Tuesday, March 26, 2013

7-7-7 years (and counting)

Monday, March 11, 2013
7 years I ago I bet on Chris and it has paid off BIG-TIME!
 
Today is Chris and my 7 year Wedding Anniversary! It is hard to believe that we have been married for 7 years! There are days where it seems like only yesterday! Then again, there are days I have a hard time remembering what it was like to NOT have kids! I have been blessed so much by Chris and I thank God for him each and EVERY single day! I do not deserve him and I he is such a gift from God. Thank you, Lord for my honey!
 
We decided this year we would go for an Anniversary trip. We originally wanted to go to Las Vegas but trying to find and nail down a babysitter for our two kiddos and then that match up with the traveling days available for REASONABLE travel prices were nearly impossible. We looked at other destinations but I kept thinking about how young my kids were and I just wanted to be near by. We were able to get my brother-in-law, John, and sister-in-law, Leeanna to keep our kids for 2 nights while we escaped across the State Line to Lake Charles, LA. This allowed us to visit L'auberge du lac Casino and Resort. This was AMAZING and such a rejuvenation from our busy teacher schedules followed by parent schedules. We were able to get away and just relax.
 
L'auberge du lac- Lake Charles, LA
 
 
L'aubrege is ABSOLUTELY amazing and I reccommend it for anyone looking for a nearby get-away and relaxation destination. We started off the trip by eating at the small cafe within the Casino called Cafe L'auberge. They were having an "All-you-can-Eat" Prime Rib special so we opted for that. I am not really a Red-meat eater... well I wasn't 7 years ago. That, along with many other things, I have changed since March 11, 2006. I even ordered this special and I completely finished one portion and tried to eat a 2nd! We gambled a little this night too and Chris was actually up after that night was finished. I on the other hand was in the RED! We did however, each win a free Buffet Coupon good for Monday.
 
On Monday, we slept late and then went out to get a few things like a bathing suit for me so we could relax at the pool. The temperatures were in the high 60s so we thought we would try to get in the pool or at least the hot-tub! We ate lunch at Jack Daniels Bar and Grill and we each had a burger (A VERY LARGE burger). I got the full-loaded Man's burger which had all types of fixins and even an onion ring it it! It was might tasty! After lunch we hit the hot-tub and pool area and stayed there (drink in hand) for a while. We finally came in around 5 pm to get ready for another evening of eating and entertainment.
 

My Burger... IT WAS HUGE!
 

The pool and Hot tub area... there was even a "Lazy River" area! So cool!
 
 
 
After cleaning up from the pool I wen to shop at all the small shops within the concourse of L'auberge. These shops were so cool but EXPENSIVE! I knew I would have to win BIG on the casino floor to even be able to buy something small from one of the stores. I saw a purse that looked just like some of the "Bedazzled" purses from Sam Moon with a Cross on it that was listed at $1450! REALLY?
 
After window shopping, I met up with Chris to got to the buffet for the Craw fish boil. This was really cool because I have eaten Craw fish before but not at a boil/ buffet type of setting. I learned really quickly that I REALLY like to eat Craw fish BUT I don't like all the work that is involved in getting to that small bite of meat. I also learned that these CAJUNS really go after getting to that piece of meat. There were people on each side of our table that were sucking out the heads and beating the body of the fish on their table. It was quite an ordeal! I had several Craw fish but then I headed to sample the many different desserts! These were really good and worth the time I spent cracking the Craw fish.
 

My buffet of DESSERTS! These were YUMMY!
(Notice the Craw fish Chris threw on my plate!)
 
 
After dinner we hit the Blackjack table again and Chris played for several hours... I just watched. I was not seeming to be able to win at anything so instead of making the typical gambler mistake of continuing to lose money... I QUIT. This is where I believe gambling is OK if and when you know when to walk away! I seriously did not play anymore the rest of the day/ night. Chris on the other hand won big and despite my terrible losses ($380), he was able to bring us out of the RED hole and into a winning amount. Thanks honey!
 
The key is KNOWING WHEN TO WALK AWAY!
 
ON Tuesday, we got up and checked out of the hotel and then went over to Isle of Capri to see what it was like. It was definitely a LOCAL casino. You could tell the clientele was different and less-class than that of L'auberge. But oddly enough that is where I came up out of my RED hole. I won $275 at Isle of Capri. I don't know what it is but I seem to do better at the "trashy" casinos than at the fancy ones. While we were in Vegas, I lost big at Bellagio, Cesear's and Mandalay Bay but WON lots as Harrah's and Boulder Station! Same thing while living in Shawnee and Oklahoma. I would win tons at Thunder Bird but then lose it all at River wind in Norman! I guess I belong with the Cajuns and locals when it comes to casinos!
 
