Baby Gray/wedding

After Party

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment
After Uncleby & Aunt B’s wedding, everyone walked back over to the villas and hung out. Unfortunately for them, a lot of us were hanging out in their room (yes, on their wedding night). We didn’t stay long, but we were there long enough that Uncleby asked to hold Baby Gray. (This is absolutely an event worthy of its own blog!) 
I knew he’d come around, I just didn’t figure it would be on such an eventful day (especially when I had just given him a new “uncle” name he didn’t appear to be too fond of).
Aunt B/friends/wedding

Unibrow, Mustache, Beard… (The One About Aunt B’s Wedding)

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments
What a weekend! We kicked off Friday with the rehearsal and dinner doubled up as a New Year’s Eve party. So much fun! It’s amazing how a bunch of small town kids can get back together after so many years and pick up right where we left off (we can even add some outsiders, Mrs. B and Fox, to the mix without any problem). We had a blast! 
My favorite part of this photo is that no one told us this was the “silly” one… 
Unfortunately, no one told Mr. Gray that this one was the “real” one. 
We rang in the new year with a toast and headed to bed (well, most of us) to get ready for the big day! 
We started off with a brunch and some goodies for Aunt B and Uncleby (I told you that was your new name…) to take on their honeymoon in Crested Butte, Colorado. 
Aunt B got plenty of warm stuff as well as some magazines, pajamas, gum, gift cards, and all sorts of stuff! All she had to do was throw it in her bag and head out! 
After we ate, we headed up to get our hair and make-up done. Erica Gray was our stylist–she was awesome! She not only did an amazing job, she had a great personality and made our day enjoyable. As we made our way upstairs, Auntie Heather went to her car to get her props for the photo booth and take them over. When she came back, she sort of snuck in the room and grabbed her phone. When I asked who she was calling, she simply responded, “Triple A,” and kept walking. 
She told them she locked her keys in her trunk and then waited for them to arrive. As she was waiting, we overheard her telling Fox, “…the red ones in the box,” which was definitely referring to her wedding shoes (which, I might add, we had already asked her if she remembered). Fox and the car service arrived at the same time, so he stayed down to retrieve the keys from the trunk. However, as he dug through all her belongings, there were no keys! They were in one of the bags she had taken out of the trunk all along! Just a typical day in the life of Auntie Heather! 
Meanwhile, Erica continued hair and make-up for the rest of us, and Mrs. B helped out with Baby Gray while it was my turn. We had a great time laughing and talking while we got ready. 
Finally, it was time to make our way over to the ceremony site. When we got in there, it was super hot, so I started working on the AC. Thank goodness the coordinator, Samantha, didn’t mind! Auntie Heather and I got dressed and then helped Aunt B get into her dress. She was absolutely gorgeous! 
The three of us took photos with Nikki Peterson Photography prior to the wedding. She was great to work with, and I know the photos will be fabulous. Mrs. B and I tried our hardest to let her do her thing and not keep talking… I’m not sure we succeeded!
A few minutes before the wedding Ferd came to get the rings from me. 
Even though the lighting isn’t great, I can tell you I was hesitant to give them up–it’s the control thing again! He flashed them to me mid-ceremony for a little reassurance! 
Mr. Gray performed the ceremony; it was short but perfectly sweet. It was so awesome to watch Uncleby–who was more nervous at our wedding than Mr. Gray–be so calm and collected at his own wedding. There has been lots of growing since then. I managed to keep my cool and not bawl my eyes out. The same was not true for the toast, though. 
I made it through Ferd’s, but only about the first sentence of mine. I was pretty bummed when I found out later the boys had already read it. Eh… It was for Aunt B, anyway.
After a minor cake ball crisis, the reception kicked into gear. Everyone LOVED the photo booth (or maybe loved the props). 
It was really funny to watch people you wouldn’t expect get into the photo booth in silly props and act goofy! It was a great idea! The only other wedding I’ve been to with one didn’t have props; they definitely made a difference (even though the other photos were pretty silly without them). 
Everyone danced the night away. It was a great time with great friends! 
Baby Gray hung in there as long as he could… 
Then he crashed. Auntie Heather shared a mustache with him (sort of) so he wouldn’t feel left out. 
We love Uncleby and Aunt B very much and wish them nothing but blessings and happiness! Thank you for letting us be part of your special day!
2010/2011/Baby Gray/prayer/wedding

