Marianne and Ethan

Our Sea World Adventure!

2011-06-18T20:36:00.000-05:00

We got to take Ethan to Sea World in San Antonio this past Friday. We had so much fun and couldn't wait to share our pictures with everyone!

Ethan and his daddy

Me and Ethan

Ethan and his map

We got to feed and pet the dolphins!

Ethan and Jonathan

Ethan at the aquarium

We got to see sharks too!

Jonathan and Ethan at the "Bay of Play"

Ethan had so much fun getting wet!

We also got to see a live Sesame Street Show!

Me, Ethan, and the crocodiles (or alligators...whatever!)

This pic looks funny because it was so dark in there, but the penguins like it that way :)

Ethan and the flamingos

We got to see a lot of cool shows. This one had a HUGE walrus, a seal, and an otter.

This show had high-divers and a beluga whale!

Here's Ethan waiting for "Shampoo" to come out. (lol, we'll correct Ethan later).

We finally got a pic with all three of us. Thanks, dude sitting on the bench!

Update:

2010-07-20T20:51:00.010-05:00

We haven't blogged in quite sometime, so here's what we've been up to...

Ethan and his Easter basket

Ethan was pretty excited about all the Easter candy =)

This Easter was Ethan's first time to dye eggs and he loved it!

Ethan got to spend time with his cousin Aaliyah.

Aaliyah, Khalil, and Ethan

Kelly and Me on my 25th bday.

We had sooo much fun! She and the fam threw a surprise party for me with a luau theme...so adorable! They made chicken and shrimp kabobs and punch and all kinds of delicious festive food. I love surprises!...and sisters! Thanks Kel!

Ethan helped me blow out the candles on my strawberry shortcake.

My mom always makes us a birthday cake and lets us pick whatever kind we want. It's one of my favorite traditions. Strawberries and cool whip...delish!

Me and my pop

My mom, me, and my sister Jill

Me and Ethan

Ethan and I went to Tugboat Island recently and right next to it is a free waterpark. They have a bunch of fountains and sprinklers to play in and I thought Ethan would love it. I was hoping we could play in the water and stay cool all afternoon....but he hated it. =( He wouldn't let me put him down or even get his foot wet, so we ended up sweating our booties off in the park. Oh well.

Ethan and I went to the mall with my mom and he was totally into the manequins. He ran up to them and starting holding hands! Haha! So hilarious! Every time he saw a couple of manequins, he had to stand between them and grab their hands. When he started paying special attention to the ones wearing lingerie, we decided that was enough fun for one day. What can I say...he loves the ladies!

Ethan got to have a sleepover and invited Aaliyah and Khalil. They were so sweet and well behaved, we can't wait to do it again!

Another musical number by Ethan Ochoa...

2010-03-07T21:00:00.000-06:00

After I recorded Ethan singing "twinkle, twinkle, little star", he watched himself over and over and over...then he wanted to watch "jingle bells", so we recorded a new music video real quick. Our first attempt didn't go so well, but since both videos were super cute, we decided to let y'all see the rough draft as well as the final product. Enjoy!

Twinkle, Twinkle...

2010-03-07T13:53:00.004-06:00

Ethan loves to sing "twinkle, twinkle, little star"..."the alphabet song"...and even the good ol' Christmas favorite, "jingle bells". It's adorable.

I cut Ethan's hair about a week ago and he looks so grown up and handsome! I love it! (and I love that he smiles so big for the camera.)

...what a sweet face.

Shangri La Botanical Gardens

2010-01-31T10:05:00.002-06:00

This past Tuesday, Ethan and I went on a field trip with my family to Shangri La Botanical Gardens in Orange. I wasn't sure what we'd do there, but I knew Ethan would enjoy being outside. Well, I was pleasantly surprised that it was fun for big kids too! We walked along the trails and looked at the beautiful gardens. I'm not that into plants, but it was really pretty and peaceful. Plus, we had perfect weather (not too cold, not too hot...all we needed was a light jacket!). What more could you ask for???

Ethan and Me................Kelly and London

(and a HUGE piece of petrified wood)

Ethan and me in one of the greenhouses

Kelly and London.........Me and Ethan

Ethan loved the sandbox!

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Ethan loved riding on Jake's shoulders (as opposed to holding his mama's hand...how lame........and embarrassing!)

Here's a video of Ethan marching and walking around like a crazy person. So cute!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T16:19:00.007-06:00

Ethan and I had a very merry Christmas this year. He went to 2 parties and we both got lots of great presents. He may have overdone it with the chocolate covered pretzels though....just a bit.

We definitely missed the Lunts and the Murdocks and the Shilligs this year, so we wanna shout out to them. We love y'all and hope y'all had a merry Christmas. Holla back fools!!!

And one last thing...thank you thank you thank you to:

-my parents for getting me my first set of matching, never-before-used, brand spankin' new bathroom towels.

