2 1/2 down, 6 1/2 to go

Michael and I pledged this time around that we would take a monthly belly shot to capture the growth of Baby #2. We always forgot with Michael, jr so we are trying to stick to it this time!

So I am officially 10 weeks today. I have been a lot more yucky feeling with this pregnancy than I was with Deuce. Everybody says that means it's a girl, but it could also be that I didn't already have a 2 yr old to chase around last time! As much as I love Christmas, I am relieved that the holidays are over and I can actually take some time and relax when Mikey is napping so that I feel human by the time daddy gets home from work. I am dog tired by the time 2pm rolls around and am so thankful that on most days, Michael jr takes a really good nap so I can sneak in a little one as well. 

I haven't been craving anything too crazy yet. Really carbs, carbs, and more carbs. Potatoes, bread, pasta, cereal- you name it. I have had to force myself to eat protein, YUCK! So my diet is pretty much opposite of what it was before. It's so funny. With the great shape I was in and as finely tuned as I had my diet, I had been telling myself for months, "Becca, now when you get pregnant, you are going to stick with it no matter how you feel".  That worked for about a week!  Christmas with all the junk food that goes with that didn't help either. I think your body truly does tell you what it needs. My body obviously needs to carb load so I can get all that much needed folic acid. I have also been drinking orange juice like you wouldn't believe. I guess I am needing the calcium and Vitamin C. 

So we will see. Maybe once I get over this first trimester and my hormones settle down, I can go back to the way I would normally eat. The good news though, is that no matter how I feel, I still get up and go do my exercise in the morning. I can't have as much coffee as before, so this helps get me going. I was a lazy bum last time and didn't work out at all the first 3 months!

So we go back to the dr. next week and I will update then with anything exciting!

Christmas- Caney Style

Wow! I really love Christmas. Ever since I was little I just love that feeling of magic and wonder and all that comes with the season. I love the food, the family, the gifts, and the really the sense of togetherness that it all brings. 

We normally spend Christmas Eve with Michael's family. They all gathered at Sean's house this year so that is where we went. Michael jr had a great time seeing his Mimi, his great Nanny, his great PawPaw and his Uncle Sean. We stuffed our faces and opened gifts until we had to get Michael jr home to bed. 

When we got back to our house, my family was here waiting on us. They always spend the night on Christmas Eve so they can wake up and do Christmas morning with us. This year we had my mom & dad, my aunt Diane & Uncle Lloyd from Alabama, and my brother Allen and his girlfriend Becky. So it was a full house! Our tradition every year is to pile up on the couch and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I think I only made it through to the part where Cousin Eddie shows up and I was passed out in front of the fireplace. 

On Christmas morning, we had a very special visitor! SANTA!!!!!! My dad bought a Santa suit and got all dressed up to present Mikey with his gifts. He had been a little fearful of Santa earlier in the season, but in the 3 days leading up to Christmas, that was all he wanted to talk about. On Christmas Eve he even asked me 3 times if we could go to the mall to see Santa and ask for a bike. Well, we did not have time to visit Santa again, but we did place a phone call! Mikey asked Santa for a bike and a cake! So Christmas morning, my dad excused himself to use the restroom and 5 minutes later, Santa appeared with a bike and a bag full of gifts! He even had a cake for little Mikey! It was so great to see my dad like this!

So Mikey opened his gifts from Santa and we all opened the rest of our gifts. We spent the day in our PJs and had a fabulous traditional Christmas lunch prepared by myself and my mom and Aunt Diane. 

What a wonderful holiday!

This is my dad opening the yearly calendar gift. Last year I started making everybody these calendars on Shutterfly that are full of Mikey's pictures. It is definitely the favorite gift!

 Out of all the toys and bikes and stuff he got, this $14.99 Wiggles car is his most prized possession!

Tag from Courtney

I was tagged in the picture game by my friend Courtney. 

First of all, I have to take this opportunity to give a shout out to Courtney! We were best friends way back in 5th grade in Alabama! Thank the Lord for MySpace because we reunited a couple years ago and still manage to keep up!

The object of this tag is to:

1. Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures.

2. Select the 4th picture in the folder. 

3. Explain the picture. 

4. Tag 4 people to do the same. 

This pic was taken in the summer of 2005. We had been married less than 2 months and we had just gotten Lilly! I had always wanted a Corgi pup and Michael drove me all the way out to Collinsville to find her. She was the spunky one of the litter so we knew she was the one we wanted. I think we had her for about 2 days here. She was the cutest puppy!!!

I don't know if 4 people even read my blog for me to tag SO if you read my blog- then you're tagged!

Cookie Exchange

This was my 2nd year to host a Cookie Exchange party for my friends in my Mom's group.  Each guest was asked to bring at least 6 dozen cookies. We all put them out on platters, sampled a few, then divided them up so that everyone went home with a nice assortment.  While I am a self proclaimed baking queen, I did have some tough competition!

