The Crawford's

BOYS WILL BE BOYS

2012-01-13T10:58:00.001-06:00

A few pics from my IPhone over the last month.

He sure does make me smile!

More Christmas!

2012-01-09T14:58:00.000-06:00

A few pics from Christmas with my Mema and with Vic's Nannie!

Mema's House

Nannie's Christmas @ The Crawford's House

Callie's 9!

2012-01-09T14:41:00.000-06:00

Literally in the blink of an eye, Little Miss turned 9

PS-Stop getting so big.....you're growing up way too fast......

Christmas with Poppi & Meme

2012-01-09T14:33:00.000-06:00

We had Christmas with Meme & Poppy on Dec 23! Meme fixed enough food for an army and we had a great time making memories with Mitch and Holly!. The kiddos had so much fun playing with their cousins!! It's always a blast when the whole family is together! Good times!

Christmas with Papaw & Scooter

2012-01-09T14:17:00.000-06:00

We had Christmas with Papaw & Scooter on Christmas Night. We totally didn't get out of our jammies ALL day long (you'll notice in the pics) and it felt SO good to not have to get ready to go anywhere or do anything!! A few pics below of our fun Christmas with my parents!

The Kid's Xmas

2012-01-09T14:05:00.000-06:00

Santa thought the kiddos were really good this year and brought them LOTS of goodies! It's so much fun to see the excitement in their eyes when they wake up to discover Santa's been to visit! Brings back wonderful childhood memories for me too. Christmas is such a magical time of the year!

Ice Skating Adventure

2012-01-09T13:46:00.000-06:00

We were feeling a bit adventurous over the holiday and went ICE SKATING! I hadn't been since I was about 10 years old, same for Vic and it was Callie's very first time. I have to say, Cal was a total natural and was skating around on her own after about 5 minutes of getting situated. As for me....well, we won't go there right now. Graham decided after falling down right away and his bum getting cold from the ice, that he'd rather watch. He did let Vic skate him around and loved that, though. All in all, it was a really fun time!

Feeling Blessed

2011-12-13T10:50:00.000-06:00

Christmas is right around the corner and I can't help but feel so blessed today!

Life is SO good!! Wonderful family, great friends, good health and great jobs! I am looking forward to spending some time with my extended family and friends during the upcoming holidays! :)

Here are my cute Christmas Blessings!

TCU @ Cowboys

2011-12-07T15:30:00.000-06:00

The very next day after we got back from Hawaii the Horned Frogs played BYU at Cowboys Stadium. We took the kids and our seats were literally 6 rows up from the field! It was a great time and TCU came out with a VICTORY (of course ;))!

Halloween 2011

2011-12-07T15:09:00.001-06:00

And now some pics from Halloween! My mom made the kids costumes again this year. She did such an amazing job! Somehow I didn't get that gene from her....anywho, she's wonderful and the kids had so much fun dressing up as pirates this year!

Pumpkin Carving

2011-12-07T14:58:00.001-06:00

I am way behind in blogging....as usual. Sooooo.....here are some pics from our pumpkin carving night before Vic and I headed to Hawaii.

MAUI WOWI!

2011-12-07T14:40:00.002-06:00

Vic and I went to Maui with Mitch and Holly at the end of October! We had the MOST amazing week EVER!

HAPPY 33!!

2011-09-23T08:55:00.000-05:00

TODAY IS MY LOVER BOY'S BIRTHDAY! 33 to be exact! I can't wait to see what wonderful things are in store for him in this next year of his life! LOVE YOU, VIC! Happy Happy Birthday to you!!

7

2011-09-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

I am still madly, deeply in love with this man. We've been through alot of ups and downs in our 7 years of marriage, but it's all been totally worth it, especially since it has taken us to the place we are now. Love you, B! Happy, Happy, Happy SEVEN!!

Mess

2011-09-20T15:47:00.001-05:00

Someone's been using the potty more and more (although it's still less than I'd like ;))!! I sat him down the other night and went to get his clothes for the next day out and ready and came back to this little mischievousness!! When he saw my face after discovering he used the whole roll of toilet paper, he said "I make mess, Mommy!". But seriously, how can I get mad.......Love that little booger!

Ranger Game

2011-09-19T11:09:00.001-05:00

I have some serious posts to catch up on. Due to that fact, I'll be posting pics of the latest things we've been up to! Busy, busy....but having SO much fun!!

We took the kiddos to the Ranger game. This wasn't their first time to the Ballpark, we've gone a few times before, but being at the ballpark watching the Rangers NEVER gets old!! GO RANGERS!!

THIS DAD

2011-06-24T13:20:00.001-05:00

I don't know if you knew but,

This DAD is the best because he LOVES his kids, unconditionally, beyond the edges of the world.

This DAD is the best because he LOVES me, even with all my imperfections and will always be MY daddy.

This DAD is the best because he LOVES his son without question or hesitation and he has taken me in as his own.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ALL THE DADS IN MY LIFE!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAR!

2011-06-14T13:34:00.000-05:00

Today is my mother-in-law, Sharlotte's, birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Interview with an 8 year old

2011-05-19T09:39:00.001-05:00

I saw this cute interview on another blog I follow and I thought it would be funny to ask Callie the questions to see how she answered them. I think it'll be great to do it each year to see how much she "grows" and how her vocabulary and maturity develops.

what does mommy always say to you?

Be good at school and listen to the teacher.

what makes mommy happy?
When I am good at school.

what makes mommy sad?
When I get my color changed at school. (This made me laugh.)

How does mommy make you laugh?
Tells me funny jokes.

what was mommy like as a child?
She liked stuffed animals.

how old is mommy?
30 (good job, Cal!)

how tall is mommy?
7 ft, no wait....6 ft.........something like that. (she laughs out loud-and me too!)

what is mommy's favorite thing to do?
Spend time with her family (aww....so right!)

what does mommy do when you are not around?
Takes care of Birdie, Cooks and Cleans the house (man, she's got that right!)

if mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?
Singing (again, this made ME laugh out loud---in a few years, she'll say "Mom, quit singing so loud!")

what is mommy good at?
Basketball and Volleyball (she's heard HS stories....I never play either any more, unfortunatly.)

what is mommy not so good at?
I can't think of anything (wow, this really is a dream age, right?!)

what does mommy do for her job?
Gives kids books and make computer programs for kids (pretty close)

what is mommy's favorite food?
Salad

when are you proud of mommy?
when you do good things

what do you and mommy do together?
Shop and play; we go to ALOT of stores (yes, we do!)

how are you and mommy the same?
You had a teddy bear when you were little and I have doggy

how are you and mommy different?
I like soccer and you like basketball

how do you know that mommy loves you?
you take care of me and give me kisses and hugs (awww....so precious! love her!)

After we finished the interview, she said to me, "Can we do that everyday?".

THE END.

Graham's 2nd Birthday Party!

