Counting down...

It's been another crazy week here in the Powell household!!  I feel like we've barely had time to breathe...

Last weekend we went to Dallas for the wedding of my dear friend of 22 years, Adrienne.  We've know each other since Kindergarten (I still remember the day she came to school for the first time!) and we lived down the street from one another for a number of years and then she moved in right next door!  We've shared everything with each other since as long as I can remember...she was in my wedding 4 and half years ago and I was more than happy to be a part of her special day this past weekend.  She picked out these beautiful dresses (knowing I was going to be pregnant before I was!!) and my wonderful, amazing seamstress of a mother altered the dress that we had to buy many sizes too big...it fit perfectly!

Matthew and I scurried up to Dallas after he finished work on Friday, and he dropped me off at the church for the rehearsal (it was at the beautiful Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church) and then ran by his sister's house to drop off the animals.  Then he met us back at Blue Mesa for the rehearsal dinner (which was DELICIOUS).  After the rehearsal, I went back to the hotel with the gals to have a lingerie shower and to spent the night with the bride.  The next morning, Matthew, Shannon, & Kevin picked me up for breakfast and then deposited me back at the hotel so I could get ready (meanwhile, they went to IKEA).  I also had a great lunch with Emily and her husband Scott...I've known Emily since the dawn of time, too!!  She lives in Georgia now, so it was great to get an extended visit with her!  We did our own hair and makeup at the hotel and then headed to the church.  Mom & Becca and Darryl, Madeline, & Caleb met us at the church before the wedding (Becca & Madeline were in the house party).  The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and it was such a reminder of the vows Matthew and I made to each other 4+ years ago.  Matthew took pictures of the wedding party after the ceremony and then we headed to the reception!

The reception was at the Park Cities Club in Dallas high up on the 17th floor...it had amazing views of the city!  The food was great there, too (my life seems to revolve around food these days!!) and the cake was divine...the bride had a strawberry cake that tasted like strawberry shortcake...YUM!!  We visited with some folks from Athens who came to the wedding and danced a bit, too.  I started to feel yucky after awhile, so we had to scoot out a little early than I hoped, but I'm so glad we could all be there for Adrienne & Brandon's special day!!

Sunday morning, Matthew & I went to Mass and then to Einstein's with Shannon & Kevin.  Afterwards, we went to IKEA again for some returns and to check out baby furniture and then Matthew and I needed to go to Buy, Buy, Baby to get our carseat (I had a coupon!!)...I've been getting a little panicked about not having it in case Liam decides to come early!!  We had lunch with Shannon & Kevin, packed up, and headed out.  On our way home, we stopped to have dinner with Madeline, Darryl, & Caleb in Temple...it was fun seeing them again...and Daisy LOVED being able to say hello to Tyler (Madeline & Darryl's dog).

The rest of the week has been a bit of a drag for us...Matthew came home early from work on Monday because he didn't feel good and he ended up sleeping ALL day.  I haven't been feeling myself lately either, but I think this busy schedule is catching up with me!!

On the baby front, Liam moves almost constantly now...and I love feeling him move!  Matthew is very anxious to see him, but he's not baked yet and I'd rather he waited until 40 weeks!  We finished our childbirth classes which were very helpful (but made me a tad anxious about this whole "getting him out" thing) and last night we had our breastfeeding class which relieved alot of anxiety for me.  We also started "unpacking" a few of our baby items...including the carseat (which Jack tried out) and the umbrella stroller Aunt Maria got us (which we love!!).  Otherwise, we're just trucking along...I have another appointment next week with the doctor.

We're both very excited that we finally have a weekend where were are home, together, and not working!!  I think we're going to hit up some of the baby resale stores in town and REST...Goodness knows we both need it!

Enjoy the pictures from this week!

Love you all,
Courtney

Me and the beautiful bride!

Sisters at the wedding

Bowles gals

Caleb was VERY good at the wedding!!

Wedding party

Jack's trying out the car seat

He REALLY likes it :-)

33 weeks

2 for 1 night!!

