My Brother's Engagement

So on the same day of the triathlon, my brother planned to ask his girlfriend (who also happens to be my best friend in the entire world) to marry  him!  To say our family was excited would be the understatement of the century.  For YEARS I have said these two needed to end up together, and I totally say I am the puppet master (but we all really know that is God) of their whole relationship.  They began dating shortly after Owen was born, and I couldn't be more thrilled to make Abby a permanent member of our family as well as play a part in this special day.

All I can say is that Adam totally outdid himself.  With minimal idea help and input he put together a WONDERFUL proposal any girl would have loved to experience.  I would try to fill you in on all the juicy details, but I would fall incredibly short.  Abby would be who you would need to talk to, and lucky for you readers she wrote all about her special day in a blog.  Just click here to follow the link to read about how she was proposed to.  Not only did Adam orchestrate everything, while I ran around placing clues that needed to be placed, but he also had me video taping at different areas.  Through this he was able to make an amazing video of the whole event.  Here is the youtube link to that video.

This had to be one of the most stressful days of my life.  Staying one step ahead of them, while laying out clues, filming, and working hard on not being seen, all while acting completely oblivious to Abby who thinks I am just chillin' the whole time.  I wouldn't have had it any other way though and am thankful Adam let me share in his special day.  He is such an amazing, God fearing, hardworking, patient guy who waited for God to bring him the one He had set aside.

  I was so honored to be a part and to actually be there to film the actual asking.  I cannot believe my little brother will be married shortly.  I have prayed for him and his future wife for years now and has been so exciting to watch how God has grown him over the last few years.  Little did I know when I was praying for his wife, I was also praying for my best friend.  Abby and I have a relationship that doesn't make sense, one that may seem odd and strange to some being she is so much younger than I am, but now we just own it.  She is such a special person, she loves my brother, loves my family, loves my children (for real, Reid adores her.  He said "Babby" before he said "Mama" and I am pretty sure Adam had to ask him if he could steal his girl lol), and loves me so much.  I am just so thankful God saw fit to bless all of us with her as a part of our family.  I could go on and on for days about the ways she has blessed me, but it would turn out to be the longest post ever, so I will stop.  I can't imagine life without Abby and I am grateful that now I won't have to.

Mark's Triathlon

Let it just be said Saturday, September 14 was a busy day for Mark and me!  It was a whirlwind of a weekend, one I was so happy to be part of!  It started with a Triathlon and ended with my brother proposing to Abby, my best friend!  The day began at 6:45 to be when Mark pulled in to do his triathlon in Tyler.  This is a really great sprint Tri and his second year to do it.  We kept talking about how different everything was last year.  Reid was about to turn 2, I was 4-5 months pregnant with Owen, and Abby was there to have something to do on the weekend!  My dad, uncle, Mark, and friend John all competed in this event.  Everyone did really well, though mark wasn't happy with his time, I told him there has been quite a lot going on in his life since last year!  Here are a few shots of that day.  

In transition coming out of the swim

Leaving for the bike ride!

My dad in transition after the swim

My dad and his brother-in-law, my uncle, leaving for the bike ride

Uncle Rusty on the run

Mark Finishing

John finishing!

It was a fun day, with great family and friends!

Color Run: Pink Ranger Style!

Earlier this summer my cousin set up a group to do a "color run" together.  She named the group the "Pink Rangers" and asked me as well as many others (18 to be exact) to do it with her.  My mom, Abby, and I trained together some during the summer, and a little after school started to make sure we were ready.  

Finally the day dawned bright and clear (and hot!) and we were all off at 6:30AM to meet and carpool to our destination. . . Mom, Abby, and I rode together up there and had a blast talking about anything and everything!  The boys (except Mark who was gone to a bachelor party weekend for his twin brother) were bringing my babies and meeting us there.  After about an hour of waiting and standing in line we were finally at the start line ready to go!  There were SSSOOO many people there to run, they were sending them off in waves of 500 every 10 minutes!  Totally awesome!  

Pink Rangers all together that morning

Before the Race started 

The line of people in front.  The start was under the bridge.

The line of people (and me talking to abby) behind.

Mom and her group of friends that call themselves the "Redneck Princesses"

Me and Kyndall, my cousin who got everything organized!

Me, Mom, and Abby all clean before the race

Every one ran at their own pace, with the younger high school and jr high girls out in the lead!!!  Me and my Aunt Lori Ivey, my mom's brother's wife (not to be confused with my Aunt Lori, my mom's sister!  Except it is confusing lol!) ended running about the same pace and had the best time talking to one another as we ran along.  I was able to run the whole 3.2 miles, something I wasn't sure I would do because we just went along talking until the end.  I definitely wouldn't have done that had she not been there.  In case you haven't done a color run, it is a non-timed event (great for a first 5k) where you run down a course and along the way there are "color stations".  These color stations have people on the side throwing dyed corn starch at you as you run through them!  It is so much fun, I highly recommend it!

The picture I sent to Mark afterwards

Lastly, one of our really good friends had promised to buy every one cupcakes to eat at the finish line from a wonderful local cupcake store!  The Pink Rangers decided we wouldn't cross the finish line until we waited for everyone to get together at the end.  Finally once our group was all together we walked the last 200 yards cheering about being a Pink Ranger and eating cupcakes!  Hands down one of the most fun events!

All the "Ivey girls": Kyndall, Me, Mom, Sister Lori, Abby, Lori I

Me and Lori, so glad she was there!

Another Random Post of Pictures. . .

Once again it has been a while since my last up date.  To be honest I am horrible at taking pictures with a legitamate camera.  I use my iPhone for everything and it shows. . . Oh well. So today people you will be getting a post full of photos from my iPhone. . .  Here are a few things from our life since Owen's 7 Month update.

Life:

From time to time I keep our friends kids for her when their school is closed/babysitter is out.  Genna is 5 months older than Reid and Camp is a week older than Owen.  We always have fun!

Playing Guitars in the closet

Too much fun!

One walking, one riding, one carried. . .

 Then there is just life in general, things that happen here everyday that we just love anyway. . .

Love this sweet blanket a friend made for Owen!

Brothers!

I came out of the bathroom and saw this!  Reading on his own accord!  

A little school time messy fun.

 At one point Owen got a small ear infection (first one ever for us as parents) and then an interviral rash. . . it was so sad and covered his little body for a week!

Texas football came back which me and all my boys were so excited about!  We are heading to our local high schools 1st football game here.

3 babies born 3 weeks apart, all 7 months old here!

 I also have become a designer for Origami Owl!  It is a fun jewelry making gig that I have had a blast with already!  Go look it up at www.kristenclifton.origamiowl.com!  Their slogan is "You tell your story with words, we tell it with jewelry."  You basically take a window plated locket and put whatever charms in it you want!  Tons of fun with so many different combinations.

 And this little guy finally learned to drink from a cup!