Toddler Time

Toddler time it is! Crew is definetly ALL BOY, and he is EVERYwhere! He doesn't slow down and is always exploring! He loves to open cabinets and pull everything out, empty all his toy baskets, take every book off the shelf. He is learning so much each day! I wanted to sign him up for an activity during the week and we decided on Gymboree. Crew loves that he can run around for an hour (I love it because there is nothing he can break- ha!), and its a great learning environment and interaction with kids his age. We had to miss our first week last week because we had a mtg with our builder, so we did a makeup class on Saturday- so fun! He starts smiling and giggling from the moment we pull up to the building and doesn't stop until its over! Thanks gymboree!=)

My mother in law was also here this past weekend. Since it was rainy and cold on Sunday we decided it would be the perfect day to try out the Austin Children's museum. I used to LOVE going to the children's museum in Houston when I was a kid (my favorite part was the mini Randalls, ha!), so I knew Crew would enjoy it. The museum here is very compact/small, but it still has TONS of activities. We were there for over 2 hours and Crew just played and played and played! He roofed a house, worked on a construction job site, served us dinner in the diner, milked a cow, played in the vet clinic, and even hung like a bat under the bridge! Here are a few pics of our growing boy. He is at such a fun age!

GYMBOREE

Parachute and bubbles!

Spinning hoops!

Pull carts

AUSTIN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

Sorting bolts

Waiting for bolts to fall

Roofing the house

Crew and Daddy cooking some dinner at the diner

Crew and Grancie playing with the farm animals

Milking the cow

Watching the milk go to the grocery store

Answered Prayers

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! Though I am the First and the Last, the Living One who dies, who is now alive forevermore, who has the keys of hell and death- don't be afraid! - Rev 1: 17-18

Well, what a weekend. On thursday after I ate lunch, I started to get a shooting pain in my abdomen again! PANCREATITUS- my first thought! Oh please no, not again, this can't be happening. I called my doctor and he had me up my steroids and only drink liquids and call in the morning. On friday I still felt sore, but felt better, so my dr wanted to only have liquids all weekend. I got labs drawn to see if I had pancreatitus, but since it was the weekend, I would have to wait until monday for results. I just "freaked", how could this happen, why, why me??
I prayed for God to heal my body completely!
I decided that if I did have it, we were flying to Mayo clinic this week to get answers, I just can't keep living like this and not knowing why!
The dr called yesterday morning, Labs were normal and I did NOT have pancreatitus! Praise the Lord!! So for now, I am enjoying every single bite of food that goes in my mouth since I hadn't eaten since Thursday.
I learned a big lesson here, do not be afraid, God has it all under control and will take care of each of us!
God bless you all!

Common Household Products with Uncommon Uses

So, I have seen this article before, but this time I decided to save it just in case. It is "Common Household Products with Uncommon Uses." Never fails that when I need something we are out of it or I forgot to buy it at the store. Here are some great uses with things I'm sure you have lying around the house. I will have to try the dryer sheet to get baked on food off a pan! ha!

http://shopping.aol.com/articles/2011/01/11/common-household-products-with-uncommon-uses/?ncid=AOLCOMMshopDYNLprim0001&icid=mainnetscapedl7sec1_lnk3194807

TechAggie!

Crew got the most adorable and creative Cotton Bowl present, I had to share it! After we went to the A&M vs. Texas Tech game, my mom and my mother in law decided Crew needed some "new" college football apparel. No, not another Aggie shirt, or even a Tech shirt- but a Tech AND Aggie shirt. My mom found the two t-shirts, Brett's mom sewed them together, and tada- and UNIQUE TechAggie shirt! Too cute! He has a double sided shirt, just in case he can't decide who to cheer for! I know football season is over, but we can wear it for basketball games and hopefully it will still fit next fall too. If not, they are already planning the design for another shirt in a bigger size. Too funny!

Crew watching the Cotton Bowl Game
(back of the shirt)

Front of the shirt

Side view

Celebrating 2011!

