The Bickston's

1 week old

2012-02-10T10:22:00.001-08:00

Porter you are ONE week old! I can't believe how fast time is going by now and just told your daddy last night I want it to slow down. I am enjoying EVERY second with you and just LOVE being your mommy.

I have to say, we are so blessed. You are the best baby! You pretty much only cry when you need something and we can usually figure it out by checking a few things.

You are wearing newborn clothes and diapers. You eat every 2-3 hours and very well might I add. You LOVE to eat! You wake up about every 3-4 hours at night by stirring and then I change and feed you, which you normally just sleep right through!

You love the sound of the blow dryer and white noise. You also love warm water and when we brush your hair. I can't wait to give you a "real" bath, I think you will love it!!

You HATE being naked and having your diaper changed.

Your daddy and I just love to cuddle and stare at you. You are SO alert too. You just look around and take everything in most of the time. We are hoping it stays this way ;)

Porter David is here!

2012-02-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well, I definitely ate my words in my last post! Our sweet baby boy was born February 2, 2o12 and 11 days early!!!

The day he was born was the most amazing day of my life and the whole day couldn't have gone any better. Let's start from the beginning!

I woke up at 5:50 that morning to my water breaking. Honestly, I thought I had wet my pants and thought not again! But, when I sat down on the toilet and then got up, it KEPT coming. I immediately said, "Matt, I think my water broke." He was sleeping and sat up and said, "Babe, are you sure?" By this point, I think he thought I WANTED it to happen so bad I was imagining things. But, it still kept coming so I called my nurse. They told me right away I had to go to L&D so I could be checked and that was the only way to know.

I had a good feeling that this was it, so we got everything loaded in the car and started making videos (something we really wanted to do to document everything that happened that day!) Matt kept saying, "We're not ready yet...the nursery isn't all the way done!" Which was sort of true. We were going to hang Porter's letters from an oar above his crib and we hadn't done that yet. But, everything else was ready. What's funny is that we had designated Saturday as the "last" day to do everything around our house to get ready for our little man. Well, he had different plans :)

So, back to leaving for the hospital. I called my mom right away, because she lives in Colorado and would have to get on a flight to get here. I said, "Ok, mom I want you to get up and start looking at flights because I'm not sure, but I think my water broke." She said to keep her updated and we headed to the hospital. On the way, we called my dad and Matt's parents because they wanted to be informed immediately :)

We got to the hospital and got checked in to a room. They have a little piece of tape that they can use to check if it is amniotic fluid or urine. As soon as she put it down there, it turned dark blue and she informed me, I in fact was in labor. From that point on, everything was so exciting. I experienced a mix of emotions, but mostly I was so excited it was finally happening!!! The day went by VERY fast, even though there was a lot of waiting and watching tv.

Matt got me a "push present" which he was so excited to give me. It was an iPad 2!!! What a great hubby. I loved using it!

At 9:00 am they started me on Pitocin, which started my contractions. At first they started out small and then started to REALLY hurt.

At around 1:00, I was dilated to a 4, so it was time to get the epidural!

Side note- the epidural was NOTHING. It took like 2 minutes and didn't even hurt. My suggestion to anyone getting it who is freaked out, just don't look at any of the tools they use. I had no idea what he was doing back there and it made me feel much better :)

After the epidural things were GREAT! My mom got there with Matt's mom around 3:00 pm and it was nice to visit with them and just relax.

By around 5:00 pm, my nurse checked me and I was dilated to a 9!!! I couldn't believe it. How quick! Porter was getting lower and lower and ready to come. I pushed for about 30 minutes, but every time I pushed he would go back up. So, they wanted me to turn on my side and wait for him to make his way down on his own.

At 6:00 pm, it was time to push again. I pushed for 25 more minutes and he was born. That last 25 minutes was the hardest, it was hard work! But, by far the most amazing experience I have ever had in my entire life. I can't put into words how amazing it was. Seeing your baby for the first time, well it was surreal.

As soon as Porter came out, he grabbed onto my doctors shirt and held on. It was the funniest thing!

After that, I got to do skin to skin and hold my sweet little boy. Ahhh, I was in heaven and STILL AM.

Matt talking to me during a contraction

Right after he was born

Holding Porter for the first time

Proud daddy!!!

I have NEVER loved anything in this whole world like I love Porter. It's a love I have never experienced before.

We love you sweet Porter and are honored to be your parents!

38 Weeks

2012-02-01T18:24:00.001-08:00

We have a week and a half left until the big day! I am surprisingly feeling ok this week. As long as I can sit down a lot, it makes me feel better.

He could come any day now! At the doctor on Monday, not much had changed. Still dilated to a 1 1/2. My next doctor's appointment is on Tuesday and I'm hoping we'll discuss induction dates if he's not here by then (wishful thinking!). I think he's very comfortable in there and will make a late appearance, but we'll see.

I still need to post pictures of the nursery..hopefully this weekend! :)

37 Weeks

2012-01-29T16:57:00.000-08:00

I realize the outfit I am wearing here looks JUST like the outfit in my 36 week picture, but I promise I also wear other clothes :)

I know what you are all thinking, and yes my belly grew A LOT over the last week! I feel like I had a growth spurt and he is huge now! At our appointment on Monday, I was dilated to a 1 1/2 and 25% effaced. At least we are somewhat moving right along. I have been having Braxton Hicks a lot more this week and hear that is a good sign because it means my body is getting ready!

Tomorrow I will be 38 weeks. I truly never thought I would get here! My pregnancy has gone by so slow, and so fast all at the same time. I am now at the point where I am uncomfortable and very ready for Porter to make his big appearance! I do NOT sleep much anymore..there is too much on my mind and I have to get up to go to the bathroom more times than I can count on one hand. Mostly, I just want to see his little face and hear him cry for the first time. :)

I decided to make a list of all the things I am ready and not so ready for to happen.

Things I am READY for:
1. To hold him in my arms
2. To see Matt hold him
3. To see how Maddie and Porter interact
4. To not feel HUGE :)
5. For everyone to meet him!

Things I am NOT READY for:
1. Nursing- can you really prepare yourself?
2. Not having him with me ALL the time
3. Changing diapers..I'm not gonna lie, it scares me!
4. To not feel his kicks inside me

There you have it. I'm pretty confident we'll be good parents, but the fact that we will have this little man to take care of VERY soon makes me a little uneasy, just being honest! But, I do think we have done a good job of getting everything prepared for him and above everything else, I cannot wait to be Porter's mommy. What a blessing!

So, from here, it's pretty much a waiting game! When will he come??? I'm hoping he stays in until February 9th (because that's when my mom get's here) but, if he decides he wants to come before then, that is alright with me!!!!!!! :)

36 Weeks

2012-01-22T15:55:00.001-08:00

Well, we have 22 days to go until Porter gets here and I am soooo anxious! I have to say, it has started to become very surreal that he will be here so soon. We set up his rock and play sleeper next to our bed yesterday and I swear I just sat there and looked at it for a good 10 minutes. In about three weeks or less he will be laying in it! I can hardly wait!

As far as baby stats goes, we found out this week he is weighing in at 7.5 pounds! When the sonogram tech told me I'm pretty sure I put my hands to my face and muttered the words, "oh my gosh!" He is going to be a big boy!!!! She told me if he goes to full term (40 weeks), he could be 9.5. YALL 9.5! The next time we go, she said she wanted to do another sonogram to monitor his weight. So we might get to see him again!

As far as sleeping goes, I haven't been sleeping well. It just started this week. I get up 5-6 times to go to the bathroom and when I get up to go around 3, it normally takes me an hour to fall asleep. I guess God is getting me ready to be up with him every night. But, I am so tired during the day. Some days, I feel like I am just trying to "make it". Other than that, I feel pretty good. He is constantly kicking me in the ribs and the pelvic pain hurts, but I usually take Tylenol in the morning and it makes me feel better.

I have my work shower tomorrow and I can't wait! I just love the people I work with and it'll be nice to sit and talk to my friends..because work has been pretty stressful this year, for all of us! I will post pics next week!

35 Weeks

2012-01-14T11:01:00.001-08:00

We are now in the home stretch! We go on Monday for my 36 week appointment and that is when all of the FUN begins! We get to see Porter one more time in a sonogram before he is here. I'm excited to hear how big he is and how I'm progressing (even though I hear how much you are dialted/effaced has NOTHING to do with when you will go into labor!)

We offically have everything ready to go for when Porter gets here. I have packed my hospital bag and we are going to put the car seat in sometime this week! EEK! It's getting so close!!!! Matt is in "get everything ready" mode. He has been cleaning like a mad man. I have to take a second, to document, so I can remember what an amazing help he has been since I have gotten VERY pregnant. He does just about everything. Laundry, cleaning, cooking..Not to mention any time I ask for something he runs to get it. Now, I know..I am sure there are days when I annoy him with my whining or constantly asking for help, but he never says anything negative. I've got a good one folks..and I can't wait to see him with Porter. I just know he will love and wanna be just like his daddy! :)

I will update with pictures of the nursery and sonogram pictures in the next week or so!

