The Meads

7 Months Old

2011-08-11T21:56:00.006-05:00

Yes, you read that right -- Ryan Barrett is 7 months old today! WOW! That's really all I can say right now. Where does the time go? Who knows.....and it if you figure out how to slow it down, please let me know.

His latest accomplishments include clapping, laughing, "talking", and playing with his big sister. He isn't crawling yet and that's OK with us. I remember trying to get Landry to do everything "now, now, now".....but we don't feel that way with Ryan. We are happy with him staying in one place as long as he wants. He still does not have any teeth even though he chews on everything. Ryan is such a happy kid (in spite of the teething process). The only time he cries or gets fussy is when he is ready to eat. I'm pretty sure he gets that from me!! :)

Happy 7 months, baby boy! We love you so much!

A vow to keep up....

2011-08-08T15:15:00.006-05:00

It has been exactly 5 months since my last post and so much has happened in that time that I can only itemize in this post:

1) My maternity leave ended in early March and I went back to work
2) Early April - I got a job at a big hospital in Dallas and gave notice at the current job
3) Early May - we MOVED TO DALLAS :)
4) Mid May - I started my new job and the kids started at their new school
5) Early June - Landry and Ryan switched schools because we weren't happy with the current one
6) Mid June - Dave got a new office that over looks North Central Expressway
7) Mid July - Ryan turned 6 months old
- Dave and I celebrated our 7th anniversary
8) June-Aug - Landry learned how to swim like a fish and is no longer scared of the water

Folks, those are just the highlights. I will work on putting a slide show together for you to see and it is my goal to maintain this blog on a more consistent basis. It is a fun way for you all to keep up with us and it's also nice to look back and see what happened when the kids were really little. So, stay tuned for pictures.....including Ryan's 6 month photo shoot!

We hope you are all staying cool in this dreadful heat. Some people I know have left the great state of Texas and headed to the high-country (mountains) where the temperatures are in the 40s at night......maybe we should all consider that option. :)

A new bike for a big girl!

2011-03-08T16:19:00.002-06:00

Miss Landry has outgrown her tricycle so we decided to get her a "big girl" bicycle. It arrived in a box so that meant "some assembly required" and Landry was eager to help.....see for yourself!

And off she goes - as if she had done it all her life......

Ryan's first professional photo shoot

2011-03-08T16:11:00.004-06:00

We had these taken when Ryan was about 3 weeks old....enjoy!!

Catching up - big time!!

2011-01-27T21:10:00.003-06:00

I apologize profusely for the lack of updates in the last 2 months. As you know, it's been a little crazy around our house and we are loving every minute of it. After Landry's birthday, my sister got married (Landry was one of the flower girls) and the following week was Thanksgiving....then it was December, which I'm not even sure if I can remember that month....time has FLOWN by. Then January arrived and so did Ryan Barrett Mead. He was born January 11th at 12:16pm. He weighed 8lb 2oz and was 21.5 inches long. Those of you that were certain I was carrying twins now know why I was SO big! :) We were released from the hospital 24 hours after his birth and have been home since then. Life with 2 children is definitely an adjustment, but one that we have thoroughly (yes momma, I used that word) enjoyed! Landry absolutely LOVES being a big sister and has really turned out to be a big helper. She promised to change all of the dirty diapers but I don't think she realized just how often that needed to be done....I'm not even sure I remembered how often that needed to be done! It's all coming back to me now....

Enjoy the slide show!

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Happy Birthday Landry!

2010-11-14T22:09:00.003-06:00

I say it every year (all the time, actually) that it is so hard to believe how quickly Landry is growing up. My parents used to say that they were going to find a big rock and put it on my head so I wouldn't grow up so fast - and I never really understood that until now. Three years ago Dave and I were in the hospital waiting for our baby girl to arrive and were so unaware of how our world would change. It changed for the better, no doubt, and we are enjoying Miss Landry so much. Since this is her 3rd birthday, here are three things we love about her:

1) Love for life - Landry is one of the happiest children we know. Although she does have her moments (don't we all??!!), she loves life and that is easy to see as you watch her grow and learn each day - whether she is playing or "working" very diligently on some important task! :)

2) Smile and Laugh - Landry's smile and laugh are so contagious. It warms our heart every time we hear her laugh out loud or see her flash that pretty smile.

3) Ability to entertain herself - we love, so much, to watch Landry play on her own. She can sit down to "read" a book, have a conversation with her dolls, play with her blocks or whatever else catches her eye at the moment and be content for long periods of time. It really is a cute thing to watch, but in our opinion, most things about her are cute. :)

Landry, we hope you have a wonderful birthday. We love you so much and look forward to many, many more birthday celebrations with you!

We love you,
Mommy and Daddy

Trick or Treating

2010-11-11T21:15:00.002-06:00

As promised, here are a few pictures of Landry trick or treating as a precious cow! By the end of the evening the bucket in the pictures was FULL of candy. Since then, she asks nearly everyday if we can go trick or treating again......imagine that!

Waiting patiently with Grandpa

Waiting patiently with Grammy

School Halloween Party and Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-09T22:52:00.005-06:00

Landry's Halloween costume this year was a cow which she got to wear at her school Halloween party. Everyone seemed to enjoy the festivities and of course, our little cow was the cutest kid in costume!!! We also visited a pumpkin patch after school and have attached some pictures of that outing as well....enjoy!

***Trick or Treating pictures will be posted very soon!!

A Day at the Fair

2010-11-09T22:42:00.002-06:00

We spent a day at the fair a few weekends ago and had a great time. Miss Landry experienced several new things like riding a pony, a ferris wheel, and a roller coaster. As you can see in the pictures - she loved every minute of it!