2011-05-17T10:48:00.001-05:00

We finally had Graham's 2nd Birthday Party on Saturday! The weather was awesome and we had a great turnout! This year, we rented a bounce house and bought a pinata. Both were big hits with the kids! We ate hot dogs and watermelon, opened gifts and had birthday cake too! Graham had a great time with all his little cousins and friends there! All day he said, "Birthday to me!, Birthday to me!". It was so funny! He definitely felt special and is enjoying all the fun!

View from the backyard

Opening Presents!

Pinata!

Cake!

Playing and Socializing!

Vic and Brian putting together presents after the party!

Field Day

2011-05-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Callie recently participated in Field Day at her school. I have to say, I was SO proud of her. She got FIVE first place ribbons (jump rope, javalin throw, 50 yard dash, tug of war, sack race), one second place (shoe kick), and one third place (three legged race) . She was such a good sport ALL day and encouraged her whole class to do thier best. It made my day to see her in that light.

MOMS

2011-05-09T11:48:00.003-05:00

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

I have TWO (yes, two) wonderful examples of what a "mom" should be. They are truly the salt of this earth.

My mother gave me and continues to give me love, prayer, support, encouragement and friendship on a daily basis. I could not be more blessed with this woman as my mother. She exemplifies what a mother should be and I can only aspire to be more like her with my children. She is everything everyone needs her to be at the exact moment they need it. Now, THAT, my friends, is incredible. Words could never express the love I have in my soul for you. I cross my heart. ;)

I also have a mother-in-law that is one of a kind. She has a heart of gold and thinks of her family as the LOVES of her life. She is the family ROCK and will do whatever it takes to help her kids and grandkids whenever they need her. She is always there to lend her ear (to listen) or shoulder (to cry on). I've used both and could not be more blessed to be so close to her. She truly is a friend to me and has the perfect words of wisdom when I don't. Thank you for ALWAYS being such an inspiration to me.

These two have made me a proud mama and they are the absolute BEST kiddos in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD. They make me want to be a better person and mother each and every day. They keep me on my toes and give me a love and happiness that only a child can give to their mother.

What can I say? ....My cup runneth over!

TWO YEARS OLD

2011-05-01T15:23:00.005-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRAHAM!!
Graham,
I stumbled upon this letter on the internet and thought it was wonderful words of wisdom about life. Your Dad and I love you more than words could say and the past two years have been so amazing with you in our lives. I could not imagine our family without you in it. You're our light and the salt of the earth. We hope to guide you, love you, comfort you, support you and mold you into the wonderful boy and man we know you will be. Happy 2nd Birthday, Birdie! We love you so much.

Height: 36.25 (93%)
Weight: 28.7 (50%)

Letter to my Son
You’re only two years old, and at this point in your life you can’t read, much less understand what I’m going to try to tell you in this letter. But I’ve been thinking a lot about the life that you have ahead of you, about my life so far as I reflect on what I’ve learned, and about my role as a mom in trying to prepare you for the trials that you will face in the coming years.

You are young, and life has yet to take its toll on you, to throw disappointments and heartaches and loneliness and struggles and pain into your path. You have not been worn down yet by long hours of thankless work, by the slings and arrows of everyday life.

For this, be thankful. You are at a wonderful stage of life. You have many wonderful stages of life still to come, but they are not without their costs and perils.

Life Can Be Cruel
There will be people in your life who won’t be very nice. They’ll tease you because you’re different, or for no good reason. They might try to bully you or hurt you.

There’s not much you can do about these people except to learn to love and forgive with them, and learn to choose friends who are kind to you, who actually care about you, who make you feel good about yourself. When you find friends like this, hold on to them, treasure them, spend time with them, be kind to them, love them.

There will be times when you are met with disappointment instead of success. Life won’t always turn out the way you want. But instead of letting these things get you down, push on. Accept disappointment and learn to persevere, to pursue your dreams despite pitfalls. Learn to turn negatives into positives, and you’ll do much better in life.

You will also face heartbreak by those you love. There won't be much you can do but to heal, and to move on with your life. Let these pains become stepping stones to better things in life, and learn to use them to make you stronger.

But Be Open to Life, Anyway
Open your heart to new things. Don’t retreat from life, don’t hide or wall yourself off. Be open to new things, new experiences, new people.

You might get your heart broken 10 times, but find the most wonderful woman the 11th time. If you shut yourself off from love, you’ll miss out on that woman, and the happiest times of your life.

Find a true friend. If you close yourself off to new people, and don’t open your heart to them, you’ll avoid pain … but also lose out on meeting some incredible people, who will be there during the toughest times of your life and create some of the best times of your life.

Life Isn’t a Competition
You will meet many people who will try to outdo you, in school, in college, at work. They’ll try to have nicer cars, bigger houses, nicer clothes, cooler gadgets. To them, life is a competition — they have to do better than their peers to be happy.

Here’s a secret: life isn’t a competition. It’s a journey. If you spend that journey always trying to impress others, to outdo others, you’re wasting your journey. Instead, learn to enjoy the journey. Make it a journey of happiness, of constant learning, of continual improvement, of love.

Don’t worry about having a nicer car or house or anything material, or even a better-paying job. None of that matters a whit, and none of it will make you happier. You’ll acquire these things and then only want more. Instead, learn to be satisfied with having enough — and then use the time you would have wasted trying to earn money to buy those things … use that time doing things you love.

Love Should Be Your Rule
If there’s a single word you should live your life by, it should be this: Love. It might sound corny, I know … but trust me, there’s no better rule in life.

Love and trust in God. He will never forsake you, but always keep you. Learn His word and follow in His steps. Noone can be against you, if God is for you.

Some would live by the rule of success. Their lives will be stressful, unhappy and shallow.

Others would live by the rule of selfishness — putting their needs above those of others. They will live lonely lives, and will also be unhappy.

Live your life by the rule of love. Love your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, with all of your heart. Give to them what they need, and show them not cruelty nor disapproval nor coldness nor disappointment, but only love. Open your soul to them.

Love not only your loved ones, but your neighbors … your coworkers … strangers … your brothers and sisters in humanity. Offer anyone you meet a smile, a kind word, a kind gesture, a helping hand.

Love not only neighbors and strangers … but your enemy. The person who is cruelest to you, who has been unkind to you … love him. He is a tortured soul, and most in need of your love.

And most of all, love yourself. While others may criticize you, learn not to be so hard on yourself, to think that you’re unworthy of love … but to think instead that you are a wonderful human being, worthy of happiness and love … and learn to love yourself for who you are.

Finally, know that I love you and always will. You are starting out on a scary, daunting, but ultimately incredibly wonderful journey, and I will be there for you always.
God Bless you and your life ahead.

Easter Celebration!

2011-04-26T10:36:00.000-05:00

HE IS RISEN!! Hallelujah!

Our family spent Easter weekend celebrating the Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ! We are so blessed because of the love HE has for us.

