More stolen pictures from Emme's big day!!

I have to publish these precious pics (again sniped from Mom's camera) that give us all a bigger glimpse into Brandy's birthday AND Emme's birth day!!


My brother is such a sweet husband! He made B a jello cake because he knew she would be only able to have clear liquids today!! Isn't that the coolest thing ever??!! I was SERIOUSLY impressed and from what I heard B was too!

Here is the big brother giving his sister the gift he picked out while shopping with Nonna and Poppa!! SO CUTE!!!

Love this pic too!! :)

OMG! SO SWEET!! I can't wait to see this IRL!! :)

Andy's Day with Nonna!

I'm a lucky girl and was privy to stealing pictures from Mom's camera documenting her day with Andy while his baby sister was entering the world!! They spent the day outside and in the garden!!! ANYONE KNOWING NONNA SURPRISED BY THIS??? Check out the adorable pictures she captured of the big brother in his adventurous day with Nonna!!

What??

Making privet roses! Remember doing this Jake??

Helping with the pepper harvest!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent a quiet Thanksgiving with only 4 this year. Jeff, Brandy, Andy & Emme got discharged from the hospital today and will have Mi-mi (Brandy's Mom) helping them out for the first week or so. We missed having the whole family together! It is nice to have the reason being our family is expanding again! :)

Mom & Dad graciously came out to help Matt and I on the critical pathway to the Christmas party! I am throwing my first annual Christmas shindig for my staff at the hospital! I hope we can get some big things done because the party is in two short weeks!! ACK!!!!

Wish us luck!!! I'll keep you all posted! :)

Here is a shot of the Thanksgiving table...


This year I am so thankful for my health, my husband, my loving family, the newest little one to enter the McCoy world, my ADORABLE nephew who constantly makes me smile, my job, my wonderful friends both near and far, and the fabulous moments happening daily that make life worth living!! :) It's all about the little things! :) HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

Sending much love from Houston!! What are YOU most thankful for??

Brought to tears...

I have been a ball of emotion today FULL of excitement that my little niece has come into the world safely...praying for scores of angels to watch over Brandy and the baby on the way...HAPPY that our small family is being blessed with growth again...sad that I am not in the middle of the action where I am most comfortable and happy...I have had a "grip" all day...with only a few tears when hearing the "She's here" news. Overall--very proud of myself for keeping it together.

BUT (you all felt that "But" coming, didn't you?) when I saw the pictures below a few moments ago--> I became a hot mess! I am SO smitten with my Andy! When I see his little face looking at and holding his new sister--it just melts me from the inside! It is one of those "thinking about life" moments! It brings a flood of memories of how lucky I am to have the best little brother in the world! Our relationship has always been super close...our family has been through many trials & tribulations coming out of each with all of us even closer. I pray that Andy & Emme can be as close as Jeff and I have been! I can hardly wait to watch them grow up! I wish for them many days of making mudpies...playing Mardi Gras...jumping on tractor tires...playing in sand boxes...playing house...playing with trucks/cars AND dolls...watching cartoons together...waking up for Santa together...riding bikes...getting dirty...splashing in the hose...water balloon fights...and yes, even the fights! Godspeed little ones...

I'm SO happy for my little bro and sis-in-law! They are so deserving of these two beautiful children! I'm so happy to be an Auntie again! I can only hope to do as great of a job as my Aunt Harriett! (Maybe she'll send me guidance)

Here come the adorable pics that caused you all to have to "listen" to my emotional flood! Thanks for coming along on my bloggy journey!

Little Mary Elizabeth is here!! :)

I'm so happy to announce that my little niece was born today around 12:50ish as best I have been told!! Her name is Mary Elizabeth! Her nickname will be her initials spelled LONG (or actually spelled backwards then forwards again *heehee*)--> Emme! She weighed 7# 14oz. & is 18.75 inches long! They "say" she has red hair but the picture I have seen doesn't look very red to me??? Maybe its auburn or maybe they have all gone color blind??? I'll post the facts when I see more evidence :) I'm praying that whatever color it is---> she hopefully inherited her Mama's beautiful curls!! :)

Poppa X was there representing all of the absent McCoys and calling out the updates to the girls while Nonna spent the morning and afternoon with Andy!!!! Brandy did great and is out of recovery in her room with the precious bundle of joy! Jeff is the proud Daddy handling everything else!! :)

I am SO sad to be in Houston now but SO HAPPY both mother and daughter (who now share a birthday) are doing well!!! I have been getting frequent updates from the homefront and a peek at some beautiful pictures of our newest family member!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDY!!!! I'm SO HAPPY you and little Emme are safe!! What a great birthday present--> a bouncing baby girl!! CONGRATS TO YOU, JEFF & ANDY!!!

Andy has already gotten to hold his little sis!! Nonna & Poppa say he was really sweet saying "my sister." I hope there are many pictures of that moment for us all to see SOON!!

YAY!!!!!!!! I'm sooooooooooooooooo excited to be an Auntie AGAIN!! :) Enjoy the pictures I sniped from Jeff's blog below:

Northwest Houston Heart Walk!

We started the morning bright and early with the American Heart Association's Heart Walk! Our GREEN BEAN team had lots of fun walking and chatting together! The weather was perfect! I was just wishing for shorts by the end! :) Now I think its time for a quick nap! *heehee*

THEN--> ON to the dreaded critical pathway!! *LOL* Someone be sure to ask my husband if he still loves me after this Christmas party is done!! Yeah....seriously! :)

Part of the Green Bean Team before the walk starts!
On the way to the starting line!

The Kaminskis are in the house!
Fun along the route!
Hot yet??

Stop! Strike a pose! ;)

Bike Houston's 37th Moonlight Ramble

Happy Belated Halloween Everyone!!! We spent the day preparing for our early morning ride through downtown Houston for some Moonlight Madness!!! :) It was quite chilly at 47 degrees but there were around 1300 other whacky folks that participated in what was termed "a rolling party!"

As my "voyage" organized "open route" ride [which really means "pray-for-your-life-because-drivers-don't-like-cyclists"], I entered the evening with a few nerves! Thanks to all of my cycling angels above....M & I had a safe and superfun ride! It was a short one at 10 miles but energizing in every way! :)

I just have to share a few things I learned last night:
1. Houston Police are SERIOUS about biking rules of the road. NO FUNNY BUSINESS!
2. You MUST give loose gravel and sand on the road proper RESPECT! :)
3. Someone shouting "CAR BACK" means MOVE OVER DUMMY!!!
4. Biker shorts were invented for a reason!
5. I have a new appreciation for an open route especially when involving possibly drunk Halloween party-goers & confused drivers as to why there are ?*##!!^**"?! bicyclists riding in the middle of the night! LIGHT YOURSELF AND YOUR BIKE PEOPLE!! Seriously--why would anyone question the need for that?????!!

I'm hoping to get a gang of friends to participate in this event next year! SO ANYONE interested---> let me know! Remember--> a ROLLING party!! WOOHOO!!



A blurry view of our position at the starting line...I think we were in the 7th wave to start! (Remember my night photo skills leave a lot to be desired!)



AT the finish line!! WOOT!! (My self portrait skills need some work as well! heehee)