Sitting on a tractor with one of her school friends

Riding a pony for the first time

Ferris wheel with Daddy

Train ride with Mommy

Roller coaster ride with Mommy - in the front car and hands in the air - the ONLY way to ride!!

Happy Birthday Aunt Kris

2010-10-01T19:51:00.004-05:00

We tried this last year and the result was pretty cute. See what a difference one year makes!! We hope you had a wonderful day, Aunt Kris!! :)

The news just keeps getting better!!

2010-08-31T21:11:00.004-05:00

An announcement on the blog might not be a surprise for most people because of the Facebook world, but this news is too exciting not to announce everywhere:

Shortly after Dave graduated from Law School (like the next week), we found out we were expecting our second child. Just last week we found out that we are having a little BOY and we are SO excited. Landry knows that she will be a big sister soon, but she doesn't know exactly what that means at this point. We know life will be fairly chaotic once this little guy gets here, but we are ready for the challenge and look forward to our life as parents of two children.

Our due date is January 6th, 2011!!

Stay tuned for more updates and watch the countdown to Baby Boy Mead's arrival at the top of the blog!

Canton, OH

2010-08-30T23:29:00.006-05:00

As promised, here is the post on our trip to Canton, OH - the trip we have planned for, talked about and dreamed about for at least 5 years - since Emmitt Smith retired in February 2005. That day, after watching his retirement speech, I told Dave I wanted us to be in Canton when Emmitt was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It had always been a dream of mine, but I never thought it would come true.....boy, was I WRONG! :)

We headed to Nonna and Poppa's house on a Wednesday afternoon. We got Landry and the dogs situated there and left EARLY Thursday morning to catch our 7:30 am flight out of DFW. We arrived in Cleveland and drove to Aunt Kris' house where we spent the rest of the day and night catching up and touring her town. We had a great time and laughed alot - no surprise when hanging out with Aunt Kris! :)

The next morning we loaded up and made the 2.5 hour drive to Canton, checked into our hotel and started preparing for a weekend full of fun festivities. In order to keep from writing a book here, I'll keep the details fairly brief because I could go on for days.

Friday night we went to dinner by motor coach and then on to the Gold Jacket Ceremony - where each of the enshrinees received their jackets. Saturday morning we went to the parade and saw the class of 2010 plus many, many of the previous classes. Saturday afternoon we went to the Hall of Fame, walked around inside for a while and then went to the "pre enshrinement party". After that, we headed to the stadium to watch the class of 2010 become official members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sunday morning we went to a luncheon where I got to shake the hands of all the members of the class of 2010!! :) Once we were done with lunch, we attended a round-table and had lots of laughs as the guys talked about some of their favorite football memories. That night we watched the Cowboys beat the Bengals in the Hall of Fame game....doesn't get much better than that.

If you couldn't tell, we had a great time.....the trip of a lifetime! The pictures in the slide show hardly begin to tell the story, but hopefully you get the idea! Enjoy! :)

***A BIG "thank you" goes out to Dave, my trip organizer, photographer, "stuff carrier", for being there with me and making it SO special - I love you so much!!!***

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More Summer Fun

2010-08-30T22:40:00.004-05:00

After our visit with Grammy and Grandpa (previous post), Landry and I traveled to see other friends and family in the month of July. We spent time with Nonna and Poppa where we went on gator rides, played in the swimming pool, watched the deer and played with cousin Kenna. The next weekend, we stayed with the Boscos in Dallas where Landry and Mason had a great time together.

Dave took the bar exam over a 3 day period in the last week of July. When he was done, we were SO excited to have him "back". Dave and I took a wonderful trip to Canton, OH which will be addressed in more detail in another post and Landry stayed with Nonna and Poppa. Then, a couple weeks after that, we headed to Lake Possum Kingdom where we spent time with our good friends Jimmie, Ed, Jane and Jim.

Enjoy the slide show!

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Family, Fun and Fishing

2010-07-14T21:07:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, Landry and I went to see Grammy and Grandpa in Evant. We got there EARLY Saturday morning and jumped in the car with them and headed to Lampasas, TX for a fun-filled day. We started out watching a parade and Landry loved seeing the dogs, horses and waving at all of the people that were waving at her! Once the parade was over we headed to the "Spring Ho Festival" that was basically like a carnival - rides included! We saw lots of neat things and got to eat some yummy "carnival" food and really had a great time. Once we were done with that, we headed to Killeen for some shopping....which is always fun.

That night Landry and I slept on the fold out bed in the camper (and that was a treat for both of us....it is so much fun waking up to a little smiling face saying, "mommy, mommy, wake up!") and had pancakes for breakfast the next morning. Later on, we went fishing and had some GREAT luck. Grandpa caught 3 fish and until they started flopping around, Landry thought they were pretty cool. Once the flopping started, she wanted NOTHING to do with them. Overall, we had a wonderful time and cannot wait to do it again! Hopefully, next time we will be able to take Dave with us!!

We are back!

2010-06-07T21:36:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a while since we've updated, and I apologize to those of you who rely on this blog to keep up with us. Hopefully the slide show below will make up for part of your loss! :) We have had several big events happen over the last month or so - most importantly, Dave graduated from Baylor Law School. Both of our families (including a HUGE surprise from Aunt Kris!!!) were there to celebrate with us and we had a wonderful weekend. Secondly, Landry now sleeps in a big girl bed and has done fairly well staying in it at night. She is very proud of herself for being able to get in and out of her bed on her own, too.

We have made several trips to the Cameron Park Zoo, the Mayborn Children's Museum and also made a trip to Galveston for a wedding.