34 Weeks

2012-01-08T12:51:00.001-08:00

I went back to work this week and man was it tough after that nice 2 weeks off! I am still feeling good, other than when I'm on my feet for too long they start to swell and hurt. I am still sleeping well, but it is VERY challenging getting out of bed. I sort of have to roll! I'm sure it's a sight to see :) The nursery is pretty much ready to go. Just waiting on his rug, which should be in at the end of January. I am having a really hard time deciding on letters to go above his crib. Hopefully it'll come to me in the next few weeks.

We go to the doctor next Monday for my 36 week appointment and from there I start going every week! I'm excited to see how I'm progressing and get more of an idea of when he'll get here!!

33 Weeks

2012-01-01T11:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen much change in my belly between this week and last week. He is growing fast though! I can feel elbows, knees, and feet now. I must say, it takes my breath away sometimes when he kicks me! I have a doctors appointment on Tuesday and I hope she'll have some news for me as to how he's progressing in there. I've been measuring big, so who knows..he might come early! :)

32 Weeks and Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

32 weeks..I can't believe how BIG my belly is getting! Still feeling good and sleeping well. It is amazing to think that there is a little baby in there! I have to say, I am shocked looking at this picture that I have not experienced back pain yet. It mostly hurts in the lower part of my belly, but from talking to other people that is normal. He has been very quiet during the day and VERY active at night. As soon as I lay down he is ready to rock and roll. Hopefully, this isn't a regular thing! ;)

My mom got this little ornament for Matt and I. It's Porter's 4D picture! I think it's so precious I can look at that ornament years from now and remember this Christmas when I was pregnant with him.

Dear Porter,
It won't be long until you are here. 7 more weeks, if that! :) We are spending this week after Christmas getting your room all set up for you! We can't wait to hold you in our arms.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

31 Weeks

2011-12-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

This picture is a little rough, but here is week 31!

30 Weeks and Baby Shower

2011-12-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

Here is my 30 week picture! My pregnancy seems to to be flying by..He will be here in no time now!

My mom came in town this weekend for my baby shower and oh my goodness she took such good care of us! She cleaned, cooked, and did laundry. We didn't want her to leave!!! We also did shopping and she helped me organize Porter's room. My baby shower was on Sunday and it was so much fun! Porter got so many things he needs!! Here are some pictures.

29 Week Update

2011-12-03T16:09:00.000-08:00

I decided to start blogging about my pregnancy every week from here until the end. First, so I can document the third trimester and second, so I can see how much my belly grows! Here is week 29
Now that I am in my last trimester, I feel like my belly grows bigger every day! This week has definitely been a "growing week", as one of my good friend calls it. I have felt my ligaments growing this week and man has it been painful. But, nothing a little tylenol doesn't help :)

Porter has stopped moving as much as he used to and now when he moves, it's much slower and bigger movements. He gets the hiccups about 3 times every day and it's the sweetest thing. We go in for our 4D sonogram on Monday and I can't wait to see how much he's changed since we saw him last!

On another note, I had lunch today with one of my dear friends Deanna and her son Mason. He is the cutest little boy ever and is such a good baby! We had a great time catching up and I can't wait till Porter is born so him and Mason can have play dates! :)

Happy Thanksgiving and 28 weeks

2011-11-26T15:05:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was a wonderful one! Especially because I am pregnant. I ate A LOT of food! The best part was the maternity pants :) We spent it with Matt's family at his parents house. My family decided to stay in Colorado this year because with my sister away at college, she has gotten pretty home sick and wanted to see her boyfriend/friends. I was definitely missing them, but it was nice not to have to stress about anything and just relax! Here are some pictures of Thanksgiving!

and here is my 28 week pregnancy picture.

I am entering into my third (and final!!!!) trimester. We have 12 weeks left! Still feeling good! We go next week to get our 4D sonogram and I can't wait to see my little man again.

Week 25 Pregnancy Update

2011-11-05T16:10:00.001-07:00

Dear Porter,

These last two weeks you have become a lot more active. You have been doing somersaults in my tummy and daddy loves to feel you! I have been able to feel your body parts outside of my stomach now. I'm not sure what it is that I am feeling, but I know its you because it's hard as a rock! The most interesting thing to happen to me through out my pregnancy happened last night- you got the hiccups for the first time! It was like a little tapping inside and it lasted for a good two or three minutes. It was the sweetest thing ever.

We are getting your nursery together and daddy will hopefully be painting your room next weekend!

Love you little guy,
Mommy

23 weeks!

2011-10-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Hello month 6 of pregnancy!

I have noticed my belly has gotten bigger over the last few weeks and I can DEFINITELY feel it. The stretching! Cocoa butter has become my new best friend. This week I have also noticed Porter getting stronger. Matt has been able to feel him kick almost every day! He is kicking as I type :)

Here I am at week 23 (the first week of the sixth month)

I am really going to try and soak up this last month because by the end of it, I will be out of my second trimester! Everyone has said it gets a lot harder from there. But- that means we're that much closer to meeting our little man, so I'm ok with it!

Dear Porter,

You have been kicking mommy A LOT lately. You are especially active in the mornings, which means you are definitely my child! :) I read about how you are doing all the time..books, my apps, and online. I can't seem to get enough information about what is going on in my tummy right now! You are about the size of a papaya and this next month you will be growing SO much. I know I've probably said it one too many times, but I can't wait to meet you. Only 4 more months! Love you little guy,

Mommy

Weekend in Lubbock and 22 Weeks

2011-10-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend we traveled to Lubbock for the Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M game. The game didn't turn out too great, but we had a wonderful time seeing friends and visiting Lubbock! We got Porter an adorable Tech onesie, complete with double T logo and collar! He'll be adorable in it!

Right now I am 22 weeks, I'll be 23 weeks tomorrow.

I am loving being pregnant right now. I feel good most of the time, just having some trouble sleeping at night. Right now Porter is the size of a large mango and weighs 1 pound! He has his up days where he moves quite a bit and other days where he barely moves at all! I got a good report at the doctor's office the other day- his heart rate was great, and he kicked the doppler when she put it on my stomach. :) I have gained 13 pounds, which is good. The next time I go in, I have to do the glucose test! We'll see how that goes.......

Letter to Baby

2011-10-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Porter,

You have been moving so much lately! I love feeling you kick in my stomach every day. You are definitely getting bigger and I can feel it. You're almost a pound!! You are now moving slower and not kicking as jerky anymore. On Sunday, daddy got to feel you kick for the first time! He loved it because he has spent weeks putting his hand on my stomach and felt nothing. You like to do that though, as soon as daddy puts his hand on my belly, you normally stop moving. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday and can't wait to hear your sweet little heartbeat again. I love you little guy!

Mommy

5 Months

2011-10-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Well, many exciting things have happened this month that have been SO special!

First, I felt our sweet baby kick for the first time on September 11th. It was so neat to feel little feet kick around in my tummy! Second, we found out that we are having a BOY!!

Week 18

We found out at week 18 that we were having a little boy. I kind of had a hunch, but Matt was shocked! He definitely thought it was a girl. But, so did everyone else!! We were so happy when we found out and I'm pretty sure there were tears (of joy!) during the sonogram. We decided on a name pretty easily, mainly because it was the only name we both loved and agreed on! We chose Porter David.

The first people we told were my mom and step dad and sister. We skyped them because they don't live here. They were in shock too! My mom was so cute..We sent out a "sneak peek" picture of baby Porter before we told them and my mom got it and immediately called my sister to tell her she changed her vote to boy. She said, it just looks like a boy! She was right :) After that, we skyped my dad, step mom and Nana. Here are some pictures of the gender reveal party we had with friends and Matt's parents.

We are holding our little man's sonogram! He was such a wiggle worm that day! He liked grabbing his umbilical cord and pulling it close to his face. I can't wait until the next time we get to see him! We're so in love!!!!!! :)

Week 20

Here I am this week. Getting bigger! We just can't wait for little Porter to get here!!! We are going to register in two weeks and we will be starting on his nursery over the next few weeks as well. Many fun things to come!! :)

Catching up!

2011-10-01T18:08:00.001-07:00

Ok, so it's been WAY too long since I updated! I really need to get better at keeping this up because I know one day, I'll want to look back at these special posts. So let's pick up from where I left off last time..I'll start with pictures and a few stats about that month of my pregnancy. Everything up to today! Then, I promise I'll do better at keeping up :)

Here are some pictures and stats of the third month!

10 weeks

13 weeks

The first trimester was not too bad. I was nauseous a lot and very tired, though! Thank goodness I had the whole summer to relax and take naps whenever I wanted. That was a blessing :) Our little pea went from the size of a prune to a peach in this month. It was so funny, you can't even tell I'm pregnant in these photos, but I felt huge! I ate ginger snaps and animal crackers almost every day. I didn't ever throw up, and as a result I gained 10 pounds that first trimester!! But- my doctor said that's ok, because I'm so small!

