Watchin' The Wades

Happy Anniversary to us!

2011-06-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

We just hit 2 years of marriage!! We took a trip to Boston to celebrate and visited Fenway Park on May 30th.

Sweet Baby Nugget

2011-04-20T19:17:00.001-07:00

Cameron Georg Roos

2011-04-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Our sweet nephew, Cameron Georg, is here! He arrived at 4:03pm today, weighing 8 lbs, 10 oz. We were all anticipating a giant baby, but he turned out to be just perfect :) Tricia ended up having a c-section after about 17 hours of labor. He is so amazingly precious!!!

How to Make a Diaper Cake

2011-03-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

I thought that I would share a few of my ideas about how to make a great diaper cake. I've made two so far, and I plan to make many more in the future! Here a simple how-to with pictures:

First, start with your supplies. You'll need 3M foam stick tape (shown below), a hot glue gun, some type of base (I used foam core board), exact-o knife, scissors, lighter, rubber bands (various sizes), and a dowel rod (about 1/4" diameter), and decorative topper. Along with a few more items listed below....

Other decorative items include: cake accessories like the ones shown below. Part of the items will be used to form the cakes "structure," which in this case I used: (1) medium size shampoo bottle (1) small bottle of baby powder.

You'll also need various ribbon colors/sizes. Grosgrain ribbon works the best.

And diapers of course. I purchased a (1) 80 count package of size 1 diapers. Try to purchase diapers with the LEAST amount of printed graphics on them. Start by rolling up each individual diaper and securing it with a rubber band (as shown below).

Create your base by cutting out a large circle from the foam core. I used the pencil and string trip to create a circle with a 15" diameter circle, then cut it out with an exact-o knife. Place the shampoo bottle in the center of your circle (as shown below) and secure it with 3M foam tape OR hot glue (I like 3M better). Surround the shampoo with the first layer of diapers (seam side facing in), and secure the layer with a rubber band. Repeat this step and create layers 2 and 3, securing each layer with a rubber band. This completes the first tier (see below).

Use the same concept on the 2nd tier as you surround the top of the shampoo bottle with 2 layers of diaper secured with a rubber band (see below for complete tier 2).

Next, use your 3M foam tape and attach the small bottle of baby powder to the top of the shampoo bottle......

Surround the baby powder bottle with 1 layer of diapers....

Group 3 diapers together with a rubber band and PLACE it at the top of your cake to make the 4th tier, this tier will be secured to the structure in a later step....

Next, use your ribbon to decorate the cake. Place your ribbon so that it hides the rubber bands. You can pre-cut your ribbon to fit the diameter of each tier. Tack one side of the ribbon to the cake with a small dab of hot glue, then wrap it around the cake and tack it together at it's ends with more hot glue. GOOD TIP: before placing your ribbon, burn the ends with a lighter so that they do not fray. Align all our seams at the back of your cake.

Next, cut your dowel rod to the correct height needed. Push one end through the top tier and work your way to the bottom so that the rod is touching the base. (this might take a few times to get it straight). Cut the dowel rod as needed so that it has just enough room to be glued to your topper. Remove the rod and secure it to your topper with hot glue (see below).

I used a wooden letter, but anything can be used. If you use a stuffed animal, tie it to the rod rather than gluing it. This final step should make the cake VERY stable.

Lastly, decorate! Place your items around the cake. I did not secure mine, but you could do this using hot glue or with ribbon. Below is the cake I made for my sister's baby boy.

Below is another example of a cake I made for a little girl. I used pink polka-dot fabric to cover the base. I made pink bows and placed them around the cake as accessories. The fake flowers were a fun touch! The little bird on top was actually a garden accessory that came on a stick, so I didn't have to use the dowel rod.

HAPPY CAKE DECORATING!!!!
Leave a comment if you have any questions or suggestions....

Crested Butte

2011-03-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

Last week, Jonathan and I took a road trip to Colorado to visit Crested Butte. It was a 14 hour drive and we made it there in my little Prius! Some wonderful friends let us use their condo for a week. It was fabulous and relaxing :) Here's some snapshots of the week....