Hopefully things will settle down a little bit and I'll be able to post more often. :)

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Texas Stadium - Part 2

2010-04-13T21:26:00.002-05:00

The following link will take you to a news clip that ran in Dallas on Sunday night.....maybe this will give you a clue (if you didn't know already) who shed the tears mentioned in the previous post.....

http://www.nbcdfw.com/station/as-seen-on/Engaged_on_the_Star_Dallas-Fort_Worth.html

Texas Stadium - Part 1

2010-04-13T21:12:00.002-05:00

As you have already seen or heard, Texas Stadium was imploded Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 7:08am. Dave and I were there to witness this event and there were LOTS of tears..... and we will not disclose who shed those tears! :) The pictures that follow are just a few that illustrate our day. Stay tuned for more information that may illustrate our day even further.....

Seconds after she came crashing down

I would LOVE to have this sign....

Some left over dynamite from the implosion

The VERY spot where Dave got his nickname - The Gate Keeper!!

Random pictures

2010-04-13T21:01:00.003-05:00

Just a few random pictures from a "tailgate" party we went to and a picture of Landry swinging in the backyard.

Easter Weekend

2010-04-13T20:49:00.002-05:00

Easter weekend started out with a party and egg hunt at daycare. After that, we loaded up and headed south to Sealy - to see Grammy and Grandpa. We had a wonderful time there - ate some crawfish, smashed confetti eggs on each other and colored eggs. Thanks Grammy and Grandpa for a great weekend!

Ready for cupcakes and juice

Ready to find some eggs

Adding food coloring to the water

The finished product!!

Pretty eggs!!

A trip to the zoo

2010-03-30T22:51:00.002-05:00

The weather was so nice this last weekend so we made a trip to the zoo. Landry LOVED all of the animals and did not want to leave.....something tells me we will be going back soon!!

Playing peek-a-boo with the orangutan

Landry and Mommy watching the King Cobra slither across the sand.....

These little guys were fun to watch.....Landry said they were eating "berries" but it looked more like dog food to us....

The art of eating an ice cream cone

2010-03-30T22:22:00.002-05:00

These pictures tell a perfect story....no other explanation is needed!

There is a first time for everything!!!

2010-03-16T18:40:00.003-05:00

No, you aren't seeing things....there really is a BOW in her hair! One of her teachers must have had a good time fixing hair today because she didn't look like this when I dropped her off. And yes, I will admit that she looks pretty darn cute, but it's not because of the bow....

Making cookies and hiding out

2010-03-09T22:24:00.003-06:00

Dave and I went out with some friends over the weekend and Landry entertained Grammy and Grandpa....it is pretty obvious that everyone had a great time!!!

Can you tell she's proud of her apron - thank you Grammy!!

Hmmmm....do I take a bite now or wait until it's done??

Waiting is a good option....

Playing with Grandpa in the tent.....

Not sure who enjoyed the tent more.....Landry or Grandpa!

More pictures.....

2010-03-07T23:02:00.002-06:00

Landry's light reading....

Looking cute next to the "house" she built....

On the gator with Nonna and Kenna

On the gator again.....

Family time

2010-03-07T22:13:00.003-06:00

Dave's maternal grandfather died a few weeks ago and we made a quick trip to Ohio for the funeral. Although the reason for our being there was not a happy one, we made the best out of it and enjoyed seeing family that we had not seen (or met, in Landry's case) in a LONG time. Here are a few pictures of our trip......

And you thought Landry carried her own toys.....

Looking at the many pictures of Grandpa (and family) with Aunt Kris
Reading books with Daddy

Playing in the snow at the hotel just before leaving for the airport

We're Baaaaaccckkkk!!!

2010-02-18T19:52:00.005-06:00

I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything and I apologize. We have been REALLY busy and just haven't had the time. The most exciting thing is we get to spend more time with Dave because he is done with Practice Court!!!!! His final quarter began last week and his new schedule is wonderful. This past weekend we were able to see the Elmo and Friends show here in Waco and Landry loved it. She was asking to go back the next day. Hopefully the slide show below will make up for my lack of posting.....enjoy!

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Countdown

2010-01-20T22:33:00.002-06:00

I don't have a picture for this particular post - other than the countdown to graduation just above. It is very difficult to comprehend that we will be done with law school in 99 DAYS!!!!! Although we've only been here for 2.5 years, it seems like a lifetime....in fact, it has been ALL of Landry's lifetime. She was born after Dave's first set of final exams and look at her now.

Anyway, there really isn't a point to this other than recognizing that the end is in sight. There is light at the end of the tunnel and it IS NOT a train!!!

So now, in honor of the 99 remaining days, I'd like to start the "99 bottles of beer on the wall" song because graduation will be here before we know it!! Way to go, Dave - we love you and are SO proud of you!!!

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-20T22:14:00.003-06:00

Once again I am playing catch-up on the blog.....here are some pictures from our activities this month.

The Cowboys actually had a playoff game at home this year and Dave was not able to go with me because of school commitments so my mom agreed to go. We had a GREAT time and I enjoyed every minute of it. I might have actually convinced her that being in the stadium during a game IS pretty nice!!! Thanks again, Momma, for going with me - I love you!!

A cute picture of Miss Landry. She continues to grow up so quickly to the point where we no longer see the "baby" in her.....she is a girl now if you ask her!!

Listening while Daddy reads her a book

Playing with Daddy and Scout

A few other pictures

2009-12-29T23:07:00.003-06:00

Here are a few more pictures we have taken over the last few weeks.....enjoy!!

