Larr and Christi's Blog

The Big 29......Again!!!

2009-09-23T10:47:00.004-05:00

Today is my lovely wife's 30th....I mean 29th birthday!!! I am so lucky to have such a wonderful woman in my life and my kids couldn't have a better mother!! I hope you have a great 30th.....man I keep saying that.....I mean 29th birthday!! :)

Sophia's Big Debut!!!

2009-08-23T18:56:00.002-05:00

We were at the office the other day and Sophia was watching The Little Mermaid and I noticed her singing a little and doing everything Ariel was doing so I grabbed my phone and recorded her. The end is what is the funniest part of the whole thing. You may have to turn your sound up some.

For Sale...

2009-04-21T20:17:00.004-05:00

3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, brick home where a lot of love has lived! Finally you guys, finally, after what seems like an infinite amount of blood, sweat, and tears, we did it. Our sweet home on Kessler is for sale! It was officially on the market as of yesterday, but can you believe we've already had 3 different people come and look at it?! We're trying not to get our hopes up right now, but that certainly seems promising! I just hope that whoever lives here next makes as many memories in this little house as we have. We came home as husband and wife here, both our babies were brought home from the hospital and laid down to sleep here. I will not let go of this place lightly, but it's time for a change. My children are no longer like tiny teacup poodles, but more like Saint Bernards. They need a place to bark as loud as they want and room to run without fear of being run over! And nothing would make me happier than to give that to them. Here are some pictures I took after Mr. Mason, our realtor, put the sign in the yard.

On second thought, buy the house and I'll throw in the kids...they know not to play in traffic.

Here's the link to our space on the Century 21 website. Check us out! http://www.c21php.com/detail.cfm?proptype=Residential&mls=22649

Adventures in Fairyland

2009-04-05T15:56:00.003-05:00

Several weeks ago a card came home with Sophie from Mother's Day Out advertising a "Fairyland" portrait session with Dixon Photography. I was so all over it. I love fairies, and for a long time I've known that if I ever had a daughter, I would decorate her room in a fairy theme. So for me, this was a dream come true. I would get her picture made dressed as a fairy, frame it, and hang it in her room as the centerpiece for the whole shebang! So I set up the appointment, took Becs with me for support and damage control, and we got started with the session. Sophia was soooo pretty dressed in her little pink fairy dress, iridescent wings and tiny flower crown....I was eatin' it up!! She, however, was not. Those of you who have experience with two year olds know what I'm talking about here. The concept of "stranger danger" is foremost in their mind when confronted with new people, and my daughter was on high alert. To say the very least, she was a very angry little fairy. Chrystal, the photographer, finally suggested that Becca and I step out and wait. She said it would be tough to take at first, but that she would finally settle down. So we did...and it was...but she did! After several minutes of some terrible noises I didn't even know such a small person could make, I began to hear giggling...and then camera clicking! So after what was probably the most traumatic portrait session known to man, we were done. And just look at our precious little flower fairy!! The one where she's crouching behind the mushroom looking into the pond is the one I picked out for her room.

They call themselves heroes...

2009-03-30T19:21:00.006-05:00

Pshaw!!! These chumps got nothin' on MY hero!! Happy 31st birthday, Larr! I love you!

Guitar Hero!!!

2009-03-28T20:19:00.002-05:00

For Christmas Christi got me the Guitar Hero World Tour for my play station. A couple of months ago I got a second guitar to go with it so two people could play at a time. I now have a new awesome band member to play with!! Aidan has always loved watching me play and now I have started letting him play. He keeps getting better and better. Our band name is, for those of you familiar with Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure,......Wyld Stallyns!!!!! I have a clip of us playing a song if you want to check Aidan out!!

Sophie's 2nd Birthday Bash!

2009-02-15T20:49:00.003-06:00

Well, here we go. I've finally got the party post ready to roll! And what a great party it was! Sophia's favorite TV show is The Backyardigans, so that's the theme we went with. For all you parents out there who aren't familiar with the little group, I urge you to get acquainted. They're really funny, and the music (I'm embarrassed to say) is quite catchy! We had the party in the gym at Larry and Denise's church, which was perfect. We set up play tents, slides, put out some crayons and play-doh, and the kids had an absolute ball. There was a cupcake cake, cookies, juice, and sodas. And as usual, Sophie's friends and relatives spoiled her with gifts and declarations of love. She's such a princess!! And she's so very lucky. Here are some pictures from the day. Love you guys!

Happy Birthday, Sophie!

2009-01-22T21:14:00.002-06:00

Our little bug is TWO years old today! Big hugs and kisses for our big girl!

Party pics to come later...

Sophie Plays Dress-Up

2009-01-04T20:50:00.006-06:00

Sophie got some dress-up clothes for Christmas and just loves them, especially the shoes! A fairy wand accompanied the tutu, but she tossed it and chooses to accessorize with a Dallas Cowboys cap instead. A true fashionista!
And as her 2nd birthday swiftly approaches, I can't help but notice how my sweet, bald baby is becoming a curly-headed little girl right before my eyes. Does it make me sad? Oh yes. Unless God has some monumental surprise in store for us, there will be no more babies for Larr and me. But it's a little exciting, too. Every day is an adventure as I learn something new about Sophia; her little personality makes itself more prominent all the time, and not always for the better! So watching her as she played the other day, I had to wonder. Could I be raising...

the next American Idol...

the next Paris Hilton (Lord, I hope not)...

or even just a mom?
(Pshaw! I say "just" like it's easy!!)

I don't know what my little Sophie Bug will choose to be. But there's no doubt in my mind that whatever she does in life, she'll be great.

A visit with St. Nick!!!

2008-12-17T19:28:00.002-06:00

Well last weekend Aidan and Sophie finally got to go see the big man himself....Santa Claus!!! It went about as we expected....Sophie didn't like him and Aidan was shy. Well watch the video below and you will see what I mean!!

Disco is back!!

2008-12-11T10:12:00.000-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sophie Goes to the Salon

2008-11-22T21:00:00.005-06:00

Well, Sophia took her first step into womanhood last Thursday. She had her very first haircut!! Larr's cousin, Kimmie, trimmed her curls so they'd be bouncier and then gave her some bangs. That's right, she can actually SEE now without a barrette in her hair! Kimmie did a great job; she was so patient with her! Seriously, the child didn't even wanna wear the cape! But Kimmie persisted, Larr entertained, and Sophie settled down. Where was I?? Snapping pictures of course!

And so it begins....

Notice she's NOT wearing the cape.

Just a little off the top, please!

Now for the bangs! This is a big deal since before we were constantly pinning her hair out of her eyes. Larr and I had switched places at this point. She needed Mom in order to "close the deal."

And here's her new coif! Isn't she a precious little pixie??! And to top it all off, she can see!

Okay, so this picture's a little random, but in the spirit of "firsts," I thought you guys might like to see Sophie's very first school picture! It was taken a couple of weeks ago at Mother's Day Out, so it's pre-haircut, but isn't it adorable?! That book must be REALLY funny!

Trick or Treat '08!

2008-11-02T12:46:00.004-06:00

Hey there everybody; long time no blog! We're still recuperating from a very busy Halloween, and I'm pretty sure I have diabetes now from all the sugar I've ingested over the last 48 hours. But man, it was fun!! I have soooo many pictures from the pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and pumpkin festival that I'm just gonna post the ones we posed of the kids in their costumes. Cuz let's face it, munchkins in costume...that's the best part of Halloween! With candy coming in at a very close second. :)

Ace Rhea was crew chief for Lightning McQueen!

Sophie Bug was Raggedy Ann, yarn hair and all!

I had to include this one. Skittles are her favorite candy...just look at those chipmunk cheeks! It's like she's storing nuts for the winter!!

My little ghoul and goblin...

And I couldn't resist adding this one. We were at Mema Tallant's house here. Sophie enjoyed another package of Skittles while her daddy enjoyed a power nap! Poor Larr...

Happy Halloween everyone!

Our Little Hero!!!

2008-09-30T07:23:00.003-05:00

Well everybody.....Sophia is only 20 months old and she is already a real life hero!!! She was out at my parents house yesterday with my Mom and Dad. They were in another room watching TV when Sophia came walking into the room just grunting and pointing, which is what she usually does when she wants you to follow her. Well my Mom got up and followed her to the den. When they got there she found her dog Bingo with her head stuck inside a plastic potato chip bag unable to get it off. My Mom said the bag was just slowing expanding and then contracting back. She pulled it off Bingos head and she said at first she just laid there and tried to get her breath again. Anybody that knows Bingo knows that that dog is just too hyper to just lay there. My Mom said she wasn't planning on leaving that room for a good while so if it hadn't been for Sophia my Mom's dog would not be here today!! Below I have a picture of Bingo and one of our Little Hero!!!

