Dash, Shae and Mason

Updates

2010-08-24T12:55:00.000-05:00

Just a quick update because even though we are up to our necks in packed boxes, there is much more to go:

The new MOPS year has started! I'm loving being a Discussion Group Leader so far. My table had our first moms' only get together last night for brownies a la mode and we had a great time bonding. Just a couple of weeks ago, I also joined the Steering Committee as the Service Care Coordinator.
We're starting to move on Monday. My mom and sister are coming up to help with Mason and we've had many offers of help from friends with trucks, so we're ready and just want to get it over with and enjoy our new home. I would move tomorrow if I could. And no, I don't think I'll miss this old house much. We've created our memories and are moving on to bigger and better for our family.
This past Sunday, our pastor announced the Adopt an Apache program from the pulpit. The response was overwhelming and our new program is FULL! We have just over 20 families that are ready to love on our college players. Dash and I both are so emotional. We've shed tears, smiled, laughed, hugged and rejoiced many times. We feel beyond blessed to know that we are being obedient to God and are anxious to see how He transforms lives through Adopt an Apache.

my new power tool

the best housewarming present EVER from my great friend, Paula - huge box full of paper towels, toilet paper, ziplocs, paper plates and bowls, plastic silverware and more...

... and more! If you have a friend moving, I highly recommend this gift. I've been able to pack up almost our entire kitchen instead of having to wait until the last minute. Such a timely, useful and thoughtful present! Did you notice the dishwasher soap? That is my favorite part.

Mason Samuel at 18 months

2010-08-17T13:26:00.001-05:00

Mase,

You are so incredible. Every day you awe us with something new you taught yourself or learned from us. We can't help but smile when you show your squinty-eyed grin that takes up your entire face. No thanks to our novice parenting skills, you are growing in so many ways. Physically, you had a small growth spurt over the past few months and are now in the 60th percentile (32.5 in) for height but still hover in the 40th percentile (25 lbs) for weight. You still don't let your short legs keep you from running, jumping or kicking. Your daddy has a secret dream of you playing in the US Open because of your 'soccer' skills, but we all know he'll be happy with you playing any and all sports. Many times when you are walking with a purpose, you tuck your chin into your chest and stick out your belly. It is a sight to see.

You are so full of life and love. There are many things that bring joy to you. Your dogs always bring a smile to your face and you love to give Maddy a kiss and wave goodbye as we walk out the door. You are drawn to books, though you insist on reading them yourself nowadays. Before every naptime and bedtime you take a book to bed with you and 'read' it until you fall asleep. Upon waking, you pick up the book right where you left off and flip through it until I come and get you. You love water, especially baths, and seem your happiest and silliest right after you soak in the tub.

Playing with you is more and more fun with each passing day. You "zoom zoom" your cars around the house. Every day you come up with a new creative game to play and are content playing it for a good hour, from hockey with your toy rake to sliding flashcards down your slide. Yo Gabba Gabba is still your favorite, though mama is trying other shows, and you stomp, dance, clap and spin in circles just like your Gabbaland friends. Every ball you see you have to have. We have quite the ball collection growing at our house.

It is not all fun and games, though, as you are discovering your own opinions and dislikes. You hate grocery shopping (as do I now) and much prefer a booster seat in restaurants over a high chair. You don't like being left in nursery, but you cheer up after only a minute and are all smiles and grins when we pick you up. Your favorite word is "no" and it gets used very frequently.

Your vocab is amazing - over twenty words and counting - and you try to imitate much that we say. You have started saying words in the right context. Just last week, we pulled up to Nanny and Papa's house and you immediately said "Dog. Nana." Though Nanny wasn't there to greet you, the three dogs were happy to see us. My favorite word that you use on your own is "thank you." I've overheard you tell your friends 'thank you" when they hand you a toy and my heart melts. You've even started saying a few two-word combinations.

18 months today. Wow. I see you and your big boy-ness and can't believe it but wouldn't have it any other way. As you get older, our desire for you to grow into a boy and then man of Christ-like character grows stronger too. We pray for your future and for our wisdom as your mama and daddy, but most days we just thank God immensely for the blessing He gave us 18 months ago.

We love you through and through, Mason Samuel.

28 Years

2010-08-16T20:24:00.000-05:00

I celebrated 28 years this past week and realized I'm getting stranger and stranger the older I get. Just consider my gifts - a sewing machine carrying case, jewelry and makeup and gift cards to Lowes to buy a power tool and maybe some lumber. Yes, strange combination. I've found that since I have more 'free time' as a stay at home compared to working full-time at my last birthday, my hobbies have diversified but have one common theme - all revolve around my home - my full-time office for the past year. And I love it. I cherish the time I get to spend making our home more 'ours' and coming up with ways to save money by making (or in some cases, building) things.

I celebrated my birthday a few times this year. Dash and Mason even made me a birthday cake. Pretty impressive, huh? And it tasted just as good.

We headed to my parents' home in Austin on my actual birthday so we could get a jumpstart on the drive to Family Camp. We missed them by just a few hours (on their own vacation to Colorado) but found a note taped to the fridge...

Happy Birthday to you,

If you want your presents,

Here's whatcha gotta do.

There are little treasures hidden around the house,

Use the hints to help you out,

Look up and down and everywhere

Look inside and look outside if you dare.

Some are big, some are small,

All are for you and not for John-Paul*.

My creative sister, Jessica, had put together clues and riddles that led me to six different spots where my presents where hidden - all purple presents - makeup, jewelry, nail polish, purse. Twenty-eight is definitely not too old for a scavenger hunt.

Thank you family and friends for making this year special!

*Dash's first name :)

T Bar M Family Camp 2010

2010-08-16T15:20:00.003-05:00

We were blessed again with being able to visit Family Camp at T Bar M again this summer. As the old saying goes "A picture is worth a thousand words," I'll let the pictures do the talking...

In His hands

2010-08-09T14:10:00.000-05:00

On the way to church yesterday, Dash and I were stressing and worrying about finding enough families for the Adopt an Apache program and I had a heavy heart. We have 6-7 families committed but with limited time since the fall semester is rapidly approaching, my nerves were getting the best of me.

During the service, God didn't waste any time reminding us both that this program is not about the details but about His larger plan for the families He chooses and the players He chooses.

The first song we sang was a new favorite of mine by Chris Tomlin (a TJC grad). (Listen here)
And if our God is for us
Then who can ever stop us
And if our God is with us
Then who can stand against us

The second song was a remake of an old hymn.
Take my life and let it be
All for You and for Your glory

Thank you, Lord, for reminding us to not let our stress get in the way of Your will and Your work.

We feel so blessed that God is letting us do His work through this program. I know this won't be the last time we battle stress, but I pray that it becomes easier and easier to defeat.

Our New Ministry

2010-08-05T13:57:00.002-05:00

God has blessed our family with an exciting ministry opportunity. We've had it on our hearts since we moved here to find a way to impact the college students/players that He has put in our lives. And the idea could have only come from Him because it hit Dash and I both at the same time and the details are falling too perfectly into place. Below is an e-mail I sent to families in Tyler today, but as our friends and family, we ask that you pray for this program: for the impact it makes on our community, the families and players; that God chooses exactly the right families to participate; that His will be done and not ours; that we find ways to give Him the glory through this program, even though it's by definition a 'secular' program; and specifically for me over the next month as I organize all the details and recruit families.
With joy,
Shae

Some of you have heard a little about the ministry we are starting, but I’ve included more background for those who have not. Please forward this on to anyone you think might be interested. Since this is the program’s first year, we can use as much help as we can get from people spreading the word!

Dash and I knew that God had plans for our family when He opened the door to Dash’s new job as TJC Assistant Tennis Coach last year. While Dash loves building relationships with his players, there is a fine line that is difficult to cross as a coach to really make the most significant spiritual impact on their lives. Just recently, God put it on our hearts to involve the community (our friends, church, tennis supporters, strangers with a desire to serve) in impacting these players for His glory. So, that’s where this plan came from…

This coming school year, starting in September, we are launching the first year of the “Adopt an Apache” program. This program will match up college athletes (just tennis for now but we have a great desire to expand it in coming years) with families in Tyler that ‘adopt’ them for the year. Adoption is this case means treating the player to one meal a month (home-cooked or eating out), attending a couple of their FREE tennis matches to cheer them on and building a relationship. Of course, it’s not limited to these but that’s the minimum we are asking of the adoptive families. Not too much, right?

At least half of the TJC tennis teams are international students that come to Tyler without a friend, car or much money. They often cannot leave for the short college holidays (like Thanksgiving and Easter) and stay in the empty dorms. While it’s easy to see the needs of players from places like Paris, Greece, Brazil, Israel and Russia, the tennis players from Lubbock, Abilene and Franklin are searching for ways to get involved in the community just as much. Having our 18-month old son around the tennis players for the past year has been such a blessing for our family. They all run to play with him and we love that he gets exposed to other cultures within the confines of the Tyler city limits. College is such a critical time for many – when many of us made spiritual decisions that would affect us for eternity – and our prayer is that through the adoptive families, this is an opportunity for our community to impact the nations and these players in His name.

Other details (in a nice, concise list!):
-A mixer and optional FREE tennis clinic for adults and children will take place in early or mid September to introduce the families to their adopted Apache
-Families will receive a bio on their Apache before the mixer
-A monthly reminder e-mail/newsletter will be sent out with suggestions and success stories
-A facebook fanpage will be set up to easily find out about upcoming matches and TJC tennis news (like the fact that both the men and women’s teams won the National Championship this past year!)
-Families can request a male or female player, if they have a preference.

We have over twenty players coming in just a few weeks and our goal is to have families ready to make an impact on their time here in Tyler. Please pray about your commitment and let either of us know if you have any questions or concerns. Or if you are ready to “Adopt and Apache!”

With joy,
Shae

Thanks for your support. We look forward to sharing successes and struggles as we get the program off the ground and running.

New Mason videos

2010-08-05T12:20:00.002-05:00

He still keeps us laughing, though we are experiencing more frequent times of wanting to pull our hair out now as he is constantly testing his and our boundaries. He understands 'yes' and 'no' well (though not without the occasional fit if the answer does not swing his way) but the sharing lesson is a hard one to teach and learn right now. Thank goodness for friends that understand and are going through the same thing right along with us.