Asleep with her sunglasses on - at night.....I guess the oncoming cars' lights were too bright!! :) Hanging out with all of her elephants...it's how we "roll"!!! ROLL TIDE!!!!! Receiving her gift at her Christmas party at daycare..... Catching snowflakes with Daddy More snow with the eskimo....aka Mommy

Mead Christmas

2009-12-29T22:43:00.006-06:00

Christmas with the Meads was so much fun, as usual. We made the trip, again, to Belton to see "Nature in Lights" - the 5 mile drive-through Christmas light display. Before we left, we stopped to see Santa and take a picture with him. Landry was determined NOT to sit in Santa's lap. So, she sat in Dave's lap - and they sat next to Santa....close enough for her.

We opened presents Christmas morning and, once again, Santa did not disappoint. Landry got lots of toys, games and some great books from Grammy and Grandpa. When you open these books, you hear Grammy and Grandpa's voices - even if they aren't here!! Landry always gets a big smile on her face when she hears their voices. Again, we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

Sitting in the front seat with Grandpa while looking at Christmas lights....and no, she's not picking her nose.

Helping Daddy drive while talking to us in the back seat

Checking out her Mr. Potato Head.....gotta love it!

Trying on the Mr. Potato Head glasses.....

Landry Grace - covered in wrapping paper!

Hodges' Christmas

2009-12-29T22:00:00.004-06:00

Christmas in Stephenville was wonderful. Landry started the visit off early by staying with Nonna and Poppa while Mommy and Daddy went out with friends in Dallas one night. While we were gone, she was an angel in a live nativity scene. We don't have pictures of the event yet, but we hope to have some soon. Rumor has it that Landry has been invited back for next year because she was the PERFECT angel....no surprises there!! :)

We really did have a nice visit. It felt great to relax and not worry about work or school and spend some quality time with family. Poppa is recovering really well and we know this because his sense of humor has returned. Those of you that know him know what I mean. Needless to say, we welcome that sense of humor with open arms. We are glad you are "back", Poppa!!

Santa did not disappoint this year - just ask Landry. She got an animal game, a very special book and a John Deere Gator....that she can drive. Landry LOVES to take rides on the gator at Nonna and Poppa's house to look at the cows so Santa thought it would be a good idea for Landry to have her own gator......and now she does. You tell us if she likes it or not.....

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

Her book that talks about her name..... First look at the Gator

No, I don't think she likes it....Already has a passenger....

Photo Shoot

2009-12-03T23:57:00.002-06:00

We had Landry's 2 yr old pictures done today and were able to work in a few Christmas pictures as well. We were VERY pleased with the results and had a hard time choosing our favorites! Here are just a few....enjoy!!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T17:06:00.002-06:00

We have lots to be thankful for this year - first and foremost, my daddy's health. His surgery went VERY well and he is now home recovering. It was cancer, but the tumor was totally encapsulated and the doctor got ALL of it and was able to leave 3/4 of his kidney in tact AND he does not need any further treatment!! This is just a reminder that God is so good - all of the time!!

We had a great Thanksgiving. Landry spent most of the day with Grammy and Grandpa (Dave's parents) while Dave and I watched the Cowboys beat the Oakland Raiders! Our tailgating crew does a full turkey and dressing meal before game time so we had PLENTY to eat while tailgating and again when we got home!! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

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Baptism

2009-11-29T15:33:00.002-06:00

Landry was baptized on her birthday and the entire congregation sang "Happy Birthday" to her. It was a very nice ceremony and Landry seemed to tolerate it well.

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2nd Birthday Party

2009-11-29T15:31:00.001-06:00

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Happy 2nd Birthday!!!

2009-11-14T21:49:00.004-06:00

It is so hard to believe that it has been 2 years since our little girl was born. Dave and I were talking earlier today and it seems like just yesterday that we were headed to the hospital....where, oh where, does the time go?? Landry Grace, we are so blessed to have you as our daughter and don't know what we ever did without you! We love you so much and hope you have a wonderful day!! In honor of your 2nd birthday, here are 2 of the things we love about you:

1) Your smile (and laugh) - it can brighten up a room no matter what the circumstances may be.

2) The way you love life - you love to eat, play outside, lay on the ground and look at clouds, sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star when you see a star in the sky, and read all kinds of books.

We love you, baby girl, and we look forward to many, many more years with you!!!

Love,

Daddy and Mommy

Pictures don't do it justice.....

2009-11-03T22:41:00.002-06:00

This last weekend, I took my grandmother to see the Cowboys play the Seattle Seahawks. For those of you that don't know her, you must understand that I get my love of football from her and my daddy (her son). I took her to a game several years ago when Dallas played Philadelphia and she was talking trash to the Eagles fans sitting next to us.....enough said!! My one request for this outing was that she make her YUMMY chili dogs so that we could tailgate in style - and we did. We hung out with our RV tailgating friends and had a wonderful time. This was one of those days where I wish I had video of the entire day so that I could relive it as often as I want and never miss one moment. I love you, Ma, and thank you again for a WONDERFUL day!!

Eating at the RV while sitting outside watching pregame shows.

In our seats ready for the game to start

Look at her smile! This guy was dressed up as a player from the old days - leather helmet and all!!

What a great day - Cowboys won big and I got to watch it with my sweet grandmother!!

Trick or Treating

2009-11-03T22:06:00.002-06:00

Landry and I made another trip to Morgan Mill to visit Nonna and Poppa for the weekend. Here are a few pictures of Landry's trick or treating experience. She wasn't really THAT into it until she figured out that candy was involved....

Hanging out with Poppa before trick or treating

Ready to call Daddy to see how his studying is going....

