Friday Favorites

To say it's been awhile since I've posted Friday Favorites is an understatement. I haven't completely given up on these posts, but my blogging took a slump in the first trimester with this baby. Hopefully, they will make a comeback in the coming weeks.

5. Birthday Parties
I love celebrations and birthdays are definitely a reason to celebrate. Our friend Al celebrated his 30th birthday last week and this weekend we will be celebrating with him. It's been awhile since we've had a chance to hang out. Living in California made it difficult to see all of our friends because our family took a presedence. Now that we are back in Texas, we have opportunities to see our friends and make their birthday celebrations. Also, Happy Birthday to Jill! She is Mason's Godmother and a very dear friend and she is celebrating her birthday today. We will miss seeing her this weekend.

4. Babysitters.
I made a little career out of babysitting when I was younger. Looking back, I'm surprised that parents left their young children with me, when I was only 10. Thankfully, they trusted me and my parents did a great job at teaching me responsibility and I was able to have several clients. There wasn't a weekend I wasn't babysitting atleast one night.

It was hard to find babysitters in California. All of our friends had kids the same age and we usually did things together. Since we were the only ones that didn't have family in Bakersfield, it was hard for us to find a sitter. We finally found a gal we loved and the kids adored having her come over.

We had to start the search all over again when we moved back to Texas. Thankfully, one of my old biblestudy girls recommended a friend of hers. It's made the process much easier and I met with our new summer babysitter this week. She's a sweetheart and the kids took to her right away.

3. Conversations between the kids.
T - I want to go to Aunt Stina's house.
M - No, Santa lives in the North Pole.
T - Aunt Stina doesn't live in the North Pole, she lives in Katy.

2. Summer Fun.
Our best friends in Bakersfield have planned a trip to visit us in Ft Worth this summer. We can't wait to see them, especially the kids. We both consider ourselves extended family of each others families. It can't come soon enough. Hope they still want to visit after coming during the hottest time of the summer.

In less than a month, we will be revisiting our favorite little spot in Leakey, Tx. This time there will be a few more people and Adam gets to join us. Our family has been looking forward to this week for several months.

1. Sonogram. 
Wednesday afternoon, we will find out if Baby #3 is a boy or girl. We are so excited to know. It's going to be an exciting week!.

Friday Favorites

To say that it has been awhile would be an understatement. I'll blame it on the chaos that has circled our family for the past month (really longer).

5. House Hunters.
We love this show. It always fascinates me to learn about the different housing markets all over the U.S. and to see if we pick the same house the buyers do. We have spent the last week looking at houses. Some have been fantastic, while others I would declare a war zone. I don't get why people trash foreclosures or why the who ever is listing the property doesn't spruce it up before showing the house.

4. Tex Mex. I didn't take this picture, but it about sums up the deliciousness that is called Tex Mex! You really can't come to Texas and not eat Mexican food. Since arriving back in Texas, we have eaten Mexican Food twice.

3. The Polar Express.

Whether it's the book or the movie, we love The Polar Express at our house. It could have something to do with my son's fascination with trains. It warms my heart. Next weekend, we plan on riding The North Pole Express in Grapevine. I've heard rave reviews from friends and can't wait to get on the train. It will be a first for everyone.

2. Christmas Cards.
Call me sentimental, but I love getting Christmas cards and looking at all the family pictures.

1. Having my husband home every night.
It's wonderful! Everyone looks forward to Daddy walking through the door at the end of his work day and eating dinner together as a family every night.

Friday Favorites

Is it already Friday? This week flew by in our house and it's only going to get worse as the month progresses. Lots going on at the Kaye house.

5. Deep Fried Paradise.
This is completely opposite of eating clean, but so enticing. Last night I watched Deep Fried Paradise on the Travel Channel. Not a smart move at night. All I could think about were deep fried pickles. Might sound weird, but oh so delicious, especially dipped in ranch.

4. Birthday's.
I was amazed at how many people celebrate their birthday on October 14th. It's a special day in my family, thanks to my wonderful Dad. For the past couple of years we haven't been able to celebrate with him, but next year is a big one and I wouldn't miss it for anything. Also I have three friends whose children were born on the 14th.

3. Date with Taylor.
Tonight, Mason is going to his friend Braden's birthday party. It's his first drop off birthday party. We were invited to stay, however, we are taking advantage of our one on one time with Taylor. The last time Adam & I were alone with Taylor was the day she was born. We are long overdue for some Taylor time.

