braden and teagan

Braden's Birthday Party!

2010-05-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hello blogging world! I've missed you! I spent an hour catching up and find it amazing how much I miss when I don't read all of the blogs faithfully! The end of March and all of April were busy, but great months! Grandma Jackie and Grandpa Mike came out at the end of March. I was able to tie up all loose ends in preparation of taxes for Papis, Nigel and I were able to get away for a weekend and we celebrated Braden's 3rd birthday! It was AMAZING having Grandma Jackie out here! It was the first time in a year that I was child-worry free! Grandma Jackie took care of everything and I am so grateful. Nigel and I participated in the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC. We enjoyed every minute together! Braden's Birthday has been the highlight of April... Braden decided months ago on a Thomas the Tank Engine theme. He had a BLAST!

Arts - n - Crafts at it's finest!

Thomas Cake

Full view

Loving his cake selection!

...and the icing!

So many trains, so little time...

Conductor hat and all!

Thomas PJ's put a big smile on this kiddos face!

March Madness!

2010-03-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

February and March have been a VERY exciting months for us! Uncle Tommie and Aunt Jeni came to visit towards the end of February. Unfortunately I have no photos to post, but have plenty to type! They arrived on Saturday afternoon (the Saturday after Valentine's). We dropped the kiddos off at Anne's and headed up to Papi's. Tommie stayed at Papi's to work and hang out with Nigel, while Jeni and I headed to the outlets...dangerous, I know! Jeni and I had the best time! We were able to take our time and walk from shop to shop, try on clothes at our leisure and overall relax. Tommie headed over to Anne's to pick the kids up for dinner at Papi's. So, Jeni and I stopped at Baskin Robbins to pick up ice cream (best idea!). We ate dinner, then Jeni and I took the kids to Lowe's to pick up some adult beverages (which are still in my fridge). We got the kiddos ready for bed, watched Couples Retreat and I have to admit that was one of the best Saturday's I had the pleasure of experiencing in a long time! On Sunday, Aunt Jeni, Uncle Tommie, Nigel and the kiddos headed out to the park to walk the trails. It was the perfect overnight visit!

Grandpa Steve and Robert came to see us last Thursday. Steve and Robert finally got to experience Papi's! Steve kept Braden all day Friday, so he, Robert and Braden went to Wilmington to see the Train Museum, Children's Museum and the Battleship! Braden had an incredible time and to this night sleeps with the Thomas book that Grandpa picked up for him! I personally believe that Teagan kept a little piece of Grandpa's heart here with her...he seemed very smitten with her calm demeanor and charming personality!

This Saturday Grandma Jackie comes to see us! We cannot wait until Grandpa Jackie gets here! The following Wednesday Grandpa Mike joins us as well. We are SO lucky to have such great visitors! Speaking of visitors...

GinGin and Brittany will be making their way out here this summer! My lil' sister landed an intership in Myrtle Beach, so she will be staying with us for about 7 weeks...I am SO excited!

Life is just plain great!

Speaking of great...

Our Blessings

2010-02-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

We are sorry we don't get to post as often. When we do post, we try to make it worth the wait! Personally, Nigel and I really enjoy these clips and hope you do as well :)

Almost every night Teagan and I go thru this "routine." She is just TOO precious!

"Giggles"

I try to catch Braden's singing on video, and needless to say, I was actually successful tonight!

"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

This has been an awesome month! I absolutely LOVE Christmas! This year was only my second away from my mom and Alison and my first away from my dad, Ginger and Brittany. I tried to look at this year as an experience and it has turned out incredible! I bravely faced trips to Toys-r-us, Wal-mart, the ABC store, etc. and have enjoyed every minute of preparation. This week we had two days of packages on our door step...those were GREAT days! I only had to work a half day yesterday, so I picked up the kiddos and headed to Papis (www.papistexicangrill.com) for lunch. Shannon met us up there and we had a fantastic meal of beef fajitas, shredded chicken, rice and homemade tortilla chips with queso! It was delicious! Nigel shut down early last night, which seems to be the way everyone does business around here. (Yet another example of the differences between a metropolitan city and a seasonal area!) No complaints from me though...I have been looking forward to seeing Nigel all week :)

Last night all presents were wrapped, Christmas pj's were in full effect, cookies were made for Santa's visit...we were ready! Nigel helped Braden write a letter to Santa and off to bed he went. Braden came in to get in bed with us around 7:30 am. I think Nigel was more excited about opening the kids presents than they were, so up we were heading to the living room. We checked out the plate of eaten cookies and the empty cup left behind. We grabbed Teagan out of her room and the fun began! All in all the presents were a BIG hit and Christmas was a nice and relaxing occasion. Ahhhh, how we miss our families though...

Merry Christmas to all of our loved ones!

Stickers + 5 minutes alone = Braden using Teagan as a blank canvas!

I just adore her little face!

Daddy and Braden writing a letter to Santa...

Teagan got twin Water Babies from Mommy and Daddy...she LOVES babies!

Feeding her baby...

Opening the Little People Race Track from Grandma Becky and Grandpa Kelly...

The AWESOME Mack, Lightening McQueen and Sally from GinGin and Grandpa Bob!

Tinkerbell chair from GinGin and Grandpa Bob...

So excited about her Tinkerbell movie from Grandma Jackie and Grandpa Mike!

This gift was a slam dunk for this family! Daddy, Braden and Teagan are having a BLAST with it!

November

2009-12-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

November has been crazy! Life is busy, but life is good! Enjoy the photos!

Hope you all enjoyed the photos! Thanks for a great Thanksgiving!

Monthly Post

2009-10-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

I am just plain terrible! Trying to find time to post these days has been tough, but Grandpa Bob and Grandma Ginger came for a visit, Pumpkin Day took place, playdates including awesome pretzels and cheese dip happened, trips to the Fire Department and Halloween...I am making time :)

Her first soft pretzel...success :)

Grandma Ginger loving on Teagan...

Grandpa Bob loving on Teagan...

Teagan flirting with the Fireman!

Grandpa Bob loving on Braden...

L-O-V-E-S the pumpkin cup and prizes Grandma Becky and Grandpa Kelly sent!

Texas Tech Soccer Player and Texas Tech Cheerleader...

We hope everyone had a Safe and Happy Halloween!

We'll post the rest of the pictures as soon as possible!

Goodbye September, Hello October!

2009-10-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since our last post!

Mommy went to visit Dana Labor Day weekend. Miami and Dana are a GREAT fit for Mommy! Immediately after I arrived, we headed over to Dana and Kosta's for breakfast. True to form, Dana had an amazing spread of blueberry muffins, sausage balls, bagels and strawberry cupcakes! Life doesn't get better than Dana's baking! We headed out to a HUGE outlet mall and shopped for miles. That evening, we took a very short trip to the local pizza joint. When I reference a joint, I truly mean joint! Awesome pizza served at an establishment the size of your closet. Old school cash register, tight quarters, great price = so worth it! On Saturday, we went up to Lincoln Road, had a fantastic lunch, walked it off, then headed back to Dana and Kosta's. Dana and I had such a late lunch that we just wanted to enjoy the breezing evening on a patio with live music and a few glasses (or bottle each) of wine. We found the perfect spot, Chocolada. Sunday was laid back. What better place to kick back then Le Tub? The burger was well worth the wait! I cannot wait to see Dana, be it in NC or FL!

