Happy 5 years Husband!

It's hard to remember my life before John David; seems like we've been together forever. Our young sweet love began in February of 2003, four years later we read our vows to each other in front of our friends and family and this March we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.

It really feels like yesterday I wrote my super mushy four year anniversary blog to you.

March 10, 2007 Mr. & Mrs. John Tullos

We were going to be in Dallas on our anniversary so on a whim, I decided to combine a Valentine and Anniversary together and surprise John David with the biggest gift I've ever given: a candlelit dinner!

I cleaned out our carport, strung up all the christmas lights, and pulled the area rug from our dining room. Do you remember the table John David made for me from the neighbor's trash? I pulled out two white sheets from my linen closet and it all started coming together.

 I can't think of a better occasion to pull out the wedding china!

John David was on-call Valentine's day so he said he had a special dinner planned for Friday night. Little did he know, I had a bigger plan. I text him around 1pm and told him I had a babysitter coming at 7pm for our long overdue date night. His response, "WOW! I'm impressed!" (babysitters are rare around here, because this momma has separation anxiety from my babeeeey.) To my advantage, he got stuck at work late and didn't get off until around 6:40, just as it was starting to get dark!

Unfortunately, I don't own any taper candle holders, but after a run to the Dollar Tree I made my own. Five dollars and E6000 Glue is all it took to glue two small glass candlestick holders together to give me just the height I needed. Brilliant, huh?!

To his surprise, when he pulled in the driveway the gate to our backyard was closed with a sign that read "Come to the front door for your Valentine surprise!!! (The carport is behind the house). --I forgot to take a picture of it :(

John David walked in the house (all wide-eyed) and said "Soooo............" (as he looked questionably at the back door that was covered by a sheet) I hurried him along and told him to go and change out his scrubs because the "babysitter" would be here any minute.

He came back, wearing my favvvv cologne, and asked where the babysitter was, and why was I out of breath? Then I broke the top secret to him. The babysitter was Khloe's bed, as it was already past her bedtime, and his secret was right outside our back door.

I wish I could have captured the look on his face of sweet sweet shock as he stepped outside the door.

 

I had a package of tea light candles, left over from our WEDDING, awwwww.. which added a super special intimate touch.

My Itunes played a sweet romantic playlist as we sat down for dinner and I must say it was one of the most romantic dinners we've ever had. 

To make the night a little more special, I created nine notes (to celebrate the nine years we've been together) and we took turns opening the envelopes and reading what was inside. *Spoiler alert* Some are supppper musshy. :) You've been warned.

 

9. March, 19 2003

After a month of getting to know each other we officially became boyfriend and girlfriend. And to be clear, you were the first guy that I cared enough about that I didn't "talk" to other guys. *wink*

8. March 19, 2004

 Young, sweet love. Our first dating anniversary.   You surprised me with a romantic dinner to J. Alexanders and I couldn’t wait to take you to your first “Stick’s” concert.

7. May 17, 2005= Poem I wrote for his Birthday.

I wanted to write a poem concerning what you mean to me

I think I’ll start with the things I don’t like about you

Need not worry, this poem will not be too “mushy”

I hate the way you sip your milk from the cereal bowl

I hate the way you mumble when we talk on the phone

I think it’s really uncool when you make me sit in the driver’s seat

Especially when I’m talking and I see you’re already fast asleep

I hate how you put things off to a later date

I hate your last minute decisions

and how you are always running late

If you are gonna wear your flip flops

Then the hair on your toes has got to go

If you are going to have long hair,

Then the styling GEL in it must show.

I expect you to do the “guy job”

And I’ll do the girls’

That means you must load and unload the groceries,

Mow the lawn, and make the money.

Baby don’t worry I’ll uphold my end of the deal

I’ll stay home, clean the house, buy the shoes, and look pretty.

Now you know all the things I don’t like about you

And it’s good because now you can change.

BUT even if you don’t my love for you will stay the same.

You’re the queen of my heart, and I’m your lil’ shru’ and it forever it will stay that way.

God knew what he was doing February 21

When he sent you all the way up to Northern Mississippi

I still can’t our first kiss was right after cow tipping.

February 21 was the day I found my friend.

We became even closer on March 19 when you became my boyfriend.

And then you came to see me unannounced Tuesday, June the 3^rd.

You said you had to tell me something you felt was important,

My heart began to beat fast, as I was becoming very concerned.

You touched my hand, and said I love you Heather

And that’s when our relationship really began.

Thank you for loving me

When I’m not patient and unkind

Thank you for putting up with me when all I do is whine.