I made some homemade hot cider and some other yummy appetizers!

We did a gift exchange as well and hot some good laughs! Its nice to take a break from the holiday hustle and hang out with some girls. 

Holiday Photo Shoot 08

Had to post some pics from our holiday photo session with the amazing Le. We LOVE this photographer. Michael jr adores her so we always end up with some fabulous shots!

Bye Bye Flat Tummy!

Yep, that's right! We are expecting! Most of yall know we have been trying for several months now. The timing could not have been more perfect! Michael's birthday was Tuesday. A few days before that I started feeling kind of weird and nauseas so Monday night he went to the gym and so I  took a test. I got a "+" sign! 

The next morning after he left for work, I took another, just to be sure. Sure thing, one more 

+" sign. Since we started trying I had been dreaming of the perfect way to tell him.  So I thought it would be the perfect birthday gift. 

He got home from work and read his birthday blog post and opened an awesome shirt tie/combo I picked out. Then there was one little bag left. Inside I had placed the positive test. He started unwrapping what was in the bag and got about half way there, realized what it was, and said "Are you pregnant?" about 5 times!

So baby #2 and Michael jr were concieved within a few days of each other so we are expecting another early August baby. Dang it, I was hoping for all new maternity clothes!

Bye bye my flat tummy. I will miss the time we have shared together but am SO happy to have a baby in their instead!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Caney

So today is Michael's birthday. He is 27! Younger than me, but I am still the one that gets carded so I guess its okay! I guess also it's his one day a year to leave his socks and underwear on the bedroom floor!

I have noticed from reading other people's blogs that it's a good idea to dedicate a post to your hubby and talk about how great he is. So he we go!

      What first attracted me to Michael was not that cunning smile or that curly red hair, but his confidence. When he walked into a room, you knew he was there! He is still that way and I absolutely love that about him! 

Michael is the most passionate person I know. When he gets into something, he really gives it his whole heart and mind. Whether its, work, a hobby, or being a daddy- he really wants to be the best there is to be. 

Michael is SO strong, emotionally. He has been dealt so much in his life at such a young age and manages his life so well. 

Michael has a sense of values and family morals that is so incredible. He is always thinking of Michael jr and I and always wants to make sure we are taken care of. 

Michael loves to teach, whether it be his friends, employees, or family- he loves passing on his wealth of knowledge to others. 

Michael is always wanting to better himself. He aspires to be a superhuman one day! Seriously, he is always wanting to be more educated, healthier, etc. 

Michael can make eggs like nobody's business!

Michael is still lovey, and kissy and affectionate like he was when we were first dating!

Michael ALWAYS eats the dinner I make without complaint whatsoever. In 3 1/2 years of marriage, I think maybe one time he has said "Umm babe, maybe we could not eat this again". He is always so grateful of my culinary skills and (sometimes kitchen mishaps).

Michael is such a great daddy! He ADORES Deuce and they are just 2 of a kind when they sit and watch football together. He works on words, sounds, etc with the baby and also teaches him how to 'play easy' with mommy. 

Michael is my love, my soulmate, and my other half. Notice how at the top of our blog we have the scripture- I am my beloved's and he is mine. That scripture was the theme to our marriage ceremony and the creed to our marriage now. 

Happy Birthday wonderful husband. I love you. 

Dallas Margarita Society Ball

           I had never heard of the Margarita Society and never been to a "ball" before, so when Michael told me last month that we scored an invite, I was totally unprepared for what we would be experiencing. 

The Margarita Society is a non=profit organization. Every year, they work with Suaza Tequilla to put on this Margarita Ball to collect toys for needy kids.  Dress code is black tie- strictly enforced. There is no food served, and its a 6000 people party for about 5 hours. Oh, and did I mention there are free margaritas flowing from fountains? 

Our friends, Billy & Alicia, were also invited so we decided to go together and shack up for the evening. We had a great time. I had forgotten how much I LOVE dressing up. 

Alicia and I had fun getting ready together in the hotel room! It was like college all all over again when I did her makeup!

We dropped our toys off at about 9:00. I wish I had taken a picture at midnight!

Upstairs there was this swanky little smoking lounge where they sold cigars and fancy skinny cigarettes. We all thought it was a a good idea at the time to hang out up their because it was less crowded, but regretted it the next day when we all reeked of smoke! We also all thought that the little skinny cigarette looked really good with me dress. Hmmm? So glad I am not really a smoker!

Yes, there was much dancing and loving going on during the festivities!

We got to meet Ms. Texas and Mrs. Texas. First of all, I was surprised that neither was blonde. Second, it was so sweet of them to humor us by telling us how pretty we looked. 

Taking a little break from being in fancy shoes all night!