We have been going on play dates with Jacob, and of course Jacob's mommy and daddy (Shannon and Joe)! The boys have been having a blast and Teagan LOVES all of the Shannon, Joe and Mommy attention! Shannon, Joe and Jacob let Braden, Teagan and I tag along to the Zoo. The Asheboro Zoo is such a peaceful and beautiful place. It was drizzling at times, but the temperature was comfortable for the 6 miles of walking we did that Saturday! Hanging out at Shannon and Joe's is also tons of fun! Braden experienced his first motorized play vehicle and after his first ride, he is hooked!

When Daddy gets time off, we take full advantage! We went to Sunrise Pancake House last weekend and had a great breakfast!

This weekend, the kiddos and I have been hanging at the house. We must have watched the movie, "Cars," six times this weekend! We went for a walk yesterday afternoon and had lunch at the restaurant today. Overall, it's was a laid paid and relaxing weekend!

On Lincoln Road...

At Le Tub...

Braden on the Jeep

Teagan is just the cutest darn driver!

Braden's reason for coming to the zoo...the monkey's!

Riding the Carousel

Teagan's ride thru the zoo...

Braden spotting the Sea Lion

Kissing the turtle goodbye! Braden loved the turtles...

...almost as much as he loved the cotton candy!

Daddy and Braden, what a beautiful sight!

Our munchkins :)

Ready to ride!

Round four of hanging around watching "Cars"

Teagan's first kiss...

VACATION

2009-09-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

So my mom, Grandma Becky, came out for a visit and we are ready for her to come back! I'm not sure who wants her back more? Teagan, who is the apple of grandma's eye. Braden, who gets to wrestle and play trucks with his "mawmaw." Or me, who enjoyed the adult company, lil' cat naps and late night dessert. Either way, we would like to see her again VERY soon!

The Sunday after Teagan's party, mom watched the kiddos so that Nigel and I could have some alone time. We grabbed some lunch, headed over to the Outlets to pick up fall and winter clothes for the kids and then just drove around and enjoyed catching up! Nigel watched the kids for the rest of the evening so that mom and I could catch a movie. It was a wonderful, relaxing day! I had to work on Monday and Tuesday, so mom brought the kids up to work for us to have lunch together. It was a nice treat seeing them in the middle of a work day :) Wednesday we lounged around the house and played ALL day. We headed out to Conway to meet up with our photographer for Teagan's 1 year photo session. The sneak peeks turned out AMAZING! I cannot wait to see the rest! After the work out, I mean photo session, we went to a little cafe and had a very quick bite before our drive back. Actually, mom and I took turns eating as Teagan was in rare form...not in a good way. Teagan was clearly exhausted from her pampering and hamming it up for the camera...she passed out 10 minutes into the ride home. So mom, Braden and I grabbed some ice cream and stopped by to say hello to Daddy. Braden was in heaven as a huge group of bikers were leaving the restaurant. (Braden loves motorcycles, trains and big trucks...a lot!) Thursday and Friday were full of playing, cat naps and shopping. We went to Braden's Open House for Mother's Morning out on Thursday to meet his new classmates and teachers. He didn't want to leave. I'm pretty sure if he had a room full of juice, chocolate milk, his tent, his books, trucks and trains, he would be set! On Friday we went to get Braden and Teagan's fall/winter shoes and coats. The trips turned out to be a huge success, but we were SO tired from this excursion! My Uncle Steve and Natalie drove down on Saturday. We met up at the restaurant for lunch and Nigel was able to take a break and eat with us :) We headed home to pack up for the pool, then went over to meet up with Steve and Natalie. The pool temperature was perfect, the kids had a blast and it was so nice hanging with my family! After naps and showers, we met up at Ella's for dinner. After dinner, we went over to Calabash Creamery for some delicious ice cream.

Overall it was a great week! One I would love to do again, soon :)

Typical morning in our home...

"Mawmaw" and Braden reading

Another morning of lounging...

Hanging out by the pool

Before dinner at Ella's

After dinner at Ella's

Grandma and her TeaCup

Rockin' at the Creamery

I love my family!

Hey mom, this purchase was such a good idea...

...Jake thinks so too!

Braden's first day of school! He is growing up into such a handsome and sweet little man :)

Let's Play Catch Up

2009-08-22T18:14:00.001-07:00

Hello All! We've missed you blog world :)

August has been a busy, busy month! My BFF came out for a visit the weekend of Teagan's birthday. It was FANTASTIC! We had a perfect and relaxing weekend! Beach, Papis, family, BFF...what more could a lady need?

When we took Stacey to the airport that Sunday, Daddy, Braden, Teagan and I headed over to Toys R Us to spend the Gift Card Grandpa Bob and GG got her for her birthday. After we purchased her Little People Sail Boat and Little People Dump Truck, both in pink, we headed over to Chuck E Cheese. The kids had an amazing time, Nigel and I enjoyed the family time and overall it was a HUGE success!

Teagan had her 1 year appointment on the 13th. She is doing incredibly well! She is in the 80th percentile for height and the 75th percentile for weight; therefore, she is taller than 8 out of 10 girls her age and weighs more than 3 out of 4 girls. Of course Grandpa Bob said, "If she keeps this up, we can nickname her biscuit!" Leave it to Grandpa Bob to see the silver lining in Teagan's stats! Teagan has been taking a few steps here and there, but in the last two weeks has truly started walking! (Short footage to follow!) It's crazy to think that we have purchased our last can of formula, our last supply of "baby" towels, our last set of onesies...this year has been amazing and we look forward to continue watching Teagan grow :)

Today was Teagan's birthday party. Thank you Dana for being so creative (and supportive)! There are many things I could not do without you and I am so blessed to have you in my life. I will definitely be blogging in a few weeks about my incredible Florida getaway to see Dana! Teagan's party was a HUGE success! There were friends, cupcakes, presents...fun was had by all! My mom flew in yesterday. I'd like to say it was for my birthday; however, she is helping with the kids over the next week and I am VERY lucky that my mom is here. It is a breath of fresh air to have her by my side and it's only been 24 hours :)

Thank you Grandma Jackie and Grandpa Mike for the baby doll and the Little People Airplane. Teagan carries her baby, hugs her baby and even took her baby to Papis tonight! Braden and Teagan are having a BLAST with all of the Little People toys. I believe by Christmas we are going to have a Little People village! Thank you Dana and Kosta for the Truck Book and Pink Laptop! The kids are having SO much fun lining the laptops next to one another and playing together! Teagan is constantly trying to steal the Truck book and Braden spends most of his time running in his room with it and shutting the door so she can't get in (it's actually quite entertaining!). Thank you Grandma Becky and Grandpa Kelly for the Little People Happy Sounds Pink house. We are just now discovering all of the "happy sounds" a house can make! Who would have ever guessed doorbells, toilets and phones would have such entertaining sounds :) The "Thank You's" go on and on and on...actual "Thanks You's" to follow :) We are SO lucky to have such wonderful friends and family!!

