Milestones: Tasha turns 30!

After the shower, we all headed over to the Ward hacienda for the big 3-0 bday party! Once again, I was completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of my friends. The guys had already been there having beers with the Daddy-to-be and getting the food ready for the party. When I arrived, I had the biggest surprise ever...my best friend Theo had flown in from New Jersey to surprise me! This time, I did cry. I could not believe he was there. Wes didn't even know he was coming. It was one of the best presents ever!

It was such a fun party. Stacie and her beau, Aaron were in from D.C. and it was good to see them. So many of my dear friends that I had not seen in ages attended and that meant so much to me. Mom and Dad were there helping to cook and give house tours. Bub made his yummy dip and he and Serena gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure (wonderful gift for a 36 week pregnant woman!). Liz and Greg stopped by and gave me the most beautiful earrings. I felt so blessed and loved and lucky to have so many wonderful friends in my life. It was an amazing birthday and I was so glad to share it with so many people I love.

Enjoying the sunshine.

My other "brother" Derek.


Dad keeping an eye on the grill while superhubby is cooking up some grub.


GrillMaster Flash.


T-N-T: Me with my real lil bro, Tony.

"What's that you said Violet? You love Uncle Theo?"

After a long day, Dad and Mom at 36 weeks!

After the guests had left, Theo stayed and we got to visit, which was awesome since we rarely get to see him. (I still cannot believe he was here!) Then, after Theo left, Wes had a birthday surprise for me! First, there was a birthday card from each of our three furry kids (Macy, Roscoe, and Miles) and then a great card from Wes. And then...the big surprise...The Michael Jackson Cd's I had been wanting and Ratatouille!! I was thrilled. It was the best birthday ever. Thank you all for making my 30th so memorable.

Social Events: North Little Rock Shower

My wonderful friends Laura, Cecilia and Carrie and my fantastic sister-in-law Serena, gave me the best shower on August 15th (which just so happen to be my 30th birthday which started out great when my hubby gave me gorgeous flowers!). I was overwhelmed by the number of special friends that attended. I felt so blessed, but promised I was not going to cry. Violet was "showered" with such wonderful gifts, including her first pair of cowgirl boots from her Grammie, a wonderful crocheted blanket that Carrie made, an awesome wooden rocker/bouncer chair, a DJ master flash walker and many more special and helpful things. Plus, the ladies each made a scrapbook page for Violet's baby book. They are great and so meaningful! And an added bonus: the food was yummy, especially Laura's pineapple upside-down cake!

SuLauren, me and Jennifer

Susan and Mischelyn, part of my NWA gals!


My dear friend Chrissy and her little man, Chase.


The hostesses with the mostesses: Sis Serena, Cecilia, Momma-to-be, Carrie and Laura.


Three generations of Henderson women in this picture (Me, Mom and Violet). When Violet is born, she will be part of five generations. (Great-great grandma Corrine, Great-Grandma Nancy, Grammie, Mommy, and Violet)


It's a surprise!


Big Momma, Mom, Case and Helen

A wonderful birthday plate from Mr. Case.

It was such a beautiful and special event. Wes and I were so honored and touched by the outpouring from our wonderful friends. We love you all and cannot wait for all of you to be part of Violet's life.

Redecorating Tips for a Nursery: Welcome to the Jungle

We finally got the chance to put together Violet's room. Wes was such a trooper. He stayed up super late putting together the changing table, bed and hanging the curtains.He even installed a new fan! He is the greatest! My job was to organize all of the wonderful things we have been blessed with for Violet. Here are some pictures of the room, but like most things, it is better in person!

This is the hope chest that Mimi gave me that my Dad refinished. It turned out so beautiful and means so much to me that Violet will get to enjoy it for years. Also, Mom painted the animals on a hatbox given to us by our late dear friend, Miss Martha.

Animal Fun!


This is one of the original windows from our home (we just replaced them). Mom (Grammie) painted the picture behind it. I love the heart felt touches in Violet's room.


Dad refinished this chair for us. It took awhile, but the finished product is so beautiful. Mom had the cushions recovered to go with the theme. I love them so much for all they did to help make Violet's room magical.


Hopefully, an occasional nap will happen here.


This is where she will be getting clean! Miles loves this spot.