Don't miss Matthew's post below!  He was so sweet and offered to write the blog for me this week, but I realized that my baby shower was last weekend and I needed to post a little something...

My baby shower in Athens was absolutely fabulous!!  There are some amazing women who have been in my life for as long as I can remember and I feel so blessed that they graciously threw me the shower and also showered me with gifts!!  As Rebecca says, "Liam made out like a bandit!".  I had a great time at home with my sister's and Caleb, too.  I came home on Sunday to be with Matthew for the rest of the week, but I got exhausted unpacking and then packing again.

The next weekend I went back to Athens for our annual scrapbook retreat with Lisa & Melissa Wilson (now Hart).  We've been scrapbooking together every January for 13 years!!  We try to get caught up on the previous year's pictures, but we've all been a little behind lately!  Madeline and I also got a terrible stomach bug on Saturday evening and we felt awful on Sunday, so we weren't able to go back home until Monday.  I came home absolutely exhausted and I still feel like I'm recovering...

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and Liam is still doing great...He's right on target despite the bug.  I feel huge these days, but I absolutely love feeling him move!  We're just trucking along!

Enjoy a few of these pictures from the shower!
Love,
Courtney

Opening presents!

Liam's loot!

The Man has a Voice and He is Speaking

Due to technical difficulties this post is not being brought to you by Courtney, but rather her partner in crime...one Matthew Powell. Thank you very much.

The week of January 4th began to look a little complicated because Courtney would be away from the house the next three weekends. The first being for her baby shower in Athens (would have loved to be there, but it was my turn at playing the head babysitter out at the jobsite this weekend). The second weekend Courtney would again be in Athens for her annual scrapbook weekend with her sisters and mother. It is always fun to see what she creates with all of the pictures that we have taken the previous year and then getting to read all of her cute and quirky blurbs. The third weekend we will both be in Dallas to attend the wedding of one of Courtney's childhood friends. Luckily we have the days to spend with each other in between and getting to marvel in the beauty of our ever-growing child.

With Courtney gone from January 6 to January 9, my evenings were very boring and dull, just waiting for Courtney to return. However, Courtney did make me my most favorite dish to have while she was gone and that is her homemade macaroni and cheese. I know that you might be asking how could he eat just macaroni and cheese for dinner, but let me tell you this...ain't nobody got nothin' on my lady's mac and cheese. It is the best and the easiest thing for me to have while she is away. The other problem with Courtney being away is that I often stay up later than I normally would. For some reason I seem to find the most intriguing things to watch on tv while she is gone and before I know it, it is way past my bedtime. Got  to get my rest in now, because I know when Mr. Liam arrives that those nights of deep slumber will be gone. At least until he gets older. When the weekend finally rolled around, I was out at the jobsite for both Saturday and Sunday. Large government project + BRAC deadline + poor management from those above me in the food chain = work, work, work. During the week, I am responsible for all of the underground utilities and all of the site beautification aspects of the project. However, on the weekends, these contractor's do not work, because they get what they need done during the week, which leaves me to wonder through the building checking out what I am missing by being on the outside. This weekend though required me to be onsite again on Sunday to help with water removal from the building. See the building is not 100% water tight, but we still have areas in which we have gone ahead and started finishing out spaces, so water in these areas is a big problem. Even with the rain and water removal, it could not ruin my day as my baby-mamma made her way back home and all was well.