2. Dear Santa.
Mason is at the stage where he wants everything. I'm not a fan of this stage, but at least Christmas isn't too far off. After he kept asking over and over for a certain toy. I explained that we should write a letter to Santa. So we got out a piece of paper and started writing his letter. It's his first and I will be holding onto this forever.

1. Mason's appetite.
Wednesday, Mason woke up with a huge appetite. He ate 5 strawberry waffles at breakfast. Two hours later had a PBJ. For lunch he ate a grilled cheese and grapes. Snack - an apple. Dinner included Pizza. Can we say growth spurt!

Friday Favorites

5. Sophronizo.

This is Greek for to teach or admonish. Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a gathering at our church for the young single and married women of the church. Some of the older, Godly women kindly agreed to answer some of our questions on life, relationships, parenting, and marriage. If I had to guess, there were about 70 to 80 people. It was so refreshing and ministered to my heart in so many ways.

4. Cooking.

Now that I'm eating clean, I'm having to experiment with spices and create new recipes.Before, I wouldn't get too adventurous, but now I have more confidence. Besides, if it doesn't taste good, just try again.

3. Pumpkins.

With fall, especially the month of October, there are many different uses for Pumpkin. I like them all. Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Pumpkin Scented Candles, Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Patches, Pumpkin Spice Muffins, and Pumpkin Pie.

2. Answer to Prayers.

Explain more on that later.

1. Adam.

I'm so thankful for my husband. He encourages me and supports me when I need it the most. Our kids adore their Daddy and he is terrific father to them. I am so blessed! I love you, babe!

Friday Favorites

Sorry for the late Friday Favorites post, however, I'm finally able to get around to it. This has been a great week all around. Pictures will have to wait until next time, however, be sure to check back next week because we took a ton of pictures this week.

5. Pink's Hot Dogs.

I don't usually go anywhere to eat hot dogs. If I'm in the mood for a hot dog, I will grill them at home. However, there are two exceptions to this. First, James Coney Island in Houston. Seriously, love their hot dogs. Second, Pink's Hot Dogs. If you have ever watched Travel Channel's favorite eating spots, when it comes to hot dogs, this is on the list as one of L.A.'s favorite establishments. Today, I finally had a chance to taste one and it was worth every bite.

4. Mason's 100%.

They told us it would take about a week to recover from the surgery and they weren't kidding. It wasn't until Tuesday that he was finally back to his old self. You could tell because he kept asking to eat. The poor boy was starving and couldn't wait for each meal. It was joy to watch him eat without grimacing. On top of that, he is sleeping for 12 straight hours at night.

3. Free tickets.

We were offered free tickets to Disneyland and California Adventure. It was completely unexpected and a nice surprise. This time, Adam is going with us.

2. Eat Clean.

A friend of mine mentioned she was "eating clean" and I was curious as to what this meant. After talking with her and reading the books, I'm on my journey to eating clean as well.

1. Family time.

I've mentioned how chaotic it has been since we came back from Houston. Things are finally starting to slow down for a bit. It has allowed for some great family time and as the kids are getting older and experiencing new things, it has been wonderful to see the changes and grow as a family.

Friday Favorites

5. Nutella.

A few weeks ago, one of the stores I shop at had Nutella on sale and I decided it was time for me to try it. I opened it up for the first time this week and oh my word, delicious. It's a good thing I didn't discover this when I was pregnant with Taylor, otherwise I would have gained way more weight with my sweet tooth cravings.

4. Extra help around the house.

I had two extra hands during the week to help out, Adam and his mom. Adam travels frequently, but due to Mason's surgery, he has been home this week helping with his recovery. Adam's mom, Nancy, arrived last Saturday and it's been great having her here with us. The kids love spending time with their grandma and when Mason just wants Mommy, it's nice having extra hands to help with Taylor and play with her, so she doesn't feel left out.

3. Fall Show Season Premieres.

This week, a lot of our shows had their season premieres. I'm thankful for DVR. It's nice being able to watch them on your own time. Remember the days of VHS tapes? I might still have a couple of VHS tapes of Dawson Creek episodes I recorded.

2. Mason's recovery.

I think I'm still in shock at how well Mason is recovering. He still has his rough spots and his throat is still raw, but he is so tough and is bouncing back quicker than we could have ever imagined.

