He's Here!

On Tuesday morning at 2:45 AM my phone rang. On the other end was my sister Rachel informing me that the time had finally come for Jaxon to be born!

I quickly got ready and headed to the hospital where she was dilated to 5 and being admitted into the labor & delivery room.

Tony & Rachel were very kind to share this experience by having my mom, sister Hannah, Tony's mom, his sister and myself in the delivery room with them.

A little after 6 AM it was time to push! You can tell Rachel had gotten the epidural because she was all smiles before delivering him.

At 6:25 AM Jaxon Alexander was born, weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces and 20 inches long.

A few minute after his birth he was already smiling!

She's in love!

My Mom is one proud grandma!

This almost gave me the baby bug.

Yesterday I took the boys over to Rachel's to bring them dinner and Grafton and Deklan met their new cousin for the first time. Grafton insisted on bringing his favorite blanket to cover him with.... This was a pretty big deal because Grafton is very attached to it and usually does not want to share. He's a great cousin already. :)

We're so happy you're here Jaxon!

Rachel's Having a Fall Baby!

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to host a baby shower for my sister Rachel, who is due in just a couple of weeks! Since the shower was on October 2nd and Rachel loves Fall, some friends and I decided to throw her a Fall themed shower.

Not only did it turn out beautifully, but it also saved us time and money on the decorations because we used items we already had.

Our friend Janet made two diaper cakes for the centerpieces that we used on a couple of tables.

On the other two tables we used a centerpiece that several of us made at a friends house last year.

Our friend Nicole made the favors. It was a goodie bag that had pumpkin and leaf shaped gingerbread cookies inside. On the tag it said "thank you for celebrating Rachel's little pumpkin!"

The food we served was absolutely delicious and everyone kept raving about how good it was. Our Fall themed menu consisted of Chicken and Dumplings, Baked Potato Soup, salad with dried cranberries and candied walnuts, apples with caramel dip, cornbread muffins, cranberry punch, warm apple cider, coffee, and pumpkin roll for dessert.

We had a nice, leisurely lunch and then it was time for a game.

We played a competitive game of Baby Shower Bingo and used candy pumpkins as the place markers.

Once the game was over I did a short devotion and talked about Fall being a time of Harvest and how Jaxon is going to be the beginning of the new Harvest coming in Rachel's life.

The remainder of the shower consisted of Rachel opening her presents. She mostly received diapers, clothes, and bath items. This will keep her well supplied for a while!

Now that the shower is over, it's time to come out baby Jaxon!

Mother's Day 2010

Mother's Day has always been a big deal in my family. For as long as I can remember my Step-Dad and Pappa would cook a delicious meal for my Nanny and Mom and my sisters and I would help serve them by setting the table, refilling drinks, passing out dessert, etc. Now that I have joined the "mom club" it has been wonderful to be on the other end and get to be spoiled for a day rather than doing the serving.

Mother's Day this year started out with Vince and I working in the nursery during 1st service at church, and then we stayed for 2nd service so that I could hear our pastor's wife give her annual Mother's Day message. After church we headed to my parents house where an incredible meal of salad, chicken enchiladas, beans, and rice was already waiting on us. (My Step-Dad and Pappa prepared it while we were at church.)

We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting, watching the kids play, opening Mother's Day presents and eating pie.... We didn't even leave until 9:00!

I throughly enjoyed celebrating this special day with the amazing women in my family!

4th Annual Movie on the Grass

Vince and I have made it a tradition every April to invite our small group from church (we were previously called YAC+ but have recently changed our name to The Cove) over to spend an evening watching a movie from the comfort of our backyard.

Our dinner is always nachos, grilled hot dogs, popcorn, red vines, and movie candy.

Everyone brings their own chairs and blankets and we spend a few minutes visiting and eating before we start the movie.

I love the chairs my adorable nephews sat in. I must think about getting something like this.... My kids and I only sat on a picnic blanket.

Our movie for the evening was "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakual"

It was a great evening to visit with friends, cuddle with my family, and eat unhealthy but good food!

Beth Moore Girl's Weekend

I have been a big fan of Beth Moore since my church started going through her Bible Studies a year-and-a-half ago. So, when some friends and I found out she was holding a conference a couple of hours away, we packed up the van and headed down there!

During our first day we freshened up at the hotel, ate a leisurely dinner at Pei-Wei and attended the first night of conference. Afterwards, we joined 14 other girls from our church who attended the conference at Claim Jumper's for appetizers and dessert. We left the restaurant around midnight and then visited at our hotel until 3:30 AM!

The next morning, after 3 hours of sleep, we enjoyed a continental breakfast at the hotel and went back to the convention center to attend the remainder of the conference.

