Hammy Fammy Blog

I Heart Faces: Let’s Hear It For The Boys!

2011-06-20T14:23:00.001-05:00

I was going to enter another picture on a friends suggestion but then this picture happened yesterday. And I couldn't help myself. This is the line up before the big race!! There were several races and several crashes...no one was hurt in the taking of these picture.

He's all boy...all the time!

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge: Yellow

2011-05-23T13:46:00.002-05:00

I don't get a chance to do these very often. Turns out a full time job, a new house and a 3 year old take up alot of time. But this picture was fresh on my mind, taken last week and I had to make time. :)

This is what Will wore to help daddy with the yard work. Sadly, daddy was wearing something very similar. Hahaha!

Interior Paint...Check!

2010-11-07T10:54:00.002-06:00

Gray is the new turquiose. I read that on Cote de Texas. In our previous house I made a terrible attempt at painting the master bathroom turquoise. It was horrible. But it was done so I didn't feel like having it repainted. Luke informed me after a visit to the house, that it was the first thing the buyer changed. Can't say I blame her. But here is the bathroom painted at the new house. Picture doesn't do it justice but you get the idea. And if you don't...well, you'll just have to come over and see for yourself.

We used the same gray in the kitchen. There isn't alot of wall space, mostly cabinets. I think the white, gray and black counter tops compliment each other very well.

I am very happy with the PB Manchester Tan. It keeps the house bright while keeping a warm feel. I have no idea what curtains are going to go with the color...so be ready for a distressed post about curtains in the future.

MAIL CALL! Such a cool feature of the house. The seller let us know that a squirrel got through it once so we made some modifications that I hope will keep the rats with fur, because isn't that really what a squirrel is, out of the house.

House Update

2010-11-04T22:27:00.001-05:00

As you know from a previous post, I absolutely hate picking paint. We meet Felipe at the house yesterday and thank goodness the Manchester Tan (primary interior color) is perfect. Will's room is being painted but there is no turning back at this point so fingers crossed. The laundry room/bathroom paint - FAIL! It wasn't gray at all! So I had to rush over to Ace Hardware and get 5 more samples. And we have a winner!!!

Coventry Gray was the perfect shade of gray to contrast with the white trim.

Granite was installed today but I didn't have my camera to take any good pictures. So I'll post this weekend.

Tonight, Luke spent a very exciting night polishing door knobs. I know, the Hammonds are such party animals!! These are the original door knobs. They look new after the polish.

We interrupt this blog to bring you the World Series!

2010-11-02T22:36:00.002-05:00

Well, by now you know the outcome...but who cares! The Rangers made it to the World Series! That alone was enough for me but going to the game was pretty cool too!!

Luke and I - Lot 4, Cowboy Staduim. The walk wasn't bad at all. Neither was the traffic. Weird.

Tracie got us these shirts from these two kids in Denton. They were making tons of shirt. Paying for college no doubt until they got a phone call from Texas Rangers Legal Team. Bummer.

Jose and Shandra joined us for the game. So happy we could share the experience with them!

Laura and Jeff joined as well. Laura was originally scheduled to watch Will that night but since she is the best roommate in the world, I thought it would be the perfect THANK YOU! And I think she'd agree!

Tracie and Jeff. Straight from a road trip from Midland.

I kept trying to get action shots but this was not one of them. Notice that no one in the background is cheering? Dead give away. But I still like the picture.

"That's the way baseball go"

Amazing experience!!!!

Halloween - minus the costume

2010-11-02T22:25:00.000-05:00

Yeah yeah yeah, I know. Luke and I should have been more responsible with keeping track of Will's costume. There is no excuse at this point.

Here are the events leading up to lost costume.

Boo at the Zoo - hot that day. Will decided he didn't want to wear costume. Fair enough. But we bring it anyway just in case.
Panera - No real reason to wear costume while eating. No action taken.
Tracie's - Had time between eating and a birthday party. No action taken. Well...that I remember.
New house - Did Will even get out of the car?
Kate's party - open door to get costume, get Will out. WAIT! WHERE IS THE COSTUME?!?!? Only the head of "Dinosaur Rex" remained.

And that was it. I tried to convince Will to be a baseball player since he wears a batters helmet every chance he gets but he wouldn't budge. But he finally gave in on Halloween night. -Sigh-

The group picture. As you can see, there is no organization here. Oh well.

Fraken-Luke and Witchy Pooh

What? It's the best I could do!

We have a drive way people!

2010-11-02T22:15:00.000-05:00

Ok, so probably not something most people get excited about...unless your driveway has been a big, long pile of dirt for the last 1-2 months. My neighbors might be more excited than I am since they had to look at that mess every day. Kudos to Luke and his crews for keeping the house as clean as possible. Kudos to our neighbors for putting up with us.

Reggie is the first car to park in the driveway - officially. The pea gravel is still pretty loose in this picture. Luke packed it down the next day.

Aaaaaahhhhhh....the driveway.

I hate picking paint

2010-10-27T12:01:00.010-05:00

I have finalized the interior paint color for the house and I've been second guessing every since. Is it too brown, is it too dark, is it too light, am I going to hate it?

The colors below don't really even look like the samples we painted so I have no idea if I've made the right decisions or not. I guess if I hate them...then I'll be spending a weekend painting after we move in. :)

Primary
Manchester Tan

Bathroom/Laundry/Kitchen
Cedar Key

Will's Room
Wheeling Nuetral

More and more progress!

2010-10-19T22:38:00.004-05:00

Seems like things are moving pretty quick now. Or maybe its just that its starting to look like a real house again. Either way, I'm a happy girl (most of the time).

Here are a few pictures of the progress that occurred last week and over the weekend.

This is the downstairs bathroom. The shower tile is complete with white subway tile and the wainscoting has been installed. The paneling for the wainscoting was originally used in the laundry room for the walls and ceiling.

Here is the built in cabinet in the master bathroom. The green doors were originally part of a beautiful built in cabinet that I really wanted to keep but didn't work out. I'm so thrilled we were able to save the doors. The other set of doors were saved too. Just not sure where I will use them yet. Eventually, they will be painted white. Keeping the glass knobs but unsure of the hardware for the drawers. More to come on that.

Awww...my shower. So pretty and bright!

Laundry room cabinets. You will notice the framed in counter top. That is where the granite will go and the washer/dryer will go underneath that.

When we first started the house, the garage was questionable. Do we tear it down or repair? Luke had the genius idea to reframe it from the inside out. And now it looks like a brand new garage. Well, I guess it is really. Also, the drive was poured last week. I really didn't understand it when I saw it. The cement is there so that no matter what side of the car you get out on you will be on cement. The middle will be filled with crushed granite so the ground will obsord water when it rains. Good idea!

We took the opportunity to make things permenant.

Luke trimmed all the windows in the house then had someone come in and finish them off with finishing trim. He did an amazing job. He's very talented.

Next on the list, paint. Ugh, paint! I picked out 3 samples this week and they look identical. This is not going to be fun. Wish me luck!

