I'm in Love

I know it's been a while, but nesting was cutting into my blog time.  But it's all come to a screeching halt with the arrival of my new love.

Cohen Michael was born Sunday morning at 10:58am.  He weighed 8 pounds and measured 21 1/2 inches long.  I am absolutely smitten with this healthy little bundle, despite the unexpectedly difficult labor and current lack of sleep.

Summer Travels - Herndon Family Edition

Family trip #2 was with my family.  My folks took us to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.  I can't tell you how wonderful it was to spend Oklahoma's hottest week of the summer in the mountains of Colorado! This trip was pure luxury.  We played at the pool, ate great food, took the kids hiking at the Garden of the Gods...The girls visited the spa; the guys played golf nearly every day.  And of course, we spent one evening having a devotional time together, singing praise songs from our trip songbooks--a long-standing family tradition.  It was a great way to end the summer of 2010!

The kids and I really spent most of our time at the pool.  Here's Sis on the water slide the first day.

Corben making a splash...

Riding paddle boats with Adam, Misty, and Dad...

Hiking with the kiddos at the Garden of the Gods--They loved it so much, we went twice!

Girls Spa Day...ahhhhhh

Back at the pool chilling in a cabana...

Corben enjoying a vanilla milkshake at the poolside...He doesn't like many sweets, but this is one of his faves!

One of many family dinners...

Singing Together

Summer Travels - Knowles Family Edition

I thought I'd reminisce about our last two summer trips that we took with each side of our family.  First, we went to River Bend Lodge near Turner Falls in southern OK.  It was fun, but SO HOT!  The highlight of the trip for my kiddos was the grasshoppers.  Fortunately, we went equipped with our bug hotel, net, and magnifying glass.  They literally spent hours catching bugs.  We hiked around Turner Falls, took several nature walks to the river's edge near the cabin where we stayed, and fished in the pond on the property.  It was a nice meeting place with Ben's family since his folks live in the Ft. Worth area, but I don't think I want to go back in July.  I've lived in Oklahoma my whole life but had never visited Turner Falls.  I'm glad I can cross it off my list of OK To-Do's; the kids really enjoyed playing in the water.

The Knowles fam (minus me and a stubborn Cianne behind the camera)

This is an Oklahoma beach for you--who needs white sand when you've got nice red dirt?

The beginning of the bug collection: No kidding, she filled two bug hotels that day.  They probably caught 50 or more bugs on our nature walks.

Corben throwing sticks in the river.

I don't know where he got that from...

The big catch

Those blue eyes & curls...she's irresistible!

The cousins at Arbuckle Wildnerness before heading home.  

Moms Just Know

Like I said in my post last week, I was holding things together fine on the first day of school until my mom showed up with these:

After I'd given her the summary of the morning, I think she could sense all the doubts I was having.  Her sweet and comforting gesture triggered the waterworks.  I don't know what I'd do without her.

First Day of School

Wow!  I've been in my quiet house about ten minutes, and it feels pretty weird.  I kind of want to cry, but I've held it in so far.  I don't know that I'm necessarily sad that it's both Corben & Cianne's first day of school, but I've just got all these jumbled emotions and thoughts that I don't know what to do with.

First of all, here's a pic of the cuties; just look at the excitement on Corben's face:

I don't feel like I had a lot of idealistic expectations for our first day.  I just wanted it to be pretty simple, but things never go quite as planned.  Cianne got mad that I wouldn't let her fix her own hair.  Corben started throwing a fit when he had to go back upstairs to brush his teeth and put on his socks and shoes.  I'm not quite sure why that triggered tears, other than that was just his way of dealing with a major change.  (He inherited this lovely aversion to anything new from his dad; to Corben's advantage, his daddy is very understanding in such situations.)  Of course, breakfast didn't suit either child.  All they ended up eating before leaving for school was blueberries and bananas--probably not going to last them long, but at least it was fruit.