Mason's favorite word is 'no' (fun for us!). He tells his friends 'no' and of course we hear it often. One of the funniest times he uses 'no' is when he is bossing our dog, Maddy, around. She gets lots of 'no's from Mase, as in 'no' don't take my food 'no' don't steal my ball, 'no' you are in my way. I think we have a bossy child on our hands, but at least he knows what he wants and communicates it to us. Sigh.

Here's a video of Mr. Bossy Pants himself, telling a new person 'no.'

I'm trying hard not to get Dash's hopes up that we're going to have an athletic son. We might have conversations in our house about which sport we'd most enjoy Mason going pro in. Doesn't everyone? ;) But I really do think he has great coordination and still prefers his bouncy balls to any other toy of his.

Notice the precision he places the ball down with? There's my boy's"orderlyness" (as one babysitter described it as he picked up all his toys and lined up his shoes).

Addiction

2010-08-03T14:46:00.000-05:00

I have a new addiction to spray paint. Instead of going out and buying new things, I'm trying to repurpose some things we have already to make them our 'new' new.

Here's where 6 bucks got me today. Well, 4 bucks really. I still have half a can I'm hording.

My husband will be so proud that I used an old blanket as my new spray paint drop cloth. No shadows of my projects left in our green grass this time.

Family Tree

2010-07-29T14:36:00.001-05:00

Even though we live 4 hours away from our closest immediate family, it is really important to us that Mason knows all of his family. No matter how much time he gets to spend with them. No matter how far away they live. No matter how far away we move. I started this project last year, but finally (thanks to facebook!) I was able to steal enough photos to finish it. Simple. Cheap. Educational. Memories. All my favorite things rolled into an activity for Mason and me to do together every day.

Here's what I used...

I bought both of these things at Office Depot (still get my old company's discount - shhh!) for less than five bucks. Without a discount, it would be around $12.

And here's what I made...

And closer...

And closer still...

Pretty fun, huh? You can see pictures of all Mason's aunts, uncles, most of his cousins, all the grandparents and of course, his mama and daddy. He is really great at copying words and names so I'm hoping to tap into the stage he's at and teach him his family members' names. When I'm cooking or washing dishes, which is often when your home doesn't have a dishwasher, we go through them quickly. He always picks one or two to carry around with him for awhile. And some lucky family members get kisses from him. If my wallet allows, I see another Office Depot trip in our future to expand the game to include great-grandparents (Mason has more than you can count on one hand!) and his furry friends. I'm sure his family tree will keep growing in other ways, too!

Moving Up

2010-07-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

We found our next house and feel beyond blessed by how God has provided it and how He is working out all the perfect details. We're going to be renting from a sweet family at our church that is answering God's calling to become full-time missionaries to those who have never heard His word. The Haglers have lived in our new home for just over a year, but since then, the house has undergone a mini episoide of Extreme Home Makeover. They have put a lot of elbow grease into updating the home. You can see some of the progress here and here. Don't you love the striped walls in the hallway? And of course I have to mention that the home has TWO living areas so Mason will have a playroom. And a garage. And a dishwasher. All things we took for granted with our house in Houston, but have longed for since moving to Tyler. And three bedrooms so we'll be able to host our out-of-town guests within our own home instead of sending them off to the nearest Baymont Inn. Our initial sadness to leave our historic home full of character has quickly been replaced by "Get us out of here!"

2010-07-20T11:51:00.000-05:00

Remember this stool? Mason is finally old enough to use it (and almost tall enough!). He washed his hands for a good 15 minutes the first time he got to use it. And who can resist cute little baby feet?

Check out that smile. My boy appreciates cleanliness. Though, his white tshirt tells a different story.

This old house

2010-07-16T21:41:00.000-05:00

This old house has an old screen door that serves no purpose since the screen has been torn since before we moved in. No purpose other than trapping a seventeen month old escape artist and his furry friend. These pictures capture three things Mason is loving this summer: the outdoors, all things big boy (hence the big cup) and his daddy, who had stepped outside to take out the trash when these pictures were snapped. Mason and I could get used to this summer thing - having Dash around a lot more often.

Where did daddy go?

How do I get out of here?

There's my daddy (love in his eyes and dog by his side).

O, hey mama.

On the Home Front

2010-06-30T10:21:00.003-05:00

On the way home from Austin sans Mason a couple weeks ago, I stopped off at a couple of antique warehouses that had been calling my name. I'd resisted the temptation because I always had a toddler in the backseat who surely would not get along with antiques. My heart and car gave in this trip though, and thank goodness, because I'm in love with my first antique finds.

I found this child's rocker (marked 50% off) for less than $20. It'll undergo a makeover when my project list gets shorter, but Mason is loving it. Paint and new fabric will work wonders on the 70s style blue vinyl look.

This nursery rhyme table and chairs set from the 50s or 60s was too precious to pass up. I found the third chair for two bucks and spray painted it to match.

Maybe it's our historical home or our diverse neighborhood or the personality and character that abounds in Tyler, but I've found my tastes have evolved since our move to Tyler. And blogs like Young House Love and Knock-off Wood don't help my itch to redecorate and restyle my home.

Also, on the home front, God found us the perfect rent home and perfect situation with the owners. He continues to amaze us and bless us with His will for our family in Tyler.

First Haircut

2010-06-30T10:11:00.000-05:00

It's was about time. I've been cautiously trimming around his ears and the back of his neck since his birthday for the fear that he would look bald after a haircut. So at 16 months, Mason visited Sports Clips (no kid haircut places in Tyler? what is with that?) and tried his first lollipop.

Before:

After:

Handsome haircut. Handsome boy. One thing we didn't expect at our toddler's first haircut was getting asked, "So, what do you put in his hair?" Umm, seriously? Baby shampoo. And then we got the sales pitch on some product for his hair so we can fix it. Umm, no thanks. Though he may have inherited some of my family's OCD tendencies, my child will not be THAT high maintenance.

Back in my arms

2010-06-23T11:30:00.002-05:00

I got my boy back all in one piece after five days away from his mama. He didn't miss me at all, I'm pretty sure. I'm happy that he was so entertained and had a blast with his Nanny, Papa (or "ca ca", sorry Dad) and Aunt Jessy (or "ki ki" as he calls her). He was glad to be back in my arms though as I was lovingly greeted by a half sob, half laugh when he saw me.

And now comes the task of unspoiling him. From the photos and videos on my camera, it looks like the fun never stopped.

And then there is this photo with a wagon that also made it home to our house. Funny thing, the wagon reads "This is a toy. Not intended to carry children." right under Mason's rear. Breaking rules and ruling the house came with the fun in Austin apparently. Now that he's back in the world where the word "no" exists, we might have a few tantrums in the near future. O, but it was all well worth it. For Mason. And for me.

Thank you Mom, Dad and Jess for taking such great care of our boy. It sure made it a lot easier on this mama knowing that he was in such good hands!

Harvest

2010-06-06T13:17:00.000-05:00

This morning's harvest for our pasta dinner tonight:

(just one lone golden tomato so far)

Matter of the Heart

2010-05-25T16:45:00.001-05:00

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder. If we hadn't moved to Tyler and away from my parents, I would never have gotten to see this precious moment. One that I hope to see for many more years. And get to see tomorrow.

Mason LOVES his Nanny and gets so overwhelmed with pure emotions when he sees her pull up to our house that it sends him to the verge of crying.

I have a feeling that my mom will be the one with this reaction when she sees us pull up tomorrow.

I love that at the end he is ready to put his shoes on, like he's going with her.

This weekend is a double whammy too. We get to see Nanny and Papa AND G and Grandpa. Mason is one lucky dude to have such amazing grandparents.

Aftermath

2010-05-24T16:05:00.000-05:00

Mason's aftermath brings many smiles to this mama's face. From his little shoes scattered around to the toys he chooses to play with, seeing evidence of a growing boy making his own decisions and discovering his personal tastes brings me incredible joy.

(these shoes tell a story and smell of their own, sometimes followed by a game of "peee-uuuuuu" that results in many giggles and one mama's cleared sinuses)

Moving on...

2010-05-17T16:59:00.000-05:00

We just got news that our landlords are putting our house on the market because they are moving to Dallas. We are allowed to stay until our lease ends in August, but we're going to start looking now, with the presumption that they will let us out of our lease early, so we can take our time to find a home that suits us as well as our West Dobbs home does. What an adventure it has been living in our 80-year old home!

And even if our next home is even more perfect, moving stinks!

Tomatoe, Tomato

2010-05-17T16:55:00.001-05:00

Here's to over 25 tomatoes on just one plant! And the first two are turning pink. I had to invest in a tomato cage because the plant was becoming a creeper and the fruits were getting covered in dirt. My other kind of tomato plant just now seems to be producing fruit, so we'll see what's in store for it soon.

Herbs. They are doing great too. My lemon thyme seems a little sun burnt or maybe that's how it is supposed to be. Meals for this week that use my herbs include pork chops, tilapia and tomato, basil and mozzarella salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Discovering More Tyler

2010-05-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

Tyler, Texas should be ranked high on the list of "Best medium-sized towns for families," if such a list exists. I would nominate our new hometown, for sure.

Nanny came for a short visit last week to keep us company while Dash was off winning a National Championship with his women's team and we had a blast venturing out and discovering new parts of Tyler.

First stop was the awesome spray park at Faulkner Park in south Tyler...

A cute little girl befriended Mason and showed him the ropes and rules of the spray park. She taught him how to cover the sprinkler with his little foot to stop the water and led him by hand to the different parts. There was lots of clapping involved from my boy.

Paula and River served as our escorts to Tyler's zoo, Caldwell Zoo. I was in awe of our zoo. They have everything you would want in a zoo, plus a little more, and its size was perfect. Mason's favorites were the penguins, petting zoo, wild bird walkabout (a screened-in room full of little birds that zoom past your head and land on your finger) and all the "dogs" (elephants, giraffes, rhinos) and "cats" (lions, cheetahs, leopards).

(I think we actually look a LITTLE alike in this photo)

Next on our list to discover is an East Texas state park. We're heading on a camping trip with the Wallace family this next weekend. I hope it will be the first of many camping adventures for our family!

Happy Mama's Day!

2010-05-09T10:33:00.003-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there, but especially the amazing ones in our family...

