Thank goodness...

Wow...thank goodness I'm not getting paid to blog! If blogging was my full-time job I'm sure I would have been fired a LONG time ago! Life as a momma with a 10 month old & a 2 year old has been eating my lunch the last few weeks. It has been CRAZY busy around our house! I've been on the phone with our listing agent with our current home, our closing agent with our new home, our loan processor, our relocation agent, etc. I'm on my 2nd round of antibiotics for the month, fighting a sore throat, fever, and all over achiness. Today is the first day that I have felt like doing any housework, and it SHOWS! Shelby works so hard (he's been traveling back and forth from Louisiana & is TIRED) and the last thing he wants to do is come home and clean, and I don't expect him to. So the floor gets stickier and the dust gets thicker and the carpet gets crumbier, but the girls don't seem to mind! This afternoon I mopped our kitchen floor TWICE...AFTER I scrubbed the really bad spots with a scrub brush...it was BAD people! Planning on tackling the dust and the crumbs tomorrow!

So much has happened since I last blogged...

Georgia has turned TWO! She loves to sit in her rocking chair and watch Elmo!

And she randomly decided to fill her stroller tonight with several shoes, the cap to our Magic Sizing, and her baby underneath it all!

Where have the past two years gone?! Her new favorite thing to say is, "Where'd Daddy go, beebee?" and then she goes through the list of everyone she can think of. She thinks it's so funny. Her language has really picked up...she says a LOT now and we love it. Tonight we were enjoying our night at home and Shelby told Georgia that we were going to relax this weekend--she looked at us and smiled and said, "Wewax!" LOVE IT! We went to Mimi & Granby's house last weekend for one more trip before we move. We went to the Ft. Worth Children's Museum on Saturday...what an AWESOME place! I had been once before when I taught kindergarten but I forgot just how FANTASTIC it is! We will definitely be going back when the girls get older. We could spend an entire day there! We thought it was only appropriate that we get our family picture taken with drilling rig at the "Energy Blast" exhibit...Georgia clearly wanted to be with Aunt Heather...or "Heth" as she calls her!

One of her favorite things to do was shopping at the grocery store...she put things in her shopping cart and then went to the cask register to check out! The giant Light Bright with Mimi was a hit...SOOO cool!
Stacking cups was very interesting...
Driving the ambulance with "Heth"...

Last Sunday we celebrated Shelby's THIRD Father's Day. I surprised him with tickets to the Dallas World Aquarium before we headed home. He loved it, I loved it, Ivy Jane loved it, and Georgia...well, let's just say Georgia was happy to stay in the stroller at a safe distance!

Ivy Jane is now 10 1/2 months old...really hard to believe that I'll be planning a birthday party for a one-year-old soon! She's a sweetheart and definitely a momma's girl.

I'm beginning to think she may be a bit strong-willed...

She & I had a showdown today at nap time. She was EXHAUSTED and I knew she needed a nap. After rocking her to sleep, I put her in her bed, she woke up, stood up and started crying...a mad cry...no tears, just plain ol' mad! After going in to her room every 10 minutes for an hour to lay her back down, she finally gave it up and went to sleep! YESSS...one point for Momma!

We're scheduled to close on our new home on July 8th and will probably be moving the next week! Here is one of the latest pictures. It's supposed to be completely finished on Tuesday...

I'm afraid I'm about to get a WHOLE lot busier!

Georgia Claire's Kitchen

My little almost-two year old has become quite the domestic queen! Shelby & I bought her a kitchen for her birthday and she has been busy the last couple of days cooking, baking, serving, washing, cleaning, ironing, etc. She LOVES her kitchen! I LOVE her kitchen! It really excites me to watch her playing with it because I used to LOVE playing "kitchen". I told Shelby that I don't know who's more excited about it--Georgia or me! I'm really looking forward to seeing Georgia & Ivy Jane playing and playing and playing together!

I ordered it online and it was delivered in a box-all 75 lbs of it-on Monday evening. Shelby started assembling it at 7:15, I pitched in about 8:30, and we were finishing at 9:15! Whew! There were a LOT of pieces and having two baby girls "helping" didn't exactly help with the time thing!

Georgia was so excited when Shelby started...

I gave the girls a bath and got them ready for bed, and Georgia probably wet her diaper when we came back in the living room and saw the progress Shelby had made. She was running in place she was so excited!!!
She had to TOUCH everything!!!
It was a late night, but we HAD to let her play with it once we got it in her room. She said, "Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Momma!" She would not quit smiling...and Ivy Jane was trying her best to get in on it, too!
Serving the food she had cooked...
She finally crashed and burned around 10 PM, but we were right back at it yesterday and today! She will randomly look at me and say, "COOK!" and run to her room. This picture cracks me up...she was baking cookies and SO excited about it!
And here we are busy decorating cookies...
SO happy!

