Moments with the Murphys

Happy Days

2011-04-26T20:13:00.000-05:00

We are now in our new house and loving it. We've got a lot of work to do to make it really feel like our home, but we are working on it. We've got rooms to paint and furniture to buy but we will get it done eventually.

In between moving and working on the house, we've been having lots of fun too. I took Katelyn to a splash park with a friend and her son. Of course, she loved it because she absolutely loves water. It was a bit cold, but she played hard anyway.

Moving on...

2011-03-14T07:10:00.001-05:00

A lot has occured since my last post. We were waiting on our house to sell, and it did! It took just about 3 weeks...what a miracle! The buyers paid cash and wanted our house in just a week, so we had to move out rather quickly. We are now living at my parent's house and are just waiting for the closing on our new house. If all goes as planned, we should be moving in at the end of the month. I can't wait. I looove my new house!

Meanwhile, Katelyn is just growing and growing and learning new words every day. Her new thing is to say bye to someone or something and then say "see ya". It's just so cute. She can say more names of family members now. Along with mama and daddy, she says PawPaw, Mimi, Coco (Cody, ha), Juju (Julia), and NayNay. She can say and point to her eyes, nose and hair. She says shoes, outside, slide, bed, peas, bread, please, kitty, and more. I'm so excited when she says little sentences like, "Bye Mama." and "I got it!". Love my little girl!

Weight and House Buying Update

2011-02-12T13:12:00.000-06:00

I went to WW this morning instead of Thursday evening. We were looking at homes in Lumberton on Thursday. And oh my were we disappointed. The houses we looked at weren't what we were hoping for.

Anyway, I lost 3.6 lbs. this week!!! Yay. That's a grand total of 6.8 in three weeks.

I am excited, however, about a house we found in Beaumont. It is absolutely beautiful! Right now, we are in a waiting game. We really would like to sell our house to be able to purchase a house. Two house notes would not be my idea of fun. So I am just praying that if this is meant to be, then we will sell ours soon. So now we wait, patiently, of course...ha.

New Developments

2011-02-03T16:28:00.000-06:00

I went to my WW meeting today at noon. Justin couldn't go because of work, but lucky me, I had jury duty and got dismissed at 10:45!! So I had the rest of the day off. I went to the grocery store to stock up on meals for the weekend and stopped by WW to weigh. I lost 1.6 lbs, again. This brings me to a grand total of 3.2 lbs so far in two weeks. It's a start.

In other news....we've put our townhouse up for sale!!! We are excited and nervous, but taking it one day at a time. We aren't in a hurry to sell because we haven't found a house we want to buy yet, but I believe it will all work itself out. We were supposed to go look at some houses with a realtor tonight, but it looks like icy weather will keep us at home instead.

We are definitely outgrowing our little place and need to move, but it's bittersweet thinking about leaving. We have lots of memories from our 5 years of living here. I will always love my first little house....tear.

Recipe Update

2011-02-01T21:34:00.000-06:00

So the pan-fried flounder (or tilapia, since H.E.B. didn't have flounder) was just ok. I won't make it again. I am usually disappointed when I make fish for dinner. I absolutely looove it when we eat out, but I usually don't like it when I make it at home. I guess it might be better if I wasn't trying to make it so healthy. Oh well, I guess I need more fish recipes.

Recipes

2011-01-30T07:28:00.000-06:00

Both of these are on our menu this week.

Crispy Chicken
5 WWPointsPlus, 4 servings

4 (4 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup fat free Ranch dressing
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed (They have this at the store already crushed. It's on the baking isle.)
spices of choice (parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.)
salt
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix spices, salk, and cornflakes in a bowl and set aside.
Dip chicken in Ranch dressing. Roll chicken in cornflake mixture.
Cook chicken until done, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Chicken Tetrazzini
6 WWPointsPlus, 6 servings

8 ounces cooked chicken, chopped
3 cups cooked spaghetti
3 oz. Mexican-flavor Velveeta, diced small
1 (10 oz) can fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients and pour into baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Plus I plan on making the Pan-Fried Flounder this week. Mmmmm...I'm hungry!

17 1/2 months...Time is flying by!

2011-01-29T10:11:00.000-06:00

Every time I look up, the calendar gets closer to the 11th. August 11th is Katelyn's birthday and it just seems like the months just roll by so quickly. She is really becoming such a fun little kid. I can't believe how grown up she acts sometimes.
Here are the things Katelyn can say:

hi, bye bye, mama, go, I go, ready go (re-ey go), duck, juice, cold, bed (bay), baloon (ba-oon), shoes, no, hey, yeehaw, wee, and some others I can't think of right now.

There are a few other words that she just makes a certain sound for, but we know what she means such as,
bath (ba), paci (pee) :), blankie (bee), Mickey (key)

Here is a great picture of her at the park swinging.

Ohhh so Unfair!

2011-01-28T06:43:00.000-06:00

Justin and I had a great night weighing in at last night's WW meeting. However, is it fair that he more than tripled my weight loss???? He ended up losing 6 lbs. his first week, while I lost a measley 1.6. I'm happy for my 1.6 victory but it still doesn't seem fair.

This week, I am going to try to get in some exercise. I might have to break out the Wii Fit or the old Biggest Loser Workout DVD and drag myself kicking and screaming to do it. I really hate the idea of exercise, but I know once I start, it will become easier. I've been here before! And, I've learned to like exercising before, but I'm just not feelin' it. I need motivation!!! Maybe thinking about Justin's 6 lbs. will motivate me. We'll see.

Two Recipes to Try

2011-01-23T09:17:00.001-06:00

I made this already today to have for lunch later. It took 5 minutes to put together and it's really yummy and makes a lot.

Taco Soup

2 lbs lean ground beef, brown and drain
Add 1 can of each: diced tomatoes with green chilis, Pinto beans with jalepenos, corn
Add 1 packet Ranch seasoning and 1 packet Taco seasoning
1 Tbsp chili powder
Garlic powder to taste
Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 hour.

Here is a Weight Watchers recipe I plan on trying. Since I've already been to the store for the week, I will probably try it next week. I will let you know what we think of it.