Mom and Dad came up to celebrate with us. My Dad got us Texas Ranger tickets for Friday night. We had awesome seats in the Home Run Porch. Graham LOVED watching the baseball game and cheered every time he saw anyone stand up and yell. The Rangers hit FIVE home runs and won the game. So fun!!!!

Saturday, we went to the Ridglea Country Club's Easter Egg Hunt and brunch. The wind was unbelievably crazy, but the weather was awesome, other than that. It was fun getting to see Graham really understand the concept of picking up the eggs and putting them in his basket this year. He did awesome! And you KNOW Callie's a seasoned pro at finding those eggs....lol...she got LOTS! The Easter Bunny also made an appearance. They had SO many activities for the kids. We spent ALL day enjoying them. They had cookie decorating, bounce houses, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, magic shows, and train rides. Needless to say, we were all POOPED by the time the day was over. Graham even took a 3 hour nap, which he NEVER does!

Sunday was CHURCH day! Meme, Poppi, Scooter and Papaw came to our church this year. The worship and celebration this year was amazing! After church I made enchiladas for everyone and then it was more egg hunting for Graham (Callie was with her mom for Easter Day)!!

Nash Farms

2011-04-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

Fun, fun, fun was had at the Nash Farms Spring Festival this weekend. We went with a few of our neighbors and had a great time. Can I just say, I love Grapevine....there is always something going on and it still feels like a small town, even though the city conveniences are all there, too. We are blessed to call it home.

So Pretty

2011-03-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

Saturday was beautiful, so we decided to hit up the Botanical Gardens. It was pretty packed, but we managed to get a few good pics of the kiddos.

YAY for SPRING!

2011-03-25T11:36:00.000-05:00

Spring has SPRUNG at our home! The two little crazies have had spring fever for a while and have LOVED this fabulous weather we've been having.

Graham has been playing golf,

....any playing at the park.

Cal's been going to gymnastics and helping us plant flowers!

Life's good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM & DAD!!

2011-03-25T10:57:00.000-05:00

My wonderful parents turned another year older this month! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you both SO much, you'll never know!

Bed Time=Book Time

2011-02-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

Callie reads a book to Graham each night! He always says "Sissy, BOOK, BOOK!".They LOVE their time together before bed.

How could you not fall in love with this face?

2011-02-15T09:52:00.000-06:00

Even if it IS stuffed with cheese?

Lover Boy.

2011-02-11T10:04:00.000-06:00

7 years ago, we got engaged....love him more each day! My lover boy!

Meme, Popi & Cousins!

2011-02-11T09:53:00.000-06:00

The kiddos with their cousins and their Meme & Popi at Christmas!

Latest Obsession

2011-02-11T09:48:00.000-06:00

Graham's latest obsession. The VACUUM.

Callie's 8th Birthday Party!

2011-02-11T09:42:00.000-06:00

So fun, so sweet, so pretty and getting SO big....a few ways to describe our girly girl!, Callie!!

Potty Time!

2010-12-13T10:29:00.000-06:00

When the DR told us that we needed to try to start potty training Graham at his 18 month appt, I laughed. Hard. Graham hadn't shown ANY interest in the potty (besides flushing it time after time after time) while he would try to occupy time while I was getting ready in the bathroom. Well, we started letting him sit on the potty while the bathtub ran at night and much to our suprise he would pee in the potty a few times when put him on it. That was the extent of our "potty training" since the dr appt in Nov. During Thanksgiving weekend, while we were at my parents house, he came up to me and said "Poo Poo". So, I asked him if he wanted to go sit on the potty and he shook his head yes. So we sat there for a while and he started pushing and he WENT POO POO on the potty! I couldn't beleive it! I thought it was just a fluke, but he did it again this weekend! We haven't been pushing the whole potty thing on him at all, but every now and again he'll just come up to us and tell us "Potty". I still am not convinced or getting TOO excited about full blown potty training; so, for now, I think I'll just let him tell me and we'll take it one step at a time! But, WOW, it's so awesome that he's getting so big to KNOW when he's going to use the bathroom. YOU'RE SO BIG, BIRDIE!!

19 months

2010-12-06T09:37:00.000-06:00

Graham turned 19 months old on December 1! He has truly turned into a toddler and is in to everything! He's such a talker and is very high energy, like his Daddy. He truly LOVES his family and wants everyone to be around him at all times. If one person is playing with him, he wants the others to join in and will go and tell them to "GIT UP!" while trying to snap his fingers at them to come! He's got a great sense of humor and loves to laugh. He loves to dance and he loves to pretend that his Sissy is a horse so he can ride around on her back. He LOVES taking baths with his Sissy, but HATES to take them by himself. He talks in Chinese and we just go along with him while he chats away. He also loves to be outside and will sit at the back door until someone goes outside with him. He hates napping but loves to sleep at night. I can't wait to see what the next phase of his toddler hood will bring! He's such a sweet baby and the love of our lives!

Lots of Updates!

2010-11-23T15:51:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know....it's been WAY too long without an update. I've got plenty to update you on, too. Since the end of August, this is what we've been up to....

September 2 was my sister in law, Holly's, 30th bday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOLLY! We went to a FABULOUS party for her big 3-0 and had so much fun together!

September 9 was my nephew, Isaac's, 2nd bday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC! We also went to his FUN bday pool party and had such an awesome time with all the little ones!

September 18 was Vic and my 6 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! I am SO very lucky to be married to such a fun, handsome and helpful husband who is truly my best friend. I do not know what I would do if I didn't have him. He's my rock. For our anniversary this year, he took me to a fancy steak dinner. We had an amazing time together, just the two of us. It's so nice to be able to spend one on one time with him so often!

September 23 was Vic's 32nd bday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIC! I love you more than words could say! We had such a great time at the birthday party his parents threw! Every year Vic just gets more and more handsome and things just get better and better! We have SO much fun together in this crazy life we live!

We've had SO much going on, not to mention all of the TCU homegames! It's been fun taking Graham to all the games this year! He actually says TCU and claps and stands up and yells during the games! SO FUNNY! Joli and Dave even got to come spend a weekend with us and take in the Horned Frog excitement.

Cal: She been having such a great year at school and is learning so much and having so much fun! She thinks this is the best year ever, so far. She's growing up so fast and starting to ask some really hard, grown up questions. I MUST prepare myself for the near future when I actually have to have an answer instead of beating around the bush on it all. She is such a precious and sweet girl and has such great manners. I just love her like she is my very own baby girl. Raising her is such an gift for me.

Graham:It has been quite the task keeping up with him these days because he is EVERYWHERE and wants to be so INDEPENDENT and do everything for himself! He's learning and growing SO much and getting so big. He definitely doesn't look like a baby anymore! He looks like a little boy and he melts my heart everyday!!

Vic's cousin, Angela came and took our family pictures back in September and they turned out SO good! She's such a natural behind the lens. Here are some of the moments she was able to capture.