The fourth month:

15 weeks

17 weeks

The fourth month was fun! I began wearing maternity clothes and could definitely see my belly growing! The first trimester symptoms subsided and I felt great. I had tons of energy, which was good because I started back to work around week 16. My kids this year LOVE that I am pregnant and ask me about it almost daily. This month our baby went from the size of a lemon to an onion!

We're havin a BABY!!!

2011-06-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today we went to our first doctor's appointment to see Baby Bickston! I am about 8 weeks, so when we went we got to see our baby for the first time!

Let's rewind 3 weeks ago to when I first found out I was pregnant. I found out Sunday June 5th, the day after school was out. I just had a "feeling", so I went and bought a test. I took it not really thinking anything. After a minute, I took a look and saw a positive test. I was in SHOCK! We were not trying yet, so I was not expecting a positive. I showed it to Matt, who did NOT believe me! So, I took another..He STILL didn't believe it. So, I went to the store to get the digital kind. A few minutes later, we saw this..

He believed after that! :) We were in shock for a couple of days. It's like, you go so long wondering if you really can get pregnant and then one day..you are! It has been pretty hard keeping it a secret, more so for Matt than me. Mainly because he has to go to work everyday and not say anything! Poor thing, was so excited he wanted to tell EVERYONE!

So- fast forward to today. We got to see our precious little baby! I am measuring at 7 weeks and 2 days. To me, it looks like a little peanut! The most wonderful sound in the entire world was his/her heartbeat. It was 144 bpm. I cannot wait for what the rest of the pregnancy holds!

Here is Baby Bickston's sonogram from today!

Dear baby,

Even though you are so small, your daddy and I already love you so much! We talk about you ALL the time and wonder what you are going to look like and be like. I cannot wait to see you again and hear your precious little heartbeat! You are such a little miracle.

Love, Mommy

Snowpocalypse 2011

2011-02-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

Last week our city became a winter wonderland! We got lots of ice and snow and were out of school for 4 days! That's right, 4!!! It was amazing to get almost a week off to clean, organize and hang out with my hubby. Here are a few pictures of Snowpocalypse 2011! LOL

Catching Up!

2011-02-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

So, I realize I haven't updated in ohh...6 months! That is horrible. I promise I will try not to do that again.

So, here's what we've been up to. That's a lot to sum up, so bear with me!

In August we traveled to Washington D.C. to visit Matt's grandparents with the rest of his family and we had a blast! Here are some pictures of our trip.

We took a picture outside the whitehouse and went to a few museums. It was so neat. The last time I was in Washington D.C. was when I was 12, so I was really able to soak it up this time!

We took a family picture and then went outside and took a few of just us! Their backyard was beautiful. We had a great time!

After that, I started my new job as a First grade teacher! :) Then, we did little between then and Christmas. A lot of football, though!

In September, we went to the Tech v. Baylor game.

In November, my grandfather passed away. So, I flew to Florida and got to spend time with my amazing Florida family. We had a great time because we hadn't seen each other in over a year. Here I am with my brothers, Graham and Adam.

After that, I went dark! I colored my hair brown and I am in LOVE with it. I don't think I'll ever go back to being blonde (I say that now! haha! ;)

Here are some pictures of that and Thanksgiving. We spent it with my family who came down from Colorado! It was great spending time with them.

We spent Christmas with Matt's family, but only got this picture. None of all of us!

My dad and step-mom came in to town for New Years and we had the best time! We went to the stockyards and spent some great quality time together.

Lastly, here we are in 2011! I think it will be a great year with lots of exciting changes :)

Goodness, I think that about catches us up! Stay tuned for 2011 happenings! :)

My long lost blog

2010-07-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have posted. I promise I haven't forgotten about my blog! We have been so busy this summer. Mostly getting settled into our new home and buying things for it. When I get everything more situated, I will do a home tour! I am very excited to show you guys the before and afters. Now, I am off to find the charger to our camera. I lost it in the move!

Maddie turns 5

2010-06-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today is Maddie's 5th Birthday! She is the little light of our lives. When we got her five years ago, we had no idea how much she would change our lives. I know, that's a little bit over-dramatic. But, really it has taught us responsibility and what it is like to take care of something else. We love her so much!! :) Here are some pictures of her over the years...as well as today!

Here she is 10 weeks old! So little!!

Here she is on her first birthday! We went all out :)

Here she is today :)
Happy Birthday Maddiekins :) We love you little furry child!!

Weekend in Galveston

2010-06-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Matt and I traveled down to Houston to spend the weekend with our good friends, Andrea and Tristan. They are our "vacation buddies". We have traveled with them a couple times, first on a cruise to Mexico our junior year in college, then to San Antonio last summer. We just LOVE traveling with them. They are so easy going, just like us and we really enjoy their company.

We left Friday and headed down to Houston to stay the night with them and then leave early Saturday morning for Galveston. As we were entering Houston, Matt and I both remembered that Luke (Matt's brother) and his girlfriend were in Houston! So that night, we got dressed up and went out to dinner. Luke and his girlfriend, Ashley, met us at a cute little pizza place that was amazing. We had a great time, but somehow forgot to take pictures! :(

The next morning, we headed down to Galveston. It was only a 30 minute drive, and it was so sunny! We quickly checked in to our hotel and headed to the beach. The beach was nice, but I couldnt see my feet, so I was NOT about to hang out in the water. Haha! So, we headed to the hotel pool! They had really good pina coladas, and we had a great time!!

That night, we went to eat at the Fisherman's Warf. Many people had told us to go there and the hotel recommended it. It was pretty good, they had great clam chowder. We got to sit by the water, so that was nice :)

Sunday morning, we went to the beach one more time and then made our way to back to Houston. We stayed the night with them Sunday night and left Monday morning. It was so nice to "get away" and spend time with our friends! :)

Our new home

2010-05-26T13:37:00.001-07:00

I know this post is a LITTLE late, but we have bought our first home.

We are very excited to be homeowners and finally have something that is completely ours. We found the house in March through a friend of ours. He said his buddy was about to put his house up for sale and that it's what we are looking for and he thought we would love it. I will tell you, we almost didn't even go by. We were going to look at the house without our realtor, I was tired of looking at houses all day and I thought it might be weird..I mean, what if we didn't like it? Well, Matt persuaded me to go and the minute we stepped in we both LOVED it. The house is older, but it has so much character and is very updated. That night we debated for probably only 30 minutes and decided we wanted it. When you know, you know! :) They were going to put the house on the market the next day, but we called and told them we wanted it. They agreed and about a month later, it was ours!

I am so looking forward to moving into this house and starting to make precious memories there. I can't wait to show you all the inside!! :)

March Birthdays, playing catch-up!

2010-04-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

Well, March was a whirl wind month. Lots happened, including Matt and I both turning 25! It's such a weird feeling getting older, but so neat because I am so excited for what the future holds.

Matt's birthday was on the 16th and we celebrated by going out to dinner with his parents and brother, Luke. I only have this one picture from that night. I really need to get better about taking pictures.

For his birthday, I got him a grill! He has been wanting one since we got married and now that it's getting warmer, I thought it would be the perfect time to get him one! (That will be another post, the grill :) ) He loves it! Next was my birthday, the 21st. Matt surprised me by taking me to The Woodhouse Day Spa and getting us a couples massage! He knew I would love getting one together- which I did! It was just what we both needed and it was so relaxing.

The following weekend, I went over to Matt's family's house for birthday celebration, while Matt went camping. He definitely missed out on this amazing cake my mother in-law bought for Ashlye (my sister in-law) and I!! It was sooo cute and tasted great!

In other exciting news- WE HAVE FOUND OUR FIRST HOUSE!!!! (There will be a post on this shortly!!)

That pretty much sums up our March. Is it just me or is this year FLYING by?!

2010-02-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

This is Matt and I's seventh valentine's day together. I am so lucky to be able to spend every day with my best friend! Valentine's Day just makes me think about how much I love him. I made a slide show today with pictures of us together over the past 7 years. Enjoy and I hope you all have a great day.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Snow day

2010-02-12T14:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning when I woke up, there was about an inch of snow on the ground. I had to go into work, but Matt decided to stay home. With his job, he can make up the time. When I got to work the kids were CRAZY! It was pouring snow outside and they could all see it through the windows. But, it wasn't an annoying crazy, because all the teachers were kind of "excited" too. We couldn't believe all the snow. It just keep snowing, so our school decided to do a noon dismissal. I headed right home to Matt and Maddie, all ready to go outside and play.

We went to the VERY top of our closet and found the waterproof pants and things. We got all ready and went in our back yard to play. Maddie just LOVED the snow. She may be a four year old beagle, but a soon as she hit the snow, it was like she was a puppy again. Running around, Biting and digging at the snow. It was so sweet and cute. Here are a couple pictures of our day!

We had the BEST time with the snow. It was the perfect for building a snowman.

