Brown Bear, Brown Bear

"Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you see?" This has been our book of choice. For weeks. Eva is just tickled pink! I think it might have something to do with the way Joe reads the story to her. Lots of fun voices. So adorable!

This is a little miracle worker. Yes, Eva gets excited to go to bed, at bedtime. Why? Because her and Joe sit reading their favorite book. For at least an hour. Yes, it's the most adorable thing I've ever seen!

This was Joe's favorite book as a little boy. How cute, huh?

My mom also bought Eva these little finger puppets. They're supposed to be "Brown Bear" inspired. :)

It's so fun to be parents. We get to share things with our kids. Things that we loved and enjoyed as kids too! But I have to admit it, this is a fun book. And I'd do anything to hear that cutie pie giggle. It's priceless! ♥Anna Marie♥

Ruffled Scarf Giveaway

Isn't this the most gorgeous scarf you have seen? I immediately fell in love with it. Lola sent me a video one day, by email, and it was of Trina's scarf collection. I looked at the 1 Charlotte Russe that is around here. But I couldn't find this scarf. I was so sad. Until, I saw this great giveaway. Trina is hosting a giveaway for this scarf. All you have to do is head over to her blog and enter! You know you want to. Run, you only have a little over an hour! ♥Anna Marie♥

Custom Necklace Giveaway

Isn't this the most darling little necklace? I think so! The perfect thing to proudly show off my 2 girls! With their names, and their birthstones. I just think the little pearl is adorable! I found another great blog via Lola. Mama Manifesto, a cute blog! And they are hosting a giveaway for one of these custom necklaces! You should go enter the giveaway. You never know, you could be the very lucky winner. And get one of these beauties to proudly show off your little ones! ♥Anna Marie♥

Our Love Story

It is almost Joe and I's 3 year wedding anniversary. This year, there is a very good chance that we will be in the hospital. Celebrating Emma Grace's arrival. But I wanted to share our story with you.

My husband and I have dated since we were teenagers. Joe was a freshman in high school, I was in 8th grade. I noticed him one day waiting around for his brother. He was sitting with his cousin. On the half wall, that was just outside our school. My primas and I were on our way to our school bus. He and his cousin sat and waited. For weeks, I would hope to just catch a glance of him, on my way to the bus. But I was sure he never saw me.

Then we had a local concert in the "Big Park." It was the place where everything happened in our town. My primas and I were in line to buy a Coke and nachos. We were just enjoying the local music and having fun. Joe and I literally ran into each other. I turned around with my nachos and Coke, and Joe was instantly covered!!! Orange cheese and ice covered his white shirt.

He was a good sport about it. He laughed it off. I was mortified! So much so, that I could barely look at him. I managed to say sorry. And I went to sit with my parents. I was devastated!!! How in the world was I ever going to face him again? My parents wanted to know what was wrong with me. I just told them I wasn't feeling well. I made my primas promise to not say a word. So I moped around.

Unfortunately for me, it was still early in the evening. My parents had planned to stay a few more hours. They wanted to dance. Their favorite band was the last to play. So I moped about. Never moving from my place. Then I heard that familiar voice. At the time, I had only heard Joe talk once or twice. But I just knew it was him...

He asked my dad if it was OK if we went for a walk around the park. This was the moment in my life, that I was so happy my dad was strict. He cleared his throat in that, threatening kind of way. And my mom poked him in the side. She gave him that look, the one that meant business. And my dad caved. "Sure son." WHAT?!?!?!

Joe helped me up from my permanent seat in the grass. As we walked away, I could hear my dad grumbling. And my mom assuring him that they could see us at all times. Joe walked, and I walked slowly. I was shy and embarrassed. What was I supposed to do? Or say? He slowed his walking to match mine. Then I slowed mine again. It took us 15 minutes to get to the other side of the park. It was ridiculous!

Now that I think about it, it makes me laugh. But Joe was persistent. I have to give him that. When we were on the opposite end of the park, from my parents, Joe stopped. We crossed the street, and sat on the steps. You see, our park is in the middle of our town. All around it, are businesses and an old hotel. We sat there and he started talking. Trying desperately to get me to look at him. But I stared at the hem of my shorts instead. I played with this string that was on the bottom. Finally, he laughed. Just hysterically! And I looked at him. I was in shock! What was wrong with this guy?

Before I knew it, I was laughing too. He got me to relax. And we sat there talking. Eventually we were on the same step. Just watching the fiesta in front of us. He told me how he had to go buy the t-shirt he had on. Because his shirt was covered in nachos. Then he had to beg the store owner to let him use the restroom in the store. He had to try and rinse off the Coke and change. To this day, that t-shirt is in my drawer! After all, it was the start of "us." And he had spent all of his money to buy it! :)

When the sun started to go down, we watched the sunset. By that time, we were holding hands. My first time ever to hold a boy's hand. But we watched as the sky turned bright orange. The sunsets in our state, are a sight to be seen! And as the darkness took over, Joe asked me to dance. It was the first time I had ever danced with a man, that was not my dad or grandpa. We crossed the street back to the park. And we danced. To Flor de Las Flores.

Joe had a good eye on my parents and his. Making sure that we were always on the opposite side of the gazebo dancing. It happened to be the last song. And at the end of the song, he bent down and kissed me. One of those sweet, and innocent kisses. But I swear, I felt the electricity shoot through me. And I was glad it was dark. For 2 reasons. No one would have seen us. And Joe wouldn't know that I was blushing!

He walked me back to where my parents had been sitting earlier. And he helped me get our things together. My parents were talking to some friends. Eventually they made it back over. And Joe carried all of our things to the truck. He asked my dad if it would be OK if he could call me sometime.

My dad was not thrilled. But he knew Joe came from a good family. A family with very similar values to our family. We also lived in different towns. Joe and I grew up in small towns in the northern part of our state. I lived more in the "city," but it is still very much a small town. A college town to be exact! Joe lived in a smaller community, and would come to school in our town.

We talked a few times a week. Joe always talked to my dad first. ALWAYS! I think my dad was probably lecturing him. When Joe would see me at school, he would always bring me something. A wild flower, a candy, or something he had made. Because he carves things out of wood. Before long, we were sitting next to each other at church. Convincing our families, to go eat at the same places, on Sundays. Stealing looks from across the room.

We dated. And continued to date through high school. My dad realizing that Joe was the one for me. And when Joe graduated, he decided to move to my hometown. He started college, and lived in a small apartment. I would go visit him. Attempt to make dinner. Which I always managed to burn! I think my dad was really starting to stress out. Wondering if I would make it out of town. Or if we would end up getting married and having kids right away.

At the beginning of my senior year, to my dad's relief, I applied to college. And was accepted to our state university in the southern part of the state. Oh, 5-6 hours away! I failed to tell him that Joe was also going to transfer out there at the end of the year. We had made that decision right before Christmas of my senior year.

My mom knew everything and didn't say a word. She is the one that went with me to orientation the summer before I started school. She helped me and Joe find a place to live. Joe had it all covered. His family is in the cattle business. So he was set. We had a budget and a plan. Joe decided that he would pay for all of our bills. My only job was to go to school. To grow into an adult.