We stopped around noon and headed towards Houston to go home to our babies! We stopped in Beaumont to eat lunch and then it was a race to get to hold and love on our kids! We got home around 430 where John, Leeanna, Jackie and our kids met us at the door (I don't know if this was a sign of tired-ness or excitement or both). We had an AMAZING trip and I would like to make L'auberge an ANNUAL thing! It was amazing!
 
A big thanks go out to John, Leeanna, Jackie and Dan for helping watch and take care of our kids to make this trip possible! We literally could not have done this without y'all! We love and thank y'all!
 
I am so lucky to have Chris in my life and as not only my husband but also my best friend! Words cannot describe my love and affection for him! I love you Chris and I cannot wait to spend 7 (no wait... 77! Inside joke! :) ) years with you!
 


 
 
God is good... ALL the time!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

My Growing Boy: Month 9

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
 
My little man is 3/4 of a year! In 3 short months I will have a 1 year old boy! Crazy huh? This month has flown by too fast, as the spring months usually do. We have watched Luke crawl faster and FASTER across the floor and now he is even able to stand and balance on his own. He still needs to use something to pull himself up but he can balance for about 10-20 seconds at a time. I think as soon as he can stand on his own without any help he will be walking shortly after that!

Well Baby Visit
Tuesday, March 19th
Weight- 19.10 pounds (48 %)
Length- 29.5 inches (87%)
Head Circumference- 18 inches (66%)

 
 
Feeding
We are still on Nutramigen formula... FOR NOW!  We got the green light at his Well-Baby Check-up to ease off of the Nutramigen formula and get on to regular Cow's Milk Formula. We are going to start with Enfamil Gentle-lease formula and go from there. We have also taken him off the Reflux medicine and he seems to be doing fine. He is still eating solid meat, veggies and fruit but we have added snacks and bite size pieces of fresh fruit and meat as well. He likes to be able to pick these things up in his hands and eat them! I can tell he notices these things because he will look at our food and whine for whatever we are eating.
 
Sleeping
He is staying consistent and sleeping around 10-11 hours per night. He also takes about 1-2.5 naps during the day lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. He does still sleep in the swing during nap time and has a hard time taking a nap in the crib. As he continues to get bigger and bigger, I wonder how he will adjust when he HAS to nap in the crib. But... I am not going to worry about this just yet.
 
Playtime
This boy is IN TO EVERYTHING! He loves playing with the toys and he is so much more aware of the toys around him. He loves playing with the maracas and tambourine and has REALLY good beat. I used to joke with my percussion players about lack of beat and say "My dog has better beat that you do" (Oxford is pretty rhythmic) but now I can say that about Luke!

My little guy is getting so BIG and I cannot believe he is already 9 months old! I am so very blessed and I thank God for my little man EVERYDAY!

I love you Luke!


Standing and Cruising EVERYWHERE!
 

Absolutely PRICELESS!
 


God is good... ALL the time!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Countdown is ON