Starting Fresh, Sort Of…

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment
In keeping with the unwritten blogger rule, I will now spend a little time writing the obligatory New Year post. Believe me, I would much rather be writing the much-anticipated Aunt B’s wedding post, but my photos are still uploading, so this will do for now. We’ll recap 2010 and then set a few goals for 2011.
Top 10 Memories and Events from 2010 (in no particular order–except maybe chronological, if I’m that good): 
1. Finding out we were expecting Baby Gray: We found out we were expecting mid-January. I have to say it set the standards pretty high for the rest of the year. My pregnancy was amazing–I have zero complaints at all about it, and my amazing husband took great care of me throughout it all!
2. Telling everyone we were expecting Baby Gray: Getting to tell friends and family about our newest addition was so exciting. Some were anticipating it, some weren’t, but it was definitely an adventure telling each and every person. I’ll never forget that phone call with Annie (she was too far to tell in person–I couldn’t wait); the look on Nonna’s face; the quick guess by Aunt B; blowing it with Honey by ordering decaf coffee… there are so many more! 
3. Being asked to be the maid (matron–that sounds awful) of honor at Aunt B’s wedding and being part of the planning process: Not only is Aunt B my best friend, I’ve loved planning and organizing parties and events since my own wedding! I loved being able to be such a part of helping her plan her special day. (It turned out perfect, but that’s for 2011’s countdown!) 
4. Our adventure to Rhode Island for Dr. T’s wedding: Block Island is not somewhere Mr. Gray and I would have picked out of the blue to go on a vacation, but I’m so glad we went. It was a fabulous experience, and it definitely brought us closer to family members we don’t usually get to see or catch up with. It was also nice to sneak in one more little trip before Baby Gray made his appearance! 
5. Losing my grandfather: While this is certainly not a happy memory from 2010, it is something that will stick with me forever. I was so excited for Papa to meet Baby Gray–the first boy on that side of the family in 85 years. I know Papa is with Grammie now, and they are both watching over Baby Gray diligently, each and every day. While I hate that his earthly being missed 2010, he got to see Baylor have a decent football team (even though we still beat them) and the birth of his first great grandchild from afar. We missed him dearly at Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as every day in between.
6. Having a perfectly “me” baby shower to prepare for Baby Gray: When you have absolutely amazing friends, they throw you an amazing baby shower, and the rest of your amazing friends and family members come and help you remember how blessed you are. I was completely overwhelmed by the love and support Mr. Gray and I were shown through my baby shower. You can read the full story here. My friends are absolutely amazing.
7. Meeting Baby Gray: WOW! Of course, this one tops my 2010 memories for sure! Becoming a mom is something I’ve looked forward to all my life. I have been blessed with an amazing son and an absolutely amazing husband as well. Mr. Gray has taken fabulous care of Baby Gray and I since before Baby Gray was here. We have an amazing support system who love Baby Gray as much as we do, and I am so thankful for that as well. I am grateful for those who were at the hospital to greet him, those who called to check on us, those who brought us food, those who have prayed for us as we adjust to our new life as a family of three, everyone! It has been an awesome, awesome experience!
8. Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football: While we certainly didn’t win any national championships this year or anything, we look a little like we’re turning around! I survived a few games hugely pregnant, and then we got to introduce Baby Gray to our way of living in the fall. While I still can’t believe Mr. Gray is taking Dr. C to the Cotton Bowl while I stay home, I guess I’ll forgive him while I watch it from my couch cuddled up with Baby Gray and Rooster! 
9. Aunt B’s bachelorette party: This was some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time! It was great fun with great people. I learned a lot about being a friend and being a mother that weekend. I grew a lot emotionally. I’m not sure I’ve even comprehended all the implications yet. All I know is I love Aunt B dearly, and as Baby Gray goes, the balance between being a friend and a mom will continue to shift and change as his needs do the same.