Happy Birthday Christi!!!!

2008-09-24T07:43:00.004-05:00

I'm a day late on this but Happy Birthday Christi!! You are the greatest wife and mother a man or kids could ever have!!

I love you!!

What a day!!

2008-09-18T21:13:00.002-05:00

There were 4, that's right--4, snakes found in the school today!!! My friend, Lindsey, nearly stepped on one in the stairwell, one was found under a bed in the lifeskills room, one was caught on a glue trap in the office, and the other was found in the journalism classroom.....just two doors up from me!!!! SWEET FANCY MOSES!! Anyone entering my room after that would've found me and the kids sitting on top of the desks as we read and discussed Puritan literature. After some research, it was deduced that the culprits were merely rat snakes, not poisonous at all. Relieved? Definitely. Coming off the desk top any time soon? No way.

Sophie gets jiggy with the Backyardigans

2008-09-02T19:10:00.002-05:00

Sophia always does some kind of funny dance while she is watching the Backyardigans. We are thinking about calling it the Chicken Wing. But she has always stopped dancing as soon as we get the camera out. Well tonight Christi finally had the camera in hand when it happened. So making her dancing debut......Sophia Grace Rhea!!!

Livin' it Up on Labor Day

2008-09-01T19:48:00.004-05:00

One week of school down, trying to get back into a routine of going to bed and getting up early, lunches made and bags packed every night (fully prepared for whatever disaster could, and probably won't ever, happen)....we definitely needed this long weekend. We went out to my Uncle Dave's (we call him Big D) this afternoon for a fish fry and some much needed fun, games, and relaxation with the family unit. The food was awesome, as usual, and the kids left a ring around my nice clean tub after bath tonight since they were so filthy. That's how ya know it was a good time. Here are some pictures from the day. Hope yours wasn't too laborious!

Meme, Pop, and Ace playing a little shuffleboard

Mason enjoys his tortilla chips...but I mean, who doesn't?

A chip in one hand, Funny Bunny and a bat in the other...does life get any better?

Little Rey isn't so little anymore...she's a mama now! This is Braylan!

Alyssa, Becs, Landon, and Chance...just chillin'

Larr has finally met his match in CJ. I didn't think anyone loved playing games as much as my husband, but CJ sure does. Here they were throwing darts.

Soph thought she'd take Big D's boat for a spin.

The A-Man, my one and only tiny man. He looks sweet, but I think he was doing something rotten here. I'm not sure what, though....

Our little running back...every father's dream!

Celebrity Morph by MyHeritage

2008-08-10T12:28:00.001-05:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Family tree template - Family tree templates

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

2008-08-10T12:09:00.001-05:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Old photos - Family reunion

Disney World!!!

2008-07-27T13:56:00.008-05:00

Well I know this is long over due but we have finally got all the slide shows done for everything we did!! I hope ya'll enjoy!!

Day 1 - Arrival and Hollywood Studios

Well after getting up at about 4:00 am we made our 6:00 flight. We finally made it to Orlando. It was pretty cool because we did the Disney Express package. We put special tags on our luggage at DFW and didn't have to worry about the luggage again. We arrived at the airport in Florida and found a lady holding up a Disney Express sign waiting for us and the other Disney Express passengers. We were directed to our bus and then we were on our way to our resort!! We arrived early and our room wasn't ready yet, so we went on to Hollywood Studios. That was probably my favorite park of all. It was Star Wars weekend after all....plus all the rides were awesome!! It did rain on us for a bit, but it wasn't that bad. Just enough to cool us off. After spending a good amount of time there we took a bus back to our resort. Went to check out our room, and wouldn't know you know it, we went in and found our luggage already in there waiting for us!! Couldn't ask for more!! Rested up for a bit, had a good dinner, and then went to see the Fantasmic show back at Hollywood Studios!! It was an awesome lights and water show!! Probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

Day 2 - Epcot Center and Typhoon Lagoon

Woke up today geared up and ready to hit the parks!! We started the day off at Epcot. You probably know this place from the big silver ball you see on the Disney commercials all the time. It was an incredible sight standing under that thing!! I didn't know it, but it’s actually a big ride inside that goes all the way to the top. After spending a little time with the rides, we went to the other side of Epcot which is broken up into different parts of the world. We had lunch in China but also checked out Germany and a few other places! It was a pretty cool place. Later that day we went to the water park, Typhoon Lagoon!! We both had a blast. Christi has never been big on water parks, but I know she had a blast even if I had to drag her up all the stairs to ride body slides over and over and over again!! They had a huge wave pool that sent...I think they said a 6 foot wave every 90 seconds. Not much to it but it was a blast!!

This is from the Spaceship Earth ride it was pretty cool!!

Day 3 - Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney

We started this day off with a trip to Animal Kingdom. This was a very cool park. We started off riding some very cool rides!! The Mt. Everest ride was probably my favorite at this park. There are some good videos of it on you tube if you want to check it out. We had lunch at a pretty cool African restaurant. After lunch we went on a Safari and got some good close up looks of the African wildlife!! After a nice hot afternoon we headed back to the resort for a little break before our night out at Downtown Disney. We went to Gloria Estefan’s' Cuban restaurant, Bongos, for an awesome tasty dinner!! After that we just strolled around the shops. It was a pretty fun day!!

This was a little short video I did of a guy playing in Downtown Disney.

Day 4 – Magic Kingdom
Today was our day for the Magic Kingdom!! All the rides here were great!! I don't care how old you are, the Tea Cups and the It's a Small World rides are still fun!! Of course the rides for the older people were the best!! Cinderella's castle was just awesome...wish we lived there!! That night we were at the Magic Kingdom again for the parade and the fireworks! It was perfect for our last night at the happiest place in the world!!

Here are some clips put together from the fireworks show!!

Day 5 - Last Day

Well the final day arrived and we were ready to go home but weren't at the sametime. We had arranged for a late flight so we could hit a few rides that we missed or wanted to do again. Of course we could have stayed longer because our flight ended up getting delayed 2 to 3 hours. I wasn't to happy about that. The entire trip was great though and I look forward to going again!!

This is a little video that we were able to do on the Mission Space ride!!

Well we absolutely loved the place…but who are we kidding? Put 4 billion people in the same place, and you are bound to get annoyed with things. So we decided to make our top 10 things we loved to hate about Disney World!!

10. The bus drivers. They’re the hateful children that parents left behind, and they have no other home or place to go. They know and love only their bus. They are the true “lost boys.”

9. People over 500 pounds…no tank tops please.

8. This is a public service announcement……ladies just because you have cleavage doesn’t mean it looks good enough to show off to the world.

7. Ladies…clear bra straps don’t make them less noticeable…or less tacky.

6. B.O…….’nuff said.

5. People with backpacks. They’ve got enough in them to feed and clothe all the victims of the next natural disaster…and their wallet is at the very bottom.

4. Really, if you’re confined to a scooter what are you really going to get to do at Disney World…..OUTTA MY WAY!!! :)

3. Apparently children as old as 35 can ride in a stroller.

2. Lines….yeah we knew they would be there, but I didn’t know we would be a part of the hands across America line.

And the number 1 thing we loved to hate about Disney World……

We’re looking for someone to travel abroad, holding seminars to introduce the “no cutsies” law to our friends in foreign countries who may not get the concept of waiting in line.

The A-Man Turns 4!

2008-07-21T14:39:00.008-05:00

At 4:00 in the morning, 4 years ago today, a beautiful young girl got up to go to the bathroom...and had a baby later that day. And thus, the most amazing tiny man EVER came to be. I don't know what else to say except that I honestly can't believe my baby's 4! We had a great party on Saturday with tons of family, friends (Ace invited his best buddy, Brandon, from school..how cute is that?!), presents, and sweets. Check out the pictures!

Red, White, and Awesome!

2008-07-17T15:51:00.011-05:00

I know what you're thinking. "What the crap?! Where's the Disney World post??" It's coming, I promise! We have just under 200 pictures that my sweet hubby (who happens to suffer from OCD) feels he must caption before putting them in a slide show. But in the meantime, I thought I'd fill you in on what else has been going on. July's been a busy month! The 4th was especially fun this year. Brian, Laura, Clara, and the Grace posse came in for the weekend, and we had an awesome fireworks show along with a kickin' hot dog supper at Larry and Denise's. Good times!