And 851 miles later, we are there!

Few of Mt. Crested Butte from the mountain

Resting at the top of the mountain

The cute town of Crested Butte

Sic 'em Colorado!

SPRING is coming!!!

2011-02-27T09:24:00.001-08:00

In Texas, you can't look at the calendar or the weather and say that Spring is here. Our weather is way too crazy! Last year we planted annuals during a very warm weekend in March, and the very next week it snowed and our flowers were ruined. Despite my early (and anxious) anticipation of Spring, God's creation always knows when to bloom. Our back yard is starting to show signs that a new season is coming and I am so thankful for it!

It's it strange how a tree never tries to bloom out of season. It never attempts to do something that is not of God's created order.

And when it is time to bloom, all the trees know. My tree and the neighbor's tree both know it is time. They begin to blossom and become beautiful.

I have this great anticipation of Christ's return. Despite our history of doing everything out of God's creative order, Christ will bring order on that day. I love the passage of scripture below. If Christ comes are you ready? Will you be left in the field or will God call you to blossom?

From Matthew 24:

³⁰ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. ³¹ And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

³² “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁴ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The Day and Hour Unknown

³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

The Wreck.

2011-02-18T05:23:00.000-08:00

We went to Cirque de Soliel OVO on Wednesday night. As always, C.D.S. did not disappoint. But on the way home my very pregnant sister had her car T-boned going about 40 mph by some stupid girl running a red light. She and the baby are doing fine. She went to the hospital and stayed overnight to monitor the baby. Praise the Lord for his protection. Both cars were totaled, but all 3 people involved walked away unheard.

My stomach is still in knots thinking about the accident, but I am so very grateful that she and baby Cameron are ok. I was able to drive to the accident right after it happened and was so relieved when I felt baby C move inside her belly. Please pray for her pregnancy as she only has a few more weeks to go!

This is stupid girl's car....

You see Tricia's car (brand new btw) in the background

Tricia's front end. The other side was up on a retaining wall.

Pray for this girl...

2011-02-16T10:53:00.001-08:00

Please pray for this person, Sarah Chidgey. She'll be with Jesus soon and very soon. Want to be moved, inspired, humbled and in awe of God's love... read her blog:

http://www.sarahchidgey.blogspot.com/

Be grateful for today and "Shine Bright Fire Fly, Shine Bright!"

A Northern Southerner.

2011-02-06T16:04:00.001-08:00

So it iced and snowed this week. Way too much. I have no intention on ever living somewhere that ices and snows a lot, and this week I felt like a southerner stuck in the north. And STUCK we were! Cabin fever was brewing as I spent days indoors this week; however, lots of sewing and cleaning was had and it was great. Here's some pictures from Friday when we got to go out and play...

This is what Texas wear in the snow. Cowboys boots that get soaking WET!

Jonathan's Giant Snow Ball!!

The view of downtown Dallas.

Showers for Tricia

2011-02-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Tricia had 2 showers! One of which I helped host, along with some mom's from Bishop Lynch High School. We had about 50 ppl show up despite the nasty weather. Below are a few pics from that shower. Haven't loaded the pics from the other shower yet, but image a house with lots of people in it and baby gifts. I made this cute and adorable baby diaper cake below. I plan to do a post about "how to make a diaper cake" soon! My nephew's name is Cameron Georg (no "e" - it's Swedish) Roos.

Not a bad start.

2011-01-26T18:56:00.000-08:00

January is almost over, wow. Time flies when you're having fun/cramming events into your life. So far, so good though. God's been teaching us little lessons here and there. Our marriage is cruising into our 2 year mark and I have to say that things just get better with time. It is sanctifying and satisfying to be in a marriage that strives toward Christ. Here's a few pictures from January....
At the Mavs Game

Our friends, Dawn and her son Chandler came with us.

To the Baylor/Kansas game on a MONDAY night. Whoa, we were tired. And they lost. Poor Baylor basketball is not turning out to be what we thought it would be.