Gold satin hand beaded dress:  $50 sale rack find.

Shoes: $46 sale rack find

pedicure for the big night: $30

Realizing at 11:45pm that you left the Sale sticker on the bottom of your shoes: PRICELESS!!!!!

Michael and I canoodling for the camera at the end of the evening. 

My most recent project-Harlequin Diamonds

Most of yall know I almost always have some crazy house project I am working on, and the majority of them usually involve paint. I had been wanting to do this since I got my kitchen painted this summer and was just waiting for my inspiration to start. Not bad at all for my first time!

This is my Butler's Pantry- that little area that connects my kitchen to my dining room. My kitchen is all red with the brown glaze fauxed over it so this makes a really nice transition. 

The first step was to measure and draw a grid to scale my diamonds. Then, was the taping. I taped all my diamonds and used an Exacto knife to trim my tape so I wouldn't have to paint and tape twice like you would in a traditional diamond paint job. 

Then came to the 2 coats of paint- red, then a chocolate brown oil glaze over the top and WALA! Gorgeous!

Saw-Doodies!

I thought this was so funny! I was making Michael's breakfast the other day. He likes to pull a little step stool up to the island where he can see. I was at the stove and I look over and he is devouring the strawberries, green and all! "Saw-Doodies" is what he calls them! So funny!

The modern American Triumvirate and the fall of Democracy.

Triumvirate refers to the ruling of three. The First Triumvirate, according to some historians, was the rule of 3 Romans from 60 BC - 53 BC. The first Triumvirate was the beginning of a great power struggle that ultimately lead to Rome being taken from the people (their senate) and given over to the rule of dictators.

The First Triumvirate were not "elected" in the formal sense. It was an understanding between 3 comrades; Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. Actually, it was Caesar who united Crassus and Pompei. Their alliance and rule was kept quiet for quite some time. They made their moves behind the scenes so that the senate suspected nothing. Eventually it came out. The triumvirate accomplished a lot for their own interests. They distributed lands how they saw fit and conquered other regions. It worked for a while and then problems arose. I'll spare the long history lesson only to say that eventually it failed. Pompei and Caesar began to struggle for power. Eventually Caesar crossed the Rubicon and took Rome driving Pompei away. And the rest as they say... is History. Eventually Caesar became emperor, they killed Caesar, Marc Antony ran wild etc etc etc.

Fast forward to today. Over the last several years the radical left has constructed their own take over. Reid, Pelosi, and Obama will take over. Taxes will go up, the boarders will weaken, and we will be thrust forward into a slow demise with their Marxist ideals. There will be a modern American Triumvirate. Things will be fine for a while. But what about 5, 10, and 20 years down the road.

When the triumvirate has stolen our money to "spread it around", destroyed marriage, legalized the killing of babies, and run us into trillion dollar deficit what will be left? What about when businesses are killed by invasive enforcement of abusive affirmative action laws? And mandatory universal health care... What will happen when illegals are allowed full access to health care at your expense? When the actions of our First Triumvirate have run us into the ground, what will happen? Will it give rise to our own form of modern dictatorship? Will the American citizens be so beaten that there will be no other answer?

Guess what libs, change is coming. Bush is over no matter what. Get off the change wagon and realize what the left congress has already done to us. On Nov. 4th you have a chance to save this country for the future. Even if you are a democrat, Obama is nuts! The man is not a patriot. He does not believe in the constitution. He thinks they left some $hit out. He wants to come along and just pencil some stuff in here and there. His crazy sound bites are on you tube. Check them out yourself.

And since my wife has reminded me that this is our "family blog" I have to mention that she is the greatest wife in the history of earth.

Thank you, Black Shirt Jesus

I had to post some pics of Mikey's Halloween photo shoot!  Our friends, Chuck & Becky, have a daughter whom Michael, jr is inevitably going to marry one day! We got this great idea to dress theme up together for Halloween. Becky has this amazing mother in law that can create anything by looking at a picture, so she offered to hand  make Michael's Mobster costume!

     I guess I had been too busy, but the day before our schedule photo shoot, I realized Michael needed a black button up shirt and a red tie to go with his costume. I had no idea where to even begin looking for something like that for a 2 yr old. I called the tux store, all too big. I called several dept stores and even looked on Ebay. I trekked down to the Quincenara store down by Sam Moon only to return with a red tie but still no shirt. Countdown is less than 18 hrs til the photo shoot. My only option left is to buy a white shirt and black dye. I am headed to buy the white shirt then to my mom's to have her help me dye it.  All day, every time I get in the car looking for this shirt I have been praying ,"Jesus, please help me find a shirt, or at least guide me to a solution for this problem".  My phone rings and it's my dad. He says "I am standing here in Burlington with a black button up shirt size 2T. " I immediately burst into tears and thanked him profusely. I began to think that I was silly for getting so upset about this shirt and praying for it to come my way. But then I realized that this is a prime example that there is no prayer to small or insignificant. So thank you dad and Black Shirt Jesus!