Cowboys Football -Vic and I were invited to sit in a SUITE (and we even had FIELD PASSES!!) at the Cowboys vs Titan football game on 10.10.10. Even though the Cowboys lost we had a BLAST!

Cal's Field Trip to the Dallas Arboretum Pumpkin Patch- I got to go to Callie's field trip this year to the Pumpkin Patch. We had a fun time spending the day together and getting to hang out with all her class and buddies. The Dallas Arboretum Pumpkin Patch was unlike any I've ever seen! There were thousand and thousands of pumpkins, pumpkin houses and all kids of cool stuff! I was very impressed and would definitely love to take the family there next year for the festivities!

Halloween was so much fun this year! My mom MADE the most amazing Indian costumes EVER for Cal and G. I mean, she is such a natural at sewing. Wish I picked up those genes, but I am pretty sure it passed over me. Vic and I took the kids to the TCU Halloween at Colby Hall...they always do such an amazing job of decorating and making it so much fun for the kids. We also went Trick or Treating on actual Halloween night with all our neighbors and had a BLAST seeing the kids enjoy it so much!

November has already almost passed us too! I have been SO bad about keeping you all up to date!

November 1- Took Graham to his 18 month check up....yes EIGHTEEN MONTH! He did not like the dr messing with him one bit, but did just fine during his check up! He weighed 26 lbs (40%) and was 35 in (98%) tall. He's such a BIG boy!

November 7 was my brother in laws 28th birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MITCH!! We had so much fun at his party!

....and now it's already Turkey Day and I PROMISE to keep yall better updated!

Until then, Peace and Love to All of YOU! I've got LOTS to be THANKFUL for this year!!!!!!

1st day of 2nd grade!

2010-08-23T10:26:00.000-05:00

Today's an EXCITING day! Callie starts the SECOND grade! This morninig she was all fired up and ready to meet her new teacher and see her friends. When we got to the classroom, she was a little nervous, but she said as soon as her friend, Sydney, showed up, she'd be fine. I gave her a quick kiss, she waved bye to Meme and Graham and we were off! She's growing up WAY to fast.

Love this girl SO much!

Happy Anniversary, Gary and Sharlotte!

2010-08-12T11:53:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary, Gary and Sharlotte! 33 years and counting!

Vic and I LOVE yall SO much!

15 Months Old

2010-08-12T11:44:00.000-05:00

My baby boy turned 15 months old on Aug 1. I am in awe of just how much he has grown and how much he's learned in his short life, thus far. He is currently at 33.5in (95%) and weighs 25lbs (45%). His vocabulary is growing and he can repeat almost anything you say; but his favorite things to say are dada and bubbles. He is ALL boy, let me tell you. He LOVES to play outside, run, climb, play with leggos, chase me and vise versa, play ball, ride his airplane toy and play "hide n seek" and carry around his blue bear. It's such a awesome joy watching him grow up!

The Birth of Baby Corban

2010-08-11T11:21:00.000-05:00

Mitch, Holly and Isaac added to the family on July 14 (2 days after we got back from NYC!; we ALMOST missed it!). My newest nephew, Corban Mitchell Crawford was born two weeks early. He is so precious and tiny and I am so glad we were able to be there for his birth. We are so blessed to have him in our world. Pics of the big day are below.

Proud Mama waiting for her baby boy.

My newphew (and new big brother), Isaac and Callie

G waiting to meet his new cousin.

Getting his first bath.

All clean

Corban is getting his new hat on.

Baby Boy and his Daddy

NYC

2010-08-11T09:42:00.000-05:00

Sorry it's been so long since I have blogged. This summer has been so crazy busy at home and at work, that I have not had time post anything.

Lots has been happening, so I will start with our vacation to NYC. Just me and Vic, no kids. We had an absolute BLAST! We tried to fit as much as we could into 5 days. We visited EVERY part of the city and ventured out to many cool places. Here are a few pics of our time spent in NYC.

BUSY!

2010-07-28T16:14:00.000-05:00

I have so much to update on and not enough time to do it all! I PROMISE I will update you all VERY soon with new news and pics! Until then, ta-ta...love you all!

USA WINS!!

2010-06-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

WOW!!! USA wins their group in the World Cup for the first time in 80 years!! They now move on to the "Sweet 16"!! Well deserved, boys!!

GO USA!!!!!!!!

Blessed with you

2010-06-21T11:30:00.001-05:00

Victor,

I am blessed to have you. Callie and Graham are blessed to call you daddy. You have always been a loyal and wonderful father to your children. I see in their eyes everyday the joy they have because they have you. You work hard to give them a good life. Your family has always come first in your life and it's very apparent that you would do anything for us. You take on so many responsibilities that you don't have to, but you do because you love us. We could NEVER do without you. Thank you for being the loving husband and father in our lives. You are irreplaceable and we love you unconditionally.

Daddy.

2010-06-21T11:30:00.000-05:00

Father's Day. Being an only child and being the center of my Daddy's world has always been a part of my life. Thank God. Thank God for giving me a daddy that many would envy. From my childhood, when my dad would play and play with me all day long to nowadays when he visits me and his grandbabies as much as possible and makes more memories with our family. He has sacrificed for me. He loved me enough to want only the best for me. He has given me a good life. He has made me the grounded, well-rounded woman I am today. He loves me unconditionally and I KNOW he ALWAYS will. He's my daddy and I am proud of him. I love you, Dad!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHARLOTTE!

2010-06-14T08:48:00.000-05:00

My sweet, beautiful mother in law, Sharlotte turns a year older today! I am truly blessed to have such a thoughtful, supportive and loving person in my life that is not only my mother in law, but a true and loyal friend to me and the most wonderful Meme to her grandbabies. I love you, Shar! Hope you have a FABULOUS b-day!!

School's out for SUMMER!

2010-06-08T09:20:00.000-05:00

Callie is SO excited that there will be NO "work" to do for almost 3 whole months! She's so excited about the Summer Camps that Meme and Poppi are sending her to, not to mention a week at Scooter and Papaw's house! She's lovin' the hot summer days so far!

What's better than being outside....

2010-05-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

...when all day you can play, play, play!!

Graham's 1st Birthday Party

2010-05-17T13:32:00.000-05:00

Saturday was Graham's First Birthday Party! It ended up being a beautiful day for the festivities!

The Birthday Boy!

The Gifts!

The Cake!

The Fun Party People!

Smart Chick

2010-05-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

I got an email from Callie's teacher yesterday regarding her Reading Benchmark for the end of the year. Here is the quote from her teacher's email "Callie did amazing on her reading test. She topped out at the highest level we can administer in 1st grade!! ". If you know me and Vic, you know how PROUD we are of her. She has come a LONG way this year in school. She is such a smart chick!

Love, love, love this girl!

Callie's Relay Day!

2010-05-12T10:28:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, Callie had Relay Day at her school! The kids wait ALL year long for this day and it's such a fun day for them, as well as their families. This year was no exception. We had a blast! Vic, Graham and I headed to see Cal as she put her athletic skills to test!

