Week Five

I'm finally getting these up! Last week was a big week and I couldn't choose just one.

Cupcakes made by me (cake mix from a box- don't let the fancy frosting fool you).

Cake made by my sister, Megan (not from a box).

Happy Birthday one more time little man!

Deep in the Heart.

If you are a regular reader of this blog (all 3 of you) you probably wouldn't be surprised to hear I love Oregon. However, despite my love for my home state I am thankful for the 2 brief years we lived in Texas.

Texas is a pretty bada** state. It's one of the only states you can recognize from it's outline. There's also Florida and California. Maybe Alaska and Hawaii- it's the only island. I guess also Louisiana because it's shaped like an L but all those states could fit inside Texas (besides Alaska of course but put the people of Alaska in a battle against the people of Texas and I guarantee the Texas people will win every time).

Jordan and I at the Alamo

Nate and I definitely lived deep in the heart of Texas and while I love Oregon (in case you forgot) there is no place I would choose over Texas for second place. Nate and I wanted an experience as far from Oregon as we could find and I think we found it in Texas (it was a little like living in Mexico if you're curious). I am thankful that Nate and I had those two years to live on our own. We relied only on each other. We made new friends (with the help of a little something I like to call the internets). I for one become much more outgoing and independent.

The Texas friends

Though we are no longer "doing it Texas style" (though we did do it Texas style and got a Texas baby out of it) I will forever be thankful for those two years. Nate, Cooper and I (and Ben) will never be the same! You can take the Lyons out of Texas but you can't take Texas out of the Lyons.

Thank You.

Yes, I know I'm a week early. This year has been such a whirlwind of a year and we have so much to be thankful for that I've decided to post something I'm thankful for everyday for a week. Stay tuned to see what's made the list this year. It's going to be good.

Ben is thankful for Charlie!

My Favorite Things: October

1. Nate and I took Ben to our favorite pumpkin patch (The Pumpkin Patch). Another bonus to being unemployed is being able to hit the patch during the week when practically no one is there. We played on the hay bales, saw the animals, picked pumpkins and bought tons of fresh food. Ben loved it!

2. Ben and I had a few playdates with friends. Ben definitely misses his Texas friends but is loving hanging out with Maya, Brayden and Anna (and I really love seeing all my friends again).

3. Ben finally learned to crawl! Just last week (at almost 9 months) our very laid back baby finally took off. He still takes it slow (which makes his parents very happy) but he's getting around and loving it!

4. We've been enjoying tons of Duck football! The Ducks are having a great season and it's been a blast watching the games in true Oregon style.

5. I've been working my big old 4 hours a week! It's been a great learning experience already and I love the adult time. I've also taken pictures for my friend's son's 1st birthday and for my sisters. Next week I'm doing a newborn shoot as well!

6. Tonight was our first of many years of trick-or-treating. Sadly Ben received no candy (people asked me if he wanted some and what was I supposed to say: "He doesn't but his mom sure does.") We enjoyed ourselves despite no candy. It was definitely one of those crazy parenting moments where I realized that I was taking my child trick-or-treating.

Spooktastic!

Ben is loving his first Halloween and can't wait to trick-or-treat with his cousins.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Ben's Hero

Ben loves his daddy. He has been so blessed to have his daddy home (since being laid off). He looks like his daddy. He loves napping with daddy. Yesterday daddy took Ben swimming. Ben may only be 4 and a 1/2 months old but you can already see that look in his eyes that says his daddy is the best and someday he wants to be just like him. Ben's daddy is his hero.

Happy Father's Day Nate!

Talented and Gifted

On the 12th day of Christmas I thought I would share some of the most awesome gifts I received this year. I know that gifts are not what Christmas is about, but they are still fun! I won't list everything, but these are some fun ones!

I am definitely one of the luckiest girls in the world. Nate loves to pick out gifts for me all on his own (and he's good at it). This year was difficult with me being pregnant (no clothes) and on bed rest. He really had to dig for ideas!

For a long time I have wanted a record player. I have no musical talent whatsoever (just ask my former students) but I do love music! Nate got a really great deal on this turntable/CD player/radio. I love it!

To go with the record player, Nate got me a bunch of records of my favorite artists! Two James Taylor's (my absolute favorite), AC/DC, Motley Crue (okay, that one may be more of his fav than mine) and some jazz. It's so fun to listen to the old LP's and listen to the crackle they make. I love it!

Nate also got me a flash for my SLR camera. I have yet to use it (there isn't much to take pictures of sitting on the couch) but I can't wait! Now people might mistake me for an actual photographer (or Nate's dad).

Have I mentioned that I love to cook? Again, not a lot of cooking going on from the couch, but I can't wait to get back into it! To make waiting that much harder, Nate bought me a new set of Rachael Ray pots and pans! 

Nate and I also raked in the baby goods! We got all sorts of equipment (Pack n' Play, swing, bouncer chair) and clothes galore! Here are a few of the cuties our spawn will be sporting.