I’m sorry that I make you wear pink clothes,

And keep styling gel in your hair

I’m sorry I want you to shave your toes and always look your best

I’m sorry I make you drive, and never let you sleep

Maybe I’m the one that needs to change

I doubt it

But it may be true (hee hee)

Just remember "Here's the world..."

and it doesn't revolve around YOU..

I wanted to write a poem concerning what you mean to me

I think I’ll start with the things I don’t like about you

Need not worry, this poem will not be too “mooshy”

I hate the way you sip your milk from the cereal bowl

I hate the way you mumble when we talk on the phone

I think it’s really uncool when you make me sit in the driver’s seat

Especially when I’m talking and I see you’re already fast asleep

I hate how you put things off to a later date

I hate your last minute decisions

and how you are always running late

If you are gonna wear your flip flops

Then the hair on your toes has got to go

If you are going to have long hair,

Then the styling GEL in it must show.

I expect you to do the “guy job”

And I’ll do the girls’

That means you must load and unload the groceries,

Mow the lawn, and make the money.

Baby don’t worry I’ll uphold my end of the deal

I’ll stay home, clean the house, buy the shoes, and look pretty.

Now you know all the things I don’t like about you

And it’s good because now you can change.

BUT even if you don’t my love for you will stay the same.

You’re the queen of my heart, and I’m your lil’ shru’ and it forever it will stay that way.

6.  July 12, 2006 

You got down on one knee and made me the happiest girl alive when you {finally} asked me to marry you! We spent the rest of the year planning our fairy tale wedding, and preparing to move into together in Jackson, MS 

5.  March 10, 2007 = Wedding Vows 

This is the moment I have waited my whole life for. I, Heather choose you, John David as my best friend for life. I am honored that you will have me as your wife and I am proud to have you as my husband. You are everything I need, and at this moment I know that all my prayers have been answered and that all of my dreams have come true. As we face the future together, I promise to stand by your side. I promise to unfailingly share and support your hopes, dreams and goals. When you fall, I will catch you. When you cry, I will comfort you. When you laugh, I will share your joy. Everything I am and everything I have is yours, from this moment forth and for eternity.  I promise to give you my all and I know that I could not ask for more from you. I lay down my life for you, John David, my friend and my love. Today I give you me.

* I cried LIKE A BABY when I read this note to him!!!* 

 

4. March 10, 2008

We spent our first anniversary over a romantic date at Serendipity, followed by a musical Broadway in New York City. You took me around the city and told me stories of places where you “ALMOST” proposed when we traveled to the city two years ago. I think the highlight of the trip was when you scheduled a limo to pick us up to take us back to the airport at 4am! 

3. Mach 10, 2009

We spent our second anniversary falling in love with Dallas! From the amazing restaurants, to all the fun places we visited, and horseback riding through the country, we were smitten. It was quite depressing when we quickly realized a five year Residency at that hospital was NOT the life style we wanted, even though we absolutely loved the city.

We had a lot of fun traveling together across the South and South Eastern states meeting new people and interviewing for Residency, and not to mention, trying to have a baby *wink*

2.  March 10, 2010

We spent our third anniversary on March 10, 2009 sitting in the Doctor’s office as she excitedly announced we were six weeks pregnant! As if this wasn’t present enough, we celebrated our love & new addition on the beaches of Mexico (and we realized the smell of fish + pregnancy was NOT a good situation for my newly pregnant body)

Your vows of “through sickness and health” never rang clearer as you carried me to bed for eight months as I endured the worst pregnancy on Earth. 

1. August 2011 

I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving our 6 month old baby at home so for the first time, we didn’t go away for our fourth anniversary.  You took me to New Orleans for my birthday and with excitement, finally gave me the Journal you had been secretly keeping of things we did every week for the past six months. As if that wasn’t good enough, you set up an email for Khloe so that both of us could send her letters she could read when she got older. I cried. Hard.  Love you!

It was a beautiful dinner filled with lots of laughter, a few tears, and reminiscing on the beautiful nine years we've shared together. I can't imagine a world that didn't have my Dr. John David in it. 

I love you always and forever. Here's to another 50+ year together. Xoxo.


*Edited* I ALMOST forgot to include the amazing dessert!

Beautiful evening!

Football

So. There's this guy I live with, that I totally adore.

He's everything and more I ever hoped to have.

He's a Southern boy with the purest of hearts,

who loves his wife and kid more than most men I know.

He's a man's man,

a "Mr. Fix-it", 

and a wealth of knowledge. 

He's the total package, and I absolutely adore him.

There's just this one thing... 

He has a love affair with FOOTBALL.

I know, right!? ;)

Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 

Kill.me.now.

I can't even imagine him watching that much LMN with me!!

