MEXICO! Happy Anniversary to us!

So, this coming Friday is our 5 year anniversary! WOW! What a ride it has been. I can honestly say, though every day of the last 5 years has not been easy, that I would marry Brian all over again! I told Brian I wish there was a tradition where every 5 years, you got to have another wedding! I feel like I know him now and I am so excited at who he is and who we are together. We have learned from each other, we have at times wounded each other, and we have had to have the grace with each other at hard times to be commited to having a solid marriage through thick and thin. I know we are really at the beginning of this road together after only 5 years, but it has been a gift.

All of that sap to be said, my sweet husband totally surprised me with a trip to Mexico for our anniversary! Playa Del Carmen. It was awesome. We stayed at an all inclusive resort and we did not leave the place once! We rested and relaxed...and rested some more. Laughed a whole lot. Talked a lot and rested...again! It was awesome! The lengths that he went to to plan this thing was amazing...from arranging ALL of Matthew's care, packing Matthew's bag for 4 days (which any Mom appreciates the planning that takes), to arranging a spa day for us in Mexico, etc...it was awesome! Thanks to our sweet friends who helped with Matthew! We are thankful and it was precious time together! I had NO IDEA about this and I ALWAYS figure out surprises! I pride myself on not being surprised...ever! I know, no fun in that! Anyway, Brian woke me up at 7 in the morning on Saturday and said, "you have one hour to pack, we are leaving for the aiport at 8!" WHAT! I was a little panicked about leaving Matthew, but I quickly learned the lengths he had gone to to ease my mind and we were off...to paradise!


THE HAPPY COUPLE ON THE BEACH! I CANNOT BELIEVE I DID IT EITHER...A BATHING SUIT PIC ON THE BLOG..OH WELL!


ROMANTIC DINNER #1


ROMANTIC DINNER #2 - THE FOOD AT THIS PLACE IN PLAYA WAS AMAZING. THIS DINNER WAS HANDS DOWN THE NICEST ATMOSPHERE AND BEST FOOD OF ANY PLACE I HAVE EVER EATEN. BRIAN AGREED!


THERE WERE A LOT OF LAUGHS OVER THE FEW DAYS WE WERE THERE. THIS SHOWS ONE! IT WAS SOOOO HUMID AT NIGHTS THERE. ONE NIGHT, THE POWER WENT OUT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF...THIS IS MY HAIR ONE HOUR AFTER I BLEW IT DRY - STRAIGHT! IT WAS HILARIOUS! THE PLACE WE ATE WAS SO HUMID THAT THE WAITERS WERE SLIDING AROUND ON THE FLOOR AND TWICE ALMOST FELL BECAUSE THE FLOOR WAS SOAKING WET! THE POWER CAME BACK ON, THUS THE A/C CLEARED THE MOISTURE OUT OF THE AIR...IT MADE FOR A GOOD LAUGH THOUGH...BETWEEN MY HAIR AND THE ICE SKATING WAITERS.


THIS WAS OUR VIEW FROM THE BEACH CHAIRS WE LAID ON FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 HOURS ONE DAY! AMAZING! LOOK HOW PRETTY THE WATER IS! WAS SO CLEAR...YOU COULD SEE ALL THE TROPICAL FISH. GOD IS SUCH A GREAT DESIGNER...EVERYTHING AROUND US WAS BEAUTIFUL!

THE VIEWS...

THE VIEW FROM OUR BALCONY


OUR VIEW POOLSIDE FACING THE BEACH!


MY VIEW POOLSIDE! HA!


BRIAN'S VIEW BEACHSIDE! THATS ME WAVING LIKE A DORKY TOURIST!


YOUR VIEW OF THE HAPPY COUPLE AFTER AN HOUR LONG NAP ON THE BEACH - IT WAS THAT RELAXING!

I love you Bri! THANKS for all you did for our trip...you amaze me and bless me in abundance!

Lunch with friends...