In Little Rock, AR, at our friend's Stacy & Clay's Wedding. Biggest wedding ever!!
Congratulations to the Cunninghams!

Me and Kimbo at the wedding. We estimated that this is Kim's 25th time to be a bridesmaid. Seriously.

January has flown by. We've been busy! Jonathan started training for a triathlon that he is going to race in April. He's done great so far with his swimming, biking, and running.

I have continued to pile up my dresses for Uganda, along with studying for my NCIDQ (this is my interior design licensing test) that I'm taking April 1st/2nd. It's been difficult to maintain the study habits, but I've managed to stay on track. I'm going to also take a study course that starts in a few weeks.

My sister is almost 2 months away from bringing my nephew into this world! His name is Cameron Georg Roos. I CANNOT WAIT to meet him. I am helping them with the nursery. Their colors are aqua, orange, brown, and white. Sometime soon, I'll post pictures of the bedding that I'm making them.

The Cotton Bowl

2011-01-16T17:40:00.000-08:00

On January 7th, we were blessed with some AMAZING tickets from Jonathan's parents to The Cotton Bowl. We were in the "founder's club," with buffets of food and free drinks that came in "fancy" cups that we got to keep. I decided to dress in purple and yellow and pose as an LSU fan.

It's a NEW Year!!

2011-01-10T17:18:00.001-08:00

For New Year's Eve, we went to our friend Taylor's house for a little celebrating. Most of the people there are in our home group from church with a few friends of friends that showed up. Pics are below! Happy 2011!!

Christmas Time!!!

2011-01-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from Christmas!

Jonathan and I, Christmas morning

Mom, Tricia, and Me - Christmas Day

Jonas, Tricia, baby Roos, and Giraffe

Tricia, Jonas, JoAnn, Dad, Me, Jonathan

Our favorite Christmas gifts:
April - awesome Camera, Harry Potter scarf!!, Massage gift card, new iron
Jonathan - Rain jacket, Toms shoes, iHome

I love Christmas more and more each year. Despite the traveling and lots of eating we are forced into, it is Jesus' birth that is of most importance. I can't imagine a world without our Savior. We would still be longing for a Savior, like Israel did. We'd be hopeful in our sinfulness and still living according to the law. Thank you, Lord, for coming for us. Now we long for His return and pray for Him to come for us again.

Uganda Dress #1

2011-01-04T18:59:00.001-08:00

The first dress of 63 dresses is now complete!! Here is what they look like. I'm making a range of sizes from girls 2 - 8, and will then make some adult size dresses. I have about 30+ dress patterns cut out and a few dresses already running through the sewing machine.

HP 7

2011-01-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

I finally finished reading Harry Potter 7. I am sad that my journey with this story is over. I stalled for as long as I could as I dreaded turning the last page of this awesome series. Thank you JK Rowling for your brilliant story of unbelievable creativity and imagination. Now... please write Harry Potter 8.

27... I mean 57 dresses!

2011-01-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, I asked for donations to be able to purchase fabric to make dresses for Ugandan orphans. So far, 57 dresses have been purchased by family and friends. Thank you! I'll be sending these dresses to Uganda in July 2011 through The Pillowcase Project.

Here's a snap shot of where I am. 26 dress patterns have been cut and are ready to be sewn!

2010 to 2011

2010-12-30T19:09:00.000-08:00

Ten Things that happened in 2010:

Attempted completing HP 7 (the book) for the 3rd time. I am three chapters short and MUST read them tomorrow.
Filed every single contact at work in my outlook contacts. No more business cards!
Ran a 5K. First time since my surgery in 2008.
Kept 1 job for the entire year
Majorly ramped up my sewing biz and sold more than I ever have.
Went to Costa Rica. Always wanted to go there.
My sister is preggers with my nephew :)
Went to my first drive in movie theater
Lost my sweet grandmother, Dorothy. I miss her.
Managed to maintain my same weight as the year before.