And 24 hours later...

2010-10-10T21:38:00.003-05:00

Our beautiful pedistal tub. Luke has been working on a house and that is where he found this tub. It was going to be thrown out so he kept it and had it refinished. Much better for the budget than buying the new tub we wanted. How lucky did we get?!?!?!

The gorgeous French doors that go into the dining room from the living room. This picture is taken from the back of the dining room looking to the living room.

Kitchen cabinets: This is the wall that we added the 3 windows on. The sink will sit in the center of the middle window with the dishwasher on the right and a drawer that will hide the trash can (thank goodness!). All upper cabinets on this side will have glass doors.

This side of the kitchen will have the refridgerator, drop-in stove/oven with microwave/vent above it, and pantry.

And the laundry room cabinets. The washer and dryer will slide in under a countertop.

Here is a cabinet in our master bath. The doors will be a set of original glass doors that were in a built in downstairs that I wasn't able to keep.

The vanity. It will be interesting to share counter space with Luke since I'm a counter top hog.

What's the latest?

2010-10-07T22:39:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile but trust me things are happening. Mostly things like plumbing, wiring and stuff like that. Yeah, I know...BORING! All good though. BUT now the fun starts! Here are the latest pictures from the house as of today. I wanted to be sure and capture them today b/c next week things will look completely different and I'll have a whole other set of pictures to blab about.

Let's start with Luke. He is doing an incredible job. He's doing alot of work himself and spending hours and hours over at the house. He pulled all the base boards off and used some tool called a planer to shave a layer of the wood off. Sanded them and now they look new. You may ask...why not just buy new base boards. I'm glad you asked. The base boards are made out of long leaf pine. The tree is basically extinct and is no longer available for use on stuff like base boards. Ok, so this is what I was told and I believe it. I love the idea that we are keeping the original base boards.

Here is the living room. The floors were scraped throughout the house today. Luke did all the window trim himself last weekend.

Will checking the mail in the old mail shoot.

The dining room has two doors (the originals) leading in. There is a passage way into the kitchen as well as to hall the leads to the back bedrooms.

There is a pass thru from the kitchen to the back bedrooms. This was already in place however I think we moved it a little b/c of the stair placement. I finally got my tornado closet under the stairs.

The kitchen has so much more light since we added the three windows. The upper cabinets on this side of the wall will have glass doors to open it up even more. Guess I need all new dishes...right?

There used to be a linen cabinet where the stairs start.

The floors in the bathrooms are finished. We did the hex-dot pattern. There is a plastic layer over it in this picture to protect it.

The upstairs bedroom. It's longer than our current bedroom and 2 inches skinner. Does that make sense?

The walls are textured in a light "skip trow". I didn't know what that meant. But I do now and I love love love it!

Oh the garage. The garage! This has been a huge eye soar for us and no doubt our neighbors. The driveway had to be dug out last week to add a new water line to support the plumbing on the upstairs bathroom (yeah, that sounds right). I was thrilled today to see Luke parked in the driveway but still just dirt. The garage project started today. It was in such bad shape but Luke had the idea to lift it from the inside out and reframe. I have no idea where he comes up with this stuff but I'll just be so happy when its looks like a real garage again.

And there ya have it. That's the latest in the Hammy Fammy Adventure that is our new house.

Almost done on the outside

2010-08-29T21:47:00.005-05:00

The upstairs is mostly finished and the windows have been installed.

I can't wait to get our hands on the yard. It needs some TLC. So does the brick. We confirmed today that the brick on the house is still in production and we will not have any problems matching it. I'm anxious to get the brick acid washed, power washed or whatever its called! I sure am tired of looking at those black spots on the chimney. But overall looking GREAT!

View from the garage of the upstairs addition. The addition goes really well with the house and the neighborhood. You hear addition and it makes you a little nervous. But this one fits right in.

I'm really only posting this picture so you can see where the massive pile of trash was. We, as I'm sure our neighbors, are thrilled that its all cleaned up.

Here is a view of the upstairs addition from the north side of the house. Looking good!

You can't stop progress!

2010-08-23T13:38:00.003-05:00

Upstairs framing started Friday. The roof came off earlier in the week. These guys are good!

And how it looked by Sunday

"Open House". Every window in the place has been removed to make way for new ones.

The stairs are in. Had a small issue with space. It's ok...I'm dealing with it (breathe, breathe)...

View of the kitchen from the dining room. We took out one window and are adding 3 side by side windows.

There was a HUGE issue with the upstairs closet. In this picture you will notice the roof line is at the top fo the closet door. That's not gonna work.

Luke worked with the guys to raise the roof in the closet to fix the situation. Thank goodness b/c this girl needs closet space!

The aftermath of the demo phase.

MORE TO COME!

Oldies...but definitely goodies

2010-08-18T19:54:00.001-05:00

These are a few accent pieces that are in the house. Aren't they cool!!!

The pencil sharpner was found in the utility room and will most likely go back there. My grandparents had one in their laundry room too.

This amazing light may be moved to another location in the house.

The first knob is from the front door and the second from an interior door. While neither one work very well and need to be replaced, I refuse to part with them. I'll find a good use for them.

The hanging light is probably being moved into the hallway. And the exterior light has a twin. They will both be refinished and serve as coach lights on both sides of the front door.

Ring Ring no more...

2010-08-17T21:43:00.001-05:00

I remember my grandparents having a telephone cubby in their house. When I saw the one in the new house I was so excited! There are many things about this house that remind me of my grandparents. Which is why I wanted to keep the telephone cubby. But as you can see the in picture below that didn't exactly happen. And just so were clear, I didn't know it was being removed!!!

I have been assured that all the hardware and the doors from the breakfast room built-ins are in a safe place. Just b/c I can't use them doesn't mean I don't want them. I'll find a place for them.

Always good to have a "plan"

2010-08-15T21:39:00.001-05:00

Here are the final plans for the house remodel. But that doesn't mean that the house will look exactly like the plans when we're done. For the most part the first floor won't change much except for the kitchen, laundry room and the hall to the bedrooms where we will add stairs to the master suite.

(click picture to enlarge)

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!!

2010-08-15T21:10:00.006-05:00

Demo started last week on the house and here are some pictures to show you the before and afters of the progress. Keep in mind that we haven't made the much progress but walls are missing, cabinets, tubs, sinks, etc...that's gotta mean something, right?

(click picture to enlarge photo)

More to come...

3 is a MAGIC number

2010-08-13T21:27:00.009-05:00

I'm not really a believer in lucky numbers or horiscopes or that kind of stuff but for whatever reason the number 3 has been pretty significant in our new adventure...aka...3rd house on the right. Here are some examples:

The obvious - the 3 of us (Luke, myself and Will - the 3 little birds)
Will is going to be celebrating his 3rd Thanksgiving and Christmas in this house
Is first birthday here will be his 3rd!
The address has a 3 in it. Seriously!
We are the 3rd house on the right (on the actual street. There is actually another house at the beginning of the street but it does not share the same street address)
We will be the 3rd owners of the house (according to the tax records - but that may not be accurate - not sure)
This is the 3rd contract that we signed after our house sold.