And then last weekend, Brian and Laura invited the whole family to the Swasko's lakehouse on Cypress Springs. It was soooo beautiful, and so much fun! We boated, jet-skied, swam, played board games, sipped margaritas...sigh....it was, in a word, heavenly. We even had a pre-party b-day party for Ace since Clara wouldn't be able to make it in for the real deal. They had decorated the house, bought a cake, and even thought to get something for Sophie, too...as if she's not spoiled enough! It was honestly one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for my children. Thanks so much you guys! And thanks, Swaskos, for opening your home to us. We had a ball!

No, you're not hallucinating. Aidan is in fact riding the jet ski. My shy child is actually a bit of a daredevil!

A happy little bumbina!

Some awesomely cheesy Chicago lyrics would fit well here.

I love this picture. It's so "Miami Vice."

I can't believe it. Even with lake hair, we look AWESOME!

Until next time!

Now batting for the Giants....

2008-05-17T21:35:00.005-05:00

second baseman, Aidan Rhea!!!

Just thought I'd share Ace's t-ball pictures. The season's almost over, and it looks like the Giants are gonna finish with a perfect record (we don't keep score). I'm so proud!! We've enjoyed watching our little man make friends and gain confidence out on the field. And he's not a bad little ball player either! Thanks to all of you who came out to cheer for him, and to those of you who couldn't...don't sweat it. I see MANY more ballgames in our future!

Ace is standing and third from the left. I don't know why their mouths were all open...I'm guessing they were screaming cheese...

Happy Spring!

2008-05-06T20:57:00.003-05:00

Well, spring has officially arrived...or maybe it's been here for a while, I don't know. The fact of the matter is, we had our first "springtime experience" last Sunday. First of all, the weather was completely gorgeous. Blue skies, warm breezes...beautiful. And if you've never been to our house in the spring, your nose is missing a real treat. There's honeysuckle EVERYWHERE. It grows wild in the ditches and trees on the side of the road, and also all along the back of our fence. It smells WONDERFUL. And any kid from the country knows that not only is honeysuckle a delight for the ol' sniffer, but for our tummies as well! So while we were outside, Larr taught Aidan how to peel and eat the nectar from a honeysuckle flower. Sophia honestly couldn't have cared less, but Ace thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. "Mmmm...dewicious," he would say. We spent practically the whole day outside...first mowing, then swinging, eating honeysuckle, sliding, and finally playing kickball until almost dark. It was nothing less than perfect.

The Babies' Baptism

2008-04-22T20:17:00.003-05:00

Our sweet babies, Aidan and Sophia, were baptized last Sunday morning in church. It was a very simple service in front of the congregation and many members of our family, which made it extra special. I don't usually get all weepy and stuff, but while I stood there and watched my son bow his little head as the pastor sprinkled water over him, I felt nothing else but the love of Jesus in that moment. And I saw His innocence and His goodness in tiny Sophie, as she sweetly clung to her "funny bunny" through the ceremony. It was just so precious and beautiful....a mother would have to be a real grinch not to cry! Anyway, my heart was bursting with pride that day...and does every day for that matter.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

2008-04-03T21:42:00.003-05:00

Tuesday was Aidan's very first T-ball game! While we got off to a late start, the festivities were well worth the wait. I haven't laughed that hard in a while! Once a ball is hit, the entire, and I do mean ENTIRE, outfield comes rushing in after it. Kids are darting about here and there...sometimes they just fall down in the dirt for no other reason than for the simple fact that it's fun and they wanna get dirty. It was so great. What's even cooler is that Larr is helping the coach out on the field. He stands at the plate and helps the kids get their batting stance down, shows 'em how to hold the bat...you get the idea. It's so precious, and it's been a great opportunity for Larr and Aidan to bond over something they both genuinely enjoy. Sophie and I hang out in the bleachers, the ULTIMATE cheerleaders. Here are some pictures from the evening. Sorry there are no action shots; they didn't come out too well.

The Sophster hangin' out in her stroller. Her t-shirt says "Aidan's #1 Fan." I had shirts made that say "Aidan's mom" and "Aidan's dad," too. That's right. We're THAT family.

This is Ace with his buddy, Carson. They're in the same class at school, and Carson's dad is the coach. There wasn't an inch of that ballpark they didn't cover.

Is this surreal or what? Long live the #5!

Go Giants!

2008-03-30T10:19:00.002-05:00

LARR'S 30 TODAY!!

In honor of this momentous occasion, I'd like to present a checklist for people Larr's age. As we all know, confusion begins to set in as folks get older, so many of you 30 year olds may be asking yourself, "Okay, so...am I officially an old grown-up now? Well here's how you can tell: (WARNING! Some of these are unsuitable for children or especially mortifying for grandparents to read! Proceed with caution!)

1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.

2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

5. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."

6. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

7. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."

8. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.

9. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.

10. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

11. You feed your dog Purina instead of McDonald's leftovers.

12. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

13. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

14. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.

15. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good stuff."

16. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.

17. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again"

Happy Birthday, Larr! I love you!

It's an Easter Egg-stravaganza!

2008-03-25T21:54:00.004-05:00

Easter has officially moved up in my list of favorite holidays and is now running a close second behind Christmas, which I still hold as the most magical, purely beautiful holiday when viewed through the eyes of a child. We had so much fun hunting eggs, cooking out, flying kites, and just plain being together on Easter weekend. Here are a few pictures from the holiday.

Pop helps Sophie fill her Easter basket

Just like his dad, Ace was a man on a mission to score some eggs!

Taking a break to survey the loot

This was a first: Aidan offering to share his candy!

Mason, Ace, and Sophie...egg huntin' fools!

Mom and Dad bought the kids some really cool kites. This was Aidan's; it was a giant airplane.

Larr showing Ace how to hold the handle...look at the joy on that little face!

This was Sophie's kite--a beautiful, huge butterfly. I'm lucky I got this picture because the darn thing wouldn't stay airborn longer than 30 seconds or so!

Ace flies his plane while Pop, a kite flyer extraordinare, supervises

Introducing....The So-Fro!!

2008-03-02T16:15:00.003-06:00

It's all the rage in Paris and Milan! Is she a trendsetter and true beauty or what?!

Seriously, though, my child's hair is just hilarious to me. When it was still really short I'd use a little "product" to sort of curl it up on top. But now that it's grown out some there's no need for creams, gels, or sprays! She just wakes up with her hair all bushed out! I try and tame it down with a little clip or even a tiny "Pebbles-style" ponytail on top, but she definitely prefers it au-naturale. Too funny, huh? She's what I'd imagine mine and Lyle Lovett's love-child to look like! HA!!

Papa's got a brand new ride!!

2008-02-23T15:23:00.003-06:00

Well after many year of getting rid of my Tacoma I have finally gotten another truck. I just got a Nissan Frontier with the Nismo package. The Nismo package is more of an off road package but it is not a 4x4. It has rear differential lock to help out in the mud and skid plates under the oil pan, transfer case, and fuel tank!! A few other features, it is a V6, it has adjustable tie down points in the bed that can move along rails on the side of the bed and two rails in the bottom of the bed. It has a sprayed in bed liner and there is a 6 disc cd changer with audio controls on the steering wheel. Well that is all I will say about it now. Check out the pictures below.

Sophie is 1!!!

2008-01-22T14:14:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Sophia!!

I can't believe it has been a whole year since our little Sophie Bug was born. I know Aidan has loving having her here to push...I mean play around with!! Mommy and Daddy both love you very much!!

Splish, Splash We Were Takin' a Bath!!

2008-01-16T19:29:00.000-06:00

These pictures were so sweet, I just had to share them. Bath time here at the Rhea house is pretty hectic. Larr and I have devised a pretty awesome "assembly line" in which one is washing while the other is drying. I must admit, however, that we two adults, we two educated and mature adults, are no match for two small children with a plan. It's fairly humiliating. But even so, when it's all said and done, when Larr is changing back into a dry shirt and I'm wondering if the diaper rash ointment will come out of my hair, our babies are too precious to stay mad at for long. Just look at 'em!

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-28T13:58:00.000-06:00

Yes, that's right. I'm FINALLY getting up our Christmas post. Why is it that the holidays never feel much like a "holiday?" Where's the rest? Where's the relaxation that's implied in such a word? I don't know about you guys, but I'm STILL tired! The house finally looks like a house again, and not some dumping ground for boxes, instruction manuals and random batteries. And our sweets are nearly gone. But this Christmas, no matter how hectic it was, will always be special. This was indeed a Christmas of firsts for us. For example, it was:

1. Sophie's first Christmas EVER!

2. our niece, Clara's, first Christmas EVER!