Trick or treating at Ma's house (Becky's grandmother)

Yummy candy.....tootsie rolls, to be exact!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-25T23:49:00.002-05:00

We made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch this past Friday and Landry had so much fun. Here are a few pictures.....

The first of many pumpkins that she wanted to take home....
Cuteness....

Showing Daddy that she could stand on a pumpkin

Family picture (mommy was ready for a road trip.....not really prepared to be in pictures)

Showing Daddy the gourds she liked....and Daddy seemed just as excited as Landry was....

Fall Carnival

2009-10-25T23:36:00.003-05:00

Landry's daycare had a Fall Carnival last week and the kids got to dress up in their Halloween costumes. Miss Landry is a duckling this year and we think she is the cutest duckling ever!! See for yourself!!

Hay ride with Daddy

Taking a break from all the walking

Making a picture frame with Daddy and Nonna

"Fishing" for ducks with Daddy

Just plain cute!!

It's that time again....

2009-10-14T23:02:00.005-05:00

The time has come, again, for Landry and me to leave on the weekends to make it easier for Dave to study. This is a VERY good thing because it means finals are coming up and the quarter that we like to call "hell" is almost over!! In fact, if you'll look at the countdown clock above, you'll see that we are less than 200 days away from GRADUATION!!!!! A few of us (no names mentioned) are VERY excited about that!! :) With that being said, Landry and I went to visit Nonna and Poppa last weekend and had a great time. Landry learned how to drive the battery operated jeep (see pictures below) and we have video footage that is too large to post, but SO hilarious. Nonna, Poppa and myself were nearly rolling on the ground laughing at these two girls in the jeep.

Eating cookies with Nonna and Kenna

Nonna making sure they don't crash into anything....notice the smiles on all faces!!

Smiling again - and even amusing the dog......

Looking at the cows with Nonna. I must say that Miss Landry LOVES the cows. She always wanted to be outside looking at the cows.

Riding the tractor with Nonna - again to go see the cows!

Gaining interest in the team?

2009-10-08T22:16:00.002-05:00

Although it was a horrible game to watch this past Sunday, Landry was really interested in it and moved BOTH of her little chairs in front of the TV - and actually watched some of the game!! I hope she didn't lose interest because of the way the team played.....but the look on her face says it all.....let's hope this next weekend is better!

A special message for a special aunt!!

2009-09-30T21:01:00.004-05:00

Dear Aunt Kris,

We wish we could celebrate with you on your special day, but since we can't, we thought this would be the best way to wish you a happy birthday. We love you and we miss you and we hope you have a wonderful day!!

Game Update

2009-09-13T14:08:00.003-05:00

Here's the latest scene at our house....she slept in her bed for 45 minutes and has slept on her daddy for the last hour....and she's still asleep!!

Ready for some Football???

2009-09-13T11:10:00.002-05:00

We sure are and we have our own little cheerleader! GO COWBOYS!!!

Fun times!

2009-09-05T21:33:00.002-05:00

Celeste and Mason came down for a visit today and we had lots of fun in a short time. The kids played very well together and the grown-ups had a good time catching up. Here are a few pictures of Mason and Landry.

Dancing to a song on the Elmo's Potty Time DVD

So cute!!!

Is this cute or what??!!!

2009-09-02T22:28:00.003-05:00

When I picked Landry up from daycare today, this is what her hair looked like and I absolutely love it!! Her teachers have so much fun fixing all of the girls' hair - and it always looks so cute....and then there are the turtle sunglasses that Landry got at Mason's birthday party......she wears them everywhere - even if it is dark outside!!

Having Fun

2009-08-23T22:17:00.003-05:00

The last couple of weekends have been a lot of fun for us. Landry's friend, Mason, turned 2 and we went to his birthday party in Dallas. Here are a few shots of Mason pushing Landry around the house. Those two really had a good time together - when they weren't fighting over toys!! :)

Landry showing off her turtle tattoo from the party.

This past Friday, I took off work and Dave and I headed to Arlington for the first game at Cowboys Stadium. We had a wonderful time seeing all of our tailgating friends again and a great time at the game. Here are a few shots from our seats....yes, those are players on the field - we are REALLY high up....but we were there!!! :)

A weekend at the lake

2009-08-10T22:30:00.003-05:00

Some of our very good friends invited us to their lake house this last weekend. We had a wonderful time and found out that Landry loves the water just as much as we thought she did. She wasn't crazy about her life jacket, but she didn't have a choice in the matter. Here's one of the best pictures we took.....Miss Landry driving the boat!!! She's a natural on the water - just like her Daddy.

Trip to Dallas and Frisco

2009-08-03T22:54:00.003-05:00

Landry and I took a trip to Dallas last Friday to meet some of the nice people Dave is working with this summer. While we were there, Landry had the opportunity to handle some of Judge's duties.....wearing the robe is a big job and she loved every minute of it.

Once we finished in Dallas, we headed to Frisco for our annual trip to Gatti Town - where Dave and I have always celebrated our anniversary. Landry was able to join in the fun this year and boy did she have a blast. She got to ride the pirate ship, the carousel and the train. Lots of fun was had by all.....maybe we should make that trip more often!! :)

20 Months!!!

2009-07-15T23:46:00.002-05:00

Yep, you read that right - Miss Landry is 20 months old. I say it every month - where did the time go....how did she get so big (and sassy) so fast??!!! She has quite the personality and we love her to pieces! Here are a few pictures taken today.

Her latest trick (thank you, Daddy) - showing us what she's eating.....banana, if you couldn't tell.

What a cute, adorable little smile. We love you, baby girl!!