 

Thank you, Obama for granting me a license for complacency.

I have a job. It's a sales job and I'm good at it. I am a sales manager and I'm not bad at that either. Most people get into sales for the commissions and potential to make money based directly on your production and worth to an organization. Well... Obama, that skid mark in the underwear of America, will help to do away with good old fashioned hard work and dedication.

Here's the deal... If I am teetering between 225K/year in earnings and 250K/year, I'll probably pull back unless I know I can escalate to 700. That's right... you're screwed from 250-700. When the HUGE tax increase hits at 250 it just won't be worth it to "spread around the wealth". Now one might read this and think it's stupid to complain if someone is making such a decent living. It's all relative. Why should Skidmark, that's what I like to call him, take from me what I worked hard for and "spread it around". If you don't like your wage then do something about it but don't take mine!

It's kind of like holding a stock longer to avoid short term taxes. Investors will often hold shares longer and trade out a lower profit for tax reasons. No one wants to make a profit if it's too offset by a huge tax burden. For those of us with half a damn brain that are not leveraged to the gills, in an adjustable rate mortgage, and leasing cars we can't afford, we understand these basic economic principles.

So let's elect Obama. I can promise his plans will stifle productivity in small businesses across America.

This ain't no country club

Well, well, well. I have no idea where to begin describing how wonderful our weekend in Los Angeles ended up being. We flew out Thursday to stay with Michael's uncle, Artie. 

With a 2 hour time difference, Michael and I were pretty whooped and starving once we arrived. His uncle met us at the airport and drove us out to his house in Long Beach. I have never seen anything like it! His house is right on the water! Not on the water like you can go swim in the beach, but on the water like their yacht is in the 'backyard' which is actually a boatslip in the ocean. Crazy!

We woke up Friday morning to have coffee out on the backporch which over looks the ocean. How amazing and breathtaking was that? Oh, it gets better. Artie had to work so his Lady, Rachelle, took us for breakfast and a beach stroll down to Seal beach, just outside of Long Beach. What a quaint little town it happens to be.  Streets full of great little boutiques and restaurants. You don't even have to lock you car. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast and then a great stroll on the beach. It had been way too long since my toes hit the sand. 

Friday night was my first trip to Hollywood!!!! With as celebrity savvy as I am, I was praying to see some real celebs. Nope, didn't even get close. However, the highlight of my night and perhaps the whole trip was spotting Britney's Star on Hollywood Blvd!!!!  ***sigh

    Saturday was as super fun day filled with shopping at Loehman's, my new favorite store, a bike ride down the Pacific Coast Highway, a sunset ride on the yacht, and a 5 star, 7 course dinner at a great Italian place.  

 I had to post a pic of this rockin' dress I borrowed from Shannon!

     

 Sunday was a out last day and we made sure to pack as much in as possible. Being away from the gym for the 3rd day now, I went for a run along a canal in the crisp morning air. Then, we took a trip to a local farmer's market. Was this ever a treat!!! It seriously was like heaven to me; walking around outside, sampling tomatoes that taste like tomatoes, apples that are crisp and juicy, and even doing 'shots' of fancy olive oil.  This little trip was followed by a huge family brunch at a greasy spoon diner the family has been dining at for 30 years! We finished off our day with a little kayaking in the canal to finish up just in time to wash the salt water off and get on the plane.

What a wonderful weekend. I love going out of town with Michael. Even though this was not a 'romantic' vacation, I always end up feeling so much more "married" and close having experienced something new together. 

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

I LOVE fall.  I love the cool weather (well, not really cool in TX, but cooler), fall foods like apple and pumpkin, trading in my flip flops but boots, and spending time outdoors without melting! One tradition we have had every year since Michael, jr joined us is paying a visit to the Big Orange Pumpkin Farm in Celina.  While its only about 10 miles north of our house, it feel like we have stepped way outside the city limits. The pumpkin farm is a huge farm with farm animals to feed & pet, hay bail trailer rides, hot dogs, a REAL pumpkin patch, and plenty of great photo ops! The Caney trio spent Saturday afternoon on the farm!

There were several green John Deere tractors sitting around for the kids to play on which yall know Deuce had a fit over!!!

Mikey and I had a great time feeding the animals together. I don't know why I get so excited over stinkin' farm animals. I love letting the goats nibble out of my hand. Mikey just wanted to kiss them all! I'm not gonna lie, I did try to sneak a kiss from the cow!

It was such a nice relaxing day to spend together as a family! To stay with the whole farm theme for the day, we finished it off with a family dinner at Babe's Chicken Dinner house! MMMMMMMMM! Yumm!