-Jonathan for helping Ethan make me the cutest Christmas card ever!

-my best sister Kelly for getting me a present every year when she doesn't even draw my name.

-Carol Ann for giving me the pinkest of pink stuff for Christmas. It's become my signature color and I love it =)

obviously this could go on forever, but we just don't have that kind of time...so thanks to everyone that made this year special for us....Merry Christmas!

Mi familia...

2009-11-24T10:43:00.009-06:00

My sister Sarah and her 3 kids came in from California for a week and we had sooo much fun!... and lots of good quality girl time :) here are some recent pics of the fam...

My best sister Kelly, and me

My Grandma Conn and Kelly's little girl London (...but I like to call her Little Lady London...it's fun!)

Ethan and his cousins, Tiffany and Ella

Ethan LOVES to do puzzles, especially with Monica (he calls her Monica's). They're puzzle buddies. I tried to help him with one, but he pointed his finger at me and said "No Mama!", then he pointed to the chair and said "Sit!"...so I did, lol.

David, Ethan, and Roman
(with so many girls in the family, the guys gotta stick together)

My sister Sarah with her son Roman, and Little Lady London

Here are the girls looking beautiful...
Charlotte, Me, Sarah, Jill, Rachel, and Kelli
(and Sarah's holding a couple babies)

1...2...3...4...

2009-09-22T11:54:00.003-05:00

Check out Ethan's new trick!

Better late than never!

2009-08-04T11:19:00.007-05:00

I know, I know...I've gotten waaay behind on blogging...not cool. So here are some pics from the Fourth of July and such...

Me and Ethan at the 4th of July breakfast at church

(even though it was at 8 am, we were still hot and sweaty! ugh!)

Me and Kelly at Melissa's 4th of July party
(She's 7 1/2 months along...and it's a girl! Isn't her belly is so cute?)

Me and my sisters
(Jill, pregnant Kelly, and Melissa)

Me and my bff Caroline at Kelly's baby shower
(and the little cutie is Mali Su)

Me and Kel again, at her baby shower

She had on the cutest shirt! It wasn't maternity, but it fit over her belly just right. It's hard to find stylish maternity clothes :( ...Anyway, we had a lot of fun and Kelly got a bunch of good stuff. The tiny baby girl clothes were just adorable! Thanks Melissa for letting us party at your house!

Ethan wants to tell you something...

2009-07-04T09:41:00.006-05:00

I was playing peek-a-boo with Ethan yesterday during breakfast and he got so excited! I love when he wakes up happy =)

Growing up fast

2009-06-23T09:19:00.005-05:00

Ethan's 18 months old now and he's been talking a lot lately...and I love it! I haven't even tried to count how many words he can say, but here's a little sample for everybody:

Sometimes I let Ethan go play in his room...unsupervised. For those of you who know me, y'all know this is kind of a big deal. As you can see, he makes a bit of a mess, but I've finally decide that it's no big deal and it's not the end of the world. (Imagine that!) Plus, it keeps him busy, so it's worth it to let him trash the place. I went to check on him and found him laying on the floor like a big boy, and trying to color with a AA battery. It was so cute and 100% mess free!

Party in Hemphill!!! Woohoo!!!

2009-06-12T16:59:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday we went to Hemphill in honor of my brother-in-law's graduation. He's an RN now and we're so proud of him! They threw a great party and the kids had so much fun running around outside. It was really nice to have everybody together, as it doesn't happen very often. Thanks Jill and Johnny! We love partying in Hemphill!

my sister-in-law Kelly, Ethan, and me
(...didn't recognize me without the pink hair did you!)
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While everyone was eating, Ethan thought he'd be sneaky and try to get in my mom's car. Didn't work out so well...but he didn't give up...

Tugboat Island

2009-05-17T18:16:00.006-05:00

This past Friday, Ethan and I went to Tugboat Island with my mom, my sisters Monica and Rachel, and my neice and nephews. Tugboat Island is this really nice park in Port Neches. When we got there we saw a cool water park right next to it that we didn't even know about! It's like a bunch of fountains for kids to play in. The kids were kind of bummed that they didn't get to play in it, but we didn't know to bring swim suits. We'll have to be better prepared next time. I did let Ethan try it out though. I stripped him down to his diaper so he could get wet. He was a little scared, so he pretty much just got his feet wet. I think his favorite part was getting to explore on his own in the park. He had a lot of fun getting dirty and he can't wait 'til next time!

MY NEW CAR!!!

2009-05-17T17:23:00.006-05:00

...just kidding. This black beauty actually belongs to my dad's friend, but I couldn't resist pretending it was mine. So I had to take a picture. We look so cute together!