1. Brother/Sister Love.

The other day the kids were in the stroller when Mason wanted ice cream. He really wanted to hold it, but we knew that Taylor would want some too. I decided to go ahead and let him hold it. He took one bite and then got another one ready on his spoon and said, "Here you go, Taylor." Every time he took a bite, he offered one to his sister without us having to ask. It's moments like that when I smile and thank God for such loving children.

Friday Favorites

I would love to hear what your top 5 favorite moments of the week are or you can also do your top 5 current favorite things or mix. Feel free to join along.





5. Pumpkin Spice Latte.

The return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte brings a smile to my face. My typical coffee drink consists of coffee made at my house with one of my favorite Coffee Mate Creamers. So when I do on the rare case order something, this is it.

4. Organization.

It's no surprise that I'm a bit of a neat freak and like my stuff to be organized. This week I started my annual Fall Cleaning. It was time to organize, sort and purge things that I no longer use. There is something so refreshing about this.

3. Replacing pictures.

I hate to admit this, but we have only had professional portraits done of our family once. If I were given the chance, I would have them done all the time, especially of our kids. The pictures hanging on one of our walls in the living room were taken when I was 23 weeks pregnant with Taylor and Mason wasn't even a year and a half yet. We still haven't taken professional shots since then, but at least I updated the pictures.

Also, I'm not a fan of studio photographers. The only time we went as a family it was to a studio photographer and it was a stressful and unpleasant experience. Adam & I both are in agreement that next time we want more candid shots and someone we know to photograph our family

2. Fall Clothes.
I thought about posting pictures here, but there would be too many to post. I love Fall clothes. Sweaters, boots, scarves, I could go on.

1. Grandma's Visit.
It hasn't happened yet, but Adam's mom is arriving tomorrow and will be staying with us for a week. We asked if she would come in and help us out the week of Mason's surgery. Thankfully, she was able to get the time off of work and we couldn't be more excited. The kids are so excited about having her all to themselves and it will be her first visit out here to see us. Btw, Mason's surgery is scheduled for Monday morning. Please keep him in your prayers.

Friday Favorites

5. Mason & Taylor.
Adam & I both like the idea of our kids being close in age. For us, there are many benefits to this. For instance, they are the best of friends. Sure they have their brother/sister moments, but for the most part, they love playing with each other. Now that Taylor is running around the house and super verbal, the two will play in their rooms together. As a mom, one of my favorite moments occurred on the way home from the gym yesterday. Mason reached over and grabbed Taylor's hand. They held hands the entire way home and everyone in the car had huge grins on their faces.

4. Shape, Self, Fitness, and Women's Health Magazines.
I would rather read one of these magazines any day over a gossip magazine. There are so many insightful stories, tips and recipes that I find helpful. My goal is to be healthy, inside and out.

3. Fall Season.
While we are still experiencing 110 degree temps this week in Bakersfield, knowing that Fall is right around the corner excites me. With that comes fall clothes, which I love. That also means Football. College Football is my favorite, but I do play in a Fantasy Football league with all guys. Also the start of the new season for our shows. I'm an Office fan and can't wait to see what Michael's last year will be like.

2. New Biblestudy.
I'm trying to decide on a new biblestudy. Any suggestions?

1. Date Night.
Our friend Jayme is celebrating her birthday this weekend. We have a babysitter and that means an evening out to dinner with our closest friends and no interruptions. To say that I'm excited is an understatement.

Friday Favorites

We arrived back from Leakey, Tx Sunday and have been on the go since. Tuesday we left bright and early to fly back to California and due to packed flights, my mom was able to stay the night with us before leaving to head back to Houston on Wednesday. It is never easy saying goodbye and I usually have to fight back tears every time. It's harder with the kids not understanding why they can't see all of their family. Taylor is constantly asking "Where's Mimi?" Instead of a huge update, I'll make it simple today and just give my Friday Favorites.

5. My mom flying back with me to California.
When I flew home in May, I swore I would never fly by myself with the kids again. Kuddos to all the moms that can do it, but it's hard work and even harder when you have one that wants to use the potty and the other one is asleep in your arms.

My mom was kind enough to fly back with us and help me out. She was such a huge help on the plane and at one point both kids were asleep in our laps. We were able to enjoy some peace and quiet and it made flying a lot easier.