3. my complete family's first Christmas together.

4. the first year Aidan REALLY understood the concept of Santa, presents, and became genuinely excited on Christmas morning.

If you could bottle moments in time and keep them forever, this Christmas would definitely go on my shelf. Here are some pictures from the day. Hope everyone's new year is safe and happy!

Sophie enjoys her new shape sorting blocks and the "My Little Pony" Santa left in her stocking.

Ace sat on a bow and it stuck to his little tushie! I couldn't resist--I had to have a picture!! This one comes out when he brings his first girlfriend home....

A Christmas kiss for baby "Care-la."

Babies' first Christmas, Clara and Sophie.

A Visit With Saint Nick

2007-12-08T21:14:00.000-06:00

This year marked a very important milestone for us. This was the first year that we took our children, our entire little family, to see Santa Claus at Bywaters Park. It was so completely sweet and perfect....I can't think of a better way to put it. Aidan was totally awestruck and managed to find the courage to tell Santa he was hoping for a train set. And Sophie....well, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Santa's Comin' to Town!

2007-12-07T19:19:00.000-06:00

Last weekend Larr put on his very skankiest clothes and braved the attic to bring our MANY boxes of Christmas decor out of hibernation. We spent the entire day Saturday taking down, putting up, and just plain ol' deckin' those halls! Ace was a huge help this year. He found the branches for me as I put the tree together, put several of the ornaments on, and was on bulb-burn out duty for his dad who was working on the outside lights. Sophie's efforts, however, left something to be desired. Let's just say that I'll be needing several new strands of garland next year and leave it at that. Here are some pictures from the day. Ho, Ho, Ho everyone!

This is our gingerbread village. I started collecting them a couple of years ago; I get a new piece or two every Christmas!

Sophie hangs her "Baby's First Christmas" ornament. It's so weird that she's nearly a year old, but this will be her first Christmas!

Introductions...

2007-11-30T21:28:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we all headed down to Grapevine so everyone could officially meet little Clara. We had a great time, especially the kids. Sophie was a bit jealous watching her mama cuddle with another baby, but she came around. And to quote Aidan, "I love baby Carla (pronounced "Care-la"). Me too, Ace...me too.

May I present....Miss Clara Jane Rhea

2007-11-13T19:52:00.000-06:00

There are no words to describe what I witnessed over the last 24 hours. All I can say is that my sister-in-law is one of the strongest, bravest women I know! Clara Jane Rhea was born this morning at 9:45 a.m. She weighed 9lbs'7oz, was 22in. long, and is completely beautiful. Mom, Dad, and baby are all doing well and are (hopefully) resting after an extremely difficult labor. I put together a slideshow so I could show off my new niece! Enjoy!!

Say Cheese!

2007-11-13T18:39:00.000-06:00

Here's Aidan's school picture for this year. The group that did them was so cool! They dress the kids up in 4 different outfits and do all kinds of poses and stuff....too cute!! Anyway, all of the pictures were precious, but this one really captured the essence of our Ace Rhea. Don't you think?

Trick-or-Treat!

2007-10-31T21:43:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. So it's been a while since I've posted anything on the blog! Sigh...honestly I have no excuse other than we've been so busy that most days I meet myself going and coming! But no way is Halloween gonna pass without a post. And what a great Halloween it was, too! We kicked off the festivities with our annual pumpkin carving celebration with Kari and Joe. As usual, the pumpkins were AWESOME! Then Friday night we headed over to Uncle D's for a weenie roast and pumpkin carving contest, complete with prizes and everything. So fun! Larr took third prize this year. He was a little disappointed, but he handled it like a champ. We're working with Aidan on how to be a good loser, so it wouldn't have gone over well had Larr fallen to the floor in a kicking, screaming fit. Ha-ha!! Then Saturday night, despite the kids having blicky colds, we took them trick-or-treating for a while. We started at Aunt B's, and we worked our way back into Paris where we stopped at Mema Tallant's, Grandma's, and Aunt Kari and Uncle Joe's. We finally made it out to Powderly to round out the evening with rice krispy treats at Mamaw and Papaw's. Yummy! And finally, tonight we capped off Halloween 2007 with the Pumpkin Patch Festival at church. Needless to say, the kids had a ball and I'll be bringing candy as my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner this year. Enjoy the slide show!

School Days...

2007-08-27T19:25:00.000-05:00

Well, it was officially back to the grind for us teachers today. So far all has gone well. I had only freshmen today; I have two junior classes and one more freshmen class tomorrow. Things went pretty much as I expected for my sweet little fish. They were literally paralyzed with fear, most of them afraid to speak. They were frantically trying to decipher which lunch they had and how in the world they were going to get to their locker on the far end of the top floor and back down to the gym on the opposite end of the school in time to get dressed out for PE. Sigh...bless their little hearts....how can you not love 'em?

But I'm not the only one in school now. As most of you already know, our little man started to day care full time last week! And so far he's done pretty well really. This morning was a little rough; he's getting over a cold and we had to leave extra early since I wanted to be on the road before the other "first day of school" crazies. And those of you who know my son also know that he is NOT a morning person. But he's really enjoying it so far. His teacher's name is Samantha; she's a young girl, and very sweet. Aidan told me the other day, "She's a nice girl; I love her sometimes." An honest response. They have lesson plans that they send home each week so we know what they're doing and what they're learning. I love it, and hopefully it'll get easier to leave him there in the mornings, eating his breakfast with the other kids, so tiny and sweet but so big and independent. I really need that day to come quickly.

Hot Fun in the Summertime!

2007-08-18T19:28:00.000-05:00

What a summer it's been! So many firsts, so many memories....and it's almost over! I'm trying very hard to be brave. I've really enjoyed being with the kids these last couple of months; I'm going to miss watching "Diego" in the mornings with Ace over a bowl of cereal, and kissing my baby girl's nearly bald head as she dozes off for her nap. But there is a part of me that's ready to rejoin the adult world. I can only play Hungry Hungry Hippos so many times before it seriously begins to lose its luster. And I take solace in knowing there'll be so many more summers to come! Here are some new pictures of the kids taken over the last couple of weeks. This was what life was like for them all summer....I wish that kind of joy for everyone.

Aidan's big birthday

2007-07-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

Well it's been quite a summer here at the Rhea house. There've been lots of home improvements, lots of good times, lots of memories made. One that is sure to stay with us always is Ace's 3rd birthday. We opted to have his party at the Gordon this year, which was awesome. It was a beautiful day, we had the pool to ourselves, there were mountains of sweets, and Ace got all kinds of goodies. Thanks to all of you who came, and to those who couldn't...we missed you! Instead of giving him several gifts this year, Larr and I decided that it might be fun to DO something with him. So that's what we did. And Saturday we took him to Fort Worth for his very first trip to the zoo! And for those of you who think the zoo is for kids only, I just have to firmly disagree with you. It was so awesome! The exhibits are amazing! It was pretty hot, and VERY crowded, but we honestly didn't mind a bit. Ace had a blast, and that's all we were hoping for. Check out our slide shows for pictures from the birthday party and the zoo!

Lordy Be, Look Who's 3!!

2007-07-21T15:07:00.000-05:00

Well folks, the tiny man is steadily becoming not so tiny anymore. Can you believe Ace is 3 years old today?! Sigh...time flies by so quickly. Every day he learns something new, or teaches us something new for that matter. I'm so proud of our big boy! And in the spirit of new big boy tricks, here's his latest. He's actually been able to do this for the last few months, but this is the first time he's let us film it. I don't know about you guys, but I do believe we're raising the next American Idol!

Busy Busy Busy!

2007-07-14T21:50:00.000-05:00

So here we are a month after my last post, and I figured it was about time I put up another! Whew, this blogging thing is hard work! And speaking of hard work, that's pretty much all that's been going on this summer at the Rhea house. Here's an update on all that's happened; I'll do my best to be brief. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Go ahead and get comfortable. Hey, stay put and read on and I'll reward you with pictures when it's over!

Anywho, first off we have Ace and Sophie's first PROFESSIONAL photo session to talk about. It was awesome! We went to Newsom's Photography in Detroit, who's amazing by the way, and Melanie spent about an hour snapping pictures of the kids wearing two different outfits in various poses. They're so cute, you guys. Wait 'til you see them. And they look great hanging in the house, too. These are pictures I'll keep and treasure forever.