The lot across the street from our current house...you know how that turns out
The house down the street from our new house...read previous post...you know how that turns out too

And then this one!

Our realtors name is Tri. Three.
It's our 3rd house together. :)

I'm sure I have other items to add to the list but that is what comes to mind at this moment.

There is just something about the #3.

3rd House on the Right

2010-08-08T22:11:00.004-05:00

Remember that post awhile back about us building a house across the street. Scratch that! We bought a fixer upper instead!! Here's the story...

We started working on plans for the new house but the lot was very challenging so we (I) couldn't agree on anything the architect came back with. So after countless "discussions" about it I told Luke I didn't think I really wanted to build...and he surprisingly agreed. This is where it gets interesting...

The next day I started looking for houses again. I found one in an area we love and the price was perfect! After looking at the listing and pictures I knew this house was going to be a challenge but that's what we wanted. So that very night we go see the house. There was someone there before our appt and after and the house already had an offer. We loved it! Will loved it so much he told the people coming to see if after us that it was "our house". So we told our realtor we were ready to make an offer. She said perfect and that she would head back to the office to make it. This is where it goes down hill...

We didn't hear back from our realtor (who as you remember was heading straight to the office) until 10:00pm that night. We had to get the offer in before morning b/c the seller was reviewing all contracts at that point. We made an offer we knew would get us the house!! And by 11:45pm, the contracts were signed and sent over. The next day we found out that our offer was not accepted. I was shocked. How could they refuse our offer. I beat myself up about it for days!! Come to find out...the listing agent never saw our offer until after a decision was made b/c it was put in so late. I was fuming!!! Here's where it gets promising...

I would periodically pass by the house just to torture myself. But on the following Saturday, my depression turned into hope! There was a guy working on the house. I asked Luke to go talk to him. Maybe he was the seller or the buyer. We were prepared to make the buyer an offer as well. Turns out, the guy was a realtor, Tri Golthwaite! AND works with my old boss Ken who I love! So we got to talking and told him to keep an eye out for other fixer uppers. And he gave us a small tip. It was very vague but I felt like he was the guy that was going to find us our house. He kept us informed on another house on the same block that he was working on. He was able to get us permission to see the house. We quickly started working on a remodel bid and getting folks out there to see how much it would cost to do repairs, etc. Keep in mind, the house isn't even on the market yet.

Tri was great about lettnig me bug him on a weekly basis to see if he had any information on the house yet. He was prepared to make an offer before it went on the market. He presented it to the listing agent and let them think about it for a few days. That was so painful! I was so nervous I couldn't concentrate!! Then when the end of the work day approached and I hadn't heard anything I realized that it wasn't meant to be...until the phone rang. Tri on the other end "Congratulations, its yours!" (Insert teenage girl freak out here) I couldn't believe it. When I told Luke he instantly went into work mode so his reaction was a little different.

What now...plans, demo, paint, brick repair, brick wash, flooring, windows, landscaping, etc. The big enchilada!!! I couldn't be happier. I am really looking forward to our life in this house. I will be posting pictures of it as the work starts.

Looking foward to showing you the after picture from this view.

Birthday Boy!

2010-07-16T21:13:00.002-05:00

Well, it was bound to get here and as much as I didn't want my sweet boy to get any older he turned 2. And a very advanced 2 year old at that. He can throw a tantrum that will make you blush. He's an "expert" tantrum thrower. He's 2, everyone says this is normal. Thank goodness!

We went back and forth on whether to throw Will a big party. First it was maybe, then it was ok but a small one, then it was let's only invite family and friends. So that's exactly what we did. We consider so many of our friends family and simply couldn't celebrate without them.

We went with a "generic" circus/carnival theme. It went pretty well. The banner and cupcake toppers turned out really great. And it was all so easy to make. The food was so easy this time around. Hot dogs, chips, peanuts, popcorn. Having the popcorn machine was pretty cool and by far some of the best popcorn I've ever tasted. I was doing so well not eating but then the hot dogs were ready and I ate 3. I couldn't help it!!

Will did so great that day. He was in a good mood all day and even took a good nap before his guest arrived. But as soon as the bounce house got here it was party time! He was in there for at least an hour. He was sweating and worn out but didn't care one bit. All he wanted to do was bounce. He's changed so much this past year. Last year at his birthday he wasn't walking just crawling. He was saying words. But this year he's hard to keep up with and you can have a conversation with him. My baby's growing up.

It was a really fun time for everyone. The kids loved the pinata. That was another thing we weren't sure about getting. But Jose said you can't have a party without one so we got one. Last year we had one and couldn't figure out how to keep it swinging in the tree. This year...the head...the body rather...fell off. Popped right off. Tracie filled it with too much candy. We had to harness the pinata carcass so the kids could finish it off. It was hilarious!

Overall it was a fantastic party. Will was so happy as were we that so many of our close friends and family were able to celebrate with us. It was our last official party at this house. We will "hopefully" be moved into our new house by the end of the year. So next years party might be "on location". We'll have to see.

Thank you Will for making the last two years more than worth it. I love you!

Will-a Power!

2010-05-23T22:21:00.003-05:00

This weekend was a reminder of why I love my neighborhood. My neighbors. I hate to brag (or do I) but we are blessed to have such great neighbors. This weekend our neighbors Jim and Judy invited us to lunch with their family and friends which included some of our neighbors and it was fantastic!

Their granddaughter, Willa who was in town visiting, was born on the same day as Will. I know, it's still so cute when I think about it. I think Mr. Will is just smitten with her. They had a really good time together. They ran and played after lunch even though both kids were on the verge of nap meltdown.

Today we were lucky enough to catch Willa outside playing so we strolled over. I simply can't resist those blue eyes so I had to snap some pictures.

Will was a little shy at first but quickly warmed up and even tried to impress Willa by putting a cat bowl on his head. Hmmm...he's got a few things to learn about impressing girls.

I think he may be proposing in this picture. I'm really not sure.

I'm excited to see these two grow up knowing each other!!!! Thanks Jim and Judy for a fun weekend!!

"Happy Birthary"

2010-05-20T21:21:00.003-05:00

The last two months have been quite busy. The end of April starts what I like to call "birthday season". Meaning, we have lots of birthday parties to go to for the next couple of months. I don't mind. They are fun and know Mr. Will has a blast! And speaking of birthdays!!! I just had one as well (May 19th). Birthdays are so different now. Besides the fact that it sucks getting older, planning for it is geared more towards Will. And why wouldn't it be. If I could spend my birthday with anyone I would certainly want it to be Luke and Will. But I am blessed to have good friends and family so I do get to spend it with them as well.

