Family Vacation

I am so excited to finally share details about our little family vacation we took over the weekend! We got out of town and went to Port Aransas with friends, and we had SO much fun! One of James' best friends from Austin celebrated his 30th birthday last week, and his wife planned a surprise vacation for their family with us. We got the call about the trip while we were in the ER for Cullen's stitches, so I told Stephanie to just send me the plans. We would have to go!

The toughest part about this trip was keeping a secret from Jason. James and I are both terrible at keeping secrets, but we managed to hold it in for a couple of months.

We headed out of town Friday afternoon and stopped at Prasek's on the way for snacks and a chance to stretch our legs. Because I'm a big kid, I decided to get an ICEE. Why not, right? Over the last eighteen months, I've made a concerted effort to keep Cullen away from most junk food. He'll get an occasional cookie, but nothing wild. Then I gave him a sip of my ICEE. Then he drank most of my ICEE. I don't know why he stayed up so late Friday night...

Who could deny that little face?

We got up the next morning and headed for the beach. We live so close to the beach, but we've never actually taken Cullen out there. I felt certain that our first trip would be full of tears and ingested sand and salt water. It was a little bit on the cool side, but Cullen seemed to enjoy the pull of the water and running around with shovels. I would consider it a success. I can't wait to get him on the beach again!

Why dig with the shovels when you can run with them?

Stephanie and I took the little boys back to the condo for an afternoon nap, and the big boys spent the afternoon on the golf course. The highlight of my afternoon was spending some quiet time with Cullen. I put him down for a nap in the bed (instead of the pack and play), so I went in to check on him after a couple of hours (when he would normally be waking up from his nap). I laid down on the bed to read my book, and he woke up almost immediately, walked across the bed, curled up at my side and slept for another hour. Cullen has never been big on cuddling, so it was a really sweet, rare moment to enjoy. Those little things really are some of the best parts of being a parent.

We went out to dinner that night and went out for ice cream afterwards. James kept a hand on Cullen's ice cream cup, but we let him feed himself. I love that look on his face that shows how he didn't expect the spoon to interact that way with the ice cream. Every day is a learning experience right now.

How do you do this? Eeeeee.

After ice cream was pirate picture time while we searched high and low for a Christmas tree ornament and a t-shirt for Cullen. We ended up leaving with a pirate picture and a ball for Cullen. It was nothing like what we were actually looking for, but Cullen was happy.

Aarrrgh.

The next morning we got up and headed home to catch up on the mundane tasks of life (like laundry). We started out our trip with a quick ride on the ferry. James took Cullen out of his car seat for a quick tour of the water (Cullen knows now that water is also "agua").

Look at all the agua!

It was so nice to have a weekend away as a family. We're already discussing Port Aransas as our family vacation for next year when we might not be able to make it to Garner. Until then, I'll be getting all wound up about our trip to Austin this weekend and our trip to Garner in less than 6 weeks. I can't wait to see my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew!

xoxo ashley

Mother's Day, Grills, and Peanut Butter

Last Friday, Cullen's school celebrated Mother's Day. I got a hand print card, a popsicle stick picture frame, and the best Derby hat ever. Cullen was just happy to get to spend extra time with us. I feel pretty blessed to have Cullen in a school that cares about him. So awesome.

Hat of the Year

Friday afternoon, James picked me up from work a little early. He wanted to take me to Nordstrom to pick up my Mother's Day gift. I've had my eye on some Ugg flip flops for a while, but I've been too cheap to just buy them. In comes Mother's Day. No big deal. We're going to walk into Nordstrom, pick out the shoes, pick Cullen up from school. WRONG. I have never ever ever had bad customer service at Nordstrom, but I found the bitch of the land. They didn't have the shoes I wanted, so I went home to order them online (after checking every single store in the Galleria for them). Nordstrom is charging for shipping (and I am cheap), so I called Nordstrom, ratted out angry lady and ordered the shoes over the phone. In the effort to not have to wait too long, I ordered the two sizes I would have tried on. I'll return the extra pair next week.

We spent Mother's Day with my parents in Lake Jackson. Cullen's nap came right after an awesome lunch, so I laid next to the pool with my feet in the water for a couple of hours. It was probably the laziest afternoon I've had in a while. On the way home, Cullen decided to remind me of the joys of being a mommy. He shoved a bite-sized Oreo so far down his throat that he started choking. While James was trying to pull over, I scooped the Oreo out of Cullen's throat, and he threw up in my hands. I wish I could say it was the first time he threw up in my hands. Alas, he is alive, and we are holding off on Oreos for a bit.

Because there is no rest for the weary, I found a large part of a screw in Cullen's water table weekend before last. It turned out to be a part of James' Cullen's grill. We decided to utilize Costco's lifetime guarantee on the grill and exchange it for a new one. After a little bit of additional research, James decided that the Big Green Egg would be a better fit for our little family than the Black Pearl. There was a pretty decent additional cost for the Egg, so James got his Father's Day gift early. As long as he's happy, I'm happy.