First was the Tug-of-War--Mr. Watson's class hasn't won this in 6 years, and this year makes 7. Cal's class came in second. Look at the teamwork!

Next was the 50-yard dash. Callie smoked ALL the girls she ran against and got FIRST place! She was SO excited....what a proud moment.

Then came the Egg & Spoon race, the Bouncy Ball race and the Potato Sack race. Everyone did awesome and the day did not disappoint!

Graham cheered his Sissy on too!

Mrs. Watson's 1st Grade Class

Callie with her sweet friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRAHAM!!

2010-05-03T12:13:00.000-05:00

My big baby boy turned ONE on Saturday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Birdie!! We could never put into words how PROUD you make us to be your parents! WE LOVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEARTS!

Life's Good in the Country!

2010-04-14T11:52:00.000-05:00

We had a great time visiting my parents this weekend. Callie was invited to play golf for the first time by her Papaw and Daddy. They said she did awesome and that she's such a natural! :) She had a blast with them. Meanwhile, my mom, Graham and I headed to lunch and to take pictures in the beautiful bluebonnets with my best friend from childhood, Tiffany, and her mom. We had a great time catching up and spending time with them! The rest of the weekend was spent playing outside and relaxing. As Callie would say, "Life's good in the country".

Easter

2010-04-08T09:50:00.000-05:00

This year's Easter was filled with all kinds of goodies, church, family and egg hunts. We spent Easter day with Vic's parents in Ft Worth. We had such a great time. Callie was ready for the egg hunt & candy. Graham was all set for experiencing his first Easter.

The Easter Bunny brough lots of goodies to our house.

Wake up kids! The Easter Bunny came by our house!

Callie Rene

Graham Ryder

Callie is on a mission to get the most eggs!

She found them EVERYWHERE!

Birdie got some too with the help of his daddy!

Graham and his cousin, Isaac

Playing after the egg hunt.

11 Months Old

2010-04-01T09:39:00.000-05:00

Today Graham turns 11 months old. That's right, one exact month away from his birthday. I am in complete awe of just how awesome he is. Everyday he does something that amazes me. He's getting so big and so much more independent. It makes me happy, yet sad to watch just how fast he has grown up. I can remember just holding him all day long, staring at his new face and imagining what he will be like when he gets a bit older. It brings me back to the day when preemie clothes were a little big on him. He is now such a sweet, stong, loving and independent boy! He loves exploring and getting into EVERYTHING and he LOVES being outside. I simply can't imagine a life without him in it. He is my love... my spectacular little boy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!

2010-03-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAAAAAADDDD! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! AND MANY MORE......YEAH......

HAPPY 55 DADDY! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Happy Birthday, MOM!!!

2010-03-05T08:56:00.000-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOM! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! LOVE YOU TO PIECES!!

Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk

2010-02-23T10:38:00.000-06:00

Graham took his first steps on Sunday! Vic, Callie and I were working with him on getting his balance when he decided to take a few steps from me to his Daddy. He did it over and over. He's been wanting to keep up with his Sissy, so, I guess now he's on the track to do it!

Also, much to our suprise, we see a bottom tooth that has finally broke though his gums! YAY! He's almost 10 months old and he FINALLY HAS A TOOTH! He's so funny about it...sticking his tongue out to feel it and making all kinds of new noises. I guess he can't figure out what it is! lol!! Great, fun times in the Crawford house! Hopefully, I will post some pics of the new tooth and him walking soon!

Hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Happy Heart Week!!

2010-02-18T16:15:00.000-06:00

I live such a happy and blessed life because of my three loves...

Snow Distruction!

2010-02-17T09:20:00.000-06:00

So, when I posted on Thursday to tell the snow to GO AWAY, as many of you know that live in the DFW area, it did not. It stayed around....and for a long time. We ended up getting around 12.5 inches. We had SO much fun playing in the snow on Thursday afternoon and evening....then came the horror! We lost electricity around 8pm on Thursday night. We decided to brave the cold with pallots on the living room floor and a fire in the fireplace, thinking that the electricity would come on shortly. We brought Birdie's pack-n-play in the room and set it up by the fire too. Well, the clock kept ticking and the colder the house got by the minute! We were trapped in the house with the roads being in no condition to drive! Around 1am Vic and I heard a loud BOOM and felt the house shake. Since the lights were out, we decided we couldn't see good enough to try to find what happened. First thing in the morning, Vic went to look outside to see what had happened.... One of our BIG 'OLE OAK TREES fell on our house! Shortly after he noticed that I saw a part of a limb sticking through the celing in the kids bathroom! The TRAVESTY!! So, we now had no electricity and a huge tree stuck on our house with the limbs coming through the friggin roof and ceiling! We decided it was getting WAY too cold in the house to try to stay, so we packed up and headed to FTW to Gary and Shar's (thank GOD!), as they had electricity. We called the insurance company and filed a claim. They immediately sent out a tree service to come and cut the tree down and get it off our house. We ended up with 3 holes in the roof, one of which is sticking through the ceiling and also water damage from the snow melting and warping the sheetrock. We currently have a big, blue tarp over the roof and it looks like we'll be getting a new 1/2 house, basically, oh and we finally got electricity back Saturday evening. It damaged almost the entire kid's side of the house. Thank God noone was hurt. It could have been much worse and insurance is now a life saver. So, all I have to say is SNOW GO AWAY AND DON'T COME BACK!

Snow Day Pics

2010-02-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

Snow, Snow, GO AWAY!

2010-02-11T13:22:00.000-06:00

This weather is absolutley CRAZY! We woke up to see our backyard looking like a winter wonderland this morning.

While the snow IS absolutley beautiful, I live in Texas for a reason...and it has nothing to do with SNOW or COLD weather! I mean, this IS Dallas, Texas; not Minnesota! It keeps pouring snow, everytime I look out the window the flakes get bigger and bigger.

Here is the snow outside my office around lunch time. I am ready to go home and build a fire inside and a snowman outside, drink some hot chocolate and hang out with my hubby and kiddos in my warmest PJ's!

I am really hoping and wishing and waiting patiently for some WARM weather! Spring can't get here fast enough! Snow, snow go away, come again another DECADE!! Can I get an AMEN!?!

9 months old

2010-02-02T09:51:00.000-06:00

Graham turned 9 months old on February 1st. He's felt a little under the weather the past week, but he's starting to feel MUCH better now! :) At nine months Graham is starting to eat some table foods (even though he STILL has NO teeth), cruising around and pulling himself up on everything, saying Mama (love it!), waving hi, and playing with all his toys. At his check up he weighed 20lbs 11oz (55%), head circumference 17 3/4 (40%) and was 29 1/2in long (85%). He was so good at the dr and was a trooper with his 2 shots! Vic and I are SO proud of all he's accomplished in the first 9 months of his life. Everyday it seems like there is something new he can do! It's just amazing being his mommy. Happy 9mo bday, G! Mommy and Daddy love you very much!

love...

