A Surprise Trip

I have a love/hate relationship with surprises...really a LOVE/hate...because I LOVE LOVE LOVE them...but part of me has a big little control issue (just a small part of me).  That being said...Jason surprised me and planned a late anniversary trip to Palm Beach, FL!  He took care of every detail...planning the trip, hotel, tickets and even getting the girls taken care of 

(that is always the biggest thing)!  We had a Fantastic time...a really great time...and I knew it was going to be a great trip when we met Grandpa, Barb, Parker and Kaitlyn to take the girls and they got to see the Chick Fil A cow...a great start! 

(By the way...tomorrow (Wednesday, August 1st) has been dubbed Chick fil A appreciation day...in light of the craziness around the comments about marriage...and all I can say is...FREE SPEECH PEOPLE!  So, off my small soap box...but go to Chick Fil A tomorrow and show your support!)

Reese and Hadley getting a big hug...and really wanting the cow to talk

Now onto the vacation...we spent a lot of time here...the weather was incredible and the water was beautiful!

We spent even more time here...I LOVE infinity pools...I just think they are the coolest...so we swam morning, afternoon and night!  

Well...honestly I do not like this picture one bit...but it was the only one we got!  I love this guy more and more...and that is why we have made it a point to do something every year just the two of us...to get away and just recharge, and do things we can't do every day!  You know...sleep late, stay up late, sleep some more, finish conversations together, sleep, eat out just the two of us, sleep some more...you get the picture!

The icing on the cake for this trip...I was able to spend an afternoon with one of my incredible friends from college who I have not seen in a long time!  We picked up just like we had seen each other every day...except for the fact that she has now added 3 more children since I saw her and I have added 2 more...Yes, Britton has 5 adorable children...and this little doll here...Kate...the last (and final) addition and the only girl!  We loved getting to see the whole McPherson clan...and Britton gave us great restaurant recommendations (that we totally took) on our trip!

Now, onto the wild little redheads and our saviors who took care of them.  Grandpa, Barb, Kaitlyn and Parker are our heroes...but even more...our girls loved every minute with them!

This crew went to the zoo, played, swam and so much more...and the girls had a blast.  Our girls love animals...and the St. Louis Zoo is so great...what a treat for them.

The following 3 pictures crack me up!  I wish I could have been around to see all of this...and these pictures are so telling of their personalities....Bryn as superman...a little unsure!

Hadley as superman just hanging out and not really worried about it (so her)

Reese...totally soaking in being superman...and totally believing it too!

In fitting form...our three little superheroes were in very capable and loving hands the entire trip...and so we literally never worried about them...we really worried more about Grandpa, Barb, Parker and Kaitlyn!  We are so grateful for the opportunity to take this trip...it would not have happened without ya'll!  Get ready for next year...we are going away for a month!  HA!

The things that come out of her mouth!

The things that come out of children's mouth always makes me laugh...but the things that come out of our Hadley Grace...well you will see.

1) Hadley: "Mommy you are not a grown up are you?"
Me: "Yes, Hadley mommy is a grown up...why?"
Hadley: "Grown ups drink coffee...and you don't"

2) I put Hadley in timeout and she said,"Mommy you are a Naughty Mommy"... and I promise I have never told her she was a naughty child!  Seriously!

3) While eating spaghetti one night, Hadley held up a noodle, looked at it and said, "Mommy, do worms poop?"

4) While sitting on the floor playing...Hadley looked at her feet and said, "Whoa Mommy my feet are really big...look they are so big now"...she was really excited about that.

5) We were playing with two of her baby dolls...I asked her their names she said they were Molly and Pinto...I said why is that one called Pinto...she said because he is a boy and he eats beans.

6) One morning..."Daddy, I have a bomb in my pullup" - I totally blame Jason for that one.

7) One early morning Hadley pointed to a car that had exhaust coming out the back and said, "Mommy that car is not very healthy, it is smoking!"

8) While taking an evening walk, Hadley looked at me and said, "Mommy don't lick roads they are dirty"...I really don't even know what to say when things like that come out.

9) While walking to the park...past a house where a cat hat scratched her awhile ago, Hadley began to yell "Bad cat...come here you BAD CAT".

10) Playing outside with the dogs, I commented that they needed bath because they were really stinky, Hadley looked at me crazy and said, "Mommy!  You can just hold your nose like this...see, now they are not stinky!"

11) While swimming one day I noticed that Hadley was right by the lifeguard talking to him.  I went closer just in time to hear her looking at him and asking "ummm  what do lifeguards eat?"...He said, "sandwiches, fruit, the same stuff you eat"...Her response was "huh..."

He's still got it!

