Wedding Pics.

Jeff's younger sister got married today. It was a beautiful ceremony and everything went AMAZING. Jackson was IN the wedding, and did a FANTASTIC job! I was SO proud of my little handsome man! He did exceptional. :)


Sibling love...they do this a lot! I love it and can't get enough. It's both of them randomly that initiate it...

Wasn't her dress cute. Glad she looked so cute. She was quite the devil and wild child. Thankfully she didn't stay long as the wedding was during nap time and she went home with the inlaws to crash while we enjoyed the wedding in peace.

This is the best I got of the two of them together.

this was second best if that tells you ANYthing...the others were AWFUL.

except this one...yeah for big group family pic that actually turned out decent! :)

(L to R)*Creighton, Jeff, Courtney, Jackson, Jeff's Dad, Debbie, Steph and Matt, Bree, Brent, Jennifer, Jessica, Layne

Mr. Handsome himself!

This was him on our way to rehearsal. He HAD to wear a tie. And he was very upset we wouldn't let him wear his tux (which he calls his "tuss"). And he wants to wear his tux to church tomorrow. He really liked the attention he got in it I guess.

I wonder if one day this might be funny...

...because, right now, it's not and I am just embarrassed.

Monday morning as I was getting ready to go, the kids were playing in our room. They have two drawers that have things they can play in by my bedside. One of the drawers, however, contains MY personal things I like having by my bed. Of course, some of those things are more personal than others...

As I was putting on my makeup I noticed that they were in the wrong drawer and pulling all sorts of things out. I noticed they were also playing quietly and not pulling on my legs and so I did nothing.

I remember saying to myself "I really need to check and see what they were doing exactly and what they were playing with...", but in the midst of trying to get everyone out the door for school I forgot.

As I was picking Jackson up from school, he started cleaning out his cubby with LOTS of random items. My mind wasn't totally in it as I was just collecting them all for him as he was putting them in my open hand.

Monday will be known as the day my THREE year old son went to school with a condom in his pocket!

Yeah, read that again...

I am mortified.

Wild Night Photo Style

We had a wild and crazy, and VERY FUN evening! I didn't start taking pics till the end (and video) but we tried on EVERY single costume we own! It was awesome. They were hilarious. I wish I wouldn't have been so lazy and taken pics of it all, but with the last ones we had a dance party and it was so much fun. One day I might upload some video...these will have to wet your tastebuds for now. :)

and if this isn't my husband, I don't know what else is!

Got Fit?

The 90 Day Fitness Challenge has come to an end. I am so proud of my team, my hubby and myself! My team won the whole thing with over 1700 points! Yeah us! We got Garfield's cards and movie tickets for ALL of us to go out! So very fun.

Then for the women, three from our team were the top three finishers. My friend, Amy, who worked SO hard and did SO well in the challenge won first place. Then I got second, and my new friend, Amanda, won third.

I lost 5 pounds and 4.3% body fat, and several inches (not sure how many exactly). I gained inches in my thighs (from lunges and step class) but that was expected.

Jeff got first place for the guys! He lost 12 pounds, several inches and I don't know about his body %, but I am sure it went down as well!

We weighed out this week and had our celebration and such this morning! It was very exciting! Jeff's prize was a family membership to the Y for a year! That is like $550 value! And since I love the Y and can't go anywhere else to workout because no one else has childcare, then it works out very nicely that he won. I got a massage and a $50 gift card!

:)

Double Whammy

Have you ever been blinded to something so ugly within yourself for so long that when the good Lord finally gets a good enough hit over the top of your head and you realize it, it just makes you sick?

Man, I have realized this week so much about myself, my true, inner self. The one that is only allowed up for air every now and then. Goodness, I now know why. I am ugly. Not the physically ugly type, although that is up for debate after wasting an hour of my time watching "What Not To Wear" on TLC.