Hello August!

2009-08-02T14:32:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe it is already August! What I also cannot believe is that our precious girl is almost a year old! Funny how I couldn't wait for her to sleep more than 3 hours at a time, then to hold her own bottle, then to crawl, and now she is starting to feed herself solids. She drinks out of a sippy cup. She has even taken a few steps and is a pull-up, stand and a step away from walking! Wow! This should be a busy and fun filled month!

My BFF is coming next weekend for a visit. Stacey hasn't made it out to NC yet, so it should be a nice, relaxing, beach filled weekend! Teagan (and my dad) have a birthday coming up next weekend. Teagan has her 1 year photos coming up mid month. My mom is coming out here for 10 days towards the end of August...and then there is my birthday! Ohhh what a month August is going to be :)

A few nights ago, I was talking to Nigel on the phone and doing some laundry. I was telling Nigel how nice it is that Braden and Teagan like to hang out and play in Braden's room together...then there was a lot of laughter. In true parent fashion, I grabbed the camera, not knowing what to expect, and caught this...

Braden is constantly finding ways to make Teagan laugh! He likes to race her around the house, crawling quickly beside her. He likes to dance in her face and make her giggle...he will do just about anything to get a laugh out of her! In the above instance, he was dancing on the toy chest and making one of the noise makers inside play music. That would be Braden's creative way of not getting in trouble for bringing the toys that we just put away out again :)

Teagan likes to shake her groove thing! Our lil pumpkin "drops it like it's hot" as often as she can!

Feeding herself...

Future Papis bartender?

(Teagan's thinking) Daddy, that looks good!

(Teagan moves in) I think I'll share :)

(So, Braden thinks) Daddy is so good at sharing, I'll have some too!

Off to Calabash Creamery after lunch at Papis!

Oh yes, she is just THAT cute!

Thank you for visiting...

2009-07-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

...Brittany! We had SO much fun with you :)

I LOVED having the company. We relaxed, hung out with the kids and when I finally got to take some time off we went to the outlets, to the movies, to a late lunch... it was AWESOME hanging out with my sister! What's missing, you may ask...my other sister Alison, that's what!

Miss T is a bonafide tantrum thrower! She thrusts her little body forward, bending in half. She lets out her little cry and produces a handful of little tears. She knows how to pull your heartstrings with her little ways :)

Braden is looking more like a young man and less like a little boy. It's so odd when we reflect back just two short years ago.

Daddy and our young man.

Mommy and our handsome boy!

Don't mess with Teagan...see how she is always watching!

Another fun fact is that the kiddos are at an age where they are starting to play together. Braden is learning Teagan's limitations and he is an amazing big brother!

We went to the Giggling Mackerel while Britt was visiting. Braden had his first taste of calamari...and we believe he liked it!

It was really nice having Britt help with the kiddos at night. Such a good aunt :)

She is also an AWESOME sister...she watched the kids so Nigel and I could go out on a date! We had SO much fun...and great margaritas at Papis afterwards!

Britt and Teagan loving on one another...

Brittany, thank you VERY much for coming out to visit. I miss you very much and cannot wait to see you again...as soon as we possibly can! Love you!

Swimming Pools, Standing, Questions, Oh my!

2009-07-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been jam packed with fun! Friday, after work, I went to pick up the kiddos and headed back to the pool to meet up with our friend Anita. Fortunately, the pool was VERY empty, so we had an absolute blast! Braden LOVES to jump at you in the water...whether you are looking/ready, or not! (We are working on that...) Teagan loves the boat floaty! Mostly because she can just lay her precious head to the side and watch the water, stick her fingers in the water and toss her toys gently into the water. After our swim fun, we headed over the McDonald's...perfect stop after the beach or pool! We came home, finished dinner...as we were starving and ate half of our meal in the car, took baths, played for about half an hour and passed out. Nigel had the first half of Saturday off, so we went to grab an early lunch, quickly ran into the dreaded Walmart and came home (dreaded Walmart due to vacationers...love to see them come to visit...happier to see them go!). The kids and I had a very relaxing evening watching Ratatouille and pulling every toy in the house out into the living room. Nigel came home around 10:30 pm, so we were able to hang out and catch up! Two hours later, we went to sleep...six hours later the "mommy, juice please" request came in :) Braden watched Disney, while Nigel and I rested for about another hour. Nigel graciously got up and let me sleep until 9 am...it was HEAVEN! We got ready, went to Abuelo's for lunch, then headed up to the pool. For any of you that are members of a community center or your neighborhood pool, you may be familiar with the concept that if someones child has an "accident" in the pool, they have to shut the pool down for 24 hours. So, when we arrived at the pool today, there were signs posted everywhere that the pool was closed. Naturally, as Nigel and I used to work with the staff at the Village Activity Center, we asked why the pool was shut down. Sure enough, someones child had an "accident." I understand that accidents happen, but do wonder if the parents are using the Splasher or Swimmer diapers that are $6-$10 for a pack = lack of embarrassment of your child leaving an "accident" in the pool... just a thought. Anyhow, we went to the indoor pool, which was actually quite nice!

Overall, it was a nice, quite weekend...oh, and as for the question portion of my title, Braden asked me a question on Friday night that I didn't quite understand at first. I stopped recording, spoke with him a bit and refilmed (while coaching) the question originally asked. I think my parents will get a HUGE kick out of the question asked!

Loving the water toys Anita brought her!

Braden learning to blow bubbles.

Happy Pumpkin girl hanging out by the pool!

Braden gearing up for the 1-2-JUMP!

Jumping...I LOVE the grin on his face!

Exhausted...as is George :)

Standing and clapping :) She is just so coordinated...now only if she would start walking!

Daddy and his baby girl!

He just looks SO grown up!

But still such a handsome little boy!

This is the original question Braden asked when I started filming him...

TOO FUNNY!

Life is Good!