And finally my parents got my two fabulous gifts (really many more, but these are my favorites). My dad got me a facial from Lynn, the best facial lady in the world! I cannot wait to be back in Portland so I can use it! My mom made Cletus the most amazing blanket. The little man will be coming home from the hospital in this! It's so soft and comfy!

Cooper wanted to model the blanket.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our Christmas special! 

Please excuse photo quality.

A Year In Review

January

• Brought in the New Year with Nate's family!
• My parents came to visit the grand ole' city of San Antonio.
• I quit my job (actually in December of '07) and enjoyed some very much needed "me" time.

February

• I got a part time job. Way better than my old job!

March

• My niece, Makena, was born!
  
  
  
• Nate and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary.
• I flew home to Oregon to meet Makena and help celebrate Drew's 2nd and Luke's 4th birthdays.
• Nate and I went to Seattle for Nate's cousin's wedding. It was a Hindu wedding and was so gorgeous (and the food was awesome). Nate was a groomsman and made an awesome speech at the Sangeet (which he wrote minutes before on a napkin).

April

• I attended my first Fiesta celebration here in San Antonio. 
• Cooper had his toe amputated. Sad!

May

• Nate turned 28!
• My parents came to visit.
• We decided we wanted a baby!

June

• We went to San Francisco with Nate's work team (they won a regional contest). We were able to see Nate's sisters (Suzanne and Jessica) and Brent. We saw my forever friend, Becky (seriously we've been friends for 28 years)! And we got to go to Alcatraz. My favorite place ever!
• I got knocked up.

July

• We celebrated 4th of July with our Texas friends.
• Morning sickness kicked in (and is sadly still sticking around- although better- in December).
• We told the families we are having a baby!
• I turned 28 on the 28th!

August

• I traveled home to Portland and we took a family trip to my parents' cabin in Black Butte. Sadly Nate couldn't take the time off and join us but he will be there in 2009!




• We found out we are (almost certainly) having a boy. I was shocked!

September

• Nate and I flew to Boulder, CO for a friend's wedding. It was so gorgeous! 
• I went to a few very fun baby showers!

October

• I went back to Oregon to see the family and hang out with my dad after his surgery. 
• I had a big scare on the flight back to San Antonio and had to go to the ER in Denver. By myself mind you. The people at the hospital were so nice to me!
• We found out we are definitely having a boy! He's quite the show off!

November

• My mom came to visit and we worked on the nursery. We went shopping and had a great time!
• I found out I have PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) and was sentenced to bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy.
• We had our very first "grown up" Thanksgiving with Rob and Christine!

December

• My parents came to visit for Christmas! It was an awesome time!
• My baby is still cooking!

My Favorite Things: December

I've decide to make my (short) list today and recap the year tomorrow! I really am loving life right now. It's just a little lacking in the excitement area. In no particular order....

1. Christmas decorations are everywhere! Nate decorated our house this year (while I advised him from the couch). He put all the decorations in the great room so I could enjoy them all while I bed rest it. It definitely makes bed rest more enjoyable when you have a bunch of Christmas reminders to look at!

2. I continue to receive many wonderful things from friends and family to keep me occupied! I've read so many books and magazines, spent hours on the phone and played endless games of catch with Cooper.

3. I bought myself a photography book and am kind of starting to understand my camera. Thanks to sister-in-law, Suzanne, I now also have a photography DVD to watch. I will be an awesome photographer before this baby is born!

4. I got to see the little (big) man twice on the big screen. 

5. My absolute favorite thing was having my parents here for Christmas (more on Christmas to come, I promise). I always knew I was their favorite, but the fact that they drove to Sacramento just to fly out here (due to snow and airport problems in P-town) to see us solidified that fact. My parents are the best! We made an awesome Christmas Eve dinner, spent a leisurely day opening gifts and spending time together. It was hard to be away from my sisters and their families, but having my parents here made it awesome!

6. Christmas ('nuff said).

I promise I will update with some highlights of Christmas (and my very unique gifts courtesy of Nate) and nursery pictures (courtesy of my parents' hard work) asap. It's hard to get myself off the couch to take pictures! 

What did you all love about December? 

 

Merry Christmas Eve Eve

I can't believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve! This holiday season has flown by! We are so excited to announce that after a trip to the Portland airport, a 10+ hour drive to Sacramento, a flight to Phoenix, a flight to El Paso, and a flight to San Antonio my parents are almost here! We are also truly sorry to anyone who is stuck in or can't get to Portland this Christmas! Hopefully things will turn around soon. 

I hope everyone has a great Christmas Eve. We will miss all our family and friends!

Dear Oregon,

I never thought I would say this, but please let it stop snowing! I love you and I love the snow, but I really want my parents here for Christmas. If you could just warm up enough that their plane can take off in the morning that would be awesome. We have a 15 lb. turkey in the fridge. That is way too much meat for a vegetarian and one meat eater. Please let them get here.

Sincerely,

Lindsey

A little picture of my parents' house in the snow.

