The Monsters, The Rugrats and dear sweet, Micah Mary

October was a whirlwind and November is shaping up just the same. In the beginning of October, I took a trip to Dallas to spend a weekend with 3 very dear friends of mine from college, Sarah Schuler, Sarah May and Kim Hegi. It was a relaxing weekend filled with fun and very much needed fellowship. As the years pass, we all grow and change in different ways, but no matter what happens in our lives, I love that we still make a point to come together, catch up and share together. It is so refreshing and nice.

The latter part of October was spent preparing for the rise of the La Vernia Monsters :) We have a big costume contest at work and our branch gathered in the wee hours of October 30th and put together the attached video. We didn't win, but we got alot of response on how great the video was and how much everyone enjoyed it.

The second weekend in November, I went to see Jordyn play soccer. Her team, The Rugrats, were undefeated and she was the CUTEST thing out there running around. Her mom said for many of the games, she would sit out for parts because she would just get too "dizzy," to play. Reality-she didn't want to run around in the sun, she likes the shade better :) She is pictured with a boy name Gavin. She told me "He's my boyfriend and we have kissed." I told her that boys have cooties and that is why we should not kiss them, she said, "okay." I am going to go on that and believe she is not kissing any more :) Man, I love kids!

And Micah does not fail to get cuter every day. Cailyn sure is enjoying being a big sister and we have all enjoyed having a baby around. My cousin's baby is due in May, so that will make 3, and who knows, maybe after that, Jared and I will think about kids.......maybe. :)

Here's to an even busier next two months, hunting this weekend, Thanksgiving next, Employee Christmas Party after that, then a choice between Amanda's 3rd wedding shower or hunting, then the Johanson Christmas, and Christmas with the Gossetts, and lastly, Amanda's wedding January 1st. :) I think there is one or two weekends in January where we have nothing going on, won't that be exciting! BUT- I will not rest long because there are some babies I am aching and will be aching at that time to meet.......Brooklyn (Mindi's baby who was just born), Christopher (Jenn's baby who is finally back in Corpus) and soon, Bladen (Erin's baby who is due to enter this world any day now) will be here! Yay!

New Niece

I know it has been awhile, but really, until now, there has not been too much to report. Aside from work, Jared and I have just been running around like crazy getting ready for hunting season, my new niece to be born, Amanda's wedding, and about a million other little things :)

BUT- now, my new niece is here! Yay! Micah Mary Taylor was born at 1:10 p.m. on September 24, 2009; 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 19.25 inches of beauty! I took today off to spend with her at the hospital. And let me tell you, this has been a special day. That is the one thing about C-Sections, you get to plan and take vacation. I so wish I had that advantage when Cailyn and Jordyn were born.

AND- we recently learned my cousin Bethany is pregnant. They also live here in La Vernia. It is times like this that I am very thankful we chose to stay in this area a little longer. Who knows, maybe for good. Especially if Jared and I never have children, there is no way I am going to leave direct access to so many :) And now...I know what you are thinking :) No, we have not decided not to have children, we just haven't started to try and we keep pushing it back. So, you never know what the Lord has in store.

Other than that, not too much is happening. the next few months should be a fun whirl wind of hunting, reunions, visiting friends, camping, wedding showers, baby celebrations, thanksgivings and Christmases. Hope everyone is doing well, God Bless!!!

The Spaeth, Carroll, Coburn Carnival Conquest Cruise

Well, we are on our second week back from crusin'. It was an absolute blast! We were on the Carnival Conquest and stopped at Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. I think cruising is something we will be doing a little more often.

Now, to work, planning Amanda's wedding and preparing for my new niece to enter this world...

Hope everyone is doing well!!!!

Bon Voyage

Well, you can tell how busy we have become again. I do hate that the blog suffers, but I am still a believer that until I have children this blog won't be that interesting anyway....it could be a couple of years. :) And so I stop in every now and then to give an update on our crazy busy little life in La Vernia, Texas.

The reasons we have been so busy....July consisted of fourth of July fun at my in-laws, a garage sale the next weekend to make some extra cash for the cruise, a Johanson family reunion in Fredericksburg and a weekend of spending some of that garage sale money on clothes for the cruise with my good friend DaLissa.

And now......we cruise. It's 7:26 a.m. on Saturday morning and I can't sleep. I haven't ever said that before!!! When I am about to go on a trip, sometimes the anticipation gets the best of me. Our ship embarks on Sunday at 4 and we sail for a week. A much needed vacation that we are taking with some good friends from Victoria and a couple of friends from Aggieland as well. Super excited to begin the week! (Jared just woke up and joined me....guess he is excited too! :)

When I return, I begin a new position at GVEC. I am going back to La Vernia to manage the office there. I am excited about this new direction, however, it is bittersweet because I will miss the Marketing World that I have come to love.

Other than that, we are still trucking with the same 'ole stuff. Michelle is moving along very nicely and will have my new niece on September 25th. Amanda has suffered a bit because I am not planning my part of her wedding until after the cruise. One more week sister, and I am all yours!

I have several friends that are pregnant right now and my heart is just overjoyed seeing the Lord work in their lives and their families. To all of you, I miss you dearly and continually think and pray for you even though we talk seldom.