The week before we were going to move, Joe came to my house. He and my dad went out and had a "man to man" talk. I still don't know what they talked about. But I do know, that my dad gave us his blessing. A week later, he was helping us move.

Joe and I lived together in a small house for a long while. In the middle of this large piece of property that Joe had bought. Again, in a small town. Near the larger town. Another college town. It is actually the 2nd largest city in our state. But it is still small. And we loved our little house. We added to our family, buying 2 dogs shortly after we had moved. But we loved our home. Soon Joe had built a barn. And we had animals. A nice yard. Our own home.

For years, we lived together. My dad always knew that Joe loved and respected me. Our families would come visit us. And we would go home when we could. It wasn't as often as we would have liked, but we would go. People always wanted to ask if we were engaged. Or ever planned to get married. But they would never ask us. Instead, they would ask my mom.

Then, on one trip home, my dad and Joe went out riding horses. Not out of the ordinary for them. Joe actually would help my dad out on a lot of projects. I was not worried when they were gone for hours. But when Joe and I went home the next day, I was shocked!

Lola had helped him out. But Joe had planned it. The entire house was lit with candles. Rose petals were everywhere too! That is the night Joe asked me to marry him. He got down on one knee and asked me, "to be his wife, the mother of his children, and his partner for life." I still remember it like it was yesterday. That was in 2003. And after I said yes, he told me that my dad had given us his blessing. I cried. Because I knew in that instant, he was my Prince Charming.

Our entire family rallied behind Joe and I. My primas were in love with my ring. And our entire hometown was excited about the wedding. We planned our wedding for nearly 3 years. Our entire family worked for all those years, on every detail. Nothing was left undone.

In the end, because of a family tragedy, we got married during a rather difficult time. But still on our original wedding date. It wasn't a big wedding. I actually wore a dress that I bought at Dillard's. It was supposed to have been what I would wear to our rehearsal. My original wedding dress just didn't seem appropriate. None of this seemed appropriate. But we got married in our church, in our hometown. With just our parents, siblings, grandparents and a handful of friends.

Then we planned. On our first anniversary, we would have the big wedding. It seemed more appropriate to wait. Our family would have healed somewhat. Emotions wouldn't be so raw. We had been married by the church already. But we hadn't had the big wedding, the huge dress, and the big party. The big celebration that a wedding was supposed to be. That time to celebrate. It just hadn't happened that way for us.

That Christmas, my dad asked if we were ever going to have kids. He was ready to be a grandpa. We had been married for a few weeks. But he thought we should start a family. After all, by this time, Joe and I had been together for about 13 years. Joe and I just laughed. But we knew we wanted to start a family soon. We figured sometime after our first anniversary. After the big wedding, we would start trying.

Joe and I have always wanted kids. We have wanted kids since we could remember. When we were in high school, we would sit and talk about kids. What we would name them. How many we wanted. Who they would look like. Family has always been important to us. But we had just wanted to have a completely solid marriage before we had kids. We wanted to have a solid foundation for our family. With a solid income and careers. I knew that I wanted to stay home when I became a mom. And Joe knew he wanted to help expand his family's ranching business. That's what we focused on.

And a little over 6 months, after my dad telling us he was ready for grandkids, we made the trip up north. To tell our parents the great news! They were going to be grandparents! It wasn't planned. But we were excited! Joe and I had been married for about 7 months. We were just back from our honeymoon. No big wedding after all. My dress, is still in my Hope Chest. I actually got it professionally cleaned and stored after Eva was born. Something tells me, we will never have that big wedding. Instead, we welcomed Eva into our family in early 2008.

Joe and I were so excited! I always knew I wanted a little girl. I wanted to dress her up in ruffles and lace. To play dolls, and bake cookies with. But I never realized just how much my husband wanted a little girl. Eva just made us into a family. Life just blossomed around her. The smallest of things, would make me so excited! Because I was seeing them through her eyes. Experiencing life for the first time through her experiences.

All of a sudden, it didn't matter if I couldn't cook. If I burned dinner 5 nights a week. Or if the house wasn't perfectly clean. It didn't matter if I missed out on a MAC collection. Or if I wore 2 different socks. Joe, Eva, and I were a family. The same family that Joe and I had talked about on his prom night.

Then just 2 months after Eva's first birthday, we found out about Emma. I was a little worried. How would Eva adjust? Heck, I am still slightly worried. But we were so excited to be expanding our family. I am positive the Eva is going to be a great big sister. She is so gentle. And is always talking to my belly.

Joe and I want 3-4 kids. If it were up to Joe, we would have nothing but girls! That was a little surprising to me. But we are just so happy. Our story started with a chance. That school yard crush. And the nacho and Coke accident. We have had bumps along the way. And I am sure we will endure more hard times. But it is the love that is between Joe and I, that will get us through it all. As long as we love and respect each other, we will be a happy couple. A happy family. ♥Anna Marie♥

Anniversary of My Family's Tragedy

Today marks the 3rd Anniversary of a horribly tragic day for our family. The day that 5 family members were taken in an instant from us. It was a strange time in our lives. With tons of mixed feelings. And tons of raw emotions. This is our story...

Joe and I got engaged in 2003. We decided to have our home built shortly after that. And we planned for a big wedding. We planned and planned. For what seemed like forever! Our wedding date set for the Fall of 2006. My family and his, worked for hours and hours on the smallest of details. For almost 2 years, our families came together to work on our wedding.

All the women in my family went with me to pick up my wedding dress, just 2 weeks before. We all cried!!! My tia gave me a bracelet to wear. And a handkerchief that she had made. With my new initials in light blue. We talked about what my future was going to look like. She gave me the wisdom that only a married woman could give. About the good days and the bad. And on a small piece of paper, her favorite and prized recipe for that dessert. The one she always brought to parties. The one I loved!!!

Everything was perfect. Things were right on schedule. I had had the bridal shower. We had bought gifts for everyone in our wedding party. Our honeymoon was scheduled. Joe and I were making the 5+ hour trip home every weekend. Because we had to work on the wedding. And our family was so amazing. Everyone was so excited to pitch in for our big day.

The week before our wedding, tragedy struck. There was a DWI accident that took the lives of 5 of my family members. They were on a shopping trip and were hit by a drunk driver. Killing 5 of the 6 family members in the car. It was a hard time for our family. A time that I didn't know what side was up or what side was down.

We got the news from my mom. She had been watching the news and saw their car. Her and my dad knew right away it was them. They called me and Joe. And all at once, I was numb. I couldn't feel a thing. How could 5 of my loved ones be dead?

Not just our family mourned, but our entire community mourned the loss of our family. I couldn't forget the times we had spent together. The holidays we had shared. The laughter. The good times and the bad.

On that day, a selfish man, took our family away. He made the decision to get behind the wheel of his car, and drive. For months, our community was numb. A time of happiness and love had been shattered. All for a few drinks. I still remember the family get togethers. And the times we shared. Their memories will forever live on.