Anyway, back to my main point. I just thought I had my "issues" figured out, resolved, lesson-learned-moved-on-kind-of-thing. I must have taken 102 steps backwards this week if that were the case (which I know it isn't).

I am pathetic. It's really sad. I still can't figure out exactly why, but both of my reasons it might be are bad, so it doesn't matter: Pride or Fear of failure.

I am a HORRIBLE loser. I hate losing and I've always known this, but I really thought I had gotten better about it all. I haven't. I am scared to do things I know I won't be good at. I don't do things I know I am terrible at. I cannot.stand.it. when I get beat by someone I think I might be able to beat. I am a perfectionist, but grossly so. I stick to what I am comfortable at doing and what I know and I rarely branch out of that.

Well this week I did. I played in a racquetball tournament and I don't know how to play racquetball. I am athletic for sure and quick and so it appears that I know how to play for those two reasons. So I get matched up with this chick who is really good and she destroyed me and made me feel stupid at the same time (and I hate that). Then I played another GUY who is a million times better than me and he annihilated me....really. And then, I played a grandma...and she beat me (just barely, but still she won!) I was SO angry. I mean really angry. Then I was even MORE angry at how I was responding...I was terrible. I am highly embarrassed to even be typing this, but I figure I might as well ask for prayer and help.

I feel like I am in an AA meeting or something. Hi, I am Courtney and I am a sore loser. I have been anger free for only 2 days....:)

Anyway, so there it is. Me in all my ugliness. It's just gross. I hate it. So it's like a double whammy because I don't like failing and here I am in failing in my failure! OH,...

Funny guy

Jackson cracks me up on a regular basis and I never remember by the time I get to the computer...but I am going to try tonight

We were in the car and had just pulled into the garage. When I take the keys out, the music still plays for about a minute or two or until the doors are opened. Well I guess he was really into the song because it went off on its own (I was giving us a few minutes before the bedtime madness) and I hear "BANG IT!"

I look back and am trying not to laugh because I am almost certain he is trying to say "dang it" which of course I DON'T want him saying. So, I asked him what he said and he said (as he slammed his hands in his lap and made an awfully cute face, "BANG IT!" I asked again (really trying not to laugh) what he was banging. He said, "no, mom, i said bang it because the music went off"... I'll have to double check my words, but I am not sure that I say that...wonder where he learned it. Either way, it was pretty funny! I played it off as if he was saying bang though the whole time and eventually he just dropped it.

Then tonight he was his spider man pajamas that he picked out. He was singing the Spider man song that is suppose to go

Spiderman, Spiderman, Does whatever a spider can Spins a web, any size, Catches thieves just like flies Look Out! Here comes the Spiderman

like this:

spiiidurma-en, spiiiidurma-an do'in a spiiidur fing, spiidurma-en, spiiidurma-en duz his spiiidur fing wike a spiidur. Look Spiidurma-aaaan.

You had to be there because I realize now it isn't funny to write, but I was dying laughing as he was trying so hard to SING this song that he has no idea what the words are...sounds like me! :)

Also, just for kicks (and I am going try to get it on video soon) he can now say the Pledge of Allegiance perfectly (for a three year old who hasn't a clue what all those big words are) :) It is PRICELESS! I love it.

And they're back :)

I was way more excited to see them AS they pulled into the garage than I knew, or thought I'd be! That is a good thing. They were so cute and sweet at least for 5 minutes

Creighton just wanted to hug and kiss me a million times....it doesn't get better than that! ;)

Jackson was being silly, but loved on me too eventually!

I am glad they are back, even though they really are so much work...and having a house to myelf is so much quieter....they are fun and I love them so much.

Pure Bliss

Okay, so I am a little worried about just HOW much I enjoyed my weekend. :)

I took the kids half way to meet Jeff's parents on Friday. From that point on, I have been a new person! Is that even okay to say?

It was a much needed break, I will say that. For the first time in over 3 years it was a possibility for me to sleep in without having to get up to pee or pump or nurse. That, alone, was pure bliss. Everything else was just icing. I am officially spoiled. I need this just about as much as I need the air I breathe.