Pan-Fried Flounder
WW PointsPlus: 5
Servings:4

1 lb. flounder fillets
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 lg. egg white, whipped until stiff
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
2 sprays Olive Oil cooking spray
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Rinse fish, pat dry.
Spread with mustard, dip in egg white, set aside.
Mix dry ingredients and cover fish with it.
Coat pan with spray. Heat oil until shimmering.
Cook 2-3 minutes on each side.

So Much for 9 months on, 9 months off...

2011-01-22T10:20:00.001-06:00

It's been 17 months since Katelyn was born and I've tried losing some of the weight I gained during my pregnancy only to quit trying after only losing a couple of pounds. This time, I've called in the big guns....Weight Watchers. Justin and I are determined to lose some weight, so stay tuned and see the transformation. Maybe this will keep me accountable. My goal is to lose 30 pounds. I don't really have a time limit on it, but the sooner the better right? My first WW meeting was Thursday but I actually started dieting last Monday. I've already lost a few pounds, so that's a good start. I will update every Thursday with my results. Hopefully the number on the scale will continue to go down.

100% Back

2011-01-15T14:12:00.001-06:00

David had his last chemo treatment yesterday! We had a lot to celebrate, so we all took off Thursday night to make the trip to Houston. David had to go in for chemo Friday, so we met up with him when he was finished and had cake. Then, we went to Dave and Buster's for some games and Pappasito's for dinner. All in all, it was a great day with something wonderful to celebrate.

David and Dr. Dryer at Texas Children's in Houston.

My Girl

2011-01-09T20:21:00.001-06:00

Here are just a few recent pictures I took with my new camera. Here is Katelyn the day after Christmas at Mimi and Pawpaw's house.

This is Katelyn's new Power Wheels she got for Christmas.

Sweet sleepy baby.

Daddy and Katelyn at Bounce Zone.

Weee!!

Baby's SECOND Christmas

2010-12-19T20:24:00.003-06:00

I am looking forward to Christmas this year so much. Having a little one really makes preparing for Christmas really fun. She's not really old enough to understand everything that goes on but she's old enough to have fun with family and enjoy her new toys. She loves messing with the Christmas tree ornaments and looking at Christmas lights as we drive around town. She even can tell you that Santa Claus says "Ho Ho Ho".

Here are some things my baby can do at 16 months:

She can say a few words now. She says: mama, dada, go, cold , keys, tea, peas, uh-oh, hi, bye, uh-huh (for yes), and no.
She can make animal sounds for several animals including moo, woof woof, and quack ("ah ah")
She has learned to scribble with crayons.
She can climb up a few steps and slide.
She is so in love with going to bed at night. She will say "uh-huh" when I ask her if she wants to go to bed. I'm not sure that is very normal, but I love it!
She is wanting to use a fork to feed herself sometimes.
I love that she can answer with "uh-huh" or "no" to most questions I ask her. It makes it easier to figure out what she wants.

October- 14 months

2010-11-13T07:12:00.000-06:00

We dressed Katelyn up like Minnie Mouse for Halloween and she looked so cute.

September- 13 months

2010-11-12T20:10:00.000-06:00

A while back, we took Katelyn to the Port Neches Splash Park. She had a blast! She never stopped running the whol 45 minutes we were there.

It's Been So Long Since I Blogged...

2010-11-12T06:17:00.000-06:00

that I forgot my password.

I finally figured out how to reset it, so hopefully I will upload some pics, and maybe a video or two, this weekend.

A New Milestone

2010-08-29T18:11:00.001-05:00

We officially have a walking baby! It is so fun to watch her walk. It's taken her about a month to go from taking her very first steps and falling every few steps to now walking freely all over the house. Now that she's got it figured out, she seems to be having the time of her life. Her new thing is seeing what she can pick up and carry around. Some of her favorites are the phone, her blanket, and a golf ball :). (Last night she went to bed with the golf ball)...we may have the next Tiger Woods on our hands. I'm trying to get a good video of her walking and as soon as I do, I will post it.

Happy Birthday Katelyn Rose!

2010-08-11T15:56:00.001-05:00

We celebrated Katelyn's first birthday this past weekend. The party turned out to be so much fun. Katelyn enjoyed her special day by eating cake, playing with her cousins, and being pushed in her new pink car. Here are some pics to prove it!

Check out this Big Girl!!!

2010-07-24T17:43:00.001-05:00

Our First Family Vacation

2010-07-07T07:11:00.005-05:00

Although it was a short trip, I still consider it our first family vacation. Justin has the week off so we headed to Houston for a night. We took Katelyn to The Children's Museum and the Houston Zoo. We also made a stop at the Katy Mills Mall and The Rainforest Cafe. The trip was a lot of fun, although very tiring with an almost 11 month old in tow.

First stop on the way, Pappasitos.

Katelyn had fun exploring the hotel room.

Here we are at the Children's Museum. They have an area called the "Tot Spot" for kids up to 36 months where babies can explore all kinds of things from play cars, balls, instruments, switches and doors, tunnels, and more. I'm glad we made this stop.

Swimming at the hotel.

At the Zoo.

Lunch at the Rainforest Cafe.

I Spoke too Soon

2010-06-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

I thought Katelyn was feeling better today, but at about noon, she got a fever again. It was a pretty long day but she's sound asleep in her bed now.

It had to Happen Sometime

2010-06-18T11:08:00.001-05:00

Katelyn had her first fever yesterday. The night before she wasn't acting herself and we could tell she wanted to play but just didn't feel good. Then, yesterday morning, she woke up and felt pretty warm, so we took her temperature and determined that she did, indeed, have a fever. She had been very healthy up until this, with only just a stuffy nose once. She hadn't ever had a fever, until now. The fever made her very tired. She was just so pitiful to watch. She would just sit and play for a second, then lay down as if to say, "Please take me to bed." She slept most of the day, waking only just an hour or so at a time and then she was ready to go back to bed. Luckily we were able to keep the fever under control and today, she is feeling fine.

Standing Up!

2010-06-09T20:33:00.002-05:00

Katelyn is a wild child. She crawls from one room to the other so fast and is into everything! She's learned to pull up on furniture but hasn't quite figured out how to cruise along it yet. One of her favorite places to stand is at the front door. This picture was taken the night we saw this beautiful rainbow.

Thank you God for this rainbow!

Summer Time!

2010-06-09T20:20:00.000-05:00

Sooooo Big!