4. Brother/Sister time.
The main reason I spent such a long time in Houston this past summer was to help my parents out by staying home with my brother while they were at work. I jumped on the opportunity since we haven't had as much time to spend together. You would never know that we weren't blood related if you heard us talking. It's a true brother/sister relationship.

The best part of the trip was one of the last nights I was home. Kris and I stayed up talking and sharing stories and life experiences. For me, it helped me realize where he was coming from and treasure our relationship that much more.

3. Mooney Family.
Tuesday night, our good friends Ray & Marissa came over for a bit with the kids. Mason & Taylor were so excited to see the kids. It had been way too long since I saw Marissa and it was so nice to catch up with friends.

2. Brad & Jill.
Our good friends Brad & Jill were in Katy last weekend for Jill's first baby shower. I was supposed to make it, but we ended up staying a day later at the river. Sunday evening, they came over to my parents house after we got back in town. It had been a year since we saw them last. Taylor gave Brad kisses right away and Mason loved playing with his Toy Story magnets they gave him. I just wish we could have visited longer and Adam was there too. I got some great pics, so I'll post them soon.

1. We're home.
After being gone for a little over 7 weeks, it's good to be home. Mason has been asking to go to his house a lot this summer. When we pulled on our street, he could hardly contain his excitement. When we walked in the house, he ran in with his arms in the air and screamed "I'm home!"

Friday Favorites

Now that my allergies seem to be under control, I was able to venture out and do more things this week.



5. New Glasses.

Last week I mentioned that I was going for an eye checkup. It went exactly as I thought it would and overall my vision is good, but I need new reading glasses. My eyes were dilated as I picked out my new glasses, so I had a hard time seeing what I chose. Considering I will only be wearing them when I'm on the computer or reading, I didn't want to spend a ton of money on them. Our vision insurance is great and I only spent $30 for the appointment and glasses. That makes for a happy girl. I get to pick them up today.



4. Handbags.

I love all accessories. One of my favorite accessory stores is none other then Charming Charlie's. We don't have one in Bakersfield, and so when I'm in Houston, I make sure to pay the store a visit. My only problem is I like it all and then convince myself that I don't need anything and leave with nothing. This is a good habit to have, but it drives my husband crazy at times. I seldom ever buy anything for myself.



When we got into town, Taylor had her stomach bug and had an incident of throwing up in my favorite red handbag, while we were at the grocery store. Since then I have been on the look for a new red handbag. I went to Charming Charlie's hoping to find one, but no such luck this time.



Leaving a bit disappointed, I made a stop at Target. I had the evening to myself, and wanted to take advantage of shopping alone. I came across this purse and it was on clearance. It's not red, but that's okay.



3. Pedicures.

When Adam & I were newly married, I would indulge in getting a pedicure every other week. Oh how I miss those days. Unfortunately, it's been since last November since I had a pedicure. This is due making time for it and the fact that I'm not a fan of the Spa Pedicures in California.



The first time I sat down to get a Spa Pedicure in Bakersfield, I left so disappointed. I thought maybe it was just that salon, so I tried another place the next time. Unfortunately, after trying several salons, I can say that it's just not the same. What they consider a Spa Pedicure in Cali seems to be cleaning of the cuticles, polish change and sitting in a fancy chair with your feet in the water bath and a little massage of the feet and legs. May last 30 minutes if you are lucky.



My mom and I were supposed to get pedicures back in May, but we didn't have time. So Wednesday morning, we had appointments at my favorite nail place in Katy. We sat in the chairs, relaxed and were pampered for an hour. So relaxing.


2. Meeting Olympic Speed Skater Chad Hedricks.

During the month of August, Kingsland Baptist hosts family nights on Wednesday evenings. For the first week, they had 5 time medalist Olympic Speed Skater Chad Hedricks speak. He recently accepted Christ as his personal Savior and spoke on how it has changed his life and his way of thinking. Afterwards, we had a chance to meet him. After talking with him and his wife Lynsey, we learned that our daughters were born one day apart. I tried to get a picture with Taylor and Mason, but Mason wasn't in the picture taking mood. This is the best we got.

1. Garner, Tx.

Growing up, I loved to camp. We took several long weekend trips to campgrounds all over the state of Texas. My favorite by far has to be Garner State Park. It's located about 6 hours from Houston and nestled down by the Frio River. I haven't been back in years, but that soon will change.