PARTY TIME

We decided at the last minute to have Georgia's 2 year birthday party this past Friday evening. It looks like we will be moving (or at least the movers will be here packing) on her actual birthday, and I wanted to make sure that we had a family party before heading to Louisiana! It worked out that Shelby's parents, as well as his sister Heather & her fiance Julian could come, too! Grandma, Paw Paw, Andy, Kathy, Luke, Mary Katherine & Caroline were all guests. Georgia LOVES it when they all get to come to our house, and so do we! The party was very low key-hamburgers, hot dogs, and all the fixins, and cupcakes & ice cream for dessert! Georgia opened presents and after cupcakes & ice cream we headed outside to play with her favorite thing right now...BUBBLES! It is SO HOT outside right now...we were going to have a cook-out & play outside, but I decided that NO ONE would enjoy that. It was much more enjoyable inside in the A/C!

I cannot believe our big girl is SO BIG! She will be two on June 17th..wow. In the past few weeks, she is saying everything and is a happy happy little girl. Some of our favorite things she now says are, "Idee Nane" for Ivy Jane, "where Daddy go?" (or any other name), "essit, Momma" (or any other name) when she wants you to sit, and our absolute favorite thing is her reading. She will sit and "read" books saying, "momma happy evweeday" over and over and over. It made me tear up the first time I heard her say it. I have no idea why she says it, but I think it is the sweetest thing ever!

Here are some pics from the party!

The best picture of our family of 4...

You'll notice that in most of the pictures Georgia is not smiling! I think she had a good time! Something I've realized is that she gets really quiet in large groups, even when it's family! Maybe she is going to be shy? She is the most comfortable and the craziest when it's just us at our house. Here she is opening one of her gifts...
A pink broom and dust pan from Aunt Heather and future Uncle Julian! She walks around sweeping things and makes a "shussing" sound.
Multi-tasking...she's going to be a great Momma one day!

Sitting with her cupcake tower, a little overwhelmed..."Why is everyone looking at me & singing?"
Shelby & Ivy Jane...
Georgia (and her cupcake) & me!
and we finished the party with BUBBLES!

Georgia's First Haircut!

This morning we went to run a couple errands before I got the girls ready for the day and before Georgia's FIRST haircut! After I unbuckle her from her carseat she wants to hang out with Ivy Jane while I unload the car. I thought this was so funny I ran to get the camera...legs crossed, just chatting with her little sister! OK, so notice her hair in this picture...kind of "straggly" looking...I can never seem to keep it cute. SO, my hairdresser cut it today for us!

BEFORE...

AND AFTER!
She did SOOOO good! She sat in a booster seat with her penguin cape and did PERFECTLY! When she was done, she got down & did a twirl...all the ladies oohed and aahed. It was TOO CUTE! I just love how it makes her cheeks look even chubbier than they really are! She keeps putting her hands in it. I think it probably feels SO weird to her! With today only being June 2nd and the temperatures reaching 100 degrees, I figure this haircut will be very welcome this summer!
I think she's HAPPY! =)

Twelve Years Today!

Twelve years ago today I married my best friend. Our ceremony was a beautiful one, that lasted all of about 15 minutes! After the reception, we left in my forest green 1999 VW Jetta with shoe-polished windows, got around the corner from the church and I burst into tears! I said, "I miss my family!", and I'm sure Shelby thought, "Oh my, what have I gotten myself into?" I look back and laugh...family has always meant so much to me. That's one of the things that I loved right away about Shelby. Now, here we are 12 years later, with two little girls, loving our sweet little family of four.

When we first got married I was an admissions counselor at our local community college and Shelby was a lab technician at an analytical lab. We lived in an apartment complex...our neighbors were mainly senior adults. It was quite comical, really. We used to love swimming in the afternoons with a man named Strawberry, a woman named Marie, and every once in a while Billy Bob & Geraldine would come out to visit, as well. We've come a long way since then...Shelby earned his Master's degree in Biology and is now working for one of the top oilfield service companies in the US. I got my teaching certification, taught for 8 years, and now get to spend my days nurturing and raising Georgia Claire & Ivy Jane. I used to dream of the day when I could be a stay-at-home mom, and now I am "living the dream"! Although it's not glamorous, and there are days that I don't get a shower until after Shelby gets home, I wouldn't trade it for any other job. I'm thankful that Shelby loves his job and he takes his job of providing for us so seriously. I'm thankful for the past 12 years and the ups and downs that we have had. One constant that remains...God is always faithful! Thank you, Lord, for these past 12 years and the journey we have been on with you as our guide.

