Houston

This past week we had to make our bi-annual trip to Houston for Chris' Dr. appointment for his AS. Everytime time we go on this trip I thank the Lord how for the past 4 years we have been able to make this trip and be seen by one of the world's top doctors on AS. This time his Dr. said he feels like the least he can do for us coming up and helping them with this research is to listen and help give the best advice for what he is going through with AS. I told Chris, the least he feels he can do?! We feel we owe them! We pay nothing for these visits and we get xrays and answers and top advice for free. I feel like we are the blessed ones. And at the same time I now realize how important it is that we make the trip every 6 months for them. They wouldn't have the data they need to further the research on Anklyosing Spondylitis if we didn't come. This year was a big year because it's been 4 years we have been going and the second round of xrays. We were able to see from measurements taken every visit over the past 4 years where he is and what the xrays compare to from the ones from 2 years ago. As far as measurements, some are better and some are a little worse. We are talking just a little which is great news. His xrays show no progression since the ones two years ago and his hip is doing really well. No surgery needed for now or in the near future. The Enbrel shots he takes are definintely helping his hip out. He has had significant back and neck pain for the past 6 months so he was really worried he would have a lot more fusion. We partly think some of it is from our bed so we are going to look into getting a temperpedic. All that saying he was so very thrilled at his results. He has been playing a lot of golf and goes regularly to the gym working out and his Dr. was very happy about that. He said one of the best things is to continue staying active. They have and man in Houston that leads a support group who is completely fused 100% and still works full time and is a long distance bike rider because he never stopped being active. I just praise the Lord because Chris is such a strong person who has a high pain tolerance and rarely do I ever even know he is in pain. He has chosen to continue to live life and not let this slow him down and I'm so proud of him. I'm afraid if I was in his shoes I would be a whiney baby! ;)

And of course we are thankful that each time we go we are able to have a little vacay together. I have been on Weight Watchers for two weeks so I was excited mostly because I wanted to EAT! haha I had been dreaming of a steak and garlic mashed potatoes and bread and let's just say Salt Grass did not dissapoint!! And Chris got to go to a golf store and he was in heaven :)

Next weekend I get to go on a weekend trip with 4 other girlfriends to Leakey and have a relaxing country weekend. Full of food and fun and Wii dancing! We are all excited about it :) I'm going to try and remember my camera for some fun photos! :)

Let's Try This Again....

What the hey. Let's try this blogging thing out again shall we? Sometimes I really think it would be nice to write about life. Then life happens and somehow I'm really busy. Crazy to think I get busy with two preschoolers...

So yeah. Preschoolers. Not cool. Where did time go??? I'm already filling out Gauge's application for kindergarten. KINDER PEOPLE! KINDER!! He is like turning 5 next month!! At one moment I'm sad because they are growing up and on the other hand it's nice. I like that we can do a lot more things. (Disneyworld planning is currently happening!) I like that they are both almost completely potty trained! (Teagan is only in pull ups at night!) And that they say and do the funniest, sweetest and craziest things. But hey sometimes I wish for the days of no sibiling fighting and yelling and sassy mouths. And the days where you laid them somewhere and they couldn't move from that spot. Oh heavens that was awesome! That may rank as one of my favorite stages...

I saw the funniest saying on Pinterest the other day. (Pinterest! A whole other post in and of itself! Pinterest, I heart you. You have opened up a whole new world of recipes, decorating, crafts and style!) Anyhoo. The saying said...

"Motherhood:

The only place you can experience heaven and hell at the same time."

Whoever wrote that was DEAD ON people. DEAD ON. And it's on a daily basis! Oh but thank the Lord. (I'm so glad He is in control and not me!) He gives grace and mercy. Two of the sweetest things ever and boy do I need them daily.

So here is to a new venture of trying to blog again. I know family likes it and hey I love blogs! I love reading people's and keeping up with their lives. Let the good times roll....