High Heels

2009-05-02T18:52:00.006-05:00

Ethan's been trying on shoes lately and it's pretty hilarious. I love seeing him walk around in huge tennis shoes; he looks like a clown! Here's his latest attempt with high heels:

Ethan's very coordinated and likes to stack things. He stacked up four of these spice containers the other day...very impressive!

horses, carousels, and merry-go-rounds

2009-04-06T09:14:00.010-05:00

Here's what we've been up to lately...

Ethan and I went to the park! There's one right by the library...nothing fancy, but he really liked walking around and picking up things off the ground (like rocks, or "balls" as he calls them).

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Here's Ethan at Nana and Granddad's. He's got a chocolate mustache...and he's showing off his belly.
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Apparently those Baby Einstein videos are paying off...Ethan's got skills when it comes to the piano.
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We went to Hemphill to visit my sister Jill and her family. They have two horses and Johnny let us ride 'em! It was so much fun, I felt like a kid again! Thanks Ratcliff's, we had a great time!

My sister Rachel, and my neice Katherine got to ride together.

Ethan really fit in with the country crowd.

Ethan and his cousin Bryn.

The Southtexas State Fair was going on for 2 weeks and my in-laws were so sweet to invite us. I took Ethan into the petting zoo and they had some really cool animals. Ethan was kind of scared at first, but then he warmed up to 'em.

They had a miniature horse...

a camel...

goats...

a pig...

and a kangaroo! (He's kind of hiding in the corner.)

I rode with Ethan on one ride, but I get motion sickness really easily, so his uncle Todd took him on the carousel for me. He was scared for the first half of the ride, but was eventually ok with it. In this picture, he's trying to hand me his blanket so I can hold him, lol.

Ethan and uncle Todd

Of course, Ethan had to try some fair food. I think he's eating lamb. Jonathan and I took Ethan another day and tried squirrel on a stick, alligator on a stick, cheesecake on a stick...pretty much everything on a stick...and who doesn't love funnel cakes, right? So we stuffed our faces and had so much fun. But, next time I'm riding the ferris wheel :) .

Home Sweet Home

2009-03-14T09:12:00.003-05:00

Ok, I know I should be posting about how Ethan and I are back from Ohio and what we're up to...buuuut, I haven't been taking any pictures since we've been back, so that'll have to wait. In the mean time, here's a bit of fantastic news that I thought I should share:

This is the window unit in our living room. It looks like it's older than I am, which is probably why it stopped heating (conveniently, in the middle of winter). So, we told our landlord and he brought over a couple of space heaters to keep us warm at night until he could buy a new one.

While I was in Ohio, Jonathan told me the landlord decided not to buy a new window unit...but put in central air/heat instead! Woohoo! I love it! I feel so fancy now! This is such a HUGE improvement. Now our bathroom isn't freezing at night when it's time for Ethan's bath. Now the whole house is comfortable all the time and I am SO very grateful.

I love seeing these guys in all the rooms. I like to just look up and smile at 'em. :)

Our latest field trip...

2009-03-07T08:07:00.008-06:00

Yesterday Sarah and I took the kids to Cosi (pronounced CO-sigh). It's a science museum for kids, but adults like it too. They have everything from rat basketball (yes, actual rats that are trained to play basketball...not sure why, but they do), to a play area where kids can pretend to be doctors, build with giant blocks, or play in the kitchen. We spent the whole time in the play area so the kids could just run free and do as they please. Ethan and I had a great time!

He was trying to ride around backwards. It sorta worked.

Ethan loves to push stuff around. Strollers, shopping carts, cars...pretty much anything.

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This machine blows air, so when you put balls on it they float! Pretty cool huh!
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Ethan and Roman

Thanks for bringing us Sarah! It was super fun!

...and the fun continues...

2009-03-01T16:09:00.007-06:00

This week we brought Kate and the boys to the mall again to play in their fancy indoor playground. As usual, they loved it.

Ethan loves pushing this baby doll stroller around the house.

He decided to climb in it and wait for someone to give him a ride.

Here's Allie pushing Ethan around.

Ethan really never gets tired of riding in the stroller.

(Sorry about the sideways view, I was trying to give it an artistic point of view.)

It's been awhile since I've gotten Ethan to really crack up. I thought maybe I'm just not that funny anymore...but this video proves it, I've still got it!

Here's what's up...

2009-02-26T21:56:00.004-06:00

Soo...we haven't been on any spectacular outtings lately, but we're still having fun. Here are a few cute moments I caught on camera...

Ethan never turns down a piggy back ride, and his cousin Kate (she's 4 1/2) is always willing to let him saddle up. I guess you can never be too young or too small.

Ethan and Roman were trying to hold hands in the kitchen, it was so cute! Unfortunately, when I pulled the camera out, I got this action shot instead. I thought it was still worth blogging.

Here's Ethan eating some grapes and showing off his funny face.