Here's what we're missing.

Nate and I should be packing right now. I would probably be doing laundry and straightening the place up. Nate would be setting all the Christmas lights to timers. We would be waking up very early tomorrow morning. Packing Cooper up in his airplane crate. We would be driving to the airport. We would be going home. 

Instead we are here. Nate is working. I'm sitting on the couch. Cooper has bad gas. The cleaning lady is here instead. She is helping us get ready for my parents' arrival on Monday. It will be a different sort of Christmas this year. A relaxing sort of Christmas. It may be a smelly sort of Christmas if Cooper keeps up with his gas.

Here are a few glimpses of what Nate and I are missing in Oregon this year. 

Here is my brother-in-law Jim. He's married to Megan. Karley (my other sister) and I made him this shirt for Christmas last year. It says "I was just diagnosed with awesomeness." As you can see, he is awesome.

Ellie, my niece, lost her first tooth last Christmas. It was such an exciting day! 









Brady is Cooper's bosom buddy. He doesn't ever seem to have bad gas. He did, however, lick the raw turkey last year. Luckily I'm a vegetarian.







My sister Megan and my niece Makena (in the belly). We actually had snow in Portland last Christmas. That is totally rare (though it looks like it could happen again this year). 

This year will be Makena's first Christmas.










After Christmas we headed up to Black Butte in Central Oregon. It was so gorgeous and snowy. We went sledding and walking. 













The Nees Family came with us. My oldest sister, Karley. Her husband, Rob. The rugrats Ellie, Luke and Drew. 








My parents with said rugrats.

We will miss Christmas in Oregon this year! Only 372 days until next year!

Camera Shy last Christmas: my nephew Max

Life in the Fast Lane

That's how I describe my life lately. Cletus and I are doing pretty well. We are 29 weeks along as of yesterday. I'm trying to stay positive about this bed rest business, but it is getting kind of hard. I am oh so excited for my parents to get here on Monday and entertain me. They have decided to forget my sisters and spend Christmas with their favorite daughter. 

Cletus and I had a doctor's appointment yesterday morning. My blood pressure was high (despite my medication). That was discouraging to hear! My excuse is that my appointment was early in the morning and the medicine hadn't kicked in yet! I refuse to believe that this kid is going to come this early (if I develop pre-eclampsia they will take the baby right away)! My protein is also a +1. I think it has to stay under a +3 (but I'm not a doctor so don't quote me on that). They had me do a 24 hour test and hopefully that will be okay! I also had to take the nasty gestational diabetes test today. I did appreciate how they call that sugary, liquid jello tasting drink Glucola. It kind of made me feel like I was drinking an orange soda. I wasn't. 

Please send little Cletus your thoughts! He needs to keep cooking and we don't want them to take him anytime soon!

The Many Faces of Cooper

"King of the bed" Cooper

"Sometimes I think I'm a cat" Cooper also known as "Crazy eyes" Cooper

"I'm depressed because no one will play with me" Cooper

"Lounging" Cooper

"Check out my underbite" Cooper

"Sexy" Cooper

"I love babies" Cooper (We may have to work on this one.)

"Traveling in the airplane" Cooper

"I went to doggie daycare yesterday" Cooper

"I'm part ant-eater" Cooper

"Ultimate Frisbee playing" Cooper

"I can be calm too" Cooper

Festive "I'm in the holiday spirit" Cooper

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" Cooper

In honor of the holiday season, Cooper encourages everyone to give the animals in their lives a little extra love! There are many animals out there who need a good home (what a great Christmas gift)! Even if you can't adopt a new pet this year, there are many ways you can help! Volunteer your time (most shelters and rescue places love having people walk/play with the animals), donate old towels or blankets (in good condition), donate new toys, food, or money. 

Cooper recommends: 

• The Animal Defense League of Texas (the only no-kill shelter in SA)
• ASPCA
• The Boston Terrier Rescue

Happy Holidays!

Elf You

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A Christmas Story?

Last night Nate made me watch this holiday classic. I'd never seen it before and was challenged by Nate's Grandma Marie to do so. 

I have to say, I hated it! I thought it was depressing and boring. I felt bad that nothing went right for poor Ralphie. He reminded me a little of myself. All the imagining how things would be and then having them turn in the exact opposite direction. It was too much for me. 

I can now say I've seen this classic but I can promise I won't be watching it on TBS all day on Christmas. 

Does anyone else feel the same way? Am I the only one who couldn't swallow this one? 

On a side note, check out this reenactment.

Better Late Than Never

I've been a little slow at uploading pictures from my camera, but I have a few that I must share (specifically of our beautiful Thanksgiving turkey). 

Here is Nate pulling out the poor turkey's giblets. 

Making a turkey takes a lot of concentration.

Almost done! We had a little mishap and had to put it back in the oven. In the end it turned out perfect (so I hear from my meat eating comrades). 

All the hard work made it necessary for Nate and Rob to have an Irish Car Bomb. Life is rough.