One day, I will take out the pictures and show my girls. Share the stories of their lives. Tell them about my tia's laughter. How the smile always reached her eyes. How she just had a way of making the boo boos hurt less. My tio always had words of wisdom to share. He had stories to tell and lessons to share. And of the silly childhood stories of my primas. Of the days we would pick wild flowers, shop around town, or eat popsicles during the summer.

I will never forget that day, 3 years ago. The day that my family changed forever. The day that our smiles turned into tears. I will never forget the empty feeling that I had. Or of the hurt, pain, and sadness I felt the day that we buried our family. Decades too early, they were taken from our lives. Today, we will celebrate their lives. The laughter and the fun. We will remember the good times. And we will pray for our 5 angels in heaven. ♥Anna Marie♥

Still Up!

I know. I should be asleep. But I can't sleep. No matter how I lay, I am uncomfortable. I feel like I can't breath. And nothing helps to get me in a comfortable position. Ya, I have reached that stage of my pregnancy. I want Miss Emma Grace to make her arrival. Mommy is ready. The nursery might not be, but I am ready.

Tonight I watched Desperado. Because I can't sleep. I haven't seen that movie in forever! But I found it this morning when I was looking in my desk. I was looking for an address and found the Desperado DVD. Salma Hayek is one of my favorite actresses. I also like Fools Rush In. The lady that played her grandma, she is from my home state.

Joe comes home tomorrow. Or should I say later today? It is after midnight already. He had a great time. I know he did. Because he has been so excited when we talk on the phone. I am glad! I really am. People don't understand why I would talk him into going to Las Vegas for 2 weeks, days before I am due. But he needs time away too. I know that he enjoys playing in the band. I know that they don't play very often. So it was an important trip.

Something else that I found in my desk earlier, the list from the doctor. You see, Eva was a little over 10 days late. 12 days to be exact!!! I had to go to the doctor every day after my due date. I was miserable. It was freezing outside. And I couldn't sleep. My dear baby girl just didn't want to meet us yet. But my doctor gave me this list. Of 20 things to do to induce labor. Um, nothing worked. And I mean nothing!

The top 3 things didn't work. The 3 things that everyone swears would induce labor. Nothing worked. Walking didn't work. Probably because I walk 2 miles every day. Spicy food didn't work. I eat a lot of spicy food. Hello, I live in the southwest. And I grew up eating chili the way normal people eat ketchup or gravy. And sex, well we tried. And tried we did. But Eva wouldn't come. My dad even suggested that we go on a weekend trip. You know, "get more romantic." I don't know who's face was redder, mine or Joe's. We tried many, many, many times, but no baby.

Here's to hoping that Emma doesn't put her mommy through that again. I would like to meet her somewhere around her due date. Not 12 days late! And I don't think Joe can handle my dad and father in law telling him, that he NEEDS to go have sex with me. Because the doctor says that is the only way the baby is going to come. ♥Anna Marie♥

Poppy Fields Set Giveaway

Are you in love? I am! Poppies remind me of my grandma. When I was little, she had these curtains in her kitchen, with poppies on them. I can still see them. They were a light aqua and white, with bright red poppies.

Every time that I see poppies, I think about my grandma. It brings back found memories of when we used to sit and talk. Grandma would let me help her bake and cook. When I saw this set, I thought of her right away. And a smile just came to my face. Go enter the giveaway if you are a fan of these too! ♥Anna Marie♥

Lawn Frock Giveaway

Yes, another "Too Cute for Words" dress! I think I am so close to my due date, that I am dreaming of the day when I can see my feet again! hehe But when I saw this dress, I just stopped. You see, green is my favorite color! No stinkin' lie! This color, could possibly be my favorite green.

This entire dress screams Spring to me. A time that I am longing for. Eva will be 2. Emma will be a few months old. I won't be waddling around. And I should be able to see my feet by then. At least I am hoping to be able to! :) This would be a dress that I would love to wear. I can see myself putting it on for church or to go to lunch with my husband. Oh, if it was sold, I would be buying it immediately! Instead, I am going to enter the giveaway. :) You should too! ♥Anna Marie♥

Limoncello Dress Giveaway

Isn't this the most adorable dress? I thought so. I was reading Lola's blog, and she had a post for this giveaway. A few clicks later, and I was at the most wonderful blog. Wow, is all I can say for the amazing pieces that this mom sews. I wish I was that creative and talented! I really do! I'm not, so I am going to enter this giveaway. And hope and pray that I win this gorgeous dress. Because soon, I will be 20lbs lighter. And before I know it, I will be back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Wanting to look and feel pretty. This would do the trick. Go enter too! ♥Anna Marie♥

One Week!!!

Emma Grace is due a week from today. And I am very excited!!! Eva keeps asking me when her "tita" will be here. I can't lie to her. So I tell her sometime next week. I hope she comes on time. I will even be happy to go into labor anytime between now and the 16th. I just don't want to have to wait until after the 16th. Been there, done that!!!

Eva and I went shopping at Target today. I was actually looking for some warmer clothes for Eva. The weather has been so weird around here lately. Very cold at night, then 80 degrees during the day. For a few days it rained and was super cold. Then it was over 80 degrees for 4 days. But Eva needs some warmer clothes. And with Emma coming soon, I see my leisurely shopping trips coming to an end. At least for a few weeks!

Eva was very patient with her waddling mommy today. And instead of wanting clothes and toys for herself. She wanted to pick out things for her "tita." We are still working on saying sister. But for whatever reason, "tita" is what we get. But she can say Emma. But not sister.

We ended up buying a few pairs of pants for Eva, 5 long sleeve shirts, 2 sweaters, a glove and hat set, and a corduroy jumper. Which I LOVE!!! We also got one for Emma. And tights. Plenty of tights for both girls. Because you can never have too many! That I have learned.

I sit here, watching Eva sleep. It is nap time around here. And I can feel Emma moving around. I can't wait until I can hold Emma. And watch both of my girls together. I just know that Eva is going to be a good big sister. We talk all the time about the baby. And she is always thinking about her. Like today, when I was getting our lunch ready, Eva was drawing a picture, to hang in Emma's nursery. It was all her idea. She came up with it all on her own. It was a picture of Eva and Emma. Done in crayon. :) ♥Anna Marie♥

I Miss My Love. She's My Baby

I'm missing Joe. I can't lie. Since we moved in together all those years ago, I think this is the longest we have been apart. It's not like we are never apart. He goes on hunting trips with his friends or the men in our family. I have gone on shopping trips with my girlfriends. Or weekend trips with the women in our family. But this time, Joe will be gone for 2 weeks!

Maybe it's just because I'm pregnant. And Emma is almost here. But I miss Joe. He is doing a great job. He calls every day. Actually, multiple times a day to check on Eva and I. We web cam once a day. That way Eva can see her daddy. And let's be honest. So I can see Joe and he can see the 2 of us.

My mom graciously offered to stay with Eva and I while Joe is gone. Everyone wanted to make sure that I would be OK. That I wouldn't go into labor while Joe was gone. And be alone with my 21 month old daughter. An hour away from our hospital. But that still doesn't help me. I miss Joe.