10. Christmas and December, in general: December was a whirlwind this year! It was much more crazy than usual! We had Aunt B’s bachelorette party, our Christmas party, several family Christmas celebrations (I need to get some of those blogged as well), and something almost every weeknight in between. We didn’t get to spend too much family time just hanging at home enjoying each other’s company, but we took advantage of every moment we had. We made so many memories, and, thanks to Mr. Gray’s birthday gift to me, we have tons of photos to remember it all by. We ended the year with a bang at Aunt B’s rehearsal dinner that doubled as a New Year’s Eve party. It was a blast with old friends–a great way to end the decade! 
To sum it all up, I loved all things Baby Gray and Aunt B’s wedding! My life is so incredibly blessed, it was hard to choose just 10 things to write about.
For my 2011 list, I’m going to set goals I’d like to accomplish by 2012; having them in writing is an extra incentive to get them done. Some of them are silly, while others are more daunting, but it’s what I’ve got. We’ll go with 11 things on this list in keeping with the 10 for 2010 and 11 for 2011 trend I’ve got going here… (Again in no particular order.)
1. I will run a 5k within six months of Baby Gray’s birth even though I haven’t run more than 1.25 miles since Baby Gray was born. I’ve got two picked out I need to register for and get ready to run!
2. I will pay for someone’s meal or coffee in the car behind me in the drive through (I know it’s supposed to be drive thru, but I don’t like that it’s spelled wrong that way) at least a couple times a month. I love it when people do this for me, and I try to do it as often as I think about it. This year, though, I’m just going to make it a way of life.
3. I will try my hardest not to be so bossy. I really thought I had this sort of under control until Aunt B’s wedding this weekend. Apparently, I do not have this under control at all when I feel it’s a do-or-die, must-be-perfect situation. Blessings to Samantha from Vintage Villas and Nikki of Nikki Peterson Photography for putting up with me!
4. I will continue to challenge myself creatively. While I have a great vision for things, they do not always turn out as I see them in my head. For a long time, I have let that keep me from trying to do “artsy” things. No more. I will just try it–if I mess it up, Mr. Gray can bail me out. He’s good like that! 
5. I will make sure my friends know how much I appreciate them. I used to be wonderful at dropping a card in the mail every couple of months as a reminder of how much I cherish our friendship. This has gone by the wayside, and I want to get back to it. Check your mailboxes! 
6. On the same note, I will do a better job of keeping in touch with my nephews. I used to send them things in the mail on a regular basis. I kind of slacked on that in 2010–I’m making a comeback! 
7. I will make time for just Mr. Gray and I. Time without Baby Gray or baby talk. Time for our marriage to continue to grow. We’ve done a great job so far, but I want to keep it up as Baby Gray becomes more active. 
8. I will find a cause and become active–time, money, resources, talents, something. In the long-run, I have visions of starting an early literacy resource for children and families without books and language-rich materials in their home. This is my starting point. (Yes, I know I have a young son at home, but what better way for him to learn to give back than to have his earliest memories be doing something to benefit someone else?)
9. I will make at least one day a week a day solely for time at home. It seems as though my schedule fills up faster than I can even imagine. I don’t want Baby Gray to grow up in his carseat. Even if it can’t be the same day every week, I’ll find one day each week to be at home. (Unless we’re on a week-long vacation or something fun like that!) 
10. I will read a minimum of a book a month. It doesn’t matter if it’s fact, fiction, fluff, whatever; I did not read nearly enough in 2010. Now that I’ve discovered iBooks, I have no fear this will be a breeze! I love it! 
11. I will pray for my husband, my son, my family, my friends, my church, and all those we come into contact with. I will pray that we are a family others are able to see Christ in by our words and actions. I will pray that those who are lost find what they are looking for. I will pray that those who need love know they have it from their Father. I will pray for those who are hard for me to love. I will pray that my heart be of the Lord so that others see Him through me. I will pray… 
I wish everyone a happy and blessed 2011!
applique/Baby Gray/sewing/wedding