Let me backup. Tuesday was my 8th wedding anniversary. This is where the "Happy Birthary" comes from. Will got them confused so he just combined them and wished me birthary wishes on both days. Luke and I have officially been together 15 years, married for 8. And its still a blast. We went to dinner at Michaels where we go every year. Yes, I'm predictable. An old friend sent us over some bubbly and we had a nice chat with her and Michael. Nice guy. I pigged out. I mean pigged out! Look out! This girl is eating!!! Apps, salad, entree, dessert. We came home and pretty much passed out. Now, that being said, I didn't want to do the same thing on my birthday. Back to back pig outs is more than I can handle.

We went to Central Market and our very great friends the Spotts joined us. Will sure loves hanging out with Alexandra!

We started out with some Mexican Coca-Cola. Because as Luke said, "You're Mexican, so you should drink Mexican Coke."

Frank got wine and I'm still trying to figure out why I didn't drink any. I got the usual pasta salad. Will got empandas but Alexandra was nice enough to share her pepperoni.

Then Julie and I went back for cupcakes. Will started with the icing and worked his way down. They were very yummy. It was exactly what I wanted to do for my birthday. Low key, relaxed. Lovely.

Oh! And let's not forget that Luke gets major bonus points on my present this year. Usually, birthday and anniversary are not combined but I'll make an exception this year. He and Will gave me a new Canon EF 28-135 IS 3.5/5.6 lens. I'm in love!

We're Moving...Across the Street

2010-04-30T10:24:00.002-05:00

No, it's not a joke. We are moving. And yes, across the street. After weeks of house hunting with no luck we started exploring the idea of building again. But building in the middle of Fort Worth (5 minutes from downtown) is not that easy. Unless of course...you get a killer deal on a lot. Which we did. And you have a builder that will do the work cheap. Or free in this case!! Yes, it pays to be married to a builder.

The lot is small. Much smaller than our existing lot. But Will is still going to have a yard to play in. And fence!! This is not a long term house. In fact, I've even told Luke to put it on the market the day we move it. But we'll probably wait 1-2 years before we do that. I'm excited. I feel like I know more now about building a house than I did when we built the first one. My style has change alot too. Is it weird that I want white everything? Well, maybe not all white. We will just have to see how this progresses. I'll keep you all posted. Architect has all "my" requirements and will be working on plans this week. And yes, I said "my". Luke has told me on more than one occassion...just tell me what you want. Ok then! I'll post the drawings from the architect if I can get my hands on a copy. Stay tuned....

I Heart Faces Weekly Challenge: (Muddy) Smiles

2010-04-26T18:43:00.002-05:00

I skipped the last three weeks challenge for two reasons...1) I don't cook, 2) short on time lately.

So I'm very happy to be participating this week. Of course, I went straight for the 1000s of pictures I had of Will for this challenge and then felt like I wanted to do something different. So I went through some pictures and found two smiles that worked great!

These two clowns (Cool Hand Luke and Brandon) have known each other since high school. They, 2 other high school buddies, Mark and Jose, and my sister's boyfriend, Jeff, were participating in the Fort Worth Mud Run. A race I will NEVER do!! I just don't have it in me. It's 6 miles of running and obstacles. Running to the mailbox to me is an obstacle! I think this picture said alot about how much fun they had even though it was a difficult race. Good job Mud Buds!

All Grown Up...

2010-04-10T23:14:00.002-05:00

For Devon's 13th birthday (which was back in November) we wanted to do pictures. There was a "hair" incident in November which is why we had to wait for it to grow out. But no worries, he's dad lived. It's hard to be believe that Devon is 13. He's been through so much but is your typical 13 year old. Playing baseball, throwing out attitude here and there, dedicated to Boy Scouts. An overall good kid!

We went to the Kimball Art Museum and snapped up some pictures of this teenager. It went really well and it was the first time I shot in manual mode for the majority of the time.

Devon looks like such a big kid now. And much like a big kid...he was over the session rather quickly. But we still got some handsome shots.

Did I mention that Will that's Devon is so cool.

Love ya kiddo! I mean teenager-o!

So Inviting...

2010-03-30T23:09:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite people has a birthday coming up. She's a little princess and she is turning four. I was lucky enough to be able to make her party invitations. It came at a perfect time too. I'm having a major creative streak paired with a major creative block. Terrible combination - but the invitation project helped me feel better about things!

I was stressing about the invitations b/c we had originally planned on printing them on metallic card stock. Just so you know...metallic paper is basically industrial paper and you have to have a special industrial printer to do the job. Good to know a week after we bought the paper. Ugh! But no worries we had an alternate and it worked out perfectly!

The princess invitations lined up.

Topped with a jewel fit for a queen (a princess in this case).

And the glitter was a nice touch. I found myself wanted to put glitter or more stuff.

Tracie helped me with the assembly line so I can't take all the credit for the execution of the project but I'm definitely happy they turned out so well. Can't wait for the party!!!

I Heart Faces Weekly Challenge: Dramatic B&W

2010-03-29T12:07:00.004-05:00

I am so in love with this child!!! I had a ton of black and whites I wanted to use but Will's eyes in this one kept sucking me in.

Jam Packed Weekend

2010-03-28T23:02:00.000-05:00

I've been complaining alot about the weather. Sun! Sun! I want sun! So this weekend I got what I asked for. And in return, I got a very very business weekend. All worth it!

We started Friday night off with a birthday dinner for our niece Courtney. She is now 13. So is my nephew Devon. How in the world did that happen?

Saturday morning we got up early and headed over to the Tarrant Area Food Bank Breakfast with the Stars. It was so much fun. Will spent most of his time in the music area drumming with the Dallas Maverick mascot.

And hung out with the firemen. I was happy to hear that they were joking when they said they heard about this mom that locked her kid in the car at Montessori last week. Guilty!

Saturday afternoon we went to the park to take Will's Easter pictures. What a beautiful, sunny and completely WINDY day for it. Wow! It was horrible. I did manage to get some good pictures (as seen in the new header) but the wind surely didn't help with Will's allergies. Back on the breathing treatments. Boo!

Saturday night Luke and I went to see a show at Bass Hall. With a special appearance by Elvis!! It was a great show. We're so lame. After the show, instead of going out for a drink we went straight home and got in our jammies.

Sunday - you won't believe it - we actually made it to church on time. It's a miracle! And we stopped for donuts afterwards. Also a miracle!!! Will took a 30 minute nap (yes, you heard correctly) then we all got up, ready and headed to the Love Shack. I love that place what can I say.

After lunch we went to the butterfly exhibit. It was so so. I was happy we used out press pass (my mom's really) to buy tickets. $10 didn't really seem worth it but $10 for all of us did. It's very swampy in there. Carly prepped me for that. Will just wanted to get down but he hung out on Luke's shoulders the whole time so he didn't get trampled. The butterflies are gorgeous but hard to chase. Managed to get a few good shoots...

Then finished off the day with some outside fun with the neighbors and ...wait for it...wait for it...SWEET POTATO WAFFLES! Luke rules! I'm a lucky girl!

Focusing on Angels...I Heart Faces

2010-03-22T16:26:00.007-05:00

This is my first weekly contest entry ever!! I had a few ideas for my "angle" picture. But I kept going back to this one. It was more the angles of the boardwalk that stuck out to me. I'm really excited to participate!!