Not so much during the day. Eva keeps me pretty entertained. Mom also keeps my mind off of Joe. And let me be honest with you, I sleep a lot. My body is so tired. But at night, when I crawl into our bed, I miss my husband. I miss cuddling with him. I miss falling asleep in his big, strong, muscular arms.

On the 1st night, I coped. I had to. What was I going to do? The 2nd night, I spent it watching Eva sleep in her room. Until I couldn't take it any more. Then I finally went to bed. I think I slept 4 hours. On the 3rd night, I picked up Eva, out her bed, and put her in ours. Yes, every night since, I let her fall asleep in her bed. Then I put her in ours when I go to bed.

My mom isn't thrilled. We had a little argument over it tonight. It ended in me crying. Why? I don't know why. My mom thinks Eva's schedule shouldn't be disrupted. But it has been. Hello, her daddy is gone working. I know I told him to go. But still, she is used to him being around. So why can't I put her in bed with me? I sleep better. And to be honest, I am enjoying the time with her. Before I know it, Emma will be here. So why not enjoy these last few moments with Eva. Just me and her.

When Joe gets back, our schedule will get back to normal. Well, at least as normal as it can be. And then Emma will come. That is why I am cherishing these last few days and moments with Eva. I want to be able to hold my baby girl. To love her. And for both of us to get a good night's sleep. I might just be a little more emotional than normal. But she is my baby girl. I enjoy getting to watch her sleep. Playing with her and her baby doll in the morning. Reading her a book before we get up and out of bed. And I do miss my husband. Why can't we change our sleeping pattern for a few short days? ♥Anna Marie♥

2 Weeks!

2 weeks from today, is my due date! I am so excited! In 2 weeks, Emma might be wearing a pair of these little pink booties. While in my arms. I still can't believe that we are having another baby. There are some days that I still can't believe that I am a mom. And Eva is nearing 2!

When I found out I was pregnant for the 2nd time, I was slightly in shock. Joe and I have always wanted a fairly large family. The night of his Senior Prom, we talked about one day being married and having kids. Ya, we sat outside, looking up at the stars, dreaming of the family we would have one day. I can still remember everything from that night.

Joe was in a black tux. And I had on a green dress. A deep kelly green dress. Nothing fancy. It was long and form fitting. I wore strappy black heels. My aunt had done my hair and makeup. We went out to dinner with friends. Then we danced the night away. All of our friends went to a bomb fire afterwards. We went, but didn't stay all that long.

We ended up in my driveway. Talking. We knew that Joe was going to have to make the decision of where to live after he graduated. So we tried to embrace every minute that we had together. We laid in the bed of his truck and dreamt of the days to come. Of the little house that we would have. Of a wedding in our church. And of the babies we would have.

And here it is November 2nd. Exactly 2 weeks until my due date. Joe must call me twice an hour to check on me. J has the plane ready to go if need be. Manders holds his cellphone while the band performs. Everyone is on high alert. Just waiting for the call. Just waiting for Emma to make her appearance. And for Joe and I's dream to continue to play out.

We may not have had the most ideal of a beginning to our marriage. (I will blog about that later.) But our girls are the most precious gifts we could ask for. They are a combination of Joe and I. Made with our love. Little girls that have features and characteristics of the 2 of us. I just can't wait to meet Miss Emma. Our girls are everything that Joe and I used to dream about as teenagers. They have their daddy wrapped around their little fingers. Our love as a family just grows and grows. In 2 short weeks, we will finally get to meet Miss Emma Grace. ♥Anna Marie♥

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

I don't know who is more excited, me or Eva! My mom and I took her to the Farmers' Market this morning. They had a costume parade. And all the kids got Halloween buckets with candy, coupons, and things like that. I think it's neat that the city did that. They also had a costume contest for every age group.

Yes, my little princess won for her age group! She dressed up like Snow White. I tried to convince her to be a ladybug. Or like I call them, Lovebugs. But when Joe took her to pick up her costume, they came home with Snow White. Joe said they walked in, she saw it, and had to have it! They had to go to 5 stores to find her size. Good thing I had decided to stay home. I couldn't have waddled around that many stores.

That's the picture from a website, of her costume. It came with the dress, shoes, and a little bow. But Lola made her a cute red and gold bow. It is just too precious! Then, before Joe left for Las Vegas, he bought her some ruby studs. Yes, because she needed them! He is too cute!!! Today I put on some red tights. It was kind of cool outside. And a little bit of makeup on her. Red lipstick and a little blush. But her dark hair and light skin just worked perfect with the costume!

Little Mikey, Rach and Mike's son won for his age group. He was a fireman. They even brought his puppy with him! A dalmatian of course! And Maribel, Sals and David's little girl won for her group. She was a Ladybug. I helped Sals out with her. We put a little makeup on her. Made her some rosey cheeks and bright red lips. Marissa was a Race Girl. She is very much a NASCAR fan. And in love with a certain, Mr. Dale Jr. Never mind that she just turned 4 in September. Mariella was a lion. That girl definitely has the personality to pull it off!

After waddling around for a few hours, we all went to eat at Chilitos. You are talking about 3 pregnant women, and 5 kids! Those 2 guys knew we needed to eat. It was delicious! And we made a plan for the rest of today. David and Albert are taking Sals and David's little girls trick or treating tonight. David offered to take Eva. Because let's be real, I am just over 2 weeks away from my due date.

Mike and Rach also offered to have us over for an early dinner. And I really want some pizza! Which is nice. Because we are taking the kids to the mall for the Monster Mash tonight. It's from 6-7:30PM. I can handle that! Another costume contest. And lots of trick or treating in the mall. My mom and I decided to stay here and hand out candy tonight after the Monster Mash. That's the plan.

Right now, Eva is taking a nap. I just got up. Yup, I took a nap too! When she gets up, we are going to have a snack. Then dress her back up. That way we can webcam with Joe. He is anxious to see his little girl all dressed up! He is such a good dad!

That's it! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful day. We have a pretty busy evening ahead of us. And I am excited! Oh yeah, I dressed up too! I'm a pregnant Raggedy Ann! ♥Anna Marie♥

He Didn't Want to Go

Joe left this morning. He went with the band to Las Vegas. Along with Lola, Manders, and all the members of the LBs and their support crew. Yup, hair, makeup, clothes. The whole bunch of them left. Because they have shows for the next 2 weeks.

Joe didn't want to leave. He insisted yesterday, that he was going to stay home. Because he went to Charlotte, just a few weeks ago for another gig. But I knew he had been looking forward to this. Because the band doesn't play many gigs. Because they are all family guys. Into ranching and farming. The music is a hobby. Something they do to blow off steam.

The BBs have decided to only perform for political events or politicians that they support. Or for a friend in North Carolina. Or events in Texas. And 2-3 times a year, in Las Vegas. It's not often. And the band has been rehearsing for a while. I just knew I had to talk him into leaving. He would drive us both crazy if he would stay.

My mom volunteered to stay with Eva and I until November 8th or 9th. Then she is going to go back home with my dad. And on November 14th, my parents and in-laws are going to come and stay with us until after Emma is born.