We are going to pick them up today after church, and I must say that I am not nearly as excited as I know I should probably be. That might be in large part due to the fact that they both have colds, and are a wee bit miserable. So of course I feel a small bit of guilt too for being away and not wanting them back just yet

I baked and cooked...both were yummy!

I blogged in peace.

I did a million loads of laundry (seriously, where do all these clothes and towels even COME FROM?!)

I watched two movies (another post entirely in and of itself)

I hung out with friends!

I hung out with a few of my small group girls.

I slept in twice (kinda)

I played Celine Dion (and is still currently playing) and sang at the top of my lungs and danced around my house in pure joy.

I spoke to about 80 young men (on a panel of course) about purity and marriage. (interesting)

I went shopping and got some incredible deals at GAP OUTLET. (whew, thanks Kara for that 30% extra off.)

I did nothing, and then everything I needed to.

No one needed me or wanted me (Jeff was gone all weekend, by the way)

I can't really think of a better way to have spent my weekend, although I am a wee bit ashamed and embarrassed about my lack of time in the Word. But, alas, I did talk with God...and I know he was with me!

Revealing Creighton's Place

Happy Birthday Creighton! (your official party)

I worked so dang long and hard on this cake. Definitely worth paying someone else to do it. They always turn out better anyway! But for my premier debut in princess cakes, I didn't do half bad...

She wore it for a little while, but I guess I didn't get a great picture of her...

This was her new princess toddler couch/rollout bed. She was very excited about that!

Grandma Debbie and Papa John also got her this cute little highchair for Emma which she loves and an Ariel Dvd.

The family...*(what is UP with my flat hair...I look weird)

And the GRANDFATHER of all 2 year old birthday party presents...I present to you Creighton's Place! (built by the loving hands of her Pop! (and grammy))

It's awesome. They love it, we've just not been able to play in it as much because of the rain since it's been finished! But it houses ALL of her dishes, food, kitchen essentials :) (out of the house since there are a million pieces!)

She is pretty happy with it! :)

And now I sound like I am three

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I had to just get it out.

My son, oh my son...this week has been really hard for us all. He has resisted sleep in all its forms every.single.day. I am so tired of fighting him. I don't know whether to give up, or get tougher. Tonight I think I might explode as he is STILL not asleep and it's been over an hour fight.

Creighton goes to bed SO easily right now and she takes naps. She isn't sleeping as late as I'd like her to in the morning, but I am hoping I may have helped solved the problem with putting up a black out thing in her room.

He is driving me nuts. Spankings, raising my voice, threats, loss of privileges, putting back and putting back and putting back...and STILL nothing...he is still getting out. Still crying. Still calling my name. I can't handle it! I want to scream and beat him, but I know it wouldn't do any good. He is SO tired he can't fall asleep. Without a nap and not getting home till so late just isn't working on Wednesdays.

But I don't know what to do. I can't bail out on my small group and Jeff obviously can't bail out on church...that's his job. And it's my commitment. I do have seniors and am seriously contemplating NOT leading a small group next year for the first time ever. It's just too hard on my kids. I love it though so much.

I hate it that we can't be consistent with our daily lives. Each day is different than the one before and that is hard on me. I am just wiped out and my body aches and hurts ALL over and I am exhausted and grumpy too.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. and now I sound like I am three

7 Random things

I've been tagged (finally) to tell 7 Random Things about me...

1. I played an instrument in the Sydney Opera House (any guesses for which one?)

2. I have had 11 different surgeries since 1996

3. I held (not sure if I still hold) the record for most dips (a tricep workout) for all female athletes at TU my freshmen year (51).