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
52 days and Counting...
Today marks the 52nd pen-ultimate day until we are out for the summer (Well, Chris has a few more days that I do... HAHA!) It has been a crazy and hectic school year thus far and I have only been here since November due to Maternity leave. I hope and pray for a REALLY fast last 9 weeks and less chaos!
Last week during Spring Break my family and I had a wonderful time of rest, relaxation and little fun too! Unlike last Spring Break where we just sat around all week, this year we were able to take a short trip to get away, spend time with family and even have a few days to not do anything. I really enjoyed this year's Spring Break and it just reminds me of the much needed SUMMER BREAK coming (in 52 days)!
Saturday, March 9
Today my mom came into town after she dropped my dad off for a mission trip to Tanzania. They had to arrive at Bush Airport at 10 so by 10:30 she was already at our house! In fact, she made such good time getting here, she caught me at the final stage of my cleaning process. After this we went shopping at The Woodlands Mall with Natalie. This was really special because I have not been "shopping" (IE, clothes and personal shopping) since well before Thanksgiving/ Christmas break and since it was just the 3 girls it was neat to share this with my mom and Natalie.
That night Chris and I went to a "Celebrity Murder Mystery Dinner Theater" at The Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Houston. This was something Chris has ALWAYS wanted to do but our circumstances never allowed! This was a BLAST! Chris even got to have a role in the play! I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good show, laugh and dinner!
Chris as "Captain Cruise" in the show!
Sunday, March 10
Chris and I traveled to Lake Charles, LA for a 2 day trip to L'auberge du lac Casino and Resort. This was so neat because we were able to leave our kiddos with John and Leeanna so we could get a mini-vacation away together. In fact, we had not had a vacation away from our kids since... WE HAD KIDS! A HUGE BIG THANKS sent out to John and Leeanna for their help!
L'auberge is AMAZING! We had never been and had heard wonderful things about it but words could not describe. It really was a RESORT... filled with Pools, Jacuzzi, restaurants, shops and a casino all under one roof!
L'auberge du lac Casino and Resort (By the Pool)
Monday, March 11
This was our 7 year anniversary. On this day 7 years ago we were getting dressed and ready for the 1st day of the rest of our lives. It has been a glorious 7 years and I cannot wait for the next 77
We spent time at the Resort pool and jacuzzi, just enjoying each other and the beautiful weather. We also spent time in the casino as well as went to some excellent restaurants and buffets. I even went to my first "Craw fish Boil" at the Resort Buffet. This was a very interesting experience and I have to admit I LOVE craw fish but the work involved in getting to the tiny piece of meat is a little much for me. By the end of the day we were exhausted and headed up to the room for some rest and relaxation.
Tuesday, March 12
This was our last day at the Resort before we had to head home so we decided to sleep in as late as we could before we had to check out. We also decided we would go to the other Casino right there in Lake Charles called Isle of Capri. This was not near as nice as L'auberge but personally, I seemed to do better playing Blackjack here than at L'auberge (Part of this was due to the smaller minimum bet).
We left early-afternoon and were home by 4:30 or so. This was also Luke's 9 month Birthday so we spent some time playing and loving on him before I took his 9 month pictures. This little guy is growing up WAY TOO FAST!
My "little" boy... 9 months!
Wednesday, March 13
We started this day off with John, Leeanna and Jackie at Chick-fil-A for their awesome breakfast. Chris and I love Chick-fil-A breakfast but don't get it very often so this was a real treat. After that Natalie, Leeanna and I went out to do some errands and get a pedicure. This was so cool because Natalie got to go with us and watch us get the pedicure. I didn't let her get one because I thought she would not sit still and... I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE! She is not quite ready.
That evening we went over to Dan and Jackie's house and had "Mexican Stack-up" and watched Survivor! This is a tradition of the Davis family and it was really good to spend time with John and Leeanna!
Thursday, March 14
Today we woke up late and then the kids and I did some errands around town so Chris could stay at home and finish the book series he has been reading for the last 15+ years. He had been catching up on the series and re-reading these books for about 3 months so I wanted to give him some time alone to read. The kids and I went and made some returns and did other errands before meeting Chris for Brunch at The Egg and I restaurant. It was Yummy!
Friday, March 15
We tried to go to the Zoo today... WE TRIED! We didn't wake up as early as we had hoped and then we got caught in HEAVY traffic on I-45 due to a wreck (AT 10:30am). So the normal 1 hour commute to south Houston turned into a 1 hour 45 minute commute. Then by the time we got there around noon, the rest of Houston were there with us. I swear it was as busy as I have EVER seen it. We drove around looking for a parking space for nearly 30 minutes before deciding to go elsewhere. We tried to locate a park to have a picnic in and quickly realized we were not in the GOOD part of Houston so we turned around to go back home to our favorite park in The Woodlands, North Shore Park.
This was awesome because Luke had not been to the park and he really enjoyed it! He loved the "Big Boy Swing" and would cry if he got him out of it! Natalie loved the picnic and played on the playground for a while. We were even able to feed the ducks!
Luke LOVED this swing!
Saturday, March 16
We went to Drew's birthday in the morning. This was really cool because Drew lives next to Dan and Jackie and we were able to grow close to his family while living there. In fact, Jessica, Drew's mom, and I were both due on June 19, 2012. Jessica had Kate on June 5 and I had Luke on June 12. This is really special and having kids the same age is nice as well. Natalie was able to swing at a pinata, get in the fire truck and play in a bouncy house.
Luke and Kate born 1 week apart! They are getting SO big!

Natalie in the Fire Truck (This is a big accomplishment since she usually is scared to death of them!)
Luke playing outside

We ate lunch with Dan and Jackie and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and sleeping at home. We decided to go to Chuy's for dinner and then go and get a Blizzard from Dairy Queen afterwards (It's Spring Break... To heck with diets!)
Sunday, March 17
Happy St. Patrick's Day
We went to church in the morning for a very special service praying for friends and family who were lost and needed Jesus. This was a very emotional service for many and really touched my heart. In fact, I prayed for family members both known and unknown for Salvation and even though I didn't mention her by name my youngest cousin Angelica received Jesus Christ into her heart on Sunday evening! Praise the Lord!
We spent the afternoon playing indoors and outdoors, cleaning and doing laundry! The fun was about to be over and that was depressing enough but to have to clean and do laundry... what a downer!
Monday morning came and went and here I am today reminiscing my wonderful break and thinking about my next one! Summer is only 52 teaching days away and 10 weeks from Friday. I cannot wait.... Can you tell?
I had an awesome break and a lot of that is thanks to Chris and the rest of my family members! Thank y'all so much!
God is good... ALL the time!