Pretty Face

So I'm a little obsessive when it comes to sun damaging my skin...especially my face.  At the end of college, I began using a face moisturizer with SPF in it every.single.day.rain.or.shine.

I spent the majority of my 25 years outside, in the sun, rockin a terrific tan...but in my last few years, I have accepted that my sunkissed beach tan days are O.V.E.R. so it's time to start PROTECTING this pasty skin of mine :) 

I asked a sweet friend of mine, an expert in skincare, what are the essential steps in protecting my face from sundamage (wrinkles, sunspots, etc...) and was given these MUST-DO tips:

1. Exfoliate a couple times a week.

2. Moisturize daily.

3. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use sun protection.  MIN of SPF 15...every day.  (In the summer, I take it a step further and use SPF50!!) Odds are you will be stepping outside at SOME point during your day.  Instead of taking the chance that you'll forget to apply sunscreen, just use a moisturizer that has SPF already in it! 

images via.

1 vs 2

Over the past few days we have been reminded how much easier life is with just one little runt.

Things just seem so much calmer. We can take our time because we're not sprinting from child to child to take care of their various needs. There's only ONE little toosh producing dirty diaper after dirty diaper. We actually get to sit and enjoy dinner- TOGETHER! Bathtime and bedtime are quick and super easy. Errands are a breeze. The house isn't turned upside for eternity. Road trips are pretty chill. One kid stays entertained because there's no Kid#2 to steal mommy's & daddy's attention.

Life is seriously so much more relaxing with one baby! BUT- brian and I wouldn't have it any way other than the crazy busy random non stop life that is ours with Cameron and Averton!! We feel so blessed to have 2 of the most awesome little munchkins ever created and love every second we get with them- even if it IS exhausting. There is nothing that could make us happier or bring us more joy. We are BEYOND ready to have our normal life back- with TWO babygirls to take care of :)

Can you tell that cam is pumped too?
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Life Without Aves

We are nearing the hour that our little Aves will be back in our life! We miss her!! Cameron has thoroughly enjoyed getting all of our attention to herself, but I know she misses her big sis too. She loves to watch Avery'd goofy antics :)

I got lots done with only one baby! A lot of MUCH NEEDED cleaning/organizing, some Christmas and birthday shopping, some good friend hang out time...

Last night we played QUELF w the Wegs... Hilarious. I'll post pics soon. Everyone have safe travels!!
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I lost my address book....AGAIN!!?

How do you people keep track of your addresses?  I have updated and lost about 3 different address books in the last few years... SERIOUSLY.  Advice??  I NEED it.  And also- if you want a Christmas card...send me your address.  Because I can promise you...I no longer have it.

Send addresses to:  roxanne{dot}bradford{at}gmail{dot}com

Can't waitttt to take our Christmas card picturrrrrre with the Weghorsts @ The Arboretum!!

Texa(n)s Football, 60th Bday Shoutout & Missing my Lovebug!!

The Horns won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Yay.  We Orange-Bloods needed that!

The Texans blew yet ANOTHER sure victory in the final seconds of the game.  SERIOUSLY??  That look of beyond-frustrated-disbelief on Matt Schaub's face is becoming a staple that I am NOT a fan of.

Vince Young had another overly-emotional moment.  Poor guy.  I really do like the dude...I think he loves and serves Jesus...but he seems to be lacking in the self-control department at times.  To be successful as a QB in the NFL he's GOT to learn how to manage his feelings/emotions while in the constant spotlight.

Our wknd in Lufkin was super relaxing and fun.  God hooked me up with some sweeeet in-laws.  I love spending time with them and watching them lovvvve on their grand-girlies.  Happy Bday to my FIL David!!!  The BIG 6-0 today!!  Hope it is teeeerrific!

My mom has Averton @ PuraVida.  We made the exchange last night @ Buccee's in Madisonville and we won't see our little goofball until Wednesday night!! I know she's having a BALL with my mom & dad, but man...we miss her around here already!!  B & I missed our morning of entertainment with our little snugglebug!  For now, Cameron is enjoying being the center of attention!  She deserves it :)  The second child rarely gets the spotlight...