Catching Up.....

2009-07-15T23:33:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures taken over the last couple of weeks. We have be SOO busy and just haven't had a chance to post pictures......

Playing with Daddy at Lowe's

Watching fireworks with Daddy (we had to wake her up to see them)

Being silly in Rowdy and Scout's crate

Happy 4th of July!!

4th of July "picnic" at daycare

Father's Day, more water, and family time

2009-06-28T22:04:00.003-05:00

For Father's Day, Landry made this tie at daycare. It says "I'm tied to you" and her picture is at the bottom. Very cute!!

In the swimming pool at Nonna and Poppa's house.....do you recognize her with her sunglasses on??

Swimming with cousin Kenna

Kenna and my sister, Martha, came to visit and we had a wonderful time. It is so much fun to watch the little ones play together.

Landry playing dress up....her pajama top, Kenna's skirt and Kenna's "dress up" shoes.....

Water, water, water

2009-06-28T21:55:00.003-05:00

For the last several weeks we have spent a lot of time in the water....splash park, swimming pools and water park.....it's a good thing Landry seems to enjoy the water!!!

We've got spirit

2009-06-09T22:36:00.002-05:00

With Cowboys training camp only a month away, Landry and I decided to get into the spirit a little early. Now, all we need are some silver stars on our big toes!!

Cowboys Stadium (oh, and George Strait, too)

2009-06-09T22:29:00.002-05:00

Dave and I went to Arlington this last weekend for the grand opening of the new Cowboys Stadium and it is AWESOME! There really are no words to describe it.....

Did I mention that George Strait was there? He and 60,000 of his closest friends chanted "Jerry open the roof" - and Jerry obliged.....what a sight to see. We cannot wait for the first Cowboys home game.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

18 month pictures

2009-06-09T10:16:00.002-05:00

We had 18 month pictures taken and here are just a few of our favorites. Enjoy!!!

Time to play in the water

2009-06-04T22:40:00.004-05:00

We have spent quite a bit of time in the water lately. At first, Landry wasn't too sure about getting wet - as you can tell in the first pictures. She would rather get the dogs wet than get herself wet.....my how things change in this sequence of pictures. She LOVED playing in the sprinkler with her Daddy. She kept saying "more, more" and then they would run back through the water....it was fun for everyone!

In between trips across the yard...

Smiling before the water got close....Action shot

Hair

2009-05-20T23:25:00.003-05:00

Landry now has enough hair for a pony tail and I must say it's pretty darn cute!! It won't stay in the pony tail very long, but it was there long enough for pictures.....

Trying to call Daddy on the phone

Trip to Dallas

2009-05-20T23:17:00.002-05:00

We went to Dallas this past weekend to visit the Boscos and for a crawfish boil. While we were there, we went to a museum at Fair Park and the Dallas Zoo. It was really a great trip and we were so glad to see all of our friends again!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

18 months old

2009-05-15T17:25:00.003-05:00

Wow! Seriously, 18 months? It never ceases to amaze me how fast time flies and how quickly Miss Landry is growing up. We just got home from her 18 month old checkup and she is perfect, of course. She weighs 23lbs 6oz (40th percentile) and is 31 inches long (25th percentile). Both of these marks are milestones because she has never been above the 10th percentile in anything. Regardless, Dr. Ferguson says she looks great and is doing things at a 23 month old level - pretty smart if you ask us. Again, we aren't surprised. So, here's to our 18 month old baby girl - we love you very much and are so proud of you!!

Catching up

2009-05-06T22:26:00.005-05:00

Several things have happened in the last month - most importantly Dave finished final exams and is now officially in his LAST year of law school (note the countdown to graduation above)!!! While he was studying for finals, Landry and I made a couple of road trips to see both sets of grandparents and hung out quite a bit with our friend, Kelsey - whose husband is in school with Dave. We had a great time with everyone, but we are so glad to have Dave back!!

Teasing Rowdy with her shoe

Playing telephone with Aunt Kelsey

Her new favorite friend, "Bear"

Getting ready to ride her first carnival ride at my company picnic - she LOVED it!!

A Small Solicitation........

2009-04-22T21:18:00.004-05:00

Dave and I entered Landry in a Cute Baby Contest through the Waco Tribune. Her picture (along with all of the other "not-as-cute-as-Landry-babies") will be in the paper on Sunday, April 26, which is also the day voting begins. We would like for you to vote so that she will win, but, there is a catch. Each vote will cost .10, and that money goes to Newspapers in Education - a national program that promotes literacy through the use of the daily newspaper as an instructional aid in the classroom. So, your money will go to a good cause and help Landry WIN - a WIN, WIN situation!! There will be 3 different voting sessions - one to narrow the field down to 20 (from 70), then to narrow down to 10 and then the winners. I will post the link so that those of you not in Waco can vote online. You can print out a ballot and send it in or you can use a credit card online. If you choose to go the credit card route, there is a minimum of $10 required. I'm writing all of this because I don't want anyone to be surprised, nor do I want anyone to feel obligated to vote. When she does win, there is a FABULOUS prize package which you can see on the link as well. The current link is:

http://www.wacotrib.com/classifieds/content/services/baby2009/index.html

If that changes once the voting begins, I'll post the new link.

GO LANDRY!!! :)

Happy Easter - Part 3

2009-04-13T21:28:00.004-05:00

We did a mini photo-shoot once Landry and I got home so that we could get pictures of her in her Easter dress.

Landry loves to play with the "rocks" that come out of this small hole in our driveway.....

Climbing on Daddy as he takes the picture....