Welcome to the jungle. Wes picked out the fan and the bamboo curtain rods. It was so wonderful to have people who love her so much involved in the making of her room. It is definitely a relaxing, love filled area.

Also, her rug is super soft. I enjoy doing my yoga on it, in my daughter's new relaxation haven. We feel so blessed to be able to bring Violet home to such a space.

Social Events: Bar Ladies Lunch Shower

Anna, Me, Barb and Joyce

The ladies from my old job at the Bar Association wanted to have a lunch shower with mom and I since they could not make the Little Rock shower. It was wonderful! I was so glad to see and get to visit with them. They are such special friends and I miss getting to visit with them more!

Milestones: One year Anniversary!

We cannot believe how the past year has flown by. Our first anniversary was last weekend. We needed rest badly, so we went up to the WinRock Institute on Petit Jean Mountain and rented a house for the weekend. IT WAS AWESOME! We got to completely relax and do things like read books and watch TV (we are not big TV watchers). We had a wonderful meal at the River Rock Grille and finished with some "champagne" (Sprite Zero). But, we are movers and shakers, so after a day of relaxation, we had to go on an adventure. So, after we packed up on Sunday, we went to hike down to the waterfall at Petit Jean. The waterfall is so beautiful and the hike was worth it.
Ok...here I am at 34 weeks.The tank top is NOT the most flattering, but it was 93 degrees outside.

34 weeks and counting!

Here is Wes "relaxing".

Getting ready for daddy duty!

It was a wonderful year and wonderful anniversary. We are looking so much forward to our future as a couple and as a family. We feel so lucky to have each other and we cannot wait to meet our little Violet. I could not have found a better man than my Wes. Not only is he the best, most supportive husband, he is going to be the best dad.

Social Events: Edgemont Shower with Family and Friends

The next weekend, Mom and Dad and all of my aunts and uncles hosted a party (ok, technically it was a shower) in Edgemont at the Henderson Hacienda. It was a blast. Besides my wonderful family in attendance, Wes' bud Jon, Vanessa, Wade and Laura, Jon's folks, and Chuck and Helen made the track up for the party. Plus, some of our family's closest friends were there as well.

Hallie and Case

Dad went all out for the party. He had smoked a ham, made quesadillas and the outdoor party area looked amazing! He and Wes' homemade brew was quickly consumed and everyone seemed to have a nice, relaxing time.

We felt so blessed with the outpouring of gifts for Violet. It was such a wonderful day. Dad had refinished a glider rocker we had and Mom had slipcovers made for it and it was absolutely amazing. Plus, the big surprise was they got our crib! The most moving part of the day was before the party when my aunt gave me a card that my Mimi had picked out before she died. Even though her communication had dwindled, she wanted to make sure Violet got the same treatment as the other three great-grandkids did (oh yeah, I am the oldest by 4 years but the last to get married and have a baby, go figure). I cried. I miss her so much, but it felt like she was there that day.

Wes on standby for gifts.

What could this be?

Picture that inspired me to cut my hair off the next week.

After the party, Laura and Wade hung out with us for awhile and it was nice to relax and visit with them. They are such great friends, pretty much family(they kind of introduced us) and we miss seeing them as often as we once did. It was a wonderful ending to a great event.

Thanks to all who helped and attended. We love you!!!

Social Events: Hot Springs Shower and Carrie's Party

After Mom and I returned from St. Paul, Wes and I hit the ground running. That weekend we had a family shower at his folks in Hot Springs followed by my friend Carrie's 30th Birthday Bash. The shower was nice and it was good to see everyone including his niece, Emma, and nephew, Hunter. They are both 2. Hunter lives in Mississippi and we had not seen him since Christmas. He had grown like a weed and is all boy (which is so much fun!). We saw Emma at her 2nd birthday and she is also growing up so fast. It is amazing how time flies! We know we will blink and Violet will be in college. Haha. We were blessed with some wonderful gifts. Wes folks had already given us a changing table and then we got the Diaper Genie (which will be very useful with three pets and stinky diapers).

After family dinner, we headed to Benton for Carrie's Big 30th. Carrie's party was a fun luau. It had been awhile since I saw the Girls' Night gang and it was great to see and catch up with everyone. They are such a great group of gals to have as friends. Cecilia always goes the extra mile to throw a great shindig!