Now off to take advantage of only having one baby!  Master Bedroom Disaster....here I come!  Happy Monday!!

Pack'n'Play

I spent my day packing up for our weekend in Lufkin. It's always a challenge to keep the munchkins entertained enough to allow time to get everyone packed! My parentals are taking Avery Sunday night through Wed night when we arrive in SL for T-giv, sooo for Aves I was packing for 10 days and 3 different locations! My sweet little ones were champs and we were able to hit the road on schedule! That never happens. Thank you, Lord, for jumperoos, high chairs, and the Backyardigans!!

Hope everyone has a superfab wknd!
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We Found A House!!

We turned in apps and are just waiting to make sure we were the first to it!  Super cute neighborhood.  Lots of kids.  Right by the park & pool.  EXCITED!!  That was quick...just praying it all works out :)

The only thing that would be cooler is if it was in Casey & Greg's neighborhood :)

I {heart} B-Riz & Bunco.

I play Bunco once a month with superfly ladies.  It's pretty much the bomb.  I feel kind of funny when I tell people I'm in a Bunco group....like it officially puts me in the "boring old woman mom" category.  But these Bunco chicks are some of the LEAST boring people I know.  They're quite hilarious actually.  We all have some kind of connection with at least one other person in the group.  Tonight dear Sarah Ruth treated us to a delicious dinner and before we knew it....the night was over and we had never even rolled a dice!  All I remember is that she kept offering us more and more wine....

Bunco night is a MUCH appreciated getaway for me.  Hang out time with funny females, my OWN AGE.  No Backyardigans.  No dirty diapers.  I am superrrr thankful to my hubster for always making it so easy for me to go.  Regardless of the state of the Bradford Bunch (which tonight was a little rough) he gladly takes baby duty and never makes me feel the least bit of guilt for leaving him with screaming babies.  Thanks Boo!  You're the bomb.

4 Month Pics

 

Cameron: 4 Months

The baby munchkin is 4 months old! I'm serious.  Time actually goes by THAT fast.  Camo is so much different than Aves was at this age.  (updates coming after doc appointment manana!)

HEIGHT- 26 in-  80%

WEIGHT- 13lb 14oz- 56%

HEAD- 16in-  43%

• eats at LEAST every 3 hours
• gets up 2-3 times/night to eat
• doesn't ever seem REALLY satisfied
• starting with night time routine (hopefully it works!)
• naps randomly throughout the day
• totally not a schedule
• LOVES rainforest playmat
• likes the jumperoo for short bits of time
• sleeps like a champ in her vibratey bouncer
• is sooooo curious about evvvverything
• always wants to be facing the room so she doesn't miss anything!
• cries when she's sick of whatever she's doing...REALLY loud... and then is allll smiles as soon as she's got my attention :)
• gives mommy lots of big smiles!!
• we canNOT get her to giggle for the LOVE!  we have tried desperately and all we get is this hilarious giant smile/choking sound.  SO funny.
• loves leo the lion, just like her seester did
• sleeps on her back.  always.
• still likes to be somewhat swaddled
• not a huge paci lover....but liking it more and more.  not sure how i feel about this one.  maybe i should take it away now...before it's too late!!
• has not rolled over.  hasnt even come CLOSE. 
• not a huge fan of tummy time, but is starting to handle it for a bit longer now :)
• tries to attack every single thing that comes within 6 inches of her face. 
• grabs at pretty much everything
• intrigued by the computer screen, cellular, TV
• loves "twinkle twinkle"...it's her song...kind of like aves and "buttercup"
• loves her big sis!! loves watching her every move.  makes me happy.
• kicks like crazy all of a sudden
• is starting to kinda sorta bounce a little bit in her jumperoo
• seems to like bathtime, but not when im pouring water on her head. weird.
• had a terrrible yeast infection/diaper rash for about 2.5 weeks.  FINALLY gone.  thank you, lotrimin!
• likes her swing to go side to side
• definitely seems to get overstimulated sometimes...it's hard to keep that from happening when i've got a gooftroop 18 month old around all the time!