The week of January 10, 2011 was another exhausting week of work for me given that the work that I still need to get in place, seems to invariably be held up by some other more important contractor. The only thing is that when you have a baby on the way all of the headaches of work seem to disappear. Life is definitely what you make of it, but not appreciating the beauty of a life being formed and growing is not something to be missed. In this the second week of our Childbirth class we took a tour of the hospital for the second time and discussed the "natural" (unmedicated) birth. Good thing that we got another tour of the hospital as the first time we were there, I totally spaced out and was more impressed by the size of the labor & delivery and postpartum rooms instead of really paying attention to where I would need to get Courtney to on that day when she tells me that "it is time". The discussion and videos of the "natural" birth made me more excited about the birth of our son, but at the same time question whether or not I could be strong enough to provide the support that Courtney is going to need on that day. However, I will be strong and will be there with her every step of the way and to help her in any way that I can. On Friday, Courtney ventured off to Temple to pick up her sister, Madeline, and then they headed to Athens for scrapbooking. I had originally planned to go with Courtney and have her drop me off at the lake for the weekend, but some things came up at work that needed my attention. However, all was not lost as Shannon, Kevin, Dad, and Brenda made there way down to San Antonio on Saturday after driving through Fredericksburg, TX and spent Saturday evening and Sunday morning with me. Our first kids, Daisy and Jack, enjoyed the company as it meant more petting and attention for Daisy and more laps for Jack to check out. Dad and Brenda left after breakfast on Sunday heading east on their way back to Atlanta after spending the previous week in Dallas, which was longer than originally planned due to the storm and freeze that hit the Atlanta area. Shannon and Kevin also packed up and I followed them up to the outlets in San Marcos to hang out with them a little longer before they continued on up to Austin to spend the evening. I then went to the Janie and Jack and the Gymboree where I purchased two outfits for  Mr. Liam. The one is a baby blue onesie with a dog on the front of it and the other outfit is a reddish-orange onesie with a gold star in the middle that says "Mommys Little Cowboy", which can be paired with a pair of blue jeans and button down shirt that I also purchased. I then made my way back home to San Antonio after I meandered through Gruene and checked out one of their antique stores. I always complained when mom wanted to look in antique stores, but now there is not an antique store that I pass, that I do not get the urge to stop in to and take a look around. Thanks Mom.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post and we look forward to continue sharing our stories, adventures, and pictures with you in the coming months.

Matthew

31 weeks

Jack is getting excited about his little brother!

32 weeks

Daddy's outfits

Shirt in honor of Daisy

2011...A time of change!

I'd like to claim we're all rested up and ready to hit the new year running, but we're actually pretty exhausted from the past few weeks!!

We started our holidays on December 17th with a drive to Dallas.  Matthew got off work early so we could get to Dallas in time to celebrate Shannon's birthday with dinner at Hibiscus.  We arrived in time for dinner and had a great time celebrating with Shannon, Kevin, Nelson, & Brenda.  Then we headed back to Shannon & Kevin's house for the weekend.  We had a great time shopping and looking at the Christmas lights in Highland Park!  We celebrated Shannon's birthday again on Saturday evening when Kevin made a delicious chocolate cake with Shannon's new mixer.  Saturday night, we had "Christmas with the Powells" and opened presents with them.  Matthew also enjoyed helping his dad and Kevin set up the train set around the Christmas tree (a Powell family tradition).  On Sunday, we headed to the Gaylord Texan to enjoy their Christmas decorations and to spend time with Brenda's daughter & grandsons.  I must say...Christmas is beautiful in Dallas!!

On Monday, we packed up again and headed to Athens.  While we were on our way, we learned that my cousin's flight from Belgium had been cancelled and rescheduled because of the snow in London.  We were disappointed, but hopeful because they were planning to leave on Tuesday and still make it to Athens to spend Christmas day with us.

When we got to Athens, we met Madeline, Darryl, & Caleb.  We enjoyed relaxing and just being together! Dad, Matthew, & Darryl went to play golf on Tuesday morning (in shorts!!!), while the gals did a little shopping.  Our Grandma Joan also joined us in Athens on Wednesday to spend time with her grandchildren & great-grandchildren...I love my Grandma!!  Matthew also was able to go to his favorite antique store ever in Frankston, TX called "Pandora's Box".  We spent a couple of hours sifting through old cast iron beds, cast iron tubs, salvaged doors, and train carts...Matthew was in heaven!!  We also made our traditional family trip to "The Land of Lights" in Athens...it's always a crowd pleaser and Caleb had a blast!!  We also took Caleb to see Santa...which you will see below did not go so well!! :-)

Christmas Eve, we went to Mass and came home to welcome my Uncle Scott & Aunt Suzy to spend Christmas with us.  We woke up on Christmas morning and did stockings and presents with Caleb...He was in such a good mood and he LOVED the tissue paper!!  Our little Liam gave his cousin Caleb a truck for Christmas.  Matthew was so generous to me and gave me lots of stuff for the kitchen and some night clothes to wear in the hospital with Liam.  Then we worked to get Christmas dinner ready...It turned out to be a yummy meal of crawfish enchiladas, turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole, broccoli, and pie...DELICIOUS!!