Eleven Hopes for 2011:

Pass my interior design license exam (April '11)
Write more love letters to my husband
Lose 10 pounds by May.
Read 4 good books. That might sound like nothing to you, but that is a LOT for me.
Become an Aunt to my little nephew
Declutter and get rid of things often
Sew a couple dozen dresses for Ugandan Orphans
Double my sales at Harts 'N Crafts
Deeply study a few books of the Bible
Travel and travel well: Crested Butte, CO; Boston, MA; and California!
Make more time for coffee/dinner dates with friends.

Happy New Year to you!

What April wants for Christmas...

2010-12-03T20:16:00.001-08:00

This is what I what for Christmas....
http://www.etsy.com/listing/63579858/pillowcase-dress-for-ugandan-orphans

You can give this as a gift to someone as well!!! Upon check-out, please list the recipient's name and e-mail address in your comments. I will send them a cute e-mail card describing the gift you have given.

Happy Fall :)

2010-10-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled by my very inactive blog. I stalk your blogs VERY actively. I get so amused by other blogs that I don't entertain my own. Here's a glimpse of what this fall has brought the Wade family:

Sewing, sewing, sewing. This fall has been very busy for my sewing business. Baylor dresses (like below), bows, totes, etc, etc have sold out like crazy at Harts 'N Crafts in Waco, TX. It's been so much fun to see my items sell quickly and have people love them!!

Our 1st BU football game of the season was vs. TCU. What a horrible game! Joe T. Garcia's afterwards / after the 1st quarter was worth the drive to Ft. Worth.

My sister Tricia and husband Jonas. T had her big 10 year HS reunion this fall and we celebrated her birthday the same day at my mom's house in Pottsboro. BIG news! They are pregnant and expecting their little one in April 2011.

1st Pumpkin Arboretum Trip. One of our favorite places :)

Rangers game with our friends Lauren and Daniel.

Our neice Hannah had her first soccer game! She is 3 years old now!

Corndog at the Texas State Fair!

At the Baylor/Tech game at the Cotton Bowl.

Big Tex and The Wades!

My very first drive-in movie experience! It was awesome :)

Papa Wade and Jonathan at the Ranger's playoff game.

Go Rangers!!!

Rangers WIN!!

Precious Baylor onsie dress.

V-neck + skirt = cute dress! Another shipment to Harts 'N Crafts!

Other un-photographed things....

Jonathan has been playing in a softball league. The are really bad, but it's for fun so who cares!
I am working on a hospitality-like medical center in Frisco and the design rocks! It makes work so much fun :)
Jonathan's been enjoying time in the yard lately. It's looking good!
Our church continues to be a blessing in our lives and a place that we love to serve.
I've closed the door on custom sewing orders to free up time to study for the big NCIDQ exam, which will award me a license in Interior Design. Exam is April 2011.
I'm anxiously waiting for 2 more weeks when I find out if I'm having a niece or nephew!
We are hoping to Christmas vacation... we will see.

That's about it. I love October! Thank you, Lord, for Fall and the changing of the seasons!

2010-08-08T14:25:00.001-07:00

Our niece, Hannah, turned 3 this week and we went to her birthday party over the weekend. It was Ice Cream themed!

Kaden and Hannah - the two cuties that walked down the aisle before me.

Courtney and Lauren
Uncle J and Lauren (Lauren is almost walking!!)

The age 3- pinata. The kiddos pulled strings to make it open. I say bring out the bats next year!

Pinata spoils!

There were babies all over the place, including this little cutie and her mama.

Jon & Angie

And their newest little nugget, so cute!

Catching Up...

2010-07-28T18:10:00.001-07:00

So, It's been a while... Here's a photo update:
One BIG thing I'm leaving out is our trip to Costa Rica for our 1 year anniversary. It was amazing!! Those pics are on facebook...

Mother's day at the Wade's home. Grandma Reba with baby Lauren.

Sweet adorable-ness

Lauren and Hannah

Peep-A-Boo!!!

Swinging

Swinging with Uncle J

Uncle J taken a ride on Mr. Frog

Playing Chase!

Happy Mother's day, Courtney!