This picture was taken on our first family vacation to the beach in September 2009.

P.S. My blog blew up right before my post. New project: Redo blog. - Sigh -

Friends Come and Go, but Vikings are Forever!

2010-01-10T22:54:00.002-06:00

Last night was an unoffical Nolan Viking reunion. What started out as a handful of people turned in to a much larger event. It was at Duke's in Bedford. The Cowboy game was on (which by the way - nice win boys!). It was packed with Cowboys fans so I was very pleased that we called ahead and got them to reserve tables for 50 people. Score!!! It was really great to see some folks I hadn't seen in years and some since high school.

This is Heather Blum Bryant. She lived down the street from me in high school. She's always been super nice and hasn't changed a bit. When I was in the 5th grade we moved resulting in me transferring schools. I went to St. John's for one day...one day only. Heather was the only person that talked to me. She was so sweet. But I still had a major tantrum after school and refused to ever go back. Thanks Heather for being so nice then and now!

Carly Strickland Andrews - I could go on and on and on and on about all the memories I have with Carly. We met in the 7th grade. Had a close group and then drifted apart in high school probably over a boy (as usual) or something stupid like that. We reconnected again our freshman year in college thanks to John Hamer and we've been having a blast ever since. I have lots of pictures to prove it but I'll spare us both the embarrasment. She is family. Love you Carly!

Denise George Smith. Loved catching up with her! My sophomore year in high school we managed to squeeze 4 people into Denise's MG - pretty sure we ran a crub too by the old Bennigans. I also attempted to learn how to drive a standard in her car. Another bad idea. It was great seeing her!

Chad Perry! I always remembered Chad being a pretty funny guy in high school but it wasn't until recently when Chad met us out to watch the TCU game that I realized he is hilarious!! Looking forward to more fun times Chad! Bring Cara out!

And Chris Andrews...I've known Chris since 9th grade. Like Carly, we have lots of memories together and consider them both family. We have a ton of inside jokes and quotes that nobody gets or that people think are stupid so they just ignore it but I get Chris' humor and I love the "dude".

It was a great night! Good friends and a good win for the BOYS. Sure, I have a smokers hangover and I didn't even smoke. But that's what ya get when you go to a sports bar (that allows smoking). But who cares - it was all worth it reconnect with old friends and get to know some that I didn't know very well. I'm looking forward to doing it again later in the year. An "unofficial" reunion...so that's how you get them to show up...NOW YOU TELL ME!!

Faceball/Footbook

2010-01-04T23:49:00.000-06:00

It's over. But what a great season. Ok - so maybe it wasn't their best game but it still got all us fans pumped up and showing team loyalty. The venue was the Pour House. The place filled with purple, Fox 4 Sports and ESPN. Fox 4 politely came to our table and asked us to cheer. I simply replied - does my hair look ok? He replied yes. So we started to cheer! Even made the news!!!

(Tracie Mendiola, Terry Hammond, Carrie Kemmer)

(Photo by Devon Ramachandran - Thanks D!)

Good friends, decent food, frog football, TCU cupcakes and facebook made for a fantastic night.

Ah facebook. The rule was that we could FB during commercials but I'm pretty sure that rule was broken many times by all us gals and yours truly. Facebook friends filled the news feed with status updates about the frogs and the pathetic calls by the officials. Give me a break! Comments here and comments there - I loved communicating with everyone and seeing what everyone has to say. My favorite is when someone you are with posts something and you comment on their post even though you literally sitting right across the table from them. Luke even texted me at one point b/c it was so loud.

We left before the game was over. I was so anxious on the long 7 minute drive home. Jumped out of the car and ran inside to catch the last few minutes (football time) of the game. I'd walk out of the room nervous - Luke would call me back and in and tell me I have to watch. As the minutes, then seconds ticked off the clock I felt myself getting very nervous and restless. Then just like that...done. That is when the nausea set in. Then the need to Facebook - so theraputic. And then the need to blog.

Conclusion: Frogs may have lost but it was still a successful night for us. Go Frogs!! See ya next year!

(Maricarol Anderson, Terry Hammond, Tracie Mendiola, Carrie Kemmer)

Confessions of a Non-Blogger

2010-01-02T22:39:00.001-06:00

Ok - so I've been gone a long time...but it's a new year and a fresh start. I've decided to "blog" again. Not as a profession of course - which seems to be the cool new job. How does one even become a professional blogger. I simply don't have anything that important to say and I'm pretty sure most people don't care what I have to say (it's ok - I understand). That being said I hope I have set your expectations for the blog...meaning...I won't be blogging every day or even every week. Bitter am I? No! Geesh, what a way to start off the new year blog. My brutal honesty is often mistaken for meanness.

What have I discovered as a non-blogger:

Don't have that much to say
I blogged too much about my kid. Everybody already knows how "awesome-o" he is and I now realize that I don't have to talk about him all the time (even though I want to). Now don't get me wrong...I still plan to talk about him, post pictures of him, etc. But I will make an effort to discuss other fun things like fashion that I can't afford, decorating I can't quite get right, my jack of all trades husband (where Will gets his awesome-o-ness from), my fabulous girl friends, mi familia, pictures that never come out the way the tips explained and so on and so on.
I'm a creative poser. What do I mean by this? Well, let me explain - I wanted the blog to look as cute and sassy and hip as all the other blogs I've been on lately. But I'm not going to pay someone to design a blog for me (I need that money for a new purse I just saw) and I don't have the creative bone I thought I had to do it myself. I was lucky enough to find a fun website called The Background Fairy and after hours and hours of creative block found something I liked. Don't get used to it b/c as most of you know...I will change my mind and want something new.

So my wonderful pals, I invite you to frequent the site often, leave a comment or two and enjoy!! Here's to 2010!

About Us

2010-01-01T09:41:00.001-06:00

About Us...coming soon!

I'm Back!

2009-05-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone! I have been getting a lot of grief lately for not posting to the blog. I have discovered Facebook and I spend most of my free computer time on it. It's so addicting!

Will is going to be 11 months this week which of course means the Big 1 is coming up. I would love to say that I'm excited about it but I'm actually quite despressed. My little baby is going to be 1!!! I have a feeling I am going to feel like this every year so I just need to deal with it.

Will is doing really well. He is walking using a push toy very well. I have tried to get video but he usually ends up crashing and we never get the shot. But I'll keep trying. He points at things he wants and has even started to talk. I mean, its not like we are having deep conversations but we are starting to communicate better.

Just this week he told his Aunt Poopie (Maricarol) to "Gooooooo!" has he pointed to the door. I wasn't there when this happened but Maricarol and the teachers all told me that he wanted her OUT! It was funny! He is trying very hard to say either Kitty or Cat. We haven't figured it out yet but he does make the "kaaa" sound when he sees the cat. Today he picked up the remote control, held it up to his ear and said "haaah". I assume he is trying to say "hi" and that we talk on our phones too much.