Black Tie Affair

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment
Aunt B’s wedding is this weekend! Months and months ago (before he was born) I started thinking about what Baby Gray would wear to the wedding. In Wimberley, there is a super cute baby boutique called A Perfect Gift. Bean and I were in there one weekend after market days, and noticed some cute onesies with appliqued ties (like a necktie) on them. The owner of the shop said I could definitely order a custom color and size when we knew more about the wedding colors and how big my little guy would be by January. 
I saw the ties a couple of other places as well as online, but I was scared the color or size wouldn’t be right if I ordered too soon. As you can probably tell by now, I waited too long to custom order a onesie. So I made it. 
Nonna got me a new sewing machine for my birthday, and it is much more novice-seamstress friendly! The tie turned out cute, and Baby Gray will get to be a stylish little man at the wedding!
crafts/glitter/wedding

Crafty Cakestands

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A while back, Aunt B mentioned she was looking for some vintage-looking cakestands for the cake balls at the wedding. (AHH! It’s this weekend! YAY!) While I was keeping my eyes peeled, I found some that were covered in big, chunky glitter. They were way more money than I wanted to pay for a cakestand, but I was pretty sure if I could find the chunky glitter I would be able to recreate them. 
My search for chunky glitter did not go well. Finally, I found what I thought was it on etsy. What I found was called German glass glitter, and it appeared to be much more course than the glitter I had been finding. BirdSong Studio had all the colors I needed, so I ordered the glitter and got ready to work (Nonna found several cakestands for me while she was out and about one day). 
In order to keep from needing tons of glitter, I went to Home Depot and got some metallic spray paint. It turned out that it had a glittery-type texture to it as well, so Aunt B actually had me leave one cakestand with just the spray paint coating. 
This one had a really neat shape and some cool detailing; it was just a funky color. Now the detailing isn’t as apparent because of the opaque color, but it still looks pretty good.
I added the German glass glitter to the other one. 
This one is much smaller, and originally it was a pea green with apples stamped into the ceramic. I used the glitter to fill in the stamping and make the apples “disappear” from the surface. The glitter turned out neat, even though it was not nearly as course as the original cakestands I saw. 
As a side note, the cake balls are wrapped, so the glitter and such will not get on them. Just thought I’d throw that in there…
crafts/Grammie/microwave/Papa

Microwaves Roasting on an Open Fire

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments
I have had a microwave all my life–at least all the parts I can remember. Aside from the occasional bag of popcorn, I’ve never had anything catch fire in the microwave until this morning. I was making the chocolate candy Grammie used to make and sharing Grammie & Papa stories with Baby Gray. As I was melting the almond bark, I walked to move something from the inside freezer to the outside freezer; when I got to the inside freezer, I could see something flashing in the microwave. The bowl was on fire! 
I opened the door, got the fire out, and tried to clean the char marks off the inside of the microwave. I managed to salvage the candy, but my bowl went to the trash!
In other events this morning, I decided to decorate a couple of jars that had Chex mix & puppy chow in them. My craft glue is in the craft/wrapping closet, which is currently a Christmas wrap disaster zone (Bean, it’s a disaster to me). In light of the closet’s current state, I chose to use the super glue I had handy to embellish the jars. Great idea! NOT! I managed to get a little nauseated from the fumes (did I mention paint pens were part of this plan, too?) since I did all this crafting on an empty stomach. I am also short fingerprints on my right index finger due to the super glue I filed off after completing the jars… They’re super cute, though, so it was totally worth it!
Baby Gray/pacifier

Baby Gray’s Got Talent

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Baby Gray hit the ground with fingers in his mouth! I asked for a pacifier immediately to start fighting that habit–I can throw the paci away when I’m ready. He’s gotten pretty efficient at cramming the paci back in his mouth if it’s just laying on his burpie or lovey on his chest, but yesterday morning, he grabbed the paci and was holding it. It was the funniest thing. 
He was holding it by the nipple instead of the knob, but he looked like he knew what he was trying to do with it. Silly boy! 
(Disclaimer: I fully understand the developmental process of an infant and the development of cause & effect relationships. I just thought it was cute…)
Baby Gray/Christmas/Ranch

Christmastime is Here Again…

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment
We kicked off Christmases this past weekend with T-Paw’s side of the family. We all get together at GM’s and do a simple sandwich and finger food style dinner. After we open gifts and hang out a while, we go to The Ranch and the boys hunt, bait roads, etc.

This year was no different, except for the addition of Baby Gray. He wasn’t too big on opening gifts just yet (surprise, surprise), but he did love the tissue paper! He played with it forever!
When we got to The Ranch, he fought to stay awake as long as possible; he didn’t want to miss out on fun with the big boys–even if he was just watching! We’re going to get a run for our money next year!
This weekend also marked our third-annual Christmas Shindig, but this year it wasn’t quite the success it has been in years past. First, we had to move it from its regular Friday spot due to scheduling conflicts. We decided on Sunday; unfortunately, I think there were just as many conflicts.

