flashback friday

these pictures were taken in the winter/spring of 2001.  this was a repeat picnic from a really special and memorable date we had to calvert, tx in fall of 2000.  the initial date (in the fall) was planned by charlie for me because, at that time, i was really into photography and charlie felt like it would be a cool little town (which it is and is located between waco and colllege station) for me to work on some of my photography skills.  after we took pictures around town, we had a picnic in this field off of highway 6.  we hung out forever that night talking and checking out the stars.  it was so fun and one of my best memories of when we first started dating.  so, these pictures were when charlie planned to return to that same field on the way home or on the way to katy one weekend from baylor.  always the romantic...love him!

spring is here

baby #2 updates

well, it looks like we finally have a name for our new little man.  we were torn between 2 that we loved, asked for votes from our friends and family, and decided on:

Boden (Bode) Charles Hastings

we are both really happy with the decision and it is a good thing because it looks like we have a date set for a c-section as well.  we had been holding off on deciding to have a VBAC or a repeat c-section pending the size of Bode.  so, we had a sonogram yesterday....at 36 weeks and he is already weighing 7 lbs. 2 oz.  he is at the 88th percentile and will probably be around 9 lbs. plus at due date.  that is another big baby for me (surprise, surprise) and i'm pretty sure i do not want a repeat of 18 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing just to end in another surgery.  so, this time around...i will be rested, refreshed, and ready with a planned surgery.  we are pretty sure his birthday will be morning of april 13th.  so now, smith was born on 11/26...me on 10/26 and bode will be born on 4/13 and charlie on 2/13....pretty neat, huh?  sorry for our future children, but we'll try to coordinate you as well.  we cannot wait to meet him.  i think he looked just like smith in the sonogram, but charlie says he has smaller cheeks but bigger lips/nose than smith.  i guess time will tell.

flashback friday

this is summer of 2004 or maybe 2005, backpacking near aspen in the maroon bells wilderness.  it was stunning!!  we are with our friends beth and shelby who, again, we are still really close to.  i remember, charlie used a computer program for our guide to map out how far we would go each day and it led us quite astray.  we'll just say it was not quite as accurate as your store bought topography map.  we overshot our abilities thanks to our 'not up to par' map.  anyhow, obviously we survived it...including a torrential downpour that happened one late afternoon about 20 minutes before we set up camp.  yeah, that was awesome.  i'm pretty sure beth and shelby's tent was over a pretty big puddle.  also, i remember we talked a lot about what we were going to eat when we got back into 'civilization' and it was decided we would have "hibachi grill" .... which we did, in denver, on the way home.  it is funny because it was not that long of a trip, but our stomachs told us otherwise.  it was truly a gorgeous backpacking trip and i hope to do this again someday with the same friends and kids in tow!

my blonde boy...LOVE HIM

no big deal, we just built a bed this weekend

when charlie and i sold our home in tennessee, part of the 'deal' was that the furniture sold with it.  this was a sad, sad day as i had worked many overtime hours while we lived in california to buy my beautiful furniture.  it was a good lesson in the fleeting nature of material goods, however.   our impending move this june (for charlie's residency) has me thinking towards how, on a small budget, i will furnish our home. since living with my mom, i have become more and more like her in the idea that i can make/do anything i set my mind to.  granted, this is not always the case, but the positive attitude helps and sometimes you achieve great things!  this was one of those things.  i think i am still going off the adrenaline of my happiness with our final product.  the Lord blessed us with a gorgeous weekend and the fam (my mom, dad, charlie, smith, luna, merckx, and i) built a bed.  i used this tutorial and followed it pretty close for the frame...modifying it some for the upholstery part.  the fabric is FABULOUS from ikea for like $9/yard.  (thanks to my mom-in-law for running the errand in houston, paying for it, and mailing it to me!!!!)  smith was quite the little helper as you will see in the following pictures.

the final product!!!  really, i do not think the picture does it justice, but here it is anyway.  of course, the mattress and bedding is not in place but i feel like i have such great options for bedding, wall color, etc. because of this fabric.  cannot wait to put it to good use.  THANK YOU to my mom and dad for the major help and tools and big house/driveway that made making a piece of furniture do-able.