Until now, the only sign language Ethan knew was the sign for "no".....hmm, go figure. BUT, with the help of my sister Sarah, and her little boy Roman, Ethan learned a new sign! He can sign "more", for more food whenever he's hungry...which is pretty often. :) I know it seems like such a small thing, but it really makes things easier when Ethan can communicate what he wants. He picked it up really fast too...seems like he was signing it the first day we showed it to him. I'm thinking that means he's a genius. Anyway, right now we're trying to use the sign for "drink"...well, it's technically "milk", but whatever . I hope I can teach him several signs while we're here...wish me luck!

We're in OHIO!!!

2009-02-21T15:00:00.007-06:00

Ethan and I have really been needing a vacation, so we decided to go to Ohio to visit my sister Sarah and her family. We got here Tuesday the 17th, so we haven't even been here a week yet, but we're already having so much fun! We left our house at 7:30 am, we got to the airport in Houston at 9:30, and our plane boarded at 9:45 am, so we had just enough time to check our bags and walk onto the plane...whew! Needless to say, I was a bit stressed about missing the plane and traveling with a baby, but Ethan was great! He kept waving to people on the plane, saying hi, and then would make his funny face for them (if you haven't seen it, just wait...there are lots of pictures!) He watched Baby Einstein half of the time, so that really helped. We fly back to Texas on March 9th, so we've got plenty of time for more fun...and hopefully we can keep y'all up to speed with more blogging.

Ethan and me on the plane

Our view from the plane, just as we were landing in Columbus.

We let the boys ride in this little car at the grocery store. I thought Ethan would really like it because there's a steering wheel and a little tv inside with Bob the Builder cartoons...but he just kept trying to climb out the front windshield. Oh well!

It's so cold here and Ethan doesn't own any real coats, just jackets, so Roman let him borrow his big puffy coat. He looks so funny!

Ethan tries to smile for the camera...I love it!

This is Ethan's funny face! He squints his eyes, wrinkles up his nose, and smiles as big as he can...it's my favorite face! He does it aaaaaall the time now. Pretty much anytime he meets someone new he turns on the charm and shows them his funny face.

Ethan got some new big boy jeans when we went to Target the other day. I thought his outfit was so cute and grown up, I just had to take a picture.

Roman and Ethan are just 6 weeks apart (Roman is older), and they've been getting along so well. I'm so glad that they're friends and don't mind sharing their toys. This was Ethan's first time to share the bathtub and he loved it! Roman taught him that if you splash like crazy, it gets even more fun!

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Ethan looked so cute today in his fancy church clothes!

He was trying to make his funny face again!

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Sarah and me after church today.

This video is of Roman and Ethan at the mall. They have this really cool play area that has lots of toys to climb on and crawl under...and it's free! This spaceship is obviously their favorite part.

Thanks so much to Jonathan for driving us all the way to Houston. I know that was a long time to be in the car. We're missing everybody, especially Little Jerry, (Ethan's favorite dog), but we're so grateful to be able to spend some time with the Lunts.

All aboard!

2009-02-16T09:48:00.004-06:00

Lately, we've been having really great weather, so Ethan's been able to play outside a lot...which he loves! His Aunt Rachel rigged up a ride for him the other day. It's so cute, you have to see for yourself...

Khalil & Aaliyah

2009-01-30T18:17:00.008-06:00

It seems like time has been flying by, and Khalil and Aaliyah are getting so big! Aaliyah turned 1 year old on December 19th (she's just 4 days younger than Ethan), and Khalil is 2 1/2. (For those of you who don't know, Khalil and Aaliyah are my brother Travis' kids). Anyway, their mom is out of town for a few days, so the kids are staying with my mom. Ethan and I went to visit them this morning and I just had to get pictures of their cute faces! (Also, I thought you out-of-towners would appreciate some pictures, since y'all don't get to see them very often...... you're welcome!)

My mom holding Ethan and Aaliyah

She was ready for a nap and REALLY didn't want a photo shoot.

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I love this picture! These two are such opposites when it comes to being grumpy. Ethan whines and fusses, and Aaliyah has a total meltdown, lol.
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Khalil

Sleeping

2009-01-26T09:49:00.005-06:00

Ethan's been on a good schedule for awhile now. He usually wakes up at 10:00 a.m., naps for 2 or 3 hours at about 3:00, and then goes to bed around 11:00. It's perfect for us because sometimes Jonathan doesn't get home until 10:30 at night, so then he can see Ethan before he goes to bed. Another reason I love having him on a schedule, is that I know when I get a break to excercise, or clean the house, or just relax. He's usually so good about naptime and bedtime, he almost never cries about it. I just tell him it's time to sleep, then I give him his blanket, and lay him in his crib. A lot of times, he'll take his blanket off my shoulder and put it in the crib himself! I guess that means he's ready for bed (and he knows he'll need his blanket for that). After he's been asleep for awhile, I go check on him to see if he needs to be covered up. Here are a few sweet pictures of what I see when I walk in...