It was a good time to hang out with the few friends who were able to make it! We enjoyed getting to bed a little earlier, too! Hopefully next year the Shindig will be back in full swing. 

Baby Gray/sleep

Movin’ On Up!

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Baby Gray has been sleeping in our room in his Pack ‘n Play since he got home from the hospital. He has been consistently sleeping through the night, so Mr. Gray and I decided it might be a good time to transition him to his room. 
We usually swaddle him at 8:00 and put him down; he doesn’t get up until somewhere in the 5:30-7:00 neighborhood. We hoped this would continue when we put him in his “big boy bed” in his room. 
He did awesome! He went right to sleep; we were able to check on him with our hand-held video monitor (thanks, Aunt Cookie) until we went to bed. 
Then we were able to watch him on the screen by our bed. He slept wonderfully until his tummy started to hurt about 4:00; he got a little restless and couldn’t sleep so I went and camped out in the recliner in his room. 
Monday night, he slept all the way through the night and didn’t wake up until morning! He’s such a blessing!
Baby Gray/friends

Life’s Funny Sometimes…

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Yesterday I set out on my first all day, all night trip away from Baby Gray. This weekend was Aunt B’s bachelorette party in Port Aransas, and the rest of the girls headed south Friday. I didn’t think I could swing two nights and parts of three days this first go-round. I had intentions of leaving about 7:00 am yesterday, but Baby Gray decided to sleep until 7:00 (I was not about to wake him up–he’s been doing so well sleeping through the night). Even though I had a later start, I was glad to spend time feeding him and loving on him before I left. 
I stopped to pick up a breakfast taco on my way, and as I was walking back out to my car, I flipped out. I thought I left Baby Gray in the car while I went to get my taco. Thank goodness he was not in there all by himself! He was safe and sound with Annie and T-Paw! 
The whole trip down, I wasn’t really feelin’ any of the music on the radio; I didn’t have anyone to visit with on the phone as a distraction; I mostly just wondered what Baby Gray, Annie, and T-Paw were doing while I was gone. About the time I was going over the bridge to the island, I started getting excited about being with friends for a good time, and feeling less sad about being away. THEN… Brad Paisley’s song Anything Like Me came on the radio. I lost it! I cried my eyes out, called Mr. Gray and told him I wanted to turn around, and then regained my composure about the time I pulled into the condo parking lot.
The girls were all down at the hot tub, and after a few quick picture texts from Annie, I was feeling much better about the weekend. Aunt B got some awesome gifts (with riddles for added flair). Then we went to an early dinner before our class at Tipsy Canvas. 
Tipsy Canvas was really neat–they assign a specific painting to each class, and the instructor shows you exactly what to do to create it. Art is definitely not a strong suit of mine, and my Santa turned out recognizable enough that Mr. Gray chose to put it in the living room with our Christmas decorations. 
We loaded up our Santa paintings and headed to find a dancing spot… What we found was that bars in Port Aransas are sometimes closed for extended periods of time in the winter. We settled on Bernie’s–it had the most cars in the parking lot.
When we finally made our way back to the condo, we got everyone settled in and crashed. Of course, I was in the living room with Mrs. B and Auntie Heather–Mrs. B and I are usually up pretty early. By 7:30, the three of us were awake. Mrs. B & I finally decided it was time to start cleaning up so we could get ready to head out. By 9:30, I was on the road.
My drive home was much better. I was energized and fresh from a weekend with fun and friends. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had let Aunt B down. She’s my best friend; she’s in the group of people I love most on this earth; she’s always been a top priority. How was it that I was the last one there and the first one gone on her weekend? For the second time in as many days, I cried while I drove. This time because I was upset about leaving my friend. I was grateful, though, that she was surrounded by great friends who totally pulled my weight and then some.
Sometimes life’s changes bring about a paradigm shift; I had to grapple with that this weekend. In general, I will do anything for my friends–sometimes it’s over-the-top and crazy, sometimes it’s just being on the other end of the phone. Now, though, I have to do what’s best for Baby Gray first. I hope I don’t have to choose often because it kills me to not be the type of friend I once was.