It snowed ALL day on Thursday. I don't think it stopped until Midnight! This morning when we woke up, they said on the news we got 12 inches!!!! We measured in our front yard and it said 10, that's still A LOT of snow. Now, I know it's not much compared to some northern states, but I have never seen this much snow in my life in Texas! It's the most beautiful snow I have ever seen too. We are going to attempt to make snow ice cream tonight..Hopefully it turns out good :)

Back to blogging and pasta recipe

2010-01-21T16:09:00.000-08:00

Hello friend! Well, it's been over a month since I have posted anything. I guess I have just been in a funk. But, since it is a new year...I keep telling myself I need to get it together and start blogging more! So, I will starting by sharing with you what I did tonight. I made Red-Wine Pasta. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but it was really good and it only took about 25 minutes to make. Here is the recipe!

Things You'll Need:

1 pound pasta
1 bottle red wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I just used minced garlic)
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Cookware: Large pot, Large skillet, Tongs, Large serving bowl.

Step 1
Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil and cook spaghetti, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. You do not want fully cooked pasta at this point.

Step 2
Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain pasta in colander, and return the now empty pot to stove.

Step 3
Add wine and sugar to pot and boil vigorously for about 2 minutes until liquid is reduced a bit.

Step 4
Add pasta and shake pot to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom.
Gently stir with tongs until coated and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Step 5
Immediately after adding spaghetti to wine mixture, sauté garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over moderately low heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 5 minutes.

Step 6
Gently add the pasta mixture into the skillet with the garlic and pepper flakes, carefully toss with tongs to combine.

Step 7
Cook while stirring, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, season with freshly ground black pepper. Add freshly grated cheese and serve immediately.

Now, it may seem like a lot of steps, but it's really not. Also, if you do not like spicy things, you could leave the red pepper flakes out of it. They give the pasta a little bite. Good luck and happy cooking :)

Thanksgiving in Florida

2009-12-04T08:08:00.001-08:00

This Thanksgiving Matt and I spent our first holiday together in Florida with my dad and his family. It was so good to see everyone and visit. I just loved getting around the table with everyone and telling stories. I haven't been there in a few years, so it was good to be back.

Thanksgiving day, the men played games. One was "redneck golf". They called it something different, but that's what I know it as :) I am proud to say Matt beat everyone, haha! But, it was a lot of fun for them.

Friday, we went down to a little restaurant on the beach called the "Boardwalk". It was good, and we took some pictures by the water. Even though the water was cold, there was lots of people swimming and playing on the beach!

It was a wonderful trip and we hope to go back next summer when it's warm! We took a couple more pictures on the beach before we left.

The ocean is our favorite place to be :)

Elf Yourself

2009-11-22T11:53:00.001-08:00

Every year I make an elf yourself! It's so cute and the one I made this year made me laugh! I thought I would add Maddie to see how it looked and Matt and I died laughing. Her little mouth moves too..It's funny. Watch and then go make one yourself! It's fun to make lots of different ones too.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Margarita Ball

2009-11-22T08:20:00.001-08:00

Last night we went to the Margarita Ball with our friends John and Megan. We had to bring one toy each to get in so I bought a Cabbage Patch doll and Matt bought a football. The toys went to children who don't get Christmas presents because of their home situation. It was neat to see how many toys were there.

Inside, there was dancing and casino tables. We didn't know anyone but Megan and John, so we stood and talked for most of the time. But, we did some dancing too :)

Busy Bee

2009-11-20T19:22:00.001-08:00

Well, it has been over a week since I posted last. We have been so busy lately. I have been subbing every day, so I come home every night really tired and don't want to do much. I have lots of things to blog about and I will get to it next week since I have the whole week off!! :) So..in a few days, the blog should be more interesting, promise!

Parallel Parking

2009-11-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

How cute is this little kid?!

Blogging and Christmas Decorations

2009-11-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

Well, it is day 7 of November and I have already failed to post one day. I will tell you though, that I had every intent of posting last night. But, I took a Benadryl and fell asleep early. Sorry, life happens. Oh well.

The other day, I went shopping with Robin at Marshall's. Not just any Marshall's, but one with a home decor section of the store. It was great! They had Christmas decorations, which was great because I REALLY need to start buying Christmas decorations for our house. Being a newly wed, we really don't have many decorations. I bought two new decorations for our house and they are so cute.

Here is our Countdown to Christmas, it's not really 39 days till Christmas but that's all it went up to. If you are wondering, there are 47 days :) I can't wait to post a picture of our tree when we get it up, but I am going to control myself and wait a few more weeks!

My mom

2009-11-05T20:42:00.001-08:00

Lately I have had a hard time finding things to write about..we haven't really been doing anything interesting. Just hanging out at home, being boring married people! haha Tonight, I was "bored", so I decided to look through our wedding pictures. There are a lot so it takes up time. I got to about the middle, and I found this picture.

I thought it was so sweet. I had literally just got off the phone with my mom and when I looked at this picture, it made me smile. Which was weird to me, because normally pictures like these make me cry. But, I think this picture totally captures our relationship. My mom is the person I always know I can talk to about anything and somehow, we can always end up laughing about it. No matter what. We just get each other. She knows exactly what to say to make me feel better and I know exactly what to say to make her feel better too! Maybe it's because we are so much a like, I don't know. We have been through a lot together, and I think that is why we are so close. As I have gotten older, we have only gotten closer. I thank God every day for giving me such a wonderful mother, and an awesome role model of what a christian woman should be like.

I love you mom!

College Shirt Day

2009-11-04T18:24:00.000-08:00

Today at the school I sub at, we got to wear our college shirts to school with jeans! It was so fun wearing jeans, especially for the teachers because they aren't allowed to wear jeans. Not even on Friday! It was fun to see everyone's shirts and what school's they went to. Here is me and my friend Kristin in our Texas Tech shirts :)

Thankful for...

2009-11-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my husband. Since it is the third of November, I will write 3 reasons why I am thankful for him!

1. He makes me laugh. Not that ha-ha laugh, but the kind that comes from deep down inside. The kind that gives you a cramp in your side. No matter what kind of day I have had, when he gives me "the look", I know he is about to say or do something that will make me laugh. I love that about him.

2. He is so helpful. Any time I ask him to do something for me he does it. Whether it's cleaning the house or making dinner, he will do it. All I have to do is ask. :)

3. He is a hard worker. I love this quality about him. From his job to working on a project at home, he does it whole-heartily. He rarely ever loses faith, and will keep going until it is finished. He loves figuring things out and is such a handy-man around the house. I love him for that!

I am so thankful God gave me such a wonderful and loving husband!

Halloween Happenings

2009-11-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

Well, this weekend, like all weekends, seemed to go by way too fast! We had a really nice "low-key" Halloween this year. I wasn't feeling very good, so we hung out at the house all day. We watched the Texas Tech vs. Kansas game (We won!!) and then took Maddie on a walk before dark dressed up in her costume.

It was fun, all the neighbor kids just loved it and she really didn't mind. I was surprised! But, she loves being on walks, so that's probably why. After that, it was starting to get dark and the trick or treaters began to come! There were so many kids this year. It was so fun. I can't wait til we have kids some day and can dress them up and take them out. It's just so fun! After a little bit, Matt thought it would be funny to put on a clown mask and scare the little ones..Most of them just thought he was funny. But, he had fun! haha

I hope you all had a fun Halloween!

NaBloPoMo

2009-11-01T14:52:00.001-08:00

I found out recently that November is National Blog Posting Month. So I thought this would be something fun I could participate in! I will try my very hardest to post EVERY day for the month of November. This will be hard, as we will be traveling for some of the month. But, I am determined to do this! :)

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T08:45:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Birthday Audra!

2009-10-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Today my beautiful sister, Audra, turns 17! I can't believe she is already 17, it just seems like yesterday that we were playing dress up and getting into trouble! I hope you have a great day sweet girl! I love you!! :)

Carving Pumpkins

2009-10-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I went and picked out some pumpkins for us to carve! We had so much fun. I LOVE carving pumpkins..we have tried to do it every year, but now that we are married, I am going to make it a tradition! I picked out a cat and Matt picked out a "haunted house". They both turned out really good! I was very surprised with our carving skills. haha But, it was very fun and we enjoyed doing it together. Here are some pictures!

Matt cutting out the tops!

Getting the seeds out

We used stencils

It took concentration!

The finished pumpkins, they are so cute!

Me with my Cat Pumpkin :)

Matt with his haunted house pumpkin (that what he called it!)

How fun!!! I am so excited for next weekend..We are new to the neighborhood, so I can't wait to see how many kids we get! :)

Little Moments

2009-10-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I had my ipod on shuffle and the song "Little moments" by Brad Paisley came on. I have never really thought too much about that song before, I really like it, but never really listened to the words. As I sat there, I started to listen to the words.."Yeah I live for little moments, when she steals my heart again and doesn't even know it. Yeah I live for little moments like that." The whole song is so cute..But it made me think about all the "little moments" in life. Sure, I can name tons of little moments in my life, and I am sure there will be many more to come. But, I will share one that I will remember forever.