As a wife, it's very hard to say goodbye to your husband on Mother's Day morning, but as a mom, it breaks my heart having to comfort my crying son after he waves goodbye to his daddy and watches him leave again for the week. Our goodbyes were a little blessing in disguise to see how much Mason already loves his daddy. What a great Mother's Day present to me.

Bean Bag Pouf

2010-05-04T12:25:00.000-05:00

It seems like I have a new project every week. This was last week's and it only took me three nights after Mason went to sleep to finish the sewing and stuffing. I treated myself to a trip alone to the fabric store - so fun! - before Dash left town. After seeing these square bean bag poufs at West Elm, I knew I could hack it and create a version that would suit my house and my son. Theirs is on clearance for $179.99. I made mine for $40. Pretty good deal, right? No offense to kiddie recliners but those just aren't my style, and this new bean bag pouf is just as perfect for Mason to snack, play and watch a movie in. I love the grown-up fabric and the formality of the square shape versus the sloppy vinyl bean bags I grew up with. Plus, the pouf will double as extra seating when we have people over. I have enough fabric to make one more and then I think I might find some coordinating solid fabric to make a third. They say you should arrange home decor in threes, right? That's perfect, because there are three in our clan.

The pouf is sewn from cheap muslin and stuffed with styrofoam peanuts of the shipping and handling fame. The outer fabric is removable with a zipper so it can be washed as needed. And look how cute my cutie looks in it...

Another first

2010-05-02T12:22:00.000-05:00

A first mouthful (and face-full) of sand...

He was playing over at some friends' house with the big kids in the sand box (and by playing, I mean he was dumping sand by the handfuls out of the sandbox) when all of a sudden, he was done. Turns out he was done because he needed water to wash all that sand down!

Pure (sweet) Boy

2010-05-01T11:11:00.004-05:00

I don't know when my son grew up so much. It's like I blinked and a little boy appeared where my baby was, but this is definitely my favorite age so far. He is growing up so much and learning something new every day. His little vocab is up to about 10 words, including new ones like door, bath, duck and book, though it takes his mama to decipher some of them. "Go get a book," sends him toddling over to pick out his favorites, Hooray for Fish! or Snuggle Puppy and "Ready for a bath?" makes him walk as fast as his little legs will go to the tub, yelling "Ath! Ath! Ath!" and throwing his arms in the air. His favorite words to hear are "Want to go outside?" because he scurries to the front door a lot faster than I can get there. Last night, I told him "It's time for medicine," and he went over and pointed to the cabinet his allergy medicine hides in. Apparently, he absorbs way more than I even know!

And I don't know how it happened, but he is becoming a rough and tough boy who lets out the silliest boy noises that I can't even mimic. He loves to throw things and make a crashing sound when doing so. He also loves to throw himself onto everything... people, pillows, balls and the floor.

And I don't know where he gets his loudness from, but there are a few culprits in both of our families! Take a look...

What's for dinner?

2010-04-27T18:07:00.001-05:00

Tilapia with lemon thyme, fresh from my front porch. Dash said the fish was better than what he had at the seafood restaurant the night before. (Pat on the back for me!)

spicy basil and lemon thyme (tomato 'salsa' with basil was a flop!)

stripped leaves off thyme and let soak in olive oil for an hour or so

pan fried fillets with thyme, garlic powder, Tony Chachere's and flour coating

served with mixed spinach salad with strawberries (love they are on sale right now!) and poppy seed dressing, plus some Texas toast

Anyone have any easy recipes using fresh herbs they want to offer up?

Missional-minded Mom

2010-04-25T14:22:00.000-05:00

After finishing our Crazy Love book a few weeks back, I've been eager to figure out where I can make the biggest impact for God's greatest need. And I've found it. At least for the time being. I thought that my mission had to be dramatic and life altering, but I've learned that God wants to use me exactly where I am at this point in my life. And where is that? Following around a toddling fourteen month old and learning from my successes and failures what it means to be a parent, but more so, a mom seeking after God.

A few weeks back, I was asked to serve on leadership next year for our MOPS program at Grace Community Church. I was thrilled because I've already gained so much from MOPS - blossoming friendships, mentor moments, amazing breakfasts, convicting devotions and a little break in the middle of the week from my full-time job, since Mason gets to go play for a few hours. I was presented with a couple options where they thought my gifts could be used - either as Publicity Chair on the Steering Committee or as a Discussion Group Leader (small group leader). So, I began to think and pray about where God wanted me to serve...

Before moving to Tyler, I was a scared mom. I think one reason for this was because I had my mom just 10 minutes away and she wanted to help as much as she could, from being our nanny daycare to being my roommate for two months after Dash moved to Tyler before us. She's pretty amazing like that. But, it wasn't until we moved here that I was forced to start doing things on my own. Looking back, I'm so thankful that I forced myself to get out with Mason and discover new places and new people. Shy me could have easily sat at home all day. That being said, I've known what it is like to lack confidence as a new mom and let my emotions control my day and my schedule. I see now that God worked in my life to make Tyler the right place for me, not just Dash, and I've become a confident mom who doesn't let the world or my son dictate my days (note: excluding naps!).

Because of this transformation, I have a big heart for new moms that need a confidence boost, like I did (and still do sometimes!). I've had a few moms come into my life where I know our relationship alone makes a difference, for them and me. And then it dawned on me... Relationships. That's where I can make an impact for God. So, I've signed up to be a Discussion Group Leader for next year and look forward to building many new relationships. I'm still a new mom and a mom on only one, but as it was said in our sermon this morning, "A leader only has to be one step ahead to make a difference." And while my mission may not be a dramatic change, I'm praying it will be life altering.

Shae's Garden

2010-04-21T12:32:00.002-05:00

I don't have a green thumb, more like a yellowish-green pinkie finger, but I'm giving gardening my first stab this year. And here's the proof.

My herbs - basil, lemon thyme, spicy globe basil, rosemary and mint. I've used the mint for mint tea and the rosemary on some chicken so far. I used some chalkboard paint to make labels to write the names of the herbs on each pot. You know, so I don't put spicy basil in my sweet tea.

My two tomato plants in their shared pot. I salavaged this planter from the side of our house. They are two different types of tomato plants, so we'll see which one wins the taste test. And it won't be long...

....because I found my first little tomato this morning!

One of the best things about our house is the porch area and front yard. Mason and I spend time outside every day, so it gives me a good chance to check on my plants and water them. Mason likes to water himself sometimes, too. So my venture into gardening has started with baby steps. It's a start! Next year, my goal is to grow everything I need to make homemade salsa! I'll settle for a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad this year though, and maybe some homemade pesto. Yum!

Cheap Thrills

2010-04-13T10:29:00.000-05:00

I see now that water and bubbles are my go-to fun for this spring and summer. You can't beat a gigantic tub of bubbles for $4 or my newest Wal-Mart find - a Fisher Price sprinkler play mat for only $3. I'm thoroughly convinced that this was a steal and priced wrong at my Wal-Mart. So, to make me feel less guilty (if there was actually any guilt), I picked up two - one for Mason's friend, River!

Nothing beats fun in your own yard, or so Mason and I think. Except fun in your own yard WITH friends, so we'll be hosting some water days soon!

Check out that buddha belly!

Mason's first Easter egg hunts

2010-04-09T21:05:00.000-05:00

On the prowl for more eggs

Discovered the hidden Goldfish inside. That was the end of hunt #2.

Notice all his eggs are already opened... and eaten.

Hunt #1 in Austin: Learned that one year olds and hard boiled eggs don't mix.

So proud of his finds.

"What is this, mama?"

Kayaking in Austin

2010-04-08T21:01:00.002-05:00

We went kayaking in Austin... in Papa and Nanny's front yard. My dad (Papa) is anxiously awaiting the day he can take Mason on one of his crazy adventures. Anyone that knows my dad, knows I'll need prayers for my anxiety on that day, but I'm so thrilled that Mason will get to experience everything and more that I did with my father.

Discipline: Taking a Bite out of it

2010-04-07T14:12:00.000-05:00

Picture this:
Mason is in a super silly mood, giving kisses and making us all laugh. And then he leans in for what I think is a kiss and bites my shoulder. Hard. Teeth-marks-the-next-morning hard. It's happened before so I proceed to spank his rear. Not hard, but enough to get his attention. It worked. I got his attention and he bursts into a roar of giggles. Then, he leans in for another taste of mama's shoulder. I spank his rear. Again. Giggles, again. See the pattern? I glance over at my loving husband, who is laughing harder than Mason is.

I've gotten the same giggles when I spanked his hand so I'm seeing a trend developing in our disciplining of Mason. He understands the word "no" and will shake his head and stop whatever he is doing when he hears it, so that is my one savior right now. The challenge is saying "no" with a straight face to a boy who makes me laugh (almost) all day long.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T10:11:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter from the Connells!

Ever since spring had announced its arrival with beautiful weather a couple of weeks ago, I've been wondering what these allusive azaleas were. After all, we live in the famous Azalea District of Tyler, named after the blooms. Imagine my surprise when I pulled up to our house from our Austin trip and was welcomed home by these vibrant pink flowers in my own front yard. What we thought was just an odd shaped bush that had received some improper trimming was in full bloom!

Sprinkler Fun

2010-04-03T22:42:00.000-05:00

Near my parents' home is the Hill Country Galleria, a pretty spiffy outdoor shopping center. My mom spotted their sprinkler area before we roadtripped to their house so Mason and I came ready with swimsuit and sunscreen in hand for him to brave the water. I'll let the photos speak for themselves, but I think I have a fish on my hands.

I hear Faulkner Park in Tyler has a pretty great splash pad so Mason and I will be there working on our tans a lot this spring and summer. I don't know when it opens, but let me know if you want to meet up there some day soon!

Bluebonnet Photos

2010-04-03T21:08:00.002-05:00

East Texas has azaleas and roses, but as far as I've seen, no bluebonnets. It looks like we'll be making an annual migration to the bluebonnets, unless one of our Tyler friends knows another solution.

Luckily, Mason and I planned a trip to my parents' home in Austin last week and the bluebonnets were in full bloom. Their home is in the Westlake/Bee Cave area of Austin, which boasts breathtaking views, sweeping hills and plastic pink flamingos. Yes, plastic pink flamingos. Famous in Austin for its eccentric display of flamingos, Pots and Plants Garden Center had the perfect backdrop for photos. Some turned out better than others, but I never got a smile which is rare for my happy boy. No smile even on the second try in my parents' front yard. Darn ear infection! Enjoy his photos though. Even the one of me without makeup and in glasses. My favorite are the last two... the two without bluebonnets, oddly. And happy Spring to everyone!

