Crazy days indeed...

I haven't posted in a while and honestly have a ton to talk about...I just need to start finding the time to write more often.

In early September (over Labor Day weekend), Justin and I went to Vegas for a long weekend together. We had tickets for a Puddle of Mudd concert along with tickets to a Nickelback concert while we were out there. After landing in Vegas after a very LONG plane ride and realizing our luggage was still in Houston, TX; we realized we had left both sets of concert tickets at home in our firesafe. Wow, what a way to start out the trip. It was late and I was tired and I know Justin was, too. And I was just down right angry! Angry at our flight from Birmingham to Houston because it was delayed and our luggage therefore didn't make it on the plane to Vegas. Angry at myself because I had made a list of things to pack and the concert tickets were close to the top of the list! And they were still forgotten. And just overall mad because I thought this trip was going to be a wonderful time. Well, after I calmed down and we made it to the hotel, things got better. We woke up Friday morning, with no luggage, and so I made myself a salon appointment to get my hair colored and cut. And Justin planned to get his tattoo at Hart & Huntington. So off we went...

The luggage arrived around lunch time so we were able to shower and get changed and everything. It was so nice! We didn't even leave the hotel Friday, we played at the casino there (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) and just waited around for the poolside Puddle of Mudd concert to start. Yes, we did get to the concert. When we checked in, they told us that since we were staying with them, we would have gotten into the concert for free. WONDERFUL! So that one was taken care of. We rented a cabana by the pool and had a good time that night. Saturday, I was ready to go to the Grand Canyon! Yep, I figured we were that close, I wasn't going to miss it! So we took a cab to Dream Car Rentals on the strip, got into what we thought was going to be a GREAT car (2003 Porsche convertible) and took off into the sun. The car wasn't that great and soon we realized that the 100 degree heat of Vegas and the desert was no match for a convertible that had black leather seats. So sitting in traffic going through the Hoover Dam, the top came up and we were so totally over the convertible. And it honestly wasn't in the greatest shape any way. But still, we were going to the Grand Canyon. The closest side of the Canyon to us was the West Rim. We were told specifically by the rental car people NOT TO GO TO THE WEST RIM in their car. Eh, so what if it's 21 miles of unpaved, rocky, dusty, dirt road to the actual Canyon. And so we were rebels and took that little car all the way on it. We were just waiting for a voice to come over the radio and say "Excuse me Mr. Collins, but do you realize you aren't on a paved road any more?". That never happened but it was making us laugh anyway! The drive was nice and bumpy and making us a bit nervous about the car but we came this far, we weren't going back.

The Grand Canyon was gorgeous. I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be but am very happy to say that I have seen it. I found it in incredible that there were no power lines, everything was charged by solar panels. It was just really neat. But I really figured out that I'm terrified of heights. After being on the edge of a canyon that is hundreds/thousands of feet down with no fence or anything to keep you from falling...I had enough. I'm scared of heights and now I can admit it. No thanks, not again. One stop we made, we got off, I snapped one or two photos and I told Justin I was ready to go!

Sunday night was the Nickelback concert. Friday morning when I woke up, I reordered tickets to this concert because Justin was super pumped about it...as was I. So I reordered 2 tickets. Luckily they still had some but they weren't great seats. So Sunday afternoon, we hopped in a limo and off to MGM we went for the concert. We got there and had to do the will call thing since it was last minute ordering and we just started talking to a line attendant and she told us they could look up our old tickets for us. Well what do you know! We ended up with 4 tickets to the concert!! So we took the two that weren't the greatest seats, sold them for half price and went about our merry way to the ticket gate. Most AMAZING concert! It started with Saving Abel. They were good. Then it moved into Papa Roach...and wow! They were outstanding!!! Hinder was up next and I'm not a huge Hinder fan but they were good as well. And then on came Nickelback. They were great. Overall, best concert I've ever been to.

Monday, we flew home. While sitting in the airport, we were people watching and caught up in some situation where this little girl didn't want to get on the plane back home to her moms. And this couple sitting behind us were wondering what was happening so we told them our theory and got to talking to them. Come to find out, they live about 5 minutes away from us, in a neighborhood that we had found our dream house but it sold before we could get it! We have a lot of similarities and well, guess what, we found us some new friends!! So David and Kacey, if you are reading, SO glad we all found each other in the Las Vegas airport. Crazy stuff!

Ok. So that's Vegas. I will be writing another blog later about our most recent trip to Tampa. I swear, we just can't stay home. But we are for a while now...catch you kiddos later!