Two nights before our wedding, all of our family had come into town. We went to a couple different hotels saying hello to everyone. When we were done visiting with family, we got in our cars and went to our separate houses. About 15 minutes into my drive home, the radio was on country. The song "Then" came on, which also happens to be by Brad Paisley. :) This was the song we were going to dance to at our wedding, so naturally, I called Matt to tell him to turn his radio to that station. When he answered he immediately said, "I know, I'm listening". (We have a weird connection with this kind of stuff..If you know us, we have lots of these moments) Anyways, as soon as he said that I started to cry. It got really quite on the phone and he asked, "Are you crying?!" "NO!" I said in a squeaky voice. He then said, "I love you"..which made me cry more...then came the "little moment" I will never forget. "You wanna know a secret?", he asked. "I'm crying too."

I get teary eyed every time I think about it..and it is a moment I will always remember

I hope you all cherish the "little moments" in your life that make you smile, or cry..They are what makes life so special and fun :)

Weekend in Lubbock

2009-10-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we spontaneously made a trip out to Lubbock! We left Friday around 1:30 and got to Lubbock around 6. We met up with our friends Lindsay and Sean and went to the Boys II Men concert and then out for dinner. It was so good to catch up with them. Saturday, we went to the Texas Tech vs. New Mexico game. This season has been "not that great", but we don't care..We love our team no matter how they are doing. (Even though it can be very frustrating at times!) They won the game Saturday though. It was a fun game and it was so good to be back in Lubbock. We met up with Matt's sister Ashlye before the game and ate at our favorite restaurant, "One Guys". They have the best pizza and calzones. The game was a little rainy, but we had pretty good seats, so it wasn't bad.

Here are a few pictures from our trip

On the way to Lubbock!

The Masked Rider

Next to the Stadium, Guns Up!

The Tech Band!

Getting ready for the game to start

Go Red Raiders!!

Popcorn Balls

2009-09-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

Happy First Day of Fall!

Fall is here! It seems like summer flew by. I don't know about you, but I am very ready for cool weather. I love fall. The colors, the cool weather, and the food! My favorite thing to eat during this time is...

Popcorn Balls!

I will stock up shortly, and probably give them out to all my friends.
They are so fun to eat! I hope you all enjoyed the first official day of fall :)

Doggie Door

2009-09-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

This is a HAPPY night in the Bickston household! Why, you ask...Because we finally got a doggie door for Maddie! It has been long awaited and it took Matt a whole 3 hours to put together. We are SO glad that she has a doggie door now so she will stop peeing on our bathroom rugs! (hopefully) It will be so much easier when Matt and I are working all day and don't have to worry about sticking her in a room so she doesn't pee somewhere. Matt told her once it was in.."You see this Maddie? This is Freedom!" haha I hope I don't have to wash anymore rugs, it's getting old. We will See!

Here is Matt putting it together

She is checking it out, right after we put it in

She LOVES it! (ok...maybe not loves, but she is using it!!! YAY!!!)

I am so happy!! :)

2 Months

2009-09-11T09:40:00.001-07:00

Today Matt and I have been married two months. I cannot believe how fast time is flying! Before the wedding, I could have never imagined how great married life really is. Waking up next to him every day is awesome and always having him to talk to is the best. He loves me for me and is my biggest supporter. Thanks babe for making these past two months so fun. I love you! :)

I love this picture of us..We look soo happy!

It's here!

2009-09-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

For the next 5 months, our lives are now consumed with...

TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL

When people ask me, "Do you miss Lubbock?!" So far, I have said no. Until now. I do miss Lubbock now. I miss waking up on a Saturday morning and spending the entire day anticipating the game. Going out and tailgating with all of our friends. Being surrounded by people who just like you, LOVE Texas Tech Football. The stadium, the atmosphere, the beer and barbque :) I miss it all. I think we will be going to one game this year, and that makes me happy!

Here are a few pictures at games over the years!!!

We look so young! I think this is our junior year.

My friend Lindsay and I

Three years ago when we beat A&M there. GREAT game!!!

Are you ready for some football?! We ARE!!

NCAA10

2009-09-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry if the picture is a little dark..This has been our lives for the past week and I'm sure for many more nights to come! Matt just got NCAA10. He loves it and it keeps him busy, so I don't mind. The only thing I don't like is when I am laying in our bedroom watching TV before bed and I hear him yelling at the game. Only nice things of course ;) haha It is very serious stuff!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-02T13:19:00.001-07:00

Fantasy Football

2009-08-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

There hasnt been anything very interesting happening in the Bickston household lately. We had our fantasy football draft yesterday and I'm very happy with my team. Matt is too. Week one I play.....Matt! So, this coming Sunday will be a fun day for us.

That's pretty much it. I'm still looking for a job, but will be subbing soon. I am all signed up and ready to go with a district, I just have to wait until someone needs a sub ;) I will leave you with a few pictures of our fantasy football draft yesterday.

Matt and his dad talking before the draft..very serious

Me, Robin and Baby Adalyn (and Cindy!)

This football season is going to be sooo fun! I can't wait :)

Fancy Blog!

2009-08-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

Today my blog got a makeover! I love it. Thank you Julie, you are so crafty! :)

The challenge is going pretty well for me so far. I reallly wanted to cheat last night and eat some peanut butter M&M's (sooo good!) but Matt wouldn't let me. He said, he is kind of doing this too and if I ate them in front of him it would be hard for him to resist. I looked at him and smiled for being so great and not letting me. haha So, I didn't cheat. Tanna told me to tell him thank you for her! I'm glad he is much stronger than I am and can really keep me accountable.

I have been spending a lot of time this week with Robin and Adalyn helping her out and keeping her company since right now I am not working. It gets pretty boring at my house (my husband would beg to differ and could probably tell me 10 things I should be doing right now!) BUT spending the days with them is much more FUN! I meant to take my camera over the other day so we could take pictures, but I forgot. Robin always dresses her in the cutest outfits! I will take pictures next time.

Well, I am off to make dinner..

Have a good night friends!

Recipe #1 Spicy Chicken and Bean Salad

2009-08-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

Alright ladies and gentlemen, here is my first recipe..It is SO GOOD! Matt LOVES it and I am sure from here on out I will be making it multiple times a month. The best part is, its easy to make! So, here it is.........

Spicy Chicken and Bean Salad
(This recipe usually serves 2-4)

You will need-

2 cups diced chicken

1 can of black beans

1/4 cup red bell pepper

1 Tablespoon Lime juice

1 Medium Avacado

Salad greens (one bag)

Cheddar cheese

For the dressing, you will need-

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Oregano

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Garlic Clove (minced, which is 1/2 teaspoon)

2/3 Cup Olive Oil

Now, what I do is make the dressing FIRST in a small bowl. Then I cover it and put it in the fridge unil I am ready to use it.

Then, I take the chicken (I use frozen) and let it dethaw in a bowl for about 45 minutes in Cold water. (I am giving you a step by step because the first time I made chicken, I had to look up how to cook the chicken! :) Then, I cook the chicken (I cook it in a skillet). I put a small amount of olive oil in the skillet and cook each side for about 7 or 8 minutes each, until I know it is fully cooked.

After you cook the chicken, dice it up. Then, I drain the beans in a strainer and rinse them out.

Mix the chicken, beans and bell pepper, then toss with the lime juice.

Put the salad greens in a large bowl. On top of the salad greens put the chicken, beans and bell pepper you mixed together.

Then, pour the dressing over everything and toss the salad. When you are finished, refridgerate the salad for 1 hour. (I also like to sprinkle the cheese on top!)

Let me know what you think! I love this recipe!!! :)

Sister's

2009-08-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

I decided to blog about my sister Audra today because I am really missing her! There is nothing better than sisters. We are best friends. She is one of the only people I can spend every moment of the day with for weeks and not get tired of.

Before the wedding, my sister came and stayed with me for 2 weeks. It was great. We have the same sense of humor, and laugh about everything. We can talk about anything, joke about anything and MOST of the time she won't get mad. The best part is, we get each other. When one is in a bad mood, we know exactly what to do or say to cheer the other up. We like the same things and music. Before the wedding, we would drive in the car together and I would ramble on and on about the wedding and she would listen to everything. I miss her so much some days, especially when I am home alone.

She is hands down THE most beautiful girl I know, yet it doesn't phase her. She is beautiful inside and out. She is a great listener, and believe me..I love to talk!!! When we were younger, she also did everything I told her to do! hahah that made for some goooood times! I thank God every day for giving me a sister. There is nothing better. What a blessing! :) I have never found anything stronger than the bond between me and my sister. It will never fade. She was the maid of honor in my wedding, and I will be her matron of honor someday (I can't wait for that!!)

Audra...I love you more than words can explain! Being your big sister has been the best :) I miss you soooo much and can't wait until you graduate and we live closer to each other!

To end this post, I will leave you with the song "Sisters, sisters...There were never such devoted sisters!" If you have a sister, you know what song I am talking about! My grandmother tried to get us to dance to that song every Christmas..Audra, maybe this Christmas we can show it to Matt ;) haha

Trip to San Antonio

2009-08-24T20:37:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Matt and I went down to San Antonio for our "last trip of the summer"! We met our friends Andrea and Tristan down there Friday afternoon and stayed until Sunday. Our hotel overlooked the riverwalk and we had direct access to it, so that was fun! When we got there, we went and walked around the riverwalk. It is so pretty, especially at night! Friday night, we ate on the riverwalk and afterwards went dancing and had some drinks.