He likes to chew on the tag, and he fell asleep with it sticking out of his mouth!

Ethan can read! (almost)

2009-01-22T21:30:00.000-06:00

Ethan loves books, and often reads them himself. Here's a little sample of his advanced reading skills...(sorry, it's so dark, my poor camera does the best it can.)

Christmas Day

2009-01-02T18:47:00.002-06:00

On Christmas Eve night, I opened my presents from Jonathan. I was so excited! He got me clothes, gift cards to my favorite places, and a few things for the house. I love that he's not afraid to shop for me, he always knows what I'd like. The next morning, Ethan woke up and saw that Santa had brought him some toys. He was super excited and couldn't wait to play with them. After that, we went to the Ochoa's where we got to open even more presents! The rest of the day we ate, visited my parents, and then ate some more. It was a great Christmas, I can't wait 'til next year!

Me, Jonathan, and Ethan

(Jonathan bought me that shirt for Christmas, he's got good taste!)

This is after we opened presents at my in-laws. Jonathan's excited about his new toothpaste.

Ethan got a Fisher-Price barn from Santa. I grew up with one of these and I'm so glad they still make 'em. He really likes it.

Ethan's playing with his new toys in his new gingerbread pajamas.

Ethan's not into dolls (thank goodness), but apparently he likes to kiss them every once in awhile.

My family had their Christmas party on the 23rd. Unfortunately, Jonathan had to work, but Ethan and I had fun opening presents anyway. Oh, and my parents got us a vacuum cleaner! It was on my Christmas list and we desperately needed one, so it was the perfect gift. I've been using it almost everyday and I love it! Dirty floors are one of my biggest pet peeves. Seriously. I'm much happier with a freshly vacuumed house.

There's me and my little man opening presents. He's gotten really good at it.

Here he is talking on his new cell phone that he got from his cousin.

Here's my sister Jill with Bryn, and me with Ethan.

Wouldn't you love to get him as a present?

We're so lucky to have such wonderful people to spend the holidays with. Thanks everybody for the thoughtful gifts and the fun parties! It was the best Christmas ever! (...well, it was definitely in the top 5, for sure)

Ethan's First Birthday

2008-12-18T10:58:00.012-06:00

Ethan just turned 1 on December 15th, and he had a spectacular party! We celebrated at my in-laws' house with fajitas and cake with ice cream. All of Jonathan's siblings were there and even my parents got to come. We're so grateful to have family that live so close, especially at times like this. Thanks to everyone for your generosity, Ethan loves all the new toys!

He was a little sick that day, so he was in a daze for some of the pictures....still cute though!

Ethan's enjoying his cake.

Me and Ethan

Cousins Dario and Aiden with Ethan

Aunt Rachel and Ethan

He fell asleep on the ride home. Poor little guy was all partied out!

Ethan loves Baby Einstein, so I copied the Baby Einstein caterpillar for his cake. I made a delicious cool whip and cream cheese frosting, and a white cake. It was my first time to use fondant and it looked perfect.......then after 30 minutes the colors started to run! Oh well, we still ate it.

Happy Birthday Ethan! We love you so so much!

--Mama and Daddy

Ethan's 1st Thanksgiving

2008-12-11T10:38:00.007-06:00

I'm a little behind with the blogging, but here are a few pictures of Ethan's first Thanksgiving. We went to my parents' house that morning, then to Jonathan's cousin's house, then to Jonathan's parents', then back to my parents'. Whew! We were definitely busy, but it was a fun day! (sorry, I only took pics for part of the day)

Granddad and Ethan

Uncle Todd, Aunt Emily, and Ethan

Aunt Taressa and Ethan

Aunt Laura and Ethan

Cousin Nicholas and Ethan

Cousin Ava

Me and baby Laila (Brian and Emily's newest baby)
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Me, Jonathan, and Ethan

Todd & Emily got married!!!

2008-11-24T12:02:00.003-06:00

Jonathan's brother, Todd, got married to Emily Johnson on Friday, November 21st. We weren't able to go to the wedding in Houston, but we got to see them at their reception the next day. It was decorated beautifully! Their colors were black and white with a little red, one of my favorite combinations...very classy! We had such a good time and we're so happy for them. Congratulations Todd and Emily, we love y'all!

Emily, Todd, Jonathan, Me, and Ethan

Ethan's puckering up for the camera.

Me and Jonathan

(don't adjust your screen, my hair really is pink, and yes I did it on purpose)
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I found Ethan's suit coat at a resale shop for really cheap. He looked like a little man, it was so cute!

