It's Been Awhile

Well, my computer is fixed! Mike figured out that the computer needed to be taken to CompUSA and basically my hard drive was wiped out. (There was never a need for the instillation CD!) Then things got a little crazy. Mom and Grandma came to visit, then we went on our Southeastern Tour to celebrate Grandma's 80th birthday and meet our sweet new niece. It was a nice break and we were able to spend some wonderful time with family and friends.

Today is our One year Anniversary!! I am going to write a separate blog about that later, because it really needs its own space to be reflected on. However, we are having a wonderful weekend just hanging out and doing absolutely nothing! It is fantastic.

So below are just a few pictures to sum up the past couple of weeks.

This is Grandma when she came to visit us. Those are the ears I gave Mike for Easter, but he has yet to put them on his head....

Also, I don't know why this picture posted twice...sorry.

This is mom and me after a wonderful Mother's Day dinner (still in Dallas.) We had had a few glasses of wine...

While we were in Birmingham, we took a family picture. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it is hard to get 7 people to stare into a tri-pod at the same time. It was also interesting to see how much taller Mike is than the Blackburns. I never realized just quite how short we are all. He looks like he is anchoring our family down.

After the photo shoot, I was able to visit with three of my wonderful friends from high school and their baby girls. We have pictures, but I don't have a copy. Have you ever tried to take a picture of 3 babies ranging in age from 4 months to almost a year? It is difficult. The hoop-la (that is the only way I can think to describe it) behind the camera is hilarious as each person attempts to get the babies to look the same way. (And smile.) Then there is the catcher, jumping in and out of camera shots to make sure that no child will succeed in her attempt to dive head first off the couch.

We left for Atlanta a few days later. Mike and I drove in just in time for me to start observing my MIL making the secret sauce I will be chasing for the rest of my life. It was amazing, and I realized how off mine had been. We had a wonderful dinner in their new house and played a rousing game of dominoes. (They play for pennies, and it is hard core!)

Here is our sweet new niece, Calista. She is absolutely beautiful and such a good baby. I'm not sure how my sister in law survived this weekend. She had a month old baby, a 2 and a half year old and was attempting to move from house she has lived in for 10 years, into a bigger one.

Luckily, I was placed on baby duty - I don't do very well in packing situations. (Clearly, as I was taking pictures while everyone was helping pack)

Our nephew came home around 5 pm that evening. Kristen (my SIL) and I attempted to clean out the cabinet underneath her bathroom sink while this sweet child ran around and around. We threw the boy in the bathtub which was fun until he found the water gun, and then we got him into his Superman pajamas, complete with a cape. Now, Calista brought him a long Superman cape when she was born, so I got to wear the pajama one.

I wish y'all could have seen me as we got ready to leave for dinner. Kristen graciously offered me some make-up, with the caveat, "You don't need it, just if you want it." So sweet. I couldn't even think about putting some on because I was soaking wet from the bath (that I did not take) and sweaty from packing the house and chasing Houston. As we walked out, Mike said, "Hey Superman - do you want to leave your cape?" Yep. Still had it on.

So that pretty much sums up the past few weeks. I will write again soon. So glad to have my computer back!!