A sad, but wonderful day...

So today is Ethan's first day of dayschool at the church. He's been extremely excited about it for weeks now so that's kept my spirits up but now that the day is actually here, this mom is having a hard time. What's even harder...I didn't even get to take him. I couldn't really. We normally have Monday morning meetings that was prohibiting me from going but when I got to work and received the email that our boss is out of town so we wouldn't be meeting, well the tears started falling. I could have come in late and taken my sweet boy to his first day of school. Oh well, trying not to dwell on it. I know he's going to have a fantastic time and I can't wait to get him after work today so I can hear all about it!! I know he's going to have a million and one things to talk to me about. His daddy is keeping me updated so well though. I'm glad. According to him, Ethan basically jumped out of the car to Ms. Laurie and she remembered his name so it made it a lot easier I'm sure. So off he went without a goodbye or kisses for his daddy. That means he is SO excited. I'm happy for him, he needs other children to play with.

Tomorrow we go to his soccer meeting and next Tuesday night, we start the Start Smart Program for him. I'm excited about that because I know he LOVES kicking the soccer ball around. I'll let you all know how that goes!

This weekend was incredible. I love having my parents in town and having our children and just being a family. Saturday morning we got up early and went over to Portrait Innovations to have pictures taken. They turned out amazing and both kids were just so cute and did perfectly. We got some wonderful ones of them and I'm so thankful for my family. Our kids really are just too cute. So I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well...mine was spectacular and filled with lots of the people that mean the world to me.

One of THOSE moms...

So, today was Ethan's "meet the teacher" at his dayschool. I was so excited and Ethan has been asking to go to school for days now and REALLY wanted to go this morning. So needless to say, there has been lots of excitement about this whole school thing this week. So today at 11:30, we met Ms. Beverly, Ethan's teacher. Sweet, sweet lady. I told my ex-husband before we even got in there that I was not going to be one of those moms that made her child take a picture with his/her teacher. Sure, why would I?!? So we got in there, got all of our materials and signed up for a few parties and things like that and we were about to leave and the iPhone had to come out. Yep, "Do you mind if I get Ethan's picture with you please?" I was totally one of THOSE moms today...and I really have no shame. It's such an exciting time!!

Ethan's Growing Up!

So tonight Justin and I, along with Ethan's daddy, are meeting at the church for a parent meeting for the dayschool program he is going to start going to. I know I'm super excited about it! And I really think Ethan is going to love it. He is always wanting to play with other kids. So I think this is going to be great for him. And then next Tuesday night, we have an initial meeting for his soccer for this fall. We registered him for a Start Smart program for this first year which will be great for him. Basically, we (the parents) play along the side of him to get the fundamentals down. It's a 6-week program for them to learn and then they have a little award ceremony after its all over. Perfect for my sweet bug this first year of soccer. He even gets his very own soccer ball for it! And shin guards! :) I can't wait to see him in his little t-shirt and shin guards kicking his ball around. Lots of pictures to come for sure! I know this post is all about Ethan, but well, all of his stuff starts this week and next week. Busy, busy time...

A little bit of fun...

It's been a great weekend. Justin and I have spent a lot of time just being with each other and relaxing and enjoying married life while the kids were away. Still loving the new house and promise to get photos up just as soon as everything is put together!

Our newest addition is the swingset in the backyard. My sister claims it is too large to be a swingset and that it is a playground all in itself...it might be =) But the kids are going to love it!! Our nephew Cayden and my sister and brother-in-law were the first to enjoy it this afternoon. Here are some photos from their time here and also Sully enjoying running around with Uncle Jeremy.

Until next time...take care.

Cozy Living

So we are moved into our house. Well, by moved in I mean we are living there and all of our stuff is there. We just aren't unpacked! I feel like I need about a week of just unpacking without any distractions. Unfortunately for us, we have work and two kids on top of it! Not that having kids is unfortunate because really, they truly are great. It's just that Ethan wants to "help" with everything and his idea of helping is asking a million questions about everything and keeping me distracted to the point of wanting to pull my hair out. Although when he is pee peeing on the potty and says "momma, I love you forever", it really makes up for all of that. Sweet, I know. So we are not unpacked. I have a feeling that this weekend is going to be spent unpacking. It's our kid free weekend (they are with the other sides) and as much as Justin and I want to just enjoy the new house and relax, I don't think it will happen. I mean, I know I will feel so much better once everything is unpacked and it's all settled where it needs to go, and I'm sure my toe nails and finger nails will appreciate me finding the nail clippers. I will get pictures soon, I promise. We have internet sort of...we are just waiting for our modem to arrive so the dsl actually works. All in time...

