Mattie's Crib

(This is just the ad photo for the bedding)

Rich came home yesterday after work around 6:30pm and started working again on the nursery..... Trae & Rich assembled Mattie's crib.
Here it is!!! She has pink bedding with butterfiles & dragonflies on it(see above). I love the drawer in the bottom of the crib!



Close up of bedding..her mobile, lamp and drapes should be here soon.

My friend Maria(my friend that gave me the baby shower) gave Mattie this pillow. It has her name on it: Mattie Elizabeth LaFaye

This is her closet, I still need to get my purses out of there..and my violin & chair. I haven't played in a while..I need to work on that!

This is above her closet..I found this at Hobby Lobby...too cute!!!!

We all were listening to the radio last night on the way home from Sonic..and..a song came on the radio(I can't remember the name, we listen to country)..it talks about, the mother & daughter were putting off goodbye because the daughter was leaving for college..talks about the mother reminding the daughter to fill up with gas before she heads out of town..there is a $50 in the ashtray if the daughter runs short on cash..the mother gave the daughter a map & the Bible incase the daughter gets lost...well anyhoo...Rich was saying that he heard this song earlier at work(yesterday) and he said he was all choked up..dreading the day Mattie goes to college..I said "Honey, She isn't even here yet". He said "I know." I smiled and said "Man she has you wrapped already and hasn't even been born". He smiled. He is such a wonderful man..Trae, Izabelle & I wouldn't trade all the money in the world for him.

Mattie's Dresser

Rich got home last night around 11:30pm. We had planned on installing the new car seat in the truck and just waiting on the furniture until Tuesday..his next day off. Well he came home and went right to work on her dresser..he worked until 1:30am..then finished this morning before he left for work. I believe that he is just as anxious as I am! I know that I am HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY that her nursery is coming together! I stayed up until 12:30am..doing the rest of Mattie's laundry..like the Boppy covers, receiving blankets, wash cloths, burp rags, bassinet sheets, playpen sheets, more socks & bibs.


Close up of her letters..I covered them with scrapbooking paper.
I found these cute little suitcases at Burlington...just for decoration.

CHILI CON CARNE...dinner tonight

My mom shared this recipe with me the other night:

FRIJOLES DE OLLA (Beans in a pot)
This is my Guelita's recipe for beans....

1 bag dry pinto beans(frijoles)..sort, remove any foreign material, rinse & soak
1/2 onion(cebolla) or more if you like onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lard or corn oil
1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
3-4 pieces of fried bacon(tocino).. roughly chopped
bacon grease
2 cloves fresh garlic(ajo).. minced
1 can diced tomatoes
salt(sal)..to taste

Bring beans(frijoles) to a rolling boil for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to medium low and simmer until beans(frijoles) are tender.

O.K. for the Chili Con Carne.........
Decide how many beans(frijoles) you would like to use in the mixture -below- first..don't put the remaining beans(frijoles) into the refrigerator(unless your family eats them up quickly), because normally they don't get eaten..just tossed down the garbage disposal after a week. Put your extra (cooled) beans(frijoles) into ziplock baggies and freeze! Just pull them out later as needed.

Mix together:

beans(frijoles)..from above
1 lb. cooked hamburger meat(carne de res) -beef
1 can tomato sauce
1 pkg. McCormick Chili Seasoning

Pour this mixture over Fritos and top with shredded cheese(queso), sour cream, etc. YUMMY!!!!


From the kitchen of: my Mom & Guelita Castro in Del Rio, Texas

Jenni B's yard sale...

I went to her yard sale this morning and just started grabbing..rub-ons, embellishments(bottle caps, cloth tags, fancy brads, giant buttons), rubber stamps(blossom plaque, mini diamond cube, ruler, buttons, skinny line plaid element, wooden ruler border, ladybug, celebrate, naughty & nice, alphabet & numbers, calendar), foam stamps(vacation theme, Christmas theme) and some ribbon. I ran into Glenda P. & Tammy G. there..we had a lot of fun going through Jenni's old treasures! Now we have new treasures in our scrapbook rooms!

37 week pic

I know, I look miserable and I think my belly could possibly explode! No kidding! I went to the Dr. on Tuesday the 25th..and I was dilated to 1 cm. Only 9 cm more to go..Hee Hee
I received Mattie's furniture Wednesday..and had plans for Rich to put it together Sunday on his day off...well now he has to work Sunday. I guess that will happen at a later date. Mattie has a spot already where her bassinet sits my room(see above)....so really no rush. I am just so anxious to see it all put together in her nursery.

At last...privacy!!!

This is what I did this morning. I have been in my house for almost 4 years now and have always hated this exposed window next to the front door. I have thought of many options to cover it, but I don't like curtains and didn't want to put tiny blinds here either. So I found this stuff at Lowe's..Gila SideLight Solution, this is the Climbing Rose design. It was very easy to apply!! It took a lot of brightness out of the room also.

Construction of Mattie's swing!

When it comes to reading the directions with Rich & Trae....forget it!!!!!!


Trae assisting Rich by holding the seat part still.

Almost finished!!!!



Rich is attaching the battery cover.

Oh, yes...Daddy is very excited..knowing that little Mattie will be soon swinging in this cute little thing.

Sneak Peak...

I have been working very hard on Mattie's birth announcements. This is the front..it didn't scan too good(I used ivory cardstock), but you all should be receiving one in the mail very, very soon!
All I need to do is fill in the middle..but Mattie needs to get here first before I can do that. I even have the envelopes addressed(thanks Chelle for the idea). I will be sending one to Scrap It!. I will be calling down there as soon as Mattie gets here..so Bill and/or Annie can "Start Spreading The News". I have almost made (30) of these..I have accomplished a lot.
I will be 37 weeks Thursday...I usually (the past 2 times) deliver around 38 weeks. Whooo Hoooo!!!!!!!! I can't wait..I have swelled/gained to the point where I cannot wear my wedding ring..and have resorted to wearing Crocs(see 36 week pic)!!!! Yes, they are pink.