Saturday morning, we woke up and decided to go to the Alamo! Matt had never been there before, so he thought it was pretty cool. It was air conditioned inside, so that was a plus.

Saturday night we went to a restaurant called, "La Hacienda de Los Barios". Matt really likes Bobby Flay and he has a show on the Food Network called, "Throw down with Bobby Flay". If you don't watch it, Bobby Flay goes to all different kinds of restaurants and challenges them by making their signature dish in a "throw down". At this restaurant, Bobby Flay challenged the restaurant by making their famous "Fluffy Tacos" (his own rendition of course). Well in that challenge, the restaurant won! So, we had to try these while we were down there.

Here we are eating them..and I have to say, they were awesome!!

After dinner, we went back to our hotel and walked around the riverwalk some more!

We had a great time!!! It was so good to see Andrea and Tristan and spend some quality time with them.

ALSO...Today was the beginning of Challenge 3! I can't belive we are on the third one! I am going to do the maintain challenge since I am at my goal weight. I went grocery shopping today, so this week I should have a good healthy recipe to share with you all! Have a great week everyone!! :)

Blogging about cooking

2009-08-19T14:17:00.001-07:00

After the last post, I got a lot of comments (in person and on here) about my cooking! After talking with my friend Kelli, we decided that I should start blogging about what I cook. By no means am I saying that I am a great cook..I just really enjoy it and thought it would be fun to share some of the things I make with all of you! I'll will put the recipes on here and take pictures of the preparation and final product. I will probably do one or two meals a week starting out. Let me know what you think! I think it'll be FUN :)

Here we are eating blackened catfish and rice! Yum! (Yes, I photoshopped this picture so that both of us could be in it!) haha

Cooking with Laura

2009-08-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

So, since we have been married and I have SO much time on my hands..I decided to start cooking. Now let me give you a little background on "me" and the word cooking! All through college, I never did it. The best meal I knew how to make was spaghetti. I think it was because I had no one to cook for and I found it boring to cook for myself. I was also working a lot and it was my first year of teaching, so I was really busy. My mom always tried to teach me, but if you know me at all, you know I like to do it myself! :) haha Fast forward to now and I am really enjoying it. I find recipes online and make them! It is so much easier than I thought. I also have a kitchen of my own to cook in too, and that makes it more enjoyable. The first meal I made was blackened catfish with rice. It was good..The seasoning was a little much, but that's what cooking is all about right? Trial and error! The next meal was..crab wraps, then spicy pasta, and tonight is spicy chicken and white bean salad. Of course I don't make these meals every night..Cooking can get quite expensive..I need to learn how to make meals in bulk so we can eat them all week. Maybe that will be my next challenge! :)

Something funny..About a week ago, I made dinner and asked Matt, "How is it?" He replied, "good!" Then I asked him, "Did you ever think I would be this good of a cook?" To which he replied, "No!" hahaha There is hope for me!

Baby Adalyn

2009-08-04T12:00:00.001-07:00

Well, things have been pretty uneventful around here lately! Just spending a lot of quality time together as a married couple! :)

Something very eventful happened last week for our friends Casey and Robin though! They had their first baby girl, Adalyn Grace, last Wednesday! Robin and Casey are very special friends to Matt and I. They were both there when we got engaged last March and were (all three) in our wedding! :) They are both great friends and I have no doubt they will be amazing parents to Adalyn! Congratulations you two! We are beyond happy for you and your new family of three!

We went and visited Adalyn Grace last Thursday and here are some pictures!

She is so tiny and perfect!

I love her (and buying her things!) :) Little girls are the BEST!

I love this picture! He looks so sweet staring at her! :)

SHOW US YOUR LIFE- Wedding Dress

2009-07-27T09:37:00.001-07:00

So, my friend Robin has showed me the blog Kelly's Korner. She does this thing weekly, where she does a blog entry on "show me your life" bedroom, bathroom, etc. Well, I have never been able to play along until now! :) This week, it is Show me your life- wedding dress! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED my wedding dress! I dont have our professional pictures just yet..But really want to share with you all what it looks like! The pictures may not be excellent quality, but the dress still looks awesome!

Upstairs before the wedding, putting it on!

It sparkled :)

The back of it! I dont have any of my train, but I will later!

Making our grand entrance as Mr. and Mrs. Bickston!

Close up! Right after we cut the cake, I LOVE this picture

My dad and I when we were taking pictures!

I will add some of the professional pictures later this week when we get them! :)

Matt's Accident

2009-07-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

Well, week two of being married and we had something very scary happen last night.

We got home from running errands around 9:00 or so and Matt really wanted to spray some stuff on his brakes to make them stop squeaking. He was in the garage starting to mess with it and around 9:45, I told him I was going to go get ready for bed (assuming that he was knowledgeable and knew what he was doing, which most of the time he does!) The actual garage door was closed but I kept the garage door to the house open because Maddie likes to just sit in the car and watch Matt. I was washing my face in our bathroom and I hear Matt scream my name a couple times. I run out thinking he needed me for something, but quickly realized it was a scream of desperation. I ran in to find that the car had fallen on him. He was screaming "help, get it off me" and I had no idea what part of his body the car was on. He told me to try and pull the car off of him and all I kept thinking in my head was, ok adrenalin when are you going to kick in and enable me to pick this car up. That wasn't happening! So, I opened the garage door and began to run next door screaming for help. It seemed like everyone's front porch lights were off so I continued to run and scream, hoping someone would hear and come. As soon as I turned and looked across the street I saw 4 people running over. It couldn't have been more than 5 seconds when they started coming so I ran back into the garage. Matt started yelling, "what are you doing, go back and knock on doors!!" He didn't expect people to come so quick. They came in and we lifted it off of him. I can't tell you how good it was to see his face and know that he was going to be "ok". He looked pretty shocked and started to laugh because he knew what he had just done was very stupid. Those people being outside was definitely a God thing. He was probably under the car for about a minute, but he said it felt like an eternity.

What actually happened was, the jack he was using was small. He went to loosen one of the brake bolts and he had to push hard cause it wasn't coming lose. When he did that, it caused the jack to slide out and the car to fall on him.

After a minute, I told him to never do that to me again! He didn't break or fracture anything thank goodness, he is just very bruised and wearing a sling.

Here are some pictures of the damage

He is doing better today than we thought he would be! He is such a trooper. Afterwards, he was like well I have to get that tire back on. We were all like, no you aren't touching the car! haha We are glad he is fine and most importantly alive!

Mr. and Mrs. Bickston

2009-07-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

Matt and I got married last Saturday and it was the best day of our lives! All of our family and friends were there to witness us say our vows and celebrate with us. It couldn't have been more perfect. I have to say, it is weird being married..But in a good way! :) When we got back from the honeymoon we came to our house and Matt stayed with me instead of going to his parents house. It's great, we relaxed and opened our wedding gifts! We have some awesome friends and family who got us great gifts for our new house!! When we get everything put together, I will post pictures of our house.

So, the day after the wedding we flew to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico for our honeymoon. It was AMAZING! We stayed in an ocean front suite and this was the view from our room and our room.

It was BEAUTIFUL! We stayed for a week and neither of us wanted to come back to reality. It was hands down the best vacation I have ever been on. I was already planning our anniversary trip for next year before we left! haha

Here are some more pictures from the trip..I wish I could post them all, but there are 440!

Now we are home and Matt is back to work! I am doing lots of cleaning and laundry! It is sad that the wedding and honeymoon are over but we are so excited to see what the future holds! :)

All Moved In

2009-07-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

So we are in our house and getting all fixed up! :) My family is in town for the wedding next weekend and my mom has been a HUGE help. She basically got my kitchen together and has helped me pick out our washer/dryer and start some loads of clothes for me! She's THE BEST. We finished up meeting with our vendors this week and everything is ready to go! I'm so excited about July 11th. People have asked me a lot, are you nervous? At this point, not at all! I am soo ready!

On another note, I have been doing "bootcamp" this week. Tanna has been leading it and it is awesome. It is really refreshing for me to get up and start my day with a workout. (And some pretty awesome beauties :)

Well, I know this is not long..I will post pictures soon! Everyone have a fun and safe Fourth of July!

Only 9 more days :)

Our First Home

2009-06-15T07:38:00.001-07:00

Matt and I have found a house! We were only looking a short amount of time when Matt told me about it. He found out he got the job on a Friday and Monday we went and looked at the house. As soon as we walked in we loved it. It is perfect for us and the man who is renting it to us is the nicest person. He loves the house and doesn't want to sell it just yet! It's in a great neighborhood and very close to our good friends Jay and Ashley! We cannot wait :) Here are pictures of the outside, I will add more of the inside once we move our stuff in!

Exciting News!

