Fashion, Please!!!

OMG! Tonight, I got to have probably the best night ever! I had more fun on my girls' night out than I've ever had at any event in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay....................I got to go to the Fashion in the Park Oscar de la Renta show in Dallas at Northpark. Unbelievable! That is the only word I can think of.

As I sat among the highest of class...surrounded by fashionistas of both the female & male variety, I found myself thinking....if I could be part of this in some way besides a spectator, where would it be? I would have chosen to be "in charge" of the planning of the event. The decor was breathtaking and creative and hip and funky....but still OVER the top classy! The champagne was free-flowing as we stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the most elite people in the fashion world. The Vogue VIP seats were right in front of us. I caught myself daydreaming of working for Vogue and sitting right in the middle of them all! But as I sat in my seat 2 chairs behind them, I thought............I can settle for this, too! This is awesome!

Me, Tosha & Jennifer had the time of our life tonight! Just 3 girls out on the town at a real runway show! No biggie! It's just a typical day in the life of..............someone other than us! LOL But for tonight, as I managed to walk around through the crowd in my killer designer shoes, I was part of something big! Something I love. Something most people have never even thought of going to. (And so we can be clear, when I say "killer designer shoes" I mean killer...and not in the ...OMG those are KILLER shoes....but in the OMG....these are KILLING me way! LOL)

Now, we're ready to go to fashion week in New York! What fun!

More photos from our trip to Lufkin...

On our way home today, a tanker truck exploded somewhere about 10 minutes in front of us. We were lucky we had stopped to go to the restroom or we'd have been stuck right in the middle of the huge mess. These are the photos I took from the car.





Jason & Sarah had fun playing football with their Pop right before we left to come home today! Sarah got really into it, too!



Sarah gives Mimi a tearful goodbye hug. She was so mad that we were leaving to go home. Then, we went to see Grandpa & Ner-Ner and they cheered up! :) We were glad they got to see both sets of their grandparents today!










Does anyone else see what's wrong with this picture? Even Wal-Mart is feeling the Economic crunch! LOL Talk about inflation!






While in Lufkin, Sarah & Jason got to see two of my great friends Sandy & Charlene....who they lovingly call "Dee-Dee & Cha-Cha". They were given WAY too much candy which made them have crazy eyes! LOL Just kidding....DeeDee gave them funny glasses! Cha-Cha had her precious grandbaby, Connor with her! Sarah loved him! He was adorable!




Me & My girls! I miss them so much!




We also got to go see Mrs. Davis...Aunt Suzie's mom! She loves the kids and we loved getting to visit her. She had some beautiful photos from her and Suzie's Hawaiian vacation from Christmas last year. Tons of photos of waterfalls and rainbows! The kids loved it!

Sarah's Heart....

On Thursday, we met with Sarah's cardiologist at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. It was her regular checkup. She gets them every 4-6 months. She hasn't had a surgery since before she turned one, but we are coming up on the last of the series of heart surgeries.

At her appointment, he told us that he wants to see her again in February or March and at that appointment, he will go ahead and schedule her for her heart catherization surgery which will take place a few weeks or months later (we don't really know the exact timeline on that yet.)

From there, after the cath, they will set a plan of action and her open heart surgery will be within 6 months of that. Either way, we are going to be looking at getting her surgeries over with and behind us sometime within the next year and a half!

The funniest thing happened at the doctor's office on Thursday.....

For the first time, they asked us to put a hospital gown on her. They requested that we tie it in the front so I followed directions. She looked down at it like I had put her in a plastic sack! LOL Then, we went for the chest xrays and on our way BACK to the exam room, she untied it and just turned her nose up and threw it down in the floor of the hallway! She WOULD NOT wear it! The photo of her with her cup in the hospital gown is the only one I got. I made her laugh and snapped the photo! It was so funny. haha I told Todd I needed to get her some "custom" hospital gowns made up before her surgery! We both laughed about it! However, we really are getting her some made! I have a lady that makes some of Sarah's clothing and she is making them for us! I'm going to take Sarah to pick out the fabrics she wants and we'll have matching hairbows, too! haha She'll be the most well-dressed hospital heart surgery patient you've ever seen! LOL

That's my girl!

Hot Air Balloon Festival

On Sarah's birthday (September 21st), we met Mimi & Pop in Plano for the Plano Hot Air Balloon Festival! Sarah is obsessed with hot air balloons. SHE LOVES THEM! When we heard the festival was on her actual birthday, we HAD to take her and Jason! We had so much fun! She absolutely loved seeing real hot air balloons. Jason LOVED climbing the rock wall which he was VERY good at! Sarah of course wanted to climb it next. (Even though we were ALL telling her she was too small.) She wouldn't hear of that. Finally, I knew that she wouldn't let us leave until she had climbed that rock! So, I went to buy her some tickets to climb it! She shocked us all. She got all strapped up with harnesses and up she went! I love that both of the kids turned to smile at me as they were coming down! You can tell that I have them trained! LOL

One thing I thought about is how there will be a lot of times in Sarah's life when everyone wants to protect her and keep her from doing things because of her heart. When she looked up to me with those big blue eyes full of determination, I decided I needed to be on her side and help her achieve her wish which in this instance, was to climb a rock towering above us all. There are going to be a lot of things that we can tell her she "can't do" when in reality, we need to let her try. She already shows us that if we tell her she cannot do something, it only drives her to be more determined to do it! I have come to the resolve that I am going to be her cheerleader. I'm going to stand behind her. If she wants to do something, I'm going to help her achieve it. (as long as it truly won't hurt her!)

That is the biggest birthday present I can give her and I will have to remind myself to give her that gift every year of her life from here on out.

Below are the photos of what she would probably call the best day of her life so far!



She and her "bubba" in the back seat! She looks excited about heading to the Hot Air Balloon Festival, doesn't she!?
She was really excited to see her Mimi & Pop on her birthday. They drove to meet us and enjoy the festival, as well!

Sarah coloring some Hot Air Balloon Art in the kid's zone!


The infamous ROCK! Not too big for MY babies!!!! Jason climbed it first! I was so proud of him! He went straight to the top with no problems and no hesitation at all. He loved rock climbing!
Smile for the camera! Mom's watching! LOL
Sarah gets ready to climb the big rock! She wasn't even nervous at all!
Once again, smile for the camera!!!! LOL
Waving at the balloons as we load into the car to leave! She just LOVED seeing them!


Me & My Sweeties!!!

Me & Carolyn with the kiddos! What a fun day!
I am thankful I am friends with my Mother in Law!

Sarah got a baby that swims for her birthday from Mimi & Pop and she wouldn't let go of it all the way home! She passed out with her baby in her lap! So sweet!