My first (and only) summer dress I made this summer.

Aunt Tricia and Reba

Kisses!

Cousins, Eric and Emily

Top Golf with my sister, Tricia, and Jonas. Jonas is teaching her to keep her head down.

Baby shower at our house for the Anderson's - Brooks and Sadie!

The expecting parents!!

Guessing Sadie's belly size.

Cute diaper cake and punch I made.

Baby Charlee's Decor

What is summer without a couple weddings! Here's the beautiful Victoria Robb-Powers.

Enjoying the reception in Austin.

Sweet Hannah waiting for my 25th b-day to begin at Benihana.

My amazing friend, Andrea

Silly-ness with Hannah.

Lauren Bear.

My dad and step-mom, JoAnn.

I'm 25!!! Whoa.

Downtown Fireworks for the 4th of July! We have an awesome view from our neighborhood!

Random assortment of people we had over for the 4th.

The ladies :)

The dudes.

Quick summer trip to the Arboretum. This is the garden we got married in ONE year ago.

At Texas de Brazil for Jonathan's 26th b-day celebration

My sweet husband. He is the best!

Family picture.

Friend's pic. Andrea, Cliff Adrian, Nixie, and us.

A month FULL of birthdays!! Lauren's 1st b-day party!

The awesome party decor. (Lady bug theme).

Happy Bear!

Baby Ella showed up to party!

Lauren's 1 year old SMASH cake! This turned not-so-good in about 2 minutes.

The boys devouring the smash cake spoils.

Throughout the summer, I worked with my home group leader's 3 girls to create summer dresses for them. They picked the patterns and fabric out and we all sewed them together. Lots of fun!! Here's a picture of all their dresses....

2 Years :)

2010-05-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

Today marks my 2 year anniversary to be cancer free!!! I'm thankful and blessed.

We had planned to celebrate this morning with a 5 mile run; however, I've been sick lately and we stopped training for a while. We'll run another race soon. Enjoying a lazy morning with my husband was just as nice!

I have to be honest that this is bitter sweet. We don't really celebrate cancer, we celebrate God as Healer. It's not fun to think about having had this disease. In fact, it stresses me out and frustrates me. It is the dark rain cloud that hangs over my head, but thank the Lord it is not raining today. If you've had cancer, you know what I'm talking about. The saving hope is that God is stronger than cancer. He is this enormous umbrella of protection from that stupid rain cloud. He is good and faithful. This world is broken, but He is completely whole and perfect. I pray that He continues to heal me and protect me.

Thank you, Lord, for TWO YEARS!!!! This is a HUGE number in my remission. I am very thankful!

Big Milemarker!

2010-04-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I successfully completed my first 5k since my first surgery two years ago in March. Jonathan had planned to run with me; however, he and some friends ended up going to Houston to watch the Bears win (the sweet 16) and lose (the elite eight) - still awesome though.

The run felt so good! A month ago I was breathing like a 60 y/o smoker trying to complete one mile and now I am running 3! I had only trained for 2 miles, so when I saw the BIG 2 mile marker at the race I really had to push myself. I remember telling myself, "You are healed!! You have two working legs that you are blessed to run with - NOW RUN!!" Remembering how God had healed me made me push even harder. I blew by that 2 mile sign and finished the race in 31.25 minutes.

May 1st I plan on blazing by another 2 mile marker and a 2 year milestone! I'm running in the White Rock 'N Roll 5 mile race in celebration of the 2 year anniversary of my cancer being in remission. I visited the doctor this week and he said that everything looked great. He explained that most reoccurring tumors happen within the first two years and that passing this 2 year mark is a HUGE milestone. 5 years is still the magic number, but I'm super SUPER excited about my 2 blessed years of life!

The year is passing by quickly and in just 2 months Jonathan and I celebrate 1 year of marriage!!! We have a trip to Costa Rica planned to celebrate :)

Praise God, that there is much to celebrate! He Heals, He is Faithful, and He does exactly what He says He will. Amen!

Evolution of the Craft Room!