2010-05-28T20:36:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it. One day my baby is learning to crawl, and just a few short days later, she is pulling up on furniture to stand. I captured a few pictures of her new milestone.

Oh yeah...and she's also cutting her first two teeth! It took a while, but both bottom middle teeth decided to come through at the same time. She's handling it pretty well.

Funny Story about Shoes

2010-05-17T06:32:00.001-05:00

We've been bringing Katelyn to the nursery on Sunday mornings for the past couple of months. It feels so good to be back at church on a regular basis. Anyway, I had her dressed in a cute outfit my mom had given her a few weeks back. I also had put her in some cute gold sandals. When I went to pick her up I didn't notice her sandals were missing, but on the way to the car I realized it. I looked in her bag but I didn't see them there, so I went back to see if they were in the nursery. I asked the lady in the nursery if she had seen the sandals, and she got a funny look on her face. She started laughing and said that she thought the sandals belonged to this other baby because she had them in her mouth! So she had put the sandals on her. Ha! I thought that it was too cute that somehow Katelyn's shoes were taken off (either by her or the other baby) and the other baby was playing with them. That sneaky little baby just wanted those cute gold sandals. Who could blame her?

Worn Out!

2010-05-16T19:45:00.001-05:00

Katelyn and I stayed home this afternoon after church, while Justin went to play golf. We played and played and she played by herself, then we played some more. Did I mention that she is a pro at rolling a ball back and forth! Anyway, about 6:30 she started showing signs of being tired. She would try to crawl, but her head just wouldn't stay up.

Too Many Toys

2010-05-16T19:24:00.000-05:00

Now that Katelyn is a crawling machine, she can entertain herself for a long time. It's nice to just sit and watch her. I bought a basket at Target that is the perfect height for her to be able to reach in and get toys out of. The basket starts out full of toys, and just a little while later, toys are everywhere. I think my child has too many toys.
Before:

After:

9 months!

2010-05-11T14:08:00.000-05:00

I want time to slow down but speed up all at the same time. With only 4 weeks left of school, I am so excited to get to the end so I can spend more time with my girl. However, she is growing so fast and learning so many new things, that I want her to slow down just a little, or just stay like this for a while. Here are some things about her at 9 months.

* She still does not have any teeth. We always think they are coming any day now, but nope, none yet.

* She started crawling May 4th. She would only go very short distances, and then the next few days she didn't do much crawling. Then May 8th and 9th, she really started going. Now she is starting to figure out that there are different rooms in the house that she can crawl to.

* When I tell her to say "ma ma" she immediately says "da da". No kidding. It happens every time.

* The sounds that she makes are "da da" "ba ba" "ya ya" and "pa". No "ma ma" yet. She also has a wide range of happy screams and noises that she makes when she is talking with people.

* She recognizes the following words: kitty cat, ball, jump (She loves her jumperoo and if we ask her if she wants to jump, she gets all giddy), Elmo (she loves her little Elmo doll), and bye bye.

* She waves hi and bye now. First she started with bye. She will open and close her little fingers and say "ba ba". This past Sunday she started waving hi to people at church.

*Her eating is different each day. Some days she will eat fruits and veggies for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and some days she wants nothing to do with solid food. We will ask the doctor about that but I'm sure he will tell me that is normal for babies this age.

*She loves my cell phone, I guess because it lights up when she pushes buttons. If she gets her hands on it, and we take it away, she will throw a fit!

Mother's Day

2010-05-11T06:42:00.002-05:00

This was my first Mother's Day. It was such a great day. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful family. Here is a picture of Justin and Katelyn and the flowers they sent me.

Mother's Day morning at church was so special. Justin and I got baptised together in our church (It was his first time and mine was a rededication and a symbol of our family committing ourselves to the Lord together.) Then we dedicated Katelyn to God and promised to raise her in a Godly home and teach her the ways of the Christian faith. (pics to come!)

I will Blog Again Someday

2010-05-05T06:40:00.000-05:00

I've been busy with life and it seems the last thing on my list of things I get to do is play on the computer. I do have a lot of cool things to share though, mainly about Katelyn. Hopefully this weekend, I will have some time to update.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T21:01:00.000-05:00

South Texas State Fair

2010-04-03T21:33:00.000-05:00

I love this picture! You can see how happy Katelyn is to see all the rides at the fair. I guess next year, she will get to ride some of them. Eeeek!

Spring Break

2010-03-23T16:00:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few shots from our Spring Break so far. We took a long walk once it warmed up on Monday.

Katelyn's resting, watching Handy Manny, while I clean out her drawers and closet. I sure hope somebody has a girl so I can share some of her clothes. She has a lot!

Here she is, still in her pj's, looking at the pretty yellow flowers.

It won't be long now...

2010-03-21T21:23:00.002-05:00

Tonight Katelyn was very very active, rolling around all over the living room floor. It's so cool to watch her as she figures out new things. She got so excited when she pulled up her knees and held her upper body up. It looks like she will be figuring out how to crawl before we know it.

Spring is Here.....

2010-03-21T21:08:00.000-05:00

so why is it so cold??

Here is a shot of Katelyn outside the day before this terrible cold snap. Hopefully we will get to spend more time outside this week since I am off work. I have big plans for us...taking walks, working in the yard, shopping. We will see how much we can fit into one week.

Just a little proof...

2010-03-15T21:27:00.002-05:00

...that Daddy isn't the only one who plays with baby.

Katelyn and Logan

2010-03-08T19:39:00.003-06:00

Katelyn is beginning to learn to sit up unsupported. Here she is with her Aunt Julia sitting up all by herself for a little while. At this point she can only do it for about 30 seconds but she's getting better every day.

Here she is with her cousin Logan who was celebrating his 1st birthday. Happy Birthday Logan!!

A Day at the Park

2010-02-28T08:54:00.003-06:00

We took Katelyn to Roger's Park yesterday partly because we wanted to try out our new baby carrier and partly because we wanted to get a little exercise. She enjoyed being carried around by her daddy and being able to see the world from his point of view, but we didn't get much exercise. It turned out to be a little bit too windy and we didn't want to keep the baby out too long.

Katelyn's 6 Month Stats

2010-02-20T01:07:00.003-06:00

Weight: 16 lbs. 5 oz. (50-60th percentile)

Length: 27 inches (90th percentile)

Foods she's eaten:

carrots, peas, squash, sweet potatoes, green beans

peaches, bananas, applesauce, prunes, pears

We haven't found anything she doesn't like so far.