2010-01-29T09:14:00.001-06:00

It's been one of THOSE mornings...you know, when you can't do anything right and everything goes wrong. BUT, that's OK because it's Friday and I REFUSE to be annoyed on a Friday! So, I thought I would start listing some things I LOVE....

I love...
my hubby cuddling with me in the morning when we've already hit the snooze...twice, long hot baths with dimmed light, fresh brownies that aren't quite baked though, being outside with the sunshine beaming on my face, the sound of Callie's laugh, the feel of Graham's soft skin, double stuff Oreos with milk...in bed, picking up Graham and seeing his eyes light up and his smile SO big when he sees me walk in, Vic's back scratches in the morning, the sound of rain at night, the feel of the ocean wind in Mexico, fresh pedicures, walks around the neighborhood with my family, conversation with my dad, hugs from my mom, listening to Callie read, sitting Indian-style, watching Vic grill steaks...and then EATING them, being back home and remembering all the memories of my childhood, lamp light, the smell of freshly mowed grass, laying in the sun with Shar and reading gossip magazines, going to church on Sunday mornings, hearing Graham say Mama, riding in the car with the sunroof back, singing with Vic in the car at the top of our lungs, Chuy's, summer nights, Xmas mornings, MY FAMILY and Jesus...

Heaven's a little richer...

2010-01-20T09:03:00.001-06:00

On January 12th, we lost Vic's grandfather, Billy Crawford. He went HOME to be with his Savior and love of his life on earth. What a soul...funny, loving, honest, loyal, and traditional man. He was SO much to SO many and he will be missed beyond measure. He once mentioned that when he passed he wanted a certain phrase on his grave.

Been there. Had fun. Gone. Not coming back.

Heaven's a little richer today...
We love you Papaw Billy.

Callie's 7th Birthday Party

2010-01-12T09:34:00.001-06:00

We had Callie's 7th birthday party this weekend and it was such a BLAST! She decided, this year, that she wanted to have a sleepover. I told her she could invite 3 of her friends from school. She chose Morgan, Landry and Sydney. All 3 are such cute and sweet little girls. We opened gifts and then went bowling, where we also had pizza and cookie cake. When we got home the girls played dress up and then put on a "runway" show for us. Then they played with the karaoke machine--which was hilarious! Then they got thier pj's on and watched the movie UP! They all did GREAT at their FIRST sleepover. Noone went home and everyone behaved. It was a great first experience. I am so glad Cal had such a wonderful birthday! Happy 7th, Cal!! We love you SOOO much!

I have a GOOD excuse....

2010-01-07T14:27:00.000-06:00

for not posting in forever....we've been busy! HA! I KNEW you wouldn't like that excuse!! But seriously, we've had a whirlwind of a December. I'll try to narrate as well as possible... First, on Dec 1st Graham turned 7 months old! YAY Graham! He's crawling and pulling up on everything!! He smiles at any and everything and is a very sensitive little guy. If you tell him NO when he's getting into something he's not supposed to, he'll give you these sad puppy dog eyes and start crying. Poor baby. He still LOVES his Sissy more than anything and LOVES to take baths (his favorite part of the day).

Next, on Dec 5th it was off to Austin for my cousin and best friend, Joli's, wedding. It was at this AMAZING mission style villa in Austin. I had the honor of serving as Matron of Honor and the entire wedding was right out of a Winter Wonderland book. Joli looked like a magazine bride and the groom was right out of a tux commercial. Seriously, Barbie and Ken, I tell you. It started snowing at the rehearsal and didn't let up all day. It was beautiful. The wedding was beautiful and the rehearsal was FUN FUN FUN....which I didn't doubt at all, considering who the bride and groom are! :) Congrats to Mr and Mrs Kindler!! Dave, we are so excited to have you in our family!

We had Xmas with Carlton clan in Prosper on Dec 19th. It was so great being with them again. We don't get to be together that often.

Dec 20th was Poppi's 57th birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO POPPADOPOLOUS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! ANY MANY MORE.....yeah....

Dec 21st was my Dad and Mom's 35th wedding anniversary! WOW....THAT is a LONG time...BIG OLE CONGRATS to that one!! Love yall more than anything!

Mom and Dad came to our house on Dec 23rd to have their Christmas with us! Yes, being an only child does have it's perks. ;) We had a fabulous time with them and we are so blessed that we get to see each other as much as we do. They definitly make my life better, in every way. Love yall!

Dec 25th was Christmas, of course. Santa came to visit and we had an amazing time being all together as a family and sharing precious traditions and memories.

Dec 26th was MY 29th birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! AND MANY MORE....yeah...

We also went to Gatesville to visit my grandparents (both sides) and have Christmas with them. We had such a great time visiting and eating (MORE) and getting to see EVERYONE (new additions, included). I wish we could be around more often.

Dec 30th was Callie's 7th birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CALLIE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! AND MANY MORE....yeah... WOW. SEVEN years old. How'd that happen so fast?

And then to wrap up Dec...finally, NYE. We didn't do a dog gone thing. Cal stayed the night with her Meme and we put Graham down around 8. We popped some bubbly and ate cream cheese with jalapeno jelly and had pizza with Dick Clark's Rockin' NYE! I've gotta say....very relaxing...although, I KNOW Vic would have rather been out! Thanks for staying home and celebrating the NY with me. I love you!

New Years Day was MeMe and Poppi's Christmas! We ALWAYS have a great time being with Gar, Shar, Mitch, Holly and Isaac. There is never a dull moment and I wouldn't have it ANY other way. Love yall! The food was absolutly FANTASTIC and it's always such a realization of how nice it is to live so close to them. A BLESSING, really.

Graham also turned 8 months old on NY day. HAPPY 8 month birthday, Birdie!!

We are so blessed. Beyond blessed. We have the FAVOR of God.

Here's to a FABULOUS, TERRIFIC, HAPPY NEW YEAR filled with love, good health, prosperity, luck (we all need some)and new beginnings. CHEERS, my friends.

He's off to the races!!

2009-11-17T09:11:00.000-06:00

That's right! Graham has officially "taken off". He's been trying to keep up with his Sissy and in the meantime has learned how to crawl! The funniest part of him starting to crawl has to be when I sat him down toward his Daddy and he quickly turned around and started crawling away from him as fast as he could while giggling the entire time. I have never laughed so hard in my life!

Already 6 months!