He had an excellent time at Easter and was very excited that the Easter Bunny brought him some goodies. He and his pal Asher even did some Easter egg "hunting". Here as some Easter/Spring pictures for you to enjoy!

Growing like a weed!

2009-02-24T12:08:00.000-06:00

Will just almost 9 months old (March 4). Where has the time gone? I know everyone says that but its so true. We've had several milestones in the last couple months that include:

Clapping - this is hilarious! He claps at everything. But the best is when I do a silly dance for him and he applauds me. At least someone things I'm a good dancer

Crawling - the crawling started surprisingly while Will was sick with RSV. We spent alot of time on the floor playing and he just decided that it was time to start moving. He will actually chase the cat on all fours and crawl over to us when we come to pick him up at school. He's best you don't take your eyes off of him for too long or he will be on the run.

Cruising - he started this shortly after the full on crawling. He will just stand against something and slowly move left or right. Occassionally, he will get brave and let go of what he is holding on to and stand on his own for a very short time. Then look up at us like "did you see that". What a ham!

Waving - he picked this up RSV week as well. We always wave at him and he kind of had the motion down but now knows when to use it.

Raspberries - you know when you stick your tongue out and "pth"

Saying "dada" - ok - I was really hoping for mama first but I'll take what I can get. I'm sure he doesn't know exactly what it means but sometimes if you say where is dada he will look around for Luke. His partner in crime.

So there ya have it! Our little weed!

Big Boy!

2009-01-16T09:33:00.000-06:00

I'm posting these pictures b/c I'm amazed at how big Will looks. And yes, I've come to terms with the fact that he looks "exactly like his dad". But I do love that about him.

The Holidays

2009-01-16T09:17:00.000-06:00

I haven't posted in a while so I'll try to summarize as best I can. I like to talk a lot you know...

Will really enjoyed his first Christmas! We went to Aunt Sue's for Christmas Eve day where Will had no problems helping Luke open his presents. Then to Aunt Tracie's for dinner. Geesh - the kid got a ton of presents! Again, he had no problems opening presents. He got everything he asked Santa for and more! My family has connections to Santa. Hopefully, that will encourage Will to be a good boy. Christmas Day, Luke and I did the traditional opening presents and breakfast but of course this year it was more fun b/c Will was around. I know he loved all his presents but really I think he loved the paper and boxes more.

Will "reading" in the new Anywhere Chair from his Yo and Teo.

And by reading I actually mean chewing.

The best present ever!

Will in his new rocking chair that Luke refinished, painted and had a new sit made. The chair belonged to Luke's Uncle Harlan when he was a little guy.

6 Months of Will

2009-01-16T09:13:00.000-06:00

Carly gave me the idea of taking a picture of Will every 4th (birth day) of the month. I'm so glad I did! Now I can look back on how he's grown.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

2008-12-08T20:23:00.000-06:00

We went to the Fort Worth Christmas Tree on Saturday. The plan was to get downtown, take the pictures, then go eat. But Will feel asleep on the way to there so we ate first. Then headed to see the big guy. But big guy was taking an hour break and the hour had just started. So we got some dessert and headed back to wait for Santa. The wait was short considering the Jingle Bell run was going on that evening. Will did great. I think he and Santa are going to be good friends.

Camera Crazy

2008-12-04T20:01:00.000-06:00

Yup...I've become that mom. The one that takes pictures of everything. I can't help myself!

Exhibit A: Will goofing off with his Sock Monkey

Family Photo Shoot

2008-11-30T22:33:00.000-06:00

We took some fun family photos this weekend (thanks to our photographer - Maricarol).

Will on the move!

2008-11-30T21:24:00.000-06:00

Will is on the verge of crawling. As you can see in the very "amateur" video that he's trying (and getting frustrated). It still made us very proud.

Will being a "Ham"

2008-11-30T21:11:00.000-06:00

The Hammy Fammy Weekend!

2008-11-24T12:04:00.000-06:00

Every year the guys at enSYNC give us a vacation vouchure. It's pretty cool! One year we went to Mexico, last year to Napa Valley. But this year we knew we were not going to be able to jet off somewhere so we decided to just spend a weekend in Dallas. It was GREAT! I had a spa day, met up with an old friend and met Luke and Will for dinner at the Mansion at Turtle Creek - fancy shmancy!! Will did pretty good for his first night away from home. We had breakfast, did a little shopping then headed over to the Dallas World Aquarium. I think Will really enjoyed it. Even though he didn't quite understand it he definitely liked watching the bright fish swimming around. It was a wonderful weekend. Thanks enSYNC!

Will's Baptism

2008-11-24T12:00:00.000-06:00

Will's baptism took place on Saturday, November 15. He did so good and even thought it was funny when Father Bristow poured the water over his head. My sister, Tracie, is Will's godmother and Luke's brother, Mark, is Will's godfather. Mark is currently stationed in Japan so my nephew and godson (Tracie's godson also) filled in for Mark. Thanks Devon!!!

I'm 5 months old!

2008-11-05T09:27:00.000-06:00

Will is now 5 big boy months old. We try to take his picture on the 4th of every month (or a day before or after). Carly gave me this idea and it has been so cool to see how much he has changed from month to month. Here are a few for this month. I'll post all six months together next month.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-26T16:24:00.000-05:00

We setup a little pumpkin patch in the backyard and took pictures of Will and Asher. The boys did great! But after a while they were pretty over the picture taking...and the costumes.

15 Year Reunion...

2008-10-26T16:12:00.001-05:00

I don't even have the energy to post about this...but I actually got to do my hair and make-up at the same time and go out! To a real bar!!!

Uncle Marky Mark is going to Japan...

2008-10-26T15:53:00.000-05:00

Luke's brother Mark is officially on his way to Japan as I type this. He was back in Texas for a month visiting family and friends before being stationed in Japan. I was so thrilled that he finally got to meet his nephew Will. Do you see any family resemblence? I don't...yeah, right.

The Hammy Fammy showing their support for Uncle Mark!

Finally! Posts!

2008-10-26T15:42:00.001-05:00

It's been a long time since I've posted. Between being a new mom, working full time, wanting to spend every free minute with Luke and Will - I just haven't had a whole lot of time!

A lot has been going on. And Will is growing like crazy - in height and width! He has recently started rolling over from back to tummy. He's been trying to do it for weeks. And last week, we looked a the monitor as he was waking up...on back. 15 minutes later...on tummy. He was just in his crib hanging out and playing. He has also started to sit up! We have to prop him up for course, but then he'll just sit there on his own until he loses his balance. We're so proud!!

This one is for Carrie K! Because she knows its true!!

Park Place

2008-09-14T20:20:00.001-05:00

Today we went to the botanical gardens because it was just too beautiful not be outside. Will loved being outside and the nice breeze.

Luke carried Will around in the Baby Bjorn. Will used to HATE it but has gotten used to it - Thank God!

We stopped for a little down time.

I know its not obvious - but I swear Will kind of looks like me. But yes, he is a mini Luke.

