hobbby-ing

I've been taking some pictures lately for family and friends just for fun...but I've loved how they've turned out. Here are 2 of my most recents...my nephew Crockett (2 1/2) and my sweet friend, Reagan's new baby girl, Scarlett! Photographing newborns is no joke! Scarlett was always ready to party as soon as we started taking pictures! ha!



Scarlett Harper Hales:

Ten Months Old!

Quin! You're TEN months old today!!!

Here's what you're doing these days:

You have completely boycotted all babyfood and anything that resembles baby food! You are completely on table food. Your favorites that mommy uses as "go to" meals are: grilled cheese sandwiches (you will just about eat an entire one), mac n cheese (at mcalisters I order you your own kids meal!), and yogurt. Those are currently your faves. For breakfast you love pancakes, waffles, oatmeal (sometimes), cinnamon rolls, toast, and bananas.

You have discovered how much fun knocking scout's water bowl over is. At least once a day you spill her water all over the floor, completely soaking yourself and the floor, but you will just splash and splash, quite proud of what you've done. I'm shocked that you haven't noticed the dog food just next to the water. I am sure you will sooner than later.

You can pull up on everything. You're still not super sturdy, but you can pull yourself up in your bed, on the couch, fireplace, wherever! You don't really cruise yet, just stand there until you get brave enough to sit back down.

You still do the wounded soldier crawl. Still. You haven't gotten up on your knees to crawl yet. I take that back. As soon as your about a foot away from whatever you're going to, you'll get up on all 4's. Until then it's the army crawl all the way.

You love sitting by the front door and looking out.

You love flirting with girls. You always find someone to flirt with....we're in trouble!

You do great with a sippy cup. In fact (the dr. said I could!!!) I give you a cup of whole milk at breakfast and you seem to like it pretty well! You do still nurse at least 4-5 times per day.

You wear size FOUR shoes and 12 month or 12-18 month clothes.

While I'm cooking or cleaning the kitchen, you love to play in "your" cabinet. It's full of our tupperware and other odds and ends that are put there.

Our favorite thing you do is while you're eating, we will tilt our heads, and you will copy us and give us the sweetest look. Sometimes you'll do it first, but it's a fun game we like to play! Looks like this:

Your hair keeps getting curlier and curlier! And we LOVE it! As the day goes on it just gets crazy! I think you got momma's wavy/curly hair.

We got you a "big boy" carseat this month...as you were much too big for your infant carrier. It took a while to get used to but now you like it. It just doesn't recline much but you still seem to fall asleep in it ok when we're out and about sometimes.

As long as you're in your own bed you sleep great...naps and night time. You despise the pack n play and traveling is not easy (only the night times) with you. Once we're home it takes you a good week or so to get back on your schedule and back to sleeping through the night.

You're just a joy. Your triple-dimpled smile is completely contagious and your spirit is so sweet. You're super layed back, yet have become quite the momma's boy as of late...which I just eat up while it lasts. When someone talks to you while I'm holding you, you'll just lay your sweet head on my shoulder....a little bashful.

You have FOUR teeth, all on the bottom. You're still toothless on top.

We LOVE you to pieces Quin! I can't believe I'm already starting to think "FIRST BIRTHDAY"! In a blink we'll be celebrating the first year of your sweet life. Thank you for being the perfect little addition to our family. I couldn't have created you any cuter, sweeter, or more perfect if I tried. God has blessed us way beyond what we deserve with you!

Here are some sweet recent photos from my iphone the past month....

9/11//11

It's been 10 years since the 9-11 tragedy shook our nation. I remember I was a freshman at Tech, sitting in Chemistry class, when I overheard 2 guys behind me talking about a plane hitting a building in New York. I didn't think a whole lot of it until I got back to my dorm room. My roommate, Haley, and I sat in shock and watched it unfold on TV for what seemed like hours. I don't think the seriousness of it all hit me until I talked to my mom on the phone, and she was terrified of what was to come. When momma is scared, daughter is scared.

It's one of those events in our lifetime that everyone will always remember where they were, what they were doing when they heard. Lots has happened in 10 years, but the pain from that day will never be gone or forgotten.

The park from our house always does the neatest tribute on the anniversary of that day. They set out 3000 flags to remember the victims of 9-11. Here are our boys playing in the flags.