LOVE YOU LITTLE CAMERTON!!  Mommy, Daddy & Aves are loving watching you grow and develop.  I know you don't get alllll of my attention the way Avery did, but I love you sooooo so very much and absolutely adore my time with you :)  You bless our lives and we thank God for creating you so perfectly and for giving you to US!!

Weekend Goodness

Thursday I used a giftcard from my sis-in-law to get hurr did.  :)  I'm attempting to give up coloring my hair!!  We'll see how that pans out...  That night B stayed home with the girlies while I went to Lifegroup...only half of us showed up bc everyone has sick kiddos/spouses. Boo.

Friday night B's cousin Douglas and one of his little girls came over.  Aves & Allie had a grannnnd time playing together back in Avery's room.  It was the first time Avery has had a friend over and they actually played together.  Like...really truly played TOGETHER.  Cuteness.

Saturday the Bradford crew headed up to Denton to watch Uncle Reid play rugby.  He hung out with us for a bit that evening too.  Loved seeing you, bub! The weather was absolutely beauuuutiful, and it was just a great day with the fam :)

Today we went to church, lunched with some Lifegroup friends, watched football, cleaned....another happy day with the fam.  Tonight we are starting a more intentional approach to Cameron's sleeping schedule.  I'm ready for more than 3 hours of sleep at a time.  So CIO method...here we come! 

We are so blessed to have each other, to love each other, to love hanging out together, and just to have all of the friends/opportunities/provision that we do.  Weekends like this one, where we just hannnnng out, remind me of that!!

Happy start of a new week!

big news!!

Brian got a promotion of sorts, which will keep us in the Plano/Frisco/McKinney area for the foreseeable future.  We are about to start searching for a rent house (yay for a backyard!)  It's something we've been praying about for a while and we know that we are in the right place for now.  We are pumped!! :)  Thanks, God. 

Congrats to my hubs for his hard work!  Love you, boo!
 

Matt Chandler Interview

After going through the first half of treatments for brain cancer, Matt Chandler sat for an interview.  Even BEFORE this cancer journey, God used Matt in insanely huge ways to reach an insane number of people.  And through this cancer journey, He is continuing to bring more and more glory to Himself.  Pretty awesome.  God is crazy good.

CHECK IT OUT.

Holistic Cold/Flu Remedies

I absolutely {heart} our pediatrician here in Frisco.  If we ever leave, I will be SO hard-pressed to find a doc that we love any more!  A large part of the rason is that they allllways provide all kinds of holistic at-home treatment options before scribbling out a prescription.  We are pretty stocked up around here on cold/flu treaments...so in case you've never heard of them (like me) I'll break it down what we've learned so far! 

Cold/Congestion/Immune Booster

• Silver: dosing is on label...lots of specifics for this one! 

• The following can be taken 2-3x day for 1-2 weeks during acute illness, look for prevention dosing on label
• Lithy Tree:  congestion
• Briar Rose:  cough & congestion
• Elderberry:  flu (research has shown it to stop replication of flu virus)

• Vitamin D
• sick: 1600 IU(kid) / 8000 IU(adult)
• prevention:  fall/winter- half dose,  spring/summer- quarter dose

FLU Treatments/Homeopathic Vaccine

• Influenzinum: for 4 weeks take 4 pellets(kid) / 10 pellets(adult) and then once a month during flu season
• Influenza:
• Sick: 1 spray(infant), 2 sprays(kids 2-12), 3 sprays(adult).  Spray under tongue 2-6x day until symptoms improve. 
• Preventative: use anywhere from once a day to once a week.
• Oscillococcinum (age 2+): 
• Sick (start within 48 hours of first fever): 3x day for 5 days
• Prevention (after exposure): 1x day for 5 days
• Any/all immune boosters listed above!

**DISCLAIMER:  always discuss any type of treatment for your little ones with you DOCTOR FIRST!!!**

Eliz Bach'ette Wknd!!

I headed to H-town this wknd for my wonnnderful college roomski's bachelorette festivities.  SO fun.  We started the shin-dig @ S-Factor for some pole-dancing cardio action.  Hilarious.  We then checked into Hotel Zaza...

pampered ourselves with manis & pedis @ the ZaSpa.