2009-07-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

We had an incredible 3 day weekend! On Friday, the kiddos went to Nana's while Nigel and I worked at the restaurant. Uncle Tommie, Aunt Jeni and all of the cousins arrived in the afternoon and went to get settled into their weekend unit. In the meantime, I picked Braden up for some mommy/son alone time at the pool. It was awesome! Braden only attempted to "drown" himself twice, so it was a successful trip/lesson (don't jump into the kiddy pool without mommy ready to hold your hand and don't jump off of the stairs until mommy is ready to catch you!). No worries, when I type "drown," I really mean actually went under the water for a few seconds. Last year Braden was fearless of the water, this year, he is a little more cautious. After an hour and a half of swimming and making friends, Braden and I went to pick Teagan up. We headed home, cleaned up, baked brownies and headed out to Uncle Tommie and Aunt Jeni's weekend place. They made an incredible dinner for the kiddos and the adults! Their friends, Laura, JoJo and their two kiddos were also staying for the weekend, so there was a full house and a lot of laughter! On the way home, our small town of Calabash had a fireworks event on the 3rd. As we are a destination location, they were trying to accommodate the vacationers that would be heading out on the 4th. Driving thru town (the one main road), we saw the end of the fireworks show. Braden kept saying, "oh ook (look), ook, lights!" He was very excited to see the "red and ite (white) lights!"

On Saturday, Nigel and I got up, got the kids ready, packed the truck and headed over to the beach. We made it over just before the mad rush of vacationers! We unpacked, got settled, then daddy and Braden headed for the waves. As this was Teagan's first trip to the beach, she was very curious about the sand. In her little princess way, she gently picked the sand off of the bottom of her feet. One little pinch at a time. She is just so cute to watch! She hung out in the beach chair, in her little princess tent and out in the water. She had a blast! After two hours of beach time, we ventured out to McDonald's, grabbed lunch and headed home. Neutrogena advertises their sunscreen as sweat proof...my left eye begs to differ! I spent about an hour trying to get the sunscreen burn out of my eye. Nigel, in his loving way, told me that I make a beautiful pirate! After lunch, baths and the final eye rinsing, we all laid down for naps. Nigel's nap lasted 17 minutes; whereas, the kids and I got in a good 2 - 2 1/2 hour nap. It was amazing and just what we needed. We got up, got dressed and headed over to Papis Texican Grill for dinner. Sweet daddy had a table all ready for our group! Uncle Tommie, Aunt Jeni, JoJo, Laura and the kiddos met us for dinner and we ate...a lot! After dinner, we headed into town to look for souvenirs. After our brief shopping excursion, we went to the Calabash Creamy for some ice cream. Braden (and Teagan) really enjoyed the strawberry ice cream with M&M's (minus the M&M's for Teagan)! After ice cream, we went back to the condo to hang out with the family. After sparklers and playtime, we headed home. Daddy came home shortly after we arrived, so we hung out with Braden and lit some sparklers. Braden had SO much fun with daddy!

She is like a little Bob Jr. in this photo :)

This morning, the kiddos let us sleep until 8:30 am! Nigel got up with them and let me sleep for an extra hour and a half...it was the best sleep ever! When I got up, we started getting everyone ready, packed our bag and headed out with Uncle Tommie, Aunt Jeni and the kids. We went to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for lunch, which was a HUGE success! Then we headed over to Ripley's Aquarium. It was PACKED! The kids had a great time checking out all of the "sheesh (fish)." Braden LOVES fish! Teagan really enjoyed the exhibits...more than we anticipated! After the Aquarium, we braved WalMart, headed home, finished dinner and the kids are down for the night!

Tired babies = cute pictures :)

Newest member of the family...our outside family...

Overall, a family filled fun weekend! Thanks to Uncle Tommie and Aunt Jeni for coming out here! We are already looking forward to Thanksgiving!

Stinky Face + Teeth = TOO CUTE!

2009-07-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

She is just too darn cute for words...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

2009-06-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day 2009!

Since our last post, Teagan and I flew out to Dallas for my Aunt Gail's wedding and managed to keep it a secret from my dad. It was fantastic! On Friday morning, Mom and Kelly picked us up from the airport. We went to Chick-fil-a for breakfast (chicken mini's are awesome!). We hung around and relaxed at Mom and Kelly's for a few hours, then Alison met up with us to go to Snuffer's for lunch. After lunch, Teagan and I headed out to my Aunt Jayne's house to surprise my dad. We got to hang out with family for about half an hour, then my dad came walking in. He didn't seem completely surprised at us being there...until he walked over and asked if anyone knew we were coming. I said, "yes dad, everyone but you!" I always enjoy family time, and this trip was incredible :)

Teagan is really trying to cruise around. She catches herself standing and plops her little rear on the floor. We predict there is walking in here near future!

This past week, Braden has made progress potty training. Their Nana Anne has been working with him for the past month or two. He is consistently telling her when he has to go to the bathroom now. To keep up all of the hard work, I have been trying to work with Braden at night. I read about the "naked theory" on Baby Center and have to admit, I was intrigued. The general idea is that children are more inclined to use the potty if they do not have the support of a diaper or training pants. Once they grasp the idea that the bathroom sensation means you have to go to the potty, then they become conditioned to use the potty vs. the convenience of the diaper. After Braden takes his bath at night, we let him run around in his birthday suit. When he has to go to the bathroom, he tells me, we go over to the potty and when he is finished, he LOVES to dump his business into the toilet and flush! I know you are thinking, TMI; however, this is a HUGE milestone! He has been doing this all week! We are so proud of how proud he is of himself!

Yesterday, Nigel had the first half of the day off. We went to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for lunch and then headed out to the park. This is the park with nature trails and the shell beach and many walkways over the marshes for Braden to run up and down! Daddy and the kids LOVE the outdoors. I, on the other hand, am not a huge fan, but am learning to adapt. I do love seeing how happy the activities make them :)

Now on to the photo section of this blog...

The family at Papis Texican Grill today, celebrating Daddy!

My sister's, dad and I at our Aunt Gail's wedding last weekend. (Isn't he one of the most handsome dad's (and grandpa's) you have ever seen?!)

Special "THANK YOU" to mom, Kelly and Taz for letting Teagan and I stay with you! You are always so accommodating and we really appreciate it!

To Grandpa Kelly, from Teagan: "Thank you for the cut up apples and watermelon. I loved every last bite!"

Taz, I'm sure you miss getting ready together in the morning...I know I do!

Special note to Carter: I love you and I'm glad your mommy is fixing you...you are TOO cute to not let mommy sleep :)

Braden on night 2 of peeing in the potty!

The cutest cookie (aka Teddy Graham) monster in the whole wide world!

Teagan enjoying her burger and fries at Five Guys!

Braden looking at the boats...he gets SO excited about the boats!

Running to the shell beach...

Watching brother throw shells into water (wearing her SPF 85 sunscreen!).

Braden throwing shells into the water...

Happy Father's Day to an incredible dad. You are one of the most giving, loving and nurturing dad's I have ever known. Thank you for taking such good care of our family. We love you...

Welcome Home!

2009-06-07T15:36:00.000-07:00

So the furniture store in town, where Nigel and I got our living room and bedroom furniture a year ago, is sadly going out of business... Sadly for them, terrific for us! They had everything marked down an additional 60% and we were able to pick up some great pieces for the house... including a much needed dining room set!