Unfortunately, we did get to see my cousin, Julie, and her family on Christmas day because her flight was delayed AGAIN because the snow still had not melted.  She wasn't due in until 2pm on Christmas day in Houston.  We were so disappointed, but it ended up being OK because they all came from Houston on Sunday for us to have lunch with them before we all had to head for home.  It was SO great to see Julie, her boyfriend, Val, my Uncle Tom & Aunt Maria, and my cousin Carl!!  Our time was short, but we really had a wonderful time seeing them.

Matthew and I also got a crash course in what it's going to be like to be parents with my precious nephew Caleb!!  We loved spending mornings with him while Madeline & Darryl slept in...Matthew even changed his first diaper!!  Caleb is such an funny kid who really has a personality now at 10 months old.  I had a blast feeding him, playing with him, and just interacting with him.  Matthew and I are both excited to have our own little baby boy to play with soon!!

We came home Sunday night, unpacked, and Matthew went back to work Monday morning.  On Tuesday night, my mom, dad, & sister came to stay with us so that my dad and Matthew could go to the Oklahoma State bowl game here in San Antonio.  On Wednesday I took Mom, Dad, & Becca down to the Central Market so Becca could get some sushi supplies and we did a little shopping.  Then we met my dad's friend downtown at The Cove for dinner before the guys headed down to the Alamodome for the game.  My family headed back home early Thursday morning.

Matthew had off from work on Friday so we had three blissful days together!  We didn't do alot because I wasn't feeling well, but it was wonderful after all the craziness just to sit at home and watch movies and spend time together.  We had a quiet New Year's celebration with sparkling apple juice toasts at midnight...and then straight to bed!!

On the baby front, we are hitting 30 weeks this week and we're starting our childbirth classes tonight.  I saw my doctor right after Christmas and she said that she wouldn't change a thing!  So things seem to be right on track...only 10 weeks to go!!  I had to gestational diabetes test at the doctor's appointment last week.  I found out the results today and I was also very worried about barfing up the yucky sugar stuff...however, everything turned out just fine!  I've been fighting off a cold since just before Christmas and I think I'm finally turning the corner.  I've also been having some aches and pains...I tell Matthew that I'm turning into an old woman before my time!!  Otherwise, things are going great!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas & a Happy New Year!!  Enjoy the pictures!!

Love,
Courtney

Highland Park Village Christmas lights

Powell family in Dallas for lunch!

Mmm...Mexican food!!

Celebrating Shannon's birthday

Jack likes my new Vera Bradley bag!!

Brunch at Breadwinners

28 weeks...getting huge...I even slipped down the stairs :-)  (Everything's ok!!)

Caleb's not a Santa fan!!!

Still not loving Santa...

Much happier by the Christmas tree!

Gotta love that smile

This is what we are looking forward to next year...Christmas with a kid

Matthew loves Christmas!!

Becca's cute new hat

What is it???

29 weeks...as big as a house already!! :-)

OSU bowl game

Happy New Year!!

This will be just a quick post to let you all know I haven't forgotten about posting...it's just been CRAZY around here!!!  We had Christmas in Dallas, Christmas in Athens, my family here briefly for the Oklahoma State bowl game, I got sick, and now I have a weekend to myself with my husband, so I'm going to take advantage of every moment!

Hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and we wish you all a blessed New Year!!  I'll post pictures and stories next week!

Love,
Courtney & Matthew

Merry Christmas to All!!

It has been an uneventful week for us!  We actually spent last weekend relaxing, for the most part...it was a refreshing change.  :-)

On Saturday, Matthew let me sleep in and then we went to the mall and finished some Christmas shopping.  We ended up spending more time there than we had anticipated, but  we had a good time.  Sunday was busy for us, but at least we were home!  I worked on Christmas cards and did some baking...which took all day since I had to go to the grocery store 2 extra times for things I forgot...and to replace things that I burned!  It took me almost all day and I was exhausted, but with Matthew's help, we got it all done.

