Date Nights

Date Nights are few and far between after having a baby. A simple date with your husband becomes a luxury. You must make the time and effort if you want it to happen. Before baby it's like "hey wanna go see a movie and try that new restaurant" After baby it takes a lot more planning and preparation. In that sense a date night is much more exciting and special than it use to be. It is something to look forward to because it does take so much to plan. A few weeks ago Chris and I had our very first and much needed date night since Jude was born. Although we were unable to squeeze in a dinner, we spent the evening at the Majestic theater downtown. I LOVE the Majestic. It has to be the one of the most beautiful theaters in the world. It's Spanish architecture is truly unique. It looks as if you are outside, in the evening in old Spain with its blue sky and twinkling stars on the ceiling. For anyone who is coming to visit San Antonio...it's a must see or go to www.majesticempire.com ... but pictures don't do it justice. We saw the musical Wicked and it was amazing! So fun, great cast, songs, dance, etc....I left very satisfied. Also I am so excited about Broadway Across America 2009-10 season. Our wonderful Army husbands bought myself, Rikki and Ana season tickets so we can have date nights with each other while they are deployed. Thank you fabulous husbands! The following weekend we had date night #2...ok so it wasn't just us, but adult time without kids counts! We went to a Round Rock Express Baseball game after he went to Battle Assembly with a few of his fellow soldiers. Though it was insanely hot, we were in the shade and enjoyed some hot dogs, coke, adult conversation, and watched some future Astros play some ball (even if they did loose). It was also Jude's first sleep over at his Nani's house in Kyle. I admit it was difficult for me...that is missing him so much, but I soon got over it after a fabulous full night of sleep in the comfy King size bed at our hotel. I'm not sure how many more date nights will be had as our weekends are booked with family time before Chris leaves, but I'll take what I can get!

Happy Birthday Kelly!

Last weekend we celebrated Kelly's 27th birthday at my mother- in -law's home. Since she is a summer baby Kelly has always had a pool party as far as I can remember and this year was no different. Also... check out the candy cake her husband had made for her. Kelly is the queen of all fruity candy. She doesn't like chocolate( I know crazy right!?) so this cake was perfect for her....even had a Hispanic Ballerina Barbie....way to go Ben for knowing your wife so well!

It's Miller Time!

We had a Backyard-BBQ/Baby Shower for the Bettingers. Friends and family flew and drove in from all over the state and from other states as well. Hamburgers, beer, beans, and watermelon kept the shower fun and casual and very guy friendly too. Besides the Texas heat (we mainly stayed inside) all went well. An explosion of purple and pink filled our living room as Chris and Rikki opened gifts and we were all surprised at how fast or should I say how slow men can drink beer from a bottle. It won't be long until Ms. Miller Lynn Bettinger is playing along side Jude. We can not wait for the baby girl fun to begin....we can not wait for Miller to arrive!

I Can Breathe!

Whoo-hoo for the end of a busy month and the end of another school year! Hello to happy summer days of baby bliss. This past month I did not stop. Not for one second. Between going back to work, ending a school year, very busy and full weekends and a long "to do" list, this has been a non stop few weeks. It began with Jenna's wedding in Brownsville, followed by the Miller Bettinger shower, moving out of my classroom, birthday party for Aunt Kelly, a truck rodeo for Grandpa Eugene and a magical date night at the Majestic. All fun events, but I am glad to be at home, relaxing, spending time with Jude and completing a to-do list of a different kind. But even as I sit for a moment, I realize that all June weekends are already full! It is reminding me of how time flies and how little of it we have left before Chris deploys for a year...gulp:( First on the list...catching up on my blog!

Jenna's Wedding!

We started the weekend off leaving San Antonio after work on Friday. I was unable to take off the day because it fell on a 3 day weekend and teachers aren't allowed to take the day before a holiday weekend or else we are docked $200...no thanks! So we made the journey to Brownsville with a loaded car. I wasn't sure how Jude would do. We had only made one other road trip with him to Houston and that last 30 minutes of the 3 hour trip were really pushing his comfort limit in a car seat. I realized what an ordeal it is to travel with a baby and I am sure kids in general. They require a lot of stuff. Jude did very well in the car because he slept almost the entire time. But just as we were moving into our hotel room at 11pm, he told us how he really felt. He cried, no screamed (I've never heard him scream) and was absolutely hating the fact that we were in a new place, and woke him up from sleep and I am sure was having stomach issues with being in the same position for hours. After some rocking, he finally fell back asleep for the rest of the night. Along for the journey was our very own "Granny Nanny" as my mom named herself for the trip. She came to watch Jude at the hotel so that we were able to have some adult time and truly enjoy the wedding. The next day we took our time and headed for the pool.After Jude met his Godfather and aunts he was soon off to nap. He was grumpy and sweaty in the hot Brownsville sun.
Everything about the wedding was fabulous...food, music, and a beautiful bride! It was great to slow down for a while and catch up with girlfriends. I realize how lucky I am to have such a great group of friends from college who all keep in touch and come together for fun events like this . We are all so very different...we live in different cities (and states), with different professions and lead different kinds of lives, but we all manage to stay close at heart and remember the "good old days" and make new memories as well. I've known this group of girls for over 8 years now...wow. So cheers to friends, sombreros and cowboy hats on the dance floor, my first alcoholic beverage in a year, purple shoes, Hadley's "husband competition"...how did Chris finally place?, Twizzlers...no red vines...no Twizzlers, wedding singers who text while singing, dancing queen, coma coma coma chameleon, and to Jenna and Niko...CONGRATULATIONS!

Back to Work

This past week was my first week back to work in 12 weeks! It was a bittersweet experience having to leave my first born child for a full day, but also very nice to get back to what I love to do...teach. It was nice to see my co-workers and my class as well. I was a little teary eyed leaving Jude, but knew he was in good hands...Chris' to be exact. It was an exhausting week having to get up early , having a full day with 20 five year olds and then coming home to be a an energetic mom and going to bed just to wake up a few times to feed Jude. Chris was indeed super dad...taking Jude on daily walks, cooking, cleaning, changing diapers and feeding...oh yeah and working during Jude's naps. It is nice to come home to a home cooked meal and a clean house....I could totally get use to this situation! It really worked out well that we were able to do this at least for a few more weeks until I am done with work. I am excited to be a stay at home mom this coming year. Its an opportunity that I know I won't regret. As a fellow co-worker told me... You are only in this moment now, it goes by so fast and you can never go back, so capture all those precious moments and memories. Its so worth it!

My First Mother's Day

Last Weekend was my first Mother's Day. It was a special weekend and it had more meaning than ever before. On Saturday my husband took Jude and ran errands, leaving me home by myself long enough to take a nap...an actual nap! It was heaven. I haven't been able to get sleep for more than a few hours at a time for 3 months and so I am always tired. A nap is a luxury these days. On Sunday I woke up and opened my very special gift...a Willow Tree figurine.."Mother and Son" to add to my collection. Then my brother, his wife and her three brothers came over to clean and cook a meal for our own mothers who came over later in the afternoon. We had BBQ/honey chicken, spinach/artichoke pasta salad, potato salad, jalapeno cheese corn bread, and some very yummy coconut cupcakes and lemon poppy seed cake...delicious! Thank you all for my very special day:)