Next week, we will be going to Leakey, Tx about 9 miles from Garner with my family and some extended family. I can't wait to take the kids and show them all the things I love about it down there.

Friday Favorites

This weeks Friday Favorites are a bit brief. My allergies have flaired up due to the Houston weather, so I'm a little under the weather.

5. Watching Mason & Taylor play together.
The other night I was helping my mom do dishes and I looked into the living room and saw Mason & Taylor going back and forth chasing each other. They were both laughing up a storm and having so much fun together.

4. Eye Appointment.
It has been 10 years since I had my eyes checked. My vision isn't really bad and nothing is blurry, but I strain all the time, which gives me headaches. Trying to find time to get to an eye doctor when I'm home in Bakersfield is impossible, but luckily I can find time to do it while in Houston.

3. Hobby Lobby.
Yesterday, I had some time to kill while waiting to pick up my brother from football camp, so I decided to stop in Hobby Lobby. It's horrible that they don't have one in California. Luckily, you now can purchase online, but it's not the same. My heart skips a beat every time I walk in.

2. Taylor dancing.
Mason has always loved to dance, but not Taylor has really gotten into it. She has some sweet moves and it's pure joy to watch her shake it.

1. "A Heart Like His" by Beth Moore.
I just finished this biblestudy last night and I recommend it to everyone. My heart has been molded and transformed through this journey and it was exactly what I needed for this season in my life.

Friday Favorites

This is the most blogging I have done in one week. It feels like things are finally starting to get back to normal, if that is even possible. This has been a delightful week for many reasons. Here are my tops five favorite moments or things happening this week.

5. Getting my hair trimmed.

Even though my sister is a hair stylist, I'm not that great at getting my hair cut as frequently as I should. This is partly due to the fact that she is the only person that has cut my hair for over 15 years and when I have let someone else cut it(twice), I feel like I'm betraying her. Christina (my sister) completely understands, but I'm loyal.

Even though she was busy, Christina was able to fit me for a long overdue trim. My favorite part of getting my hair done is sitting down to have your hair shampooed. Completely relaxing to me. I tell her all the time that I wish someone would do that for me daily and style my hair.

Last time I was home, I had her order my favorite new shampoo and conditioner, called ENJOY. It's perfect for my hair. I have very fine hair, but a ton of it. Therefore, making it look thick. I haven't colored my hair in several years, but I do style it frequently, and I prefer a hydrating shampoo and conditioner. 4. Adam's vacation.

We have had the pleasure of 10 whole days with Adam. I'm trying to soak it all in, because as soon as Sunday rolls around, he will leave to go back to California and it will be another 5 weeks before we see him again.

3 & 2. Katz Coffee and Bagel Cafe with a friend.

I decided to combine the two since Bagel Cafe is one of my all time fav places to go in Katy and they serve my favorite coffee, Katz Coffee. This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Kathleen for some bagels and coffee. I introduced her to my favorite spot and we enjoyed our breakfast and chatted. The last time I saw her was probably her brother's graduation, but we have kept up with each other through the blogsphere. I brought my camera, but forgot to snap a picture. Since I will be in town for awhile, we hope to meet up again.

2. Eclipse.

Originally, I had tickets for the midnight showing the day it came out, but my plans changed and I had to give away my ticket. This week, I finally had a chance to see the movie. Overall I was pretty pleased with it. My favorite movie thus far. Breaking Dawn was my favorite book in the series, so I think it will top all the other movies.

1. Mason's 3rd Birthday.

July 10, 2007, Mason David Gregory Kaye was born. My little boy is turning three tomorrow and he can hardly contain his excitement. Last night he was so excited, that he was too wired to fall asleep. We celebrated his birthday with his friends this year and hadn't planned on having a party for him with family, until we got several requests from family members. Tonight we will have a small get together for cake and presents.

Friday Favorites

I realize the day is almost over, but since I am finally home and have a chance to sit down and get online for a bit, I thought I would finally post something.

5. Father's Day.
Adam is a terrific Daddy to Mason & Taylor. I can't even begin to express how much they look up to him and just want to be with him. It makes my heart happy. Even though Sunday has come and gone, we had a great day. After church and some relaxing, we headed over to Ray & Marissa's house to grill and swim. It has become a ritual. We are seriously blessed by our friends.

4. My little brother.
Kris is in town. He came in last Saturday to spend the week with us. It has been so much fun having him around to play with the kids and just spend time with him.