This week I've been working on finishing some projects (converting cassette tapes to CDs), wrapping presents, doing laundry, cleaning, and packing for our week away.  We are leaving tomorrow to spend Friday through Monday with Matthew's family, and then we'll head to Athens after lunch on Monday to spend Christmas with my family.  I'm very excited because we'll all be home AND we get to see our cousin Julie, who is coming home from Belgium for the holidays!  My mom's family will be at our house for Christmas for the first time since we were little kids!

Only one picture from this week!  We're 27 weeks along and still cooking.  I have been really struggling to get good sleep through the night...but I slept great last night, so I'm trying to make the most of my energy today to finish the packing and cleaning!  Liam keeps moving around alot...and he's a night owl...he's most active while I'm laying in bed reading.

That's about it for this week!  We hope and pray that you all have a wonderful, blessed Christmas with family and safe travels for you and all your family!

Love,
Courtney, Matthew, Liam, Daisy, & Jack

15 days until Christmas!!

Here at Chez Powell things are certainly amping up for Christmas!  Matthew comes home at least every other day to remind me how many more days there are until Christmas...I keep thinking about all the things I still need to do before Christmas!!

We have had a fairly uneventful week.  We had a great weekend, just the two of us.  We did some Christmas shopping, and I did some resting since I wasn't feeling all that great.  We went to Wimberly, TX on Saturday which is like a giant craft/antique fair that happens every 1st Saturday in the month.  We love to go there and see what's new.  We found a few Christmas presents and then headed back home to go to the mall.  Sunday we had a lazy morning and went to our favorite bagel shop for breakfast before we took Daisy for a walk in the park.  Matthew commented that he can't wait until we're pushing Liam in a stroller while we walk...I can't wait until I'm actually walking again instead of waddling!

We also went out and got a "Christmas tree".  Neither Matthew nor I would be able to live with ourselves if we ever got a fake Christmas tree.  In the 4 past Christmas' we've been married we've always bought a real Christmas tree, put it up, and decorated it.  I wasn't so sure I was up for needle clean-up this year, but I knew we needed a tree, so I let Matthew decide.  He finally suggested we get a Norfolk Island Pine in a pot that we could decorate and then keep after Christmas...no clean up required!  It's a little on the small side, but we're happy with it...His name is "Ned".  We decorated it last night, but it sure didn't take very long!  :-)

In other exciting news...I think I can officially announce on my blog (since she's announced it on her blog) that Matthew and I are going to be an Aunt and an Uncle again!  My sister is pregnant with #2...So Liam will have 2 cousins close in age now.  We're excited for Madeline, Darryl, & Caleb!!  I've been praying that the 1st trimester won't be as awful for Madeline with this babe as it was for Caleb...so far, so good!

My pregnancy has been going well.  I told Matthew that I'm beginning to feel like an old lady.  I wake up feeling great and by the end of the day, I need to put my feet up and have a heating pad on my back!  Some nights I sleep great, some nights I toss and turn.  I'm trying to take it easy...but it's difficult for me to do!  I have been having very vivid dreams about labor lately, too...kind of scary.  :-)  On Wednesday, Matthew and I took a tour of the hospital where we will have Liam.  It's a beautiful new hospital with huge rooms and very friendly staff, but I told Matthew when we were leaving, "I hope you remember where we are supposed to go because I don't have a clue!"  Hope we can figure it all out when the time comes!! :-)

It will be a short week before we are out for the holidays!  We'll be spending next weekend with the Powells in Dallas and then heading to Athens on Monday to spend Christmas with my family.  We're both looking forward to Matthew having a week off from work, since he hardly got any time at Thanksgiving!

Enjoy our pictures and have a wonderful week!

Love,
Courtney

Matthew loves tree decorating!

Welcome to the family, Ned! :-)

We love Christmas!!

26 weeks

Love our little guy!