And just to prove that my boy can smile when amongst our amazing state flower, check out his bluebonnet pictures from last year at just 1 1/2 months. Seems so long ago!

Busy...

2010-03-22T09:54:00.000-05:00

I've been up to my neck in t-shirt orders, but the end is in sight. The first ones are being delivered today, with many being shipped across the nation tomorrow!

(I still have 10 more to make!)

There have been lessons learned and money made and I've enjoyed the work (mostly). Now, what to do with my earnings? I've already pre-spent some of it on my first venture into gardening, as my basil, rosemary and mint sit in my windowsill waiting for the chill to disappear outside. I bet I'll buy a little Easter present for Mason and hopefully tuck the rest away into our savings account. Thanks everyone for their orders!

Yum-o good!

2010-03-22T09:46:00.000-05:00

Mason loves his peanut butter and banana sandwiches, just like his daddy.

Surely, peanut butter and banana is great for the skin, too!

Personalized Easter T-shirts

2010-03-03T12:26:00.002-06:00

I created a personalized Easter t-shirt for one of my Etsy customers and loved it so much, I had to make one for Mason and his cousin. From there, I've sold a few (Thanks for the plug, Court!), so I figured others must think they are cute too. If you're interested, I'm selling them for $12. I think $12 is a pretty darn good deal when you see the originals selling for $54!

They are such bright colored t-shirts, that I think they'll make Easter photos adorable, especially for siblings. Let me know if you are interested in ordering a t-shirt and I can send you the t-shirt colors and sizes, etc. Or if you have any questions.

shae(dot)connell(at)gmail(dot)com

What's for Dinner?

2010-03-01T12:05:00.001-06:00

Dash was out of town this past weekend and I went a little crazy with my spending. Friday alone, Mason and I ate all three meals out. Not exactly being a good steward of our money. As a stay-at-home mom that only contributes a small amount from my Etsy shop and freelance jobs, I feel that groceries and meals are one of the things where I can help support Dash and make my small impact on our budget. So, here's to March - a new month and fresh start on our grocery budget.

I've been a big fan or $5 Dinners for a year or so. Her meals are simple, healthy and quick and only require a few ingredients, making them cheap. My kind of recipes! Maybe if I didn't have a one year old, I'd be more Martha Stewar-like. Honestly, my Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade cookbook has been used way more often. At the beginning of every month, $5 Dinners posts her monthly meal plan. Starting today, I'm going to follow her meal plan so I can plan ahead for sales and also add some new recipes to the mix. I'll probably be behind her a little since she posts her recipes at the end of the night and I go to the store at the beginning of every week. And I'll probably throw in some of my own cooking since I have things I need to use up in the fridge and freezer. Fair warning that I may share my successes (or her successes) with you and probably a few failures. We went grocery shopping last night and the receipt got thrown away with the empty sacks, but next week I'm going to try to keep track of what I spend on each meal too.

What's for dinner this week?

Chicken salad sandwhiches and a spinach salad with strawberries
Black bean fajitas with corn ($5 Dinners recipe)
Meatball subs (already had frozen meatballs)
Smoked porkchops with sweet potato mash
Lazy Lasagna on Friday night for my mom and Mimi (recipe from our recipe exchange by Mrs. Traci Dixon)
Dinner out on Saturday night with my mom and Mimi

Slow and Steady

2010-02-27T15:52:00.003-06:00

Mason has been walking for over a month now and we're still making slow and steady progress every day. He is very cautious, putting one foot firmly down before thinking about lifting the other. Once his destination is near though, he raises his hands, squeals and speeds up for the last few steps. He seems so tiny to be walking (according to his 12 month check up, he's in the 39th and 41st percentiles), but he's determined to master it. Enjoy these photos taken at the park today and notice the rolled up 6-12 month pants on my 12 1/2 month old son...

He has so many Mason-isms that make Dash and I laugh every day. Some of our favorites...
His karoke 'singing' into his toy microphone
Talking into everything like it's a phone, from grilled cheese sandwiches to blocks
Playing his bottom lip like a guitar
His air kisses
He nods repeatedly when he is babbling to punctuate what he is saying
His game of pillow plopping, where he pulls all the couch pillows off onto the floor and throws himself onto them, then rests his little head (actually, not so little - 75th percentile)

I can't believe how fast he is growing up. It just keeps getting better and better, as we get to know our little boy.

Sleeping Beauty

2010-02-27T12:44:00.000-06:00

Mason is such a deep sleeper that sometimes, when he's been napping for a long time, I'll sneak in there and watch him sleep because I miss him. I love watching him in his stillness and sweetness. His lovie is always close by, by his side or underneath him, and it's always the first thing he reaches for upon waking. So precious.

Mason's birthday party

2010-02-22T17:40:00.000-06:00

Mason's birthday party has come and gone. Sniff, sniff. We really enjoyed our weekend filled with family and friends. Thank you to everyone that made the trip and helped make Mason's birthday party special!

Birthday Week for my little Valentine

2010-02-14T13:23:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! We're celebrating by... well, by not celebrating. We've never been very big into Valentine's Day, especially since our anniversary is a month later. I did get a text message though. Believe me, I'm not upset. Dash got a text message also since he's out of town for a tournament (which they won all their matches so far, even beating the reigning national champs!).

This week is Mason's birthday and birthday party. I can't believe he will no longer my baby but my toddler in just three days. His party is going to be fun and memorable and we're so excited so many of our family members are coming into town. Ball was one of Mason's first words and he loves them, so we 'rolled with it' and are throwing him a ball-themed party, with cake balls, a ball pit and lots of balls (dots) on the decorations. What a great way to celebrate our bouncey little boy.

Here's the invitation I designed for his first birthday party. I'm so proud of it. See some of you soon!

Shower Gift Idea

2010-02-10T17:27:00.002-06:00

For my sweet Ruthie, the soon-to-be Mrs. Russell, I wanted to get her something to personalize her new nest with Ryan. I'd seen some neat chalkboard platters in the Pottery Barn catalog when we visited G and Grandpa over Christmas (I no longer get the catatlog; they must know I'm not in their target market any longer...haha) and had even stolen the page, thinking it would come in handy some day soon. It did. I like the one I made for Ruth even more than the $99 Pottery Barn ones. It's a simple project that even those who claim to be un-crafty can conquer.

Find a plate that you like - try places like Marshalls and Ross for your one-of-a-kind plate. Stop by your local home improvement store for a can of $13 chalkboard paint. Paint the flat center of the plate. Ta da! These plates can be used to welcome guests, detail the menu, spread holiday wishes or pass along notes to your beloved. I was going to write "Meet me in the bedroom" on Ruth's plate for her newlywed husband, but I didn't want to make her blush! I'll leave that one up to her.

I have almost a full can of paint leftover for more projects. And since the chalkboard trend doesn't seem to be going out of style anytime soon, some more of you might be on the receiving end of this gift in the near future.

Marathon of Showers

2010-02-08T15:37:00.001-06:00

Mason and I hit the road to Houston this weekend for a marathon of showers. My dear friend, Ruth, is getting married in just 5 weeks so we celebrated her with a Pretty in Pink shower. Right after her shower in Pearland, I sped my way to sweet Claire's shower for baby Vivian, due in March. Both of these girls hold a special place in my heart and they were well worth the trip. I'm pretty proud of the shower gifts I was able to come up with on our limited budget. I'll share the thrifty presents with you soon.

Portrait of Exhaustion - sleeping after shower #2

Courtney and Nico met us in Houston too, so when we weren't party-goers, the two boys, their mamas and two silly grandmothers were loving our time together. Many belly laughs, hugs and sippie cups were shared. We can't wait to see them all next week for Mason's birthday bash.

Mason versus the laundry basket

2010-02-04T12:14:00.000-06:00

Some cute videos of our cutie, for your viewing pleasure...

Project of the Week

2010-02-04T12:10:00.000-06:00

The one thing I would change about our house is the kitchen, specifically the absence of a dishwasher. We spend precious time washing all our dishes by hand. On top of that, something about the combination of our sink and our faucet leaves the front of our shirts drenched after done with a sink full of dishes. Trying to be clever and thrify, I came up with the plan to sew an apron to wear while washing dishes. Plus, I've always admired how Martha Stewart-like girls look in cute aprons. I found an easy design to follow at J Caroline Creative and after dropping less than ten bucks at Hobby Lobby on fabric, ribbon and D rings (or more than $10 if you count the Peachie O's that I couldn't pass up), I've got myself a custom made apron, for doing the dishes nonetheless. Like the pose? ;)

Park Pictures

2010-02-01T14:47:00.000-06:00

Paula and her adorable son, River, joined Mason and I for some play time in the park. It was a tad chilly but the boys had fun. We enjoyed getting out of the house after we were attacked by a stomach bug and freezing weather this past weekend.

This is my first February post, which also means we have a big birthday to celebrate this month. It better hurry up because my wish list for the party keeps growing and growing!

A glimpse at the past

2010-01-30T11:44:00.001-06:00

We got a surprise on our doorstep this week. The package was simply addressed to "The Family" at our address. I was scared to open it at first, because obviously it was from a stranger that didn't know our names. Inside, was an amazing glimpse at our house's past. As I've shared before, our house is over 80 years old but the people we rent from are only the fourth owners. The first owners lived in the house from the time it was built in 1929 until 1995. The photographs are from the third owner who seemed to have the house restored to immaculate conditions on the exterior. It sure gives Dash and I something to strive for as the spring and warmer weather approaches. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see our huge magnolia tree in the top photo. After seeing this, we're guessing the tree is about 100 years old. Here is the same tree now. I love seeing the military uniform the first owner is wearing. And to think they raised their daughter in the same room that Mason plays in every day. What a great combination of spooky and special!

The note enclosed with the package read, "My father purchased your historic home in 2002. He loved the history, beauty and uniqueness of this historic home. The Lord took my father home on May 15, 2003. I ran across these pictures and wanted you to have this, as I know the home was near and dear to my father's heart. May you continue to enjoy this home, and may the Lord bless your family in 2010."