Projects

2008-11-13T17:44:00.004-06:00

Recently, our Wal-Mart got rid of their fabric department, so all of their fabric was marked down and super cheap! I decided to jump on it, and bought material to make curtains for the house. I quickly realized that this was going to be a huge project, but after many hours, I finally finished the curtains for the living room. I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out, but I'd like to add a solid colored stripe on the bottom, to make them longer. (I bought all there was of this kind).

Here are the curtains.

This is what the material looks like. I'm going with an Asian theme (so that explains the dragons).

I've also been working on some pictures. I found some cool stencils online, but they're way too expensive, so I made my own stencils! I cut out this black paper with an Exacto knife. Then, I put red paper behind it. I've got seven pictures to do, but so far I've only finished two.
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This is the second picture I've done. (They're supposed to be cherry blossoms.)
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The colors might not make sense right now, but hopefully after I make matching pillows it'll work out. Wish me luck!
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He's just so funny!

2008-11-11T09:42:00.004-06:00

Last night, Ethan and I went over to my parents house. At the supper table, I tried to feed him beans and he kept spitting them out! I thought it was funny and I wanted to get it on video, but by the time the camera started rolling, he decided he liked the beans and started something else instead...

I thought it was pretty hilarious. I put my hand out to catch the beans that he was spitting out, but he kept putting his face in my hand instead!

Of course, emptying the kitchen drawer has gotten old, so he found a new way to play with it, or IN it I should say...

I just love him!

Ethan's 1st steps!

2008-11-08T20:30:00.004-06:00

Ethan took his first steps tonight and I'm so excited! Jonathan's at work, so he hasn't gotten to see it, but he'll be so proud. I'm so glad I was here for this moment. I know I can't always be with him, but as a mother, I wish that I could be there for everything and see every milestone. Sometimes I get cabin fever when I stay home all the time, but I really am lucky that I can be a stay-at-home mom. Especially at times like this.

Ethan's 1st Halloween

2008-11-02T10:16:00.012-06:00

This was Ethan's first Halloween and, unfortunately, Jonathan had to work. But Ethan and I still had fun! We went to my in-laws to trick-or-treat around their neighborhood. Ethan really needed a nap and was being a bit grumpy, but we went anyway. I carried him around to a few houses, and by the fourth house he fell asleep! So we went back to their house where he finished his nap, and that was the extent of our Halloween partying. I didn't mind though. He was getting pretty heavy, and it's not like he was going to eat the candy. We had a good time, and hopefully next year Jonathan and I will get to wear costumes and join the fun.

Here's the pumpkin I carved.

Our sweet little lion.

Ethan was distracted by all the trick-or-treaters.

Ethan and his cousins, Aiden and Dario, the power rangers.

This is Aiden, Ethan, Ava, and Dario, just before they went trick-or-treating.

Ethan and Aunt Taressa (a.k.a. Auntie).

Ethan and me.

The little lion after 15 minutes of trick-or-treating.

My sister Kelly, me, and Ethan. Kelly was going to a Halloween party as a Black Jack card dealer. We teased her hair up really big, and I loved the red lipstick!

Surprise!

2008-10-28T10:53:00.005-05:00

Last night we went to Monica's surprise birthday party at my parent's house. She had no idea, so it was a success! Benny did a great job of putting it all together and keeping it a secret. I made a chocolate cake and we had hot dogs and snacks. It was really fun to visit with everybody. Luckily, Jonathan wasn't working, so he got to come too! I loved that part!

Happy birthday Monica!

My little helper

2008-10-26T11:10:00.008-05:00

Ethan's good at a lot of things, but he's especially good at reorganizing. This video is what happens when he gets loose at his grandma's house...and they think it's sooo cute. I bet if I did that they wouldn't be too happy. Why the double standard?

He'll eat anything!

2008-10-21T10:50:00.007-05:00

Ethan's been eating a lot of table food lately. He'll try pretty much anything we're eating and crawls as fast as he can to get to our plates.

First, he eyes our food as if to say "Mmm, that sure looks tasty".

Then, we let him try a little bit...

but it tastes so good he won't let go!

Are babies supposed to eat chicken?

Baby Simba

2008-10-14T18:46:00.004-05:00

Last night my family got together to carve pumpkins. We've been doing it every year for a while now and I really like the tradition. Jonathan didn't get to go because he was working, but Ethan and I still partied without him. Ethan showed off his Halloween costume for everyone and he looked so cute as a baby lion. He's like a baby simba off the Lion King! I love to see him crawl in it because his tail kind of wags. After a little while he started getting hot, but it was fun while it lasted!

Two Ethans!

2008-10-13T08:48:00.003-05:00

Occasionally, I babysit for a friend and she has an Ethan too! He's a couple months younger than mine and very petite, so I call him Little E to cut down on the confusion. This past Wednesday, Little E came over and Ethan was so excited. When Ethan woke up and saw his friend was here, he couldn't stop smiling! Little E is a very good, easy going baby, so it works out great. I like this video because they just keep looking at each other and being really quiet, but I promise they really do have fun together!