Moving on to our home improvement projects. First up is Sophie's room. Joe painted her a beautiful mural complete with rolling hills, heart-shaped sunset, and a field of flowers. It's so pretty. And then I chose a lavendar color for her other three walls. And I just haven't been happy with the wall color. To me a nursery should be a place where you walk in and instantly release a sigh of contentment, full of love and dreaminess. And I just wasn't feelin' the love there. The purple walls felt dark, and sort of sad to me. And this bothered me. I was so in love with Aidan's nursery, and so much at peace when I was in there with him, that to feel anything less in Sophia's room was truly traumatic for me. So I redid it. I kept her mural, but repainted the walls a sunny yellow color on the bottom, and a pink balloon color on top with a wallpaper border in between to break it up. And the border's perfect. It's got flowers, butterflies, ladybugs, bumblebees...in case you didn't know we did a springy garden theme for her. And I love it now. I smile every time I walk in, even if it's to change a poopy diaper!

As for the rest of the house, we've taken on two very large projects all at once, a mistake we won't make again. It's turned out alright, though. We've been painting the exterior of the house on the days it doesn't rain, and on the days it does we lay our new laminate flooring! And we're almost done with both now. The outside needs one more coat on the trim, and then we'll paint the door and shutters a dark blue color. I think it'll be pretty. And Larr's about 3/4 the way done with the floor, too. I'm not even gonna pretend that I have anything to do with that. Beyond handing him the wood and any tool he may need, I'm pretty useless. Too much measureing and cutting. But it's beautiful. We're putting it in the living room, kitchen, and hallway, and it makes the house look so clean, big, and bright. I love it. The kids are diggin' it, too. Ace's trucks can go super fast on the new floor, and Sophie can now access pretty much any room in the house via her walker on the nice smooth surface.

Well, I guess that's about all for now. I'll try to post more frequently so as not to burden you all with a novella just so you can get to what we all know you REALLY want...the pictures!! So here they are. Enjoy!

Dad's Little Helper

2007-06-15T13:52:00.000-05:00

Things are hoppin' at the Rhea house! Summer's here, the weather's good and sultry (ick), and the home improvement projects have officially commenced. Our focus right now is on the exterior of our house. We're finally gonna paint it! I know, I know...why would we ever want to get rid of the lovely shade of baby blue/gray that accents our charming beige brick hacienda?? Excuse me while I barf!! So Dad let Larr borrow his powerwasher to blast the old crustyness off the house, which was awesome. That thing packs a punch I tell ya what! But there were still some places that needed a little scraping. So the other night while Sophie and I were making dinner, the boys went outside and got to work on that! Ace is quite the little worker bee! I'll put more pictures up as we get some paint on the house. Much love!

Hmmm...there's something different about Sophie...

2007-05-29T19:32:00.000-05:00

That's right! Our girl got her ears pierced today! It was quite a big deal, too...a right of passage if you will. She's older looking, more mature now. Sophisticated. No, seriously she's totally adorable! Mom and Becca came with me (and thank the Lord they did cuz I cried only a little less than Sophie did), and we chose a pair of tiny diamond flowers for our little lady bug! And she was so good! Cried for just a bit and then nothin'. We were even able to continue our shopping! The men of the house gave them a thumbs up, too. Larr accepts it as the beginning of an inevitable cycle of girliness and a fascination with shiny things. And to quote Aidan, "They pitty for her!" For those of you that don't speak Ace Rhea, that's, "They're pretty for her!"

The Easter Bunny Was Here!

2007-04-10T19:26:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody! Well I hope you guys had a good Easter; we sure did. We went to church that morning and then headed to Mom and Dad's for dinner and an egg hunt. It was a little weird this year having to bundle the tiny man up in a coat and hat to hunt eggs, but he had a blast nevertheless. And Sophie was precious, laughing and chatting it up with her Meme and Pop. Maybe next year she'll be racing Aidan to the eggs! I think it's safe to say that the Easter Bunny was definitely good to us this year.

She keeps growing and growing and growing...

2007-04-01T14:18:00.000-05:00

Hello all! I know it's been a while since we've posted anything. I'm officially back at work and into the swing of things again, so you can imagine that our free time has pretty much dwindled down to nada. Just a small update then, with more to come later--I promise!

Sophie's getting so big. She's sleeping less during the day (and more at night--yay!) so we get to play with her more. She smiles and laughs and coos. Sometimes she gets this really serious look on her face like what she's "saying" is of the utmost importance. Other times she'll say something and then kind of laugh like she told a joke and she thinks it's hilarious. It's pretty cute. She's officially out of her size 0-3 clothes and into 3-6's now. Quite the little butterball she is! Aidan is still completely infatuated with her. He likes to burp her after she eats and is dying to walk around with her in his arms like Larr and I do. Tuesdays and Thursdays are rough because he goes to school and Sophie stays with Denise. He has a real problem with leaving her on those days; Larr says it's pretty pitiful. I'm so happy and so thankful that he's adapted to our new family member so well. They're just crazy about each other, and although I know it will probably change one day, I'm totally loving it while it lasts. Just look at the adoration in that baby's eyes. She loves her bubba!!

Happy Birthday, Sophie!

2007-02-21T20:50:00.000-06:00

Well, here we are a month later, and I can't believe that it's already been that long since our precious baby girl arrived. Everyone's doing great, too. Ace has taken on the role of big brother like a champ. In fact he takes it pretty seriously. He's very protective of his little sister and doesn't like for people he doesn't know that well to hold her. He's on wet wipe duty when we change her, and he's always ready to stick a passie in her mouth (whether she wants it or not). Larr and I are still adjusting to those night time feedings, though. That part's pretty rough, but we try and snag a nap whenever we can. It's been a fast month, I tell ya what. There's been so much growth and change within our little family already...I can't wait to see what the next year brings!

What a little man....

2007-02-03T14:25:00.000-06:00

Ace and his dad got a haircut the other day, and he actually let Kimmie fix it this time! Hmmm...wonder who chose this style?? Seriously, though, is he a little Larr or what?! He's getting so big...

Photo Gallery for Sophia

2007-01-26T19:39:00.000-06:00

Well it has taken me a little while to get this put up here but I have finally got it done. You can click over on the link under our photo galleries or just click here!!

Sophia Grace Rhea

2007-01-22T21:01:00.000-06:00

Sophia Grace Rhea was born at 6:02 tonight!
She weighed 7lbs 6oz and was 19.5inches!
Aidan is very happy to see baby Sohpia!!

Two days to go!!!

2007-01-20T14:40:00.000-06:00

Well it is Saturday and we have just two days to go untill Sophia is born....unless she comes early. Just a little post to let everybody know that Monday morning at 5:30 we will be arriving at the hospital to have a baby!! Hope to see anybody there that can make it!!

HO HO HO!!

2006-12-22T22:00:00.000-06:00

Well, it was shaping up to be a bit of a bleak Christmas this year as it appeared we'd missed our only opportunity to see Santa. However, tonight we were hit with a spot of luck! Larr and I thought it'd be fun to take Ace to the Winter Wonderland in Bywaters Park for a bit. It was a nice night out, and the little man really enjoys looking at Christmas lights. So as we're driving through the square and past the tiny red hut where the jolly old elf usually camps out, what do we spy but a light on inside! He was there! Santa was, quite literally, "in da house!" So in true Larr form, tires screech and he peels out in our beloved new CR-V quite the way you'd imagine Bo and Luke Duke to do in a race to escape Boss Hog. We sped home, grabbed our camera, and got back just in time for Ace to see the big guy. And he was so good, too! I just knew he'd be terrified of him. And he was a little bashful at first, but he was all grins later on, especially after receiving his complimentary candy cane. It doesn't take much to win our man over. Here are some of the pictures I took. Merry Christmas and much love, you guys!

Vince Flynn

2006-11-12T14:50:00.000-06:00

I have just finished reading a book by an author named Vince Flynn. Yes I know those of you that know me are probably asking yourself.... Larr reading a book?? I have never read much cause I have always been a slow reader. I mean it took me like 3 or 4 months to read 1 of the Lord of the Rings books. Those books were like around 350 pages. I just finished reading Vince Flynn's first book "Term Limits" a 612 page book in just 8 days. It just blows my mind as to how quick I was able to read it. The book was awesome. He has about 5 or 6 others and is about to or has just finished his most recent. If you like reading I would highly recommend checking his stuff out. Something impressive about him is that growing up he was afraid to read or write due to his dyslexia. I think it is something to have over come that and now be writing books. Here is what is on the back of "Term Limits" telling you a little about the book.

