Our 4th Anniversary!

Casey & I celebrated 4 years of marriage on December 29, 2011!  4 years doesn't really feel like a long enough time to fit in everything that Casey & I have accomplished together and all the memories we have made since our wedding day! I mean, goodness, we have been to 3 foreign countries together, had fun on several vacations, gone on mission trips locally and abroad, I got a teaching job & quit that same job to stay home, we bought a house, bought 2 cars, I graduated from A&M, graduate school for both of us, Casey graduated from DTS, and we had a baby!! All of that feels like it could fit into 4 years decades, right?

Anyway, every year Casey and I do something special for our wedding anniversary. This year was quite a bit more low-key since we're on a stricter budget and have a baby at home, but it was still a lot of fun! We went to a bed and breakfast in Austin and stayed for one night. I actually bought the deal on living social a year ago so it was "free" to us (or felt that way). We got there at check in, took a nap (that's what you do when you go away and have a baby at home;), got ready for the night, went to a nice dinner at Maggiano's (we had a gift card!), and then went to a movie and saw War Horse (had another gift card!!). Dinner was nice because they knew it was our anniversary (because they asked if it was a special occasion when we made reservations) so different waiters and waitresses came by several times and told us 'happy anniversary' and after the meal they came out with a little dessert and candle. Very good experience and Casey & I love Maggiano's. The next day we slept in a little, and then had the homemade breakfast prepared for us by the b&b owner. Very good as well. After we got ready and checked out we went to eat lunch with Casey's college friend Lance and his wife Leslie and daughter Gracen! We ate at Mighty Fine Burgers which is owned and started by Rudy's BBQ. It was pretty good! After lunch Casey and I headed to Round Rock Outlet Malls and did a little shopping (it's kind of a tradition that goes along with our anniversary trips since we just got money or gift cards from Christmas:)

I took very few pictures on this trip, but no anniversary post is complete without at least a couple! So here they are! I vow to take more next year on our 5th anniversary :)

Ps… thinking of future anniversary trips reminds me that Casey eventually wants to go on a cruise and I have never really had the desire to go on one…  and I want to go on one even less now that a cruise ship has tumped over in the ocean. Seriously, crazy.

Anyway, back to the pictures…I should have asked someone to take a picture of us so my arm wouldn't be sticking out in all of the pictures of the two of us together… oh well. 

Oh!!! I almost forgot, this year we didn't get each other individual presents, but we got new bedding and lamps for our bedroom (since we got a king this summer we had still been using our queen stuff)! I love it (it's pretty and soft) and we have been having good some good night's sleep! :)

Pictures of our bedding:
yep, that's a lot of pillows!

 And…some pictures that are in our bedroom :)

My nightstand…

Casey's nightstand…  his girls:)

All that to say, we had a good anniversary and look forward to many, many more! :)

Christmas 2011 Recap

Our first Christmas with Sawyer was great. We had a lot of fun with her and she had a great couple of days! No whining and just overall a happy baby! :)

Here is our Christmas in pictures (and a few words)… 

I wrapped our presents a little differently this year--turned out to save a lot of money because that paper is cheap and it comes on a big roll! I also displayed our Christmas cards differently this year and I loved it. Brightened up our kitchen cabinets quite a bit!

Sawyer made a couple of ornaments at playschool this year and we were also given some great ones as well! I think all in all she got 6 new ornaments! haha!

Sawyer got to see pretty much all of her family members this Christmas season! From Great, great, grandparents to Aunts and Uncles and Cousins galore! I wish I had gotten group shots of everyone. Next year that will be my goal ;)

We went to the Christmas Eve service at c|Life and had a good time eating dinner with Casey's parents afterwards. Then we came home and took some pictures before bedtime:) Meanwhile, Casey had on the Santa tracker - haha!

Christmas morning was a lot of fun! We first got up and read the Christmas story together as a family. Then, we looked in our stockings and opened presents! 

Later we went to Mimi & Poppy's house (Casey's parents) and met up with Chris & Stephanie and their clan. We all opened presents there before going over to Great-Grandmother's house for lunch where we gathered with even more family--Casey's Aunt, Uncle, and cousins!

Around 2 we left and went to my Papa Tapp's house--Sawyer's Great, Great-Grandpa!! He is 92 and still going strong! After talking with family there, my immediate family (my mom, grandparents, and uncle, Casey, Sawyer, & myself) left and went to my Momma Sheila's (my grandma) new house! We opened presents there and stayed til about 8pm. After all that we got home, unloaded the car, and went to bed! We usually go see a movie on Christmas night, but not this year--we were too exhausted!

Sawyer's first Christmas was a success and I just know they are going to get better and better as she gets older. She is so much fun! I can't wait to teach her all about the reason for Christmas and the birth of Jesus. Next year I want to get her one of the Fisher Price nativity sets so we can talk about it as she plays with it.

One last picture of me and my favorite man--He'll even put on a silly Santa hat to make me happy:)

I sew! Who Knew?

