M & M Playdate

When we moved, one thing I was sad about was moving away from Mason's buddy, McKinley. It was so nice to just walk down the street and see her and hang out with her mom, Katie. We sure have missed them since we moved.

Thankfully Katie and I have done a pretty good job about keeping in touch and getting together at least once/week (when schedules allow) to let the kiddos play. Katie and her husband, Jay, recently redid one of their spare bedrooms and turned it into a playroom for McKinley. Of course, this meant a trip to their house to check it out.

Mason and McKinley had the best time. They are always so happy to see each other! It was also nice for Katie and I to catch up and have a little adult time. We are so thankful for their friendship.

I love that these two are so close in age and can grow up together and be the best of buddies and future boyfriend/girlfriend!

We love your new playroom, McKinley! Hopefully soon you can come play in Mason's playroom... as soon as we get it complete!

Charleston Recap

Yesterday I posted about the first half of our trip and today I am back to finish the recap. We woke up Friday morning and while I went for a run (keeping the Challenge going), Brian fed Mason and hung out with his family. Once back, we hung out until Mason's next feeding and then hit the road for a quick 2 hour drive to Charleston.

We got there before we could check into the hotel so we just hung out in the lobby and entertained a sleepy Mason and feasted on Subway.

After we got checked in, we hung out and then started to get ready for Jessica and Brad's beach wedding that was being held at 7:30pm on Folly Beach. Our hotel was 25 minutes away and we were warned that parking would be tight so we decided to head to leave the hotel by 615pm at the latest. Once we arrived at Folly Beach, we fed Mason and took some pictures on the beach. The pictures aren't the greatest because it was so dang windy.

It was a standing wedding so Brian and Mason hung in the back so Mason could play in the sand while I took pictures of the ceremony.

The reception was held immediately afterwards at a beach front house. It was very pretty and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone. Jessica was a gorgeous bride! Jessica and Brad are a lovely couple and we are so happy for them.

By 10pm Mason was exhausted and we decided it was time to head back to the hotel and rest up for a fun Saturday. Thankfully Mason slept like a champ in his pack-n-play and was an angel for us.

Saturday morning we ate breakfast in the hotel, worked out and then headed back to Folly Beach to spend the afternoon on the beach, after Masons first nap of the day.

 Besides one separation/stranger anxiety fit when Brian and I were both in the water, Mason did wonderful and once again, really enjoyed the sand and ocean.

After almost 4 hours in the sun, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. But first we made a pit stop at the hotels indoor pool and let Mason swim for a bit.

After everyone was ready, we headed to downtown Charleston for a dinner at Hyman's Seafood. We only had to wait about 30 minutes since we had a party of 14.. what a treat! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and Mason dined on a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.

Please ignore my double chin.

It was another late night for Mason and he was so sleepy. After playing in the pillows for a minute (he loves it!), we called it a night and once again, he slept like a champ.

After breakfast at the hotel on Sunday we packed up and hit the road to head home. It was a wonderful trip to Charleston and a great chance to see everyone and for everyone to meet Mason.

Surprise Party!

This past weekend we headed for Charleston, SC to attend the wedding of one of Brian’s cousins. We decided to break the trip up into two parts and head down Thursday and spend the night with Brian’s sister, Traci. This turned a 5+ hour car trip into a 3 hour car trip, which we were very thankful for.

Earlier in the week, Traci called me to let me know she was planning a surprise birthday party for Brian. My job was to make sure we got on the road around 530 and not before, since Traci had to work until 730. This turned out to be one challenging job as Brian was ready to hit the road around 430 so he could see his family. I did all I could... Took Mason for a jog, took a long shower and packed food for us. With Brian growing more frustrated and eager to get going, we pulled out of our driveway at 5:28p.

We pulled into Traci’s driveway a little before 8pm. I stayed back a little with Mason (so he wouldn’t be scared) as Brian walked into the house to a loud SURPRISE!!! He was certainly surprised to say the least and I was proud of myself for not telling him about it. After I got Mason settled down (he was a little shaken from all the loud noise), we enjoyed a wonderful dinner of chicken kabobs, fruit, corn on the cob, asparagus, and a delicious salad. Needless to say, Brian’s brother-in-law, Robert, knows his way around the grill and kitchen. It was all so good.

We ended with Brian’s favorite, ice cream cake! It was also a joint party for Doris (Brian’s mom) has her birthday is the week before Brian’s. Traci and Doris put together a golf themed basket for Brian and he loved all his gifts. They also surprised us with a housewarming basket full of goodies. We were very appreciative to say the least. Mason also got to meet Aunt Lou and Carolyn for the first time and he quickly became the life of the party.

After a long day, we finally got Mason to bed around 930 and he slept like a champ! We turned in around 11 to make sure we were well rested for the upcoming weekend events.

Check back tomorrow for the rest of our fun filled weekend in Charleston!

Family Friday

One of my new favorite pictures of my two guys...

Taken Father's Day 2011 at Papaw Chapman's house

Oh look.. sports on TV... Like father, like son.



Since I already ever upload any of the films we capture of Mason, I think Family Friday will be my new Friday theme. Feel free to join in if you wish. 

Just Keep Truckin'

I am 23 days into the June challenge and I must say, I have been impressed with my progress. You see, from January to May, the only time I ran was for our once a month 5k races. So each month I ran 3.1 miles and nothing more. I walked here and there with Mason but nothing big. When Mason hit 9 months, it was time to get my rear in gear and lace up my shoes again.


So far, I have run/jogged/an occasional walk 47.6 miles in 22 days. Today, I will add at least 2 miles to that number. 47.6 miles! Never did I think I could do this. I used to hate running. It was a chore for me. But now… I’m coming around to it. I am not fast by any means. I am awful at pacing myself. There are times when I just want to quit and walk but I just keep truckin’.

To help me stay motivated I have relied on friends and family. I “check in” and let them know when I have completed my miles for the day. I posted my meals on a facebook group I am a member of. I have also scoured running blogs and read them daily. Two of my current favorites are skinnyrunner and Shut Up and Run. Both are hilarious and fun reads. I also have these three ads saved on my computer so I can look at them whenever I don’t want to lace up and hit the pavement.

Today was a day that I have been waiting and hoping for. I felt like I could run forever. I did 5.8 miles! No freakin’ way!!! It was hot, it was brutal, the hills got the best of me but I just kept truckin’. 5.8 miles might not seem like a lot to you but to me… it’s just one more sign that I am starting to enjoy running. It’s my longest run in a long time and it felt good. My plan: just keep on truckin’ and added miles each day!