We had a plan. And I talked all night, last night. Finally convincing Joe. I had already packed his bags. When the band left this morning, he looked happy. We agreed to call every single day. And to use our web cams. That way Eva can see her daddy every day. I promised to have my phone with me at all times. And J promised to have the plane fueled and ready to go in case I go into labor. We have it all covered.

Now, I just hope Joe allows himself to have some fun. We always enjoy spending time in Las Vegas. I want him to have fun and enjoy this trip. I told him that he has to go eat one of those mini wedding cakes for me too! Because I love those things! These 2 weeks will fly by. Before we know it, Joe will be back home! Until then, I am going to go enjoy some of my mom's cooking! ♥Anna Marie♥

No Worries

Our dear friend Lola is doing our nursery for us. Pretty much, she has done all of our friends' nurseries. Lola is super talented. And in my opinion, should be an interior designer. She did a beautiful job on Eva's nursery. We sat down and talked about what I wanted. For Eva, I wanted a room done in pink and chocolate brown. With a nice glider. And a crib that would convert into a toddler bed down the road. A nice reading nook. Maybe a window seat like Lauren's.

We sat and talked. She took notes. Hired a painter. My husband, Joe insisted on new carpet. And before I knew it, we had a contractor working in the nursery. Before long, he had put in a big window seat with a nice storage unit underneath. He put up wainscoting. The bones of the room were done. Lola and I took a few trips to look at fabric and furniture. But I never really knew what was going to go in the room. But I was very confident with her decisions.

The day of my baby shower, Lola showed me the finished nursery. It was everything I had ever dreamt up! My husband had even made a toy box for Eva. In the same design that was in the fabric. You see, Lola and Joe worked on the nursery together. When she would be stuck between 2 ideas, Lola would call Joe.

But the nursery was perfect! The crib was the perfect color, size, and style. She got 2 gliders for the room. One for me, and one for Joe. Lola remembered all the small details that I hadn't even thought of. This, for a woman that doesn't have a child. But the room had style, grace, and a timeless feeling. It was not one of those nurseries that screams baby girl. With lace and light pink everything. It is a room for Eva to grow into. Lola made sure of that. A room that our daughter can use well into her teenage years.

Lola sewed everything. She made all the bedding. Sheets and all. Made the curtains. Cut and painted wooden details that were hung on the walls. Lola bought the perfect picture frames and put the most amazing pictures in them. Everything we could ever need or want was in there. I couldn't have asked for more.

When I got pregnant with Emma, we immediately asked Lola to do her nursery. Well, we didn't know at the time if she was going to be a boy or a girl. But right away we started to brain storm. Ultimately, when I found out I was having a girl, I wanted a ladybug room. More of a "Lovebug" room. That is what my mom called them when I was little. I have such good memories of ladybugs as a kid. And so, our vision was born.

This time around, well Lola is even more busy than normal. She travels all the time. And is not around much. Let's not forget that Eva was born in February. There are a lot less things to do in the winter, than right now. The band is booked almost up until my due date. But Lola has tried. She has hired a contractor. And after the whole paint fiasco thing. We actually got everything done. The bones of the nursery are now complete.

Everything else, well is still waiting. Lola purchased the fabric. And from what Joe will tell me, the furniture is ordered. But guess what? The band is going to Las Vegas for 10 days. And Lola's sewing machine isn't working. I know not too stress. Our nursery is nowhere near completion. But I am surprisingly calm about it. Because Lola has a way of making miracles happen.

My dad has also been working hard on a bassinet for Emma. He made one for Eva. He hand carves them. They are gorgeous! Joe is working on a toy box for Emma. I have no clue what it looks like. It is top secret! And my father in law is working on Emma's bookcase. He made Eva's and even carved her name in it.

So ya, Lola has a lot of people that she works with. But she has everything so ridiculously organized that I am in shock! I know that by the time Emma makes her grand entrance, we will have the most amazing nursery you have ever seen. Because Emma's Nana (Godmother) is pouring her love into Miss Emma Grace's nursery. ♥Anna Marie♥

Happybee's italian craft & quilt shop GIVEAWAY

Boutique Stitches and Daniela are hosting a giveaway for this Grey Sky lariat. Isn't it cute? I really like it because it is light. You could wear it around the house with a t-shirt and jeans. Or add it to a cute outfit when you go shopping. Daniela's shop Happybee has a lot of other stuff as well.

Like this cute Panda pouch! You could use it for makeup or change. Just about anything.

Daniela also offers tea. I always think about cool Fall evenings when I tihnk of tea. I have a big tea drinker now that I am pregnant.

If you want a chance to win this amazing scarf by Daniela, go to Boutiqe Stitches and enter the giveaway! The winner is going to be very lucky! ♥Anna Marie♥

SportySweetie GIVEAWAY tutu outfit inspired by your favorite sports team

Boutique Stitches and Sporty Sweetie are hosting a giveaway. You have the chance to win a Sports Themed Tutu Outfit. Aren't they adorable? I think so. Eva likes to wear cheerleading outfits and tutus. We bought her a little cheerleading outfit from our Alma mater. I could just see her wearing one of these outfits. Michelle also offers other items.

Like this Breast Cancer Awareness Onesie. This is something I would definitely buy my girls. You can't ever start too early. Good causes should be taught early in life.

And this little outfit is too cute! There are outfits that are military related. Very cute. Along with a police officer and fireman one!

If you want to win one of these cute outfits go to Boutique Stitches and register right away! Every little girl would love to dance around in their very own tutu! ♥Anna Marie♥

Lil Lady Bows Strawberry Chocolate Headband w/Matching Bow GIVEAWAY

Boutique Stitches is hosting a giveaway. Lil Lady Bows is giving a headband and a bow as the prize. I just adore these kinds of bows for Eva. I have never tried a headband on her. But these are super adorable! Liliana has so many cute things in her shop. Look at some of the beautiful stuff she makes.

I just adore this hairpin! This is something that I would wear. Just a little fun to add to your hair.

Aren't these cute? They are Scooby Doo characters made out of ribbon!

And this bracelet. I just adore it! It is very cute. Something you could wear every day.

If you want to sign up for the giveaway, go to Boutique Stitches and sign up! You will not regret it. These are some very cute items! Any little girl would adore this pink bow! ♥Anna Marie♥

Miracles of Pregnancy

Being pregnant is one of the most amazing things ever! I'm serious. The first time I felt Eva move inside my belly, I was so excited. It was a feeling I couldn't quite describe to Joe. When she started to really move and kick, Joe got to experience it too! I can still remember how excited he got. The look in his eyes when he felt Eva kick.

But the miracles of pregnancy are amazing. You feel your baby growing inside of you. You can feel them doing flips. They kick. Heck, Emma likes to grab onto my ribs. But they are amazing feelings nonetheless. Even on the days when the kick to no end. Or won't let you sleep. You just feel all of these amazing things going on inside your body.

There are other miracles that happen. There is the ever expanding belly. One day, you just wake up to a belly. With no real warning, you just wake up one morning, and your belly has grown. Or like Joe says, the bun has popped! Yes, both times that I have been pregnant, I just woke up one morning, and I had my bump. It still surprises me that I could go to bed and there not be anything there. But when I wake up, I have my belly.