Yesterday was Cullen's 18 month checkup with the doctor. It's crazy to believe that he is actually 18 months old. He is still a tall, skinny thing, but he's staying on his growth path. The highlight of his appointment yesterday was his first taste of peanut butter. I've really wanted to add peanut butter to his diet as a new source of protein, but our doctor requested that we wait for an appointment to let him try it. A few months ago (I think), he showed a fish intolerance with lots of hives, so we wanted to be careful with other common allergens. The fabulous news is that Cullen is not allergic, and he loves peanut butter. I'm so happy that I can offer him peanut butter sandwiches when he won't eat meat for dinner. He's going to have a balanced diet if it kills me.

This week has been incredibly hectic as we prepare to go out of town this weekend. I can't wait to share more about our trip when we get back!

xoxo Ashley

Birthday Parties -- Not Just for the Young

Some of our wonderful neighbors had a birthday party for their sweet son over the weekend. We always enjoy getting to hang out, and we thought Cullen might have fun at the party, too. I am SO looking forward to the day Cullen is old enough to have one of these parties. They hosted at an inflatables place with laser tag. I'm not sure who had the most fun, but I think the adults enjoyed it just as much as the kids did. One of our other neighbors is actually discussing having her husband's next birthday at the Inflatable Katy. I think we might not be entirely grown up just yet. :) I didn't get to play laser tag, but I had a great time watching James run around like a kid and Cullen dance all over the place.

Cullen is getting so vocal these days. When we get to school in the morning, he says hi to all of the other teachers. I'm totally biased, but it is beyond cute. The director of the day care calls Cullen her "boyfriend," and each morning she says to him, " Hi Boyfriend!" when we walk in. He says "hi" to her and blows a kiss. I'm a little jealous that he cares for her so much, but I'm so happy to see that he has a special spot in her heart.

His newest vocal trend is saying "mama" or "daddy" before something. It is new for James and I to have to respond to a different name. We're getting the hang of it, but Cullen always reminds us when we don't respond as quickly as he'd like. This past Saturday, he walked up to me and said, "Mama apple." When I brought out his apple snacks, he clapped for me. I think he's proud of us for finally figuring out what he's already been telling us for months.

xoxo ashley

Easter Fun

This may have been Cullen's second Easter, but we celebrated like it was his first. Last year, he was a little lump of a thing. This year, he was a running, talking, laughing little boy. What a difference!

Cullen's school was closed on Friday, so they held an Easter egg hunt on Thursday. Cullen caught on really quickly and started taking eggs from the other kids. Makes a mommy proud... Or not...

James' office was closed on Friday, so I took a vacation day, and we spent some family time together. It was a wonderful long weekend. On Saturday evening, we went to church with Peggy, Andy, and Charly. It was so nice to be back in church. Right now, Cullen's nap schedule conflicts with church attendance. I think I'm going to look into finding a new church with Saturday night services. It might be just what our little family needs. 

Sunday was a busy day filled with lots of cooking, lots of egg hunting, and lots of time visiting with family. My parents came over to spend the day with us, and I prepared a huge lunch. It was so fun to get to spend all of that time in the kitchen, and everyone seemed to enjoy the food. I love sharing food with others!

 After lunch was Cullen's personal egg hunt in our front yard. We loved watching him scout out the eggs, and I can't wait to get him set up for next year. By next year, the true meaning of Easter might even hold some bearing with Cullen. So awesome!

More egg hunting? Okay...

 

All for me? Whoa!

xoxo ashley

Sleep? What's That?

This past weekend, we went to Austin for a day trip. It was an incredibly busy day filled with an impossible schedule. We left early in the morning, had a family lunch at Salt Lick, dropped James off with friends, Cullen and I went to a wedding shower, then we went to see Tera, then we had dinner with more friends. How I didn't nap on the way home that evening is beyond me. I'm incredibly thankful for James and his driving us to and from Austin.

Of course, a day spent in Austin is pure torture in making me homesick. We drove with the windows down, we enjoyed fresh air, we ate dinner outside. There's no denying that I love Austin. It is in every fiber of my being. Someday, I'll go back for good. Until then, I enjoy my day trips. I can't wait to go back next month!

The best dressed boy at Salt Lick.

Last night was our annual HOA meeting. At last year's meeting, I was voted in as the neighborhood liaison. Meh. I didn't mean to volunteer. Last night, I entered my name in the pot with the intentions of backing out as soon as someone competent stepped up. Lucky for me (or not), no one at all stepped up. I think I'm the liaison again. Not entirely sure. The good news is that I didn't have time to cook. So we ate Whataburger yesterday. Cullen loves their fries. Can you tell?

xoxo ashley

Escape

It seems like the days slip past me before I even know they're here. Cullen is such a little chatterbox these days. He is using a handful of two syllable words, and he gets so excited when he gets his point across. Yesterday, he pulled one of his toys up behind the couch, stood on top of it, put his little face right next to mine, and said, "Hey!" That one little word was just so special. He is consistently a little people pleaser, and he is such a joy to be around. Like every child, he definitely has his moments, but the good always outweighs the bad. It seems like he'll be speaking in sentences any day now.