For the family and friends that suffered thru my "exciting to me" furniture story, here are the pics!

Braden was given the CUTEST Curious George stuffed monkey and T-shirt around the time Teagan was born (thanks Debbie!). He quickly grew out of the T-shirt and passed it on to Teagan. She has now taken the monkey. She crawls around with George. She puts him on the tray to her walker and drives around the house with George. She takes George on walks with her. She sleeps and cuddles with George. If her face is itchy, she uses George to scratch it for her. Bottom line, George is Teagan's best friend :)

Teagan is growing up TOO quickly! She is supposed to be my baby and babies don't pull up and cruise around the house! I caught her in the act of "dropping it like it's hot" while playing with her musical table. She is just too darn adorable!

Stats, Bedrooms and Just Plain Cute!

2009-05-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

I swear, I wish there were 8 days in a week...4 for work and 4 to get everything else done! Sorry it has been so long since our last post! There is so much to catch up on...

Teagan had her 9 month appointment on the 8th. She is in the 70th percentile for weight, 80th+ for height and 75th for her head. Needless to say, she won't be the tallest girl, but she most definitely won't be the shortest! She just started crawling at 8 months, and at 9 months she is pulling herself up on EVERYTHING!

She has already grown out of the precious 9 month clothes we got her... She is in size 4 diapers, 12 month clothes, eating stage 3 Gerber and a few solids and she has her brother wrapped around her little finger!

Alison has been asking me to post pictures of the kids rooms. They are still a work in progress, but here are a few sneak peeks to tide her over...

Art work on Braden's wall (Awesome deal at the HomeGoods store!)...

Braden's bed...

The bunk, drawers and shelving set to go with Braden's bed...

The shelves to bring the athletic theme together (Thank you again to the HomeGoods store!)

Braden started sleeping in his "big boy bed" two weeks ago. He has done an amazing job!

On to Teagan's room...

Nigel put in the Waynes Coating, painted the coating a beautiful white and painted her walls ballerina gown pink...such a precious combination!

Teagan's crib...

Teagan's wall decor'...

The rocking chair daddy and Braden got me...

Daddy's old dresser, refinished (sort of) and turned into the changing station!

Random pictures that make mommy and daddy smile...

Braden likes to get comfortable for 101 Dalmatians...

Teagan loves carrots!

I could just kiss all over this little face!

Look at all of those teeth! She has 2 on the bottom and 3 1/2 up top :)

Visiting Family

2009-05-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we went to Dallas for Uncle Tristan's (Nigel's brother's) wedding to Aunt Robin! Like most of our trips, it is a lot of work getting to and from the destination, visiting as many family members as we can and following the jam packed itinerary!

This weekend was a HUGE success and we are SO happy that we were able to see some of our family!

On Thursday, Grandma Becky picked us up from the airport. From the airport, we went to Grandma's and mommy and daddy took a much needed nap! Aunt Alison and cousin's Trent and Carter came over. Then the whole family headed over to May Dragon for some Chinese food. It was delicious! After lunch, we took the kids back to Grandma and Kelly's house to play. There are a few parks within walking distance, so when Kelly and Nigel headed to the store, mom, Alison and I packed everyone up and headed to the park. Trent and Braden had SO much fun!

They couldn't get enough of the slides and climbing and swings...

By the way, this is Teagan's world and we are just living in it! I swear, our little pumpkin does what she wants, when she wants. Carter is such a trooper sharing space with our little girl!

Look at Carter's precious face! What an adorable little man!

On Friday morning, the Cossey's, Jones' and Grandma Becky met up with our Cousin Meagan for family photos. She was patient and kind and ready to roll in the dirt to get the perfect shot! She was amazing to work with and we cannot wait to see the pictures she was able to capture! After the photos, we hung out at a nearby park. Our kids would live outside if they could. The humidity was unbearable on Friday, but we were able to catch some great shots!

Friday night was the rehearsal and dinner. Sorry... no photos of this event. Mommy's hand were full with the two kiddos :)

Saturday was the big event! It was beautiful and we were so grateful to be a part of this wonderful celebration! I don't have many photos... the camera battery was low and I was trying to get shots at the same time as the professional photographer... and trying to stay out of his way :)

Congratulations Tristan and Robin! And to the rest of the family...it was great seeing you and we look forward to our next visit!

Good Things Come In Smallish Packages!

2009-04-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Braden! Our Little Man turned 2 years old yesterday! We must be the worst parents in history, as this is the 2nd year we scheduled his dr.'s appointment on his actual birthday! No shots yesterday, just a checkup and the most current stats:

Weight - 32.2 lbs (90th percentile)

Height - 37.25 in (+95th percentile)

Head - 20.5 (+95th percentile)

The dr. informed us that you can typically predict average height in boys after 2 years old; however, based on Braden's above stats, he predicted a minimum of 6.3 or 6.4...minimum. Daddy's conversation immediately after this information was provided:

Daddy: Thank goodness!

Dr.: I'm sorry?
Daddy: Thank goodness! Our daughter is going to be a grade behind him and who's going to mess with her with a brother that size?

Dr.: (Laughter)

Nigel was serious.

Today we had a few friends over to celebrate Braden's birthday. The theme this year was Madagascar! I L-O-V-E themed parties ;) Anyway, our big gift to Braden this year was a Little Tykes Turtle Sandbox (Thank you John and Dana for the sand!)! He was SO excited!

Overall, it was a fantastic gathering! Good Friends, Good Food and Great Kids (it was only Braden and Teagan, LOL)!

Madagascar "Happy Birthday" Banner

Braden calling out the letters (he knew) on the Birthday Banner ;)

Little Cupcake surprises (filled with strawberry, fudge and lemon chiffon!)

Braden's very own cake ;)

Snacks ;)

Braden with his new washable Crayola Crayons

I know Easter is over; however, Teagan cannot bear to part with her eggs aka teething toys!

Braden after he got his sandbox (video clip to follow)

Adding buckets and shovels

Mommy helping with the dump truck

Seeing how many toys plus him can fit into the sandbox.

Getting ready for the present opening...

Of course, Uncle John had to make sure Teagan had something to open!

Our little pumpkin, moving and shaking!

Daddy would do anything to make that little nose crinkle!

...even eat the Easter Egg!

"Happy Birthday to Braden..."

We thought he would be so much messier than he actually was!

Great shot!

Words cannot express how tired he was! And he was not willing to part with some of the new shovels ;)

*Brittany, please note, no shirt...I hope you're happy!*

HAPPY EASTER!

2009-04-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Our post yesterday was from an Easter Egg Hunt at the Village Activity Center. Kristin and Marlene did such a wonderful job and they were so helpful with the kids so that Nigel and I could get photos of them!