I forgot to mention my new job. I'm no longer sitting at the front desk of Hoffman Media as the receptionist. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world. Hoffman has been great to me and I love working here, but being able to get up and go to a meeting without having to find someone to cover my desk, it's like a dream come true! So I am now sitting back in the production department with the wonderful art girls and doing my Advertising Production Rep job full time. I was working just solely on Southern Lady magazine but I have added Cooking with Paula Deen, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade, Victoria and Celebrate to that list now. I LOVE it! It's nice to have my own space at work finally although you would think I'm a single girl who has no family at all because my little pod is so bare. I keep telling myself every day that I must bring some pictures, and eventually I will get around to it I suppose.

I'm trying to think of what other things are going on. Oh, my parents are trying to sell their house in TN so they can move back down to Alabama and be with their daughters and grandbabies. Well and their son-in-laws too, I suppose :) With Ethan getting close to turning 4 every day and then Lexie being in the family now too, it was hard for them to stay away. But now with baby Cayden on top of it, well, I'm just praying that their house sells fast up there. We want and need them back down here. It's just not the same without them here. I miss them more than I normally let on. Justin knows how much I miss them though...has even told my dad that they need to hurry and move back down. I'm wondering if I will ever grow out of being a "child" that needs her parents close by? If I don't, I think I'm okay with that. I just love them is all and I don't think that is a bad thing at all. Ethan keeps asking if Pop is coming back to see him soon, it makes me laugh but then makes me sad. He must have really bonded with Pop this past weekend, just not sure when it happened between all the whining that Ethan did. He sure loves his Nana and Pop though.

Well I think that is all for now. I promise pictures soon once I can find my card reader for the camera and actually take some photos of the house and new van and all sorts of things. They are coming soon so I will say...to be continued.

Until next time, take care...

SO much going on!!!!

Okay, so I haven't been updating this the way I should be. I have a minute of downtime here at work so I figured I would take advantage of it. Although there is no way I will get everything written in this one blog, I'm going to try my best to.

First, and probably most important, Justin and I close on our house on Friday at 3:30. Yes, we bought a house! I promise to post pictures soon, I just don't have all the pictures loaded on my computer here at work. So we close on Friday and have movers coming to pack us up on Friday morning and they will be coming back on Saturday to move us! Hoping to have all the family there for lunch so we can order pizza and sit in the floor of our new house for a nice lunch.

The house is incredible. It's a 4 bedroom/2 bathroom house. Nice 2-car garage, HUGE fenced in backyard that I'm looking forward to more than I ever thought! A lovely garden tub just for me :) Very excited about that, too. Along with the new house, we bought a new washer and dryer, they are red! ROLL TIDE!!! They are fantastic. So a busy week this week/weekend for us for sure!

Justin bought a new truck a little over a month ago. We call the truck SmurfMate. It's "smurf" blue. It's a Toyota Tacoma, very nice truck. Then last week, Justin said "Let's go back to Hoover Toyota" so we did. A week ago today I drove home in my very nice, brand new 2010 Toyota Sienna. LOVE it!! I'll get pictures posted of these two guys soon, too!

Other than buying lots of expensive stuff, not too much else has been going on. Ethan and Lexie are both doing well. Lexie has school registration for 1st grade next Thursday, so that's exciting! Can't believe she will be in 1st grade. Ethan is going to start dayschool at Riverchase Methodist this fall. I'm really excited about him going to "school". He really needs it and I know he will love it. We are also enrolling him in soccer in August. So soccer games coming up for us!

My nephew Cayden is 2 months and 8 days old today. He is really just the cutest thing. Well besides my kids of course :) But he made me cry this past Saturday by smiling at me...that's bad, huh? Cutest nephew ever though. He looks so much like my sister and brother-in-law that he doesn't look like either of them. It's so strange. And of course, I just melted when my sister told me he had a look the other day that looked just like his Aunt Rachel in one of her baby pictures!

Justin and I have been married for a little over 3 months now. For our 3 month, he bought me the sweetest necklace and bracelet and then went back and bought some diamond earrings that match my engagement ring. He spoils me :) But I love him more than I ever thought would be possible. I'm excited about our future, so much is happening for us that I'm so truly thankful for. We are extremely blessed.

Until next time, take care...