3. My kids.
This past week or couple of weeks have been rough for various reasons, but I adore my children and feel so blessed that God chose me to be their mother.

2. Eclipse.
I originally had tickets to the midnight showing with my girlfriends, but will not be able to make it. However, I cannot wait to see the movie and look forward to getting my Edward fix next week.

1. Houston bound.
Tomorrow, I leave for Houston with the kids and Kris. Adam will join us next week for a much needed vacation, even if he can't stay the entire time. It will be a nice long visit, I don't think I return back to California until mid August. So if you want to meet up, let me know.

Friday Favorites

We made it through another week.Don't worry, I won't bore you with any more details of Mason potty training.

5. Coffee
My giant cup of coffee got me through the week.

4. Twist of Dazzle
I am a huge fan of Etsy.com. I could spend hours upon hours on this site and still not get my fill. I came across this Shop and found the cutest crosses. I love wall crosses and always love adding to my collection. These would look like great in Taylor's room.
3. Mason's parading around the house in his big boy undies.

Seriously, he has the cutest little tooshy.

2. Taylor loves to swim.
I mentioned previously that last Friday, we went over to our friends house to grill and swim. This was Taylor's first time in the pool since last summer. She had the best time and had a smile on her face the entire time. I just love her little swimsuit.

1. Kris is forever little brother!

As of yesterday, the adoption is final. I wish I could have been there for the ceremony and celebration, but my thoughts were with them throughout the day.

Friday Favorites

I'll get right to it.

5. Taylor lifting her shirt to show me her belly button.
She has a new fascination with belly buttons. If I am laying down on the floor, she will come over and lift my shirt and point to my belly button and then proceeds to give me a raspberry on my belly. I love her sense of humor.

4.Toy Story
I knew that Toy Story 3 would be coming out this summer and thought that the first two movies would be fun for Mason to watch. He fell in love right away and wears his Woody hat all the time, but he is a bigger fan of Buzz Lightyear. Due to this new infatuation, we have decided that his birthday party will be Toy Story themed this year. We are inviting our close friends and their kids to watch the Toy Story 3 with us for Mason's birthday. Since we will be in Houston on his actual birthday, we will be having his birthday party early this year the weekend the movie is released.

3. "This is delicious!"
Mason's new phrase. It cracks me up, probably because he started saying this out of nowhere. We could be sitting on the couch and he will be drinking out of his sippy cup and the words will come out of his mouth. Too cute.

2. Short week.
Anytime there is a holiday weekend and Adam has a short work week, it brings joy to my life. I'm sure most people will say that, but I really look forward to it since Adam travels so much. Any extra time I have with my husband and the kids get to be with their Daddy is welcomed.

1. Friends.
May was an incredibly busy month for us and I didn't get to see much of my friends due to traveling and being sick. We are so blessed to have such great friends here, that they are more like family to us.

Friday Favorites

I went from blogging everyday in April, to barely blogging at all in May. It was not the plan, life just got in the way. Isn't that how it always happens? We returned from our trip to Houston this week. We had a fabulous time. If I ever feel like re-living the flight home, which isn't likely, I'll blog about it. I cringe just thinking about it.

Since coming home, we have already been to the doctor once and plan on making another trip today. Taylor woke up with a fever the morning we left Houston but showed no symptoms of anything. When she still had a fever the next day, I decided it was time to take her to the doctor. Turns out she has an ear infection. It's the first time she has ever been sick, so it's a whole new world to me. I didn't feel well the morning we left either and my symptoms have only gotten worse. So I will be paying a visit to the doctor when Adam gets back in town. Not a fun way to start a long weekend.

If you can't really tell, this hasn't been one of my favorite weeks. However, I don't want to end on a bad note. So here is a short list of my favs.

5. Taylor's "Attitude" face.
One day, I'm sure it will get old, but for now, I love it and could see it all the time.

4. Mason asking for his best friend and cousin Connor.
Melts my heart.

3. Returning home to my husband and my bed.
Missed him tons and it's never easy being away from him. As far as the bed goes, it's just nice not having to share my bed with a toddler.

2. The long weekend.
Much needed.

1. Taylor's walking all over the place.
This started a few weeks ago, but I'm just now blogging about it.

Friday Favorites

I'm still alive and in Houston. Originally, the plan was to leave yesterday, but the flights out are super booked leading up to the weekend. Today was no exception, so it looks like we will be flying back to Cali on Tuesday, when the seats are wide open. In case this doesn't make any sense to you, we fly standby since my dad works for Continental.

