Baby Chancellor is on the way!

So my brother-in-law Jonathan and his new bride Laura are expecting a baby.  Well, they were very much surprised and far from expecting to be expecting so soon after their wedding, but God has plans for us and that includes creating life when He thinks is best.

I am so incredibly crazy for Laura that I forget sometimes I haven't known her forever.  I have watched Jonathan grow up and if he had ever asked me to pick the perfect person for his other half, I hope I would have been wise enough to pick Laura for him myself.  They are the yin to each other's yang.  Together they truly make a whole. 

That being said, we were all gathered on Saturday evening to find out the gender of their upcoming arrival.  Everyone was so excited, but first we had to have some goodies:

There were so many people there.  The room was filled with love for this happy young couple as they embark on parenthood.

My father-in-law Bob showing off some fancy footwear!

Jonathan's (L) and Laura's (R) maternal grandmothers.  It looks like they are swapping "war stories"!

In the middle are the Chancellors -- Jonathan's Dad and family

I had to make the photo rounds by getting some photo love from the Chancellor/Morris bunch. 

At last we had been made to wait long enough.  What is the gender of that baby?  Well, look for yourself:

It's a boy!  I am so excited, too, because now this new Baby Chancellor and new Baby Morris will be cousins and they will be so close in age.  Keep in touch with the blog because I see lots of stories of these boys getting into and out of trouble together over the years.

Once again, congratulations Jonathan and Laura.  I love you both!

Tales of Traveling...Sunday Social

I'm trying to allow some of you the chance to get to know me better.  You know, maybe you'll become loyal readers and I won't always feel like I'm typing into blank cyberspace...so I have caught wind of a new blogger Neely who writes at A Complete Waste of Makeup.  I'm still getting to know her but so far I really like what I read!  And each Sunday she does a Sunday Social linkup party.  There are still 4+ hours left on today's Sunday, so I thought, "Why not?"

Neely (and all of you, I am sure) wants to know the following about all of us.  So, with no further ado, here goes nothing.

Best trip you've ever been on?

This is a hard one to answer.  Bobby and I took a honeymoon cruise about which we still, almost 9 years later, discuss memories.  We sailed on the Carnival Holiday out of New Orleans. But before the grand "Bon voyage," we were able to spend the night in New Orleans where I drug him on a walking ghost tour -- which he enjoyed -- and later we just strolled along the French Quarter happily married. 

While at sea we had so much fun.  Back then we thought the world was our oyster.  We had no worries about money, child-rearing, reconstruction, etc.  Being on a cruise is a great type of travel, too.  I have never stayed at an all-inclusive resort i.e. Sandals so I have no comparison, but to me cruising makes you feel like something pretty special!  I really want to cruise again someday, but now we have 2 (almost 3) children to think about.  Money saved is spent on family vacations, college savings, bills, etc.  I just don't know when we will be able to pick up and leave reality for that long anytime in the near future.

Then again, my other best trip I've ever been on is my college graduation trip to Italy.  My mom and step-dad took me to a tour of Rome, Venice, Florence,  and Pompeii in the spring of 2000.  Now 12 years later I realize that was truly, literally a once-in-a-lifetime trip.  I cherish pictures and film images from Italy knowing that I have actually been there once.

Best idea for a girls weekend trip?

There are so many obvious choices here.  I would love to have a girls' weekend at the beach sometime in the near future.  On this trip there would be no kids, no sandcastle building, no husbands, and no cell phones.  Just a handful of girls some wine, great easy reading and SPF.

Another great idea (albeit a little more planning required) would be a trip to New York City.  During the Holidays.  It would be somewhat Sex In The City meets Eloise at the Plaza.  I have been to NYC before, but to go with a group of girlfriends would be a dream.

Best idea for a couple's trip?

I mentioned above that I love cruising.  But every time I bring this up to someone who has been to an actual all-inclusive, (s)he trumps me and says all inclusives are better.  So I'm gonna say I would love to have a few couples join us for a few days at a Sandals, etc.  But only if we could just chillax.  Like Couples' Retreat minus the therapy and TMI yoga sessions.

Place you most want to visit?

Hands down, I want to go to Hawaii.  It's here in the US, it's supposedly beautiful, and I just have to go there sometime in my lifetime.

Vacation Necessities?

I have some quirks here.  Those who know me know my biggest secret: I sleep in a sleep mask every night!  I cannot sleep without it.  It started when Bobby and I first began cohabitation.  He liked to sleep with the TV on and I did not.  Over the years I have gotten him to turn down the volume and now set a sleep timer so it goes off.  But I got so used to sleeping with the mask that now it's a security thing and I feel vulnerable without it.

I also like to travel with a good book, my camera, and waaay too many outfits.  I can't just bring one outfit per day; I literally like to have choices and set up a mini-closet.

Well, that's it for tonight.  I hope happiness and safe travels follow you wherever your path may lead.

Mayhem, Madness, and Morris Baby #3...

So I may have mentioned a few times that Morris Baby #3 is on his way.  Like soon.  As in 6 weeks or less.  Needless to say, this momma of two (soon to be three) is starting to stress out.  It has been complete mayhem at Morris Manor lately.

For starters, we are tightly packed into a three-bedroom house.  We looked at moving, but we really want to stay in this area/school district, and there is really nothing that completely suits our needs right now.  We live a modest life; the only houses available in our area are either new construction in aggressively over-priced developments or older houses that offer nothing more than a new address.  So we took that as a sign that it's not the right time to move.  Hmm...what to do? 