Kristin and Marlene hid about 15 eggs. All but one contained animal crackers. Kristin had delicately taped the eggs, so that Braden couldn't get into them without mommy or daddy's help. On the car ride home, Braden handed me one of the eggs. I peeled the tape, opened the egg and let him have the 2 crackers inside. When we got home, Braden took his bucket to his play area, so Nigel and I began getting Tegan fed, Braden's dinner ready, Teagan's bath, etc. Before Braden went to bed, I noticed the bucket wasn't as heavy. Nigel and I started picking up the eggs in the bucket and quickly realized Braden had opened all of the eggs, consumed all of the crackers and gently placed the eggs back together in the bucket...we are in for an interesting journey with our little man!

Nigel and I got everything ready last night for this morning. We were very excited, as this is our first time putting Easter baskets (or in this case buckets) together for the kids! Come to find out, Braden was over hunting for anything! I would post video of his morning; however, it mostly contains the following conversation:

Mommy: "Braden, look at all of the eggs!"

Daddy: "Do you want your bucket so you can get your eggs?"

Braden: "Nope"

Mommy: "Buddy, don't you want your eggs?"

Braden: "NO"

Daddy: (As he picks up an egg and opens it) "Look Braden! Candy!"

Braden: "Nope"

The night before Easter...

Waking up to all of the wonderful Easter goodies from mommy, daddy, grandpa bob, grandma ginger, grandma becky and grandpa kelly!

Easter muffins!

Braden getting the muffin pan ready (don't worry, the floor is clean!).

The end result!

Braden opening the eggs mommy and daddy collected (half had candy, the other half coins!).

Teagan with her cabbage patch fairy (Kira)!

Teagan eating part of her "Easter breakfast!"

Jake blending with the toys, trying to go unnoticed...

Hope everyone has a fabulous Easter!

SPRING SWAP

2009-04-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

I was paired up with Jori for Semi-Slacker Mom's Spring Swap! Semi-Slacker Mom did an amazing job pairing us together and Jori was an awesome swap partner!! I received my package and inside were all of these goodies!

There was also an adorable Evergreen Flag Gift Set with a Summer Fun Flip Flop theme! Perfect, as I live in my Rainbows and close to the beach ;)

I have truly enjoyed getting to know Jori and am glad I could participate in the swap!

Thanks Jori!

Sharing is Caring...

2009-04-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

...this is something the kids are working on! There is no need for words to illustrate this blog ;)

End result, both have their own eggs and are very happy! BTW, Teagan's evasive maneuvers come from months of watching Nigel and Braden wrestle!

2009-04-06T17:51:00.001-07:00

Miss Sweet Tea is at it again! The birthday bonanza continues with her latest and greatest giveaway! This is her birthday month and she is celebrating weekly ;) Happy Birthday Angela!

Little Pumpkin

2009-04-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Daddy and I finally had time to make it to Office Depot to purchase some much needed ink for the Icky Epson! Thank Goodness! The camera was getting full.

Please pardon the messy bedroom...seriously! As previously posted, our bedroom is the "pit" of the house! One day, it will be organized and lovely. Today is not that day ;)

Little Pumpkin has a lot to say these days. Her favorite word is da, and she says it over and over and over again. (This is me refusing to admit that she really enjoys saying dada!) She is also trying to crawl. She tends to move backwards, but she does it so well!

Big things happening in the Cossey household this week! Braden is drinking out of his "big boy" cup! For the non-parental readers, that is the cup without a lid. This is BIG news!

Papis is still set to open on the 15th of this month! Thanks to Jackie and Mike for all of your blood, sweat and more sweat!

Front view with the new landscaping and painting complete (yes, the windows will have the paint removed...it's been raining a lot out here!).

Let the decorating begin!

The kitchen is coming together quite nicely! Complete with a handsome owner!

Hope you enjoy the footage mom! I miss you! And you know who misses you too... (this is Jake hiding from Braden!)

Sunday Funday!

2009-03-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

During my 20's, there was a catch phrase for brunch, cocktails and hangin' with the ladies on Sunday's...Sunday Funday. This phrase has a whole new meaning in my 30's!

Yesterday I spent the entire day with Dana. We had SO much fun! We started the morning at Chick-Fil-A for chicken biscuits and sweet tea! (Nothing starts the day off like chicken biscuits and sweet tea!) We then began our shopping excursion at Market Commons (Banana Republic, Williams Sonoma, Ann Taylor). From Market Commons we made our way to Coastal Grand Mall (Dillards), then to our pedicures, back up to Steinmart, then over to TJ Maxx, up to the Tangier Outlets (Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Gap, Nine West, Old Navy, J Crew, Disney, Coach, BCBG)...it just sounds exhausting! This day of meaningful shopping took 10 hours, but we purchased everything we set out to! Our family is fully ready for Tristan and Robin's wedding weekend (fortunately, Nigel's outfit was predetermined)! If you know me at all, then you know that there are certain things I HAVE to have planned in advance.

Also, my cousin Meagan is taking our family photos that same weekend! She does an AMAZING job ( meaganblock.com/blog )! With that said, I have also planned all outfits for that adventure. It is hard enough dressing yourself...now add a 23 month old boy and an 8 month old girl...the positive is that we are a well coordinated family!

As Nigel, the wonderful husband and daddy he is, had the kiddos to himself all day yesterday, I have the gruesome twosome today! Daddy got up with Teagan this morning and the two went to get breakfast for the family. (Daddy let mommy sleep until 9:15 am...it was awesome!!) When I got up, Nigel went to the restaurant. Tegan had gone down for her morning nap...

...isn't she just precious?!? We all watched Sponge Bob and played around in mommy and daddy's room. Nigel and I have found that our room is the "pit" of the house. It seems to be the most cluttered, disorganized space in the house. Our bedroom should technically be considered the "family room!" I was able to catch great footage of Teagan (different camera than the one used for the photos above), but our Epson is not cooperating with the download. Apparently, if you are out of one of the 6 colors it requires, it will not download pictures...booo, hsss for Epson! I promise to put the videos up as soon as the ink is replaced!

Thank you to everyone for your support and prayers for my dad! It is greatly appreciated and very thoughtful! He is getting stronger daily!

Sweet Giveaway from SweetTeaDiaries!

2009-03-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

Fingers crossed...

Bob Fellow

2009-03-22T14:16:00.001-07:00

Dear Dad,

Thank you for being the most incredible dad and grandpa! Rumor has it that I inherited some of your lovable qualities! You know, your temperament, your patience and your sense of humor!

A few more things I am fine tuning are the following:

I hope that I have a quarter of the strength you have shown me over the last 31 years. I hope that I show my husband the kindness and love that you show Ginger daily. I hope that my children know how much I love them and feel how proud I am of their accomplishments. Most of all, I hope to show my parents the person (daughter, sister, mother, wife and friend) they have helped me become and know that their blood, sweat and tears were worth it!

