Busy Bee.....

is what you can call me.

Here is what my day consisted of.

8:00 a.m.- woke up with Carter
8:45-drop Carter off at Lisa's
9:00-Eat breakfast and help my mom paint her kitchen
11:00- Work at Southern Belle Inn for about 4 hours
3:00-Lift weights
4:00- Run 3(ish) miles
4:45- Golf with Nick
6:45-Eat dinner (note that I was so busy I skipped lunch)
7:30-We went to my parents house to pick up little man.
8:30- I went to Walmart with my dad and got stuff for my house, mom's house, and Southern Belle Inn.
10:00 Put Carter to bed (wish it was earlier---we have tried.)
11:00- Now I am here.

Yeah, that's how my days usually look, aside from golfing with Nick.  So when is there time to cook dinner and keep up with a house?  I don't even have time to eat lunch and I still have not had time to bathe.  But to be honest, I would not have it any other way.  I sure do love my life, even if it is packed with stuff to do. 

I gotta brag on me and my running partner, Adriane (Turley) Pickett, here for a second.  We are running machines.  We are running anywhere from 2-4 miles every day.  Every day people!!  Monday-Friday.  Yesterday we ran 3 miles without stopping up and down hills and we were going at a pretty good pace.  Then on top of that, we are lifting weights three days a week before we run.  We have signed up for our second 5k race that will be the second week in November.  We are pumped!

We took Carter to the Scrapper game Friday.  He loved it so much!  Loved all the people everywhere, loved showing everyone his new orange and black Scrapper shoes (or maybe that was me), and he loved going up and down the bleachers.  There was no watching the game for me and Mom, though because we were so busy chasing him around. 

Then about 20 seconds after we got in the car.....



The football game was very special to us for another reason, though.  We got to sit right behind Rico Quinonez and talk to him the whole first half of the football game.  It was such a shock to wake up the next morning and read on Facebook that he had passed away.  He was such a special and sweet guy and I know that he will be missed by so many people.  It is very clear that he is someone that is loved by everyone.  Not many people walked by him that he did not give them a huge hug.  I didn't know him as well as I would like but he has really been on my heart here lately, along with his mother.  No one should ever have to bury their child.  Just can't imagine that pain.  My heart hurts for the family and I have prayed really hard for them all.   Rest in peace and fly with God, sweet boy!  Heaven gained an amazing angel that night!

Yum

Ok so I made this recipe an had to share.  It's stupid easy and so super good!!  Nick and carter both gave it a thumbs up.  Only advice is I would wait and put cooked shrimp in very last and double the sauce part.  I sautéed my shrimp in butter and cavenders seasoning. OMG!! Make it. I dare you!

Ingredients

• 1 pound fettuccini pasta
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• salt to taste
  Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  2. In a large skillet, saute shrimp and garlic in the butter for about one minute. Pour in half and half; stir. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. After all Parmesan is added, mix in parsley and salt. Stir frequently making sure it does not boil. Sauce will take a while to thicken.
  3. When sauce has thickened, combine with cooked pasta noodles; serve hot.
  
  
  Also, have you ever tried washing your face with St. Ives? It's gives you a spa treatment in your own bathroom! It leaves you and your wallet smiling!! Ignore that that statement.  I am realizing how lame it sounds.
  That's all I got for you today. I am taking carter to the scrapper game tomorrow and highly debating taking him to the pep rally! I think he would love it!
  PEACE OUT!!

California Pictures

I feel really bad that I do not have more pictures.  Last year when we went to California Carter was around 6 months old and all he was doing was sitting there so I got to take about 100 pictures.  Now, he is running everywhere and I was so busy chasing him and not wanting to take my eyes off of him that I didn't have that much time for pictures.  But here's what we got:

The first plane ride he had his own seat.  He loved it!

This is the back yard at my uncle's house.  Carter loved being outside all he wanted to.

Uncle Louie and Carter shopping in the fabric store.

Happy Boy!

I can now say that I ate caviar!  I really thought that I would throw up the second I put those fish eggs in my mouth, but I actually liked it and ended up eating three of them.  Just that amount right there was 40 bucks.  Can you imagine how much money people spend at fancy weddings???  I also got to eat crab legs in butter sauce for the first time and I absolutely loved it...and I am really not a sea food person!  But my taste buds had a party!  We most definitely got wined and dined that evening!

My uncle's house has lots of stairs so Carter was in Toddler Heaven!

Watching all the people and cars go by through the window while shopping

Visiting awesome buildings and hotels

Wow!!

How relaxing would it be to stay in this hotel?

Carter loved the beach so much!  Nick and I always say that we will never take a vacation to the beach.  Well, now we are already planning our trip to Florida for next year.