"In one bloody night, three of Washington's most powerful politicians are executed with surgical precision. Their assassins then deliver a shocking ultimatum to the American government: set aside partisan politics and restore power to the people. No one, they warn, is out of their reach — not even the president. A joint FBI-CIA task force reveals the killers are elite military commandos, but no one knows exactly who they are or when they will strike next. Only Michael O'Rourke, a former U.S. Marine and freshman congressman, holds a clue to the violence: a haunting incident in his own past with explosive implications for his country's future...."

If you are interested in checking more out on this author you can check him out at is website. http://www.vinceflynn.com

Late Hallowen Post

2006-11-06T18:54:00.000-06:00

Well we had some fun over Halloween!! We were involved in 2 pumpkin carvings and an awesome night of trick-or-treating with Aidan. We first carved pumpkins out at Christi's parents house with more people than I could count. I think in the end we had around 8 to 10 pumpkins carved. Our pumpkins are pictured below. Mine is the the Black Pearl.....the ship from Pirates of the Carabean. Christi and Aidan did Eeyore. I think they both look pretty good!! The next weekend we carved pumpkins with Kari, Joe, and Joe's nephew's. It was a ton of fun!! Our pumpkins from that carve are below. Mine is the wolf face and Christi's is the little devil. Then the big night came!! Aidan dressed up as a little pirate and headed out in search of his "treasure." First off we went over to his Aunt Kari and Uncle Joe's house. He got a good amount of candy from them! Then we headed out to his Aunt B's house in Blossom. He got more candy, a little kitty finger puppet, and a Halloween cup out there! Third on the list was his Meme and Papa's house. No surprise here, but he really got loaded up with candy there. He also left with a few new toys and some stickers as well. Our final stop of the night was at his Mamaw and Papaw's. We loaded him up with some more candy, and with all the sugar in his body we left him there for the night!! It was a peaceful night for Christi and me anyway. You can see a couple of pictures from that night below as well. It was a great Halloween, and we are looking forward to next year! Brace yourselves for two trick-or-treaters on Halloween '07! Perhaps you should start buying candy now...

Two cars at last!!

2006-10-09T17:38:00.000-05:00

Well it took some time, but we are finally a two car family again!! It's awesome. We went to Honda last week, and after a little work and negotiating, we came away with a set of wheels for Christi. She's wanted a CR-V for a while now, and so that is what we got her. It's really roomy and drives great! Just look at the pictures below!!

First I would like to thank the academy....

2006-09-25T21:23:00.000-05:00

Well last Saturday was my 10 year class reunion. It's crazy because it doesn't feel like it has been 10 years since I graduated. While we were there, they had us all answer questions about our families, who's changed the most, who's changed the least, and just other stuff like that. And as you can see below I won the award for who's changed the most. It kinda shocked me. I really didn't think I had changed, but after looking at pictures of my long, bleach blonde hair when we graduated, I guess I am a bit different now. There were actually a few people who didn't recognize me until they heard my name called for the award and I got up. The reunion was a blast though! I am now looking forward to our next one!!

Happy Birthday Christi!!

2006-09-24T10:44:00.000-05:00

Yes I know I am bad and should be beat!! I am getting this up here one day late!! Happy 27th Birthday Cherry Pie!!

Starting for the Texas Rangers.....

2006-09-01T14:10:00.000-05:00

Bob : This is Bob Costas with Al Micheal's here at the Rangers 1st game of the season.
Al : Bob the Rangers are looking really good this season....I really think they could have a shot at the series this year!
Bob : I agree with you. Honestly I really feel a lot of it has to do with their new rookie 2nd baseman Aidan Rhea.
Al : This kid has to be one of the greatest players to play 2nd base in a long time.
Bob : You know Al I have heard that he got all his talent from his father an excellent 2nd baseman in his time.
Al : Yes Bob I have heard the same thing!
Bob : You know Al we have a clip of young Aidan working out in his back yard as a kid. Even then you could tell that this kid was going somewhere.
Al : Your absolutely right....had the scouts seen him then he probably would have been the first 2 year old ever signed to a major league contract.
Bob : Well Al lets have the viewers click here and take a look at that footage!

Say hello to Sophia Grace Rhea!!

2006-08-28T12:01:00.000-05:00

Well we didn't tell anybody but we had a sonogram today and we were able to find out if we were having a boy or a girl. We didn't tell anybody because when we were supposed to find out if Aidan was a boy or girl he had his legs crossed and we had to tell everybody that we didn't find out. We were very happy today to find out we are having a girl. Below are a few pictures from the sonogram today.

Here is a picure of her little face!!

This is a picture of her when she was waving to us!

And a picture of her legs!

Here is a graph showing how the results turned out. We ended up having a total of 100 votes.

A) Phoebe Grace Rhea (Bright, Shining one; Greek)
B) Sophia Grace Rhea (Wisdom; Greek)
C) Sabrina Grace Rhea (Princess; Celtic)

Just so ya'll know what the name would have been if it would have been a boy.

A) Christian Thomas Rhea (Christian Faith; English)
B) Cole Thomas Rhea (Warrior; Celtic)
C) Sean Thomas Rhea (God is gracious; Celtic)

1 Week Down....A Lot More to Go

2006-08-19T15:55:00.000-05:00

Yes, folks, I'm still alive! It's gonna take more than a bunch of freshman and one mouthy junior to keep me down! The first week of school was definitely a hard one. My body and my mind haven't been this tired in a VERY long time. I think I'm getting the hang of things, though. The hardest part is just trying to get my lessons together. I mean I have NOTHING, ya know? I know now why people say your first year of teaching is the hardest. I really think I'm gonna enjoy my kids, though. Oh, I've got some stinkers, don't get me wrong. But there were some moments this week where there was some genuine engagement going on. And one student, whom I've had problems from in the past, hasn't given me any trouble since a heart-to-heart I had with him the first day of class. I don't wanna count my chickens before they're hatched, but I think it's gonna be a great year.

Big Foot in Paris, TX???

2006-07-26T18:38:00.000-05:00

I saw on a Tyler TV station web site that people had been searching for Big Foot at Lamar Point just North of Paris. I was blown away when I saw this. You can see it for yourself here. Do I believe there is such a thing as a Big Foot? Honestly I can't say one way or the other. I think I really want it be real just cause I think it would be cool. Until I see proof I'll always just kinda wonder. I don't think it is out of the question that there are creatures that we have never seen before. I have been told that at one time gorillas and sharks were thought to be myths. The people that were searching for Big Foot here do this all the time. You can check out their web site here. After reading about some of their encounters it makes you wonder. They invited along the reporter from the Tyler TV station one night. This reporter, an ex Navy Seal, went out there not really believing at all. After seeing a footprint with 57'' stepping strides, something very large stood up and squated back down in the swamp, seen through their infrared equipment. After seeing the huge dark figure run off into the woods, he says it makes him rethink what he believes. I don't know what you think or believe, but it just all makes me wonder.

Celebrate Good Times--Come On!!

2006-07-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday was Ace's 2nd birthday party...and what a party it was!! The weather was beautiful, although it could've been a little cooler. But hey, it's July...what'd I expect, right? The turnout was great; Meme and Papa's house was full! The pool hasn't seen that much rockin' in a long time, which brings back some great memories. And Larr was all over the grill; the hot dogs were awesome! Finally, after the cake and ice cream, we moved on to the presents. And much like last year, Ace couldn't have cared less. My instincts tell me that will change soon enough, however. He got some great stuff, though! And luckily Kami and Emma were there to help me open it all up! It was a great day. And although he doesn't get it right now, some day he'll understand what a lucky little man he is to have so many people that love him.

Help us name the new baby!!

2006-07-23T10:30:00.000-05:00

Well after much thought, and maybe some bickering, we've managed to narrow our names for the new baby down to 3 boy names and 3 girl names. But we need your help! We've designed an online poll where you can vote for your favorite name for each sex. The winning name will be the one we choose for baby Rhea #2! Now we're not going to pretend that we're anywhere near strong enough to keep the sex of the baby a secret once we find out, but we'd like to try and let the winning name be a surprise. We're getting pretty excited about all this; our family is about to be complete! And we're most happy to have our loved ones play a part in the process, too. You can get to the poll by clicking here.

Happy Birthday, Ace!!