She drinks about 6 oz., 4 times a day.

She rolls over both ways and is very active. She has even rolled halfway across the room.

She sleeps a solid 12 hours at night and takes a couple short naps during the day.

She is soooo sweet!!

Happy 1/2 Birthday Dear Katelyn!

2010-02-13T07:48:00.003-06:00

Here are some shots of Katelyn on her 6 month birthday.

Peas and Carrots

2010-01-30T12:30:00.004-06:00

Katelyn is almost 6 months old. In fact, she will turn 6 months on February 11th. Last night, I went to the store and couldn't help but stop when I got to the baby food isle. I've been wanting to try Katelyn on solid food for a while now, but followed the advice of many that said wait. Last night I decided I had waited long enough. So I picked up several different foods; carrots, peas, squash, applesauce and peaches. We decided that carrots would be her first food and she really liked it. Here's the evidence. (I know only a mom would find this cute.)

Katelyn: 5 Months Old

2010-01-16T13:55:00.003-06:00

Katelyn has all of a sudden started saying "ba ba and da da and ga ga".

She sleeps from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. However, she usually cries at about 4 each morning because she has flipped over onto her stomach and can't figure out how to get back over. We just go flip her back over and she's out again till morning. It's absolute heaven!

She has really started reaching for and grasping objects. I will cheer for her when she picks something up and she just glows with pride for herself.

I love her little laugh. Sometimes all you have to do is look at her and she will giggle.

I'm not sure if she is beginning to teethe, but she sure does drool a lot and she sucks on her bottom lip. She also loooves her thumb.

Just Some Random Cuteness

2010-01-09T08:06:00.002-06:00

Katelyn tried out her highchair and loved it. She loves to be able to see everything that is going on. We also started feeding her some rice cereal with a spoon...she does pretty good with it.

Sleeping like a baby.
This was a hit! Katelyn loves her little farm jumperoo.
Justin and I took her to Roger's Park. It was a little chilly, but the weather was actually really nice.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T13:20:00.004-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We spent Christmas Eve with my side of the family and Christmas Day with Justin's. It was Katelyn's first Christmas and of course she was showered with lots of gifts. I think she got a little overwhelmed with all the festivities Christmas Eve because around 7 p.m. she had quite the meltdown. We had a hard time getting her settled down, but luckily managed to get lots of cute pictures beforehand.

Here she is in her pretty Christmas dress and black patent leather shoes.
Here is our little family.

Aimee , Aidan, Katelyn and Logan

My Baby Katelyn...4 1/2 months

2009-12-22T06:17:00.007-06:00

Katelyn is now almost 4 1/2 months old. At her 4 month doctor's appointment she weighed 13 lbs. 5 oz. which put her in the 50th percentile. She had grown 2 inches since her 2 month visit and is now 25 1/2 inches which puts her in the 90th percentile. Maybe she'll be tall like her daddy. She is such a great baby with a big personality. Here are some of the things she does...

1. She's rolled over several times, but can't quite figure out what to do from there. She will usually scream until you turn her back over. She isn't much for tummy time, but will lift her head pretty high a couple of times, then give up and suck her thumb with her face buried in the blanket..pretty cute.

2. She smiles and giggles at anyone who is willing to make silly noises and faces at her. She is a bit ticklish on her sides and back.

3. She is sleeping through the night!! Hallelujah, praise God! We put her to bed around 7 p.m. and she is out until around 6:30 or 7 the next morning. She started that a couple of days before she turned 4 months old.

4. She loves to be held sitting up so she can see what's going on. She likes her Bumbo seat for only a few minutes because I think it makes her feel too confined. She is definitely a wiggle worm.

5. Her Pawpaw says she likes to watch cartoons and her favorite is Handy Manny :). (Hey, he keeps her for me while I work, so if he lets her watch TV, oh well, I'm just grateful he is willing to keep her)

6. She grasps toys and can shake them around for a few seconds. She usually ends up beating herself in the face with them.

7. She can put her big toe in her mouth. It's cute to watch her play with her feet.

I actually hear her waking up now....6:30 on the dot.

What a difference a year makes...

2009-12-21T09:47:00.006-06:00

Last Christmas Justin and I had just recently found out we were pregnant. In fact, we found out December 3rd last year. We could only imagine what our next Christmas would be like and now here we are a year later and we have our beautiful little girl. This Christmas will be so much fun.

Here is a picture from December 4th this year. It snowed and we took Katelyn out for just a second to snap a couple photos.

Pictures by the tree.

Katelyn Meets Chloe

2009-12-21T09:31:00.005-06:00

This weekend we got to get together with some of Justin's family. His cousin Mary Beth has a daughter who is just 3 weeks older than Katelyn. Her name is Chloe. They were both so much fun.

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-27T10:22:00.004-06:00

The Cutest Pumpkin in the Patch

2009-10-24T21:20:00.005-05:00

Firsts

2009-10-22T13:23:00.004-05:00

Katelyn had some "firsts" today. This morning she rolled over! I didn't think she would really do it, but I had her laying on her back playing like she does every morning. All of a sudden she rolled over on her side and struggled a minute, then flipped over to her tummy. Of course I didn't have the camera ready and later when I tried to get her to do it again, she only made it to her side.

Also, she sat in her Bumbo seat for the first time today. I only let her sit for a minute because she really isn't ready to hold her head up for a long time. But she looked oh so cute and really loved it!

Katelyn Talking and Smiling

2009-10-21T14:45:00.004-05:00

Here is some video of Katelyn at 10 weeks old. I had to take it from the side, because if she caught a glimpse of the camera, she would just stare at it and stop making sounds. You'll see that at the end she sees it.

A New Discovery

2009-10-21T08:34:00.004-05:00

Katelyn has discovered the joys of thumb sucking. Sometimes she gets really mad when she can't quite get it in her mouth, but she's been getting the hang of it. I don't really think I should encourage this habit, but for now I just think it's cute, so of course, I take pictures.

Bye Stang Goodbye!

2009-10-21T08:19:00.004-05:00

We sold the mustang this weekend. Justin has had this car since he was 16 and has never had anything different...until now. We finally decided to get him a more practical vehicle since we now have the baby to carry around.