Carter was such a good boy!  Pretty much the whole trip, this is what he looked like

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Carter is now back to his normal schedule.  He goes to sleep around 10:00, wakes up at 6 and comes into our room, drinks a big glass of milk, then goes back to sleep with us until about 8:00.  Then we get up and around and ready to go to Lisa's with breakfast waiting on him.  They eat lunch at 11:00 then go down for a nap at 12:00.  My mom  picks him up around 3:00, while I workout.  Then we play play play til dinner around 7:00 then bath time which is about 8:00.  Then we play play play and eat popsicles and other snacks until story time and bedtime.  I am loving this schedule and Carter really is too.

We got to break out his Adidas wind pants this morning.  It was pretty chilly!  They are adorable on him!  But it has gotten me scared because they are 12 month pants that fit him perfectly and I pretty much got him mostly 18 month pants.  He just does not have the butt or legs to hold up some 18 month pants, I don't think.....but we will survive.

AD and I are getting to where we are running about 4 miles every day!!  Yes, we are walking some of it but for the most part we are running.  So proud of us!  We have been doing our couch to 5k workout for 2 weeks and we are already on week 5.  I am so ready to start seeing some serious results!  Now if I could just eat right....dang that's so hard.

I started my business class yesterday on public speaking.  I actually really love it!!!  I am learning and having fun in that class.  I think everyone should be taking it.  Not only does it teach how to speak to people one on one and to a crowd but it also teaches how to set goals and meet them, which is right down my ally!

Anyways, I'm getting stuff done today, but got a chance to take a break to post pictures.  Holla atcha!

Cali 2012

Yes, we are alive and well. We made it back to good ol' Arkansas in one piece.  We had a terrific time, but there is no place like home.  I missed my bed and missed my husband even more than that!!  But again, Cali did not disappoint.

Our trip started off kinda rocky because Carter was sick and had very bad diaper rash.  We almost decided to cancel our trip because he was so bad.   We took him to his doctor the day before we left and big boy weighs 22 pounds with clothes and shoes on.  We are trying our hardest to help him gain some weight without giving him unhealthy stuff.  We almost decided to cancel our trip because he was so bad.  But we decided to go ahead and go and if he didn't get any better then we would just pay extra money to come home early.   Good thing we went because he got better the next day after we got there. 

We got to spend lots of quality time with family that we only get to see once a year, if that.  We got to do lots of shopping.  I got some stuff but Mr. Carter racked up!  He has enough winter clothes and shoes to wear a different outfit every day.  I got me about 3 pair of pants, 3 shirts, 3 winter scarves, and some other stuff that I can't think of at the moment.  We also got to go to the beach which was so much fun.  Carter had a really good time and didn't want to leave.  But I decided it was time to go once he started rubbing dirt in his eyes.  We also got to visit some very beautiful hotels and buildings.  Very neat places!

It was a very fun trip for me but it was a very tiring trip also.  Chasing and hauling a 22 pound hoodlum/monkey all day was tough at times.  But he was an absolute delight the whole time and such a trooper.  SUCH. A. TROOPER.  He never really complained about being stuck in the car seat while we were stuck in traffic.  He took a nap in his tiny stroller while shopping.  Never complained one time.  The little stinker ate everything that was offered to him.  I learned stuff that he loved to eat that I had no clue about.  Green peppers, onions, mushrooms, shrimp, noodles, and honey.  So I got to shop and research stuff to cook for him that I have never made before.

I was so afraid at how Carter was going to adjust when we got back to Arkansas.  For one...the two hour difference.  But the big problem was that he got to sleep in the big bed in between me and my mom for a whole week.  Also, since the weather is so nice there, they just leave the doors open to outside without having to turn the air conditioner on.  Since my Uncle's back yard is fenced in, Carter got to go in and out as much as he pleased.  He was in Heaven.  But low and behold he has really shocked me and has slept in his own bed in his own room by himself without waking up a single time, and he really is not begging to go outside anymore than he was before he left.  I just think he was so excited to see all of his toys again that he forgot about it.  And Daddy!!  He just loved on Nick for the longest time when he saw him for the first time.  But the whole time change thing does have him a little messed up.  Going to bed at 11:30 is really getting old but I can live with sleeping in until 10:30.  But his little world is going to be turned completely upside down tomorrow when he has to get up early and go to the babysitter.  He is totally going to freak.  He has really loved being with Mom for the last 2 weeks.  But life and business goes on and I go back to work tomorrow.

I have been back for 2 days and I still have not unpacked and organized everything.  I am dreading that.  At least I washed everything the night before we came back so I don't have to do any laundry.  I just got to make my non-motivated self get busy. 

Our workout starts up again tomorrow as well.  AD and I have decided that it's time to really get serious about it.  We are both feeling like big ol' slobs and we are sick of it.  So weights tomorrow around 3:30 and running at 7:00.  If you get a chance say a quick prayer for us.