As always, we are keeping busy and trying to stay on top of everything. We finally got to visit my parents this weekend. Like a really great mom, I didn't take a single picture. Parenting fail.

My mom just got a new iPhone, so we spent some time teaching her how to use it, and then we went to Best Buy to get her a cover. My dad just bought a new truck, and he was feeling adventurous. On our way out the door, he handed me the keys. I totally got new car envy. Not that I have any business driving a F-350 Super Duty, but it was super nice. It made my Highlander seem downright sad. My dad really deserves to spoil himself a bit, so I'm really proud of him for taking that step. I'm pretty sure he loves that truck almost as much as his kids.

We also got to spend some great time with our neighbors this weekend. We feel so blessed to have a great network of friends in our neighborhood. I think most of them talk to us because they love Cullen, but I'll take it. We spent a good bit of time outside, and plenty of time inside protecting ourselves from the April heat. I consistently forget how early summer arrives in Houston. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this weather? No? That's probably because I don't.

Of course, Cullen decided to wind the weekend down with a fever, so James is working from home today trying to keep Cullen calm, and I'm trying to get my work all wound up so that I can work from home tomorrow if he still isn't feeling well.

This weekend, we're making a day trip to Austin for a friend's wedding shower. I'm hoping to squeeze in a lunch, dinner, and some bluebonnet pictures. I can't wait!

xoxo ashley

Family Time

Life is always moving at a fast pace. I've learned that you have to keep up, or you'll get tossed under the bus. I think I tried too hard to keep up the last week and a half, so I am crawling from beneath the wheels.

Don't get me wrong here. The last couple of weeks have been pretty great (discounting the whole stitches in my kid's face incident), but the exhaustion took over. I got sick. Really sick. And then I refused to go to the doctor. It takes too much time.

After Cullen's pediatrician urged me to see my ENT, I finally went. Once again, I have the sinus infection from hell. I haven't really eaten in a couple of days, and I've gotten more than 20 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours. The doctor gave me a shot to help my general miserable state, then prescribed me some excessive pain meds and an antibiotic with a request for me to eat. I never thought a doctor would actually ask me to eat.

Now, let's focus on the brighter side of things. James' mom came to visit. It was wonderful. Cullen absolutely adores Lynn, and we all got to spend so much time together. We laughed, we played, we shopped. It was awesome.

This past Friday was mine and James' fifth wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that it's been that long. Time seriously does fly. We've been through a lot of tough and interesting times, but we always seem to come out on top. I think the stressful times over the last five years have brought us so much closer, and it makes it an awful lot easier to laugh at the not-so-tough times. We know that we're both strong -- together and individually. I hope James can share in the sentiment that we're lucky to have each other.

We decided to celebrate our anniversary a day early to avoid the crowds in downtown on a Friday night. How old are we? We had dinner at Mia Bella. The food was amazing, and James set up a really great evening. James and I don't usually make a huge deal out of our anniversary. It's date night. There are flowers. We have dinner. You know the drill.

This year, I managed to order some BBQ sauce from James' favorite place in Alabama. The catering department shipped bottles of it straight to our door step. You've never seen such a happy guy. James snuck flowers and my gift into the restaurant early. When we sat down for dinner, the manager appeared out of nowhere to deliver flowers to our table and a tiny little James Avery bag containing a ring I've been wanting for a while. We still manage to surprise each other.

On Friday, James and I each took a vacation day to spend some more time with Lynn. We took Cullen to the Children's Museum in the morning, and we had such a great time. Cullen spent plenty of time playing in the Tot Spot (for kids under 3), and then we ran all over downstairs in the play section of the museum. After a couple of hours, we were exhausted, and we had made the decision that a museum membership was in order for our household. Lynn was more than happy to support our decision, and James and I are already looking forward to our next visit.

On Saturday, James' cousin, Stephanie, drove in from Kentucky with her 5 kids. We all went over to Peg and Andy's to enjoy each other's company and wish Charly a happy birthday. The kids had a great time running all over, and the adults had a great time watching the chaos. I love the Little family. :)

From L-R(ish): Carly, James, Charly, Cullen (with 2 strollers, because 1 just isn't enough),

me, Kellie, Andy, Cassidy, Stephanie, and Lynn. Not pictured: Lauren, Hunter, Peggy.

We decided to brave the Children's Museum again on Sunday with all six kids. As it turned out, it was free day at the museum. The kids had a blast, but the adults all agreed that we would be avoiding free day in the future. After the museum was dinner at Lupe's for 11. 6 kids, 5 adults. So loud, so fun. Cullen hasn't been that calm for a meal since before he could walk. He watched the big kids play, color, and talk. He was so distracted that he actually ate dinner in a restaurant. Now I know who to sit by when we try to eat dinner out with Cullen.

Monday is when I woke up not feeling well. And here we are today. I think the most exciting news in our house (for this very moment at least) is that Cullen is stitch-free. After a quick visit to the doctor yesterday, the last stitch was snipped, and we are on the road to recovery. To be the mother of a son. I need to stock up on more Tylenol.

xoxo ashley