This week, we had a nice surprise visit from my cousin Taylor. Now that she is done with school and doesn't officially start her new job until September, she has a lot of free time and it is much deserved. She has been working so hard and hasn't had much of a break, let alone a vacation in quite some time. It's been a full house at the Coverston home this week. I have taken a ton of pics, but I have to finish this post before my laptop dies, because I don't feel like going upstairs to plug it in.

5. Watching my nephew Connor play T-Ball.
I had the pleasure of getting to see both of my nephews play baseball. Jared is in more of a competitive league now, but this was Connor's first season. He has a great arm and the facial expressions he makes would make anyone laugh.

4. Watching The Blind Side.
I don't get out to the movie theaters very often, so it was my first time seeing this fantastic movie. If you haven't seen it, it has the best story and a good family watch.

3. Mason's comments.
He says the funniest things and I have no idea where he picks them up. He is quite the entertainer.

2. Extra time with family.
Don't get me wrong, it will be nice to be back at my own house and not have to share a room with the kids, and most of all see my husband. It's been way too long. But I am enjoying every minute I get with our family.

1. Afternoon with Mama.
My mom took this afternoon off and decided to spend it with us. I love nice surprises like this.

Friday Favorites

For some reason, whenever I visit our family in Houston, I always lose track of time. Time flies when you are having fun. I almost forgot it was Friday, until I spoke with Adam this morning. We have been at my parents house since Monday and I think we are finally getting settled in.

5. My dad meeting us at the gate at the IAH.
Since my dad works for Continental, he can meet us at the gate. I miss the days of family and friends waiting for their loved ones when they step off the plane. I'm fortunate that my dad still can. After 6 longs months of not seeing family, we were reunited. That is the longest span we have gone without seeing our family. I shouldn't complain, there are many others that have to wait a lot longer to be reunited with their family.

4. Meeting my brother for the first time.
Since Kris has been home, it seems like something always came up and anytime my parents tried to come out to California for a visit, it didn't work out. He was in the driveway waiting for us when we pulled in the driveway Monday evening. The kids knew exactly who he was, thanks to Skype and the pictures I have at the house.

3. My niece, Faith.
Wednesday evening, we went over to my in-laws to visit. Mason and Taylor had a great time visiting and playing with their cousin. Faith is exactly two weeks younger than Mason. She was a little shy at first, but soon warmed up and gave me lots of hugs and kisses. Her laugh is contagious and I can't help but smile every time she says my name. It's hilarious.

2. Being in Texas.
Seriously, the best state. Surely, I'm not biased.

1. Taylor's Graduation.
My cousin Taylor (who Taylor Reese is named after) is graduating from Texas A&M University this weekend. After 5 long years, she is graduating with her Masters. She was in a program where she completed her Bachelor's and Masters in Business Finance in 5 years. All of her hard work has paid off. I can't wait to celebrate this huge accomplishment with her. Whoop!

Taylor & Taylor Summer 09

Taylor while in Akumal for our girls vacation

Yes, we love making silly faces.

Congrats sweetie!

Friday Favorites

5. Mason's haircut.
Every time Mason's hair grows out and it's time to cut it, we dread it. He hates the process but loves the end result. I think we feel the same. I just love this face!
4. My best friend is in town visiting me this weekend.
She is more like a sister to me and I miss seeing her on a regular basis. I'm so glad she made it out here for a visit. We will have some one on one time this weekend in Santa Barbara and I can't wait.


3. Taylor's many faces.

She will make a ton of faces for the camera, but it's hard to get a smile out of her. The funny thing is, she is one very happy and smiley little girl.

Look at my tongue

I'm not looking at you.

Mama, won't you just stop taking my picture already? Followed by tears.

2. Seeing family next week.

The kids and I are leaving Monday to go home to Houston for about 10 days. We haven't been home since November, so it's long overdue. The main purpose of the trip is to see my cousin graduate from college.

1. Meet my lil brother Kris.

My parents have tried on several occasions to make it out here for a visit, but something always came up where they couldn't make it. Kris joined our family in December and while we have talked on the phone and skyped numerous times, we have yet to meet face to face. I can't wait to give him a hug and have some serious hang out time.