The Big Reveal 2010

Step 1: Get a couple of cardboard boxes. Cut out some "windows" and glue on the "engine".

Step 2: cut out some "wheels" and give them a good painting.  Cut out and paint a "slow moving vehicle" sign while you're at it.

Step 3: Acquire some John Deere green paint.  Helpful hint: Lowe's can color-match your son's prized toy tractor.  (Don't disclose how ridiculously overpriced said paint was)

Step 4: Add a bright yellow pinstripe, a John Deere logo, set of straps, black-painted paper towel roll smoke stack, a couple of dollar store tap (head) lights.  Glue on the aforementioned wheels and slow-moving vehicle sign...

Step 5: Insert one very happy little boy, and you just might have the cutest little tractor driver in the state of Texas.

When Eli started (at random) telling people that he wanted to be a "tractor driver" for Halloween a couple months back, my wheels started spinning.  If you know me well, then you know I LOVE coming up with fun, creative costumes for my kids, so deep down, I'll admit, I was stoked at him for thinking outside of the box (little did he know the box would BE the costume)

Truth be told, the REAL step one of this operation was "Get husband on board with the idea".  Jason procured the boxes and did most of the work for Eli's costume.  He even cut a hole in the top of the engine, just under the smoke stack so that people could drop candy down it, and it would fill up the box below.  Eli LOVED showing that feature off at our church's Trunk or Treat! His cute smile and unique costume got him tractor loads of attention (and photo ops).

Norah, on the other hand, went with a more cliche costume request.  And, if I'm still being honest, I cringed when (after flip-flopping between a good 15 ideas) she finally landed on "Tinkerbell".  I decided if I didn't want her to get lost in the sea of other Tinkerbells out there, I'd just have to do my best to make her stand out :)

 I couldn't find any Tinkerbell patterns that I liked, so Gramps and I found a shirt pattern that fit her, and made the rest up as we went along.  (Although I will admit, I nearly pulled out my hair figuring out how to make her shoes!)

Still, I think it turned out pretty great, and Norah made a particularly pretty pixie.  And most importantly, she LOVES her costume.  She has worn it some nearly every day since I finished it a couple of weeks ago.  (I had to wash it TWICE before she even wore it to Trunk or Treat!)

Her favorite features were her shoes (whew!  It was worth it!) and her wings (which she LOVED pointing out to everyone, were painted with glitter glue, so they would sparkle)

Thanks to a donation of left-over fabric from a friend (who was Tinkerbell last year), her costume was almost completely free.  (Briarcrest Cleaners donated the hangers for her wings...I didn't have any wire ones on-hand) and I had to buy a pair of .50 knee-highs, also for the wings, so thankfully, that helped balance our Halloween budget after Eli's green paint almost broke the bank.

One other fun surprise for Norah, was when she reached Trunk or Treat, one of her favorite friends, "Mr. Foree" (our preacher) was dressed as Captain Hook. She was so proud to take her picture with him in their "coordinating costumes".  It was a fun year.  And, believe it or not, Norah has already decided what she AND Eli will be next year--and I LOVE her idea...and Eli even says he's gung-ho!  (I'm still trying to decide if I should go ahead and get started now while the fabric is all clearanced out, after Halloween, or if it's too much of a gamble to think that they'd not change their minds 20 times by this time next year!) Time will tell!

Ten Years...

A few preliminary words of warning.  This post is long, and contains very little about Norah and Eli (although neither of them would be here without the event that I am about to recall, if that counts for anything).  In addition, this  post might will get a little mushy, so if you're not into that kind of thing, just keep walking....I wont hold it against you.  Honest.

Ten years ago today I married my best friend.  Ten years ago.  That's one third of my lifetime.  When I put it in those terms, it sounds like a significant span of time, but it really doesn't FEEL like very long ago.

Still, if I'm being completely honest, the first thought that entered my mind as I pulled out these "old" photos was, "Oh!  Look at how YOUNG we were!"  In sharing these pictures with Norah, she asked me who everyone was, and upon my naming each person (myself and Jason included), she made a point to reply, "when he/she/you were MUCH younger."  Haha...yeah, I guess so. 