I have to say I was pretty disappointed with our school this morning.  I pulled up ready to let the kids hop out of the car to be shown to the appropriate places since I was under the impression that's what the teachers preferred.  However, as they hopped out, no one even spoke to them, until they realize that I'm waiting there and backing up the drop off line.  I finally decide that I'm going to have to park, and Ben and I are going to have to get them to the right place before the safety patrol sent them to the playground where 2nd-5th graders are supposed to go.  Ben helps Cianne finds the Pre-K bench,  and she sits excitedly with her class. We end up having to walk Corben through the building to where Kindergarteners are supposed to go.  I'm not sure if they just assume that most of the Kindergarten kids have done Pre-K and are familiar with the building or what, but this is our first time, folks.  I guess the important thing is they both made it to their classes before the tardy bell.  I'm sure everyone who passed us rolled their eyes at the obvious "newbies."  The one teacher that spoke to us assured us that tomorrow would be much better.  I hope so.

Before they left, Ben and I did get a chance to sit down with them and pray about their first day of school.  My mom always sat down with us the first day to give us a Scripture and a prayer to start the new year.  This year we read Proverbs 9:10 with our kids.  We explained to them that they would learn a lot of great things in school this year, but more important than reading, writing, math, science...anything is that they learn to love and respect God.  That's the wisdom that outlasts and outshines anything else.    I'm so proud of who they are already and hope they have a great year.

Now what to do with myself for a couple hours...preferably something to numb all these weird feelings...laundry, chocolate (a little early in the morning), nail polish change, vacuuming, ice cream (I am eight months preggo in August)...on second thought, I think I'll go hit my knees...again.

Summer Travels - Part II

Sorry for the absence, but life is full and good.  I thought I'd pick up with trip #2 for the summer.  Perhaps there is a more specific reason I've delayed posting on my blog.  Kind of like when I knew I had to address the fact that I was pregnant, I must now address the affect that I am 30.  June 27 was the big day.  Never thought I'd be pregnant and turning 30!  Having a summer birthday, I was always one of the babies in my school class.  I married someone a few years old than I am, and I think I always secretly relished my "younger" status (I know, it's ridiculous).  I started telling Ben over a year ago that I was going to do something fun for my thirtieth.  More specifically, I was going somewhere, and as much as I love him, he probably would not be invited.  Haha!  So all my 30th-birthday dreams came true in New Mexico.

Three fabulous friends, shopping, hours at an outdoor mountain spa, delicious food (this baby loves green chiles!), movies, walking...so many of my favorite things.  Take a few minutes to travel there with me in your mind...

On our way...lots of potty and coffee stops...and the Cadillac Ranch.

One observer's take on this attraction (be sure to read this in your best west Texas accent with as little emotion as possible), "Well, this is the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

Tonya's amazing house--Thanks for hosting your Okie friends!

We went to a Salsa Under the Stars concert outdoors at the art museum.  They even made the four of us do a salsa lesson down front before the concert...awkward but funny.

Ten Thousand Waves spa...I know I look pretty gross here, but I'm so relaxed that I don't even care!

Gourmet dinner at our Santa Fe hotel...still very sleepy and relaxed from the spa.  

And the eating continues...fabulous breakfast at Pasqual's.  I could not get enough of the green chiles they put on everything in New Mexico, especially with eggs.  Before pregnancy, I couldn't even eat eggs; now I can get enough of them!

Why start counting calories now?  My introduction to Five Guys burgers...

We did a little shopping.

It was awesome! Happy 30th to me!

Summer Travels - Part I

I've had two great trips so far this summer.  First, Ben and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary a little early, since we'll have a three-month-old when our anniversary actually rolls around in January.  We spent a week in Bermuda.  The beach and water were gorgeous.  All I wanted to do was sit on the beach and alternate sleeping and reading all day.  It was fabulous!  Ben likes to see sights, so I did cover my swimsuit  a couple of times in order to visit a couple towns and famous sights around the island.  But then it was straight back to the sand for me.  I read six books in seven days.  I didn't even have to leave the beach for food...a dream come true!

With my pregnancy body image issues, this is the most you'll see of me on the beach. :)

My true love and his classic crooked grin...