Sooner than later, Annie is moving closer to home. We’ve got moves and movers scheduled; we have trucks, trailers, and more. It’ll all be packed and headed south soon!
Baby Gray got a special treat for Annie’s move, too. Ruby Trunki.
It’s a packable ride-on toy. Baby Gray can fill it up and head to Annie’s house for a slumber party!
He is in love with Ruby. She has to sit with him on the couch; he gives her hugs and kisses. It’s the funniest thing!
I have looked at these forever, and I just never got one. What a blessing for him to receive one–just in time for Annie’s return!
I have some very fond memories of going to the circus growing up. I remember the rainbow snow cone in an elephant cup with a yellow handle. I remember the stuffed elephant I got the time I went with Grammie and Papa. I’m pretty sure those were two separate circus trips–the cup was behind Walmart in my hometown, and the elephant was in Waco with Grammie and Papa.
When the circus came to San Antonio last week, I jumped on the opportunity to get tickets. We loaded up Ella Bella and Baby Gray and headed that way!
All Baby Gray talked about the entire time leading up to the circus was seeing elephants. I’m so glad some elephants were in the opening, or we might have been in for a long evening.
His face lit up when he saw the elephants, “Yay, elephants!” he kept shouting.
He and Ella Bella had a good time, and they did great even when it got late.
Mal had never been to the circus, so I’m glad she got to go, too. I was so surprised to see my little stuffed elephant on banners when we walked in the door. The show has changed tremendously, what with the lights and all, but that little elephant I remember is still a part of the circus. The snow cones (I didn’t have one) were the same, too–rainbow striped in a souvenir cup. Maybe the more things change the more they stay the same afterall.
What a weekend! It was a bit of a whirlwind, but time flies when you’re having fun!
We had a great team show up to help get the venue ready Friday. Baby Gray was at home refusing to nap, so I was able to work and not wrangle. Everyone worked together, and we had the place lookin’ ship shape in way less time than I thought it would take.
The time and effort LC put into each piece was amazing. It did not go unnoticed–pretty much everyone complimented the detail work and the personalization that went into it all. I can’t wait to see the photos that photographer captured of it all.
The rehearsal was short and sweet. Despite the lack of nap, Baby Gray pulled it together and got his ring bearer face on.
His wedding gift was a pair of Chucks, “new shoes,” he told pretty much everyone. He’s worn them ever since we first laced them up.
We headed to Texas Pie Company for dinner after.
Mr. Gray snapped photos on his walk out to the truck, and further proof that LC and D were meant to be was acquired. Totally spontaneous photos, same pose.
Peace!
That’s one of my go-to places for things to pick up, but I’ve never eaten their food fresh. Dee-licious.
Saturday morning it was go time. We finished the room and a few Matamoras tacos. We were getting our hair and make up done at Texas Old Town, so we were able to just hang out and enjoy the day together–no rushing around!
The clock struck six, and we were on our way.
Baby Gray was in the zone. He’ll be a professional ring bearer at the rate we’re going. (Contact me for rates and availability.)
Next up was LC and her dad.
The ceremony was short and sweet, but the night was just getting started.
The wedding party Wobbled, and Baby Gray took that role just seriously.
Baby Gray took the photo booth on the road. He was lovin’ every minute.
How we managed to get home without a hat, I’ll never know.
Today we’re preparing for a wedding. It’s time for me to get that giddy party planning giggle going on and go play wedding coordinator/friend/ring bearer’s mom/old-lady-bridesmaid (also known as matron of honor… who chose that name?).
Actually, I pulled out my wedding coordinator voice a time or two earlier this week, and LC said, “I’m sure glad you’re on my team in all of this.” Yeah. I need to reel it in sometimes (I will do better than I did at Aunt B’s wedding; that was a goal of mine). My wedding coordinator voice is much nicer now than it used to be, but it still wants things to be perfect for the bride!
This wedding will be a little different than any other, though. It’s the wedding of my actual literal oldest friend. Really. Our moms were friends before we were even a thought. We’ve been friends for all but 34 days of my life while she wasn’t born yet. It’s crazy to think I’ve known someone–outside of family–for that long. And, to top it off, we’re still friends.
Picture the pre-digital photo montage here (I have no idea where any of my actual photos are; sad, huh?) and be grateful there are no embarrassing photos to show for this long friendship!
I’ve never been a huge fan of bread pudding. In recent years, though, I’ve been introduced to flavors that don’t include bourbon or raisins. They’re much more my taste.
I had a crusty loaf of bread that needed using earlier this week, so I decided to try my hand at my own bread pudding. I cubed the loaf and spread the bread out in a 9″ x 13″ pan.
I poured a half cup of milk evenly over the bread and let it soak for about 30 minutes. Next, I mixed milk, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon with a whisk until well blended.