Have a great week....and I promise I will return and tell you about the trip. :)

A Wicked June

Two very exciting things happened this month thus far, Michelle and I got to go and see the play Wicked and So You Think You Can Dance has begun! I know, I know, such an exciting life we lead :)

Wicked is something to discuss. If you have not seen this Broadway Production and you are into musicals, this is a must see. The music is amazing, good comedy and the acting was wonderful. I am still singing the songs :)

And my excitement for So You Think You Can Dance stems from my love of dance. This show is just so much fun to watch. I usually find myself up and dancing at some point :)

Have a dancing, singing summer!

Babies :)

Baby Riley

Future Brother-In-Law

Well, not for me...yet :)

But I have been spending some time around some of the most beautiful babies!

A few weeks ago, I went to Canton with a couple of dear friends from college, Mindi and Erin, and their sweet baby girls. It was such a fun weekend. Those two girls are such good, patient babies. They made me laugh and of course, get the baby itch :)

On my way home, I stopped in San Antonio to say Hi to my new second cousin, baby Riley. My cousin, Jeanne, and her husband, Brian, adopted the most precious little girl. I feel in love the moment I held her. She is the most beautiful addition to our family.

Little girls seem to surround me, I have decided if I have a boy, I will not know what in the world to do.

In the middle of May, we went to Houston to celebrate the graduation and birthday of my future brother-in-law. It was a pretty big weekend and we are so glad we got to be a part of it. I could not have hand picked a better half for my sister. We are so happy to welcome Daniel into the family.

Hope everyone is doing well!

The Twilight Era

Okay- in my defense, I was really going to make a point to keep up with the blog and then BAM, Twilight became priority. But-hey, I did manage to do a few other things during my "Twlight Era." So this is what has been going on in our lives...............

Mid March brought the wedding of my sweet friend, Kristin. She was an amazingly beautiful bride and it was a nice ceremony. It was also fun getting to catch up with some friends from college. Eventually we are not going to have weddings to bring us together, that kind of makes me sad. The way life goes in different directions is a 50/50 thing for me. 50 percent wonderful because you build new relationships and experience new things, but then there is the other side of not having the ones that have so richly blessed your life around as much. However, it does make me appreciate weekends like this a million times more. Jared and I stayed with Erin and Gregg for the weekend. We got to catch up, play games, spend time with sweet Elizabeth and just enjoy some good laughs. That Sunday morning was Liz's first day at Sunday school. I just had to include the picture above because if you notice, Gregg is holding Liz, but then her friend (the baby seated at the table) just has the CUTEST welcoming smile as she looks up at Liz. (click on the picture to enlarge and really see that baby's smile :) I just thought it was the sweetest thing!

And this weekend is what began the era of Twilight. Now, I had heard alot about these books. But like with Harry Potter, I just assume stay away from the hype, and so I did. Until people I know and trust began recommending the books. Then, you tend to want to take the extra step. And I did.....right in I fell. With my work load and other responsibilities, it took me about 3-4 weeks to complete the series. And now, I am just devasted that there is nothing left to read. I wish I had taken longer to read them. I know what you are thinking, but really, they are just that good. :)

So, I am sure you have guessed that it was Erin that got me hooked on Twlight. So much so that when Jared and I were planning what to do for our three year anniversary, I twisted his arm in to taking me back to Houston so we could have a midnight party with Erin and Gregg. Hey-most people might be ashamed to admit this, but sorry boys, I am telling it for you :) Erin and I waited at the house while our sweet husbands stood in line at Walmart at midnight, might I add, with a ton of teenage girls and their fathers to buy the movie Twilight. And, surprisingly enough, we were all pretty wide awake as we watched the movie. Good times! :) Jared and I spent the rest of the weekend just lazing around in a nice hotel down in the Galleria area of Houston. The roses pictured above was one of his anniversary gifts to me along with a Trophy Hunter hat, bumper sticker and coffee mug. He remembered I was eyeing them at the store :)

The last weekend in March, J and I went camping at Garner State Park with some friends of ours from Victoria. It was a super nice weekend of fellowship, hiking, lazing around, and reading (yes, Jared, DaLissa and I were all engrossed in the series). There truly is nothing like being in the outdoors.

Easter weekend brought about LTC. Jared and I teamed up with my cousin, Jinine, and a friend from church, Derick, to take some of the youth to the Leadership Training For Christ Convention. If you are curious as to what it is, you can look it up at http://www.ctltc.net/. The kids demonstrated their knowledge of the Book of John and all came back with either a silver or bronze medal. We couldn't be more proud of them and we all are very excited about what the program will bring to our congregation in the years to come.

A week and a half ago, Jared's sister and brother-in-law came down and we all went to see Nickleback in concert. I was less then excited. I was the only one who didn't really know their music well and just thought it was going to be pretty boring altogether. I was basically taking one for Jared :) BUT-BOY was I wrong. That concert was amazing! Not only did I know more songs than I thought, it was just an overall GREAT time of loud, fun music, singing, and just having a good time. I am SO glad I ended up going. Thanks Jenny.....and Tom for having a birthday that gave Jenny the idea for us all to go to see them in concert :)

And this past weekend, back to Houston (for like the fourth time in a one and a half month span). Amanda tried on wedding dresses! CRAZY!!! The last of us girls to get married and as I sit here and think about it, it's bitter sweet. On the one hand I am THRILLED that she is so happy and excited and there is so much wedding fun to look forward to over the next several months. And on the other hand, I am again reminded of how we will all be married, with our own lives, lives that could potentially take us to very seperate places. Leave it to me to get back on that roll :)

Well, that is the "Twilight Era." And now I commit to keeping this blog up! :) Love you all and I hope you are doing well.