Play Kitchen Recs??

For either Christmas or her 2nd bday, we want to get Aves a fun little kitchen!!  Any recommendations on which one we should get?  They all have just little differences, but I don't have a clue if one is better than the other??  I don't know what "features" we should be sure it has....  I'm new to the fake-kitchen-purchasing thing :)

I Want to Read...

• Josh Hamilton's"Beyond Belief"
• Tony Dungy's "Quiet Strength"
• Nelson Mandela's book
• Tom Brokaw's book
• The Help
• The Hiding Place
• Left To Tell
• Gandhi's book
• Traveling Mercies
• The Book of Mormon
• MLK Jr's book....again
• Obama's "The Audacity of Hope"

Any other suggestions?  I like non-fiction & biographies (obvi).  Books about or written by inspiring people.  I prefer those where God's work is shining through! I'll keep adding to or checking off as I go, but I have to have SOMEWHERE to keep track...

 

Since When...??

Since when did the World Series trump Halloween??  Since NOW, apparently...

Sadly, Brian will not be joining his favorite 3 girls on Halloween evening this year.  Instead, he's going to the WORLD SERIES!!!!!  I am seriously SO jealous.  Not because I'm a huge Rangers fan...because I'm not.  I mean sure, I cheer for them, but my heart is with my 'Stros.  Anyway- I DREAM of going to the World Series someday.  It's on my Bucket List for sure.

I'm sure the whole time he's @ the game soaking in the insanely cool atmosphere, watching some of the best players in baseball, he'll be wishing he was with the rest of the "Bradford Zoo" celebrating Halloween @ the Weghorsts...

via

Current Goals...

1. Get into a workout routine and actually do it.  It's tough with babies!
2. Start journaling more regularly again.  I miss it...and it's a huge part of my spiritual development.  MUST get back into it.  Finding a time to be consistent with is the tough part!
3. Start reading every night before bed again.  Even if it's only 5 pages.  I need it.  I have too many books on my list to NOT get back into the habit.

Ready...GO.

NFL

After first hearing about the NFL's new policy on helmet-to-helmet hits I was totally a fan.  And then, as I heard endlesssss discussion about it on the ESPN TV/radio, I started to kind of see where the complaining defensive players/ex-players were coming from in their complaints.  THEN, after hearing the commissioner's statements about it throughout the week, I was 85% supportive.  And THEN after the first week with the new rules in place, I am 100% all about it. 


With the new research that is constantly being done on the impact/effects of concussions, how can you NOT support the effort to cut back on the frequency of UNNECESSARY hits in the head??  Seriously.  I'm super proud of the NFL for putting players' safety/quality of post-NFL-life first.  I'm a teeny bit surprised by it, but it makes me proud.  Way to take a stand, Roger Goodell.

Love my Longhorns...

THe Bradford crew loaded up and headed down south this past weekend.  We spent time in Fburg w/the parentals, Riles, and Nug & Cody.  So happy to have them visit out there for the first time...next time we will DEF have to stay longer and have some late nights out by the firepit :)   Aves learned to say Cody's name...kind of...  She misses "CoCo."

We all headed to Austin for the game on Saturday while the little girlies stayed @ PuraVida w/Nonni.  BADDD GAMMMME.  So not satisying to watch that disaster.  Brian and I left a few minutes early because he was infuriated and I was MIZ.  My stomach was killing me, I had blisters on my feet (bc I'm the genius who wore boots knowing we'd be parking 2 miles from the stadium).  Linzer, Jeremy, and 4-wk-old Baby Knox joined our whole gang @ CPK for a quick bite and some chat-time before we all headed our separate ways.

Loved seeing so many of the people we love this weekend.  The Horns were a total let down...but dude...I feel bad for those kids.  It has to be SO frustrating to dominate #6Nebraska one week and then get 100% outplayed by UNranked Iowa State the next...  Yay for Mizzou (who beat OU...holla) and for Auburn who FINALLY beat LSU who should have lost like...4 times already this year. 

I think my momma took some pics out at the land....  mom??  am i right?  hook a sister up :)

and just for the record...although i am so annoyed w the horns....i still/always love the Horns 100%.  Definitely not a fairweather fan over here...

We were BUMMED to miss Carson's 3rd bday this wknd though!  It looked like one of the coolest parties everrr...Avery would have been in LOVE with the "Fleet" and the train!! Happy belated bday Mr Carson!

Top 3

Last night at Lifegroup (which is at our place this month) our "icebreaker" required us each to name our Top 3 concerts we've been to or that we'd like to see.  That's a random question I always ask people anyway, so I was excited to hear everyone's answers.  I love to know what kind of music people are into.

My fav 3 concerts of all time are Ben Folds, Britney (any of the ones I attended qualify...duh.), and Kings of Leon (I forgot about that one last night, and instead said Keith Urban...who is now a close 4th.)