Beth Moore was as inspiring, challenging, and funny as she is in her Bible Studies.

Beth spent the weekend speaking on 1 Corinthians 15, a chapter about Christ's Glorious Resurrection and because of it...

1. We are what we are

2. The tomb is empty so every area of our life can be full

3. All is proceeding as planned

4. Stone-rolling power is ours for victory

5. We get to be part of a mystery

6. We'll cheer that death is history

Once the conference was over we went to Rubio's for lunch where my sister, Rachel, and I ate our favorite, a shrimp burrito! On the way home we each took a turn sharing our favorite part of the conference and savored the last few moments of our girl time.

It was a weekend where we all laughed, cried, barely slept, and drew closer to the One whom the weekend was all about!

New Moon Party

If you were reading this blog back in November, you probably recall me going to see the midnight showing of New Moon with a few friends. Well, since the DVD came out this Saturday, it was only appropriate for us to get-together and watch it again!

My sister Rachel hosted the party and I was a little startled when I walked in her house and noticed a special guest out of the corner of my eye.

We really made this a New Moon party with themed plates, posters, magazines and pictures. We also enjoyed pizza, caesar salad, and plenty of movie candy & popcorn!

Rachel made us really comfortable by combining the couches from her living and family room and providing us with blankets and snuggies to cuddle up and enjoy the movie.

After the movie and before heading home we we gathered around the guest of honor...

and indulged in a few more snacks!

The Best Sunday EVER!

Sunday morning started out just like every other Sunday morning around the Brown House. We woke up early, rushed to get ready, and headed to church. However, this Sunday was a little different because Grafton was singing two Christmas Songs on the big stage with his class.

For the occasion we dressed the kids in the matching outfits that their grandparents gave them.

Grafton was excited to wear his dressy clothes, but not very excited to have his picture taken in them!

To get the kids on stage in a proper order, they all held onto a black string and headed up.

I am proud to say that Grafton was the most boisterous singer in the entire choir!

Once church was over, I headed over to the mall with my cousin, grandmother, mom, sister, and aunt to celebrate my Mom's birthday. We started out by having Greek food, then went to the movies, and finished our day with shopping!

My aunt had to head out after lunch and wasn't able to make it into any of our pictures. :0(

We went to a mall that is mostly outside and it started pouring the rain. That didn't stop us though! It just made me want to sing, "Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful...."

We ended our Girl's Day Out with coffee at Starbuck's, took one last picture, and then headed our separate ways.

When I got home I immediately put on my pajamas and then spent the remainder of my evening with with my three favorite guys.... Vince, Grafton & Deklan!

A Weekend of Tradition

Thanksgiving weekend is my favorite weekend of the entire year, and each year I spend it about the same way. It begins Wednesday night when I go to my Mom's to set up for Thanksgiving and then head to church for a service called "Gratitude, the Quality of Being Thankful." Afterwards we eat pie, drink coffee, and visit in the foyer. Next, my sister Hannah comes home with me and stays the night. This year we watched "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" before going to bed.

On the morning of Thanksgiving we get up, stay in our pajamas, and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade while eating cinnamon rolls and drinking coffee. Once the parade is over we rush to get ready and put the food we're bringing together.

This year I made an Apple Gorgonzola Salad, two peanut-butter pies, and a pecan pie. At two o'clock all of my family (there are 25 of us) meet at my Mom and Step-Dad's house for a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. Once dinner's over the young adults and children walk to the park while the "older adults" clean up the mess and get the pie ready.

At the park I swing until my stomach can't take it anymore and then stop for a couple of photo opportunities. After about an hour-and-a-half we walk back to my Mom's, eat pie and drink coffee, and look at all of the Black Friday ads while deciding where we're going to start our shopping in the morning. Then we spend the remainder of the evening playing games such as Mafia and Catch Phrase.

Friday morning my two sisters, Rachel and Hannah, my two cousins, Heather & Amanda, and our good friend Asheley met at Kohl's to start our shopping. We then went to Stein Mart, Target, Chik-Fil-A for breakfast (that's where our picture was taken), and then spent the rest of our day at the mall. When I got home I rested for a little while and then my in-laws came over and brought us Olive Garden for dinner. After they left we watched Home Alone, but I was so exhausted that I slept through the majority of it!

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we traditionally go back to my Mom's to decorate her Christmas Tree (while drinking egg nog), we then eat delicious turkey taco's that my step-dad makes, and we end the evening by watching ELF and eating more pie.

I wish I would have taken more pictures of our fun-filled weekend, but I was too busy enjoying it to pick up my camera!