HOORAY, HOORAY! Matt's finished with his MBA!!!!!

Oh. My. Goodness! We can't quite believe it...yet! This week is the first week in 33 months (minus the short breaks) where Matt didn't have to go to class last night or tonight. It hasn't sunk in yet, still feels like he has to be gone as some point, to work on something...BUT he doesn't! It's been a long, yet fast and furious, 33 months, but now, a HUGE sigh of relief... he's done, finished, fineto!
Words can't express how happy and proud I am of my hubby. (and WARNING, yes, I am definitely going to brag throughout this post!) Matt knew when he was still doing his undergrad work at THE University=) that he wanted to go back and get his MBA. Matt found out that there were executive programs offered at UT where you could still work full time, and go to school, and he/we thought that was a great option for us. So he worked a couple of years after getting his undergrad, applied to the internationally-ranked program where around 250-300 apply and only 60 are offered a letter of acceptance, got a letter and he accepted into the program!
I DEFINITELY could not have done it. No way. There's no way I could have worked 50+ hours a week, gone to class for 3+ hours twice a week, meet up with a group for group work once or so a week, and have to meet up with them on the weekend, AND do the massive amounts of reading, studying, and individual work in between. Oh, and take on a managerial role at work six month into the program, AND have a baby with a little less than a year to go! I have one hard working hubby!!!
Congrats babe! I admire you in so many ways and am in awe of you for this accomplishment. You are and have always been a motivated individual, you set goals and achieve them, you want to better yourself for you and for us, you are such an inspiration, and we are SO proud of you! May 20th will be a day of MUCH celebration!! We love you!

What does Matt do now that he's DONE with school...?!?

Save the day of course!
Yesterday he went to take a bag of trash out, and I walked out front too, (don't remember now why,) but I heard him say "uh-oh!" I said "what?"
He showed me this...



(in the shady spot) 4 baby birds that fell/blew out of their nest with the crazy wind we had yesterday!
Here's the nest..



I felt so sorry for them. We stood there looking at them for a bit, then the mama came flying by with food, it was a red breast robin!!! That was one busy mama!! So we knew she knew they were out of the nest and on the ground, so we wanted to do something because 1) there are many a unwanted cats around that wonder around the neighborhood in the front yard, and knew they weren't safe, 2) Matt wanted to mow, so, we/I looked googled a few things on what to do. Many articles said that it's a myth if you touch birds their mama will reject them, and if the birds can't yet fly, to make them a make shift nest and put it in a tree or something. Articles also said that if the baby birds have feathers, that they are fledglings, and are close to the point that they will begin to jump out of the nest anyways. So Matt made a little make-shift nest...



And put them in their new safe happy home!







AND we saw the mama come back and feed them multiple times!!!!
Matt checked on them this morning and one was back out and on the ground, he tried to pick it up to put it back and he said it hissed at him, and acted like it didn't want to be back in the nest! Later I checked on it, and the mama came to feed it, and the little baby bird started hopping along!! It was so cute! So, sure enough that lil bird was happy to be out of the nest and ready to explore! All of the baby birds seriously look bigger and more alert today than yesterday, so they were either in shock from the fall, and/or they are just one day more ready to leave the nest! Matt and I both think they will all be out in the next day or so, but none the less, he saved them from one day/night that they probably weren't ready to be on ground!
And here they are today!



And the lil one that flew the coup!(grey spot by the slab)



It's been really fun to watch and check on them the past two days. We are going to be sad when they all leave;(

Cate's first Easter!

After Cate discovered what the Easter bunny brought her, we packed up and headed out to LG! We spent Saturday afternoon at Jojo and Grandpa Royce's house, played, then had fried fish for dinner! It was delish! I told Matt to get the camera out, he failed...;(
Sunday we went to church, then had lunch out at my aunt, (who decided her name is going to be "Nana D"- love it!!!) and uncle's! It was such a nice trip out to the country, and Cate had a great time!!

Here's Nana D's Garden...





Can't wait to gave some fresh and pickled veggies!



Fun under the shade trees...














Next year I'm sure Cate will be running around in the sprinkler with these three...











Out on the swing...



With Nana D and Pepe


And The only pic with Matt...(he's on the left...actually it's just his arm, someone was too busy playing dominos to get the camera out and take pics...again;(



Such a fun afternoon, but sadly, this mama got a mild sinus infection as a result of being out in the wind;( note to self for next year...
And I'll leave you with this smiling face!

The Easter bunny came!

The Easter bunny came to our casa and look what he brought!


A fun-filled basket of goodies...but Cate was happy with just one egg;)

Got some books, pjs, and a dress...


Not too impressed...
Oh another egg!


AND her first set of clubs!!





Hmmm daddy, that's a different egg...


And these things look cool to bang things with...








Daddy showing her how to putt..








This makes a cool sound with my teethers!


A few more eggs to play with...


All done!! Closing the picnic basket! YES! Her very own picnic basket!!! I saw these baskets and since I knew Cate wouldn't really hunt eggs this year, I thought it would be neat to have a picnic basket with all her goodies, then we could use the basket over and over again and go on lots of picnics!!!;)
This was the start to her first fun-filled Easter weekend!

Nine month pedi visit!

Cate's nine month, super impressive, stats are...drum roll please............

Weight-22lbs 2oz - 92%
Height-29 1/2 - 95%
Head-44.6 - 65%

We had another great appointment! Dr. T said Cate looks fabulous!! Like we didn't know that, just look at her;)


Love our sweet girl!


Trying to occupy a 9 month old's time in the dr's office...fun...
Playing with daddy's buttons





Weigh in time! Vanessa guessed Cate weighed 17lbs...we said oh no, because the last time we weighed her at home it said 22.5, so we expected at least over 22...Cate decided she needed help her;)


Getting checked out by dr. T








Say Ahhhhhh...


Believe me, the last thing I want my baby doing is playing and crawling on a public floor, but what do you do?...


She HAS to explore!





Then it was time for the finger prick, and one shot...


Dr. T said Cate is doing just fantastic! She is a "healthy baby" and this time she also added that Cate is a "great grower"...heh;( Mama's happy she has grown in length and stretching out her weight, mama's back is happy too!
Cate's next appointment will be the big one year well check, and she gets to get her picture taken and put on the wall! Exciting stuff!

She looks excited, yes?


Such a stinker!