Jason and I were young.  We got engaged on his 19th birthday (which is a whole, other, sweet story), and married 14 (excruciatingly long) months later, when we were both 20.  Neither one of us thought we were too young at the time.  And neither one of us think we were too young in retrospect.  (I treasure that he is the only boy I've ever kissed)

I knew that I would love Jason Robinson for the rest of my life, and I am so thankful that we have been able to experience "growing up" together on our journey to "growing old" together.

Looking at these photos always makes me tear up.  I can remember the roller coaster of emotions I felt that day, as easily as I can read them on my own face.  June 10th of 2000 couldn't come fast enough for either of us...and when it finally arrived, it flew by in an instant.

I bawled my eyes out down the aisle...both ways.  We married in the little church building where we grew up (and first met in the cradle roll as babies), Central Church of Christ, in Bryan.

We paid for the majority of the wedding, ourselves--not because anyone asked us to, but because we wanted to.  (Thankfully, Central Church graciously let us use the building for free--an act that still touches my heart today, as Jason and I had been attending A&M Church of Christ together for several years at the time, and the church at Central still treated us like close family, showering us with so much love and encouragement). As a result, it was a simple wedding, and for the most part, I am glad it was.  I never once felt like we got caught up in the "wedding" part of getting married.  We both knew that the day was about us starting our life together, and we were thankful to be able to share that beginning with so many of our loved ones.

Much of the  wedding and reception are all but a blur in my memory, as the day went by so fast.  Some things that I DO remember from June 10, 2000:


On the day of our wedding, Jason and I didn't see one another until those big, double doors opened and I started down the aisle...but we DID, however, write each other pre-ceremony notes (which were exchanged through our attendants while we were getting ready).  I still have both of our notes, preserved in our 20-year old handwriting, and they will always be precious to me.

I remember the short time I spent with my dad in the foyer before he walked me down the aisle.  I was amazed at his composure and that he didn't cry at all (something I had BEGGED him not to do in the days leading up to the wedding because I knew that if he cried, I would be a goner).  He smiled and took my arm, and let me know he was  proud of me, and how happy he was that I was marrying Jason.  (But as I mentioned, in spite of his holding it together, I cried my eyes out until Jason took my hands, and then I was completely at peace)

 I distinctly remember the way I felt looking into Jason's eyes as we took our vows.   I remember the love that he looked back at me with...and the pride I felt that he was looking at me with those loving eyes and that huge, beguiling grin, in the presence of all our friends and family.  To this day, that is one of the most precious memories from my lifetime.

I remember leaving the reception and driving to our first apartment, just a few minutes away, to change clothes (in separate rooms) before leaving for our honeymoon.  It was your typical first apartment...in the ghetto.  But it was our HOME, and we were thrilled to live there.  When we arrived at the door, Jason surprised me by scooping me up and carrying me across the threshold.  (When we moved from those apartments three years later, several of the neighbors told us that they had witnessed this spontaneous act of chivalry and were moved by it).

I remember driving to Houston to stay at the hotel airport that night, before our honeymoon departure the next day.  And Jason missing the toll exit, and having to pay the toll twice...but never losing his cool or being frustrated.  I think we were both so happy to be married that we could have driven around in circles for half the night and it wouldn't have bothered us.

I remember us both being famished when we finally made it to our room at the hotel.  (We later confessed that neither of us had eaten anything, all day,  besides the two bites of cake we fed each other at the reception!) And ordering room service for the first time in my life.  Being the glamorous, sophisticated twenty year-olds that we were, we ordered cheeseburgers.  And they were delicious.

Fast forward ten years...and I am awakened by the same, sweet man, with a tray of breakfast in-hand.  (Now, before you start to judge me for being a bad wife and not making my working man breakfast in bed on the morning of our anniversary, I should clarify that one of the things I have learned over the course of our 10 years of marriage is that, although my husband has a deep appreciation for bacon, he would much rather sleep than have breakfast in bed...and I have learned to respect that)  So, the fact that he set his alarm for a HOUR earlier than he gets up on a normal work day, so that he could make ME (who stays home) a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, milk, and juice before HE headed off to work, is a sacrificial act of love that I will always treasure.