Well, we are back with a few great pics...thanks to my friend Jessica who brought her camera on our lunch date. We had a fun fun lunch with Caroline and her Mommy Allison, and Ryan and his Mom Jessica. We had a fun time with Mommy's and babies...sitting at one long table. To give you a picture...here is a synopsis of what our table looked like... Caroline in her carseat on the table, Ryan in his stroller taking a snooze after a minor little meltdown when he got the the restaurant. Matthew's carseat on the table while Matthew was sitting in the high chair. Covering the table was baby food, bottles, formula, toys, and all other baby loot scatered about. It was so funny. We sat at a table that could sit 6 or 7 people and there was 3 mommies and 3 babies and we were packed in with all our loot and the kiddos. People were bumping in to our gear and maneuvering around us. It was funny. I sat there thinking, "What did people do before all this STUFF?" Sometimes I think life with baby may have been a little easier and lot lighter of a load without all the loot. The conversation consisted of...eating habits, pooping habits, sleeping habits, developmental achievements...of the babies and the mommies! Ha!

Check out the pics below...



Sweet Caroline and Matthew admiring each other....they were grabbing at each other and staring...so cute.


Of course my boy is the blurry one in the pic...as he NEVER stops moving. So fun!


My very favorite. Ryan has a handful of Matthew's face...ha! The first of many wrestling matches between Ryan Tootle and Matt Garrison!


Sweet Caroline was over it, Matthew was serenading the whole place, and Ryan...just chillin.

As for other things with us...we are buying a new camera today. The other one is gone forever I'm afraid! We are going to a backyard concert tonight which should be fun! Hopefully we will have the new camera by then and we can share some great pics.

Matthew is crawling!!!!! Well, scooching across the floor is probably a more accurate description! But, he gets on his knees in the crawling position and just rocks and rocks. When he gets frustrated with rocking, he starts schooching! So, next step...a legit crawl. Will keep you posted!

Sweet Kriby Gray, we are so glad you are feeling better and so sorry you were sick!

For those who are wondering...

For anyone interested...please be advised that the camera is missing! I am not slowly trickling out of the blog world...We cannot find our camera anywhere. Please pray we find it. So many cute pics not yet downloaded. So, things are trucking along just great here. Matty is growing and growing and is SOOOO close to crawling! Our 5 year anniversary is coming up and we are planning a little babyless outing! Should be fun!

Hoping to post pics soon,

Court, Brian and Matty

FATTY MATTY and his very first ear infection :(

That's right, today, my boy was diagnosed with a DOUBLE ear infection...that's right - both ears. Poor little angel. He was not himself all day. SO cuddly and so sad! Although I loved the cuddle part, I HATED how sad he was. He was inconsolable! Dang ear infections! Hate em!


This is the version of Matthew with a double ear infection...very chill after his first dose of antibiotic and numbing drops...he was tuckered out from screaming all day!


Check out the rolls on my angel...love em!


A better shot of the fat rolls...

SITTING, STANDING and MY FIRST TWO TEETH!

Check out my pearly whites! YEAH! No more 3:45 am crying sessions cuz my teeth hurt so bad! That is...until the next teeth decide to come on thru


Mommy thinks my teeth are SO pretty! She shows them to EVERYONE! Do you think everyone cares that much about two littly bitty teeth?!?! Well, she sure does!


Look at me standing up holding on to Daddy's arm!


And...I CAN SIT! With almost no help at all. I am still a littler wobbly, but I am doing great!


Mommy says this is the cutest pic of all! Sitting all on my own...what a big boy! About 30 seconds after this picture was taken, WHAM! I did a face plant in to the carpet...but, Mommy sure was proud for those 30 seconds.

A friend named "Bernie"

Dont ask us why, but for some reason, the "Ernie" that Daddy bought Matthew has been re-named Bernie. Matthew cant talk, soooo, we cannot blame it on him. Dunno, we call him Bernie...and that's that!

Point is, Matthew loves him the most of every toy. He giggles and laughs when he sees him..cracks up is more like it. He will scooch across the floor to get to him. Bernie may actually get our boy crawling...GO BERNIE GO! GO MATTY GO!


Reaching for his buddy!


Gotcha!


Bernie getting a little bite on the hiney! OUCH!


A big KISS for my best buddy!


Whats wrong Matty?! Did Bernie have bed breath?! Who knows...frustration is running rampant here lately...Matty wants to crawl and run NOW!