Blessings

Another busy couple of weeks = one bad blogger. I have to catch you up to speed on the craziness that is happening in the Braman household! I am amazed at how God is working in our move. Last Friday night the for sale sign went in our yard, we had a showing Saturday, and another on Monday. Monday night our realtor came over & told us, "Y'all, we got a FULL PRICE offer! Y'all must be in God's will because this is awesome!" The 2nd people that saw our house wanted it! Suzanne is our realtor and we LOVE her. I taught her son Collin in 6th grade a couple years ago (the year Georgia was born). She is a pastor's wife and has a wonderful heart. She told us the story of the couple that came to see the house...he was in the Navy, and she is 10.5 weeks pregnant. She's had two miscarriages and when they walked into Georgia's room and saw the sign that my friend Kathleen made that says, "For this child we prayed", they knew the house was theirs! =) Suzanne started crying telling us the story! I got chills & immediately knew that God was in this move. I've known all along really, but that was just affirmation that we were in His will. So, we got the offer Monday night and went to Louisiana Tuesday to do some serious house hunting. Another God thing...our realtor that we got matched up with was the TOP Coldwell Banker realtor in the state of Louisiana last year! She is AWESOME! We left Louisiana Tuesday afternoon after signing a contract on a new home! The new home is in a great neighborhood with lots of young families and the elementary school is rated a 10 out of 10...another God thing! SO, we have been filling out paperwork for our home loan and relocation, plus trying to stay present with the girls. We took time today to just be together...we had to move some firewood this morning, but we played a lot, too. We all took a great nap, ate a yummy meal at home, and played until the girls couldn't play any longer.

(((In the midst of everything, I've been reminded this weekend of how blessed we are and how life can change in an instant. The devastation in Missouri & the reports of parents still searching desperately for their children has made me stop and truly try to soak in every minute I have with my family. I cleaned out the girls' closets (yet again) on Friday and was able to get a tub of clothes to a friend who is taking a trailer of items to families in Joplin. Thinking of the moms with babies who have nothing but the clothes on their backs brought tears to my eyes as I looked at the hangers full & drawers full of baby clothes I have for my girls. On top of it all, Shelby got word today that one of the men he works with was killed in a brush hogging accident in Arkansas this morning. He was 52. Shelby knows one son (whom he also works with) and they have another son who is stationed in Afghanistan. I cannot imagine getting word that my Dad had died in an accident. Please remember the McGough family in these next few days, especially.)))

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my baby girls?! Georgia has been so much fun lately, and learning so much, and oozing with personality. She loves to sit and read, and she's totally into her babies. Yesterday she sat her baby in her booster seat and was saying, "Sit beebee, ok? Ok?" She sings to her babies, she puts them in bed, she pats them, she feeds them. I'm LOVING watching her grow and change into a very sweet and loving little girl. Granted, she has her moments & her meltdowns, but she's an absolute doll. She says "peas & thank you", usually now without being prompted. Look at this happy face...

Sweet Ivy Jane. She's pulling up & standing, crawling crazy fast, and babbling like crazy. She LOVES her older sister and is still a momma's girl. Shelby & I think she is going to be super sensitive. She's so sweet!

Georgia taking care of Ivy Jane...playing with bubbles in the wagon.
Georgia was swinging and wanted out. She then said, "I-dee sing!" She wanted me to put Ivy Jane in the swing & then wanted to push her...
Some of the blackberries I picked with Mom & Dad at the farm this morning...I made a fresh blackberry cobbler tonight & we almost ate the ENTIRE thing!
Our supper consisted of fresh vegetables from Mom & Dad's garden...fried squash & green beans (that I picked this morning), new potatoes in white sauce & onion (that we dug this morning), & cornbread...all that was missing was fresh tomatoes...and maybe some okra...and maybe some corn on the cob!
Counting my blessings today, more than ever. I'm so very thankful for the couple who is buying our home and the fact that they are going to love our house as much as we have, thankful for clothes for my family, thankful for a new home, thankful for 2 hour naps, and thankful for fresh fruits & vegetables, just to name a few. Thank you Lord for the bountiful blessings!

My fun girls

One of my favorite things to do lately is to get Georgia up from her nap with Ivy Jane. Georgia smiles and says, "Hi-ee I-ee!" and Ivy Jane squeals and laughs and almost jumps out of my arms! Yesterday, Georgia said, "I-ee sit!" and patted her bed beside her. After I put Ivy Jane in the bed, she gave her glo-worm to her and then said, "Book, Momma! I-ee book, too, Momma!" So, they sat and played in Georgia's bed for about 10 minutes! Love it!

We play a lot...Georgia had to take a break for some milk...

Ivy Jane is now crawling all over the place...from room to room and pulling up on all the furniture! Peek-a-boo!
And Georgia is still into her baby dolls, even a teddy bear. Girls are SO much fun!