Hysterical

2008-10-04T21:53:00.004-05:00

I love when Ethan thinks I'm funny, or in this case, hysterical. His laugh is just too cute! I've already watched this video a few times myself, it makes me smile.

If you give a boy a cookie...

2008-10-04T08:38:00.002-05:00

he'll make a huge mess!!!

Thanks to his aunt Rachel, Ethan had a great time feeding himself a cookie, as he strolled around the house. I'm pretty sure they found cookie smeared on their cabinets the next day.

Ethan and Little Jerry were eyeing Kelly's grilled cheese. They're both little beggars when it comes to food.

I gave Ethan some dry cereal to snack on and the little guy fell asleep. So cute!

Ethan's such a boy! He loves to climb over things or crawl under them if at all possible. I love that about him.

Surprise!

2008-10-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

Jonathan worked a double yesterday, from 10 am to 10 pm, so we didn't get to see him much. He did get a little break, however, and spent some time at the mall. When he got home he surprised me with these fabulous shoes!

I just love 'em! I'm so impressed that he picked them out on his own. He said when he saw them, he knew they were the ones, and he had to get 'em. How cute is that! It was such a great surprise and it wasn't even my birthday! Thanks Jonathan, I love you!

Hurricane adventures

2008-09-28T08:21:00.007-05:00

Ok, I know it's been forever since I've posted, but we've been without power at our house for 2 weeks, thanks to Hurricane Ike. So I thought I'd let y'all know what good 'ol Ike put us through.

We slept at my parents' house the night of the hurricane. We were a little worried a tree might fall on ours, so we didn't want to be home just in case. They had 2 trees fall in their backyard, but luckily nothing happened to their house.

We're standing on their front porch. There was water covering the road and some of the yard.

Me, Ethan, and Aaliyah

Rachel and the babies

Ethan and Aaliyah had fun playing together. I think they enjoyed being outside.

Since the power went out the night before, we woke up hot. There wasn't much to do other than sit outside and let the kids play with their shirts off. They liked being free.

Khalil pushed Ethan up and down the driveway. It was so cute! Right here it looks like he's telling Ethan not to worry, it'll be ok.

All day I was trying to think of where we could go, or who we could stay with because we heard power could be out for 2-3 weeks! I was barely surviving one day in that heat. Amazingly, my sister Jill got power at her house in Hemphill that evening, and she invited us and my parents to stay with her. I'm pretty sure it only took me 15 minutes to get packed and ready to go. All I could think about was air conditioning and a shower.

Well, it took about two hours to drive to Jill's house. It was dark and rainy, and the roads were slick. While crossing a bridge, our truck hydroplaned. We started slipping and sliding. Just when it looked like we were going to drive right off it, the truck would slide the opposite way, and I thought we were going over the other side instead. It seemed like I had five whole minutes to think about what was happening. So many thoughts went through my head about if we would survive...if there was water under the bridge...if we would be able to get out...and my poor baby in the back seat. It was probably the scariest thing that's ever happened to me. Somehow Jonathan was able to regain control of the truck, and the only damage was to the back tail light, which hit the side of the bridge. We immediately pulled over to check the damage, calm our nerves, and hold our crying baby. We were so relieved that no one was hurt and the truck was still driveable. We safely made it the rest of the way, but we were still shaken up for a while. I was grateful for my family before this incident, but even more so now. I love my husband and my son so very much, and I never want to think about losing them. I would be lost without them and I'm so glad the angels are watching over our little family.

Well, on a lighter note, Jill and Johnny have a couple horses in their backyard. We got to pet them and feed them carrots. Ethan was definitely interested, but they'll never compare to Little Jerry (his favorite dog in the whole wide world).

I think their horses are named Jim and Jack. Jim's the friendly one on the left.

This is a huge tree next to Jill's house that snapped. It was pretty cool.

I want to make sure Jill and Johnny know how much we appreciate them letting us stay at their house for a few days. They fed us sooo well, and we had the best company. Ethan loved playing with all the kids. Thanks guys! We love y'all!

We are currently staying with Jonathan's parents and it's been great! They're always there to help whenever we need it. Thanks so much! I don't know what we'd do without family.

The party of the century!

2008-09-06T22:00:00.006-05:00

Khalil turned 2 years old on May 19th, but he didn't get an official birthday party, so we decided to throw him one today! Better late than never, right? He's really into cars, so that was kind of the theme. I made him a cake with race cars on it and he got lots of great presents! He doesn't really know about birthdays, so it was fun to see the excitement on his face when he got to open his presents (which just kept coming and coming!). I know he had a lot of fun and his daddy wouldn't have wanted him to skip his birthday this year. Thanks to everybody who came and helped make Khalil's birthday the party of the century!