To make it a little more my style, I sprinkled chocolate chips over the bread cubes and poured the milk mixture evenly over the entire pan.
In an attempt to try to avoid chocolate chip croutons, I used a flat wooden spoon to help all the bread pieces get covered by the milk. I left the bread to act as a sponge for another fifteen minutes or so before baking for about forty-five minutes.
The top got a little crispier than I would have liked, but the flavor was good. Next time, I’ll definitely make some homemade whipped cream to accompany it.
You will need:
Stale bread
1/2 cup milk and 2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cinnamon (to taste)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Tear or cut bread into small pieces and place in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish
Evenly pour the 1/2 cup milk over the bread
Set aside; let soak for about 30 minutes
Mix 2 cups milk, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon with a whisk until well blended
Sprinkle chocolate chips over bread
Pour milk mixture over bread
Stir or “squish” bread so the milk is able to saturate all the bread
Here’s the thing: my kid is easy. I know that. He eats anything. He used one kind of bottle with no problem. He’s slept through the night most of his life. He’s easy. I get it.
Unfortunately, there is one aspect where this does not apply: sippy cups. What? Yes, sippy cups. We’ve spent a gajillion dollars on sippy cups. He can open them, break them, make them leak, and do all other things that the cups advertise he shouldn’t be able to do.
We started with a great transition cup.
Great–until he figured out how to push the spout and make it leak.
We moved on to a leak-proof, spill-proof sippy.
Of course, then figured out how to squeeze the spout to make it leak.
Next up was a series of straw cups that he figured out how to bend to make air push the liquid out (not pictured because I already gave them all away).
He shattered a few screw-top plastic cups somewhere in between.
We finally settled on some cheap-o cups that were fabulous!
Nothing to pull, bend, shatter, or otherwise break. But–the lid doesn’t screw on, so he figured out how to open them. Another one down.
We moved on to a series of water bottles, but he learned how to squeeze them and “squirt wa-wa” everywhere.
Next up, a water bottle that didn’t leak and wasn’t squeezable. Hooray! What’d he do? Bite the spout in half. Yep.
So, for now, we’re using these.
They are leak-proof and shatter-proof. The tops screw on. There is no spout to bite or squeeze. The plastic is firm and can’t squeeze to squirt. The only foreseeable problem is the spouts hold a tiny bit of liquid, and Baby Gray flings it around. We’ll see what he thinks of next.
Two Sundays ago was Baby Gray’s last Sunday in the nursery. We have such wonderful ladies in the nursery who love and care for our children when we are attending and serving. They have loved our boy from the time he was tiny and didn’t know any different through a no-napping-although-it’s-desperately-needed stage, through two different bouts of separation anxiety, and on to a boy who walked himself in and thought he ran the show. He has grown so much during his time in the nursery.
I put together a little thank you for him to take to them that final Sunday morning. It was as much for me as for them; a way to create a definitive end to his nursery days in my mama brain.
I used some super cute mini bags from Hobby Lobby and filled them with wildflower seeds.
A little crease and a once-over from a glue stick sealed them up.
I used different colors to write on each of them:
Thank you for planting the seeds of Christ in me!
Love,
Baby Gray
before placing them in a flower pot (it’s all about eye appeal).
I wish we could have handed them to each teacher individually and thanked them all personally, but I was unable to do that. I hope they know from the bottom of my heart how grateful I am for them and the love they have poured into Baby Gray.
He stared his new class this Sunday, and it was so fun to have a talk sheet come home for us to discuss as a family. He’s in his own little class with crafts and projects. Where on earth did my baby go?
Summer always seems to make me think more about Grammie and Papa than other times of the year.
Maybe it’s because she passed away in May and he in July. Maybe it’s because she was so looking forward to my graduation and missed it by only a couple of weeks. Maybe it’s because the last time I saw him was on Father’s Day. Maybe it’s because the butterflies are out. Maybe it’s because lawns are freshly cut and sprinklers are going. Maybe it’s just because.
Saturday, I got a great reminder of them in the mail.
Annie has been cleaning and clearing out getting ready to pack and move, and she found a birthday card from Grammie (well, it’s signed Grammy, but I’m not sure why) to me. It’s hand-painted by her with scriptures inside and their signed names. It’s addressed to my home address with their return address–all in her unmistakable, shaky handwriting. It’s not the only thing she painted for me, but it’s the only one within my grasp. I have boxes somewhere with all those things, but I’m not sure exactly where.
As tears rolled down my cheeks and I clung to the card, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. They are not in their stuff. They are not bound to their earthly bodies. They are living a life everlasting in the Kingdom of God! For that, I am truly grateful–even though I dearly miss their physical presence.
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
