game. Where else would she have heard something like that?! LOL!!!

Blake and I were just playing and talking & having a fun time when I had a "mommy moment" and I was consumed with emotions of how blessed I am to have such a bright light of sunshine in my life that is my precious little princess, Blake. So I said this to her:
M - Blake, you have the sweetest little voice.
B - You sure are cute, Mommy.
Ohhhhh my heart just melts for this angel! I LOVE HER TO THE MOON!!!

My little guy is 5 months old!

2009-09-15T10:49:00.002-05:00

I can't even hardly believe that my baby boy is FIVE months old. Time has FLOWN by this time! I can still VERY vividly remember the days right before he was born and how absolutely miserable I was being 9 months pregnant. It seems like yesterday.

This little man has completely stolen my heart! He is such a good baby and he's a HAPPY baby too. I am so incredibly blessed to have such precious and joyful children. Praise God!

Meet the Teacher Night @ MDO!

2009-09-04T09:20:00.005-05:00

We had a yummy dinner and then loaded up the stroller and walked to the church to Meet The Teacher in Blake's Mother's Day Out class. She was SO excited to take us to her "school"! She showed us ALL around the preschool area and into her class. She kept saying, "Ok, follow me..." and then she would walk off to show us something else. How cute!

I am also VERY proud to share with you that yesterday's paper she brought home said that she did a great job being the leader for the day! AWH! She got to wash her hands first, potty first, be the first to sit for lunch and lead the line. She was so proud of herself too. Adorbale!

Her teachers said that she was "very bright for her age" and that she was "so easy" in class. She's such a good girl! We knew that though, LOL! This is only the first week and Blake has laready thrived in her new surroundings in class. We are thrilled to see what God has in store for us to learn through this experience. What a blessing this is going to be! Here are some pics of our evening....Enjoy!

Blake Mackenzie

Jaxon McDaniel

Whoaaaa it was windy!

CHEESE!!

...Just playing while we wait for the family to get there.

She had to show us this BIG BIRD on the wall!

This is in her classroom by the papers she made for Mommy & Daddy!

Blake was so glad that Rylee was there too....they had to play in the kitchen together for a bit.

Blake was building a tower for Paw Paw!

Our BIG GIRL!!!

Handsome Baby Boy!

2009-09-01T16:04:00.002-05:00

Look at this drop dead handsome lil man!

Blake goes to "SCHOOL"!

2009-09-01T13:25:00.003-05:00

Well, today was a milestone in the Staggs' household! Our first born & our sweet little PRINCESS, Blake, started her first year in Mother's Day Out. We had been talking about "school" for severael months and she was SO excited to finally be going to class. She's turned into such a big girl! Where has the time gone with this little angel?!

I went in and woke Blake so she could get ready for SCHOOL this morning and she was in a terrific mood! She was telling Jaxon all about it while she brushed her teeth and hair with her Daddy. Then she had breakfast and got dressed for her BIG day! We all FOUR loaded up to take Blake to class. It was a great way to send her off on her first day. She had her fancy new nap mat, her "pack pack", her blanky and her juicey so she was set for success. =)

When we got into the church (its a nearby Baptist church, the biggest one in Forney)she was thrilled to see all of the activities and things to do. She wanted to stop and look at every little thing! She couldn't wait to see what was going to happen at school! So we walked her to her class, met the teachers and other kids in her class, then Eric, Jax and I said our goodbye's and told her to have a great day! I was a little saddened to hear her cry a bit as we walked away but as you all know, she IS a social butterfly, so she was fine before we even got to the parking lot. =)

When I went to pick her up this afternoon, she was so glad to see me!!! Her teacher said she had a great first day and she did very well. She ate most of her lunch, played well, went potty and took her nap just like a pro! That makes me a PROUD MAMA!! As we were leaving she said bye to her teachers and said "Thank you for my school"......Awwwwwhh!! Precious girl!

We went over to Nana's to share the day with them. When she saw Jaxon she went up and hugged him tight & said "I'm so glad you're here!" How could she BE any more adorable?!? So overall, school was a wonderful success! She is looking forward to going back and learning more. She brought home a necklace she made with her thumb print on it and it says, "I'm THUMB body special" ........YES SHE IS!!!!

Take me out to the ballgame!