This is Khalil falling asleep after his party. For some reason, he likes feet! So when he gets sleepy, he wants to lay on someone's leg and hold onto their feet. Sounds weird, I know, but whatever works.

Ethan got to experience his first Oreo today (double stuf, of course). As you can see, he loved it. (Jonathan had to experience it with him, like father like son.)

Ethan's driving

2008-09-03T17:54:00.003-05:00

Jonathan always lets Ethan sit in the front seat with him before we put him in his car seat, and Ethan loves it! He gets excited and immediately grabs the steering wheel and starts turning it. It's quite adorable. (Don't you love their matching jerseys! They were going to a fantasy football draft, so they had to coordinate their outfits.)

Rachel's makeover

2008-08-22T13:03:00.008-05:00

Last week, Rachel decided she wanted a new do, so we did a little makeover! I cut it into a short pixie cut and it looks so cute on her! We forgot to do before pictures, but her hair used to be right above her shoulders, so this was pretty drastic. Of course we had to add a little bleach a few days later, but we didn't get pictures of that, so just imagine it a little blonder. She does a great job of fixing it herself by making it messy and spiking it. Sometimes she evens styles it into a faux-hawk! She's very trendy for an almost 12 year old. You look super cute Rach! (Ethan told me to say that.)

Toledo Bend

2008-08-16T09:43:00.020-05:00

Last week we went with the Ochoa family to the lake. It was about a two hour drive to Toledo Bend where we were staying for three nights. It was a really nice cabin with four bedrooms and each room had its own bathroom. There was a pool, a paddleboat, and a playground for the kids. It was so much fun! We even got to spend some time with the Ratcliffs. They were only about twenty minutes away in Hemphill, so they came over one night to eat supper with us. They were nice enough to bring some Blue Bell ice cream! If you haven't tried the Southern Blackberry Cobbler ice cream, you're missing out, it's delicious!

That's Todd, Brian, and Dario fishing. I think they ended up catching a couple while we were there.

Nana and Granddad on the paddleboat.

Me, Jill and the Ratcliff kids.

Ava and Ella became pretty good friends. They were so cute together!

Baby Bryn and all her teeth!

Sweet little Ava.

Me and Ethan on the playground. We didn't really spin because I get sick on those kinds of things.

Me and Ethan on the see-saw. (We kind of needed someone on the other side.)

He loves the playground!

Jonathan and Ethan swinging.

The swinging put Ethan to sleep!

Jonathan spinning with Ethan.

Dario and Aiden rode back with us and Granddad. There's a dvd player in their car so they were very entertained.

Ethan watched baby einstein on the way there and, as usual, he loved it.

8 whole months!

2008-08-16T09:13:00.011-05:00

Ethan turned 8 months old yesterday! That's right, it's already been eight whole months! So, here are some pictures of what he likes to do now that he's a big boy.

He likes to climb...

He can fall asleep while eating (he was feeding himself some dry cereal puffs and it just knocked him out)...

He loves his Pa Pa (and his Granddad) so much...

He always hangs on super tight...

He likes to feed himself baby biscuits...

and get it aaalll over his face.

He likes to chew on watermelon...

and lean over to look for it after he drops it on the floor.

We just love him!

Hey Jerry!

2008-08-08T10:46:00.004-05:00

Ethan loves to play with Little Jerry. He always smiles when he sees him and laughs when Jerry runs and plays. Ethan just started something cute, where he'll lean his head over sideways to look at stuff, as if he's trying to peek around a corner. I love it, so I caught it on video.

Todd's home!

2008-08-08T10:20:00.013-05:00

^Here's Todd and Ethan bonding.

^Jonathan and me at the airport. He's always making me laugh.

Jonathan's brother, Todd, came home from Russia on Tuesday. He was serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which means we haven't seen him for 2 whole years! Obviously it was Ethan 's first time to meet him, and I think they hit it off. Todd flew into the Beaumont airport, so we all went to see him. Unfortunately, his plane landed earlier than expected, so we didn't get to see him right when he got off, but it was still exciting. It was cool to hear him speak Russian and hear about the different culture. We're so glad to have him back!

Family pictures

2008-08-02T21:43:00.010-05:00

We went to JCPenney a couple weeks ago to take family pictures. Ethan pretty much didn't smile the whole time. He just stared at the lady. I was disappointed that the photographer didn't pull out one toy the entire time. I thought everyone knew babies liked toys, but I guess she didn't get the memo. Oh well. I'm still excited that we finally got around to getting them done. Even though I hate taking pictures, I know I'll be happy to have them years down the road. I like the traditional pictures, but we obviously had to do a football one. So we got Ethan a Tony Romo jersey to go with Jonathan's Marion Barber one and they looked so cute together! Aren't my boys so handsome?

Memory Tag

2008-08-01T20:45:00.001-05:00

1. Add a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. I can't wait to see what people remember.