Jason's mom and Grandmother picked up the kids for the evening, giving us the opportunity to have a date night together.  True to our sophisticated 20-year old tastes, we opted for  glamorous Wings-N-More, because it just sounded good.  Then, later, we headed over to Cafe Eccel, where we split a strawberry tart and reminisced about "10 years ago".

One of my favorite conversations of the night was about music.  Jason and I are both avid music lovers, so I posed to him the question, "If we were to make a soundtrack of our time together, what songs would come to mind?"  It was fun to recall different memories we had tied to different songs/eras, but the one that made me smile most was the chorus of a Travis Tritt song from our early dating years..

"Let's hold hands on the porch swing, under the moon
While the wind through the willows plays us a tune
We can lie on a blanket, out back in the yard
And wish for our future on a faraway star
You'll feel the passion as time after time
I press your sweet lips to mine
Then we'll dance to the radio, right up 'til dawn
'Til you drift off to dream in my arms"

So many of our dates were spent out in the country (where Jason's mom lived), on a porch swing under the moon, gazing at stars and dreaming about the "forever" we wanted to spend together.  Every time I hear that song, it takes me back to those days, and the sweet memories I have of them.

And now here, 10 years into "forever" with Jason Robinson, I can only say how blessed I have been by our time together and by the man that he is.  He's been true to his word to "love, honor and cherish" through ten years of "better or worse", and  I can't imagine sharing my life with another man, or trusting anyone else with my heart. He is a Godly husband, amazing father, and he will always be my best friend.

The Big Reveal!

Our story today begins with a bucket.  A dirty, blue bucket, to be exact.  Please note the hastening, tiny footsteps advancing toward said bucket, which will shortly be revealed as one of the heroes of today's (far less than epic) tale.

 

On this particular day, there was much "grown up" work to be done in Robinson County, which left young Eli with the options of either boredom or creative genius. Lucky for us, young Eli is not the type to succumb to boredom.

What better to do with a dirty, blue bucket (when your seat is roughly the size of 2 hamburger buns) than to sit in it!  Granted, young Eli's shorts were filthy when he finished, but he had a great time, entertained himself, and didn't wander far in the process!

Meanwhile, young Eli's father put some of the final touches on his BIG project.  A backyard pergola! (Photo: Before Trim)

In just a couple of weekends, Jason pretty well single-handedly built the pergola, from start to finish.  It was his idea, his design, his dream...and I LOVE it.  I can only imagine the years of use it will get, from backyard BBQs, to youth group devos, to family picnics...my mind is running wild with possibility.

 (After Trim)

I feel immensely blessed to have such a handy (and thoughtful) husband!

We also planted some "Carolina Jessamine (Jess-uh-MY-n)" vines that will soon provide a beautiful (and cool) canopy of shade.   We chose these specific plants because 1) they are supposed to be very fast-growing, 2), we love their foliage, 3)they are hardy, 4) they were highly recommended for our area in this book, which has become one my favorite gardening references,  and 5) they bloom!!

Close-up of the Carolina Jessamine.  In early spring, the vines should have abundant, yellow trumpet-shaped blooms.  (I'm looking really forward to seeing them for the first time next year!)

Close-up view from the side door of the house.  I can't wait to see how different it looks once it's all grown up with vines!

Our next project will be to add lighting so we can enjoy it in the cool evenings, as well!  Jason's also considering adding some bench seats in a couple of places to help maximize our seating options. 

So, there you have it...the big (at least in size) top-secret project!

Just a-Swingin'

A couple of weeks ago we took the plunge and invested in our first backyard swing set. If you've yet to experience this All-American rite of parenting passage, I'll let you in on a little secret: they don't come pre-assembled! Jason and I spent two evenings just labeling and sorting wood (a strategy that I think really worked to our advantage) before he finished it up with the help of Uncle Grant, over the weekend.




One of the things I love about my husband is, his willingness to read directions. Before he even picked up his drill, he consulted the instruction manual.