Tummy Time with Eli

2008-08-29T21:46:00.000-05:00

When we first brought Will home - Eli wasn't at all interested in him. He was however very mad at us for not paying as much attention to him (not on purpose of course). Well, now Will and Eli are starting to become pretty good friends. Will focuses on Eli every chance he gets and Eli just kind of hangs around Will now. Here they are doing tummy time together today. Best Friends!

Enough already mom!!

2008-08-18T19:23:00.001-05:00

Turns out I am going to be one of those moms that is constantly taking and showing pictures. Well...I can't help it! He's just so fun!

Bright Eyes

2008-08-18T19:07:00.001-05:00

Will is such a happy baby (most of the time). He has these big bright brown eyes and this great smile. He has been smiling and talking (and by talking I mean coo-ing and ah-ing) alot. His teacher even said that he laughed Friday. I pretended not to hear that b/c I haven't heard him laugh. So that way when he does - I'll still think its the first time. Hahaha!

Say What!!!

2008-08-18T18:45:00.000-05:00

There are several captions that come to mind when I see these pictures...I'll let you use your imagination.

Hot Date!

2008-08-10T19:09:00.000-05:00

Luke took me out for a date at my favorite restaurant (Michael's). Will hung out with my parents while we were out. It was nice to sit, have a glass of wine and totally pig out.

The last time we went to Michael's was the night we found out we were having a boy! I can't believe it's been that long!!!

Happy Two Months Big Boy!

2008-08-06T18:45:00.000-05:00

August 4 was Will's 2 month birthday. I can't even believe it has been 2 months already. I know people always say "Oh they grow so fast" but I didn't realize how serious they were until Will came along. I go through stages of wanting him to be older so we can have conversations and others where I just want him to stay right where he. Wishful thinking... Anyway, we're all doing really good. Will actually rolled over last week. If I can figure out how to post a slide show I'll post it.

Just because...

2008-07-24T19:52:00.000-05:00

I just thought this was a cute picture of Will so I'm posting it.

I love that he has a tiny smile on his face.

He looks just like his daddy...

Love ya kiddo through and through!

We knew this day would come...

2008-07-24T19:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, July 23, was Will's first day at Sundance Montessori. He is only going half days right now and will do so for 2 weeks before I start back to work full time. Luke went with us yesterday to drop him off. I felt pretty good - knew he was in good hands. Luke was a little more anxious for the day to be over (well half the day anyway) so I could hurry up and pick him up. I think having Luke there made it a little easier for me because when I did the drop of today by myself - I immediately felt horrible for leaving him there when I got in the car to head to the office. So far he has had two really good days. I love his teachers and the kids/parents in his room are all so nice. I haven't met them all yet but looking forward to it. Here is a picture of our big boy on his first day of "school".

As you can see...he's not all that concerned about where is going!! Ahhh...the life of a baby.

Mommy & Me

2008-07-20T20:57:00.001-05:00

Here is a picture of Will and I Saturday afternoon.

This was a big day for Will!! Saturday night we went to dinner with our good friends and Will got to come along. It was his first dinner out in public. He slept through the entire thing. I'm guessing that every outing won't be like that...but for now I'd like to think it will. Haha!

Things are going good overall. Will starts Montessori July 23. He will be going half days for 2 weeks...unless of course I miss him too much and he'll be spening 1/4 days at Montessori. After the 2 weeks I start back to work full time. I'm ready to get back but I know I'm going to miss Will so much. Good thing I can drop in to see him at any time!

Moving on Up...

2008-07-10T07:53:00.000-05:00

We have officially moved upstairs! It's been nice and I think Will enjoys being in his own room (so do his parents). Will's room is pretty much finished - just in time for the transition. Here are some pictures.

Hammy Fammy Picture

2008-06-30T08:23:00.000-05:00

This weekend was great! We had our first babysitter. Luke's mom came in to watch Will while we attended the Andrews twin's birthday party. The twins are so beautiful and had a wonderful time at their 1st birthday party as did us grown ups!

When we got home we took a family picture together. Its the first one we've taken since we got home from the hospital. Its always hard to be in pictures when you are the one behind the camera...so luckily we were able to have someone else take it for a change.

Almost 3 weeks old!

2008-06-24T13:22:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow Will is going to be 3 weeks old. Its hard to believe that 3 weeks ago I was walking around with his feet jabbed into my ribs. He was born at 6lbs, 9oz and has already grown to 7 lbs, 7.5 oz. Big Guy!!! He's doing pretty good today. Still gets a little fussy sometimes but we're working on that. Every day we spend time on the floor playing and doing little baby excerises. I love that he has started smiling (or smirking I should say). Here is a picture of him doing some floor time and squirming around. He's a squirmer!!

Why Do Babies Cry?

2008-06-15T09:03:00.000-05:00

I have heard from most people that parents will start to recognize their childs crying. One cry may mean they are hunger...another that they need their diaper changed. But what does the one mean when they are screaming so loud (after eating and diaper change) and with such force that you have no idea what do to next? Will did that last night for a couple of hours. We walked with him, snuggled him (which all temporarily worked). But as soon as we put him down he was screaming again. We finally got him to go to bed and of course he's out like a light this morning. I think he might be a night owl! Like his mom...used to be...

Happy First Father's Day Luke!

2008-06-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

Today is Luke's first Father's Day and I certainly think there is reason to celebrate. Luke has taken to fatherhood very well. Will and I are so proud of him.

We gave him his present yesterday b/c we just couldn't wait until today. We were too excited. We gave him 4 books that a dad would be happy to read his child. We read Hop on Pop to Will last night.

2008-06-13T12:34:00.000-05:00

Ok - so here is how the first week has gone...

Monday went really well...and we talked about how great it was and that pretty much jinxed us. Tuesday, Will was sleeping really well during the day so we decided to let him sleep...we woke him for feedings but he was up all night!!! And so were we of course! Wednesday was a little better, Thursday was not so great (I think we stimulated Will too much during the day and he was just restless from not getting enough sleep during the day). But what do I know - I'm so new to this. Luke is at work today and should be home soon. I'm always so relieved when he gets here. Its just so nice having him around and Will loves to hear his voice.

So overall...we are getting the hang of it but still have a lot of kinks to work out.

We're home!

2008-06-09T13:57:00.000-05:00

I'll write more later because Will is starting to wake up. We got home yesterday afternoon. Here is Will in is Pack-n-Play wrapped up like the little burrito that he is. Shortly after this was taken he peed all over Tracie. Hahahaha!

New Parents

2008-06-07T15:18:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of us with Will. As you can see Luke is a natural!! I look horrible! I could really use a tan. I lost a lot of blood during delivery so we'll use that excuse for my coloring. Hahaha!

You can pick your friends...

2008-06-07T15:16:00.001-05:00

Luke took this picture of our precious little boy picking his nose...how...um..."sweet".

2008-06-06T21:39:00.000-05:00

First of all...I am soooo sorry that I haven't gotten to talk with everyone or visit. The last few days have been really rough and didn't go as planned. Also, all my email contacts are on my work computer and my account was disabled so I haven't been able to email anyone either.