2009-06-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today Matt got a call from Lockheed Martin telling him he got the job!! We are super excited! He will be a financial analyst. He is not sure yet when he starts, but he should know within the next week or two. This means we get to start looking at houses and I cannot wait! We are definitely going to be celebrating tonight! Here is a picture of Matt and the bottle of champagne I bought him. He's SO HAPPY he got a job haha Congrats babe! :)

Moving

2009-06-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday we moved from Lubbock. It was a good feeling because we are so ready to start our life together, but at the same time we are sad because we really did like living in Lubbock. We have many memories there and I plan on making a "memories post" with pictures through the years. But for now, here is our last picture in Lubbock before the move!

Last Day of School

2009-05-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

So today was my last day with my students! It was very bittersweet!! I was so sad to be leaving them, but soooo ready for summer! I love them so much. They keep me laughing every day and I couldn't imagine doing anything else but teaching. There was NEVER a day that I dreaded going to work. I loved seeing their shining faces everyday and was always interested to hear about what they did the night before or how they spent their weekend. I am going to miss them all very much. To my 2008-2009 class, I will never forget you! You will always have a special place in my heart as my first class :)

We had an ice cream party today at the end of the day and I bought whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and sprinkles to put on it. Matt brought everything up and helped me give it out to all the kids. They just love Matt. They were so excited he was there and even asked him to sign their shirts! It was cute!! Matt also brought them all slinkies and they LOVED them. Here we are, we all have our slinkies! :)

Update on Jared!

2009-05-23T10:08:00.001-07:00

I got an e-mail from my mom today about Jared and all I can say is Wow! Here is the e-mail.

All I can say is, God is so good, which is an understatement. I talked with a friend of mine in Texas yesterday and she reports that Jared is out of ICU and is on the rehab floor at the hospital. He is learning how to walk again and is talking. He remembers nothing about Easter Sunday. When I talk with April soon I will get more details.

How awesome is that?! What a blessing!

Weekend in Colorado

2009-05-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I flew to Colorado to mail out our invitations and have my Colorado Bridal Shower. It is always good to see my family and spend quality time together. They told me a pretty awesome secret, but I cannot share it with everyone until the time is right. :) My mom is so helpful and wrote every persons name and address on the envelopes! She sent them out Monday and man was that a big weight off my shoulders!!! The shower was great and my mom's friends are so nice. The shower was so fun and I got lots of good marriage advice! Here are some pictures of my mom, my sister and me. Thanks Mom for all your help, Love you!

Ready more than ever

2009-05-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

So I finally got in my honeymoon bathing suit! I have been waiting for it for like 2 weeks. There is another one on the way, but I was so excited to get this one and try it on. I was really happy with the way I looked. There were still a few areas that I thought could look better. That is why the last two weeks of the challenge, I am going to push harder than before AND I don't plan to stop June 1st. If I want to look good come July 12th when I get on the beach in Mexico, I have to stick with it. These last two weeks will be hard. I have a lot going on. But, I plan to work out, eat right and drink ALL my water every day! I am determined people!! :)

Matt's Graduation

2009-05-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Matt graduated on Friday with his Masters. I love the picture of him above because he looks SO happy. I am so proud of him. He has grown into the most amazing man and I am so lucky to have him! :) He is smart, dedicated, kind, generous and so loving to me. He has worked so hard and I think it is defiantly going to pay off! Congratulations babe!! You are going to do great things in life.

Also, Matt and I both got calls yesterday for job interviews. Mine is on Monday and his is in two weeks. I thought it was pretty weird we both got a call on the same day! God is good. Just when I start to worry, He assures me that He is in control! Hopefully we will both get it. Anyways, I will leave you with some pictures of graduation!

Matt's sister Ashlye, Matt and Me

Matt and his wonderful parents

Wedding Anxiety

2009-05-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

Anxiety- distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.

If you know me, you know that I am a very anxious person. Matt sometimes tells me its "cute", but I am sure he means down right annoying. I tend to obsess over things and I think I might be slightly OCD. Being a teacher, I have had to learn to not obsess about things and realize that there are much bigger things in life to worry about. Well, I have really been "sweating the small stuff" about our wedding lately. I want everything to go my way and be perfect (as most brides would). Yesterday I got the best advice ever from my wedding coordinator. She said, "Laura, some things you have got to just let go." She is SO right! I cannot obsess about every little thing about my wedding. The main thing is, it is about Matt and I. When we are saying our vows, nothing else will matter and that is what is most important. I am SLOWLY learning to let things go. I am sure from here on out everything will get much more stressful, but I am going to try not to worry about the little things and focus on the BIG picture! Only 2 more months until I become Mrs. Bickston! :)

By the way..I WAS going to blog all about Matt's graduation and post lots of pictures, but I cannot find the cord for the camera. Matt is bringing an extra one back tomorrow and as soon as I get it, I will post!

Bridal Portraits

2009-05-04T20:35:00.001-07:00

This weekend was GREAT! It was so good to see my mom and spend time with her. We did all of the mother-daughter stuff and had a blast! On Thursday, I picked her up from the airport and we went and picked up my wedding dress for my bridal portraits. I felt like a princess when I put it on. Then, we ventured to Sam Moon and got a few things. On Friday, I had my Bridal's at the Canal's at Las Colinas. I got my hair done and on the way to get my make up done, I realized we had forgot my bouquet!!! My mom drove all the way back and got it and picked me up. We quickly drove to the Omni Hotel to get changed and when we got there, figured out that we had gone to the wrong one! At this point, we were ONE HOUR late and couldn't help but laugh to keep from crying. We finally got there and I put on my dress in the bathroom and got many "awww's" and "you look so pretty" (a very good confidence booster! haha :) while RUNNING to get where the photographer was. When we got there, everything slowed down and felt perfect. I was sure my mom was going to cry, but she helped with EVERYTHING and fixed my veil everytime it blew in my face because the wind was blowing so hard! She kept saying, "these are amazing..You are going to love them!"

Now, I know Mother's Day isnt until Sunday, but I have to share this video with you all. Get your tissues because I bawled when I first watched it. (especially you new mommies out there!) If you are reading this, I love you mom. I hope when I have kids, I can be half the mom you are. I had The Best Day with you Friday :)

First cheat..NOT WORTH IT!

2009-04-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, today I cheated and I hate that I did. I was in another teachers room talking and she offered me some Pringles. I said sure! (It's been a long week for me people) I got half way through the can before I realized what I had done. For real. I was crushed that I hadn't thought about what I was eating! Now, I feel sick. It may be a little mental too, but my stomach hurts. UGH! I am also feeling drained today. I have to do laundry and pack tonight. All I want to do is take a lonnnng nap! Well lots to do. Happy Hump Day!!

*Update: Pringles are baked not fried! Just looked online. hahah Good news!

Busy Week!

2009-04-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have not been blogging about progress or much of anything lately. This week is incredibly busy for me! I am administering the TEEG (practice TAKS) test to my second graders today and tomorrow. They want to do well so bad, so hopefully they will. I told all of them I would buy them MacDonald's if they make a 100! On Thursday, I am leaving for Dallas. I am taking my Bridal Portraits on Friday, (Yay!!) Then, I have a job fair on Monday. Say a prayer for me :) The next 2 months are about to get crazy for me, but I love it!!

In challenge news..I lost 2 pounds last week! I am proud of myself for workout out as much as I said I would. This week, I need to work on drinking more water everyday. That's tough for me! Well, I hope everyone had a successful first week and good luck this week beauties!!

What the challenge means to me

2009-04-23T16:28:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how well I have done on this challenge. I really am proud of myself. I was really mad that I couldn't go run today because my shin's hurt so bad! haha Matt even had to tell me, calm down I don't want you to hurt yourself. I have pushed myself harder than I ever thought I could and its only day 4! I really do feel better though, physically. The way I used to try and lose weight was I would basically starve myself. I would eat, but they were very small meals and only once a day. I knew it was horrible for my body, but I wanted to lose those few extra pound so bad. When I saw Tanna propose this challenge, I thought it would be great because I would finally LEARN how to eat the right way without having to starve myself. And I am learning. I'm learning to eat small meals throughout the day and I feel so much better. This challenge has really been a blessing for me. I have to tell you once this 42 day challenge is over, I will keep eating this way (maybe a few sweets a week? haha) hopefully forever! No more trying and giving up because it gets too hard. So, here's to making this a forever thing!! :)

By the way, having 49 other women doing this with me has been awesome so far!!!! I love that we can all share everything, it makes this a lot easier!

On my way to work in the mornings..

2009-04-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

First I will start by saying that since 6th grade I have listened to Kidd Kraddick in the Morning. I love them! But, lately I have been listening to a new radio show called Bobby Bones. We just recently got it in Lubbock and their show is hilarious. SO entertaining. I listen to them everyday on my way to work. Today, they had a bit called "Helium Idol". Some of the members of the show inhaled helium and sang random songs. I seriously laughed so hard, I am sure the people in the cars next to me thought I was crazy. They are out of Austin, so I don't think I will get to listen to them on the radio once I move back to DFW. BUT I know I can listen online and that makes me happy. Has anyone else ever listened to them? If you haven't, you should. I always like starting out my day laughing, it just makes the rest of the day a little better!