There are also the funny and weird cravings you get. The kind that you can't describe or understand. Like how one day you want to eat an entire jar of pickles. And the next day, you can't stand the smell of them. Maybe there is a craving for Sonic corn dogs. Yes, you go every single day. Then you feel sick when you just see the Sonic logo. That happens. For the first few months, I hated the smell of eggs cooking. That put a major damper on my husband's mornings. He likes to eat eggs for breakfast.

But he dealt with me. He helped me through the horrible morning sickness too. The kind that would leave me hugging the toilet for dear life. Joe would hold my hair back. He would slowly rub circles on my back. Just letting me know he was there for me. Let me tell you, I feel very blessed to have the husband that I have.

Through it all, being pregnant is a miracle. It is one of those things that I cannot fully describe. You just have to feel it, to understand it. I would go through months and months of morning sickness if I had to. Anything to ensure I would have a healthy, pink baby after 9 months. Those are the miracles of pregnancy.

Like the first time you hear your baby's heartbeat. Or the first time you get to see them during an ultrasound. Those are moments you will never forget. Just like I will never forget the 1st time I held Eva. That beautiful pink face. She left me speechless. Even with all the baby goop all over her, she was still the most gorgeous baby I have ever seen! To just think, Joe and I made this beautiful baby. And she grew for 9 months inside me, that in and of itself, is a miracle. I can't wait to hold Emma Grace. ♥Anna Marie♥

What a Week!

It feels like this week is never going to stop! We had the big birthday party last weekend. My primos Gabe and Linda were in town visiting. And we had other friends that were here for a few days visiting too! All of that just beat me down. I have little to no energy left. This pregnancy is kicking my butt!

But then, Joe surprised me with tickets to go see Brad Paisley. I couldn't turn him down! So Thursday, we made the 3 and 1/2 hour trip north, to go see the concert. Surprisingly, a lot of our friends and family went to the show. We were worried about the weather. It had been raining all day long! But we pushed on. Joe rented us a nice room nearby. And all of us decided to go have some good BBQ before the show. We went to Quarter's. Hello! That is some good food!

On the way to the concert, it was still raining. And I was really starting to worry. But as we sat in traffic, trying to get into the venue, the rain stopped. The air was cool. But it was nice. The concert was so good! If you haven't seen Brad Paisley perform live, you should! He is a really good live performer! :) This is about the 4 or 5 time we have seen him live.

We stayed the night. And yesterday, in the early afternoon, we made our way home. I think we might have been home for a half an hour. Maybe. Just enough time to get Eva ready. And to drop all of our bags off. But Joe and the band were performing at the rodeo last night. An hour south of were we live. Both the rodeo and the show were amazing!

In fact, tonight and tomorrow night, we are going to the rodeo and the band is performing. It is a real honor for them. These are the type of things that I enjoyed as a kid. The rodeo. We used to go as much as we could. I would get to buy Red Vines and a Coke. And we would watch the rodeo for hours! Joe used to compete in the rodeos too! Yes, my husband was a bull riding, crazy horse bucking, cowboy! But I love him all the same!

Our weekend is jam packed with things. I just have to remind myself, we can sleep all day Monday. I just have to make it to Monday! But these are the fun things in our life. And I have to enjoy them. Because soon enough, we will have a baby. And we won't be getting out of the house much! ♥Anna Marie♥

Friday Fill-ins

1. My car is in the garage at home.

2. The rodeo is coming up next.

3. Lately, things seem to take a lot more effort to complete.

4. My bathtub is one of my favorite 'hiding' places.

5. What happened to letting the pregnant lady rest?

6. Traveling at 8 1/2 months pregnant is not impossible!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to the rodeo, tomorrow my plans include watching Joe perform and Sunday, I want to sleep! ♥Anna Marie♥

Emma's Godparents

Joe and I take these things very seriously. Godparents are very special. Especially to our children. And in our traditions. We went the traditional route with Eva. My parents are her godparents. When I got pregnant for the 2nd time, we tried to think of good godparents for our 2nd baby. We decided if the baby was a boy, Joe's parents would baptise him. If our baby was a girl, we would pick some friends. Or maybe someone else in our family. We even thought about my cousin Gabe and his wife Linda.

Our dear friend Lola, she works in the hospital where I'm going to have Emma. She's an intern. And works with my doctor part time. The rest of the time, she works with the pediatric units. For our 1st ultrasound, she got to do it. We were thrilled. She even made Eva a small baby carriage thing. She crocheted it and put a small baby doll in there. Lola made sure to include Eva in the entire process. Eva was so excited when Lola had her help "find the baby."

Then when we were going to find out the sex of our baby, Lola happened to be working with our doctor again. It was fate! He let her do the ultrasound. And Lola gave us the amazing news, that we were having another baby girl! Joe and I were thrilled! And we were so excited to get to share this experience with our dear friend.

That night, Joe and I sat and thought about it. Who would we like to be Emma's godparents? We thought about Gabe and Linda. We love them so much. But they are touring the world, literally. Gabe is in a professional mariachi. And we are not sure when they will return. And we really want for our baby's godparents to be active in her life. Joe really wanted his cousin to be Emma's godfather. But he is single. We needed to find a godmother for Emma.

Lola loves with all her heart. She gives of her entire soul. And I couldn't think of a better woman, that I would trust with my daughter. There is not a better woman out there, that could be a better role model, for our daughter. It is crazy how obvious the decision was. But how it took us a while to figure it all out.

Emma's godparents are 2 very amazing people from our lives. Miguel is someone that Joe grew up with. They have been through so much, in their lives together. Joe respects and loves Miguel like a brother. There has never been a time in their lives, when they could not depend or rely on one another. And Lola, well I can't say enough good things about her. She really does represent every good thing in life. She is truly a woman that loves, and acts on love. We would be honored for Emma to have both Miguel and Lola as role models.

People have told us, time and time again, that the people we choose to be Emma's godparents will be honored to take on that responsibility. But Joe and I, are honored that they have agreed to love our daughter as much as we already do. To see how excited they both were when we asked them, that alone, let us know that they were the perfect godparents. God has sent them into our lives for a reason. To love our daughter, Emma. ♥Anna Marie♥

He's a Great Daddy!

My husband is a really good dad! I am not joking. I always knew he would be a good dad. When we were teenagers, we would sit and talk about having kids one day. We would sit and talk about how many babies we wanted. Who they would look like. And what kind of fun things we would do as a family. I would watch how good he was with all these kids. In some ways, I think that is what made me fall more in love with him. The love and patients he had with kids. And when I freaked out during my first pregnancy, he calmed me down. He assured me that we were going to be great parents. I'm glad he had all this confidence. Because I was freaking out.

But over the last 2 days, Joe has just showed me why I love him so much! We were listening to the radio. Eva is really into the oldies right now. It cracks me up. There are certain songs that she knows the words to, or just likes to dance to. Joe was working on some paperwork. I was playing with Eva and trying to email my mom some pictures. The song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" came on the radio. Eva just lit up!