2009-09-01T12:48:00.003-05:00

We went to see a RANGERS game - up close and personal.....ROW 3!!! Fun times! Blake and Jaxon had never been before and Blake was amazed with the grand-ness of the Ballpark and all the lights. She was on her feet clapping and cheering everytime the crowd went wild! It was ADORABLE! Jax did great too. He dozed off a few times after he got his belly full and he did well with all the noise. He's a good baby!! We got to enjoy the evening with our friends, The Chapman's, and baby Addison. So sweet! It was a good night and a good treat for Blake on the eve of her first day at "school"! Stay tuned for the details on that....

Just a little random fun...

2009-09-01T11:59:00.003-05:00

Kids say/do the cutest things!

2009-08-18T15:04:00.004-05:00

SInce it's practically impossible for me to keep up with all of this cuteness in baby books, I thought I'd make a chronicle here. Who actually WRITES things down anymore?! :)

Blake - age 2, The Smarty Pants phase:

We were going to the movies the other night and she told Paw Paw, "We going to the movie! Can you believe it?!"

After sitting thru an over 2 hour long movie (not a cartoon) my sister says to Blake "You were SUCH a good girl! The best little girl EVER!" and Blake responds with "I KNOW! I WAS!"

The other day I told Blake that I had to change Jaxon's diaper. She asked if he "had poop?" I said Yes. She promptly told him, "Bubba. We DON'T poop in our pants!"

I was talking to Blake on the phone while she was at my parents house and she was basically ignoring all of what I was saying and just continually saying to me "Mommy? Can you hear me?" Clearly I could. But she thought it was best to keep repeating that until I finally said, "Ok, let me talk to Nana."
Blake: No, you're talking to me first. I burst out laughing!

In the car one day she told me that "Daddy is a big man." Where does this come from?! LOL!

We have alot of talk and excitment about poop in our house these days. One early morning she did it all by herself and was so proud...
Blake: Look Mommy! I pooped in the potty! Like a BIG girl!
Me: YEAAAAH Blake! Good job!
Blake: So, Mommy, Do you think you wanna go to Nana's now?

On another day, she pooped in the potty and was so proud of herself she came running into the room where we were and said, "You wanna come see my poo poo?!" Wellllllll, sure. Why not!? So we head to the bathroom, where she stands in front of the potty, looks in & says "It's a BIG one! LIKE A SNAKE!!!!!!" AHHH HAHAHAHAAAA!

And my favorite thus far; She jurt her finger yesterday and she was very upset about it, crying and really worked up. A huge blood blister popped up and it was pretty ugly. I tried to comfort her and hold her but she was still shaken up. The conversation went like this...
Me: What can I do to make it better? Do you need ice cream?
Blake: yes (sniffling)
Me: ok, I want you to feel better and not hurt anymore.
Blake: But, mommy, (tear filled eyes & bottom lip out) it hurts my heart.
AWWWHHHHHH! Tears just filled my eyes! I tell her that it hurts my heart when she gets in trouble, all the time. And THIS too was hurting my heart to see her in pain. So when she said that I melted. It was the sweetest thing.

Now, on to JAXON, age 4 months: The Ever-Changing phase:

When I sing to him, he lights up! The smile of an angel and he just staes at me....it's adorable.
At last
my love has come along
my lonely days over
and life is like a song

He has started rolling over! What a milestone. It's bittersweet for me watching him grow SO fast.

Jaxon has really been babbling and talking alot. He will just coo and make noises back to me as I talk to him. :)

This baby laughs and giggles....for his MAMA!! I know just the spot to get him & he grunts and giggles like crazy. It's precious!

He has found his feet! What an accomplishment and a treat for Jax. He grabs at them and pulls on them almost all the time. He's also noticed that he can grasp things and take his paci out on his own. (Also so very bittersweet for me!)

Jax really, really LOVES to watch Blake. He follows her with his eyes, all over the room. She can talk to him and calm him from crying.... such a Mother Goose, I tell her.

Oh, does he like to snuggle! He's a cuddly baby boy. Yet, he doesn't like to sleep with us. Which works out for us! He needs his space to sleep.

At this point, any and everything goes straight into his mouth. No questions asked.

I love it when I ask him if he's a SILLY BABY? and he crazks up laughing. Ahhh, the little things.

These babies are my whole world. I can't believe how they change so much each day. What a wonderful journey to be thier mommy and to play a part in God's plan. I'm so very blessed!

Weekend Fun!!