Recipe Swap

2010-01-30T11:11:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of going to my first recipe exchange party this past week. There were 14 ladies so I left with many new recipes that I'm dying to try soon! If your recipe box is in need of a revamp, check out all of the recipes over at our amazing hostess' blog, The Dixon Blog. How cute is it that she took photos of all of us to post along with our recipe? Though, if I had known that, I might have showered. Or matched my clothes. Traci is the momma to two beautiful girls, works full-time and throws great shindigs with her coffeehouse lattes. Oh how I admire her!

Happy cooking!

Falling more in love

2010-01-26T07:50:00.000-06:00

The book we are reading in our community group is amazing. Like Kanye West's 'Amazing'. I mentioned it before, but it's called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It is changing me. God is changing me. Read it and you will never be the same.

I love my husband so much. I still get 'tingles' when I'm around him and are jealous of others when he's spending time elsewhere. I love my son so much. When he is not around, I miss him immensely. I can't wait to kiss his precious cheeks when he wakes up in the mornings or when I pick him up from nursery.

Like Francis Chan puts it, I'm just an earthly, sinful mother and wife but I love my family so much it hurts. It's so hard to imagine my heavenly, perfect Father's love for me that is infinitely more than my love for Dash and Mason. I feel so undeserving.

I'm on a course of falling more and more in love with God. He is revealing Himself in my life. I hope that my deeper love for God is reflected in my love for others.

I met one of my neighbors last week. She is about our age and has a daughter turning two soon. I have no clue where she stands in her faith or if she has one. I felt God pushing me out of my comfort zone to go meet her last week and desiring for me to reach out to her again. I'm planning on baking her family something. I'm praying that I have a chance to show her God's love. And if she is already a Christian, what a blessing to have a Christian neighbor just shouting distance from my front door. Pray for my courage and my baking skills. :)

Step on up

2010-01-19T12:22:00.004-06:00

For Christmas, Dash and I gave each other practical gifts that we knew we needed. I gave Dash some earphones that stay put and don't fall off when he's riding his bike and listening to The Avett Brothers or M.I.A. He gave me this lovely stool. The way our bathroom is set up, when we bathe Mason, we have to stand or squat. This stool is our solution to our achy backs. We went shopping at The Wood Shed, an unfinished furniture store here in Tyler and picked this one out thinking it will support us now and then Mason can use it to reach the sink later on. I'm thrilled with the finished stool, and so are our backs.

Step 1: Spray painted the stool and my thumbs.

Step 2: Printed out the design and then traced over it with a pen to leave a 'carbon copy.'

Step 3: Outlined design with a paint pen.

Step 4: Painted design and outlined again with paint pen (apparently at 27, I still can't stay in the lines).

Step 5: Sprayed with clear spray paint to seal it.

Step 6: Gave Mason a 15 minute bath sitting down. :)

Besides the cost of the stool, this project only cost about $8 for the paint. Plus, I have lots of paint leftover for future crafts. You can recycle any old stool for this project, making it a very cheap way to create a family treasure. Since I hope to make one for any future baby Connells, I wanted a stool that I could find matching ones for later on. If you like the idea, let me know and I can design your stool (name and graphics) and e-mail you a .jpg so you can make one yourself.

Stealing Recipes

2010-01-19T07:47:00.000-06:00

I was sold at the Olive Garden breadsticks and alfredo sauce. Yummm.

Get your free e-cookbook too and let me know if you make anything worth trying! What a great way to satisfy your fancy tastebuds on a not-so-fancy budget.

31 Top Secret Restaurant Recipes for Free! (tip - just click close on the popup to download yours without registering)

Happy recipe stealing!

First Steps

2010-01-17T20:24:00.001-06:00

Mason took his first steps yesterday and thinks it's hilarious.I'll get him all set to go, he giggles and then takes off. But he alsothinks it's hilarious to just crash into my arms. So, watch him in actiondoing both, plus a little booty dancing in between.

I can't wait until he becomes more sturdy and we can chase him around the house, or vice versa.

Happy 11th month birthday sweet one!

Muffilicious!

2010-01-15T10:22:00.000-06:00

So, I'm trying something new with our blog. I love stalking others' blogs and get such great ideas from them. I was thinking some of you might be interested in what I'm up to, besides what our family is doing. So if I come across something I like, I just might post about it. Don't worry, I'll censor the uncool things. Here's my first food post. Like it or hate it?

I love the concept of meatloaf because you can usually pull everything out of your fridge and pantry and throw it together for an impromptu meal. But after cooking it every few weeks, it gets rather routine. I came across this idea for mini meatloaves in muffin tins at $5 Dinners and it was just what this classic called for. After a few failed meatloaves falling apart on me, I was thrilled I could pack these into the muffin tins and they came out perfect. Mouthwatering?

One way that I try to save money is by baking muffins every week for Dash and I to eat for breakfast. While Dash would tell you all he needs is blueberry muffins, my tastebuds get bored. I bought a box of Betty Crocker chocolate chip muffins (with a coupon) recently. Struggling with how to make it more breakfast-like, I mashed a banana into the batter. I can't express how delicious these are, but I can tell you I've eaten 10 in 3 days.

And Mason didn't mind his first taste of chocolate either.

Birthday Party on a Budget

2010-01-15T09:59:00.001-06:00

It's very hard to believe that I'm planning a first birthday party for our little boy, who one year ago was growing quite large in my massive belly and I was growing very anxious. Everyone tells me that first birthday parties are really just for the mama and not to make a big fuss over it. We're just inviting family to his party but since our closest relatives live two hours away, I feel a little pressure to put on a good party because the attendees will be driving hours to come. And then there's the fact that I'm trying to plan this on next to nothing. So here's the rundown:

Location - a local park with lots of picnic tables. If the weather is too cold, we'll move it to our house. We figured everyone will be at our house already, so it will be nice to go somewhere else.
Invitations - designed by yours truly and printed at Walgreens with a coupon
Birthday outfit - found a long sleeve t-shirt on sale at Wal-mart and fabric on sale at Hobby Lobby so he will have a custom-made birthday t-shirt for around $4. I also got a birthday bib with a gift card leftover from Christmas.
Decorations - this is where the fun starts for me! I have some cute things planned that will only cost me a few sheets of scrapbook paper and my printer ink; we have plates and plastic silverware but I'll have to buy napkins and cups so I'm hoping to find these on sale at Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby.
Food - the plan is to make everything at home, including Mason's cake, so that will save us a lot, but this will probably be the most expensive part. I have a month to scour for sales since I already have the menu picked out.

Stay tuned...

Hobby Lobby is a dangerous place

2010-01-13T10:52:00.002-06:00

It's true. Mason and I ventured there yesterday to pick up some supplies for his upcoming birthday party. And he was great. Too great. Hobby Lobby in Tyler (well, probably everywhere) is full of older or elderly ladies fulfilling their girlie desires. But to Mason, apparently, it's prime flirting grounds. Everywhere we went in the store, he would smile and 'talk' to every lady we passed. They in turn would look at me with a face that said "I am so special to your child. He thinks I'm awesome." And then not twenty steps later, he had already forgotten her and had another target in his sights. I'll admit he does have an infectious smile, but when a trip to Hobby Lobby takes twice as long as it should because your son never meets a stranger, it is exhausting for his mama that has spent most of her life being shy! I ran out of things to say back to them when they commented that "the girls will be chasing after you" or "I can't believe those eyelashes were wasted on a boy" and found myself looking around for his previous victims to protect their feelings after he had already moved on.

Surviving and Flourishing

2010-01-12T11:52:00.004-06:00

I know most of you tune into my blog for the precious photos of our boy, but you're in for some honesty now too...

We've been in Tyler for 5 months. It's as hard as we thought it would be. But I didn't expect to experience God's provision, joy and love in so many ways just 5 months after moving. In Houston, while we were plugged into a great church and serving the Lord and our church in ministries, my faith had reach a stall. I was confident in my faith, but nothing was challenging it, encouraging it or stretching it. Life was great but predictable and rarely out of the norm.

Tyler has taken our life's predictability and turned it on its head. Our dependence on God is being tested and tried. Every day, I again turn our greatest trial, being our finances, over to God. The blessing of God being in control is producing a closer family for the three of us and from someone who used to loudly declare "I hate money" actually has found peace in our situation. Even more than peace, I have found joy and gratitude in our financial situation - thankful that our lives have been purged of many distractions and rejoice that we are filthy rich!

Just 5 months after moving here, God's work in our lives is obvious. He has made it apparent that our move was obeying His will for our family. We know that only He could have opened the door for us to move to Tyler and given us the comfort to leave our families behind. Dash is amazing at his job, and even more importantly, he loves it. I am so proud of him. He gets compliments from coaching veterans on the job he is doing as a newbie. He works so hard to provide for Mason and I, and I am so thankful that he shows his love for us in this way.

My faith that was stalled in Houston has been given a kick in the rear. I have to admit that I'm scared about what this means for me. I've always been fearful and shy when it comes to talking about my faith but as God overwhelms me with His relentless love and desire for me, I am gaining confidence. I want my love for and seeking after our Lord to be very apparent to Mason as he grows.

Tyler has blessed me with a worshipful (making up words?) attitude. In part, this is due to the worship team at our new church where they do a great job of tackling the not so easy task of leading worship instead of performing. One song that they have sung many times has become my song for this season of our life in Tyler. I listen to it several times a day while I'm doing housework or playing with Mason. Listen to the lyrics...

Just 5 months after moving to Tyler, I'm anxiously waiting to see what God is doing in our lives and how our family has been transformed 5 months and 5 years from today. I'm praying that my time of offering my leftovers and weak efforts to God is behind me. From the book our small group is studying, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, "True faith means holding nothing back; it bets everything on eternity."

And now this blog will resume its normal programming, but I can't promise it won't happen again.

Mason's first Christmas

2010-01-04T13:28:00.001-06:00

We spent a week at my parents' house in Austin for Mason's first Christmas. We had a great time and shared lots of giggles, piggie back rides, biscuits covered with chocolate gravy and wassail. Mason had so much fun in the new surroundings and soaked up all the attention from his Papa, Nanny and two of his aunts. Here's some snapshots of our fun in Austin...

Riding high on his bearded daddy

Crawling around with his Papa

Practicing his walking skills with Aunt Jessy

Hanging with Nanny

Jumping with Papa

My two men with their serious smirks...

