Monday, June 25, 2007
The Flight To And First Few Days In Iowa!!
Gosh, I didn't realize how many stories I had until I downloaded the pictures from my camera... But boy oh boy, this has definitely been an adventure!! And I can't wait to fill you in on everything!! And even better, so far, I think everything has pictures to help you get the full effect!!We left on a Monday and went to Little Rock to stay with my besterest cousins... Well cousin, at my cousinS house!! Pam, Paul and Jennifer have been so good to me!! They and airports just go together!! Or at least it seems that way... Thank you guys SOOOOOOO much!! I owe you big time!!
So we get up early to go to the airport and we were there in plenty of time! This was my first time to fly so I wanted to make sure that we wouldn't be rushed or late or anything! So we got ourselves and our luggage checked in and we were off to check in our carry-ons... After that we decided to stop at a Starbucks and get some drinks for the long flight! The girls in Starbucks were talking to Daityn Blair and Dawson and going on and on about how cute they were and somehow we lost track of time! Wow, an hour flew by and when I looked at my watch we realized that we had 10 minutes until take off!!!!! At the same time they came across the loud speaker and said "Cara, Dawson and Chantay please report to gate 12 immediately"!!! We were already almost there, but still, how freaking embarrassing!! So we got on the plane and it was so much fun!! I can't wait to do it again!
Oh, a little bit of back tracking... Chantay is another one of my long lost cousins who had become close to us during the past few reunions that we've had in Hot Springs.. At the reunion this year she decided to come with me on my trip and stay for a week while on her vacation..
So here is a picture of Dawson and I on the plane!! I had to take lots of pictures to help calm my fears.. (It kept me busy...) And Dawson of course helped me out, as I told in my last post..
Here is a picture of Chantay holding Daityn Blair while I went to the bathroom... Which was very freaky sitting on the pot while 36,000 feet in the air... I just tried not to think about that!!
Here is Dawson, I had to make him turn around and stop looking out the window for one second, just long enough to snap his picture!! Such a fake "hurry up and take my picture cheeeeessse!!
When we were leaving the plane I told Chantay that I wanted to have Dawson's picture made with the pilot if they would let him.. When I got to the exit door I asked the flight attendant and the pilot overheard me... He said "sure, put him up here in the cockpit and see if you can fly this plane!!" OMG, that was the coolest thing ever for Dawson and myself!! Of course you can tell by the look on his face he was a little overwhelmed!! 
My daddy was at the airport to pick us up and my camera was in the bottom of my bag and we were tired and ready to get in the truck since we'd been around the Minneapolis airport 489 times trying to find our luggage and/or my daddy... So no pictures of that...When David got home from work, there were too many tears of joy and lots of hugging and kissing going on, no time for a camera... No pictures of that either!!
Now before you see this next picture please know that I'm not trying to make my child a sissy!!He is definitely ALL BOY!! He has really dry and cracked feet that have been driving him, me and his granny insane... So what else should we do but get him a pedicure?? I have to say that he really didn't want to do it when we got there... He cried and thought that it was going to hurt, but the lady who did it was so nice and calmed him down and he was glad that he got it done!!
Definitely a picture that he is going to hate me for in the future!!
But of course he didn't go all alone or anything... Chantay and I had to have fresh pedi's too!!
The next day we all went to the beach!! Dawson could touch, but still thought that he needed his floaties on!! He had more fun playing in the sand, but I couldn't take pictures and soothe baby sister's attitude because she was hot and tired and couldn't get her nap out on the sand... Even though she was completely set up with a quilt, her blankie, and an umbrella to shield her from the sun... So anyway about an hour is all that we could do!!
Now how could she not love that?? She's all covered up, you should see her itty bitty bikini!! It's too cute!!Here is one of our first pictures back together again!! The love of my life!! I knew that I loved David and that he loved me too... A whole lot!! But I had no idea how much I really loved him until he was gone, and I couldn't talk to him and hug him, and just see his face everyday!! He is the world to me!!
And here is me and my daddy!! I was really happy to see him again too and spend some time with him!! And our little Daityn Blair is crazy about her pawpaw!! When he came in from work the first day, she just smiled and talked to him for the longest time!! That really made his day!!
Since David has to work 6 days a week, we have spent our Sunday's together doing something fun with Dawson. The first Sunday he took us to a maze... Which was really hot, literally!! But Dawson had fun!! Mommy and Daityn Blair stood on the sidelines and waited for the boys to finish!!
They had fun, just being together!! Dawson just idolizes his daddy!! I'm so proud of the relationship that they have!!
Dawson, Daityn Blair and I have spent a lot of time at the park! Dawson loves it here and all of the people are so friendly!! They love to hear Dawson talk!! 
Okay, I'm getting tired and ready to go to bed so all of the rest of these are going to be shortly stated!!This is "Lady of the Lake". A cruise boat that is right on Clear Lake across from the park!
Besides the vanilla wafer that Mamaw Woodie gave her while I wasn't looking, this is Daityn Blair's first cookie!! She tore it UP!!! 
This is The Surf Ballroom... A big tourist attraction in Clear Lake.. This is the last place that Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper performed before their plane crashed right outside of Clear Lake in a field. I hope to be able to go inside and check it out before we leave! To me it doesn't look like much from the outside... 