My 2 Month Old

2009-10-10T06:12:00.008-05:00

Katelyn is 2 months old now and really starting to develop a personality. She loves to coo and can get quite loud with it. I love it. She also will smile at you if you get real close and talk to her. It's so fun to try and catch a photo of her in the act of "talking"...

We went for her 2 month check-up and found out that she weighs 10 lbs. 5 oz. now and is 23 inches long, which is average weight and above average height for her age.

All I Want for Christmas....

2009-10-01T15:17:00.004-05:00

Personalized Pacifiers™ The Solid White Gold Diamond Pacifier

$17,000.00

Notice the price on this pacifier. Wow! I think Katelyn deserves it...don't you?

I Love My Daddy

2009-09-30T16:41:00.005-05:00

I love my Daddy...

Because he loves me...

Murphy Family Visit

2009-09-28T08:10:00.006-05:00

Katelyn got to meet some of her extended family this past weekend. Here she is with her cousin Bryan, who never wanted to put her down. He was so good with her, she even fell asleep in his arms.

Katelyn and Aunt Glenda.
Aunt Connie rocking Katelyn.

Sheila loves Katelyn.

Katelyn at 6 weeks

2009-09-25T20:11:00.006-05:00

Katelyn is just a little over six weeks old. She has started to smile and coo and I even heard her laugh a little in her sleep the other night...so cute. Everyone says she looks like her daddy, and I couldn't be more proud of her. Here are just a couple of my favorite pictures that we took this week.

What's Goin' On

2009-09-16T16:05:00.004-05:00

So I have neglected the blog, but for good reason. Having a newborn requires sooo much of my energy that I barely have energy left for anything else. We are working out some feeding issues with Katelyn. She is having problems with acid reflux that we are trying to resolve. It's emotionally draining when your baby has trouble eating. Hopefully, the formula combined with her medicine will help. Keep us in your prayers as we work on our issues. I'll leave you with a couple pictures of my beautiful baby.

Here's the Story

2009-08-28T20:58:00.005-05:00

So I said I would post more on the birth of Katelyn, so here goes.

We went in to be induced at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 11. Not 15 minutes after we got there I was in a hospital gown and in the bed. Yikes. I don't know what I expected, but they don't play around. After answering a few questions and signing all kinds of papers, the nurse hooked my IV up to the Pitocin to start my contractions. They started out mild and gradually increased in intensity. I labored until I finally dilated to about a 3 or 4 (can't remember exactly) and then it was time for the epidural. I think I got it around 1:30. I was excited for the epidural because I had been told how wonderful they are at relieving the pain. Well, it did relieve the pain....on the left side of my body!!! I was still feeling the contractions on my right side and continued to feel them for quite a while...at least another hour and a half I think. The anesthesiologist tried giving me more medicine which still didn't work for my right side, and after a while gave me some other medicine that finally numbed me completely...ahhh relief! I then laid back and actually felt awesome...even fell asleep for a few minutes only to find out about an hour later that it was time to start pushing. So at 6:00 p.m. I started pushing and did so until 8:00. I made a lot of progress, but the baby was just not having it. We then made the decision that a c-section was necessary and so I was wheeled to the operating room. I was feeling exhausted, a little delirious and a bit of relief that this was finally going to be over soon. They prepped me and made sure I was still numb and at 8:29, Katelyn was born. I felt a lot of emotions that day and am glad that I can say it is in the past. However, I do feel like God gives you the strength to get through things that you otherwise would think you could not handle. I am surprised at how well I handled everything, however I couldn't have done it without the support of all my family and friends, especially Justin and my mom. So that's the story in a nutshell. Here are a few more pictures.

I did not fall off the face of the Earth...

2009-08-21T17:01:00.007-05:00

I had a baby! Our daughter was born August 11, weighing 6lbs. 9oz, and was 19 1/2 inches long. She is beautiful and healthy and we could not be more proud of her. I plan on posting more about the day of her birth soon, but right now all my spare time goes to caring for her and rest for me (I'm still recovering from the c-section.) Here are just a couple of pictures...enjoy :).

Pregnancy Stats

2009-08-03T16:25:00.008-05:00

We had our weekly doctor visit today to find out...

Katelyn is not too big like we previously thought. She is actually weighing right on track at 6 lbs. 12 oz...according to the ultrasound we had today. I'm feeling very happy and so excited about what the days and weeks to come will bring.

I am 1 cm dilated and 90% effaced.

2 weeks till my due date!

Stolen Picture

2009-07-31T20:51:00.004-05:00

I stole this picture from Julia's blog because I really liked it. This is of my mom, me and my baby. I am 37 weeks pregnant here and really excited that it's almost time for us to meet Katelyn.

Is this TMI?

2009-07-29T21:31:00.004-05:00

We went to the doctor today and found out I am 1 cm dilated... probably too much information for the blog, but I don't care. I'm excited! And I wanted to say thanks to you girls who gave me encouragement a couple of posts ago when I was freaking out about the baby's size. You all made me feel a lot better. Today the doctor said that the baby isn't quite as big as she had previously said. So, I think I may have been worrying too much about nothing.

18 days till D-day!

22 days!!!

2009-07-25T09:31:00.009-05:00

Oh my goodness! I can't believe I'm going to be a mom in 22 days... give or take. How do you really prepare for that? I mean, we have all the necessary equipment... the carseat (which needs to be put in the car),

the crib,

rocker,

blankets,

clothing,

and diapers.

Our house is stuffed corner to corner with baby stuff... mostly pink baby stuff. But even with all that stuff, I feel so unprepared for this new adventure of taking care of a new life. I've read the books, talked to friends and family, and studied the internet, but until that baby is here, I don't see how I can really understand the weight of it all. I'm excited beyond belief, but the emotion that is ranking just a little higher than excitement is fear!!

What if I can't handle the crying?

What if I can't figure out the whole breast feeding thing? (no picture available)

What if she gets sick?

What if I never shower again :) ??

Well, I have 22 days. Ready or not, here she comes. (And I can hardly wait!!!!! :) )

Weighing in...