Travel Review: St. Paul, MN

I had to go to St. Paul for work mid-July and Mom went as my "chaperon" since I was 32 weeks pregnant. Since I was in training all day, Mom did most of the sightseeing. Her review is that St. Paul has a wonderful yoga studio and an awesome new hair salon. We did get to make it to the infamous Mall of America. I was excited about LegoLand!

All Legos!

And it was crazy to see a roller coaster in a mall!
The weather was great and as always, we had a wonderful trip! St. Paul would be my last flight to be cleared before the arrival of Miss Violet. Now, I was grounded and getting ready for the main event!

Milestones: Hallie turns 1!

Hallie is my brother Tony and sister-in-law Serena's little one. I am completely in love with this little girl. Her first birthday was so much fun and Aunt Tash and Unkie Wes had to spoil her. When I was working part-time and going to visit Mimi, I would get to stop and spend time with Hallie at least once a week. I miss her so much but still sneak quick trips up to Conway to see her.

Future Artist!

Here she is enjoying her first cake!
We bought her a 30th Edition Cozy Coupe that Unkie Wes put together for her for the big event.

How do I honk the horn Unkie Wes?

She is truly a piece of work. I guess she takes after her Aunt Tash!

Travel Review: Babymoon in New York City

After Camp, we headed in the city for a babymoon. We both enjoy exploring NYC and had a great time as always. Wes went atop the Empire State Building for the first time. I had seen the view on a previous NYC trip, but convinced him he had to see it.
What a breathtaking view! Monday was packed with sightseeing. We wanted to see the new HighLine Park in the Meatpacking District and The Superhero Museum in Brooklyn. So, we did what we do best and just started walking. We walked everywhere. We walked through Chelsea, Soho, Greenwich Village. We ate at a wonderful cafe' and then went to the HighLine. It was wonderful how they took an old railroad track and made it something useful.
We then headed over the bridge to Brooklyn to go to the Superhero Museum. Dave Eggers started tutoring centers across the US, but they have to have a storefront. The one in Brooklyn is for Superheroes...like Wes.

We bought Violet a onesie here. I can't wait for her to wear it! We then went and ate delicious pizza, walked back over the bridge and headed to the hotel at 71 Park Ave. All in all, we logged 10 miles of walking and were ready to relax. We wrapped up the babymoon with a visit to Rockefeller Center and FAO Scwartz (which was not all that for a toy store). We had a wonderful babymoon and recommend NYC as a babymoon destination for active pregnant moms and dads.

Travel Review: Camp Worthington 4th of July

We were so excited that I was cleared to fly to New York/New Jersey for Camp Worthington. I was only 30 weeks, but some doctors will not give you clearance (they are obviously not as cool as mine). It was great to see the East Coast family and wonderful to see all of our Camp friends. Granted, it was different being there and pregnant (versus party)but, it was still a blast. Chuck and Rebecca did an awesome job from planning the yummy
food to the rocking band to the "off the chain" fireworks display. We always have a great time and love to relax at Camp.

Andy and Krystal

Silly face and high school memories...

The Rockin' Band

We love you Worthingtons!

Obituaries: Justin Grant Mitchell

Wes and I lost one of our friends July 1st. We both knew Justin separately in our past lives and then came full circle when we started dating. He was such a fun-loving guy. We are very sad for his family, friends and young daughter, Libby. I always had fun around Justin and Wes thought highly of him as well. Razorback football season will never be the same. We will miss our friend and our prayers are with all of his loved ones.

June: Traveling, Working, Boating, Oh MY!

Wes was still working his tail off, not only at work, but at the house as well. Our goal was to have our house together by our one year house Anniversary and we were so close. Plus, we had to get the items for Miss Violet's room. And, we were getting ALL of the windows replaced in our home, which was very exciting since we still had the windows from 1921. Energy efficiency---here we come!

I had to go to Charlotte, NC for work. I had never been to Charlotte, but didn't get to see much, since I had training. But, I did have the worst airplane luck ever. Oh well, what do you do?