Admittedly, he doesn't get to watch most games, 

and sacrifices watching many just to spend time with us,

BUT those few he does watch seem like an eternity

of confusion and frustration for me! ;) 

So, Superbowl is this Sunday and guess who's going: 

none other than one of the Manning boys. 

(can you see me rolling my eyes?) :)

Being the uuuuuber sweet wife that I am :)
I broke out the craft supplies in honor of the hubby for once!

Happy Crafty Superbowl Baby!

 

 (Even though Ole Miss sucks, Jd's a loyal fan.. I know, I don't get it either!) 

Roll Tide.

HA

Have you seen these things around craft world?
Burlap Football Door Hangers.

Adorable.

In no way do I claim to have the best handwriting, 

but for not having a stencil or pattern,

I thought they turned out pretty cute.

 

Supplies Needed:

Burlap

Paint

Stapler

Plastic bags (for stuffing)

Ribbon

 

The hubs loved them and felt pretty special 

that I made a craft just for him.

He said he still knew I did it mostly for my blog though. HA!

 

Now, I'm kicking myself for not thinking of these as Christmas gifts for all the crazy football fans in our family!! Next year!!

As much as I hate it, I try to watch and limit my complaints to as little as possible, simply because I do love the guy. He's always up for doing fun things with me and Khloe, so if football is his only request, it's the least I could do.  *See, I do love you doll! :)

A Good Daddy

 "Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a Dad."

A good Daddy makes fun character voices when reading books to me. 

A good Daddy poses for five hundred pictures just because Mommy asks him to. 

 

A good Daddy spends 3 hrs assembling a swing just for me.

A good Daddy changes my stinky diapers. Over and over again. 

A good Daddy uses the utmost concentration and concern when performing such scary operations on me. (Clipping two week old nails)

A good Daddy teaches me how important naps are.

A good Daddy holds me close and tells me how much he loves me everyday.

A good Daddy gives me his full attention after a long day of work. 

A good Daddy takes a five minute break at work just to give me sweet kisses. 

 

A good Daddy knows what makes me smile.

A good Daddy doesn't care what he looks like while carrying me around.

 

A good Daddy plays in the floor with me and makes me squeal!

A good Daddy shows me the world and reminds me that I will always be his little girl!

A good Daddy is my Daddy and I love him very much. 

xoxo Khloe Brooke

~Happy {very belated} Father's Day John David~

April catch up!

It has been a crazy busy month and I have been MIA. Let's play catch up!

Around the first of the month, Khloe began to learn how to sit up. She loved practicing against the bumper in her bed. I just happened to have my phone with me and was able to capture her first attempt.

I loaded Khloe in the car at 4:30 in the morning and headed North to see my family. Up to that point, I had never made a 7 hour trip by myself. Mom offered to meet me in Jackson but after getting everything packed into the car, I knew it would be easier to just keep driving rather than unload and RELOAD all the junk we had. I hoped by leaving so early that Khloe would sleep at least most of the way but was still really nervous about it. Thankfully, she did. The trip was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be!

My sisters and I had a much needed "sisterssss bonding time" when we took Koko to the Memphis Zoo.

 

(I know- we look nothing alike. Ask my mom why. ha ha ha, love you mom!)

We couldn't stop talking about how much we loved it there and how many changes they have made since the last time we were there (years ago).

She really loved the ride on Auntie KK's shoulders! (The "K" in Khloe's name came from the "K" in Kelli's name.)

This was my first to see the Pandas. The zoo keepers had just cut a pile of Bamboo and set it out for him to eat when we walked up. It was so neat to watch him use his hands and teeth to clean the bamboo sticks. I could have watched him for hours. So neat.

I think the seal exhibit was so neat. On one side you can see the Polar Bears as they swim and the other side the seals. Khloe loved watching them swim by.

 

Nana & Poppa Tullos drove up to see us Khloe :) We had a great time visiting with them!

Gigi bought Khloe a new toy, that she loved, it really helped her learn to balance herself while sitting.

The next day, I found her sitting up all by herself in her playpen.

Khloe loved her time with Nana Rhonda. I would say this was the only bad thing about going home. My little PRINCESS was under the impression that she should be held 24/7 when we got home! :)

Not to forget Auntie Tooty. Khloe smiles SO big when she calls her "Koko Channel" (Khloe's middle name Brooke is from Melanie Brooke -aka- Tooty)

We upgraded to the bath sitter this month. She loves loves loves this thing.

John David had a week of vacation this month. Usually, we try to go home for 3-4 days and spend time with both families. This time, we decided we wanted to stay at home and avoid all the traveling and just have family time. (First time we've done this since .. ever.)