I scored a last minute ticket to Ben Folds in Nov of 2005, but I only found one so I had to go alone.  Did I care? HECK NO!  Anything to see Benny Boy....and it was the GREATEST concert of my life.  AND- some unknown band called "The Fray" opened for him... we were all buzzing about how awesome the opening band was when we left the place...little did we know they had some major fame in store :)  I wish I could back and relive that day.  I was sooooo high on life.

Loobs, Jacci, and I went to our fair share of Britney concerts in our younger years... we were literally in heaven at the time.  We had a somewhat unhealthy obsession that girl.  I'm pretty sure we all reallyyyy wanted to be her.

I got a random invite to the Kings of Leon concert in Dallas right after B, Aves & I moved up here from my sis-in-law, Ames.  I will be eternally greatful for that invite, because I wasn't into their music at the time...I was annoyed at how obsessed everyone had become after just ONE song...but after the concert, I hopped right on the band wagon....because these guys are talented, have great music, and put on a grrreat show.  I kind of fell in love a little bit....

bumgenius

I posted a while ago asking for advice/input on cloth diapering.  I got lots of good info...so thanks!!  we have been using bumgenius 3.0 around here for a couple of months now, annnnnd i LOVE it!  they're so incredibly easy.  They really are the perfect diaper for what I was looking for.  Money-saving...check.  Simple to use...check.  One size...check.  Easy enough for DAD to use...check!  The only "con" I can see so far is that Avery's teeny little tush looks HUGE with those bad boys on!  I think it's mostly because she's such a munchkin.  But I kind of think it's PRECIOUS.  

I haven't quite built my diaper supply up to where I'm hoping to, but we're almost there!   YAY for bumgenius 3.0!!  I am itching to get a super cute wetbag from someone at etsy, but so far I haven't seen a fabric that I realllyyyy like, and neither of the 2 ppl I emailed can do custom orders.  I'm not sure where else to find one?  And, I'm still experimenting with the whole dry pail thing...

Oh, and for the record, I DID try gDiapers as well and DID NOT LIKE them one bit.  I have read great things about them, but um...NOT a fan in the least.  I'm sticking with the bumgenius.
 

Sentiments...

We spent last week in SL to spend time with fam, mourn together, and to celebrate Pawpaw's awesome life.  Our private memorial for him was awesome.  Along with the tears, there was laughter...and that is a blessing.  All of the grandkids loved hearing the hilarrrious stories about him, and totally loved hearing what an impact he had on his wife, his kids, his kid-n-laws, and his buddies beyond what we already knew.  He had a gift of making you feel special, instilling confidence, and bringing joy.  We realize even more now how lucky we all are to have had Pawpaw around for so long!  That thunderous laugh will NOT be forgotten :)

A special thanks to all of our really super great friends who came out to the visitation.  We love you guys a wholllle lot and are incredibly thankful to have you guys in our lives :)  God has blessed us BIIGGG time with some really cool and meaningful friendships! 

My sweet Nana is pretty amazing.  She has been so strong, but so honest through this whole process.  She and my Pawpaw were so incredibly in love and MAN... I just pray that Brian and I are able to live together for as long as they did!  And what better way to pass on to heaven than in your sleep while holding the hand of your best friend??  Seriously.  God- that was an incredible blessing for my Nana! Thank You.  Although I don't have a clue what it feels like to be in her shoes, I would imagine that each day will be full of sadness for quite some time, so please lift up my Nana.  I know that God gave both her and Pawpaw immense peace on Sunday before he passed, but please continue to pray for comfort and for little bits of laughter and joy each day!

It has definitely been a sad time of mourning such a huge loss...especially for Nana, my dad, and his sisters...but it's also been really cool to spend so much time together.  I'm so thankful for my fam.  For reallsssss.  Thanks God.

Goodbye Pawpaw, see you soon...

My wonderful, sweet, hilarious, loving Pawpaw passed away during the night. 

He was able to spend some really special time with Nana during his stay at the hospital, and was able to gather his kids yesterday for some final time with them.  I'm so thankful for that.

I'm also SO thankful that he didn't have to suffer through a long, slow fight and that he finally felt some peace.

Pawpaw- I love you so very much!!  I had visions last night of you floating off to heaven with an angel on each arm...and you had a huge smile on your face!  I hope that's exactly how it went down :)  I will miss so many things about you.  I'll miss your big loud deep laugh that scared Avery.  I'll miss talking sports with you on the phone after pretty much every Texans/UT football game.  I'll miss seeing you melt whenever you see my babygirls.  I'll miss hugging you and I'll miss your cheek kisses.  I'll miss the way you exclaimed "Roxanne!" whenever I called.  I'll miss you telling me what stellar athletes my brothers are.  I'll miss seeing you and Nana together.  I'll miss seeing you sitting in your "chair"...

Thank You, God, for my awesome Pawpaw.  Thank You for the incredible family that he raised, that I am blessed to be a part of.  He was a good man.  You are a good God!  Please let him watch golf and football in heaven for eternity.