Couple of things...

1...I'm signed up for a blog giveaway at my friend Charla's blog! She's giving away a book...and...well...you know I love books & Charla & I have the same taste in many things...books are only one of them!

2. Ericka posted some pics from our pictures session at her blog! We will hopefully finish the shoot tomorrow!! There are some cute ones!!!

M&Ms, Chicken & the Kitchen Sink...

haha...funny intro, huh? So I haven't had random posts lately...so here's one! The kiddos had a good time when we were in Las Vegas too! They ABSOLUTELY ADORE their Grandma, Grandpa & Aunt Nini! (and Aunti Jess...but she wasn't there!) I feel so blessed to be able to trust our families with our children. I feel like it's important for us to experience time together as a couple and away from the kids (for my sanity..lol...AND their's!). My mom has been such a big help to us since we've had Cole...and they would probably rather be with Grandma any day...than with me :) I'm glad it's that way and not the other way. AND...they love their Mimi & Papa too! Every night when we pray, I ask them who they want to thank God for and Maw Maw & Pa Paw and Mimi & Papa are ALWAYS first on the list! (and Nini & Jess come in next :))


ANYWAY...they did lots of fun things! Cole always comes home talking up a STORM! haha! And Natalie always comes home with new outfits and more of a princess attitude! lol! Speaking of Nat, her hair is SOOOOO curly these days! I don't know if its the humidity or WHAT, but it is CURLY! I kept thinking that the longer it would get, the straighter it would get...NOPE! It's ringlets! It is pretty cute though! Cole is going to be going to 3 days of preschool next school year! We are VERY excited...and he gets to go with his best friend, Chandler...so HE is excited too :)

Cole and his handsome eyes! Ladies are going to love those eyes one day buddy!

Natalie Ann eating a chicken drumstick. She chewed on it down to the gristle! haha! She was saying "CHEESE" here :)

Miss Green M&M. They LOVE their "candy" shirts! I think her lips kind of look like the green m's here!


My little M&Ms...so cute!

Maybe you can see a little bit of curl here? I swear it's curlier now...I'll try & take a good pic to show it!

The kitchen sink! When we moved here, the sink was ugly/stained//NASTY! I chalked it up to being an old house. We always soak it in bleach/water and use 409 to clean it. I actually just wanted a new sink (not possible without a new countertop...which I WANT...but can't afford at this moment). ANYWAY...I read a post on facebook about the flylady and her cleaning tips...she SHINES her sink. I soaked it in bleach/water for one hour and then used AJAX...it cleaned my sink to sparkling white! The side on the right had been cleaned & the left side was still waiting! (please don't judge...I promised I did what I could to clean that sucker...i use ajax to clean other things...just never thought about my sink!)

Las Vegas Trip of a Lifetime :)

We are back! This trip was truly amazing! For me...it was carefree. The main reason was...it was free...lol. Also, I won $800 on slot machines! (justin lost $300...but that's besides the point!) The concerts were AMAZING! Let me give a breakdown of our trip.

Friday:

• Went to Cirque du Soleil "Ka"--really, really cool!!! Justin thought it was "FREAKING AMAZING" haha. I recommend seeing a Cirque show if you can!
• Freemont Street Concert--I LOVED Freemont street...I guess it's the downtown area? Anyway...very cool with older casinos like "Golden Nugget", etc. I want to spend more time there the next time I go. We saw David Nail perform and he was really good. Justin snuck us close to the stage...apparantly you were supposed to have a wrist band...but I guess they were afraid to tell him no. haha. On the other end of the street was Lady Antelbellum. OF COURSE it was jam packed. I've never seen so many people on a street before. I literally could not move or see anything other than backs and stomachs. Needless to say, we didn't get close or stay very long!

Saturday:

• Walked down the strip a little bit & did some shopping
• Went to a Vegas wedding! A couple in our group got married! A limo picked us up and took us to the "Chapel of Flowers". It was a VERY nice place! If I were to get married in Vegas, that's how I'd do it! There was even a live video online for family members to watch!
• Came back to hotel where we met Luke Bryan (sings "Do I" and on New Male Vocalist). well...we had no clue who he was and one person in our group asked if the person he was taking pictures with was famous...haha! He was VERY nice and gave some marriage advice, "Keep your relationship clean and the sex dirty"...or something like that. haha!
• Dr. Pepper (they sponsored our trip) hosted a Sugarland concert with Blake Shelton as the opening act. IT WAS GREAT! We had dinner in this place and then for Blake Shelton, Justin and I walked up close to the state. He was amazing! VERY handsome! Miranda Lambert, (his girlfriend) came out and sang...and so did Trace Adkins. They sank that duet together...VERY COOL! Sugarland was great, but they aren't the kind of country music I dig (I like traditional)...but Justin was IN LOVE with Jennifer Nettles ;)

Sunday:

• Went to Bellagio...it was cool...the water show was amazing though! Did more shopping
• Went to the ACMs...very neat! We were closer than I've ever been at a major concert...not super close or on the floor...but I thought it was great! PLUS the stage where a lot of the songs were played was RIGHT below us! We got to see Brad Paisley fall into the water and Dierks Bentley & Jak Ingram play...it was cool. ALSO...Taylor Swift started her performance about 5 rows up from us! She is so pretty & TALL! She seemed very nervous too!
• Went to "All Star Jam" (I thought it was a basketball thing...lol) This was where several performers came out and sang a few songs. I wish I'd written them all down...Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Montgomery Gentry, Rich from Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, and others...VERY cool! This was another deal where they gave you a meal...our table was very close!
• Went to Casino with intentions of meeting someone famous (particularly Joe Nichols or Blake Shelton...didn't see them ;() Went to the $1 Slot machine and won about $400 in 20 minutes! Met Darius Rucker and saw Luke Bryan again...playing craps. I waited and waited...even told a lady standing by me that he was going to be there all night. She said, "Are you his wife? Is that your body guard?" haha..NO. We also saw Kix Brooks playing Craps with his wife & 2 kids. He seemed very nice too!