Red Raiders First Game

John is playing football this year and is on the Red Raiders. After a few weeks of practices, they had their first game last weekend. He is playing lineman and he is definitely one of the stars on the team. He loves to tackle and he's really good at it. The games are fun and very entertaining. Usually, if a player gets tackled, he will lay there for a minute before getting up. The more dramatic the better. You'll see kids punching each other and getting into it (fairly harmless with all the pads and gear on). There's a few guys on John's team that I like to watch because I just laugh. As soon as the ball is "hiked" they'll just fall down. Aside from being very entertaining, John is loving it. I think football may be his sport! HEre are a few pictures of his first game. He's #64.

The BEST Trip EVER!!

Over Labor Day weekend we got back in the car and headed to one of our favorite destinations....Fredericksburg! Ryan and I got engaged there (on Enchanted Rock), married there (overlooking Enchanted Rock) and even went on a baby moon there before having Braidy (and climbed Enchanted Rock....the 7 month pregnant lady only made it half way). So, we have many VERY special memories in this quaint little German town. This time we met Ryan's parents, and the rest of the clan! We were so excited to see everyone and spend a few days together!

We arrived on Saturday and went straight to our hotel to see Nena and Pops! They had just gotten back from a week in Hawaii for their 40th wedding anniversary, so they came bearing PRESENTS from Hawaii!!! We were all spoiled! We played, cracked macadamia nuts in the door jams, jumped on the beds and were wild! After everyone arrived we went to the Wildseed Farms, which is a neat place with tons of wild flowers and more. The kiddos loved throwing rocks in the ponds and even saw a snake in one of them. John and Braidy both learned that cactus are sharp the hard way. Both grabbed one and had little pricklies in their hands. Bet they won't do that again! After that, we headed to one of our favorite places to eat, Bejas Grill! We had our rehearsal dinner there, and we always make it a point to eat there when we visit. Yummy food and margaritas!


The next day we climbed Enchanted Rock. Nena stayed with Quin so he could nap, while the rest of us went. It was a little harder than I remember (granted I'm older and out of shape!) but we finally made it to the top. John definitely won the gold star. He could have made it to the top the fastest if it were a race, and he acted like it was nothin! Oh, to be a kid again! We enjoyed the view, took some photos, Braidy had a couple meltdowns, but realized he likes eating the "prickly pear fruit" on the cactus. It was time to head down...slowly, as it was pretty steep! John and Braidy both took a tumble or 2, but we made it down fairly unscathed! It was worth the hike, such a beautiful view! After a yummy lunch and a quick nap, the boys swam a little while at the hotel.








That night we had a fabulous dinner at the Cotton Gin, to celebrate Nena and Pop's anniversary, and my brother-in-law's birthday that was the next day. We had steaks, seafood, you name it. Definitely the "BEST FOOD EVER"! No, really, it was amazing food!





The next morning we all had to head back home. Quin had slept horribly both nights (he HATES the pack n play) so I was ready to be in our own beds, but sad that the trip was over. We really had an awesome time with everyone! I love getting to see little Noah. He has the sweetest personality and smile....he just makes you happy! Can't wait to see everyone again soon!!!

I give Ryan a hard time because everything he does is the "BEST EVER". For example, Braidy ordered a quesadilla at Bejas, and Ryan said "That is the BEST quesadilla I've ever had!" .... he says that at least once a day. Well, it runs in the family. It must be a Curry thing, because Nena said it a couple of times, as did the brothers, too! So it became a joke all weekend that everything was the "BEST EVER!" Todd sent us a text on the way home saying, "That was the BEST Curry Vacation EVER!!! And he might have been right! =)

First Day of PreschooL!

Today I dropped my baby boy off at school for the first time! He is going to 3 year old preschool 3x a week and we are so excited!! We've been talking it up for weeks, but he never seemed thrilled about it. Finally, this morning he was excited and ready for his first day! Braidy and I went on a "donut date" this morning where he told me he was going to "play, play with my friends, and play on the playground" at school today. We talked about saying "yes maam and no maam" to his teacher, telling her when he needs to go potty, and being nice to our friends. In the car on the way to school he said, "momma, I'm excited!" That made me happy to hear. Once we got there, he went straight in his classroom, began telling Mrs. Ford about getting cactus in his hand last weekend, and went and played with his playdoh at his table, never looking back. I snapped a few pictures, told him bye, and that was that! I know he is just going to thrive at school and have a blast. I can't wait to hear how his first day went!!