We are very hopeful you can make is out here this summer or fall ;) Braden is looking forward to playing catch with you. Well, it's not so much catch as it is "chase!" He loves to throw the ball, but hasn't quite got the "catch" part down! Teagan is ready to talk your ears off! She has SO much to say and it is SO cute to watch! Oh, and she is a professional whistler. She's actually quite good! After all the talking, whistling and catch, we can head over to Papis Texican Grill to eat fajitas and drink margaritas!

I love you and I miss you and I cannot wait to see you!

Love (one of your three favorite daughters),
Adrianne

PAPIS TEXICAN GRILL

2009-03-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

As the majority of you are aware, Nigel is opening a restaurant in the next month! This is a very exciting time for us, our family and friends! We want to keep our supporters informed as the restaurant goes thru its makeover! The building Nigel is in has a story. I'm looking forward to hearing it in it's entirety, but what we do know is that the building is over 100 years old and that it used to be the General Store in town (Little River). You cannot find the character this building has in many places. It is truly a diamond in the rough...uncut and in need of polishing!

Papis Coming Soon!

The front door is directly behind James in this picture.

When you walk in the door, the bar is to the front right of the entrance.

Past the bar is Nigel's office.

Walking towards Nigel's office, if you turn to your right, you will find the main dining area. (Checkered window dressing will be removed immediately!)

If you go back to the entrance and take a right, you will find old church pews that are being used as booths along the left wall. The bar is directly on your right and past the pews and bar is a private dining area. I LOVE this room! It is so quaint and already in high demand for private parties!

Last, but certainly not least, the kitchen is directly to your right, when you pass the bar (on the right) and the booth seating (on the left), on your way to the private room.

Nigel and James began painting part of the building today. This isn't the finished product, but a great head start! There is going to be a large white star on the blue portion of the building...trying to showcase the Texican in this fine establishment!

BTW...Happy belated St. Patrick's Day!

Thank you Grandpa and GG for the CUTE outfit...that Teagan needed!

My Little Angels!

2009-03-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

I LOVE everything about Braden and Teagan! They are incredible little people and I am amazed every single day watching them grow!

Teagan is starting to rock back and forth, but no crawling...yet! My little pumpkin is growing up so fast! She is "talking" up a storm these days. I believe I can almost hear her first word in the below clip. Sounds like Ma to me!! Listen closely and let me know what you think ;)

A few nights ago, I was getting Braden's milk and talking to him about going to bed. He grabbed his head with both hands, started to shake his head, frowned and said, "Oh No!" He was so animated, I couldn't hold back my laughter! Tonight, I went into his room, called for him to come to bed and got the below reaction. He is just TOO much!

Browsing...

2009-03-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

I was browsing thru the Internet today and linked into this interesting blog. I found the title of the blog very familiar and so I read on. I LOVE this idea and have decided to give it a try...who doesn't love Spring and Surprises?!?

Family is Where the Heart is

2009-03-02T17:33:00.001-08:00

Have you ever just taken a moment to reflect on your family? Taken a closer look at your loved ones? Appreciated everything and everyone? My dad was recently diagnosed with Cancer. I wouldn't say that his diagnosis made me appreciate my family more...just made me take a few extra moments to appreciate EVERYTHING that makes them who they are!

Hubby aka Daddy! Life gets better everyday with this man!

20 years later, and they are still holding hands! My dad and Ginger, examples to live by!

My sister Alison...she is an AMAZING mother, LOVING sister and TRUE friend!

My sister Brittany...she is an INCREDIBLE sister, listener and her heart is the size of TEXAS!

LOL! I LOVE THIS PICTURE! I can literally hear my mom's laughter! This picture is my life...funny, unpredictable and not quite picture perfect! Mom and Kelly...enjoying the chaos and two peas in a pod!

MMMMWWWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! Braden, my handsome, sweet boy!

Teagan, my precious baby girl! Not many say no to this face and live to tell about it!

I LOVE AND MISS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!

Cute Blog, Great Giveaway!

2009-03-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

http://sweetteadiaries.blogspot.com

Inspired

2009-03-01T14:14:00.001-08:00

Reading my sisters blog this afternoon made me want to rummage thru some pictures. I know Braden and Teagan are still young, but they have changed so much since birth. While flipping thru photos, I found one that my mom sent me when Braden was born...low and behold, jackpot! Family resemblance?

Mommy at 4 months

Teagan at 4 months

Back By Popular Demand aka Brittany...

2009-02-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

My little seester has requested some updated pictures of her niece and nephew. With that said, we dusted off the camera and captured a few shots today ;)

What is Jake doing? And look how long my legs are!

Just woke up from his afternoon nap...

Getting another tooth!

He will literally try to fit as much in that wheelbarrow as possible ;)

Her little baby hairs are finally trying to grow in!

Ready to walk and stroll!

I know you can't see this in the picture, but Braden has recently learned how to blow on his food if it is hot. Now he likes to blow at random things, such as leaves...which he is doing while I'm taking this picture!

Braden and Daddy playing outside.

Such a happy, handsome boy!

Teagan's Stats

2009-02-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

We went to the Dr. today for Teagan's 6 month shots. Our little pumpkin is 17 lbs and 1oz. and 26 3/4 in tall! She has gained 2+ lbs and grown almost 2 inches. She is in the 80th percentile for height and the 75th percentile for weight. That means she is taller than 8 out of 10 ladies her age and weighs more than 3 out of 4 ladies. She is such and awesome baby! Her laughter is contagious, her smile fills your heart with happiness. She is just SO darn cute!! We will post some pics this weekend ;)

Snow? Really, snow?

2009-02-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to a lovely, snowy sight! It snowed a week or so ago and unfortunately, both kids were too sick to take them out in the yard to play. This morning, while Teagan was getting her beauty sleep, Daddy, Braden and I checked out the snow.

Braden identifying where the snow is coming from...

Trying to figure out why this "ball" is so cold!

Braden is fascinated with spinning in a circle until he falls, getting up and spinning some more! Ha! Mommy is not fond of this game!!

Enjoying the snow!

A view of our backyard...and Braden with his juice!

Just another day...

2009-01-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

Well hello family and friends! We have missed you and apologize for our blogging delay! Our brilliant, yet destructive son has been "testing" the limits of all household electronics...specifically targeting the computer. Much to our surprise, the computer finally said ENOUGH! Nigel rebuilt our lovely machine and we are back in business ;)

The kids have been horribly sick this week. Braden brought home a cold and infected Teagan, his Nana and his eyeball! "How can one infect their eyeball with a cold," you ask? Very easily, with Braden's mad skills! He wiped his own nose boogers with his hand or sleeve, whatever was convenient at the time, and then transferred said boogers to his eyeball by wiping the infamous boogers into his eyeball. I understand how disgusting this sounds, as I am no booger fan; however, I assure you that the visual was much worse. No pics to follow, don't worry ;)

On to the most important part of blogging...the pictures:

Teagan and her first two teeth (aren't they the cutest teeth you have ever seen!).

We think she is working on a few more...

Braden is way overdue for a haircut!