... and their big grins

Christmas morning

Loving his present from his great Grandma, Mimi

I think this smile tells all about how much Mason enjoyed his first Christmas!

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-03T08:21:00.000-06:00

We hope everyone is having a great start to 2010! I can't wait to see what this year has in store for our family and I feel so blessed already with what God has provided for us and is doing in our lives. This year, we'll celebrate a first birthday, my 10 year high school reunion, our first lazy summer (another advantage of working at a college!), Mason's first steps and developing deeper relationships with some of our new East Texas friends! This spring, Dash will be traveling almost every weekend for matches, so Mason and I might be taking some road trips to see some of you! I hope to take a class at TJC (photography or graphic design) and join a tennis league too.

Feel free to come visit us this year! Maybe you'll even get a kiss from our little boy. So far, his kisses have been reserved for his gorilla friend. After his first word being 'dada' and kissing a stuffed animal first, I'm trying not to let this get to me. ;)

Happy New Year, friends!

On the road again

2009-12-02T11:45:00.001-06:00

We survived. Just barely. We came back home in worse shape than when we left Tyler for Katy last week. All three of us have taken turns being sick, which explains the lack of Thanksgiving pictures. I did take some on the trip there to capture what it looks when you cram suitcases, 2 adults, a baby and two dogs (one of which is surely the size of a horse) into our car.

Football, family, food, friends, fun and flu virus. That about sums up our Thanksgiving. Hope you and yours are having a blessed holiday season!

Gig 'em Aggies!

2009-11-21T13:23:00.002-06:00

Mason is all ready for game day! Maybe someday, his daddy will show him the very spot where Dash made his mark on Kyle Field!

Weigh in

2009-11-19T11:23:00.003-06:00

Mason weighs in at 20 pounds 3 ounces (45%) and is 28 inches long (41%). Time for the new car seat. He got his first H1N1 shot like a champ and had his finger pricked to check his iron levels. Pretty easy visit to the doctor. We'll go back in a few weeks for the second H1N1 shot and then hopefully we don't have to see the doctor again until his big 0-1 birthday!

Mason at 9 months

2009-11-17T09:23:00.004-06:00

Mason turns 9 months old today. Here's a glimpse into our boy at 9 months...

· His favorite game is to take all things and throw them, only to chase it down and throw it again. All things round, square, alphabet-shaped, but especially remote controls and cell phones.

· He loves his doggies and scrunches up in squeals and giggles when he sees them do something funny or gets a doggie kiss.

· He's becoming a mama's boy but loves his daddy and is fascinated by all things that Dash does.

· He likes music (like his daddy). He drags his little music player around and beats on his drum, always stopping to listen to music on tv. And he thinks it's really funny when mama makes up songs to sing to him.

· He thinks he is too big to be spoon fed now so we have to mix it up with big boy food (finger foods) so we can occasionally get a spoonful in without protest.

· He loves to skype with his Nanny. Nothing else is going on in the world when his Nanny is on the computer screen.

· He never lays still on his changing table anymore, making nasty diapers that much more challenging. Daddy got called to Mama's rescue last night as Mason twisted his way into a handstand with his dirty bottom in midair and dirty diaper underneath. I see fun times ahead with this one. Advice?

· He loves to be outside and squeals as soon as we walk out the front door, especially when it's chilly.

· He has short legs, apparently. All his pants that fit his waist drag on the floor unless rolled up a couple of times.

· He takes two good naps a day with his lovie. And he's still a pacifier boy.

· He still only has his first two teeth that he got on his 8 month birthday, but they create the most precious grin.

· He has crazy long eyelashes according to everyone and their mom, which is usually followed by a "of course the boys always get the long eyelashes."

· He makes hilarious noises that can only be described as 'all boy.' From deep throat grunts from the backseat to loud and long screams that sound a little like the Aggie freshman wildcat yell.

· We love him more and more each day.

Look mama, no hands!

2009-11-10T12:10:00.005-06:00

It all started last Thursday when we went to our first story time at the library. Mason got so excited by all the 'big' kids around him, he squealed and then stood up. I think I might have squealed too. He only stood for a second, but since then every day he has been standing for longer periods of time. It's usually so brief that I can't run and grab the camerain time, but today at the park I already had the camera out. There's nothing quite like Gerber baby puffs (or baby crack as some call it) to motivate him. Last count we made it to 10 seconds!

Fall is turning out to be beautiful in Tyler. The weather has been great this past week and it is supposed to staythis way for a while. Next Tuesday, Mason will be 9 months! Next week, we'll also be heading to the doctor for the first time since he turned 6 months old. I can't wait to see how heavy and long he is.

Getting down to business...

2009-11-04T17:08:00.004-06:00

Well, it seems like it's been a long time coming, but I'm officially opened for business! Check out my new Etsy store - http://www.westdobbsdesigns.etsy.com/. It's definitely a work in progress, but I'm enjoying it and I think I'm getting better. One of the perks of having a husband that works at a college is that I get to take classes for free, so I'm planning on taking some to learn more in the next few years - like photography and graphic design. Let me know what you think and if you have something you need! I have a few more designs I'm adding this week too. And then a few custom cards to get to!

The makings of a little buckaroo

2009-10-31T21:04:00.006-05:00

Last week, I set off making Mason's first Halloween costume. I didn't have a pattern to go by, other than some photos I googled, so I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. He got to wear it to our church's big Block Party (Fall Festival) last Sunday. All he was missing was his horse, though he did have some on his shoes. Mason was battling a cold so he wore his serious face the whole time, but he was cute nonetheless.

How to make a little buckaroo...

Mason's New Toy

2009-10-23T12:34:00.003-05:00

Mason discovered a new toy, or an old toy in a new way this week and it is quickly becoming his favorite hangin' out place. You have to tilt your head to the side and ignore the mama voice in the background. ;)

Meet and Greet

2009-10-05T17:00:00.003-05:00

Mason and I took a road trip down to my parents' new home in Austin a little while ago while Dash traveled to Laredo for his college coaching debut. While there, we all went to eat at Z Tejas Grill (yum!) and stopped by for Mason to meet the Arboretum Cows, an Austin tradition. Growing up near Austin, I have many photos with these cows... as does everyone else, but nonetheless, it's a fun tradition usually topped off with ice cream.

Table for four now ready

2009-10-05T16:47:00.005-05:00

Our dining room/study is finished and ready for use, so feel free to stop by for dinner anytime! Now your only excuse can be that 4-5 hour drive (or 19 hour plane ride). One of the things I love about this room is the chandelier. I never thought I would have or want a glitzy chandelier, but I love this one. The windows look into our soon-to-be backyard (more on that later) and climbing vines frame the view. It's a precious room!

The makings of a first Halloween

2009-10-05T16:42:00.004-05:00

Start with this...

And insert this...

... and I think we have the makings of a very cute Halloween on our hands. Which reminds me... where is that sewing machine stashed away??

A visit from G and Grandpa

2009-09-21T11:04:00.004-05:00

Dash's parents (aka G and Grandpa) cruised into town this past weekend for some tennis and we were lucky enough to occupy their free time. G and Grandpa have been there, done that with historical homes, so it was great being able to hear about their experiences and get advice for ours. They also got to see Mason crawling all over and he shared many of his precious smiles with them.

In our front yard, we have an impressive magnolia tree that is as ancient as our house. While Grandpa was here, he put up a swing for Mason. See the small red swing?

And we're already reaping the rewards!

G, Mason and I checked out a park close to our house called The Children's Park. It's a very serene park with no play equipment but instead has creeks to wade in and waterfalls to splash in. It's dedicated to children and babies that have passed away. As a mom, I got mixed feelings - sorrow for those parents who lost little ones and I was reminded of the huge blessing that Mason is to us. We'll go back but maybe when Mason is a little older and can enjoy it more.

Dash is heading to Laredo this week with his players, so Mason and I are packing for Austin to spend a week helping Nanny and Papa set up their new home. I hear it's just beautiful so I can't wait to see it!

From our house

2009-09-20T14:58:00.004-05:00

Another room is complete and others will be following closely behind. We spent one night recently hanging things around the house. This doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, but when the fete involves lumps in your wall the size of your head and trips to the old storage building out back with a creepy animal (or small cat) that makes your husband run, it indeed is a great accomplishment!

Take a look around our living room, one of my favorite in our home (and Maddy's too, if you can't tell).

One of the fun things about living in a historical (sounds so much better than old!) home is the original features that give it personality. Here are some from just the living room.

Discovering Tyler

2009-09-15T14:20:00.002-05:00

With a few found hours of sunshine, Mason and I strolled over to a few shops in our neighborhood today. Our first stop was Brady's Specialty Coffee, where I enjoyed one of my few cups of coffee since we arrived in Tyler. It was great and even better on the walk home. Mason enjoyed being the center of attention and an elderly lady told me that "he made her day" with his smiles and giggles for her. I love how my little man makes friends with everyone. Then we meandered over to Brick Streets Pharmacy where we discovered a fun collection of greeting cards, more strangers who oooo'ed and awww'ed over Mason's eyelashes and Blue Bell ice cream. Blue Bell ice cream just a few minutes walk from my house, we could be in for some trouble. My legs need to get used to this small town living as they are complaining to me right now, but this is slowly starting to feel like home.

2009-09-13T20:58:00.005-05:00

If you come visit us in Tyler, keep an eye on the road for my husband. We knew one of the changes we were going to have to make when we moved to Tyler was to get rid of one car and the car loan that came with it. We held true to our word and are now sharing our CR-V. But Dash did get himself another vehicle to get to and from work and I think he's rather proud of it. I even offered to pick him up from work the other day and he turned me down!

Taking it out for a test drive...

Posing to satisfy his wife and looking thrilled about it...

We learned a whole new vocabulary when we went shopping for the bike in Dallas. As you can see, we splurged and got the helmet and front and rear lights. Dash decided to hold out on the padded biking shorts, but if he finds out he needs them, don't worry, I'll be sure to make him pose again. :)

From our new home

2009-09-13T20:20:00.004-05:00

We've arrived. Actually, I've been here over two weeks now. That's hard to believe. We've been busy cleaning, unpacking, cleaning, setting up and cleaning our new place in Tyler. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a little OCD with it comes to other people's dirt. Ask my husband and he'll roll his eyes and tell you that I never take my flip flops off in hotel rooms and refuse to touch the comforter. You can roll your eyes now too. Lucky for me, the person who I inherited my OCD tendencies came to my rescue. My mom spent the better part of last week helping me clean every cabinet and drawer, every piece of furniture and every floor. There's still some left to do, like find a breakfast table or a dining table or both so we no longer have to eat on our laps and Mason's high chair can leave its prominent place in our living room. But our new home is coming together well. We do have one room completely finished. Let me introduce you to our bathroom (yep, just one!)!

