Almost a Year!

It's been almost a year since I arrived in Tx! Wow~ Time flies! 

We are back at the beginning of the worst part of living in east Texas. The HOT HUMID summers! If I could change one thing about living here, it would not be the red-necks (though there are MANY) and it surprisingly would not even be the snakes (which I have never seen, but am deathly afraid of)! It would be the summer heat and humidity. It's unbearable. UNBEARABLE! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! 

It makes me want to shrivel up and die. I'm not kidding. If you think I'm being dramatic. Come. Come visit. Live here. Visit here. Just step outside your house and melt. Basically die. That's how it is... 

Ok - I might have been a little too dramatic, but seriously. Who ever thought of settling here? If I were on a horse, thinking of places to live, I probably would have settled here in the fall, winter or spring. Those are awesome, beautiful times. But the summer, I would have RAN. RAN FAR! North in fact. 

Anyways, sorry to complain. I'm an outside summer person. East Texas makes me an inside summer person. It's a bit hard. 

Next - on to cuteness! :) (a.k.a. Sam) 

We had a GREAT ward activity at the park last week. Sam got to swing. He loved it! :) He mostly loved it when I was standing in front of him with the camera. That little boy LOVES when I pull the camera out. He starts smiling, and flirting. What a cute boy. :) Sorry it's not the best picture of Jake. Poor dad. He's a hottie though. :) 

Next picture - Is it bad if I have already chosen a few select girls Sam can marry? This is one of them. Meet Jennifer. She's a little less than one month younger than Sam but she is a whole lot skinnier. She is one of my best friend's daughter. Jill and I go out almost every Thursday night together. Our husband's are amazing - they realize we need some girl time and take care of the kiddos so we can shop. But Sam can definitely marry Jenny. 

One of Sam's newest fascinations: a cup! He really likes drinking from a cup. Every time he sees me drinking from my own cup (I don't share... he's a back-washer BIG TIME!) he gets all excited and starts waving his arms and screeching. 

He has also found his toes. I love it. He sucks his toes. He talks to them. I love babies. Mostly mine! 

This is one of Sam's favorite new wrestling partners. Sister Wilson in the ward gave Sam this oversized sock monkey. Sister Wilson is so sweet. Anyways, Sam loves to wrestle the monkey. It's hilarious. 

These last couple of months have been busy! I have become addicted to sewing. I don't have any pictures of what I have made, but I'll post some sometime. I've been sewing bibs for Sam, baby booties, quilt blocks for a Keller family quilt, a bag, a little girl's dress, and pillow shams. Sounds like I've become obsessed, huh? I get most of my ideas from www.homemadebyjill.blogpost.com She is amazing. 

I've been trying to finish up my research project so I can be done with some credits for school, but I've put it off a little. I guess sometimes I allow myself a break... and I really take a break! But my supervising professor is really nice and doesn't mind my slowness. 

On a little sad note, this past Friday was graduation! I wasn't there, and I wasn't graduating with my class. It made me a little sad, but it will be okay. I will finish law school - even if it's not with everyone else. I bet it was awesome though... :) 

Earlier this month for my birthday, we were down in Houston. Jake had a conference for work he needed to be at during the week, so Sam and I went down with him instead of being alone here on my birthday. Sam and I relaxed, slept, shopped, and watched good shows on Hulu. It was a nice break! I ate yummy Texas shaped Belgium waffles with peanut butter and syrup every morning... It was heavenly. :) 

For Mother's day, Jake gave me some beautiful flowers, pampered me, and made me a yummy dinner. He's such a sweet husband. :) 

Well, I'll end with a cute picture of the Sammers. He's a chubby boy. 

Sam's new loves are: opening and closing drawers, pulling diapers out of the changing box and chewing on them, rolling everywhere, and spitting! He likes to make that noise with his lips and spit. It entertained him this morning for about 10 minutes when he figured out he could do it. At least it let me get ready for church! :) 

And - hopefully we have some exciting news this week - I'll post more later... 

:)