Happy Easter - Part 2

2009-04-13T21:20:00.004-05:00

Landry and I spent Easter weekend with my parents in Morgan Mill. We had a wonderful time and got lots of goodies from the Easter Bunny!

Nonna took Landry to the front of the church for children's time. I stood out in the isle to take a few pictures and when she saw me, right after I took this picture, she took off running towards me. Mom caught her and the entire congregation was laughing.

Holding a candle and telling the congregation that "we are the light of the world"

Playing with her goodies from the Easter Bunny....

Happy Easter - Part 1

2009-04-13T21:09:00.004-05:00

Here are a few pictures from Landry's Easter party at daycare:

Having a snack before going outside to hunt Easter eggs

On her way to conquer the Easter eggs....(with her game face on)

Ready to go....

Showing off her loot.....

A Concerned Fan

2009-04-05T16:59:00.002-05:00

After reading the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, Landry was a little concerned about the release of Terrell Owens and Roy Williams. We discussed it and she felt much better. We are both looking forward to the draft on April 25th.......

The Backyard

2009-03-31T22:45:00.003-05:00

Since the weather has gotten warmer, we normally head to the backyard once we get home from work/school/daycare. Landry loves to swing and generally loves being outside. One day this past weekend, I got "camera happy" and took lots of pictures of her playing in the backyard so I thought I'd share them with you.....enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Pictures from this weekend

2009-03-29T14:48:00.002-05:00

Just a very cute picture and as you can clearly see, she's not a baby anymore....look at that hair!!

She LOVED Daddy pushing her around in her grocery cart
Finally, someone who will watch ice skating with me!!! :)

Other Miscellaneous Pictures

2009-03-24T21:46:00.003-05:00

Just a few fun pictures that were taken over the last few weeks:

Early sighting of the Easter Bunny

2009-03-24T21:44:00.002-05:00

A piece of history

2009-03-06T17:48:00.002-06:00

Since the 2008-2009 season was the last at Texas Stadium, we decided to buy the seats where we sat for many years. Those seats were delivered today. We aren't sure of the date, but at some point Texas Stadium will be demolished so everything in the stadium was sold - including the restroom signs....so, we own a piece of history. Included in that history are 5 Super Bowl Championships and 7 Conference Championships - no other NFL Stadium has housed more. We love you, Texas Stadium!!

Randomness

2009-03-01T22:38:00.003-06:00

Napping on Daddy

A new "do"...instead of one little ponytail on top of her head, we now have "pig tails"

Our new plumber.....Dave was installing new sinks and Landry wanted to help. She looks like she knows what she is doing. If you need a plumber let us know, we'll send her over....for a small fee, of course. :)

Big Shoes to Fill

2009-02-24T22:42:00.002-06:00

Quick trip to Dallas

2009-02-24T22:31:00.002-06:00

We saw our good friends, Mason and Celeste Bosco, this last weekend. We were up there for a birthday party for one of our other friends and hung out with Mason and Celeste afterwards. It was fun to see the little ones play (and fight, at times) together.

15 Months Old

2009-02-15T21:12:00.003-06:00

Landry is 15 months old today. It really is hard to believe it has been that long since her birth. It is also hard to believe she is walking and running (or trying to) everywhere. She doesn't want to be carried anymore - she wants to do it herself. It is very cute to watch, but also a little sad. She's not a baby anymore; she is a very independent toddler!!

For those of you that didn't know, she had her first ear infection last week and gave us quite a scare....her fever hit 105.5 Wednesday night and I freaked (Dave was very calm which is exactly what I needed). We called the doctor and he said to make sure she was getting enough liquids. We did just that and her fever broke Thursday morning - thank goodness. I much prefer this happy, healthy little girl over that sick one, but who doesn't??

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T14:21:00.002-06:00

Landry wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!!

Family Fun

2009-02-08T13:28:00.002-06:00

Our niece, Kenna, will turn 4 this next week and her birthday party was yesterday at a bounce house in Stephenville. I don't know who had more fun - the kids or the adults. See for yourself....

Riding the horse in the toddler area with Poppa

Sliding down the GIANT slide

Sliding again with Nonna

Weekend trip

2009-02-02T22:20:00.004-06:00

It's time for finals again so Landry and I made the drive to see Dave's parents in Sealy. It was a quick trip and it was filled with fun. It just happened to be Dave's grandfather's 89th birthday so we were able to participate in his birthday festivities, too.

I felt like the paparazzi here - sneaking up to get a close picture. Singing happy birthday to Great Grandpa Frank

Do you think he would notice if I took some of his cake???

Pink Eskimo

2009-01-29T22:30:00.001-06:00

Our big girl

2009-01-27T17:26:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Landry eating breakfast in the big girl building. She sits in "chairs" that are built into the table and there are 5 or 6 chairs per table. She's been in her new room, full time, for 2 days now and has done wonderfully. We've even gotten reports of her "stealing" food from other kids - I'd love to be a fly on the wall when that happens!!

Happy Birthday Poppa!!

2009-01-25T17:38:00.003-06:00

Today is my dad's 60th birthday and here are a few pictures of the party we had for him yesterday. Happy birthday, Poppa - we love you!!!

Graduation Day

2009-01-23T20:23:00.002-06:00

She's growing up so quickly and moving to the "big kid" building.....how is that possible? Seems like she just started daycare yesterday!! We love you, baby girl!! Congratulations on your graduation!

Daddy's Helper

2009-01-05T22:28:00.002-06:00

Dave got a wheel-less trailer for Christmas and here are some pictures of daddy and daughter putting it together.

Making sure all of the pieces are there

Handing tools to Daddy as needed

The finished product - yay!!! Way to go, team!!

