Back from OPRAH! (well we have been back about a week)

Yes, we are back from our short time away in L.A. to see Oprah! Not only was seeing Oprah very exciting but so was getting to go to California! Clay had been a couple of times but this was a first for me so I was very excited to experience it.

This also was the first real time I was away from the boys. I had spent the night away from them in Charleston but to me that wasn't "really" being away from them considering my parents house was 10 min from our hotel. It more or less felt like I spent the night in a different room where I didn't hear them. This on the other hand was truly AWAY. For 3 days I didn't hear or see my sweet little babes. I DID miss them a whole lot but I never did the ugly cry or anything like that. I really thought I would because I was sad to be without them, but the ugly cry never came.

I think the reason it was okay for me to be without them was because they were in such good care. If I know they are well taken care of then I don't worry. A couple of different times I did get a little stressed because they had fevers and I don't like being away from them if they are not doing well, but if I know all is well, then I am GREAT!

So anyways we flew out Saturday morning and got to L.A. around 11 oclock. On the plane in first class was our first star sighting (well Clay knew who they were), former L.A. Laker Rick Fox and sitting beside him in first class was the rapper Common. Even though they weren't huge stars to me, it was still exciting.

When we got to L.A. this is kinda what the next three days looked like... (I would write about it but I am sure it would bore all of you. If you are like me I don't really like reading long blogs, I just like the pictures:)

Saturday:

walked around sunset plaza on sunst blvd. (saw actor DJ Qualls... small time) 
drove through some neighborhoods in BH (so pretty)

walked around rodeo dr area in BH (so expensive)

checked into hotel (loved the hotel)

ate dinner (at Luna Park/ was featured on the tv show the Hills)

drove around hollywood, which was partially closed down for the oscars

Sunday:

ate breakfast in santa monica drove up the coast to malibu (BEAUTIFUL)

then up into the mountains (and by DASH the Kardashians store)

then down mulholland dr (amazing)

farmers market for lunch

shopped around at the grove

had pinkberry (loved it)

back to the hotel to watch the oscars

Monday:

up early (real early)

oprah (OPRAH!)

ate at Casa Vega (from the tv show Flipping Out)

walked around Hollywood

shopped at beverly center mall

whole foods (saw girl from Bay Watch... Alexandra Paul?)

unami (cool burger place in L.A.)

sky club (perks of business American Express)

So we had a blast! And no, we didn't get any cool gifts at the show but it was still a fun time seeing that many women just so crazy to see Oprah. It was neat to see her but I am not a fanatic for sure. I just think it was neat to be able to go see one of the most powerful women in television AND it is her last season AND it was in L.A. AND it was after the Oscars in the Kodak Theater! All of those things made it really neat. Hopefully you got to see the show... Ann Hathaway was on, the winners from Kings Speech, as well as Katy Perry.

Okay, here are some pics from the trip!

Just driving

View from our hotel (the Hollywood sign is just to

the right of where we could see)

Mulholland Drive

PINKBERRY

Morning of Oprah show

iPhone Pics...

(no cameras were allowed)
(I hesitate putting this up because it

looks like she is so small and we are far away

but it didn't look like this when we were in there)

These are from the wax museum...

we actually really enjoyed our time there.

(everyone is exactly proportional to the real thing)

That was a little long but for the most part that was the main gist of our trip.

Check it out...

We are back from L.A. and of course I have lots to share about our trip but let me first share about someone who may be out where I just was one day... My youngest brother Jamie! Check him out...

This Past Weekend

This past weekend I had the opportunity to see my brother Jamie star in the play "Winnie the Pooh"at North Greenville College. It is really nice to see him do something he loves AND he does it quite well. He was Piglet and really was very entertaining (as he always has been). Here are some pics from the play...

Also this past weekend, we borrowed a jump toy from Clay's sister. Charlie had so much fun jumping that he wore himself out... He would jump jump jump and then start to close his eyes and fall asleep on the spot. Here are some pics of that...

We had a lot of fun watching him do that over and over

(don't worry, we only let him do it a few times before we put him to bed).

Okay I will leave you with some pics of the boys... Happy Monday...

Technical Difficulties

I have things to share but I am having problems getting the pictures on my computer. For some reason, unknown to me, my computer is telling me it can read the pictures on the card. It always has been able to read them so who knows what is going on. As soon as I get this figured out, I will share the what we have been doing...

ALSO, if you didn't know, I am going some where very special this week... to the...

OPRAH SHOW!!!...

Yep! I have been trying for years to get tickets and two weeks ago I found out I got tickets! The show is actually being taped in L.A. for an After the Oscars taping and Clay and I fly out on Saturday morning! So AWESOME. More on that later...

Where Have We Been???... CHARLESTON

Yep, not much blogging gets done when we are in Charleston. It seems that with some help I would have extra time to blog but all I want to do with my extra time is SLEEP! Let me just do a quick summary of our time in Charleston and then leave you with some pics...

1. The boys are now 5 months old.

2. Miller has rolled from his back to stomach... several times.

3. I took the boys out of their swaddles (which was HUGE because I feared doing it, but they are sleeping very well without it). They sleep until about 7 each morning.

4. My brother and his wife had a baby girl... (got to the hospital and had her in 20 min with one push and NO doctor)

5. I spent my first night away from the boys (Clay and I went and stayed at the Charleston Place for one night for V day)

6. Miller sucks his thumb.

7. Clay and I went to my brother to get our teeth cleaned and checked out. We were re taught the importance of good dental health and are excited about keeping it up! (we do have some cavities but nothing too major)

Okay, that was the gist of our trip. I LOVE being able to be home and see everyone that I love so much. I often think of what it would be like to live in Charleston, but when I go back, I realize that it is so special when we come to visit that I actually like it this way. Sure I would love to have day to day experiences with my parents and grandparents and brothers and cousins BUT visiting often makes the time I spend with them even so much more special!

Well here are a few pics from the week and a half I was there with the boys...

Eden Grace was only about an hour and a half old in this

picture. She hadn't even gotten her bath yet.

Noah meeting his sister for the first time... I think

he is having to get use to this whole "brother" thing.

Sweet little thing. I can't believe my boys

use to be smaller than her. She is tiny!

To say Clay was anxious about going to the dentist was a

HUGE understatement. He whined for weeks about not

wanting to go.

We got him in the chair...

and he was VERY tense...

but by the end he was pleased with the results!

My turn!

If you are looking for a good dentist, he is a great one!

Sweet little legs as he eats his breakfast.
Chuckles with his Mimi.

The boys right before bed.

I didn't take too many pics so those are all I got but hopefully I will have some more soon! Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather...

This Time Last year...

This time last year I got a call from a doctors office to tell me I was PREGNANT. It became official one year ago! What an awesome and amazing journey. I am so thankful for my boys. They bring me so much joy and I am overwhelmed by God's graciousness to Clay and me. We prayed so hard for them and wanted them so badly and He decided to bless us with them. We knew He still heard us even if we did not get pregnant, but ONE YEAR AGO He gave us a precious gift... well gifts.

Here is what those precious gifts looked like today at 4 and 1/2 months old...

Chutters.

Miller ready for the tub.

Love him.
Cute.

Proud Papa.

This process isn't easy.

All cleaned up.

Really not easy, huh Charlie?