2006-07-21T11:09:00.000-05:00

Well, it appears our little man isn't so little any more. That's right! Aidan is TWO years old today! And I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. It's amazing how much he's changed and learned (and how much Larr and I have changed and learned, for that matter!) in these two tiny years alone. And what a great day it's been! We played all morning, stopping only to load the dishwasher or dryer. The best part of his day, however, came around 10:30 when he received a special delivery from his Meme and Papa! Thanks for the balloons, you guys; he LOVES them!

We are having a baby!!

2006-07-05T18:56:00.000-05:00

Wow 2 posts in the same day!! Well some things just happen without planning. And along that same theme, Christi recently began to suspect she may be pregnant, but she honestly just didn't see how it could be possible. I mean, we weren't planning on having another baby for at least another year or so. But just to make sure, and for some peace of mind, we went and bought a pregnancy test. She took it, and we waited the required 3 LONG minutes. We finally looked at it, totally expecting it to be negative. Well surprise....it was positive! I was very quickly made to go get more tests because, well "this one must be bad or expired or something". Two additional pregnancy tests later it was still positive. The due date is January 29th. Her first doctor's appointment was today, and we also had a sonogram. We have our names narrowed down to a few possibilities, and we'll be putting up a poll soon to let people vote on what we should name the baby. How fun will that be?! Anyway, stay tuned for updates!

We love the Beach!!

2006-07-05T17:48:00.000-05:00

Well I know this is long overdue, but I wanted to wait until we had all the pictures we wanted to put on here before we did a post. The second week of June we went to South Padre with Christi's family to vacation and celebrate her Dad's 50th birthday! We had a blast! To start the trip we flew from Dallas to Harlingen. It was Aidan's first flight and my second. I wasn't really looking forward to it. Just something about being that high in the air and moving mechanical parts just don't sit well with me! If it wasn't for some of the turbulance I would have been more calm I think. Ace was a real trooper, though. Christi planned for every possible malfunction/meltdown the child could possibly have by packing a huge duffle bag full of toys and snacks, and he ended up sleeping half the way and looking quietly out the window the other half! Crazy! Finally we landed and headed to the condo, which was very nice. Very homey. Once we were there we spent a good amount of time at the beach, with the occasional trip out to dinner or shopping. I also went fishing with all the guys. We opted to fish in the bay rather than out in the open ocean. We'd been told the odds of catching fish were better that way. And boy were they!! We caught 60 pounds worth of fish! Later that night we grilled what we caught at the picnic area downstairs. All in all it was a great vacation, filled with food, fun, family and friends. We're so going back one day. Take a look at our gallery for some fabulous Padre pics!

Alright class, settle down now...

2006-06-08T21:54:00.000-05:00

Well it's official! I signed my contract with North Lamar yesterday and am now a bonafide....wait for it.......teacher. I honestly thought this day would never get here, you guys. God has totally answered my prayers on this one. Not only do I get to teach at North Lamar, my alma mater and birthplace of some of my greatest memories and friendships, but I also get my own room! I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "Wow, woman! You must've done something so fabulous that Somebody upstairs just plain sat up and took some notice!" Well, as if things couldn't get any better, my room is right next door to my mom's! Crazy, huh?! Oh the shenanigans we'll get into....but I digress!
I've got a pretty decent schedule, too. They have me teaching English I and English III. That's freshman and juniors. Now I do have some mixed feelings about this. I adore freshman. Don't ask me why; I think I'm the only one who does. And juniors are okay, but that's the exit year for TAKS, meaning I have to prepare them to pass the TAKS test or they don't pass....well, high school. That's a lot of pressure on a first year teacher! But the plus side? The juniors that I'll have were my freshman when I was doing my student teaching, so we've worked on TAKS together before. They know me and what I expect of them, which is gonna be a huge help, I think. So it's cool; no worries. I'll take a sedative, slap on a smile, and maybe even teach these kids something! Well, either that, or they'll turn me into that woman up there. Yeah, wish me luck.

Peppers are a bloomin'

2006-05-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year I made myself a little jalapeno pepper garden. Next year I am going to grow more stuff, but for now I'm just startin' with the peppers. I've been waiting for them to start showing me something, and today they came through for me! Hopefully I will be able to make some stuffed peppers real soon!!!

four years down...

2006-05-25T09:02:00.000-05:00

Larr and I can't believe that four whole years ago today we were getting married! Time sure does fly when you're having fun, huh? It's been an awesome journey so far, full of tears and joy, pain and laughter. I'm so lucky that I get to share it all with my best friend.

A Very Hoppy Easter!

2006-04-18T12:39:00.000-05:00

Well, another great Easter has come and gone, and what a beautiful one it was, too. I hope you all had as awesome a day as we did. It was especially cool since the little man was able to hunt eggs for the VERY FIRST time! Can you believe that last year at this time he wasn't even walking yet? Now he runs everywhere he goes! And run he did...from egg to egg to egg. It was too cute. It took a couple of "practice finds" with help from his daddy to get the routine down, but pretty soon he was hunting all by himself. He even found one that Larr had forgotten about! I think his favorite part of the day, though, was getting to eat the candy that was inside the eggs. He does love the sugar!

gone fishin'

2006-04-12T15:47:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday we went out to my Grandad's for some fishing and a weenie roast. And it was so much fun! The fish were biting pretty well, too. I think everyone caught (or nearly caught in my case...the fish were seriously hatin' on me) at least one. Larr had three really good ones, and my new cousin, Bailey, caught a HUGE bass!! She's only 10, so it pretty much made her day. Later we built a fire under a great shade tree and had hot dogs, chips, beans, and my favorite--smores! I think the award for "Most Fun Had in a Single Day" goes to Aidan, though. He and I shared a fishin' pole, he rode 4-wheelers with his Papa and gathered wood for the fire. And I'm pretty sure he ate more hot dogs and smores than I did. By the end of the day he was covered in dirt, smelled like a cow pattie, and was completely worn out. It was awesome.

He's HOW OLD??!

2006-03-30T07:54:00.000-06:00

Happy 28th birthday, Larr!
Hope it's a great day!

Vacation, all I ever wanted; Vacation, had to get away!!

2006-03-16T17:18:00.000-06:00

Just when I think my girlish silliness and athleticism (or at least what I perceive to be athleticism) have vanished with the last truckload of Aidan's dirty diapers, Larr and I sneak off to our beloved River's Edge Cottages and rediscover what it means to be alive and young. No matter how cruel or stressful the "real world" can be, Larr and I can always count on our little piece of heaven in the mountains to help us unwind, reconnect, and just...well...goof off! And this trip was particularly fun since Larr and I successfully completed the hike we couldn't make it through last time. Hey, don't laugh! That mountain is friggin' HUGE! It makes it easy to remember just how tiny we really are in this great big world. Totally humbling. And it's so peaceful! The only sound to be heard is the rushing of the river and the occasional hoot owl. We had such a great time. Meme (that's my mom) graciously offered to keep Ace while we were gone, so no worries there. We packed up several of our board games (you have to make your own fun since there's no TV or telephone...que the Hallelujah Chorus), PLENTY of food (we really splurged in that area...I was seriously so bloated when we left; it was disgusting), and about a week's worth of clothes for a just a couple of days. See, you never really know how warm or cold it'll be up there, so it's best just to be prepared. I highly recommend this place to you guys. The cabin we stayed in, the Mountain Escape, is designed to cater to couples, but they have others that would be great for families, too. Check out the photo gallery for more pictures of the hike and our cabin.

Aidan and Blue

2006-03-11T16:27:00.000-06:00

Aidan's favorite tv show is Blue's Clues. Pretty much every morning he runs into the living room and points at the tv wanting us to turn on one of the many Blue's Clues episodes we have recorded. Ask him if he wants to watch Blue when we are in another room and he turns and sprints into the living room. He dances and does most of the gestures during the songs. Click here to download a video clip of him dancing. Check out the picture below of Aidan watching Blue in the morning before he heads of to Mother's Day Out. Remember when we were kids and assumed the same position to watch our favorite cartoon? It's so cool to see things come full circle like that.

'cause I'm bad to tha bone!

2006-02-26T12:45:00.000-06:00

Last weekend a bandana came with Christi's shampoo. Aidan has been all about it. He will run and face the wall where I first put it on him and waits for me to tie the badness on his head over and over again! He is absolutly hilarious with it on. All he needs now is his Harley Davidson and I think he will be set!

What's this....a post????

