Farris family blog: Back to Dallas

So I might of mentioned originally they called and told us our assignment would be in Midland, but then four days later our booking agency for our apartments told us we were headed back to Dallas. I felt like the Lord just put us there because He knew we needed it. So many things were so wonderful about being back in Dallas. First off, we left all of our stuff here in Dallas, including my car so that was so easy to just go and get from Bret's parents house. Secondly, I was still pretty sick so to have Bret's family close was a huge blessing. Lastly, Dallas feels more like back at home because it is in Texas and close to everyone and this past month has been such a blessing for us to be back here. Plus, it was our first two month assignment!! YAY! What a blessing to stay somewhere for two months!

Bret's mom had taken the boys to the lake while we finished up in Arizona, so we were so glad to see them when we got back here that Sunday night. Another perk of being here is how much our boys LOVE the lake. Especially Carter. He asks to go all the time. Like Father, like son:) Pops will let Carter drive the boat now and he adores driving the boat. He also loves swimming in his life jacket on the lake, driving the golf cart, and fishing! He also went on his first toobing experience this past month with daddy too! Our boys love the lake, and Grams and Pops go often so that is a blessing! Also, this month Troy and Holly had an unexpected visit into town and so we got to hang out at the lake with them and see them as well. They live up in Virginia so it is always a perk to get to see Uncle Troy and Aunt Holly. Aunt Pat also got the boys a little pool they love to swim in that Grams and Pops keep in their front yard, and then the boys take a break to swing on the hammock and eat some popsicles:)

The week we got back was also the week of July 4th. For Christmas my mom had surprised us with a trip for the whole family to go back to New Braunfels where we had grown up going. I was on the fence for weeks back and forth because of wanting to go so badly and being so extremely tired and sick. In the end I decided to load up the boys and take them(sad Daddy couldn't come with us). And man am I so glad that I did. We had a blast. We got there on Wednesday afternoon the 3rd and left Saturday morning. The boys and I had so much fun! The first morning they woke up and went fishing with my mom on the river! It made me so happy how much Carter LOVED the river! That same day we also took the boys to Schlitterbahn which was a blast! Carter was a little maniac on all the slides and fun stuff they had for kids. It was actually one of the most enjoyable trips I have ever had to Schlitterbahn because we just stayed by all the kids stuff, did the lazy river and did not have to wait in any lines! The boys had so much fun and they also loved the alligators and riding on them in the lazy river and saying "chomp, chomp" as they were riding. Tucker took a nap by the river and the boys played by the river the rest of the afternoon. Each evening we would cook out by the river which was so fun and the boys could just play and run around. The next day we went floating down the Comal river. Carter absolutely loved the shoot, the rapids, and went multiple times on all of them with my sister Angie. Tucker actually slept on me the whole two hours down the river. He just loves to take naps on anyone or anywhere when he is tired. The boys loved to jump in while people were playing washers, or catch, or any game where they think they can play it too. Thankfully all the families there with us let the boys jump in whenever as well. The boys loved playing in their toobs just jumping in them on the water and Carter made some friends with everyone on the river shooting them with his water guns:) Friday night I took the boys up to camp where Bret and I used to work and they ran around in the gym and played. It was fun to be up there during the summer. I can't wait for the day our boys can walk through the gates at camp. The next morning we decided to pack up and leave even though my family wasn't leaving till Sunday, but Sunday is Bret's only day off and we really missed him. On our way home we stopped by Camp Travis to see the camp on the lake(where we also worked) and say hey to friends. The boys made instant friends with camp kids and of course didn't want to leave but they were also wiped out. Tucker I think took three naps on the way home. They had played so hard. It was such a blast and I was so grateful to spend the week with my mom and sisters who were so much help with the boys. Such great memories made.

The next week we spent just moving back in and LOVING our new apartment! It is by far the nicest one we have had yet. Just very updated and very awesome pools, and running trails right beside it. Our friends that we were with in Las Colinas were still here as well so it was fun to get to catch up with them again and see them as well. We took all the boys to the Sea Life Aquarium at the mall one day which they all loved! Both the boys are obsessed with the pool, so we are there almost everyday. A BIG HUGE highlight from this month was Carter teaching himself how to swim. That boy never ceases to amaze me. One day he just decided he was done with his floaties and took them off and swam across the pool. It was awesome. It still is so awesome and I am so incredibly proud of him. We just got him some new goggles last week and he still has a lot to learn, but he is so very determined and fearless. Tucker loves jumping off the side of the pool to you and he acts like he can swim as well, kicking and moving his arms as fast as he possibly can. I am so grateful for a pool so close to our apartment and how much our boys love to swim. We also love to ride bikes and scooters outside as well. We didn't get to bring our stuff to Arizona so I am so grateful to have it all back here as well for the boys, as well as Tucker's crib and having him feel at home in his bed again. The boys are sharing a room again, but it has been so great and easy with that as Carter will just walk out quietly in the morning and won't wake Tucker up. I do have them nap in separate rooms, but that works out great as well.

In the middle of July I had my 12 week check up for this sweet baby and so I took the boys with me to Houston for a few days. The check up went great. This baby's heartbeat has been 180 this last time and 167 the time before. We still think it is a girl so the higher heartbeat has helped confirming our guesses. (even though I am pretty sure the heartbeat means nothing)We stayed with my mom two of the nights we were here this time and one night with our friend Amy. It was so much fun and worked out great to get to see everyone. The boys played in the rain at my mom's house and of course she gave them their baths and drowned them in powder afterwards. Carter slept in one room with my sister Angie who came to visit and Tucker and I in the other. Wednesday we hung out with the Coldwell's all day which was a lot of fun because my kids adore their kiddos and miss them a lot since we have left. Plus, it is always fun when I get to see Amy and hang out with her all day. We ate dinner over there that evening and we stayed there for the night. That worked out great because we took the kids to the pool the next day which we have missed so much with them. The Coldwell's were our pool buddies during the summer, so we have missed the pool with them every week. We also got to see our friends the Beakley's while we were there. We went and hung out at their house which was so fun for all of us as well too. Thursday night we went to Hubble and Hudson with my mom and sister and then stayed back at my mom's that evening. We sure do miss getting to see my family so often. The next day we went and hung out at Amy's for the morning and then headed home to get back to daddy:) It is always hard to say bye to family and friends there, but we miss Bret so much when we are away from him.