She started dancing. She knows part of the chorus. And was singing away. She got Joe to put on her pink boa and some pink sunglasses. They danced around the den. He had her laughing hysterically! Let me tell you, it takes a real man to do that. Joe was just so into making Eva happy. The danced and goofed off until it was bedtime.

And tonight, Eva was trying to convince her daddy that she should sleep in the "Big Bed." That's our bed. As much as she has her daddy wrapped around her little finger, it just isn't working. He did make a deal with her. Joe agreed to read her 3 books if she would sleep in her bed. Our dogs, Jack and Jill will also sleep in her room. :)

Joe is such a good daddy. He is so patient with Eva. No matter what is going on. The 2 of them will sit for hours figuring something out. Like when we bought her this dollhouse for toddlers. The 2 of them sat there putting it together. She is always at his side, helping her daddy. Or sitting in his lap watching him work. I can't help but get all teary eyed when I walk into a room and see them sitting next to each other, staring at some project. Just the 2 of them in their own little world.

I know that I am very lucky. Not all men are like Joe. He prefers to be home with us. Every night, we eat dinner together. We spend time together as a family. Playing with Eva, reading books, or watching some cartoon. My husband isn't afraid to put a frilly hat on his head, to get a smile out of his daughter. And I enjoy the fact that we put her to bed together. Joe is an amazing daddy. ♥Anna Marie♥

Marissa's Birthday Party

Yesterday, we went to Marissa's 4th Birthday party. She isn't your typical 4 year old. Not at all. She is 4 going on 40! Her birthday party needed to reflect that too! The girl is IN LOVE with a NASCAR driver who in fact, I would say is even older than myself. She just had to have a Dale Jr. Birthday party. No lie!!!

Marissa is so girly. She is always in a dress. ALWAYS! Marissa is in folklorico dancing. And she goes to pre-school. She also started violin lessons this past summer. Such a girl! But she acts a lot older that she is. But not in a bad way. She is a good big sister to her younger sisters. Marissa is definitely a hoot though!

We got to the party, and she was in her frilly pink dress. Ready to have some fun! The party was all too cute. Pink balloons everywhere! But as prevalent as the pink balloons and cute #4's were, there were tons of #88 balloons and these little NASCAR cars. Ya, she has a HUGE love for NASCAR. To the point, she left us to go change into her race outfit and watch the race. Until her "boyfriend" wrecked. hehe

But the party was a blast! Her parents both played in a mariachi group years ago. My primo Gabe, actually played in the group with them. And when they left the group, Lola took Sals place in the group. David still plays from time to time. But most of their very close friends still play mariachi. After we ate, which was amazing! Mems cooked all the food. Real authentic comida! All of these musicians played. Played and sang mariachi. For hours! It was so much fun. Because that is the music that I grew up around.

There was a pinata. 2 actually. 1 was of Dale Jr. But that is just for Marissa to look at. Sals told me that Marissa is planning on putting it in her room. Um, next to her life size posters of him? I guess. The other was a #88 car. That's the one that the kids got to bust open. And was it loaded! It made me wish that I was a kid. Or an adult that wasn't afraid to fall over because of my ever expanding belly! There was so much good candy. And wait for it...money!

We stayed very late. So late that Eva fell asleep. That was after hours and hours of dancing to the music. All the little kids danced around. We got to listen to the group play and Lola sing. This was one of my favorite kid parties ever! The food was amazing, the entertainment was incredible, the food was so yummy! In fact, I'm thinking about the big slice of birthday cake that is on our counter! :) ♥Anna Marie♥

The Cheese Kid

Eva is on this kick. She just wants to eat cheese. And not just any cheese. The cheddar cheese slices. You know the kind. Ya, that's all she wants to eat. We have to limit her. For snack, she will have 2 slices with either grapes or some kind of veggie, and crackers. But she just wants the cheese. Yesterday, she was not thrilled with me telling her no. She tried to open the fridge. By the way, she is only 19 months old. I think we might have a problem here. Even Joe has to sit and talk to her. I probably should sit and talk to Lola about it. This is actually her specialty. Nutrition, kids, etc.

Does anyone else have this problem? Eva is not a picky eater. She will eat whatever we give her. But she just wants to eat cheese all the time. And I mean, all the time! But it has to be those weird colored cheese slices. Hmm, I guess some things will just always have me stumped! ♥Anna Marie♥

Friday Fill-ins

1. That's a crazy place to be.

2. Hey you; I'm over here!

3. The possibilities include: apple, orange, or grape.

4. Beef stew is one of my favorite cool day recipes.

5. How will you know when it gets there.

6. She drew a picture of rain and a stormy sky.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with my family, tomorrow my plans include Marissa's birthday party and Sunday, I want to have fun! ♥Anna Marie♥

September 11th

Today is September 11th. 8 years have passed. And the emotions are still raw. I guess I will never forget that morning. The morning when our world starting crashing down around us. Joe and I were getting ready. I had a big exam later that day. Which was strange. We had only been in school for a little over 2 weeks. Joe was trying to get out of the house. He was running late that morning.

I had the news on. As usual, I was sitting at my vanity trying to put my makeup on. Only halfway paying attention to the local AM news. I don't remember what the stories were that day. But I do remember when GMA began and immediately cut into the footage of the Twin Towers. Joe had just walked into our bedroom to kiss me goodbye. He was talking about what time he would be home. Then he just stopped. I looked up, and saw the 2nd plane hit the 2nd tower.

How can you forget that? We sat there together watching the TV. The reporters were almost as stunned as we were. What could we do? I remember sitting there with Joe. He held me. And for hours, we sat like that watching the coverage. Our university had cancelled classes until further notice. J called Joe to tell him that they had the animals taken care of at school. And you could hear the fighter jets all day. We have 2 military bases nearby. The jets kept flying around. At one point, we went outside. And the National Guard helicopters were flying very low to the ground. We felt like we were in the middle of a war zone.

Every year, that feeling comes back. No matter how much time passes. It comes back. That feeling of helplessness and fear. And then, I think of all those people who lost their lives that day. And the brave souls that have lost their lives since, fighting for our freedom. Today is a day to truly honor all of those people we have lost. One day, I will share my story with my kids. We will pull out the videos of the coverage. And we will talk about 9/11.

But today, it is the day to honor all of those brave souls. It is a day to say Thank You to our military. We are lucky enough to live near 2 bases. And we have many friends who are serving and defending our country. Today is a day to Thank them and remember what they do. We are going to proudly wear our yellow ribbons. We are going to sit as a family and watch the coverage. And remember the amazing people that were taken from us. Because we will never forget! ♥Anna Marie♥

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Today, the rain just came. And it came in buckets. There was no real warning. My friend Violet came to visit. She went to college with us. And now lives in Texas. We decided to do a little shopping at Target. Have a little fun, like we did, when we were still in school. Eva was just excited to go. Violet is just stunning. And Eva just adores spending time with her.

So as soon as Eva woke up from her nap, we were gone. Scott, Violet's boyfriend, stayed with Joe and the guys. They were all hanging out together at J's house. It's the usual place for the guys. Violet and I didn't care. We were in need of some shopping. And Target was screaming our names!