In-Laws

Well....my in-laws are heading back today. My mother-in-law is very nervous about the medical issue that has come up and really would like to get back home and have her doctor check things out. I am a little upset..I was so looking forward to spending more time with them and taking more pictures and them being here when Mattie arrives..but I completely understand the urgency to get to the doctor..something very similiar happened to me less than a year ago..and I was terrified. My issue turned out to be nothing..I pray that hers is nothing as well. I hate to see them leave...but I am trying to look on the bright side, they could possibly be moving here very soon..and that will make us very happy!!!!
Have A Safe Trip..Mom & Dad...We Love You!!!

36 week pic

Whewww! It is hot outside, it's even hard to cool off at the pool. I am now 36 weeks along, and am ready to go to the hospital RIGHT NOW!!!! I keep talking to her/Mattie asking if we can make some arrangements here. Hee Hee
I need some prayers for my mother-in-law, without going into details..there are some possible medical issues..and they may need to leave for Utah and go back home on Monday. I don't want them to leave..so everyone please pray that God puts his hand on her and puts her mind at ease. I know I want them here for when Mattie is born...but I also don't want anything to be wrong with my sweet, lovable mother-in-law either.
Thanks so much......

My Baby Shower 7.16.06

Back Row/Left: Maria(she put this shower together & did a beautiful job), Aunt Kim, Sister-in-Law/Sherri, Niece/Britney, Jean, Jennifer(we went to High School together), Cousin Sarah & my sweet & bubbly friend Krystal..that is getting married next month!!!

Middle Row/Left: Hannah, Rose, Rachel, Mom LaFaye, Brayden.

Front Row/Left: Miss Betty, Gram, me and Izabelle.






Me with my Aunt Kim and cousin Sarah...I love this picture, I am going to put it in a frame and set it in the living room.

My Baby Shower Yesterday

Me and Miss Betty...she helped a lot with the shower, she arranged the flowers you see in the back(I got to take them home, now they are on my dining room table), she also made her wonderful, yummy punch..that I now have the leftover in my refrigerator..I have been sipping on it and enjoying it. She was so beautiful in her pink outfit!!!




This was Izabelle's chair..where she handed me gifts. She was a fairy princess..welcoming her little sister "Princess Mattie".





Izabelle's job was to hand me gifts from the gift table..she did a great job!




This cake was filled with strawberries! Very yummy!

35 week pic

My goodness..would ya look at the watermelon on that girl!!! I was 35 weeks on 7.13.06 (acccording to the Doc.) My medical charts say that I went around 38 weeks with the other two children..so maybe I have less than 3 weeks,until Mattie makes her appearance........whoo hooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sherri VonLobstein's class this morning..

This class convinced me that mini books are FUN & COOL! This is the first one I made. I am a very slow worker, so...I finished it as soon as I got home. I made the book about: Izabelle's 9th birthday party @ The Pampered Palace, turned out tooo cute!

What we did this weekend..

Richie & Dad (and Russell) hanging out at the lake...relaxin'!




Just hanging out downtown!!! It was a beautiful day yesterday..not real hot, overcast, very nice!



They had this cute little monkey downtown yesterday..so Mom & Trae took a pic with him..I think it was a him, I know IT was in desperate need of a diaper change! Hee Hee



The sun setting Saturday evening..the weather was so nice on the lake!




34 week pic(Sunday) at the RV park where my in-laws are staying..not too far from the house. I hung out there Saturday & Sunday. We had too much fun!!




This was supposed to be my 34 week pic..Trae took it and he was trying not to get the ginormous trash dumpster to the right(we were downtown), but you can't see my BIG watermelon, will try again later. It is a cute pic though!

I Have Created A Monster!!

I brought my mother-in-law(from Utah) to her first crop last night..and she is hooked!!!!! She did awesome layouts! She is a very creative person. We had a great dinner: Pizza, Chips & Dip, Fresh Mixed Fruit, Cookies, Cake, Sodas...very yummy!

Izabelle O'hara

This pic is for Izabelle's Great Aunt Cherry! Izabelle loves to play dress up, so her Great Aunt Cherry sent a huge goody bag with lots and lots of clothes! Izabelle loves the camera, Can you tell? Hee Hee

Seneca Crispy Apple Chips

My mother-in-law went to Opry Mills mall yesterday and brought these home. I tasted them for the first time and was addicted! We went back today and I bought (9), yes (9) bags! I will be putting a bag of these babies in my hospital bag. This will be a great munchy food for me during my hospital stay!Hee Hee

Family visit

Izabelle with Grandma & Grandpa LaFaye.
Mom & Dad are staying until Mattie gets here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yea Yea Yea

Family visit

Trae & Gram'.....Gram' always says "Don't get old 'cause you will shrink". She also says that she is thankful that she still has her blonde hair, that is hasn't turned gray. She is too silly!





Thirty-three week pic with Gram'....she is so funny. I hope I am in this good of shape when I am 94!





Thirty-three week pic with my mother-in-law. The sweetest mother-in-law in the universe!!!




Me with (2) very sleepy dogs...Toto & Russell.




Trae, Toto & Russell. I caught Russell yawning.




Toto has a little visitor also..Russell (the Jack Russell). They play very well together. They were resting together getting ready to take a little nap.



Izabelle & Gram' hanging out in the living room.