We started going to the Village church this month here in Flower Mound and have been loving it. It has been one of the hardest parts of moving so many times in four months(finding a church), but we have blessed to be able to have such an incredible church so close to our house. The next weekend Bret took a Saturday off(yay!) and we left the boys here with Bret's parents and we headed to Austin. One of our camp friends was getting married at camp Travis and so we headed to the wedding. I am so glad we were able to go. Not only was it a beautiful wedding, but we got to see so many people we love and miss from camp AND get a night away in Austin which was much needed. We stayed at the courtyard marriot near downtown and then woke up Sunday morning and went to our favorite restaurant in Austin called Kerbey Lane. That afternoon we got back to Dallas and went up to Bret's store to clean some mold out of the kitchen. Not the most glamorous thing to do, but I love getting to work with my husband and it was fun to be able to help out for a change. One night is always perfect for me for time away from the boys, because it is refreshing, but I always miss them after one night. So I was so glad to see them home the next night even though they were wiped from playing so hard(and having so much fun) at the lake.

These last few weeks we have been hanging out with Ashley and her boys going to play at Bret's store and then swimming at our house which was has been a blast. We also have gotten to see fun friends that have come in town and go to dinner with them. Last week, Amy came in with her two youngest and we had so much fun with them. It was fun to have them come stay with us and get to host them because they do it for us so often. We swam a few times, played at Bret's work and Amy and I even had a girls night out while Bret stayed home with the boys. Always hard to see them go, but grateful to have our best friends only three hours away.

These past few months our boys have grown and are changing like crazy. Hopefully now that I am caught up I won't have to do month long updates all the time. Tucker is a mess. More than ever. He is just a constant mess literally. He loves to eat and is such a messy eater. He loves to throw everything in the toilet....still, still plays in the trash, and he still puts every.single.thing in his mouth. However, as much as he is a mess he is also the sweetest little boy at the same time. He will always cuddle up on you when he is tired and fall asleep, he gives the best kisses and hugs, and has so much life and personality in him. He talks SO much. Bret and I are always talking about all the new things he says everyday. He says phrases like "that way" or "good job" or Juice please" He still loves doing his sign language and he will even say "show", "remote", "drive", "pool", "water","boo-boo", "watch", "Carter", "chip", now or "manny" as in Handy Manny. Ha. He is quite the little pill and can def. be quite a handful at times. But he is adorable, I will give him that hands down. He also loves to read books right now and has learned so many words from reading his first words book or brown bear. He loves to say "sheep" and loves sheeps and to say "moo". He also loves cats, dogs, bears, balloons, babies, boats, boots, shoes, lights, teacher and children and can say all those words too. He also can tell you all his major body parts and say most of them as well like the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, belly, arms, hands, feet and leg. He finally gives closed mouth kisses now too:) I love watching him learn and grow so much. He is just like a little sponge soaking it all up. He loves to brush his teeth and will constantly go get his toothbrush and say "teet" He loves to roar like a dinosaur with his brother and play with the "choo, choo's and cars as he calls them. He wants to be just like Carter and sits by him wherever he is sitting and just loves to be right by him(I love that)

Carter man is growing up way too fast. He has a routine that he has everyday and he can pretty much stick to that everyday and be totally content. He will always ask you right when he wakes up in the morning to "turn on the light" so he can go potty and then directly after for chocolate milk. He loves chocolate milk but only gets it in the morning. He is not much of a breakfast person these days, but he loves raisin toast or green cereal right now(which is apple cinnamon cheerios), He will always ask to go to the pool or watch a show right when he wakes up. For lunch he usually always wants a peanut butter and jelly, goldfish and an apple. Some days you can sway him with grilled cheese or macaroni or soup from Daddy's work, but like I said he is consistent. He always wants to watch a show before or after nap time. Currently his favorite shows are OSO, Handy Manny, Veggietales or boats. he still likes fireman Sam, or thomas, or Mighty machines from time to time as well. He still is very much "Fireman Super Carter". He loves to still put out fires and play with his cars and pretend he can fly. I am glad he loves to play outside so much and swim because he could very easily just watch tv all day or play on his computer game. He usually still asks to take a bath every night. He has loved and still loves taking baths since he came out of the womb. He loves just wearing his underwear. It is so hard to keep clothes on that boy. He really just doesn't like clothes.at.all. I will dress him in the morning and by lunch he will be right back down to his underwear. He is still so very social introducing himself wherever we go and his brother and us as well. He is such an extrovert most of the time. He just loves to play and loves to be around people and I just really love that about him. He still will pray at dinner and I love listening to the things he wants to pray about in the evenings whether it be the pool, or family or new friends he has made. He is very much my silly boy and I tell him that a lot. And he will say "I know I am silly mom". He still will come cuddle up our laps, and he will just look at you and say "I love you so much Mom and Dad.(which is new too, we are no longer mommy and daddy, just mom and dad. These past few months when I haven't been feeling well he will just come up and rub my head and say"Are you doing ok mom". He is just the sweetest. I do adore him so very much.