Hey baby, It's the 4th of July!

And the 4th of July marks baby's first swim!

Now this day was built up a LOT over the last few weeks...mostly by me. I, of course, was required to get the perfect swim trunks....and I did not disappoint. Cavin sported some red, white, and blue swim trunks covered in baseballs! Perfect for our little Astros / Rockies fan. I wasn't able to find the right size though so we had to roll the waist down to create a tighter fit. Yes, people, we make sacrifices for fashion.

We have been pretty confident that Cavin will grow up to be a great swimmer because...well, it is in his genes. For one, his mom was a pretty darn good swimmer back in the day. Not only did I do swim team growing up, but I was also asked to swim for my college team as well. Two, (little known fact but) his aunt Amy G. was an awesome swimmer as well. That's right people, Amy used to be an athlete! Three, his dad is quite the fish himself and can do a mean underwater hand stand. And fourth....I like to call this our golden ticket to the Olympics....his webbed toes. That's right! He can literally swim like a duck! **And Mike wanted me to clarify so that you readers don't think our kid has deformed feet...Cavin has two toes on each foot that has some slight web-ness to them. I kinda find it cute (and beneficial to his swim career)!**

So the highly anticipated moment arrived and the result: one enormous frown. We are talking bottom lip sticking out and all. The closer Cavin got into the water, the bigger the frown became. However, once he was in the water swimming around a bit he started to enjoy it. Aha! Success!

To the makers of Wheaties cereal: just let me know who to send the picture to.

**Thanks to our friends Amy and Matt for risking baby poop all over their pool in order for Cavin to experience his first pool experience!**

One of these things is not like the other

PS. This was Mike's idea.

I miss Texas

Mornin' y'all!

The first thing I did this morning is turn on my I-pod, search for Robert Earl Keene, found "Fourth of July", and turned the speakers up....like I've done EVERY 4th of July since I can remember. I danced around the kitchen listening to album after album of REK until I moved to good 'ole Pat Green, then Cory Morrow, then back to "4th of July". Ah man, I miss my Texas country.


And as I had my own little party in the kitchen I couldn't help but think how MUCH I miss Texas. It truly defines who I am and brings back nothing but awesome awesome memories.


Now before anyone gets excited (or sad) we are not moving back anytime soon...or ever. We don't know what lies ahead of us and we are definitely enjoying California...it is truly a beautiful state and we've met some wonderful people out here!

And I'm sure Mike feels the same way about Colorado, he just doesn't have an entire genre of music to remind him. Maybe whenever he sees a mountain or snow he feels the same way? :)

However, Mike isn't writing this blog post. So as I sit here on the 4th of July reminiscing about eating watermelon in the heat and humidity by the lake and listening to REK, I also think about:

- Aggie football games (Gig 'em!), drinking beer starting at 8am (the ONLY way to deal with the last 5 years or so of Aggie football), and heading to the Chicken

- Shiner Bock on tap

- Road Trips to the beach, the Hill Country, to Austin for some live music, or to see our favorite Texas country singer play in one of our favorite dancehalls in the middle of nowhere

- Watching George Strait open the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

- Drinking cold beer outside on the porch at our favorite bar after work


- Watching my boys play...aka the Astros

- Hanging by the pool, drinking beer, playing cards, and making sure Jim and Mike don't cheat for the 100th time

- Good watermelon

- Good Mexican food (queso)

- Spending the weekend on a houseboat and waiting to see what Mike will do Larry next


- Dog-sitting Marley and seeing how happy that makes Sandy...I've never seen two dogs as close as those two and it breaks my heart to think they may never hang out again.


- Bible Study

- Running around Memorial Park

- Southern hospitality

- Shopping with my mom

- Having my dad right around the corner to provide help and advice instantly

- Transco tower - I know that's a weird one but I love that building...and I know it isn't called that anymore but it will always be that to me

- Old friends who know exactly what I'm thinking just by looking at me




- Texas football rivalries


- Wurstfest


- Two-steppin'


- The Astrodome: the 8th wonder of the world :)

- Our indoor and sand volleyball team (Jordan, Jamie, Meredith, & Mike - Ha! I put the "Js" first!) and those conversations at the bar afterwards!

- Chili cook-offs - Specifically, my "Monica Lewinski's Slick Willy Chili" team and my award winning "Hillbilly Chili: Put some south in yo mouth y'all" team


Oh I could sit here and go on and on... (and I could of added a TON more pictures!)

To those of you who blessed me with these wonderful memories - my dear friends and family - from the bottom of my heart, thank you.


Here's to making new memories filled with avocados, wine, beautiful beaches...and a few trips to Texas in between. Yeehaw!

Go Rockies!

This past weekend we took Cavin to his first (of many) baseball games! It was a very exciting game to of been his first to attend, as his second favorite baseball team (behind the Astros of course) were in town battling the A's. He showed up to the game with his Rockies onesie - compliments of Grandma Judy - ready to cheer on his team! And if anyone knows a thing about Oakland, that's a bold move kid....

As soon as we showed up the fan desk pulled us over, gave us a 'My first game' certificate, put a pin on Cavin's onesie that said 'It's my first game', and also gave him a wrist band with our seat number on it in case (get this) "he ran away".

We think the only reason he got away with wearing his Rockies gear in Oakland is those big blue eyes and his big gummy smile he flashed at all the A's fans....gets you every time.