The 3 of us cruised up and down all the aisles. We spent a good hour in the clothing. Eva tried on every pair of shoes. And we finally made our way to the registers. With a basket full of stuff! Because you can't just go look when you are at Target. At least, that is what I tell Joe. As Violet and I were talking, we heard this huge crash of thunder. The kind that shakes the entire building. Yup, that kind!

Our wait in line got a little longer. Because all the registers went out. But it was no big deal. The manager was actually really nice to us. She let us open up Eva's doll for her. And Eva was content to play with her doll. In the basket of course. One of the workers even brought me a chair. They were really sweet to us. I guess the great big pregnant lady just screamed, have some mercy on me!

Eventually, things got working again. And we checked out. But there was no way we were going to battle that rain. When it rains here, it really rains! The rain was just pounding the pavement. You could see it gushing down the streets. As we watched people trying to leave the store, the water was at least knee high. No way was I going to try and battle through that. Hello?!?!?! Clumsy pregnant lady here! And I would have to get Eva through that too!

Violet and I decided to stay inside. We got a seat at the snack bar. And we ordered some Icees and popcorn. Don't you just love Target's popcorn? I do! We ate and talked. Eva and Violet played with Eva's new doll and play food. They were having a blast. Eva was not scared or anything! Later, Joe tells me, "That's my girl! Just like her dad."

Joe calls me all stressed out. Until I assure him we are safe inside. Eating and watching all the other people try to battle the storm. We were already planning to eat at Applebee's. Which is on the opposite end of the parking lot. So Violet and I weren't worried. Eventually, the rain would have to let up. But our shopping trip did get cut a little short. We never made it to the mall.

After about an hour, the rain started to let up. The parking lot looked like a lake. Maybe more like a raging river. We sat and waited. The Target employees were also watching. And just after 5PM, the water had gone down quite a bit. Enough that we could make it to the car. And across the parking lot to Applebee's.

Eva proudly told Joe and Scott about how she wasn't scared of the water. Or when the lights went out. But that there was a little boy that cried and cried. She can be such a character at times! Scott bought her a dessert shooter after dinner. For being such a big girl. And not crying like that boy did!

Here it is, after 10PM, and it is raining again! This was supposed to happen in August. By now, we usually don't have rain like this anymore. But what can we do? Just live with it. And know, that you cannot fight the ragging waters. You just have to sit and let them do their thing. A new baby doll, some popcorn, and a good friend also help to pass the time. ♥Anna Marie♥

She's a Star! His Star!

Tonight Eva and I came to rehearsal with Joe. The band is preparing for a gig in NC. They will be gone from October 13th-20th. Then, they go to Las Vegas October 27th- November 10th. They have to practice. And lately, well they haven't had much of a chance. Between the guys going back and forth to Texas and Lola's work schedule, well it has been complicated.

Tonight was practice. Their boss came to watch. He is actually performing a couple of songs with them. And let me tell you, he has got the hots for Miss Lola! Yes. He. Does! Even if she doesn't believe us. But we can all see it! Including the boys!

Tonight we got to J's right on time. Manders and Lauren were there too. Of course, the guys have to eat first! Lola usually cooks for the band. But today she had to work at the hospital. And Lola was running late. All of us were just hanging around, eating and laughing. Lauren and Eva were keeping J entertained. He was showing them around. They were feeding carrots to the horses. Fatting up the pigs. You know, the fun stuff.

And it was getting later, and later. Mems finally called Lola. She was on her way. Just a little late. You know, they had had an important surgery. Then she had to do something else. Before we knew it, we hearing the click clack of her high heels. She was running in. In a red dress, stilettos, hair done, makeup on, looking beautiful! How the heck does she do that? She works 18 hour shifts and can still look like that. I can barely waddle from the house to the car. And I don't work.

All at once, all eyes were on Lola. I could have sworn, Mr. Blue Eyes himself almost passed out. All the guys started teasing her. Pete was hooting and hollering. Mr. Blue Eyes, well he didn't move. He also couldn't stop staring at the beautiful lady. :)

J was drooling too! We all know that he is head over heels for her. I think if she showed the slightest of interest, well who knows, they would probably be married! No lie! Mr . Blue Eyes had this smile pasted on his face. And before I knew it, Lola had a plate of food in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other. Sitting on the sofa eating, with Mr. Blue Eyes right next to her. It was like in the cartoons, I could see the hearts floating out between them.

Lola was tired. I could tell. But they got to practicing. And before you knew it, Mr. Blue Eyes and her were singing. Mems had them sitting face to face in chairs. And they were singing "I Need You." The Tim McGraw and Faith Hill duet. Mems is all about getting into the character of the song. They were inches away from each other. Joe was playing the guitar. That was it. It was like watching magic! By the end of the song, I swear they were even closer to each other. Mr. Blue Eyes had one hand one of her knees. The other was wrapped around Lola's hand. They were just feeling it. Every word came from the heart. From the soul. The entire mood of the room changed. I think the guys are finally seeing what Manders and I have been seeing for a while now. When Lola sang the lyric, "Make love until the sun comes up, and goes down again," I swear, you could hear a pin drop. In this group, that is saying something. They are always loud. But you couldn't help but literally feel the words as they were coming.

After an hour of practicing, the group took a break. Lola and Manders were talking about clothes they needed to order. Mr. Blue Eyes had his eye on what they were looking at. A couple of times Lola asked him his opinion. Nothing too big. But still, for Lola, that is a HUGE step!

They went back to practicing. I couldn't tell you how long they practiced for. Because Manders and I were taking care of our sleeping girls by then. But during the next break, Lola went to sit down. Before we knew it, she was asleep. Leaning into Mr. Blue Eyes. He had his arm draped around her. Now tell me that they are not a couple. I wouldn't believe it. The fit together like to puzzle pieces. Like they had been a couple for years! For about an hour, they just sat like that. The guys were all talking about a hunting trip. And Lola slept. Mr. Blue Eyes holding her.

Yes, Lola may be quiet. She may be very independent woman. But I think she is getting to that point, were she needs and wants a man in her life. A man that is going to love her. One that is going to notice when she walks into a room. For all the right reasons, because she is an amazing woman. Inside and out. She needs and deserves a man that is going to love her. That is going to see past the makeup and clothes. Past the performer on the stage. Past the brilliant woman that she is. And see the love that she has inside her soul.

I will leave you with the video to "I Need You." It is one of my favorite songs. It came out at a time when I really needed my husband in my life. I needed him. I needed him almost as much as I need oxygen to live. And I know what this song means to us. But I think tonight, we saw what it means to a couple that need each other, even more than they individual know. ♥Anna Marie♥

Friday Fill-ins

1. I feel blessed.

2. Spending time with Eva is always fun.

3. Right now, I can hear these things: the radio, Eva breathing (she's asleep), and our dogs snoring.

4. Eva asked about Emma and I'm glad she is curious and loving.

5. The last time I could see my feet was I don't remember when.

6. Who knows what we will do this Labor day weekend.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with Eva and Joe, tomorrow my plans include buying lots of green chili and Sunday, I want to eat a big bowl of ice cream! ♥Anna Marie♥