Well its 2011! Where has 2010 gone? The biggest thing that happened for the Carson family in 2010 was that we found out we were moving, put our house on the market- sold it in 2 weeks, and made the big move to Austin. The other big change was that I decided to stay at home with Crew once we moved and Brett got a new job. The year has just flown by and we are amazed at how God can change your life in the blink of a second! I am so happy that I am feeling better since 2010 was a very rough year for my health (2 different 2-1/2 week hospital stays and my gallbladder taken out!) But, I pray that I am on the uphill. We are wondering what 2011 will have in store for our family? Our main joy is watching Crew grow and change each and every day!

We had been traveling for over a week for Christmas and decided it would be best to stay in Austin for New Years. (Although, I know we missed out on two big parties with our friends in Dallas- so sorry we couldn't be there!) We had the Naizers over for a night of family fun and celebration! We had 4 kids under the age of 5 so our house was a little crazy but it was WONDERFUL! The kids enjoyed a nice mac and cheese, chicken nugget dinner- while Brett cooked up some good steaks for the adults. The kids LOVED playing with my karaoke machine from college- yes I still have it! I forgot how fun this was-as I was packing it up Brett and I had a little American Idol singing session ourselves! We also had a silly string fight to top off the night.

On New Years day we took Crew to play a Zilker Park and then went to the Sikes Lakehouse. We enjoyed a day of football watching and eating some black eyed peas and cornbread! It was so wonderful catching up with the Sikes (and Kummer) family and of course, oohing and ahhing over adorable baby Preston- what a cutie! Crew and Preston will be running around playing together before you know it! And, we had extra fun getting to see and catch up with Abby too. What a great start to 2011! I sure hope its a year full of blessings, good health, and many new adventures! Cheers!

Centerpiece

Placesetting
(my china is in storage so we improvised..)


Kids and adults cups- cheers!

Tyl, Lathan, Crew, and Kinley eating dinner

Ty and Crew helping clean up and loading the dishwasher

Karaoke Party!

Silly String Fight!

Amy and Preston!

Christmas 2010

Well, Crew's 2nd Christmas is over and boy was it a memorable one! I won't bore you all with the 600 pictures I took this Christmas break (yikes!), but here are a few of my favorites!

We started out the holiday in Austin. My parents and John came in for the weekend and we enjoyed some holiday fun and cookie baking! Crew went down for a nap late that Sunday afternoon and when he woke up Santa had come! His big toy from Santa this year was a table and chair set and he loved it! He kept moving from one chair to another sitting in each one, ha!

Brett's papaw passed away so we headed to Dallas a few days earlier than planned. Brett gave a very heartfelt eulogy at the funeral, and we enjoyed time with the Carson side of the family afterwards. We had our family Christmas with Brett's mom and her side of the family on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas day we headed to Katy and spent a few days there celebrating with all the Lattal's. We enjoyed celebrating our blessings with our family. Oh what a joyous time of year it is! I kept trying to explain to Crew the meaning of the season, we played with our nativities , read our bible stories, but I know he doesn't quite get it yet.... I pray for the day he does! I think he was a little confused about all the presents, but he did like the bags, wrapping paper, and especially all the tags. Christmas is so much fun with a child! Tis the Season!

P.S.- Two of my good friends got engaged over the break and we could not be happier for them! Congrats Jordan & Brian and Valerie & Fredrik! Can't wait to celebrate on your big day!

Christmas in Austin

My mom and I baked our classic Christmas cookies together! Yum Yum!

Santa Came!

Ahh... a tunnel, this is so fun!

Christmas in Springtown with the Carsons

Brett's cousins from Idaho

Christmas Eve at "The Ridge" with Grancie,

and with the Duncan side of the Family

Grancie (my mother in law) always has a theme for Christmas.
This year it was elves- all her tags were elves, and she had little elves hidden around her
house. She also found an elf outfit that Crew wore as we handed out gifts on Christmas Eve.

Umm.. who do you think these little tags look like?

(hint- elf pic below)

Remote control cars are funny!

The little ELF!

(she even found elf shoes with jingle bells on the toes!)

Christmas in Katy with the Lattal's

Texas Tech Alphabet blocks- thanks Uncle John!

We even got to visit with Tara, so fun!=)