Eli saw Daddy sitting in the box and decided it was the place to be. (After we shooed him away from the sorted wood about three thousand times, we were thankful for his taking up residence there!)






Norah was thrilled to help carry "the swing set" into the back yard. She's always happy to be a helper.












The finished product! Interesting side note: my childhood swing set was also green and yellow.






Eli's inaugural slide...










Norah rockin' the swings...















E never tires of the slide!
















No rules prohibiting "train sliding" in our backyard! We're all about sharing in Robinson County!

Both kids' favorite (as well as mine!) is the two-man swing. They sit back to back, and Norah is able to build up momentum an swing all by herself (which means I don't have to push), and Eli just holds on for dear life, grinning to beat the band.

Obviously, the kids are loving the backyard right now. The only downside was the week-long rain that kept them from their new favorite pastime (but that is NOT a complaint...I'm happy to have a green yard and especially for the cool front that the rain resulted in!)...but rest assured, they have made up for lost time! We've been picnicking and swinging every dry day since. I foresee hot summer afternoons and a fat lot of sunscreen in our future!

Word to the wise...if you don't want to come over to swing, you might start working on an alibi. Norah has invited everyone (including complete strangers) she's encountered since the swing set's construction over to swing with her. (Including our preacher, who agreed to schedule a play date with her!). The conversation generally goes something like this:
N: Guess what! I have a swing set in my backyard!
Unsuspecting Bystander: That's neat.
N: You wanna come over to my house and swing sometime?
UB: Ummm...I'll have to get back to you.

The Great Pohnkin

Norah has been excited for weeks about carving a "pohnkin", so she was elated on Tuesday, when Jason and I told her that the time had finally come.

We googled free "pumpkin carving templates" and let Norah choose her favorite design. Then, she and Daddy headed outside to commence with the carving.

Jason explained that the first step was cleaning out the inside of the pumpkin. He unsealed the "lid", and invited Norah to "dig in" with her scoop.

After disposing of her first load of pumpkin guts, she promptly informed Jason that this was a disgusting task, much better suited for Daddies. Thankfully, he's a trooper.











It was getting chilly outside, so our daddy- daughter duo decided to bring their pumpkin carving back inside.

Norah headed to the bathtub...

Meanwhile, Daddy finished up the design she had requested.
















Needless to say, Norah loved it. She has shown everyone who's stopped by our house her "Clue's Clues Pohnkin".

As a side note, we have only seen "Blue's Clues" at most, three times, but I think she was just overjoyed to see a pumpkin template that had a kid's show motif featured on it.

Also, for the record, she knows it's really "Blue's Clues", but she insists on calling it "Clue's Clues". Haven't quite figured that one out yet...


Posing with Blue...











She's just a teensy bit crazy about her sweet Daddy. (And, come to think of it, so am I!)

We rounded out the evening by watching "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" together. I think it was my first time to ever watch it all the way through. The trick-or-treat scene where Charlie keeps getting rocks, instead of candy, made me laugh out loud. (Thanks, Beck, for giving us the head's up that it was coming on!)

Costume Reveal 2008

The wait is over! Most of our friends and family have seen the kids' '08 costumes by now, but for those of you out there who have to rely on blog updates as a window into our lives, here are the best photos I've gotten of Norah and Eli's Halloween disguises. (Which, I must add, were a TON of fun to make...maybe my favorites, so far)


Norah flip-flopped about a zillion times over what she wanted to be this year. I didn't even bother starting her costume until Eli's was 100% complete because I had figured out her wishy-washy game.

Her costume order?
N: "Momma, I wanna be a baby leopard cub."
A: "A leopard? Oh, that sounds fun!"
N: "No, Momma. A BABY leopard CUB."
Point taken

The best part is, we already had the leopard print sunglasses and matching Mary Janes!




At Trunk or Treat, a sweet, older man with the best of intentions approached Norah and asked her, "Oh! Are you Tigger?" Norah's mild-mannered response? "I am NOT a tiger. I am a BABY LEOPARD CUB". Then she turned on her heels and sauntered off without another word.