2009-07-20T18:25:00.003-05:00

Justin and I went to the doctor today for my 36 week visit. Dr. Sherman says that Katelyn is already about 7 lbs. and may be about 9 lbs. by my due date! My first reaction was "ahhhhh....how am I going to deliver a 9 lb. baby?" It took a little time, but I have calmed down after talking to other people. I guess I can blame Justin's genes for this one. He was a 9 lb. 6 oz. baby himself. I am very thankful that we have a healthy baby, but I wasn't expecting her to be quite so big already. I guess I'm just worried about delivering her and the possibility of having to have a c-section. It's all just so nerve wrecking since this is my first baby. I'm just going to have to trust in the doctor and try not to worry too much. In two weeks, we will have another ultrasound so we can see just how big she is and go from there.

36 weeks/ 8 months...almost there!

2009-07-19T23:10:00.004-05:00

Here is my belly at 8 months pregnant. Wow!!

Even though I'm really, really, tired of growing and gaining weight, I still really do love being pregnant. I've had a relatively easy pregnancy with only just a few complaints. I actually dodged the dreaded morning sickness. Believe it or not, I never had it at all. However, around my 26th week, I was hit with a terrible sinus infection. It took a week to get over and I thought it would never end. The sinus pressure gave me so much unbelievable pain in my head, cheeks, and jaw, I thought this was it, "I will never get pregnant again, if this is what happens". But, I got through it and know now that I will most likely want more children in the future. (I know that sounds dramatic, but it was really horrible.) Another complaint I've had is back pain. If I do too much, which isn't really much, I will get pretty bad back pain. Other small symptoms of pregnancy that I have include heartburn and having to go to the bathroom often; it seems like every half hour I'm making the trek to the bathroom...so annoying. At first, shopping for maternity clothes was pretty fun, but now that I am more tired and feeling very large, it has become more of a chore than a pleasure. I'm hoping that I don't have to set foot in the mall for a while.

But there are lots of great and wonderful things about being pregnant. Like right now...my baby is squirming around and I can even see my stomach move with her. That is the coolest thing. I also love going to the doctor and getting to hear the heartbeat, which is usually right at 160 bpm. Not to mention, the ultrasounds. Those have been so much fun to experience. Getting to see the baby inside me gives me such a feeling of joy and happiness. I've enjoyed all the preparations that go along with having a baby. I've had two awesome baby showers and have enjoyed organizing all my baby things. I've had so much fun decorating the nursery and making sure we have everything we need to take care of our little girl.

So now, at 36 weeks, it's all about resting and waiting to meet Katelyn. Justin and I can hardly wait till the day we get to see her. This has been the most exciting time of my life.

Baby Shower

2009-07-07T15:51:00.006-05:00

About a month ago, my friends threw me a great baby shower. I had a great time and appreciate all the gifts I got. Thanks Lawren, Rachel and Julia!!!

The very pretty cake...yummy!

Mom pinning on my corsage...

The hostesses and the best friends a girl could ask for...

Getting Ready for Baby...Some Assembly Required

2009-07-07T15:43:00.003-05:00

Here is just one of the many things we have been putting together in order to get ready for Katelyn's arrival...the stroller.

Picture at 31 weeks

2009-07-07T15:38:00.004-05:00

This is me at 31 weeks pregnant. I am now 34 weeks, so I'm still behind on posting pictures.

It's a Girl Thing

2009-07-07T15:10:00.013-05:00

I'd like to update with a few pictures of Katelyn's Nursery. I've been working hard on getting it all ready for her arrival.

A girl's gotta have shoes...

and clothes...

Updated Pregnant Photos

2009-06-02T20:09:00.002-05:00

This is me at 29 weeks.
This one was taken just three days earlier; 28 weeks, 5 days.

3D Ultrasound

2009-06-02T19:17:00.003-05:00

Well, we were hoping to get lots of pictures of the baby today, but it seems our daughter is stubborn and a sound sleeper. Katelyn was sleeping on her stomach with her hand over her face the whole time the ultrasound technician was trying to get pictures. We even tried to agitate her by poking around on my belly and then tried waking her up with caffeine from a Coke. She wasn't having any of this. She did not cooperate, so we will try again next Friday at 9:00.

Of course, she's been moving around since we got home. Nice timing huh?

Baby Shower

2009-05-08T20:49:00.008-05:00

Here are some pictures from the baby shower my coworkers threw for me. It was so much fun to open all the girly gifts. I am so thankful that I have friends that care so much for me and my baby.

These are newborn size pink crocs...so sweet!

The cake and all the decorations were so perfect!

Pregnant Pictures

2009-05-02T21:16:00.006-05:00

This picture is me at 23 weeks pregnant. I have to keep reminding myself that my body is growing for a very good reason, but it's still difficult to see the number on the scale go up and up.

This is me at 24 weeks, almost 25. Notice the wall in the background. My mom just finished painting it pink and it turned out beautiful. Hopefully we will get our furniture in soon.

I am looking forward to my first baby shower this Wednesday. My friends at school are throwing the shower for me and I am so excited about it. Count on lots of pictures!

Preparing for Baby

2009-04-15T18:02:00.003-05:00

I am now 22 weeks pregnant and loving it. I can feel Katelyn moving around every day. The best part is that last week, Justin felt her for the first time. It was so amazing to share that with him.

We went to the doctor yesterday and got to hear the heartbeat again. It was a very strong heartbeat at 160 bpm. Everything looks great!

I've been working on getting ready to decorate the nursery. The furniture has been ordered and should be here in a few weeks. I already have the bedding, which is mostly pink and cream, with a little bit of light green. I ordered a rocker upholstered in green to bring out the green in the bedding. After lots of samples, I've finally picked out a perfect shade of pink paint called rockabye baby. I've even ordered a pink chandelier to light the room. I love it all and can't wait to see it all put together.

It's a Girl!

2009-03-16T19:59:00.002-05:00

We are so excited to announce that our little baby is a girl. We went today for our ultrasound where we got to see all our baby's body parts. So precious! At first, she had her feet up above her head and later decided to stretch out. She is a healthy 9 oz. which means that my original due date may actually be a little late. They said she may come closer to August 10th instead of August 17th, which is just perfectly fine with me!

Oh....and we have a name picked out! Her name is going to be....

Katelyn Rose Murphy

I put a lot of thought into her name and finally came up with something very special and meaningful to us. Katelyn is after my Aunt Kathy who passed away a few years ago. I know she is so happy for us and if she were still here she would be beside herself with excitement. And Rose is Justin's grandmother's name. She is very special to him and me and I just love the way the names sound together.