The owners have updated the important features in the house - the cabinet hardware, windows and blinds, sinks, faucets, but kept most of the original light fixtures that give the home character. As you know, Dash found this house for us and I only saw it in photos until Mason and I moved up here. The home is even better than the photos, as historical charm is present in every room. And I'm happy to report that I walk barefoot in our house. Well, almost the whole house. Flip flops are still required in the pink and white tiled bathroom.

Lasts and Firsts

2009-08-28T09:59:00.004-05:00

This week has been an emotional week of lasts, ending with today, my last day of work in the real world. My new boss doesn't have much hair, is quite a bit shorter and weighing in around 18 pounds.

I'm looking forward to weeks and months of firsts starting tomorrow. After one last wave goodbye to my mom, my roommate for the past 2 months and who quickly became my best friend since moving to Houston three years ago. Hopefully soon, we'll be hugging hello at my parent's new home in Austin.

Someone is pretty excited about seeing his daddy, his doggies and his new home tomorrow though. Well... until we get our Internet connected in Tyler, goodbye Houston.

Already?

2009-08-18T14:37:00.006-05:00

Is my little man really 6 months old already? Like people always say, kids grow up too fast. I already find myself searching my memory for what he was like as a newborn. I guess that's why we stalk our babies with our cameras. I am cherishing these days as Mason is showing more and more of his personality. He is still growing leaps and bounds and smiles at everybody. His laughs fill the house and he babbles to all his toys. At 6 months old, Mason weighs in at 18 pounds (50th percentile) and stretches to 27 inches (75th percentile).

To celebrate his half birthday, Mason gave his mama a present and crawled for the first time. Apparently, there's nothing like a red cell phone and a big box of Goldfish to get my baby moving. He still needs a lot of practice though. He only makes it a few feet before he gets frustrated.

Just a week and a half until we're Tyler bound!

Deep in the middle of the T Bar M jungle...

2009-08-18T12:57:00.007-05:00

That song still brings me back to my days as a T Bar M camper with my best friend, Kendall. We had a crazy 'skit' where one sat on top of the other, while pretending my legs belonged with her torso, and amazed people with her 'flexibility.' And my first true cleaning experience scrubbing our cabin with the other 10-year old campers. And tubing down the river with the entire camp in front of you. And playing Alpha/Omega Capture the Flag. And getting homesick for my mom. And man, those U-My-Bro shirts were so cool back then!

10 years later, I headed back to T Bar M, this time as a coach. I met Ruth and some crazy guy who made me giggle ALL THE TIME and who 2 years later asked me to marry him. Too many memories to count, from sharing my testimony with campers and dominating cabin cheer to theme nights and worshipping with little campers sitting in my lap. My favorite week of the summer was by far Family Camp. Better food, adult conversations and the precious Taylor family. The perfect combination.

Dash's family has been going to T Bar M Family Camp for over 20 years. It's a tradition that Mason and I get to join in on now and I'm thrilled. We've visited Family Camp for the past four years but this year was special because we took our son. I hope T Bar M will hold a special place in Mason's heart like it does in mine.

I wish I had some of my photos from my camper days here in Houston but they are packed in storage in Tyler. But here is Mr. and Ms. Omega (P.S. we won that week)...

... And here are a few photos from Family Camp this year

We're moving! And to...

2009-08-12T13:59:00.003-05:00

...Tyler, TX! Yep, you're probably thinking what I first thought when we heard about this opportunity. "What's in Tyler, Texas?" Well, Dash's new job to start. He is coaching college tennis at Tyler Junior College, where he played for his first two years of college. It's a great stepping stone for his career in coaching at the collegiate level and I couldn't be more proud. They recruited him for the job and are paying for him to get his master's degree at UT Tyler. Once he gets his degree, he is in line to take over the Head Coach position there. My husband's a stud! Check out how official he is! (ignore the old photo from his Aggie tennis days!)

We've been living apart now since July 1st. Mason and I were lucky enough to move in with my mom. She's been the biggest blessing and I couldn't have made it through this summer without her. Working full-time as a 'single mom' has been very hard. Throw in 8-hour round trips to Tyler with a baby in tow on the weekends and you get a very exhausted Shae. But I'm thrilled to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Mason and I will be joining Dash in Tyler at the beginning of September.

We are renting our house in Cypress to a nice family and just got a house in Tyler as of this past week. The first house that we wanted fell through because of some deceitful, backwoods landlord. You don't want to get me started on that fun story. The short version is that we found out the day before we moved all of our things to Tyler that she gave the house to someone else. We had to be out that weekend since our new tenants were moving in too! So after putting our entire house in storage, being homeless for a week and a bitter taste in my mouth about moving to Tyler, we found an even better house for our family. Though I haven't even seen our Tyler house yet! Can you believe I chose a house based off the photography skills of my husband? Our new house is going to be an exciting adventure. I'll share photos soon, hopefully. It's 80 years old! But beautiful! And cheap! Our new home is actually on the National Registry of Historical Places. I'm confident we found a diamond in the rough after seeing some of the homes within our small budget.

Oh yeah, our very small budget. One amazing blessing about Dash's new job is that I can stay home with Mason! I definitely want to do something with my time, whether working from home or part-time, but I'm ecstatic about the chance to spend all day every day with my brown-eyed babe. I've been sharpening my couponing skills this year and you'll probably find me at second-hand shops and yard sales around Tyler so that we can live as cheaply as possible. We're going to extremes too - one car, no cable. Did you know there were people like that nowadays? Well, we're joining that club. Thankfully it's short-term until Dash finishes his degree and has a more permanent position instead of a graduate assistant's salary.

I gave my resignation to my work this week. Living a double life for the past 3 months has been horrible! I couldn't let my work know about Dash moving and starting a new job, our house being on the market, looking for a house in Tyler and living with my mom. Luckily, I confided in a few close friends at work who I let in on my secret. Thanks Merideth and Sheila for listening!

I have tomorrow off work and then we're heading to New Braunfels for T Bar M Family Camp with the rest of the Connell clan. It's something I look forward to every year. Last year, I was 12 weeks pregnant. Fast forward one year and I'm taking my 6 month old son to Family Camp. WOW!

Oh yeah, I'm one year older and one year wiser today. I got the cutest homemade birthday card from my mom this morning. It brought me back to my school days where she wrote notes on our napkins and decorated them with stickers. XOXO to you too Mom!

We've got a sitter...

2009-08-03T08:54:00.002-05:00

Not a babysitter, but a baby sitting. All on his own. At 5 1/2 months. So big. Too fast. He's still quite wobbly but is getting the hang of it pretty quickly. And he has mastered the breaststroke - his way of trying to crawl - with kicks and all. He propels himself one knee at a time too so I might be making a mad dash to get baby proofing supplies very soon.

We've been very busy dealing with some big changes in our life, but hopefully the worst is behind us and the best is ahead. I can't wait to update you all soon on our family and the journey we have been on the past few months. And no, we are not pregnant. :) August isn't showing any signs of slowing down but I'll try to get some new photos or videos up soon. Happy August!

So big...

2009-07-14T07:26:00.003-05:00

Can this really be my (almost) 5 month old boy? He is growing as fast as his eyelashes! And finally sprouting some hair.

Happy early July 4th!

2009-06-29T07:02:00.002-05:00

Like our new blog header? I have a new toy, Photoshop Elements! Thanks for letting me get it Dash! I promise I'll make you lots of 'homemade' cards with it too.

Mason's first food!

2009-06-23T10:28:00.008-05:00

I don't know why they call it rice cereal. Look more like some nasty form of grits. But he seemed to enjoy it. We think Mason thought the spoon was some sort of pacifier because he opened wide every time he saw it coming towards him. He ate the whole bowl and I'm pretty sure at least half of it made into his belly. That's a pretty good start! Hopefully we'll get the swallowing thing down fast so we can move on to better food.

yummy! Thanks daddy!

The end result? A full baby with a precious rice ceral beard.

2009-06-23T07:25:00.005-05:00

We hope everyone had a great Father's Day weekend! We got to have lunch with Dash's dad and dinner with mine, so it was a great day. I planned a Father's Day weekend for Dash and we had an amazing time! A couple of weeks ago, we had a garage sale with some of our friends (hi Claire and Teresa!). We were pleasantly surprised by the money we made but more excited about what we were able to get rid of! You know what got the most offers?....

... this little man. But he is priceless.

So we took our garage sale money and headed for a weekend in the hill country. We stayed at the Embassy Suites in Austin. Cooked to order breakfast - score! Two separate rooms with a baby - jackpot! Saturday morning we drove to Fredericksburg and stopped in at Marburger Orchards. The peach crop was ruined this year from a late freeze, but the blackberries were at the peak of their season.

Poor peach trees!

I can't wait to make something with our blackberries - maybe cobbler or pie? Or smoothies?

We then went to Main Street in Fredericksburg, shopped and ate lunch. Somehow we escaped with only fudge as our purchase, despite being tempted by a $130 sock monkey for Mason (seriously?). Driving back to Austin, we drove through (if you can call it that) Luckenbach. Our last stop was Grape Creek Vineyards. We sampled their wines and tag teamed a crying baby.

Back in Austin for the night, we took Tommy and Ruth's recommendation and tried out Moonshine Bar and Grill. It was mouth-watering good! We had 'corn dog' shrimp, chicken almondine and rainbow trout with cornbread stuffing. Homesick yet, Ruth? We even saw our friends from church, Erica, Colin and little Nate, there! Small world! After taking turns again with a fussy baby (his shots from Friday were still catching up with him), we made it back to our hotel and finished the weekend with a pay per view movie. It was a great, memorable weekend and we want to go back soon! Next time, we want to stay longer... and maybe bring a babysitter!

Hope you had a great Father's Day Dash!

milk does a boy good

2009-06-22T10:54:00.002-05:00

Apparently the old saying is true.