2006-01-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

Yeah I know we haven't posted anything on here in awhile. It's getting harder to have time when Aidan is constantly grabbing me by the leg, flipping me on my back and dragging me outside. Lately though, mainly thanks to the musicspace commercials, we have been on a huge 80's music kick. We both have always loved the tunes of the 80's but seeing and hearing them on those commecials really get us craving them. We got the Monster Ballads Platinum Edition and have been wearing it out. There are 2 cd's and of course I am hooked more on one and Christi is hooked on the other, which often leads to some feisty debates in the car. There are 3 songs that I am enjoying the most! You will need Real Player to hear these. <Poison - EveryRose Has It's Thorn> <Cinderella - Don't Know What You Got Til It's Gone> <Slaughter - Fly To The Angels> There are definately many other great songs on these cd's but there are just to many to list on here. There's just something about those electric guitar solos and pounding rhythms that take me back to a better, simpler time, ya know? There are no political slams or questions about God; just plain ol' good rock and roll. I definitely recommend checking out all the other songs. You might find yourselves needing to own these cd's as well. And yes, I know lots of you out there are probably saying, "Oh sweet fancy, 80's rock is so cheesy!" Well, maybe...but if loving it is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

Shanna Banana ties the knot!

2005-11-10T14:58:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we headed to Louisiana for my best friend, Shanna's, wedding. It was so much fun, and Shanna and her new husband, Dave, are perfect for each other. This girl probably knows me better than I know myself, so you can imagine how emotional it was seeing her standing at the altar with Dave, looking so beautiful and happy. As they were saying their vows and tears were welling in my eyes, all I could think of were all the crazy things we'd been through together. From the time we took pieces from Bobby's deer stand to build a fort in the woods behind her house, to the time we disobeyed our parents' wishes and drove to Dallas for a Toadies concert. And all the births, deaths, graduations, and weddings in between then and now...I realized this weekend that we're beginning a brand new chapter in our lives. We're officially adults. I wonder what we'll get into next? Check out our photo gallery on the right for shots from the big day.

The Carving Continues

2005-11-02T21:14:00.000-06:00

Every halloween.....well starting last year, we have had a pumpkin carving contest with Christi's parents out at their house. Well this year the contest continued. Starting at about 5 pm we got the tools ready to carve up those pumpkins. Don't know why, but my mother-in-law always feels it nesesery to talk constant smack to me, as if shaking the table wasn't distracting enough for me. It took about 2 hours or so, but the contest was finished. Below are some pictures.

The party bat on the left is John and Debbie's and the spider is mine and Christi's

Some people have tried to say that it is a fixed contest but I disagree. Below is a picture of me with my winning prize shirt!!!!

The Carving 2

2005-10-26T17:24:00.000-05:00

Well we have carved our second set of pumpkins. We were all hard at it Saturday night. Christi was working on hers too but somebody had to take the picture. It was a little cold outside for Kari so we decided to cover up their kitchen table and go to work.
Here is a picture of all 4 of the pumkins. From left to right is Kari's scary monters, the reaper that I did, Christi's scary monsters, and Joe's wicked spider. I hope that aren't too scary for you!!

Below is a close up of mine and Chisti's Pumpkins. I am planning on carving at least one more so I will be sure to put it on here. I am going going to carve a turkey into a pumpkin for Thanksgiving. So keep an eye out!

Let the carving begin!!!

2005-10-17T00:51:00.000-05:00

I've really gotten into carving pumpkins for halloween. Last year I did a witch stirring her brew and also did the headless horseman. Christi helped me a lot with the witch!! So far this year, I have done a castle and Christi has done a grinning ghost that's pictured below. We've never really been into the whole spirit of Halloween thing. For us, All Hallow's Eve typically consisted of a good movie and dinner furnished by Domino's. We'd stay hunkered down like a couple of hermits, muttering and deep sighing everytime the doorbell rang. Torn from our utterly important cinematic feature, we were forced to throw some candy to some chunky, ungrateful Tinkerbell. But now that Ace is here, it's like this grumpy dark cloud has been lifted, and we're all of a sudden skipping through the costume isle at Wal-Mart and buying candy in bulk. And it's also from here that my love for pumpkin carving has been born. What can I say? Having a kid brings out the kid in ya. Aidan helped his mom get started on her pumpkin. Mostly he just enjoyed squishing the innards and tasting the seeds. Still a good little helper, though.
Kari and Joe also did some carving with us Saturday night....it was a ton of fun and I believe we are all going to carve some more before Halloween gets here. Below is the picture of all our pumpkins together. Joe did the scary skull, and Kari carved the deadly diva. Pretty cool, huh?

Oprah's Bright Idea

2005-09-21T15:21:00.000-05:00

I've never been certain just how I feel about Oprah Winfrey. To me she's always walked a dangerously fine line between being a saint and being plain 'ol pretentious. But I gotta give 'er some serious props for once 'cause she came up with a REALLY cool way to help the victims of Katrina get back on their feet. Ladies, you're especially gonna enjoy this. She's set up a registry on her website, like the ones used for weddings and babies, where people can shop for items to help furnish a home for a family who lost theirs to the hurricane. You can choose from something as simple as a toaster, or you can go all out and buy an entire kitchen. I love it. Mostly because I love to shop, I guess. But for those of you who would rather shovel poo than go through the turmoil of having to choose an item (i.e., you get stomach pains hoping it's a good item...the right item), there's also a place where you can make a simple cash donation. And for those of you who can swing it, you can even purchase a house to be built by Habitat for Humanity. Pretty cool, huh? Just go to www.oprah.com and click on "Oprah's Katrina Home Registry" on the left. The main window in the middle will switch over. Click on that, and it'll take you to the registry. Sound confusing? Yeah, it is a little. I must've clicked on the first little window like 30 times before I ever realized what was happening. But it was well worth the wait!

Past few weeks

2005-09-11T23:14:00.000-05:00

Well not a whole lot has been going on just thought I would put up a quick post to let everybody know what has been going on. Aidan's first few times at mother's day out weren't too great. The first day he cried the whole day so we decided to have him go a half day untill he gets used to it. The second day was pretty much the same. Last Thursday was day three and progess was made.......he only cried some of the time and played with a few little girls. Hopefully he will get used to it very soon. Christi has been substituting about 3 or 4 days a week so that has been keeping her pretty busy. Her birthday is coming up so I get reminded of that a couple times a day. I've just been working, doing things around the house and trying to think of a good birthday present for Christi. I keep telling her she needs a new table saw or a new grill but for some reason she disagrees. I think mostly we are looking forward to events later on in the year. I think she's already started counting down the days to Christmas but I have my eyes on hunting season. Don't think either can get here quick enought for either of us. Well guess that's it......we'll try to post something again soon but who knows.

Aidan Goes to School

2005-08-28T10:32:00.000-05:00

In the tradition of great minds everywhere who are seeking to push their intelligence to the limits while enhancing social talents, our little Ace is going to school. Yes, that's right. Every Tuesday from 8:30 to 4:00, he will be attending Mother's Day Out at the First Baptist Church here in Paris. It'll be a great opportunity for him to make some friends and also pick up some valuable social skills (aka sharing, patience, turn-taking, calm communication rather than screaming). These are harder to pick up living in a family where he's the only baby (except for Kami, of course, but she's starting to school, too) and basically the center of everyone's universe. I've met Miss Mary, his teacher, and she's sooo sweet. Very plump and jolly. Picture Mrs. Claus wearing capris and a buttercup yellow top. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just the teeniest bit nervous, though. What if I leave him and he does nothing but cry all day? What if Miss Mary forgets to give him his milk before naptime? What if his grunts, which Larr and I understand completely, are unintelligible to Miss Mary and the other workers and his request for another graham cracker goes completely ignored?! Sigh...I know, I know...I have to cut the cord some time. He's going to have so much fun...and maybe I'll just stay for a bit 'til he gets the hang of things. ;)

Larr catches a big one!!!

2005-08-22T21:33:00.000-05:00

Fishing at Pat Mayse which has been nicknamed the "Dead Sea" this year due to the lack of fish we have been catching I caught my bigest fish yet. My father in law and I were fishing around some brush piles for some crappie when I felt a little tug on my line. I popped up my rod and the fight was on. I'd pull up and reel him in some and then he would run off and pull more of my line out. The fight went on for about 2 or 3 minutes probably but it felt like 10. Finally after wondering what I had got he came up to the top and we could tell he was a pretty good lookin' catfish. John grabbed the net and got him out of the water. He weighed about 8 pounds. It was quite fun having to work to get him in instead of just reeling in with no problem. In addition we also got 7 crappie. This was the best we have done there all year. Hopefully this won't be the biggest fish I catch......I am looking forward to the next one!