We went up to Mom and Dad's for Mom's bday/Father's Day and went boating. That was going really well, until we threw Roscoe in the water and he took off up the hill. I then decided I would jump off the boat and take off after him. Whoops! Forgot I was pregnant!! Dad went after him and he was just sitting on the front porch of their house, happy as a lark. Dad and Wes then brewed beer, which has been their summer hobby.

For Father's Day, Wes got a new grill. He is such a wonderful cook, so any cooking appliances he thinks he needs, I make sure he gets. His first grilled Tilapia was delicious!

Mom and I went to Dallas to see Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in concert. Wes and I bought her tickets for her birthday. Mom and I usually go on at least one trip a year. Although the trip was short, it was a blast.
I am not a fan of pregnant pics, but here is a pic of Mom and I at Disney in 2007.
To round up our busy month, we went out on Greers Ferry Lake with Chris and SuLauren on Mom and Dad's boat. It was hot, but a blast as always. Chris and Wes rode the inflatcycle and did some water skiing, and I must say, they did an excellent job. Here's Chris on the inflatacycle. He was a master by the end of the day!
On top of all of the fun we were having, we still were busy around the house and purchased "our" first new car. We needed a kid/pet friendly vehicle, so we got a wagon and we love it! And it was a busy mowing month as well. I love to push mow the yard for exercise and haven't ceased since I have been preggars. Wes always keeps a careful eye, but I just love mowing. We will post a pic before I have Violet because I am pretty sure it looks hilarious.

June was just a warm up for our upcoming fun-filled July!

Special Column: Food Review by The New Ward Times Food Critic, Macy J. Ward

So, our Mom and Dad switched us to Beneful Weight Management after the winter. I guess they thought we were getting chubby, but Roscoe and I thought our fluffiness would just give them more to love. Besides, Roscoe couldn't help it that he had heartworms and had to be in captivity for two months. They also thought it would be a good idea to hold me captive with him. So, as Miles teased us by roaming around the house and jumping over our prison gate to freedom, we relaxed and decided we shouldn't exert too much energy.

I have to say that the Beneful Weight Management food is not different than the other food. But, what can I say? We enjoy food at anytime. The best food we are served is when we go to Grammie and Popi's house. They give us whatever we want and we gobble it up!

The worst thing about food time at our house is that Dad makes us sit and stay for our food. What? How would he feel if I made him sit and stay for his food? Although we think his "commands" are completely ludicrous, we do it anyway, just so he thinks he is the boss.

My advice to you is to feed your pets whatever they want. They will be happier and love you more for it. (Miles and Roscoe concur with this as well.)

In my next column, why rib meat is actually more delicious than just the rib bones.

Old Wives Tale True: April Showers bring May Flowers.

So, April was not the best month ever with the loss of my Mimi. But May did bring new changes for the better. First, I started my new job. I love it and I love the people I work with too. It was an excellent move for me since I decided I am just not the "stay at home mom" type.

On top of that, the belly was starting to expand and I could actually feel kicks which was exciting for Wes and I both. We celebrated my first "real" Mother's Day. Wes surprised me by planting some gorgeous flowers in our flower bed. They are an everyday reminder of how lucky I am and make me smile. There were violets planted too, of course.

Over Memorial Day weekend, my aunts and uncles came over for brunch. They go to Riverfest every year and Wes and I wanted them to see our new home and treat them to a Wes-cooked meal. Thickcuits, gravy, eggs and all the fixings were served. It was a great time.

At the end of the month, Wes and Chuck went to Camp Yorktown Bay to run a half-marathon and Mom and I went all over Arkansas for "baby tour". First, we stopped in Russellville to see my good friend Chrissy and her new baby Chase.
He is such a doll! Then we headed up to Northwest Arkansas to see Angela and Dara's new little ones. Angela's Andrew was so precious and Dara's Charlotte was so adorable. I cannot believe I did not get a picture! I will take some next time and post those cuties on the blog. The girls were so sweet and gave Wes and I are first baby gifts. It was so special. I was glad to get to visit since I do not get to see them much. We also met Wes' friend Drew and his wife Sarah to give them a baby surprise for Miss Lucy. It was great to see Drew and meet Sarah. Lucy made her arrival just a few days later. We can't wait to meet her!

After a tough April, we had a wonderful, family and friend filled May. We felt so blessed.