I have been that person for about 5 years now become that person who needs to do thing right when I think of it...or else I forget!  Alas, I meant to post about Jason's birthday yesterday...and well I missed it!

Another year older...but to me, he's still got it!

Happy Birthday Babe...we are blessed to have you in our lives!  We had a fun day celebrating...and it continues today!  The girls and I made Jason Biscuits and gravy (not my choice of food...but he loves it).  Mind you, you can actually make it somewhat healthy using extra lean turkey sausage and skim milk!  Then, I picked J up at the office and we headed out for a date lunch.  We celebrated with a family dinner in last night and then had a homemade basketball cake (no picture because it was not pretty).  Reese wanted me to make him a Spiderman cake...but then changed to a basketball one...which was easier...but still not pretty.  I really do have a wonderful husband who on his birthday (after dinner and cake) was ok with me going to meet some girlfriends for a late dinner out...some out of town people...a very selfless man he is!

Tonight, Jason and I are heading out to celebrate him a little more...I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!

Alabama, Georgia, Texas...

That was how the Beckner Family was divided up over the past weekend!  It honestly was a great weekend but a strange one!  I had made plans (with the help of some amazing people) to head to Dallas to see Jonathan and Caitlin and to help them during their recovery.  Jason ended up having to take a last minute trip to a different part of Texas and so the girls spend part of the time I was gone in Birmingham with Daddy, and then the rest in Atlanta with Bebe, Ashley, Mr. and Mrs Eubanks (whom they have named Cookie and Papa) and some help from Aunt B and Uncle Steve!

Bebe as always makes memories with these girls that they will not soon forget!  A very festive tea party complete with some real tea sets, dress up items and yummy treats

 (muffins that Reese and Bebe made together) 

 I know...I, like you was startled when this picture first came across my email...at first glance I thought I saw an small person with a bad haircut and Charlie Chaplin's hat and a little country Dolly Parton in her skivvies!  But a closer look proved to be my two girls...WOW I can only imagine how crazy Bebe's house was with these two!  They all had a great time swimming, jumping, eating, reading and playing with Bebe, Ashley, Cookie and Papa.  On Sunday afternoon they went to a little dance musical (just Reese and Hadley) while Aunt B and Uncle Steve graciously offered to take care of our little Bryn. 

 (More thanks than you know)

While Marietta, Georgia was being taken over by the three wild Redheads...I was in Dallas, Texas living it up slaving away taking care of these two!

In all seriousness I loved every moment with them.  First of all I don't think I realized how much I had really needed to see them in the flesh since the transplant...so that was huge.  They are really doing well.  Moving around (slowly...but moving) and just taking their difficult recovery day by day.  It was weird at first to wake up in a house and for no one else to be awake at 7:30am (normally the Beckner house if buzzing at 7:00am for sure)...so I did not know what to do with myself.

But, I quickly found my rhythm of just enjoying "being" with my brother and sister-in-law and helping with what I could (driving to pick up RX, doc stuff...groceries....not huge things but it was great).  I am still in awe of how God has just wrapped his arm around them...Caitlin's kidney is just working hard in Jonathan's body...and we are just praying that it continues on that track.  They both continue to look straight up...being grateful, full of hope and just waiting for God to point them where He wants them in the future!

I am so grateful to have spent a weekend with them, so grateful for Jason sacrificing a day off at work to take care of the girls, for my mom, Ashley, The Eubanks, Aunt and Uncle Steve for all loving on our girls so this all could happen!

Vegetable Soup

I always say I am not Betty Crocker...but I do have recipes that I love to make...and here is one!  Well, this is not really a soup...at least the way I make it, it is more of a chili.  One of my friends gave me this recipe a few years ago...and I love it.  I like to make it in the summer because of all the fresh seasonal veggies, but it is also great when it is cold outside!

Ingredients:

1 T Olive Oil

1 small onion diced (I actually only use half an onion)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 tsp Sea Salt (optional)

1 tsp pepper

2 zucchini squash (halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise)

2 carrots (thinly sliced)

1 T chili powder (I normally don't add...to hot for the girls)

1 t ground cumin

2 cans low sodium black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 can crushed tomato (or you can chop up fresh tomatoes...it is really good)

1 pkg. frozen corn (I use fresh in the summer and frozen in the winter)

In 5 qt. heavy pot, heat oil over med. high, add onion and garlic, salt and pepper.  My favorite smell is onion and garlic cooking together.  Cook about 3-4 min, then add Zucchini, carrots, chili powder and cumin.  Cook 6-8 min. Add beans, tomatoes, corn and 1 cup of water (you can add more or less depending on how thick or thin you would like it).  Cook for about 8-10 minutes.

We eat this with tortilla chips and top with any of the following:

Avocado, cherry tomatoes, cheese, ect.

Enjoy