2009-11-05T09:10:00.000-06:00

I am a little behind in my posting, but Graham turned 6 months old on Nov 1st! He went in for his well-baby checkup last Thursday and below are some of his stats. He sat up during his whole check-up and the DR was so impressed! By the way, he did AWESOME getting his THREE shots...such a trooper!
-17lbs 14.5oz, 50-75%
-27 3/4in long, 90-95%
-Wears size 3 diaper
-Sitting up all by himself
-going from the crawling position to sittin up
-starting to crawl (taken 3 crawls)
-eating all kinds of yummy baby foods (he loves it all!)
-still LOVES his bouncer and playing on his playmat
-loves to take baths and smiles so big when he sees water in the bathtub
-loves to laugh at his Daddy and Sissy
-sleeps from 8pm-8:30am (if he doesn't have to get up for daycare)

Trick or Treat!

2009-11-03T09:26:00.001-06:00

Halloween is so much fun! Sometimes I forget just how much fun it is, until we are actually doing it! We had a BLAST on Saturday Trick or Treating around our neighborhood and the weather was GREAT! There were so many awesome, spooky houses and grown-ups dressed up to share in the fun with the little ones! Callie and Graham had SO much fun! Callie was a ladybug and Graham was a monkey! I am so glad my mom and dad got to share in the fun--especially since it was little G's first Halloween! :)

5 months!

2009-10-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

The past month with Graham growing and learning ALL kinds of new things has been so exciting and fun! He's such a BIG boy now and he'll let you know, too.

Wears a Size 3 diaper
Started eating solid foods (LOVES green beans and sweet potatoes so far; didn't like peas too much)
Sleeps from 8pm-7:30am and takes 3 good naps a day
rolls over from front to back and back to front
sits up by himself (not for very long, though)
reaches and grabs EVERYTHING in sight
LOVES his jumper and playing with his toys on his playmat
laughs out loud and LOVES for his sissy to make funny faces and talk to him
"talks" alot and likes to blow bubbles
get up on all fours (hand and knees) and rocks back and forth, then falls on his face
wearing 3-6 and 6 mo clothes
does NOT like loud noises {didn't like his first TCU game :( }

It's WHO?

2009-09-24T08:44:00.000-05:00

Soo....last night the family was enjoying a yummy birthday dinner for Vic at Coalvine's in Southlake. Vic's phone kept ringing and he would answer and the person would hang up. The same number would call again and same outcome. Finally, the 4th time it rang Vic said "Who is this?".........and on came a little girls voice. She said "It's Morgan, Callie's friend from school, can I talk to her?". Vic was taken aback and handed the phone to Cal.

Yes, it was Callie's first "phone conversion" with one of her friends. Can you believe it! My little baby girl is growing up so fast! She was so funny talking to her, she said "Morgan, why are you calling me?". HA! I thought that was funny! I guess the more she talks, the better her phone etiquette will get. Now Callie thinks that she needs a cell phone so she can talk to her friends. SO........here we go with the adolescent years. Vic's decided to give her friends the home phone number so they won't call 15 times on his cell phone in one night. LOL. I love it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VICTOR!

2009-09-23T08:42:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet, loving, handsome, strong, thoughtful, helpful, and scrumptious husband! 31 BIG ONES! Love, love, love you

5 HAPPY HAPPY YEARS!!

2009-09-18T09:18:00.000-05:00

Today is a VERY special day for Vic and me. Five years ago was our wedding day! I can't brag enough on my husband. I have one of a kind...I've gotta say. There is noone else on this earth that could make me a happier woman than him. I love you, Vic! Here's to MANY MANY more HAPPY years!! HAPPY 5th ANNIVERSARY!

Happy Birthday, ISAAC!

2009-09-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

Today is my nephew, Isaac's 1st Birthday! We had SO much fun at his birthday party this weekend! So did he....Happy Birthday Big Boy! We LOVE you!!

Happy Birthday, HOLLY!

2009-09-02T08:20:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law, Holly turns 29 today! Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy BIRTHDAY to Holly, Happy Birthday to you. AND many more....yeah....

One year ago, today

2009-09-01T09:03:00.000-05:00

Exactly one year ago today, Vic and I found out we were going to be blessed with a baby!

Right after I found out I had a bun in the oven

Sept 1, 2008

Exactly 8 months later, on May 1st, Graham Ryder came into our lives.

4 month checkup

2009-08-27T08:41:00.000-05:00

Graham had his 4 month check up on Tuesday. The doctor says that everything looks good. He weiged 15lbs 1oz and was 25.5in long! He's starting to get a little double chin and rolls on his legs! I LOVE it! He's been rolling over for a while now and sitting up with support, of course. We started try to give him cereal with a spoon and he's not having ANY of that. I guess I won't stress out about it quite yet and let him get used to it at his own speed. He also got his "dreaded" shots. He was a champ, though! I think it hurts me to see it worse than it actually hurts him. And as for his kisses and lovin', well....they just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter! Here are some of his 4 month pics.

Big boy! 15lbs 1oz, 25.5in long

His boo-boos after his shot

Whatcha lookin' at?

Little Stud Muffin

Little Miss Grown Up...sort of

2009-08-26T21:28:00.000-05:00

Callie started 1st grade Monday and is LOVING every second. She was ready to get back to school and her friends (not homework though-she's informed us). We went in with her on Monday morning to get her all acquainted in her new classroom...she said hi to her teacher, hung up her backpack and lunchbox and then went and sat at her assigned desk. After she sat down, she just simply said "See you in a little bit! Love you!" Can you believe?! Here we were almost with tears in our eyes and she's just chillin' at her new desk with all her new stuff and new friends. At that time, it just hit me...she's getting SO grown up. So, we spared her the embarrassment -I gave her a quick kiss and told her to have a good day and that I loved her. And then we left the school. So sad, yet happy.

Ready to GO!

Including her little brother

Her teacher, Ms. Watson

Putting her backpack away

Corey and Angela's Wedding

2009-08-21T13:47:00.000-05:00

After two deployments to Iraq, Corey (Vic's 1st cousin who's a Marine) is finally back in the states for good. I know Angela couldn't be more happy....they FINALLY got to get married on August 15. The weekend was filled with festivities with close friends and family. The bride and groom make such a good looking couple! Everything went off just perfectly and the wedding was a blast! I know they couldn't wait to get to Hawaii for their honeymoon--in fact, they are STILL there! Congrats to Corey and Angela Crawford! Here's to many happy years together! We love yall!!!

Rollin, rollin', rollin' on river....

2009-08-11T09:32:00.000-05:00

Graham decided to put on a show for us last night and rolled over (front to back) all by himself for the first time! YAY GRAHAM! Mommy and Daddy are SO proud of you!

San Antonio Weekend

2009-08-10T21:03:00.000-05:00

What an awesome weekend we had in San Antonio with the kiddos and my parents. On Friday, we went to Wonder World caves in San Marcos and then on to the Alamodome to see the Dallas Cowboy's Training Camp. On Saturday, we spent ALL day enjoying Sea World. We had fun, fun, fun! By the time we got home, we were ready to crash. Here's some of the action that went on...

Has it seriously been 10 years!?!?