  Next, we headed up to our 12th floor suite to prep for our Flapper themed sushi outing that night.  Delish. 

 When we arrived back @ Zaza we got to watch Eliz open up all of her yummy lingerie and just hung out, pigged out, and loved every second of it.  I'm so excited that I get to part of everything with you Eliz!  I love you!! 

While I was gone, B-Riz was super dad.  He had the girlies alone from the time they woke up on Saturday am until I returned home on Sunday afternoon.  And OF COURSE, while I was gone, Cameron developed a SEVERE cold.  But that's another story...

Avery: 18 Months!!

Aves is 18 months old.  WOW.  That child is growing up!! It's craziness.

WEIGHT:  21.5 lbs ---> 15%

HEIGHT:  33 in. ---> 86%

• This child grew 3 inches in 3 months!!
• Loves Nick Jr, esp Fresh Beat Band & Backyardigans
• Loves to snuggle/wrestle w Kerbs.
• Can name all of her immediate relatives... still workin on Aunt Amy though!!
• Riley "YiYi"
• Reid "Eee" or "yiyi"
• Nonni "Nonna"
• Big Poppy "Bobby"
• Nana "Nahnah"
• Papa "Bopbop"
• Animal sounds galore...and most of them are hysterically inaccurate :)
• Constantly asks, "what's that?"
• Loves to skype w her g-parentals.
• Apparently is TERRIFIED of the doctor now.  Not cool.
• Is totally random with her food preferences.  Her fav thing one day is the bain of her existence the next.
• Loves apple juice, milk, water (any fruit/veggie juice too!)
• Will finally eat ground meat (turkey...still not into beef yet)
• Still only has 4 teeth!
• Is a skinny minnie!  She's in the right size for length but everything is huge in the waist.  We need to put some meat on this child!
• Loves bathtime still
• Is doing great in her Bumgenius 3.0! 
• Loves to help with her babysister
• Now loves to do everything for babydolls just like mommy does for Cameron
• Is starting the terrible twos! Yikes.  Is in this terrible kicking and squeeling phase.  AND she starts hitting herself in the head kind of hard when we tell her no.  
• Is about to start being put in "timeout" proooobably 15 times a day.  Just an estimate.  We shall see...
• Great with fork & spoon finally :)
• Has a big girl potty bc she is super interested in the whole going potty thing.  Not really potty training yet though.
• HATES pooping.  Does a poopy dance and tries to hold it in.  Hilarious/sad.

Avery is the bomb.  We adore her.  She's fun, hilarious, friendly, and just makes our life incredibly JOYFUL!  SOO thankful that God has given us such an awesome blessing to brighten our every day!

the Twinkie Diet...

Okay...let me start off by saying that I am IN NO WAY promoting this... but I just canNOT get over it, so I'm blogging about it.

A nutrition professor @ K-State went on a 2-month long diet on which he consumed a twinkie every 3 hours instead of a normal meal.  He also munched on some Doritos & Oreos as snack.  He took a multivitamin and ate one can of veggies every day as well.

He was exploring/proving the point that in weight loss, calories in vs calories out is the bottom line.  It doesn't matter what type of calories they are.  You burn more than you consume and you WILL lose the weight. 

When people throw this at me, I ALWAYS shoot them down saying that yes, they'll lose the weight, but in the process will destroy their health.  Umm...according to the results this dude experienced I am just straight up wrong. 

His health actually IMPROVED!!! Seriously...??

I still believe with every fiber of my being that if continued, this diet would have started destroying his body...sooner rather than later. 

I'm still kind of in shock though.  Read it HERE.

The Bradford Zoo

Although Aves was a giraffe last year, we couldn't resist having SISTER giraffes this year!  Um...cuties.  B was @ the world series, so he didn't get to dress up with us, but Roxanne the Zookeeper had a grand old time hangin with my baby giraffes on Halloween!

 

my girlies and me

 

grady, aves, & tatum getting ready to head out!

 

The Bradford Zoo (minus daddy)

 

BFFs holding hands! preciousness.

 

the whole gang.

 

Um, isn't Casey the cutest Dorothy ever?? (well...maybe she and Scarlett are tied!!)

Pumpkin Patch[es]