Day 2

2009-04-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today was pretty good for me. I'm pretty tired and having no sugar is pretty hard for me. I was craving chocolate ALL day. I have heard many girls say it, but I really think that the fact that I can't have it makes me want it more. That's when I pop in a piece of gum! I got a bunch of different kinds at the store today. My favorite is the cinnamon kind, I feel like it really curbs my hunger. It is sugar free of course! :) I had a bowl of Special K cereal with banana's for breakfast, a hard boiled egg and a cheese stick for lunch, and whole wheat pasta for dinner. I also drank all my water today and one 12 oz. Coke Zero. To everyone who likes Coke or Dr. Pepper, I suggest drinking it. It's not bad at all. I always thought it would be gross until I tried it, and I really like it! I hope all you ladies have had a good second day!

Day 1

2009-04-20T15:50:00.001-07:00

I have to say, day one was a little rough on me. I forgot my lunch this morning, so I spent ALL day with no food! I know, that is so horrible. But, Everything at school was either a sweet or fried food. So, I drank my 3 bottles of water (I am going to have my fourth one tonight :) and kept telling myself, do NOT eat those animal crackers!! When I got home, I was telling Matt how hard I think 6 weeks of this will be and he said, "Babe, the first week is going to be the hardest and if you can get through that you are good!" He is so right! Today, when I wanted to eat a sweet I kept thinking about what Tanna said in her blog: One thing I learned a LONG time ago....God NEVER gives up on us. Never. No matter what. Even when we fail, let him down over and over, He is still there waiting for us to get it right. I can't tell you how much this is motivating me. I want to get it right this time. I am about to leave now to go run at the park with Deanna. Day one has been a SUCCESS for me!!! I hope everyone else had a GREAT first day!

Tomorrow!

2009-04-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

The challenge begins tomorrow! I am so excited and ready! I feel like I am apart of a great group of girls doing this! I cant wait to read how everyone is doing and how we will all keep each other motivated. I'm especially excited because I have a friend here in Lubbock who is doing it with me :) Deanna! Hopefully, we can workout together and keep each other motivated to do it when we are too tired from work. Pray for all of us over the next month and a half, we will need it to stay strong!

42 Day Challenge

2009-04-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

So, Tanna my friend Robin's friend, has proposed a 42 day challenge and I am going to do it! Here are the guidelines:

1. No sweets.
2. Fried foods are out. (they are killers to your workouts)
3. No more than 20 ounces of coke/soda a day. That means NO larges. Even from Sonic. That means you gotta get the medium people.
4. 3-6 workouts a week. The more you do, the more results.
5. Drink at least 4 bottles of water a day.

I think this is going to be great! I will be able to get in shape for the wedding and hopefully train myself after that and make it a "lifestyle" instead of a diet! I'm really excited, we are doing it as a team and Tanna is going to track the results! If you want to join, go to her blog and e-mail her! Do it before tomorrow night, because we start on Monday!

Update on Jared

2009-04-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just got another e-mail from my mom.

Jared continues to fight for his life and continues to be in serious condition in ICU. He has developed pneumonia, but the doctors are not as concerned about his lungs as they are his brain and heart functions. They expect him to be in ICU at least one more week maybe more. The CAT scan from yesterday does show some decrease in swelling on his brain, which is good. April is very aware that this could be a very long road, but she would easily accept that challenge to have her son, needless to say. Please continue to pray for Jared; that God in His wisdom would heal him. And for their family; that God would put a hedge of protection around this family from Satan.

Hail Storm in The LBK

2009-04-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't heard any updates on Jared yet, when I do I will post.

On another note, today I got stuck in the WORST hail storm I have ever seen. It started when I was driving home from work around 4:30. The weather people from the news were all over the radio talking about "funnel clouds". This is when I began to worry. It is about a 25 minute drive for me, so I had a while to anticipate what I was coming in to. About 10 minutes into my drive, I start to see the funnel cloud they were talking about on the radio. Being out in west Texas, you can see for MILES because it is so FLAT! And there it was, looming towards the ground. I freaked out and called Matt. But, at the same time in the very back of my mind I was thinking..How cool would it be to see that? I quickly pushed it back and remembered I was in a car driving toward it, not so fun. So I began to drive a little bit faster. As soon as I hit Lubbock it began pouring! Shortly after, the hail came. TONS OF HAIL, BIG HAIL. I couldn't even see in front of me! I had to pull off under some cover at a business and wait it out. I waited for like 30 minutes and it pretty much stopped hailing, so I thought it was done and started driving home. Wrong. Golf ball size hail soon started coming down, harder this time. The streets were also flooded, and my car at one point started smoking. I can honestly say I was really scared. I called Matt shaking and crying. Now I know what you might be thinking, "What a baby!" I would be thinking the same thing, but it was really scary!! All I could hear on the radio was that there was a tornado lurking over Lubbock and I could barely see out my windshield. I was praying hard that it wouldn't crack any windows. And it didn't! :) I have to say, I might actually miss all this crazy weather in Lubbock when we leave! Well, tonight I am packing. We leave tomorrow for Dallas, I am going to a job fair on Saturday. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

NEED PRAYERS!

2009-04-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

I just got an e-mail from my mom about a family friend that I have know since high school. It said:

I just got off the phone with one of my dear friends from Texas, April Leonard. She was at church on Easter Sunday with her family; husband, John, and her 2 sons Jared (22) and Austin (17). Jared collapsed soon after they arrived and was taken by ambulance where he is still in ICU. The doctors are not expecting him to live. Therefore, April called me and asked me to pray for a miracle. All they know at this point is that his heart is only functioning at 10 to 15% so they are not able to do as many tests as they would like to do. He also has a good bit of swelling on his brain. The doctors are not sure if he had a seizure, a stroke, or possibly an aneurysm.

I was in shock when I read the e-mail. I am so sad. I know many of you don't know Jared, but please say a prayer for him. He is so young with so much ahead of him. I hope that God can work this miracle and he can pull through.

7 Years

2009-04-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

Happy 7 Year Anniversary Matt!

I cant believe we have been together for so long. I know that this is the last "dating" anniversary we will share and that you say once we get married it wont matter anymore, but it will always be special to me. I love you more than anything in this world and I cant wait for you to be my husband :) Love you babe!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

It was such a pretty day this morning when we left for church. When we got out of church though, the West Texas wind was a blowin! On Thursday, winds got up to 60 miles per hour!! I thought some of my kids were going to get blown away as they were leaving school! It was crazy!
Well, there isn't much to update on in the life of Matt and Laura. Matt hasn't heard anything back from the job situation. I will update when we hear. I have a job fair to go to on Saturday in Carrollton, so please say a prayer for me! Have a good week everyone!

48 days till we move back to DFW and until SUMMER! :)

Ready for SUMMER

2009-03-31T15:47:00.001-07:00

There are several reasons why I am ready for summer to be here. 1. THE WEDDING! We are almost at the 3 month mark, and I honestly never thought it would get here. It is getting so close!! I am really loving planning and honestly it's not as stressful as I thought it would be! (Ask me again in two months and I might be singing a different tune!) 2. Warm weather. We got snow out here in West Texas last Friday! It was so crazy. I wish it would just stay warm so I can start wearing my skirts and gaucho's that I love! Also, I can take my kids out for recess! :) 3. This is my first year teaching and I am so excited about not having to work in the summer and get paid for it! Sleeping in sure will be nice! And my days will be completely free to take care of wedding stuff! 4. We FINALLY, after 6 years of living in Lubbock, get to move back to DFW! I cant wait to be back HOME! :)

Well, on another note, Matt has a second interview on Friday. Pray for him! He is so stressed right about now. He has a huge project due at the end of the week and like oh, 11 papers to write before the end of April. He graduates in a month. I cant believe it is almost here! I get so excited when I think in 3 months we will live together! It's very surreal to me. Cant wait!

Engagement Pictures

2009-03-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

We got our engagement pictures today and I am so happy with them! They turned out great. The Japanese Gardens were PERFECT for us! Here is the link:

Engagement Pictures

There is the proof word on the pictures (most over my face!) but, they all look really good. I especially like the ones of me in the white dress and Matt in the yellow shirt. The yellow made for such pretty pictures! I am going to have a hard time deciding on which one I want for the main one. I do have a favorite one (right now) and I thought I would post it! I'm sorry about the word proof all over it! :) Enjoy!

St. Patty's Day

2009-03-17T18:09:00.001-07:00

Matt and I are laying low this St. Patrick's day. We are hanging out with his parents and drinking green beer! We had our engagement pictures today and they were SO fun! Matt was really good and did all the cutesy pictures I really wanted. We get to see them in a week and I will post for you all to see. I have been doing wedding stuff here and there over the past few days and I am going tomorrow to talk to the printer about the invitations! I am so ready to get those out (about 2 more months!!) because then everything will seem more real. My family is coming in on Thursday and Robin and Cindy are throwing me a shower on Saturday (My Birthday!!). I cant wait! Wedding stuff is so fun, I'm really enjoying every minute because I know it is going to go by fast! Only 117 more days!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! :)