I still know nothing about my knee.  Do you know how livid I am about that?  I finally get the people in Texarkana to send my MRI result to the surgeon in Little Rock.  That took a couple weeks.  Now they have had the MRI report for over a week and I still have not gotten a phone call telling me the low down on what's going on with my knee.  Pretty ridiculous, right?  So I have decided that if I don't get a phone call by 4:00 then I am calling and yelling at some folks.  I have been nice way longer than what I probably should have.  But they are about to see a side of me that will not be so pretty on me.  Waiting is a game that I don't like very much.

Anywho, once I get more time I may try to post some pictures from our California trip.  But it's nearly midnight and this little lady is tired.  So, goodnight all!

Carter Update

Exhausted (igˈzôstid)- Drained of one's physical or mental resources; very tired. 

That's exactly what I am.  Utterly Exhausted.

Carter has really put us through the ringer the past week or so.  I so wish I could take all of his sickness and endure all that he is going through.  So, I told you that he has been sick and having diarrhea.  Well he has taken it to a whole new level.  He has been pooping like every 10 minutes and that, in turn, has made him very very raw.  So he has been very cranky.  I know it hurts really bad so I cant blame him.  There is no telling how I would be acting!!  But we have had very bad nights at home.  Poor little guy.  It finally ended (for the most part) yesterday.  So he is fine today and totally over everything so he is back at Lisa's.  He is still raw, but not sick.  But Nick and I have not recovered from all the lost sleep yet.

He is now back to his normal goofy self......

 

......and this was his wardrobe for the whole entire week.

 

I just can't tell you all the new stuff he is learning everyday.  He loves to show us his big, huge, bulging muscles.  He loves shaking everybodys hand, and telling them bye.  And he loves stepping on and off the couch by himself using cushions--it could keep him busy for hours.  But his new thing that he loves to do is dance.  I have yet to get this on video, but if you have ever seen Chandler dance, off the show Friends, then that's about what he looks like.  Anytime a song comes on tv he goes to swaying and moving his arms.  ADORABLE!!

 

He has to eat a "pop" (Popsicle) every night before bed.  He just craves them!

 

He was gaining weight really well until he got sick and I bet he is back down to weighing 21 pounds again.  Little dude just can't catch a break. 

 

He is getting better and better about dealing with people and I just really think it is because he is away from us during the day.  Lisa is really doing well with him.  Now we just gotta get him to start playing with other kids better.  I don't know if he is like this at Lisa's but when he is home, he is constantly smiling and is the sweetest thing and very active! 

 

All in all he is doing great and he is one tough cookie!

 

 

 





Labor Day Weekend

I have had a pretty busy end of the week and weekend.  Reason number one is Carter has been sick. And let me tell ya, when he is sick he is a lot of work!!  He gets very clingy, whiney, and his fuse box that keeps his temper somewhat in check is completely cut on half----which means it was out of working condition.  There were several times I almost just got in the floor and cried with him but decided that would have probably made him so mad and make beast that lives inside him would be unleashed.  That's his daddy's fault.... He made him that way. I am responsible for his sweet and loving side.  Anyways, the kiddo has not eaten much in five days and I can tell he has lost some weight....like he had any at all to spare.  He has had some kind of stomach virus (diarrhea, not eating, fever). It is finally almost over though and he is starting to liven up and play and eat more snacks.

We have missed out on all the fun being sick! Lake with family, football game, my best friends sons birthday party, cousins birthday party, and grandpas birthday party. What a bummer! We also missed out on having fun with cousin Nolan while he was down visiting.  I am hoping all of this sick business is out of Carter's system before we leave Saturday for California!!  Also, all that work that I did cleaning my house......it's messy again.  I blame it all on Carter!!

Reason number two for being so busy is because Tonya let me have a garage sale at her house, Saturday, which turned out to be a huge 4 family garage sale.  I think we did very well. After it was all said and done I ended up making 250 and what we didn't sale, we donated.  My money will be flying with me to California to replace what I sold and donated for stuff that is actually in style and fit me!  I had a lot if fun at the sale. One thing I learned though... A garage sale is a lot of work and takes time!  

The MRI people called and said it would take 5 DAYS to send the report on my knee to my doctor! If it were their knee I bet it would not even take 24 hours! I was so mad when they told me that.  Oh well.  Until they call and tell me the low down, I am still going to work out.  AD and I are starting the Couch to 5k workout today.  So if anyone goes to the park and sees two girls passed out in the middle of the road....it's us.  Just leave us there.  If we are not in good enough shape to do the first day....we deserve it.

So I know my Labor Day weekend don't sound like a lot of fun but I have enjoyed spending this time with my boy at home..... For the most part :)