Needless to say, I am happy happy happy!

Finally!

2009-03-14T21:31:00.007-05:00

This was taken during my fourteenth week of pregnancy. I was desperately wishing for a baby bump.And this is me at 17 weeks and 5 days. I am starting to show and actually excited to buy maternity clothes.

I am definitely starting to feel the baby move every now and then. It's hard to explain but it feels like tiny air bubbles or little muscle twinges. I usually feel it in the afternoon if I sit still at my desk or in the evening when I'm on the couch.

Only two days until our ultrasound!

(New pictures of Logan Rucker added below!!)

Pink or Blue

2009-03-12T16:00:00.003-05:00

So today was my birthday. In second grade, we always bring cake for each other on our birthdays. The teacher that brought me my birthday cake decided to do something related to my upcoming ultrasound. She bought pink and blue plates and people had to pick the color plate that they wanted according to whether they think I am having a boy or a girl. It came down to "boy" getting the most votes. I guess we'll see on Monday!

Logan has Arrived

2009-03-09T16:11:00.006-05:00

Logan is my new second cousin. Theresa gave birth to him on Thursday, March 5 around 6 in the evening. We went Friday night to see him while they were still in the hospital. He is so tiny, weighing in at 6 lbs. 12 oz. I believe. I just adore him and had a great time holding him. I have to admit though, that being there in the hospital kinda freaked me out, for lack of better wording. I just got an anxious feeling knowing that I would soon be there in a hospital bed with a newborn baby to take care of.

I have since regained my sense of calm and definitely my excitement. We took another trip to Humble to see Logan at their house on Sunday. I got to hold him for a while and talk to Theresa about all kinds of pregnancy issues. Julia and I had a lot of questions for her, and fortunately she was very happy to answer them. She also loaned me some of her maternity clothes, for which I am very thankful.

I am counting down the days until our ultrasound next Monday. I absolutely cannot WAIT until I know if I am having a boy or a girl. I am just dying to start dreaming of what my baby will be like. Not only that, I am ready to start shopping!!!!

Logan Craig Rucker

2009-03-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

Here are some very cute pictures of one very cute baby. My cousins Chris and Theresa welcomed their second baby boy into the world on March 5. This was taken while they were still in the hospital the weekend after Logan was born. And these were of Logan at home on Sunday afternoon. He is just so precious.

My favorite picture. He looks so content.

Waiting on a Baby

2009-03-04T18:41:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is a big day for my cousin, Chris, his wife Theresa, and their son, Aidan. They are expecting the newest member of their family to arrive. I can hardly wait till I can get in my car and drive to see them. Now that I am pregnant, I have been wanting to hold a little baby so badly. I can't believe that before long, it will be me in that hospital waiting on my baby to arrive.

Just 12 days until my ultrasound!

Things to look forward to in March

2009-03-01T14:28:00.009-06:00

March has always been one of my favorite times of year. Here are some of the fun things that I have to look forward to this month.

March 3-5: Theresa and Chris's baby, Logan, is due March 3rd. If he doesn't come then, Theresa will be induced on March 5th. I can't wait to meet that new baby.
March 12: My 27th birthday
March 16: Our ultrasound (to determine the sex of the baby)! I will be 18 weeks pregnant this week.
March 17: Univ. of Houston (David) plays Lamar in baseball here at Lamar.
March 22: Spring Break, yay!
March 27: Weekend trip to New Orleans for baseball game

Not to mention that after Spring Break, school will be out in about two months!

Our Wedding February 25, 2006

2009-02-25T17:41:00.012-06:00

So today is our three year wedding anniversary. I am so glad to be married to such a sweet man. I got a surprise from him today at work. He sent me an edible arrangement that is just so precious. It has pineapples shaped like flowers, strawberries, grapes and chocolate covered apple slices...yum!
I am just so happy with my life right now. As I look back on the last three years I have some great memories; from trips we have taken, to fun times with both our families, and some rough times too, with the death of my Aunt Kathy and Justin's brother being diagnosed with Leukemia. All of these things have brought us closer as a couple and have helped us to truly know one another. I am so thankful for this pregnancy and couldn't ask for a more loving, doting husband. He is patient through all my moods and is always doing things to make life easy for me. I hope my child grows up to be just like him.

Here is a look back...

Our rehearsal dinner at The Schooner.
Our honeymoon in Tennessee. This was taken after our helicopter ride over the mountains. Justin planned it so that we would be in the helicopter for the sunset. Sunset on our cruise to the Caribbean.
Taken at my brother's wedding last May.
It was so fun playing softball together last summer. Christmas 2008.

Happiness......

Cougar Baseball Opening Weekend

2009-02-22T19:59:00.007-06:00

This weekend, Justin and I went to Houston to watch my brother-in-law, David, play baseball. It was the University of Houston's opening weekend. Saturday was really special because David got to catch the "first pitch" from a little girl that he met at Texas Children's Hospital while undergoing his treatments for Leukemia. The little girl's name is Lizzie and she also had Leukemia, however, like David, is cancer free now! Lizzie is four years old and is just so precious. Here are some photos of Lizzie and David warming up before the game, getting Lizzie comfortable out on the field.

Some children from Texas Children's made signs for David and a whole bunch of nurses and doctors came out to support David and hold up the signs. We were so glad to see David play third base. Last year, he was unable to play due to all of the time spent at the hospital and side effects from his chemo. He is doing great now and we look forward to watching him play all season. Next weekend, they play at Minute Maid Park!

Heartbeat

2009-02-18T16:18:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, Justin and I got to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time. It was great. I love going to the doctor and just getting that confirmation that I really am still pregnant and this is not all a dream. The heartbeat was 160 which a lot of people say means that we will have a girl. Of course it doesn't matter to me either way, but feel free to comment on whether or not you agree with this old wives tale. It will be only a matter of a few more weeks and we will know for sure, but it's always fun to imagine what it would be like either way. Our next appointment is March 16 and on that day we will get an ultrasound to try and determine the sex of the baby. I can't wait to start preparing the nursery in either pink or blue.

Our baby's the size of a lemon!