We are about to start a reconstruction project on our house.  Watch the blog for some before-and-after shots soon, but in a nutshell I can tell you that our house came with a dining room randomly placed off the foyer and connected to nothing else.  Over the years we set it up for dining and used it 2x a year, maximum.  Then it evolved into a playroom that rarely, if ever, had room to walk around.  The kids are like tornadoes in there, I swear!  Did I mention it's in the foyer?  So every time someone visits, that Little Tykes / Fisher Price warehouse is the first thing seen.  Now we have decided to close it in and turn it into Caroline's bedroom, freeing her current bedroom / nursery up for Baby Will. 

As if that's not enough, we have decided that in order to keep our house market-current for the future when we do decide to sell, we need to replace our carpets in the bedrooms.  I met with a woman who measured and priced the job.  I am satisfied after shopping the big-box stores and another carpet warehouse that she'll offer the best price.  But she started going over a checklist of what to do before the installers come.  Have you ever replaced carpet in an established home?  You practically have to move out!  Let's not forget that I'm eight months pregnant, so I only have so much energy and strength left.  Yet I'm pretty Type-A when it comes to projects like this.  So now I'm morphing into the girl standing around bossing everyone else.

You would think that a sheet rocking/framing job and new carpet are enough to keep us busy; not so fast.  My dear, sweet husband (who cannot say "no" to anyone but me) has just been asked to help coach a little-league football team.  Practice starts Monday.  I'm leaving on Sunday to go out of town with my mom for three nights to help her work a book conference.  And construction starts Tuesday.  Fun times!  Stress free, for sure (yeah, right!)

Did I mention that with my first pregnancy I had severe hypertension and toxemia?  I am always worried my blood pressure will start shooting up.  I was okay while pregnant with Caroline, but I have enough tension in my veins right now to climb out of my skin!

For those of you reading (and you know who you are) close enough to help, please feel free to JSU -- just show up.  Over the course of the next 6 weeks there will always be something around here to be done. 

Buckle up, peeps...we're in for a bumpy landing!

Ahoy, Matey!

I mentioned yesterday that while we were in Miramar Beach / Destin, FL we took the kids on a pirate ship cruise.  Hmm...what to say?  The kids loved it.  The grown-ups realized it was not all it's cracked up to be.  Anyway, it was quite the experience, that's for sure...

Rob, ready to board the ship

 Above and below: Rob and Whit before and after setting sail

There were 3 "pirates" on board.  Captain Cameron (not pictured) First Mate Tony (above) and Blackbeard (below).

Shortly after setting sail, we found a treasure chest!  Blackbeard ran ashore and retrieved it for the kids. 

Caroline was super excited about her gold dubloons!

What do you do when it's hot?  You pass out water guns and initiate a gun-slinging squirt fight, of course!  That was next on the agenda:

After a 2-hour trip around Destin Harbor, we were back on dry land, scurvy-free!  All in all I would recommend this trip only to the pirate enthusiasts or young at heart.  It was not terribly exciting, but the kids did have a nice time.

Beachin' It, Baby!

Last week, the Morris family spent a week at the beach in NW Florida.  We stayed at SanDestin Beach and Golf Resort, which I learned is actually in Miramar Beach, FL, not Destin, FL. 

In what promised to be an unfortunate coincidence, Tropical Storm Debby was also headed to the NW Florida shoreline.  In fact, as we pulled out and started driving south, I was getting so worried about the weather I could hardly concentrate.  But within 48 hours, it was clear that Debby's course would change for our benefit.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Sunday afternoon just across the FL state line 2. crossing the Choctawhatchee Mid-Bay bridge 3. Waking up Monday morning to a promising sky 4. Dinner Monday night...the hint of a rainbow is a promise of better weather ahead!

The week started off with a little work business to attend.  Mom and I had to expo at a writing conference. My pregnant BF Lorie rode down with me.  Her husband helped the two of us get set up until Mom could join us from yet another conference that started off her week.  Here's how our 3 tables looked:

On Tuesday Bobby and the kids made it down.  By Tuesday night, we were a party of eight: Mom, Lorie, Shane and their daughter Whitney, Bobby, me, and our 2 kids. 

Although we were working, we had our afternoons free...and that led us to discover something we had never personally realized before: the beach in the afternoons is prime time for play.  Normally we head out all day then rush back to shower and get ready for evening activities.  But when you take away your timed schedules, there is a real opportunity for evening seashore enjoyment.  Don't believe me?  Take Caroline and Whitney's word for it:

Overall it was a great trip.  Our kids all played so well together.  In fact, I really don't believe a vacation of this nature would be possible if not for the seamless blending of families. 

Whitney and Rob, same age minus 3 months.

Friday was a beach-free day.  We spent the morning at the pool and that afternoon the mommies and Nona took the kids on a pirate ship while the Daddies played golf.  I will do a separate post about it later this week, but it was so much fun!  Like I said, that morning was just a pool day, and as an added bonus my dad, Papa Joe, came in town too! Dad's sister lives just a quick 20 minutes from where we were and Dad was off the road for a little break.  So it worked out that he got to see his sister and his daughter/grandkids all in one day.  Swimming with Papa Joe was fun!

The worst part about beach vacations is how quickly they seem to end.  Yet, as always, I know we will return soon.  Here are way too many a few shots from the week of fun:

Aren't naps on the beach the greatest?

Happy Fourth of July!  Today is one of those days where we are going to relax and enjoy the independence given to us by Independence Day!  I hope your day is just as good!