Over the summer I took a few sewing lessons with Natalie Swartz - http://www.sewcreativegirl.blogspot.com/! At my first lesson I made a pillow for Sawyer's room. My next 2 lessons were spent making bedroom curtains for our room! My next 3 lessons were for making my mom 5 pillows and 2 large window cushions! I've enjoyed sewing and will *hopefully* be getting a sewing machine for Christmas!! :)

Sawyer's pillow :)

Our bedroom curtains!

These look so much better now that we have a king size bed and the nightstands are directly in front of the windows… However, now that we have a king size bed we are going to get new bedding soon (when I find something I like), so that means I will be making new curtains to match! I was never crazy about this material anyway, but I didn't really know what else to buy either!

an Instagram pic!

My mom's window seat and pillows!

I had to hand sew the window seat - which was hard work and my fingers definitely hurt afterward! I even had Casey help me for a little bit and he did a great job! :)

Here's to more sewing in the future!!! ;)

Sawyer's Nursery

We started Sawyer's nursery the day after Christmas - December 26, 2010 and finally finished it in early April! We did several things in this room…we painted it two different colors or pink, put up the chair rail and painted it creme, took down the ceiling fan and put in the chandelier, put the light on a dimmer switch, took a mirror (from Ross) out of it's frame and painted it creme, painted a brass curtain rod creme, repainted and reupholstered the glider and ottoman as well as my old rocking chair from when I was a little girl.

Here are some pictures of Sawyer's room - it's girly and pink for sure! :)

 

  

 

 

Christmas Festivities & Fun

Most of our Christmas festivities started on December 19th with Christmas with my dad's side of the family. Unfortunately I did not take any pictures that day! :( 

We spent Christmas Eve's Eve (the 23rd) with Charlie & Ginni looking at Christmas lights in Highland Park. Our first stop was Starbucks for some hot coffee to take in the car. After getting our coffee we snapped a few pictures by the pretty trees in the parking lot :) I stole these from Ginni!

 

 

 

On Christmas Eve Casey and I went to the service at c|Life and then came back home with my mom and Casey's parents to eat some dessert and hang out a little. Here's our little family (minus our kitty Ella) on Christmas Eve. 

Casey, Lauren, and Sawyer in the belly;) Technically her first Christmas:)

  

Momma & I

Christmas morning! This is the small tree in our living room.

Our mantle and stockings!

Ella's stocking - she got 2 toys:)

Lucy's stocking! She got some treats and a toy:)

 My stocking! Casey got me an awesome iPhone player, Tim McGraw CD, and 2 beanies! :)

 Casey's stocking! He got a cd and a beanie as well! 

Our big tree in the front room!

Casey & I exchanging presents! We love spending this time together on Christmas morning and are excited about our little girl joining in with us next year :)
 

If you're wondering why my photos are not all that great/clear it is because they are ALL taken on my iphone! I haven't had a camera since July (when we got mine wet in Mexico)!! I got one for Christmas though and am so happy about it! I love it. But anyway, that's why all my Christmas pictures are a little on the blurry/dark side.

After opening presents at home and reading the Christmas story Casey and I headed over to his grandmother's house to meet up with his family and eat lunch!

It looks like I cut out several people's heads but I was really just taking a picture of Caleb here, haha! I did get a pretty good picture of Mitch in the background though:) 

 We all have a stocking with our name on it:)

Next year there will be 3 new stockings (our baby girl and Stephanie's twins!)

 Caleb opening one of his many presents!! :)

 Beverly opening a present!

I got baby clothes for Christmas and I loved it! :)

 Stephanie made me these adorable baby beanies! I just love them and they are already in Sawyer's chest of drawers:)

After lunch and presents at Casey's grandparents we head to my grandparents in Mabank! As a kid this was my favorite part of Christmas and I think it probably still is. I love the house and the memories and of course my Momma Sheila and Pappa Donnie! :) Also there is my mom and Uncle Russell.

Casey helping my mom and grandma carry in some presents!

 You have got to be kidding me - do you see all of those presents?!?!

Mom & I in the presents:)

 Casey was very excited about his new boots! My grandparents own a western store and it came in handy:) 

Casey & I in our funny hats that my mom gave us to wear! Haha!

with Momma Sheila

Lucy giving Uncle Russell some love<3

Every year my mom gives us a special ornament for that year - here is one of two ornaments having to do with a new baby:)

Pappa Donnie opening his presents!

My mom got me an AWESOME present!!

It is all of my favorite tshirts from as far back as elementary school thru college made into a very soft and comfy quilt!!!

 If you notice you'll see several church shirts from Mimosa, my trip to Italy, senior trip, 6 Chix shirts, and many Phi Lamb and A&M shirts!

 I absolutely love it! It is such a neat treasure! I also love that there is one patch that is from a shirt Casey got when he was in 6th grade - he was in an opera and it is his picture with the cast.  

Well that about sums up our Christmas festivities! It was our 2nd married Christmas, but our 7th Christmas as a couple! Crazy! We each still have the first Christmas gifts we gave each other:)

I am already excited about Christmas next year with our first little baby. I know it will be fun and memorable. This Christmas was also memorable knowing that it was our last one to spend alone.