This is how Teagan fell asleep tonight ;) Don't worry mom! We dressed her before we actually put her to bed!

Poor Jake couldn't catch a break when Braden was 19 weeks

Doesn't seem as though he is going to catch one anytime soon with Teagan either!

Teagan and her first solid food - Applesauce, YUMMY!

Last, but not least, we went to the South Carolina Children's Museum last weekend. Coming from a metropolitan area, we didn't find this facility to be a museum as much as a "learning center" for kids. Nonetheless, it entertained Braden for at least an hour ;)

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

We have been working, playing, packing, flying, visiting, eating, laughing, sleeping, driving, shopping...you name it, we've done it in the last 4 weeks! As our own family celebration for Christmas (prior to the flying), we went to the Aquarium. As many are aware, Braden has a very entertaining fascination with fish!

Daddy and Braden checking out the "Poofer" fish ;)

Serious concentration...

Braden getting our canned goods ready for Brunswick Family Assistance...such a BIG helper!

Christmas at our home...

We flew to Dallas on Christmas Eve, had an awesome lunch with my mom, Kelly, Alison, David and Trent! I swear, we ate Mexican food EVERY day we were in Texas ;) Then we headed over to my Aunt Jayne's house. We were SO beat that night...The next day we got up, fed Braden and then opened stockings and presents.

Grandpa and Braden hanging out after breakfast...

Braden opening his stocking...

We then left Aunt Jayne's and met up with my mom, Kelly, Alison, David and Trent for Christmas brunch.

Kelly and Teagan...

Mom aka Grandma at the cookie making station...

After brunch we went over to Aunt Alison's to open more presents.

Alison (Carter) and Teagan...

After Alison and David's, we went back to Aunt Jayne's house to open more presents for the kiddos! The next day we got ready and headed over to Uncle Tristan's to meet up with Grandma Jackie, Uncle Tristan and Aunt Sara.

Uncle Tristan and Teagan...

This "Play-by-Play" goes on and on... We wanted to get some pictures up. If Grandpa Bob and GG have any pictures of GG or Aunt Brittany with the kiddos, we would love some! If Grandma Jackie or Uncle Tristan have any pictures of Grandma or Aunt Sara with the kiddos, we would love those too!

Love and miss you all!

Happy Monday

2008-11-30T19:08:00.000-08:00

Start the week off right...with a little laughter ;)

HAPPY THANKGIVING

2008-11-29T19:55:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We certainly did and are very happy we got to spend time with family!

Day 1:

We had a very LONG trip to Winston-Salem on Wednesday. Everything started off calm and great, the kids were resting, Nigel and I were listening to the radio, we were making great time. About an hour and a half into the trip, the kids were no longer sleeping, they were not calm, we were not listening to the radio, only the sound of screaming children...by the end of the trip we were all ready to be out of the car! Fortunately, things calmed down as soon as the road trip ended! Braden was SO excited to hang out and play with his cousins. Aunt Jeni made everyone a great dinner. We headed back to Scott's house (thanks again for letting us stay at your house Scott!), got the kids ready for bed and watched some television before going to bed.

Day 2:

We woke up, got ready and headed over to Uncle Tommie and Aunt Jeni's house. Nigel and I were able to sneak to McDonald's (kiddo free) for some breakfast. Taylor and Braden watched movies.

Khalan and Aunt Jeni prepared cupcakes for Khalan's 5th birthday.

Uncle Tommie and Taylor were hanging in the kitchen, as were Daddy and Teagan (eating, as usual).

Taylor and Braden had a blast on the trampoline! Braden was unsure about the trampoline, like he was about stepping on grass for the first time (as daddy put it). It was so much fun watching these two (video clip to follow)!

By the afternoon turkey and fixings were being prepared, Aunt Jeni's family started to arrive and we had a terrific Thanksgiving meal!

Now the countdown begins for Christmas...Lookout Dallas, here come the Cossey's!

As promised...video footage right side up ;)

Braden's Thanksgiving Feast

2008-11-25T15:48:00.000-08:00

Today at MMOM was Braden's Thanksgiving Feast (yes, Feast Mom)! It was great seeing all of the kiddos perform. Braden's class is too little, but it didn't stop our son from "shaking his groove thing!"

We know it's sideways...but too cute to pass up ;)

Looking forward to some time off...

2008-11-23T16:08:00.001-08:00

This is a short work week for us this week! Mommy and Daddy work Mon-Wed, and then mommy comes back to work on Sunday... But we are really looking forward to hanging out with Uncle Tommie, Aunt Jeni and family! Tuesday, Braden's MMOM is having a small performance and a Thanksgiving Feast. Daddy and Braden are making one of the side dishes! Wednesday, we are hitting the road. This will be Teagan's 1st road trip...should be interesting! Thursday, we are eating! Friday and Saturday, we will be taking it easy ;) We are very excited about some much needed R&R. Nothing too crazy happened this week or weekend. We tested Teagan in the Exersaucer and Jumparoo...

Braden having a hard time sharing...

She kind of looks like Alison in this one...

Braden at 15 weeks...

Teagan at 15 weeks....

What do you think?

Preparing for the HOLIDAYS

2008-11-16T18:59:00.001-08:00

Sorry it has been so long since our last post! Work has been insane for me and sleep takes priority over the blog ;) This weekend we began our preparation for the holidays. We are going to Winston-Salem to see Uncle Tommie, Aunt Jeni and the cousins for Thanksgiving and to Dallas for Christmas to see...everyone else!

We started our Christmas shopping yesterday and completed half of our list. To prepare ourselves for traveling with two little ones, Nigel has been walking with Teagan in the "marsupial pouch" to prepare for airport speed walking. Teagan LOVES daddy very much! She sleeps so well when he holds her...and it's hard for him to put her down with a face like this...

Braden's latest and greatest movie favorite is Finding Nemo! He LOVES fish!! Over at his Nana's house, he feeds the fish out by the pond. He is so grown up! He also has a plastic LCD looking fish mobile. We flip the switch, the light pops on and the fish go round and round and round. Braden could (and has) watched that thing for hours! To prepare him for traveling, we bought a pair of headphones. We charged our portable DVD player, popped in Finding Nemo, put the headphones on him and this is what we got...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2008-10-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight was Braden's second and Teagan's first Halloween. Although Braden has a lot to say, he hasn't quite picked up "trick or treat!" We were going to go to the church Braden attends for MMOM, but the church unfortunately did not have enough children signed up to attend. Our back up became the Village Activity Center up at work. It was perfect for the kiddos! We had great photo opps and I couldn't narrow it down enough, so enjoy ;)

Braden driving the "big boy" truck!

He is too cool ladies!

He is the most handsome cowboy I have ever seen in my life!!

I know you can't see his face, but I LOVE this picture!

No dad, she is not an Ewok! She is a lady "love" bug! And quite frankly, the cutest little lady bug I have ever met ;)

And mommy's favorite for our little pumpkin girl is this one...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!