New toys for everyone

2009-01-05T22:21:00.003-06:00

Ready to work out on Mommy and Daddy's new treadmill - in her fashionable boots, of course.

Landry's new crawl-through play house - a gift from Santa

Who could be in Landry's house????

Hi Daddy!!!

Mommy's turn

Hodges Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T22:07:00.002-06:00

After Dave's family left Tuesday afternoon (the 23rd), we packed up and headed to south Texas once Landry was ready for bed. It's much easier to make the 4.5 hour drive with a sleeping baby - as most of you know. We had a great time with my family and really enjoyed seeing some that we don't get to see very often.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Mead Christmas 2008....continued

2008-12-28T23:06:00.004-06:00

Here are a few pictures I forgot to include in the slide show.....enjoy!!

Mead Christmas 2008

2008-12-23T19:01:00.004-06:00

Dave's parents and brother all came to Waco to celebrate Christmas with us. They stayed for a few days, endured the cold weather (without heat for one night) and even traveled with us to Belton to see some Christmas lights. We had so much fun and enjoyed spending time Grammy, Grandpa and Uncle Jeff.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Texas Stadium - The Final Farewell

2008-12-23T18:40:00.003-06:00

It's hard to know where to start when this topic comes up. I knew this day would come, but never really thought the day would actually get here. Well, it did and what a day it was. Although the Cowboys lost, Dave and I spent 12 great hours at Texas Stadium - saying one final goodbye. My very first time at Texas Stadium was in 1996 when the Cowboys hosted the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Championship. (we won, of course and then went on to win the Super Bowl) I went with my Dad and some of his friends. I cried when we walked in and saw the field for the first time. Funny, I cried when Dave and I left this last weekend, too.....we have lots of memories there. Not only lots of fun games, but it is also where Dave asked me to marry him - on the star - on the 50 yard line. I don't think it gets much better than that. On that day, we went on a tour of Texas Stadium and got to see the Cowboys locker room, run down the tunnel, catch passes in the end zone and just play around on the field. That too, was a great day - and has led to many, many more great days.....which brings me back to this last weekend. It was really hard for me to walk out of that stadium knowing I would never set foot in there again, but we still have the memories and those will live forever!! Thanks for all of the memories, Texas Stadium. We will miss you!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Santa???

2008-12-14T12:17:00.001-06:00

Already???

2008-12-11T22:28:00.009-06:00

I think you could say we have a toddler now.....

We're Back!!!!

2008-12-10T20:54:00.003-06:00

Finally, we have a camera and can post some new pictures. Here are a few random shots of Landry playing tonight:

Peek-a-boo with Rowdy and Scout

Laughing with Mommy (with a REALLY dirty face)

Playing with her fridge farm (and standing on her own)

Riding her horse

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T21:26:00.002-06:00

We hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We sure did, but we do not have a camera that works so there will be no pictures of our celebration. We hope to have a new one soon, but until then you'll just have to read about our adventures instead of seeing them in pictures.

We spent Thanksgiving in the RV parking lot of Texas Stadium with our tailgating friends. Dave's family (Bob, Judy and Jeff) joined us and we all had a wonderful sit-down meal with turkey, dressing and all of the fixings. Yes, we do it right no matter where we are - including a parking lot!! Landry was with us and seemed to enjoy every minute of the excitement. Bob, Judy and Jeff watched Landry for us when we headed for Texas Stadium and, from what we hear, they had a great time with her - honking the air horn and scaring the other children in the parking lot! She, of course, loved it. Once the game was over (Dallas won!!), we returned to the RV and shared a few more special moments with friends and family. We hope you had just as much fun as we did.

Hopefully there will be pictures in our next post......

1 Year Pictures

2008-11-17T22:58:00.004-06:00

We had Landry's 1 year pictures done today. There were so many to choose from and here are a few of our favorites - enjoy!!

2008-11-17T22:56:00.000-06:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANDRY!!

2008-11-15T20:40:00.005-06:00

Happy 1st birthday, baby girl!! We remember it like it was yesterday and cannot believe it has already been a year since you were born. It has been such a wonderful year and we are so glad that God picked you to be our daughter. We love you so much and look forward to many more happy birthdays with you.

Love,
Daddy and Mommy

Our little peacock

2008-11-06T21:30:00.003-06:00

Landry was a peacock for Halloween and I must say, I've never seen a cuter peacock in my life. She didn't seem to mind the costume at all and she enjoyed the little carnival we went to. Of course, she wasn't into trick or treating, but she loved watching all of the other kids run around in their costumes and she enjoyed the hay ride.

It's time for finals again....

2008-10-27T21:50:00.005-05:00

When finals roll around, Landry and I head out of town to make it easier for Dave to study. This past weekend we stayed with my sister, Martha, in Stephenville. We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed the visit - thanks again, Emmy, for the hospitality. On Sunday morning, the four of us (Martha, Kenna, Landry and I) took breakfast to my grandmother. It was so nice to see her interact and play with Landry.....what a special time for all of us! We love you, Ma!!

I love this picture....
Love this one, too....

Kenna helping Landry take a drink from her sippy cup

Eleven Months Old

2008-10-20T22:20:00.003-05:00

Yep, it's that time again....another month gone - just like that. We are having so much fun with this little girl and her cute personality. Her latest "skill" is telling you what a cow "says." It comes out sounding like "boooo," but she really is saying "moooo." So cute!!!

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-12T20:38:00.005-05:00

What a big helper - gotta get all the seeds out of the pumpkin.... Hmmm.....tasty! (seriously, she kept trying to eat more...)
The result of the pumkin carving party - great job, guys!!