4. I didn't lose my first tooth till I was almost 8 years old.

5. I really like cooking and baking, but not at all when anyone else is home!

6. I sleep (cannot sleep without) every night with a black SQUISH pillow that I call Squish and use the pronoun "he" and "him" for all the time. (weird I know)

7. I LOVE (geekily so) excel spreadsheets (and most administrative stuff)

Thanks Becky for tagging me. I tag Sarah, April, and Kathryn

Birthday Party 1--Two Birthday Girls

Creighton has the blessing and honor of sharing her birthday with my maternal grandmother! And my grandma came up to visit for their birthday weekend (from Texas). It was very fun to see her (and my aunt and cousin).The birthday girls--by their birthday cupcakes!

Creighton was SO excited about her princess shoes--all 4 pairs of them! She wears them daily...and would wear them out if I'd let her. Thankfully they are all about 6 sizes too big and so it isn't an option...but she is so funny prancing around in them.

My grandma got some nice (and all breakable) things from everyone.
Creighton got several outfits and accessories, some kitchen play things,
a well loved (a cheap consignment present) Ariel doll and chair, Belle tea party set (not shown), anda beloved Cinderella book *and fun times with my brother's cat Dexter One party down, a birthday day and another party to go!

The ugly egg on the forehead

Jackson was running around acting like a wild man (totally normal) and all the sudden the worst wail I've heard from him in a long time! It got even bigger than this...this was RIGHT after it happened (within 2 minutes). He was still crying although this picture doesn't make it seem like it. I should have taken a picture of the wall--where there is missing sheetrock and paint! We wrapped him up with an ice pack and sister decided she needed a bandage too! I thought they looked pretty cute.

She was cheesing (but oh so cute)

And then he fell fast asleep...I was worried he might have a concusion but thankfully he was alright...just tired. He fell asleep at like 7:45 and slept through the night (when I carried him to his bed, without waking) until 8:30 or so the next morning...

Thankfully now it has gone down dramatically, but still is pretty colorful and a little bit of a protrusion...enough for EVERYONE we see to ask about it....

First Class

A letter from my candidate of choice...

Cindy and I would like to take a moment to thank you for your loyal and steadfast support during the course of this campaign. Governor Palin, her husband Todd, our families, friends and campaign staff extend our deep appreciation for your tireless dedication, support and friendship.

It is the end of a long journey and your support through the ups and downs has meant more to us than you may ever know. Although we were disappointed with the results, we must move beyond this campaign and work together to get our country moving again.

It is our sincere hope that you will join us in putting our country first and continue to work to keep our nation safe, free and prosperous. We urge you to join us in not just congratulating Senator Obama, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together as a nation. Whatever our differences may be, we are all fellow Americans.

We are truly blessed to live in this great country and call ourselves Americans, and we will forever be her loyal servants.

Today, let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

With warm gratitude,
Cindy and John McCain


I know that there is nothing more I can do at this point. America made its decision. My prayers go out to the Obama family and their need for our support, however much we may disagree, is great. We are all very blessed to live in this country.

Growing Up Creighton

Although it appears I have fallen off the face of the earth...I haven't! My husband has just fallen in love addiction to the maximum computer games, and I have been incredibly exhausted lately.

Creighton has been getting up at 5:30 almost daily. Most days I can get her to go back to sleep for about an hour or so, but some days not. Either way though, I am usually unable to fall back asleep. My body is in shock. For those of you who do this everyday and always have, I am deeply sorry. There is no part of me that wants that schedule, and believe me, if I could MAKE her sleep in later, I certainly would. It's just about to kill me. And her. She is so tired now. Her naps are about the same, and there are days where I can get her to bed a little earlier, but other days, specifically Wednesday nights, it is just impossible with our family's schedule. You'd think her little body would learn, but it isn't catching on too quickly that she DEFINITELY needs more rest, and so does her momma!