I braved Mason's 4 month appointment by myself Friday - shots and all. It turns out our little man is not so little anymore. Mason weighs 16 pounds, 6 ounces and is 26 inches long. All in the 90th percentile. At least he is perfectly proportional. And a grade A baby!

We got the go ahead to start introducing foods so it's time to crack out the food processor and Super Baby Food book as the adventures in baby food making begins.

Confessions

2009-06-15T10:30:00.006-05:00

I've become a bargain-shopping, coupon-hunting, budget-creating addict. My poor husband has been putting up with my symptoms for awhile now. I get some weird adrenaline rush out of saving money or sticking to my weekly budget. Who's know when we will all need our rainy day jar though. With everyone pinching their pennies and holding their pocketbook tighter, here are some of my favorite finds and I hope somebody finds them useful (or addicting) like me.

dealseekingmom.com - the run down of all the best deals at the most popular stores. Plus coupons and more. Last week I scored 2 packages of photo paper (50 sheets each) for $1 each at Staples after finding out about it here. I usually find my grocery store steals here and then hop on over to 5dollardinners.com (below) for a few recipe ideas.

5dollardinners.com - this mom has some great healthy ideas all for under $5 bucks a pop. She does a weekly plan and then posts photos and recipes after she cooks every night. She is feeding a family of four so it is plenty for Dash and I and leftovers. I've tried her oven-fried chicken nuggets, quesadillas with black bean corn salsa and some others. They are good, simple recipes that don't take very long which is great for me as a working mom. Plus, she just got a cookbook deal, so others must agree!

babycheapskate.blogspot.com - a great one-stop shop for all things baby (and kids). You can find amazing deals on toys, clothes, diapers, etc all here. This site tempts me to make impulse purchases because some of the deals are just that good, but I've held out so far and just scored things we needed for Mason.

oldnavyweekly.com - well, I've visited this site quite a few times since I discovered it a couple of weeks ago. It's a coupon hunting site where you have to time your visit just right to score the best coupons before they are gone. If you know you have some Old Navy shopping in your future soon, check this site out. I'm still waiting to grab a $75 off $100 purchase. One of these days I'll be lucky.

Know of any other great sites? I'd love to hear about them. Or if you liked one of my favorite sites above, let me know!

2009-06-12T15:02:00.001-05:00

Caution Ahead

2009-06-06T10:36:00.003-05:00

Mason rolled over last night. From front to back. Twice. Gone are the worry-free days of leaving him on a bed alone. Or stepping away from his changing table to grab something. I'll try to get a video of him doing it soon.

Social Bug

2009-06-03T11:17:00.014-05:00

This past weekend was a marathon of parties! 4 to be exact. Wow, it makes me tired just thinking about it. The craziness of our so-called weekend started with a graduation party for our friend, Scott Louis, (or Dr. Louis now) who graduated from med school. Good wine. Good friends.

Saturday, we went to a graduation party for a high school student from our church that I worked with planning youth events. Don't tell anyone that Mason 'sprinkled' somewhere in our church when I was changing his diaper. At least we managed to stay semi dry for our next shindig.

That evening, Mason and I headed up to Dash's work to watch him play in an exhibition match. It was Mason's first time to watch tennis and I'm sure not the last. He loves being outside, so we had fun playing in the grass as we watched. After a little cheating to make the match more exciting, we had dinner as Mason got passed around.

Sunday night, we had our Senior Send-off back at church. For the past 3 years, Dash has been the small group leader for the senior guys that were graduating, so he spoke at the send-off, cracking a few jokes about the parents trusting their sons with a guy named Dash and about the spotlight pointed directly at his balding head, and giving them advice to use as they enter college. Dash's group of guys shared what they had learned and loved about high school. I really wished Mason could have understood what they said about his daddy. I am so proud of the impact he made on his guys. And we now have a gift to remember them by, as we soak up spills with our new Sham-WOW towels. Well, at least it wasn't Rogaine like Dash had guessed.

More pictures of our buddy...

Monkey see...

2009-05-27T10:21:00.008-05:00

Ever seen a monkey swim? Well, now you can say you have. We celebrated Memorial Day weekend by the pool with some good barbecue in between thunderstorms. After a little convincing, Dash allowed Mason to wear his new swim 'costume' with ears and all for his first swim. At least his precious bald head was protected!

Another new thing with Mason - the teething process has already begun. Our drool monster is getting too big too fast!

Happy 3 month birthday Mason!

2009-05-17T15:31:00.003-05:00

We can't believe you are 3 months already buddy! You amaze us everyday and it so much fun watching you learn. You get so proud of yourself when you stand up with our help and and smile so big when playing with daddy. I can't believe you are starting to hold things and pick up things by yourself; it seems like just yesterday you were just coming home for the first time. Keep smiling Mason because it makes us melt with love for you! We love you little man!

12 week happenings

2009-05-13T08:16:00.005-05:00

Big changes this week! I'm back at work full-time, my mom has started watching Mason during the day and Mason is 12 weeks old! Here are some precious pictures of our little boy from the past couple of weeks.

playing with 5 month old cousin Nico

slouching in his Bumbo

squeaky clean

watching his mama cook dinner from his high chair

his 'melt your heart' smile

Mother's Day

2009-05-13T07:37:00.006-05:00

My first Mother's Day was great! The Thursday night before, Dash took me out for dinner for Wive's Day while G and Grandpa babysat Mason. We ate at Fish City Grill and had delicious pie at Ooh La La Dessert Boutique. We started celebrating Wive's Day the first year of our marriage and now it is extra meaningful to steal away for a night and spend time just as a couple.

We had decided to dedicate Mason at our church on my first Mother's Day so Sunday was very special. Mason's Nanny and Papa (my mom and dad), G and Grandpa (Dash's parents), Mimi, Sammie, Aunt Sterling and her friend Katie, Nancy, and Great Granny and Grandpa Connell all made it to our church to be there as we took an oath as parents and our congregation took an oath as well. Mason performed (fussed) on stage for everyone so that was fun!

The party started afterwards at Nanny and Papa's house! We had barbecue and Mason fell asleep at his own party! It is still surreal that I am a mom, that I have been a mom for almost 3 months now. My son has stolen so much of my heart and I can't wait to celebrate being his mama for many years to come.

Practice Run

2009-05-01T08:23:00.002-05:00

Alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. - check

Get myself ready - check

Feed and burp Mason - check

Make coffee - check

Burp Mason again (was restless in his crib) - check

Out the door by 6:15 a.m. for half a day at work today - check

At work early! - check

Today was my practice run to see how my mornings will go when I start back on May 12th. It went really well and luckily Dash was able to take 1/2 of today off for some father-son time. We are busy getting Nanny Daycare (my mom's house) ready for when I go back to work and my mom is thrilled to get to take care of her first grandbaby. We are so grateful that she is willing and able to help us out.

This next week Mason gets to meet his Cousin Nico and Aunt Courtney from Fort Worth. I'm very excited because Courtney and I were pregnant together and now have the exciting task of raising our sons together. I enjoy hearing all about Nico's development, knowing my baby is right behind him. See you soon Nico and Court!

Our Big Boy

2009-04-23T10:10:00.002-05:00

We had Mason's 2 month check-up and shots yesterday and it was good and bad. Watching your innocent baby go from smiles and coos to screaming wails was one of the worst things for us. Dash had the 'honor' of holding Mason while he got his shots because I didn't want to. Luckily, he fell asleep on the car ride home but yesterday was hard for him. Every time he kicked his legs (his legs never stop moving when he's awake) he started screaming. He's better now and we've been 'talking' all morning about how his shots are good for him!

The good thing is our big boy is growing so well. Mason now comes in at a whooping 13 lbs. 10 ounces (90th percentile)! And is 23 1/2 inches long (75th percentile)! He loves to 'talk' to everybody and smiles all the time. His favorite toy is the kick 'n play that Aunt Ruth left us and he really gets it going! He's still sleeping very well at night but hates to nap in his crib during the day. He wants to be in the middle of everything, even while he's sleeping!

Look who turned 2 months!

2009-04-17T21:32:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T14:08:00.007-05:00

Happy Easter! Mason and his mama got a treat because we got 2 full days with Dash. He's been so busy at work since getting a promotion that usually we only get to spend Sunday together. This past Saturday we went to an Easter picnic and egg hunt at church. Can you believe Mason didn't pull his weight in the egg hunt? No eggs! Well, I guess it would have been obvious that they weren't for him after all and his parents definitely don't need any!

I can so hear Dash saying, "So... this is my baby."

Yes, we had the fussy baby at the picnic.

Easter Sunday brought nasty weather to the Houston area with tornado warnings and watches, so we stayed inside all day. Dash read us the Easter story and I read the Easter story to Mason out of his Jesus Storybook Bible. He snored through the whole thing!

Remember these two? Maddy and Cooper loved watching the storms roll in.

Here's some smiles from our little Easter bunny who turns 2 months this Friday! Can't wait to see how much he has grown at his appointment next week. I only have 4 weeks left of maternity leave so I better quit blogging and get the most out of them! We hope everyone had a great long weekend!

Shhhh... he's sleeping

2009-04-09T11:25:00.002-05:00

So this is what it feels like to sleep through the night two nights in a row! I'd almost forgotten. As I right this, I'm hesitating over the delete key so I don't bring on the jinx fairy too, but Mason has slept 7+ hours the past two nights and it has been amazing. No naps needed for this mama. He slept through the night a week ago or so, but I thought that was just a fluke. We're guessing the combination of our little boy being so much more alert and awake during the day and his night bottle to fill his tummy may be doing some wonders. Let's keep this up Mason Samuel!

He is getting so big too! Over 12 pounds now and getting too long for his 0-3 month clothes at only 7 weeks! He loves to bat at his toys and babble at them. And he gives the best smiles for just about anyone.

This weekend should be fun for our family - an Easter picnic and egg hunt on Saturday and off to a "farm" on Sunday after church. Have a great Easter weekend everyone!

Bluebonnets 2009

2009-03-30T22:38:00.003-05:00

We took Mason's first bluebonnet pictures today on the way back from College Station. I have always loved this Texas tradition. The bluebonnets were in full bloom - pastures full - outside Navasota and Hempstead. Beautiful. Enjoy!

P.S. The cool Poloroid frames were added at www.picnik.com that my friend, Sheila, discovered. Check out the site. There are lots of other features too.