2009-08-04T15:56:00.000-05:00

I had my 10 year High School Reunion this weekend. Has it seriously been 10 years? Our reunion was held at the George's Banquet Hall in Waco. Our class was always fun and close....this was NO exception! We had an absolute BLAST! Catching up, dancing, playing games, reminiscing....So many classmates showed up and seeing old friends was so nice. Just about everyone looked the same (did I say just about? there were a few that didn't!) and it was nice to see what everyone had been up to.
Lorena High School's Class of 1999! Go Leopards!!

Just because...

2009-08-04T15:31:00.000-05:00

Even though it's Graham's sour face...I can't help but think it's the cutest thing in the world. I had to post it.

Ali's Wedding

2009-08-03T15:12:00.000-05:00

One of my good friends, sorority sister and old college roommate, Ali, got married last weekend to a wonderful man, Stephen. The wedding was gorgeous and the reception was so fun and beautiful! Ali looked amazing, as she always does. Vic and I had a great time seeing old friends and hanging out with everyone. Now, they are off to Greece for two weeks! (I'm a little jealous!:)) Congrats to the Holton's!!

Graham Ryder at 3 months

2009-07-28T14:41:00.001-05:00

Little Graham is getting to be not so little any more. He's getting so big! I am not sure how much he weighs right now, but he's almost outgrown his size 1 diapers, so I'm guessing he weighs about 14 lbs! He's started getting quite the personality too. My mom was kind enough to keep him for 3 weeks when I started back to work. It was so hard to leave him everyday, but they came to visit during lunch alot. It was great getting to talk to him several times a day and knowing he was ok. He started his new home daycare this week and he's done awesome so far. I handed him off to his new caretaker and he was a champ about it. He just looked at me like "it's gonna be ok Mama". I know that's what he would've said if he could talk. HA! Papaw put together his jumper and he LOVES it. He's started trying to teeter back and forth when he's on his tummy which means I think he's getting close to rolling over. I just hope I don't miss it the first time he does it! He's also started to REALLY talk to me. He just coos and coos and has this serious look on his face like "I know what I'm talking about!". He amazes me each day. I could never have imagined being a mommy could be so much fun!

My Mom deserves a round of applause!

2009-07-28T11:01:00.000-05:00

THANK YOU, MOM.

Thank you for using your 3 weeks of vacation to take care of Graham so he didn't have to start daycare so early. You are such an awesome mom and Grandmother. We had a BLAST with you while you were here. We appreciate, more than you know, EVERYTHING you did, which is ALOT (take care of Graham, cook, clean, keep me sane, and the list could go on and on...)! You are truly the BEST! You deserve a round of applause!!

Lucky to be ME.

2009-07-28T09:52:00.001-05:00

Today I was just thinking about how blessed I am. God has shown me favor and continues to bless me each day. I am so thankful for my life. I am lucky to be me. Here's why...

I have a handsome, loving, supportive, helpful husband who loves me unconditionally
I have a beautiful, smart and well behaved 6 yr old stepdaughter who loves me

I have a beautiful, healthy and cuddly 3 month old baby boy who loves me
I have the most wonderful, supportive and helpful parents in the WHOLE world who love me
I have the best parent in-laws anyone could ever dream to have
I have an awesome God who loves me and shows me favor each day and forgives me when I don't always do right
I have been blessed to know ALL my grandparents for the majority of my life

I have an awesome house to come home to each day
I have a great job that I love and work with really good people
I have good health and well being
I have good friends to laugh with and lean on
I have a nice car to drive and clothes on my back, and food on the table

It really makes me realize just how fortunate I am when I count my blessings.

Fun in the sun!

2009-07-24T11:36:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was so beautiful (and hot)! We decided to take advantage of the weather and go to Meme and Poppi's pool for the day! We had such an awesome day in the sun!

Keith Urban/Jason Aldean Concert

2009-07-12T13:51:00.000-05:00

After almost 3 months, Vic and I finally went out on the town! Vic suprised me with Keith Urban/Jason Aldean tickets for Mother's Day this year! We had such a great time with Mark and Kelly. We got all spiffied up and went to dinner at YO Ranch in Downtown Dallas and then headed to the concert at the AA Center. The concert was amazing! We've seen Keith before in San Antonio, but our seats this year were literally a few rows from the stage! Both musicians put on such a jammin' show! After the concert, we went to Ghost Bar in the W Hotel where DJ AM was spinning! That was pretty cool, too. The place was packed! We EVEN got to stay at the W for the night. We had such an amazing time....we did miss being away from our little boo, though. I only called to check on him twice! YAY ME! Here are some pics.

Graham is two months old

2009-07-01T13:54:00.000-05:00

I truly can't belive it! It's been 2 whole months since Graham was born and after next week, it's back to work! We went to the doctor to get his first round of shots and to get him all weighed and measured! Can you believe he already weighs 10lbs, 14oz and is 23in long? I guess the new formula he is on is really agreeing with him. When it was time for his shots, he did SO good. He only cried for a minute and then we wanted to be held. I guess all that activity wore him out because he slept for most of the day. He has been smiling and cooing now for about 3 weeks and I've got to say that it's been one of the most gratifying experiences ever. His little dimple in his right check is just PRECIOUS! Here are a few snapshots of him at 2 months. Kristen

He SWIMS!

2009-06-27T15:43:00.000-05:00

Graham had his first experience in the swimming pool and good news...he LOVED it! It was only 500 degrees outside, so I thought it would be the perfect time for him to try out his new swimsuit and swim hat! I think he's gonna be a water baby! YAY!

Bye, Bye Kindergarten! Here comes SUMMER!

2009-06-10T14:11:00.000-05:00

WOW! Time has FLOWN by....Callie has finished Kindergarten. I can't believe she'll be a first grader in August! She is SO excited to get her summer started and go to her camps, swim, and hang out. I remember how much fun summer was when I was a kid. Man...those were really great times. What it would be like to be a kid in the summertime again. No worries, no schedules, just fun. Here she is getting the summer started.

The Birth of Baby Graham

2009-05-01T16:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I am starting this blog in hopes of keeping all my friends and family updated on what is going on in our family. Many of you have asked for stories and pictures of recent events and I hope to be able to share with you all the exciting memories that we've had together.

I guess the best place to begin our family chronicles is with the birth of our new son, Graham Ryder. First of all I just want to say I had the best pregnancy I could've ever hoped for. Every stage of my pregnancy was my favorite.

The delivery...Talk about an AMAZING experience. Nothing could ever compare-in fact, there are no words to describe the awe I had when I held my precious baby boy for the very first time. To know that he grew inside my body for 9 months and that he was concieved with the love of my husband and God. It's truly a miracle in itself. To hear his little cry when he took his first breath was such an awesome blessing. He was perfect in every little way--he even got a 10 on his newborn APGAR test--which is very rare. I have attached below some pics from his first few days here in this world.

Graham Ryder Crawford was born on May 1, 2009 at 8:12am. He weighed 7lbs, 5oz and was 20.5in long.

Kristen