2009-02-15T08:28:00.005-06:00

I am now beginning my 14th week of pregnancy. This marks the official beginning of my second trimester and I am feeling great! The first few weeks weren't bad. I was just really tired all the time. Now, I finally have my energy back. In fact, Justin and I went shopping in Houston yesterday for Valentine's day. Just a few weeks ago, I wouldn't even have wanted to leave the house on the weekend. All I wanted to do was lay around. I am thankful that that is over...for now. But, I have to say I am very lucky because I never felt one single moment of morning sickness. A lot of people say I am soo lucky, and then there are some that say they were never sick either. I can't believe I am one of the lucky ones. In fact, I barely have any symptoms of pregnancy, but I'm not complaining. I just can't wait until I can post some pictures of my growing belly.

Joy!

2009-01-20T19:49:00.002-06:00

Justin and I went to the doctor just hoping to hear our baby's heartbeat. I was hopeful, but knew that there was only a chance we'd be able to hear it this early. I am now in my 10th week. So after a very long wait in the waiting room, we finally got to see the doctor. Unfortunately, she couldn't detect the heartbeat. She said this was completely normal for this early in the pregnancy. But, she didn't want us to leave worried, so she led us to the ultrasound room where we got to see our baby!!! We never expected this. Like I said, we were just hoping for the heartbeat. I could just cry because of how much joy I feel after getting to see it actually moving around. We could see it so clearly, its head, body, and arms and legs. The doctor said it was really moving around a lot. It is the cutest baby I've ever seen!

Christmas and Some Exciting News

2008-12-29T12:39:00.003-06:00

Justin and I had a wonderful Christmas! We spent Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with his. Here are just a few pictures of our holiday.

We had such a great time exchanging gifts, eating, spending time with family and enjoying the kids. Aimee and Aidan are so much fun to watch. The excitement on their faces when they open a present is just priceless. Kinda like the excitement I felt a few weeks before Christmas when I found out mine and Justin's life was about to change dramatically.....

This is a picture of us on December 3rd after taking a pregnancy test that came out positive!! It was a very early test, so we waited a few days to tell anyone... actually just two days, we couldn't bear waiting long to tell our families. We knew they would be so excited.

So now I have been to the doctor and have had it confirmed that I am actually pregnant and about 9 weeks along!!!

"Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful"

2008-12-16T17:12:00.006-06:00

Here are our pics of the snow last week. We were lucky enough to see it at 1:00 a.m and I couldn't believe how hard it was snowing. Such a memory!!!

Pictures of my mom and dad's house.

Want a S'more? S'more what?

2008-11-02T19:35:00.005-06:00

Here's what we did for Halloween!!!

Justin loved scaring all the kids with my dad's scary old man mask. It gives me the creeps!Yummy smore stuff..."First...you roast a mallow." The best Cowboy fans ever!

Burrito Head

2008-10-07T19:42:00.002-05:00

Throughout my few years of teaching school, so many funny things have been said or done by my students that I could probably write a book. Here's one for the book. Today, one of my second graders came up with a new way of trying to get to go to the nurse. After lunch she asked me to feel her forehead to see if she had fever. At the same time, someone else told me that she had put her burrito on her head to make it warm! Now this made me laugh, but it was even more funny when I noticed later that she had some crusted over beans on the side of her head.

Hurrications 2008

2008-09-27T09:30:00.010-05:00

It has been a busy few weeks with all the hurricanes and evacuations. Personally, I am glad it is all over! I am thankful that we did not have any damage to our house and am really glad that life is almost back to normal for me and my family. Justin is really happy that, as of 8:30 this morning, our satellite is working and we have TV!!!

Here are a few pics from our hurrications, starting with shopping in San Marcus during GUSTAV...

Me lassoing my hubby next to a covered wagon in Gruene.

Cody and Julia at The Gruene River Grill....some of the best food ever!

Now, on to IKE!!! Here we are at a restaurant in Grand Prairie. The Murphys and the Beans stayed at the same hotel and so we got to go out and do things together.

We ventured to the Fort Worth Stockyards to do some true Texas shopping.

One thing that we did a lot of was, EAT! We made a few icecream runs too.
My first trip to a Laudromat! HaHa!
Julia, Stephanie and Aimee went ice skating with me at the Dallas Galleria ice rink.

One of the most fun parts of our "hurrication" was on the way home! We made one final shopping stop at this awesome Christmas store. FABULOUS!

Sigh.....

2008-08-22T17:24:00.002-05:00

That is what I am doing as I sit here on my couch after a long week of getting my classroom ready for the first day of school on Monday. I moved classrooms which meant cleaning out my new room before moving in, moving all my stuff, and then setting everything up in between meetings and of course, visiting with my other teacher friends. I have finally finished and everything looks just like I want it. I can say that I am actually ready for school to start. I have a good feeling about this year. I know the job can be trying and stressful at times, but I want to keep a positive outlook and try not to get too stressed by the little things. So...that's what I'm going to do!

Aimee, Julia, and Carrie's Day o' Fun

2008-08-09T21:00:00.000-05:00

I was so happy that Aimee came to spend the night with me this past Wednesday. Julia and I took her to Club Flech to paint pottery. The pictures are of our pottery before they put it in the kiln. It should come out bright and shiny and the colors will be a lot different than they look. We had a great time pretending to be artists.

Later, Justin joined us as we went bowling at Crossroads. We had fun bowling and acting silly. Aimee actually beat my score!!!

Caribbean Cruise

2008-08-09T20:14:00.000-05:00

On July 20th, we took a cruise with The Murphy's; Justin's parents, Mike and Ellen, his brother, David and David's girlfriend, Caroline. We had such a great time and got to see some great Caribbean islands. Our first stop was Montego Bay, Jamaica where we spent the day at a Margaritaville on the beach. We swam and ate Caribbean Jerk chicken.

Our second port of call was Grand Cayman Island where we spent another fun day at the beach. We rode jet skis and watched David and Caroline parasail. We also got to walk around do a little shopping.

Lastly, we stopped in Cozumel where we went snorkeling, which was amazing because the water was so blue. We saw tons of fish since the water was so clear. After that we ate lunch at Senor Frogs and did a little souvenir shopping.

We not only had fun on all our excursions, but the cruise ship had a lot of things to do on it. We swam,watched shows, played Bingo, lost money in the casino, and of course, ate plenty of food. I especially loved getting dressed up for the Captain's Dinner.

I can't wait until our next cruise vacation!!!