Speaking of little body...I mentioned in this post that I thought she'd probably gain 5 pounds when we went for her 2 year well-baby visit. Well boy was I ever wrong. I knew with her being sick on and off for a few days 2 weeks ago that she probably wouldn't gain as much since she couldn't keep anything in her, but man...the kid LOST weight again, even from her checkup when she was sick! I was shocked and a little worried, but doc didn't seem to be. She was 35 1/4 inches tall, and only weighed 25.3 pounds. She is like 80% almost in height and like 30% in weight! hmm... But otherwise healthy and doing great! :)

She is pretty much hilarious all the time. She loves to sing and read and does both constantly when she isn't just talking (and no one has to be listening)...although she often says : Mommeeeee, wisten me (and I crack up and then try to listen) :)

She "reads" a lot but mostly it comes out as: esus wuvs me is-eye-knowl-ee-byebull-ells-meso. (and yes, the last however many words come out all as one!)...it's pretty priceless. And it doesn't matter WHAT book she is reading or what picture is on the page, that is the message...I am okay with that! :)

I am on the "other" computer that has no pics in it, but I have some to upload on here from her birthday. It was a fun day! I still can't believe she is two, but she reminds me hourly with all the fits and tantrums she is throwing lately! My child...I love you so, but your opinionated, hard-headed, prideful, strong-willed little self, well...I hope you and I make it through the next 16 years relatively unscathed...:) But, I do really really love you.

Your favorite things right now: Ariel, Belle, princesses, cell phones, books (galore), puzzles, kitchen/tea party, and of course swinging and Emma (as always has been)

Your favorite things to eat: waffles, toast, peanut butter, salad (with nuts and craisins), mashed potatoes, and anything with ketchup (chicken, chicken pot pie)

You love to go to sleep (both nap and night) with a book, a cell phone and Emma & Ariel

You adore your big brother and get so excited to see him and play with him. You can hold your own with him pretty well.

You love to build with blocks and read to your babies. You also LOVE to color, draw and be creative.

You are as strong as any 5 year old and you are 2 by merely a few days. You believe you can do anything, and you constantly prove that to the world. You are a fighter, a strong woman, with a strong mind. You can do and be anything. I love you to the moon and back...

Money, Running, and Family

I don't have pics to post tonight, but it's been a whirlwind weekend...and lots of fun along the way!

Our garage sale went exceptional! We have a little bit of extra cash on hand, and a lot of extra space! We sold just about everything. I ended up keeping my Baby Bjorn, my bundleme, my Robeez (two boots, one slipper/shoe), and the I realized I forgot to sell my monitor! But other than that (and lots of clothes) we sold it all! It's weird, but good! I was sad about several things, but really, it's good.

Today is the last day my sweet little girl will be a 1 year old! I can't believe it. She is growing up so so quickly before my very eyes! She is talking better and more every day! She amazes me in so many ways. I just adore her!

Creighton was born on my Grandma's birthday (only grandparent I have left) and so that is very exciting because she (and my aunt and 2nd cousin) came up this weekend to celebrate. We didn't get to spend nearly enough time with them, although my mom and dad did, so that is good. We celebrated with homemade gumbo and cupcakes at my mom's on Saturday and then saw them briefly today again! I'll post some pics later.

I ran another 5K this weekend, although I said I'd never run in another one. I was exhausted before I started and hadn't eaten anything but a banana all day (because of the garage sale) and was sleep deprived and nutritionally deprived because the last decent meal I had was Wednesday night at that point. But all in all, I was proud of myself for completing it. I finished 25th among women (not sure how many total) and 7th in my age group. I really wanted to beat my time, but I didn't. I was 30 seconds slower. 31:35 was my clocked time. But this time it was harder because I didn't have anyone running near me...and my knees gave out on me again. I could have probably run the whole thing endurance wise, but I had to walk some so my knee would ease the fire breathing dragon pain. Becke said it was because I was getting old...:(

Anyway, it's been a fun and wild weekend. I am exhausted and am only up because I am making cupcakes for Creighton's class tomorrow! Oh, they are going to be so good!

Can you believe my baby is going to be TWO YEARS OLD in a few hours!? man oh man! She is a riot! Watch out world!