We checked in Tuesday night...notice how I have color in the pre-delivery pictures...notice that I do not in the post delivery pictures...what gives!!

I was induced Wednesday morning (this all happened very fast) so we didn't have alot of time to prepare. Things were going pretty well (especially after the epidural) until it was time to deliver. The baby was in a position that was impossible to get him out and his heart rate was tanking after every contraction. I was rushed to the OR for an emergency c-section. I know doctors do this all the time...but when they started to panic and use words like "stat" and "hurry, hurry" and "we have to go RIGHT NOW"...Luke and I both started to get really scared. I was pretty drugged up but when Luke got to the OR room I felt so much better. The baby came out screaming and we were very happy.

Now, the drama continued. Baby was good but something was going on with me...I honestly can't tell you what it was but we could here the doctors and nurses discussing some things and even arguing a little. My heart rate also tanked...but all was good after a while. Again...I have no idea what was going on and neither did Luke. At this point, we don't care!!! We're both healthy.

William Luke Hammond was born on June 4, 08 at 3:16pm weighing 6lbs, 9oz, 18.5 inches. He's amazing and we're so in love with him.

Recovery is going slow. I'm not going to lie to you...I'm in a lot of pain!! We will be here until Sunday. We would stay here all month if they would let us. Luke is doing awesome and is a natural daddy. We're learning new things everyday about our little guy. He looks like both Luke and I...so of course he's handsome!!!

I'll post more pictures when we can. And we'd love to see you all soon!! Please email us at terry.hammond@charter.net so we can have your email information on this account. (Since I can't get to my work account!)

Thank you for your prayers and support. Talk to everyone soon!

Love, Terry, Luke and Will

2008-06-02T21:32:00.000-05:00

OK - so I haven't posted in awhile...I know. But alot has been going on. And now, its time! I went to the Dr. today, like I usually do three times a week, only to find out that I will be induced on Wednesday. Well, I wasn't expecting that at all...so naturally...panic set in. I called Luke, laughing, then crying, then laughing, you get the idea. I really thought I had another week left but they want to take him at 38 weeks due to the gestational diabetes. Part of me is happy b/c I want to meet Will soooo bad and I'm really sick of his feet being in my ribs...but then there is the other part of me that really isn't sure what to do. I know everything will work out perfectly.

I think we'll save the hospital visits for family and home visits for friends. Since this is our first time, I think we would really like to take it easy and learn as much as we can from the staff. Luke is just so thrilled.

Here are a few pictures we've taken over the last few weeks.

This one was taken Sunday...believe it or not...using the automatic timer on the camera!

The next one was taken on Memorial Day. Not my best...but I'd been cleaning, napping and eating (and that takes work ya know!)

The next post will be pictures of Will. I will get them added just as soon as I can. I promise. The clock is officially ticking. Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive through these last 9 months. I will definitely be ready to get my body back!! :)

2008-04-20T18:42:00.000-05:00

The picture frame finally made it to the wall And I finally found a quilt and pillow shams to work with "my" bed. No picture for the frame yet. Looks great - thanks Luke!

Final Destintation

2008-04-15T21:41:00.000-05:00

The bookcase has been moved to its final destination upstairs outside Will's room. Its gorgeous! Great work Luke!!!

Drying Bookcase

2008-03-31T18:19:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple pictures of the bookcase while it sits in the garage drying. I will post more when its upstairs. Way to go Luke!!!!

2008-03-30T20:21:00.000-05:00

I know its been a long time since I've posted. I've been working alot and seems like there is always something going on. I better get used to this b/c I know once Will comes...things are going to be just as busy. But I can't wait.

He must be getting quite big (as you can see in the pictures). He moves all the time but mostly when I'm trying to go to sleep. He's trying to train me already. Luke and I belly laugh every time we feel him move with force which I think makes him move even more.

We saw him the other day at the Dr. office. I had missed him so much so I was happy when she did an unscheduled sono. I'm telling you (and I know it could be my imagination) he has Luke's cheeks.

This jacket actually looks really cute if I don't button it but Luke suggested I "try" to button for the sack of the belly check pictures. So the belly really stands out.

The nursery hasn't changed much however I'm happy to report that Luke is almost finished with the bookcase he is building and I will post a pictures as soon as it is in its final destination. Its perfect! The oversized frame project is almost done as well. Still needs glass and back and of course a picture but it should be ready by next week hopefully. Here is a picture of it. But I'll post some more as soon as its hung on the wall. The frame is about 2x2 maybe 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 with a 10inx1oin opening. Luke made it and he did an excellent job! But I painted it!!

Nursery Part 1

2008-02-17T18:50:00.000-06:00

I really didn't expect to get this far today - but Luke was a machine and got the nursery cleaned up and all the furniture put together. Its still not done of course but you'll get an idea of it from these pictures. Still need bedding, a rocker and some wall decor. The pieces on the shelves are temporary. Enjoy!!

Belly Check - February 17, 2008 (Week 23)

2008-02-17T11:45:00.001-06:00

Ok - So I bought this dress sometime last year and it was about 2 sizes to big. But it was on sale and I had planned to have it taken it...but of course never did. But I love it and wasn't sure if I would ever get to wear it. Well, since its about to be 2 sizes too small for me I decided this belly check would be the one chance that I got to wear the dress (for 10 minutes). You may not be able to tell - but I can barely breathe in this thing! But at least I got to play dress up today.

Nursery is painted but is a mess right now. I'll post those pictures when it looks like a room again.

January 24, 2008 - We're having a...

2008-02-13T18:58:00.000-06:00

This was one of the best nights ever! We had a Dr. appt early that morning. We had the tech seal the gender of the baby in an envelop. That night we went to Michael's - my favorite restaurant - ordered as fast as we could then opened the much anticipated envelop. We were expecting the news to be written on the card but it wasn't. So we're looking around and finally on the picture Luke reads - "It's a Boy!". We just started laughing and giggling from that moment on through dinner. Luke started calling the baby Will after that night. He still does so I guess he's pretty set on that name. But ya'll know me - I change my mind to much so I'm not committing to anything just yet. Haha! Although - I do like William Luke Hammond.

January 8, 2008 Belly Check

2008-02-13T18:43:00.000-06:00

This picture was taken January 8, 2008.
You can see that my belly is getting bigger.
I had a growth spurt since then (even though
I'm still pretty early on here).

I'm thinking half of the belly is baby -
the other have is Kraft Macaroni n Cheese.

Gentlemen...Start your bloggers!

2008-02-13T15:27:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Hammond Family (Hammy Fammy) blog. After seeing some friends do some blogging I figured I would join in the trend. I've had people ask me to send them pictures of the sonograms and of the furniture and my "growing" belly. This will be a good way for ya'll to check it out from time to time. Although, I can't promise I'll be update to date with my posts. Been working a lot lately and ya'll know Luke isn't going to update this. Hahaha!

So check back when you can - maybe the next time you visit the blog I'll have done a recent "belly check" picture.

Enjoy!