Not to be outdone, Eli was a mild mannered gorilla by day...
And an Empire State scaling "King Kong" by night! (Complete with his own "Faye Wray" Barbie)

His costume was a huge hit. Jason said by the end of the night he had almost gotten used to complete strangers coming up and taking his picture.

Best quotes of the night regarding Jason/Eli's costumes:

"Check it out! That guy's a wedding cake!"

"Look! That baby's King Kong and he's climbing the Eiffel Tower!"

"Hey mister, is that thing real!?" ("that thing" being Eli) In the kid's defense, Eli did look an awful lot like a stuffed toy from behind.

Jason lovingly referred to Eli as "his prop" all night long.


Our first-run with costumes was Sunday at our church's "Trunk or Treat". Unfortunately, TOT happened prior to the cold front, so temperatures were upwards of 85 degrees. Eli lasted about 5 minutes in his costume before I stripped him down to his diaper, for fear of heat exhaustion. (He seriously looked like he was passing out, so no matter how hard I'd worked on the costume, or how he looked, it just wasn't worth the risk of leaving him in it)

Thankfully, the cold front has since arrived, and we were able to show him off at the Central Church of Christ Trunk or Treat. (Incidentally, Central is the church where Jason and I first "met" in cradle roll Bible class, so we're always happy to go back and visit our old friends)


I even managed to get one photo with myself and the kids in their costumes.... sort of. Eli's wearing the under lining of his costume (which, coincidentally bears a striking resemblance to a storm trooper uniform). Thanks for tuning in and getting excited with me. I really love the opportunity Halloween provides, not just for my kids to get to pretend to be anything they can imagine, but also the chance/challenge it gives me to make their dreams come alive. (And, I also love that my kids have such a sweet, fun daddy who is willing to join in their fun, even if it means donning a cumbersome, ridiculous box!)

Eli was precious this year. He wasn't sure how he felt about his costume the first time I put it on him. However, as soon as I showed him his reflection in the mirror, he flashed a huge grin and immediately commenced growling at himself. It was hilarious! I'm not sure he even knew what he was supposed to be, but he knew he was ferocious, and he was proud of it!

What's Wrong with This Picture?

We've (praise the Lord!) moved into the final phase of potty training with Norah. She's been accident-free during the daytime (and naps) for a couple of months now, but we'd been relying on pull-ups at night.

Last week, we ran out of pull-ups, and didn't buy anymore, hence, leaving Norah to wear her big girl drawers to bed. Since she can't quite make it all night, Jason or I usually take her to the potty one last time before we go to bed (she almost always sleeps through it, but does, take care of business).

Early this morning, I heard Norah shuffle into my room when she awoke. (She comes to snuggle with us a little before our alarm goes off on a regular basis, so I didn't think much of it.) When she slid under the covers, I reached around her legs to pull her in close, and noticed that both her legs were crammed into one pant leg.

I immediately recalled the "shuffling" sound I heard upon her entrance into our room and laughed out loud. Since Jason had been the one to take her on her "last potty run", I had to give him a hard time for her wardrobe malfunction.
To compound the hilarity of the situation, I noticed that she was wearing her sparkly flip-flops. Maybe she thought the flashy shoes would detract from the attention to her pants?

She is such a sweetheart. She never questioned our incapacity to properly clothe her. She just made do and shuffled her way into our room. (Although, she did think the whole ordeal was pretty funny when all was said and done)

Sewing Again (at last!)

Our very good friends, Scott & Sara Nickson welcomed their first-born daughter, Sydney Elizabeth, into their family on February 7th, giving me a great excuse to do a little sewing.

The best part was...drum roll, please...
Jason finished our entertainment cabinet (pictures of that coming soon), so I finally got my sewing desk back! No more sewing on that jumpy card table for me!




These little mary janes are TINY. Already too small for Eli's quickly growing feet! They were one of the most fun, new sewing projects I've tried in a long time. And the Nicksons are both Aggies, so I hope they'll enjoy a little maroon for their new baby girl. (The white on the inside is just some tissue to help keep their shape during shipping)

I have a few other fun show-and-tells to post (more sewing projects and a cake or two)...hopefully I'll get them up soon.