AWESOME weekend!!!! SOOOOOO glad we got to go!

I think this guy was a writer...I knew his name...but forgot it...
Can't remember the name of this band...anyone know?

Kix Brooks playing Craps


Carrie Underwood at the After Party


Brad Paisley falling into the Water!

Taylor Swift at ACMs

Taylor Swift about to be lifted up for her performance


Us at the ACMs
In front of the Bellagio Water Park thing and Eiffel Tower
Hard Rock Cafe
Sugarland

Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland

Blake Shelton and Trace Atkins

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton...hottie

Wedding Chapel (not sure why this turned sideways)

Luke Bryan giving wedding advice!
Outside of the wedding chapel
Some lady beating up Freddy Krueger!
The Coca Cola Bear...he freaked me out! He bit Justin's head and really liked him because he was tall too...I was just scared...notice me leaning away?

The Red M & M! Justin loved it & wanted to take it home...haha!
The Lion in front of the MGM hotel where we stayed :)

David Nail...he is new & really good!
Us on Freemont street in front of the Golden Nugget

In the MGM hotel in front of the 9million dollar Lion Habitat...

Justin's view of the Lady Antelbellum concert on Freemont street. I was 1.5 feet down looking at some guy's back. Must be nice to be this tall!
Freemont Street and Big Tex

Las Vegas Baby :)

Just wanted to start a post...

Yes we went,
Yes it was the most amazing trip ever,
Yes I will finish this and put up pics.

Maybe I can give you a teaser...

Natalie is a "big boy"

or so she says....

Easter 2010

Easter was fun!! Cole REALLY had fun getting the eggs (all but 2 that Nat got) and talking about the Easter Bunny. Mimi & papa came & had lunch with us & brought the BEST ranch dressing and other yummies!

Cole showing off his eggs

Hunting eggs

Natalie was more interested in the cndy in the eggs...and the grass. That grass is still turning up eVERYWHERE!

Waiting to go hunt eggs! Reminds me of us Schwertner kids when we were little!

Nat and her Easter Dress!

Cole "cheesing"

The Easter Bunny went overboard! They each got a ball, 2 books, 3 bubbles, a bubble wand, sidewalk chalk, and more chocolate than any child needs!

Natalie and her worm. She loved that guy & carried him around...until she almost squeezed him to death! When she was tired of him she threw him.

Family pic!

Cole at the City hunt

Natalie being super cute!

Playing with Easter presents from Grandma & Grandpa & Nini (too bad I ran over that water gun yesterday!)

Childress Friends

When Justin and I moved to Vernon, I had a very hard time adjusting. I had gone from living in the DFW area with lots to do and 2 VERY great friends, Kelly & Ashly to a town where I only knew Justin's family. We were the "Angels" (dressed up for Charlie's Angels for Halloween one year & the name stuck) and we spent a lot of time together.

Over 4 years in Vernon, I can honestly say my only friends were the teachers I worked with. My besty teacher friends were Lana, Kacy & Jen. I love you gals & miss you DEARLY! Vernon is a hard town to let in new people & even though Justin was from Vernon, he had a hard time too.

When we decided to move to Childress (one year ago!!), I was scared to start ALL OVER AGAIN! Our initial views of Childress weren't good...I think the windy weather was the problem...haha! My first contact was Stephanie Tucker, the owner of our AWESOME gym. She helped me feel better about Childress & got me acquainted with lots of women in the town. We went swimming several times throughout the summer...fun!

Through Steph, I met Amy and Alana. These ladies have TRULY saved me! We had "book club" the other night and I told them that staying home with my kiddos has been hard for me. I'm VERY social and have worked since I was 15. Any job I do....I do the BEST that's possible and I rely on people praising my work. In motherhood (especially stay at home), you don't get a lot of praise or awards or pay increases...haha!

Anyway...we started a "book club" haha.....haven't read many books for the club....and we just started hanging out! We also like to do crafty things too!!! FUN! You know Alana's kids by the pictures. I keep Chandler & Brynn one day a week and they are soooo sweet! Cole ADORES Chandler & Natalie loves both of them so much! They are "Nandler & Bwynn" to my kids. Amy has the four most AMAZING KIDS EVER! Seriously...they make you want to have four kids...so awesome & well behaved! I know I can count on Alana & Amy for ANYTHING! Charla is another friend who I have NOT gotten to spend enough time with, although we have a lot in common!!! Charla is a book club-er also!! Go read her blog...so inspirational & fun!

Thank you girls for saving me from whatever funk I was getting in!! I appreciate the time you spend with me & my kids! We are truly blessed to have friends like ya'll!!! Love ya!