Vacay 2011!

Totally just saw that I posted the last post on the wrong blog!! haha I wondered what happened to that post! It is supposed to be on my Eye Give a Hoot blog ;) Silly me.

SO VACAY! YAY! We decided to do the exact same trip we did last summer and I loved every minute of it. I will never pass a trip that I get to see my Waco and Ft Worth friends. It's the best ever. It's like we just pick right back up where we left off. So blessed to have friends like that!! :)

So we left early Friday and took our time traveling. We did our usual stop at Cablea's to let the kid's run around. They were super excited about seeing the stuffed polar bear. Silly kids :) We made it to Waco and they absolutely couldn't wait to be at the hotel. They LOVE hotels. It's hilarious. We couldn't figure it out because there was nothing to do in the room but yet they asked to go there all the time! Another thing is Chris and I forgot our bathing suits. :( Of all times to forget...So we ran to Target and I'm just gonna say that was not a fun trip but we got over it and had a blast anyways even if we did have bathing suits we didn't love :)

We had dinner with our friends the Sealey's and the Ward's. They each have two little girls and the kids had fun playing in the backyard while we ate YUMMY chicken shish ka bobs, grilled pinneapple and couscous. Um HELLO. That's a definite new keeper meal. Chris actually came home and is doing the chicken and couscous diet. haha It's awesome. But seriously the grilled pinneapple was off the chain! And it was SO good to catch up and fellowship with friends. Oh how I have missed them!

The next morning we went to eat breakfast with the girls while Chris golfed with the guys. We also went to the zoo (LOVE) and a splashpad. The kids and I had a blast with our sweet friends. We then went swimming in the pool at the hotel (which was WAY too chlorinated and turned Teagan's silver bracelet black. That can't be good!) And then had dinner with Chris' friend from work and his wife and little girl. AT NINFAS. I LOVE NINFAS. The end. ;) We ended up heading back to chat with the Ward's and our kiddos played. It is CRAZY how our kids are so alike. The two oldest are quiet and thinkers and the two youngest are WILD ANIMALS. :) It was awesome and there were MANY laughs!

We left early the next morning to drive to Fort Worth and meet the Phillip's and the May's at the Fort Worth Zoo. Again LOVE! These two zoo's rock! But word it was HOT. We were all soaked with sweat and tired but ran and ate super yummy tacos at Fuzzy's Tacos before kiddos took naps. We then when to check out our flippin' AWESOME hotel, the Gaylord Texan. I got a sweet deal online for a night and we were NOT dissapointed. It was AMAZING and the kiddos still say we went to a gigantic hotel. :) We met back up for dinner and hung out before calling it a night.

The Gaylord Texan is an indoor hotel and it's like no other hotel I've been to. It's HUGE and amazing and so beautiful. They also recently just built Paradise Springs which is a pool resort that has a lazy river and kid pool that was awesome. So we woke up and I was feeling rushed and asked Chris "Hey should we stay another night?" We went back and forth and ended up calling to see if they would give us a deal for one more night. They did and we were pumped. It was such a great day hanging out at the pool and then going to Grapevine Mills mall and driving around Grapevine and seeing a working train. Gauge was in heaven. We will have to go back and actually ride it next time! And yes there will be a next time. We LOVED every minute. Gauge kept saying it was the best vacation EVER. :) I love kids. They just LOVE life and have fun. The hotel also had a minature train track with trains and a little town. Gauge literally would have stood and watched it FOREVER. We had to go twice or three times a day. He was sad to leave and we had to go say goodbye to them all.

We drove home and had to of course stop for a Blizzard and Dairy Queen. That's what I like about Texas. Right? ;)

It was such a great vacation! A little harder this time around because the kids are more daring about getting into EVERYTHING and being super loud and jumping all around but it was so fun and full of memories. I'm so thankful we were able to take that trip and I can't wait to go back! Here are some pics...

Possibilities are endless!