2009-08-18T14:46:00.006-05:00

These are just a few fun pictures we took one night while we were at Nana's playing and goofing around. These kids are too sweet! Look how Blake just loves her brother. Ahhhh....melts a Mama's heart!

How darn cute is this?! Blake was being such a good helper.... We cleaned up some outdoor toys, watered the yard & plants and then washed Daddy's FAST CAR! I love this little girl SO much! She wanted to be "like Mommy" so she had a ponytail AND a headband too. Cute!

Doing something Special...?!

2009-08-12T12:50:00.003-05:00

My mom and aunt had taken Jaxon out to lunch yesterday while Blake was playing with "the girls" at Randa's and they came home with a great story. While they were waiting and eating my aunt was holding Jax, playing with him, making him laugh and smile that big beautiful toothless grin and he kept peering over the booth towards a man at the next table. My aunt says he was a well dressed, sophisticated,preacher-type looking black man. He was watching Jaxon play and just enjoying the baby I suppose. When they got ready to leave he stopped them and asked how old the baby was and said how cute and sweet he was over there playing. And then he followed it up with, "I just have a feeling that he is going to do something special in his life. He will be something special." Hmmmm. A preacher? A doctor? A teacher? The sky is the limit but what a neat observation from a complete stranger. Here's his picture from lunch yesterday. I love this little man!

Blake, 2 1/2 and Jaxon, 3 months

2009-08-06T15:54:00.002-05:00

Fathers Day 2009

2009-08-05T19:01:00.005-05:00

Eric got to start off his day by sleeping in and taking the Mustang on its debut drive to church with Blake in the passenger seat. That totally made his day! She loves "daddy's fast car" too! We spent the weekend in the pool and having fun in the sun! **Notice Eric's Father's Day gift in the last picture, it's Jaxon's actual feetprint from birth. He got to have Blake's feet tattooed on his chest (right below Jaxon's) on his FIRST Father's Day)

Mothers Day 2009

2009-08-05T18:38:00.006-05:00

I had been putting off getting the seats done in my SUV for a little over 2 years bye now. Each time we talked about doing it, I couldn't make myself justify such a "selfish purchase" for me when I could think of tons of ways to spend that money on my family. Such is the logic of a Mommy I suppose. BUT, my husband finally did it and gave me this for Mother's Day.... no way for me to back out - he had already made the appointment and talked in over with the shop. He's so sweet! I am actualy very thankful that he made me do it and I LOVE the new seats! Blake and Eric let me and Jaxon sleep in on Mothers Day and woke me with sweet cards and breakfast in bed. It was a wonderful way to start the day! We headed to church and then to an early dinner at Pappadeaux with the family.

BLAKE TOOK THIS PIC AT DINNER! Silly girl!

Random June Fun 2009

2009-08-05T18:27:00.004-05:00

10 weeks old

8 weeks old

Jaxon's first boat ride....he did great!

Jax and Mav

Cutie pie in big girl panties!

Jaxon's first month at home

2009-08-05T18:22:00.001-05:00

Jaxon's first days...

2009-08-05T18:15:00.004-05:00

And baby makes FOUR!

2009-08-05T12:23:00.000-05:00

Wow, where has the time gone?! It's been nearly 5 months since I last updated this page. I've really fallen down on the job! So, in the last several months I finished out my pregnancy and gave birth at 39 weeks on April 7, 2009. Jaxon McDaniel Staggs was born @ 8lbs 10oz! He was a BIG boy! We've gotten to enjoy seeing our family grow and watch Blake as a big sister which is just about the most adorable thing ever. She is definitely the "mother goose"! Jaxon is approaching the 4 month milestone, this Friday. Time has surely flown by! We've been blessed to have a healthy and happy baby boy to join the Staggs' household. We feel that our family is more complete now. It's been a challenge at times with a toddler and a newborn but we're figuring it out pretty well. Blake has reached a milestone as well this summer. She is now over the 2 1/2 year hump and she is potty trained! Yay for Blake! It's such a reward to us to watch her glow with excitement and to be so proud of herself when she finally mastered the potty. She's growing into her role as a big sister and becoming more and more animated and fun to watch. Jaxon is and has been sleeping thru the night since 7 weeks old and boy, has that been wonderful. He is truly a mama's boy and I'm soaking it up as much as possible! He's just as much of a snuggler and a lover as Blake was at this stage. These babies have my heart!!

So much more has happened that I want to share but I think it's best to break it down into individual posts and avoid the overload on one post. There's MUCH more to come. :)