Okay, I have a couple more stories to tell, but it is way past my bed time!! And you know my alarm clock (Daityn Blair) has no snooze button... But, I will post more tomorrow on the the windmills that I'm fascinated with and the infamous RentADent that you may or may not have heard about by now!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Where Have We Been??? Okay, If You Really Want To Know I'll Tell You!!
I know it's been a while and I'm not even going to say that I'm going to start doing better about posting here, cause I'll just be lying... I'm just going to say that I've got a lot of catching up to do, so this is going to be an extra long post!!As most of you know David is now working on a pipeline in Iowa with my daddy... This has been a major adjustment, but luckily it's working out great, so far, so good! We decided that we would go and take a little vacation to visit with him and what a wonderful experience it has been!
There is a list of "firsts" for our family to review...
1. First time to be away from each other in 10 years for more than 3 days at a time.. Which has actually been a lot better than we both thought it would be.. We both KNOW that God will never put more on us than we can handle.. This is so true!!
2. The first time that David and Dawson have ever been apart. That has been great too! He is my little man, and he's been taking wonderful care of his mommy and baby sister!!
3. Dawson has always slept in his own bed and always looked forward to going and getting in his bed around 9:00pm watching a movie and going to sleep... The only time that he's ever slept with me or David is when he's been sick.... Well, that is out the window... He's slept with mommy EVERY night at home.. When we are getting ready for bed he says, "mom, I think I better sleep with you. Remember Daddy is gone and I've gotta sleep with you!!" Now how can I say no to that?? You guessed it, I don't!! Though I am thinking of getting two king size beds and putting them together to be able to sleep comfortably with him, because one isn't enough for him to do somersaults in the middle of the night!!
4. This is the first time in over 15 years that David is doing a different kind of work than he's ever done! But I can honestly say that he really is enjoying his job!! I could tell by the sound of his voice that he liked it, but now I'm looking at his face and all I see is delight!! I'm so proud of him!!
5. Oh My Gosh, I've finally flown!!!!!!!! It was amazing!! At first I was kind of scared but actually, believe it or not, Dawson calmed my fears... Oh yeah, my first time to fly and I take both my 4 year old and my 4 month old!! It's hard to imagine that we are 1000 miles from home because it only took 2 hours to get here! Dawson cracked me up the entire flight!! I was ready with a backpack full of markers and color wonder paper and tractors, I was expecting the worst! He sat beside the window and looked out the whole time saying "Oh My Gosh, Momma have you ever flowed over the clouds before?" You know D and his backwoods country accent!! It was hilarious!!
6. With the exception of Louisiana where we go to the mall and the doctor, this is the first time that Dawson has ever been out of the state of Arkansas!! Again with all of our WAY southern accents everyone says "where are you guys from?" I always reply with "what makes you think we aren't from here?" hehe!
I know there is alot more "firsts" that I just can think of right now, but I'll get back to that later!!
Oh, I almost forgot, Dawson got to have his picture made in the cockpit of his first plane to ever be on!! It was the coolest thing ever!! I have lots of pictures that I'm going to have to go and get a disc to put them on here!! I know that Conk and Uncle Olivia are dying to see some pictures, and believe me I've got plenty!!
We are all completely amazed with the windmills here... I know what your thinking, but these things are huge!!! They are WAY taller than any trees or anything else around here for that matter, and you can see them from miles and miles away!! It's awesome! I have a lot of corny pictures of those!!
Daityn Blair has been wonderful! She is really beginning to be a real joy to be around! I know that sounds awful, but for the first 3 months, she was a little terror!! She is starting to coo and laugh and jabber!! It's the cutest thing!! She is drooling everywhere, I think she is already trying to get some teeth! And whew, she is growing like a bad weed!!
Dawson is such a good big brother too!! He just gets sweeter by the day! This morning he got in the bed with her and snuggled for about an hour!! It was adorable!!
Speaking of sleeping... I couldn't think of where I was going to put the little princess to sleep so I resorted to our largest suitcase!! Yep the baby is sleeping in a suitcase!! Don't knock it till you try it!! It's worked out great! I've made it all comfy and stuff and she sleeps like a log!!
My daddy bought a huge RV before they left to go on the job and he and David are living together. But while we are here he went and rented a hotel room so that we can stay in the RV! (Thank you Daddy!) It's been so much fun! The park that we are staying in is just like home!! They have a swing set and picnic tables right outside the trailer, it's really nice. There is a nice city park just down the road, so Dawson, Daityn Blair and I have had plenty to keep us busy!!
We were going to go home on Monday but we love it so much we are going to stay for 2 more weeks!! Even though I know that the longer we stay the harder it's going to be to leave!!
I know this is going to be jumping around a little bit, but Dawson is registered for school!! Yep, my baby is going to start school!! This has really been a year of change!! New job, new town, new living arrangements, new baby, new daily activities, new school.... Gah, I think that's enough!!
Okay, going WAY back I had the most wonderful mother's day gift EVER! We went the week before David left and had family pictures made that I'm so proud of I'm going to post them and then go to bed for tonight.. The first 3 are my very favorite!! (I love Dawson's face in the 3rd one!!) I'm going to try and have some of my pictures put on a disc tomorrow and post them for everyone to see of our vacation!!