We spent a day at Bellingrath Gardens, a 65 acre Garden Estate. Mr. Bellingrath first purchased the property as a fishing camp. He was quoted saying, "See what your wife can do to a perfectly good fishing camp!" Good job Mrs. Bellingrath. It's gorgeous!

Their rose garden was voted the best in the world a few years ago!

The next day, we all loaded up and drove to New Orleans to visit the Audobon Aquarium.

The Aquarium was awesome! I had heard mixed reviews on it, but I was happily surprised at how nice it was. I read that after Katrina (where they lost most of their 10,000 fish) the facilities have really improved and they continue to add more species to their exhibits.

They even had a sting ray exhibit where you could pet them! (I was a little too scared. Let's not forget the freakish death of Steve Irwin!)

I tried to get her to sit in the clam so we could get a picture, but the little monkey just wanted to stand!

Cheeeese-y! :)

She was so afraid she would miss something that she waited until the very end to finally fall asleep.

Vacation at home is always so nice, but it seems so rushed because we try to spend time with everyone. It was so nice of his parents to come to our house for a couple days and do some sight seeing and do even more damage of spoiling Khloe! :) Khloe is not a big "cuddler." She never has been. So, when she fell asleep Nana Teresa ate up her hard to come by cuddle time! :)

Later that week, we packed the sun block and swimsuits and headed to the Beach! Instead of stopping at Gulf Shores (on Easter weekend) we drove an extra 15 or 20 minutes into Florida and stopped at Perdido Beach. There was no more than a handful of people there and the weather was incredible. We will definitely go back to that particular beach!

Miss Thang wore an itty bitty pink and blue bikini!

She loved her beach time! She played under the umbrella for at least an hour while Mommy & Daddy soaked up the sun.

Then it was time to celebrate Easter! This was our first time to not be home for Easter and we were sad to miss all our families Easter Dinners, so we felt very loved when some friends from Church, Cliff & Shannon, invited us over for an Easter Lunch! 

Khloe wore a bright yellow polka dot dress that Nana Teresa sent her with a big girls' headband.

Doesn't she look like such a big girl!??

This is the smile that melts your heart, and makes life worth living!

And somewhere between all this, she began crawling. Within a week of learning, this is where I found her: underneath the swing, which she thought was just the funniest thing ever. She couldn't stop giggling.

 

And this: pulling up on anything and everything she can get her hands on.

Click the video below to watch her!

Just when I thought the month was going to slow down and I could get some projects done, I got strep throat. Being sick is no fun, but being sick and still having to take care of your baby makes it seem a million times worse. Those are the times that it makes it so painful to live so far away from home. Thankfully, John David had a slow week and was able to come home early a few days and take care of her (and me).

We had our first dinner party at the new house Saturday night. Although, I have a lot of decorating to do, the house is finally starting to feel like "home." It was a very nice feeling to not have to explain "why" about every inch of the house, like we did in that junk house in Jackson. Knowing that this is where Khloe will spend her first five years makes John David and I smile. This is a great house for her and I know she is going to have some really great memories here. It's going to be fun to move the cars out of the carport and give her a box of chalk and let her go crazy. :) 

May, oh May! It may not be as busy as April was, but it's still going to be a crazy month. Starting today. John David started his month long rotation of night shift: 6pm-6am plus 24 hours every Sunday. Needless to say, I hate night shift. Thankfully, this is the last month that he will ever have this rotation. My baby sister is graduating next Saturday! (Can't believe it!!) Which means, this week I have to plan/pack to go home again. Who knew a little trip home could be so much work! Two days after I get home from Memphis is my hubby's bday!! I'm still working on a plan for the big 2-7 celebration. It's on a Tuesday, and he has to be at work at 6pm and he won't wake up until probably 2pm (which is ARONIOUS* hunny), so it will be a brief celebration. I think everyone would agree that you should have a paid day off on their birthday, right?!

June we have Tooty's wedding showers and then July is her ROYAL wedding. August will be my 25th Birthday, and then begin to plan for Khloe's ROYAL birthday party in October. And before you know it, it's time for the Holidays. I'm exhausted. LOL! 

The infamous couch makeover is coming up THIS week. I know you haven't forgotten the BEFORE picture I showed you about a month ago! Get ready for a "Blow your mind" transformation from this piece of junk!!

So, now you can all stop sending me "hate" emails and comments about not updating. I am a busy person. :)- And for those of you stalkers who never miss a post, you better be a "follower"! We're up to 10. You can ask my husband.. Every time my number of followers goes up, I squeeeel! So please, make my day and click to follow me if you already haven't!

Love you guys!