2010-03-04T07:19:00.001-08:00

Some of you might know that I am crafty. I LOVE to sew! Anything from dresses, baby shoes, quilts, and clutches - there isn't much that I haven't attempted to create in my 10 years of sewing. It's my hobby and my de-stressing agent. I can and do sit alone for hours with my thoughts and my machine (and sometimes my iPod). It's one of my favorite things to do.

My sweet husband knows of my talents and gave me a room in our house just for my crafts. He makes me feel like the little ballerina that's kept in a treasured jewelry box. When you open the box, the ballerina spins round 'n round on her stage. I used to have a jewelry box like this when I was young. It's cool how God gives us images like these to show us His love.

So here is the evolution images of my new craft room!....

Jonathan helped me paint the room. I don't have the before pictures, but the ceiling used to be the same color as the walls and we painted it white.

With the ceiling painted white, here's what the wall looked like before.
I painted 3 of the walls a pretty lavendar color.

Lavender on the walls.

We painted the accent wall a med/dark purple. The white cabinets and desk came from IKEA and were put together months ago.

Accessories! Andrea and I took a trip to IKEA to buy everything else for the room. Thanks to her, my IKEA trip was a success!

Bright Yellow curtains to compliment the purple walls.

A Ribbon wall and take board (and Betty, my sewing model). See all the little bins! These are filled with sewing accessories - nice and organized!

Finally found a place for my milk glass from our wedding! My thread wall has been amazing, along with my little storage cups and magnetic strip.

The first product of my sewing room (and the best dress I've ever made)!

This was for my pastor's 17 y/o daughter for her winter formal.

Dorothy Sanzari

2010-02-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

--Nanny & Papa dancing--

--Mom, me, and Nanny--

I wish I were posting pictures of my new craft room or the awesome dress I just made. However, today's post is dedicated to Dorothy Sanzari, my grandmother. Last night she suffered a massive heart attack and passed away this morning. She and my grandpa will be celebrating 60 years of marriage tomorrow, and this year was her 80th birthday.

Nanny wasn't Italian, but she could sure cook like one. My papa always said that good Italian cooking was a part of their marriage vows. Dorothy lived in southern Jersey where she and my grandpa, Marty, were actively involved in their retirement community. Nobody loved on Dorothy as much as Marty did. He constantly was adoring her, nagging her, and loving her. Together they had 3 kids and 5 grandkids.

Some of my favorite memories come from snowy days in NJ. Visiting Nanny was the only time we saw real snow that we could play in. This morning I woke up to a sheet of white snow covering our yard and house - it was a sweet reminder of her.

Macaroni salad. You don't even know what this is if you haven't tasted Dorothy's recipe.

When my grandparents lived in north Jersey, we would take trips to New York. My nanny would zip around like a true New Yorker, yelling parking and driving commands at my Papa. She would yell and yell at my Papa's crazy driving - it was so funny! He would just sit back in the driver's seat and sing Sinatra off-key.

Dorothy loved trips to Florida. She and Marty would take them every Spring. They were planning another trip this March.

I miss her. And my hearts breaks for my Papa. God is good and sovereign and I know that one day He will bring all things back to perfection. Oh, come quickly Lord!

Reflection...

2010-02-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday a news article was published in papers around the world about my paster, Matt Chandler, at The Village Church. News Story....

Chandler's story brings back some dark, but joyful moments in my life. I've been cancer free now for 20 months. One sweet morning came to mind that I documented in this blog post. It was right after I found out I was officially cancer free. Jonathan had just begun pursuing me and making his intent known. The text was from him and so was the rose (refer to blog). This post makes me smile, cry, and feel humbled. It's a sweet reflection of the calm after a horrible storm, and God's faithfulness through every moment.

2010, so far so good!

2010-01-16T10:24:00.001-08:00

This is Jonathan's new bike and today is his first ride with the boys. I figured I'd clean, blog, and maybe do some working-out of my own while he is gone. Hopefully he comes back in one piece.

We are 16 days into 2010, and big changes have already happened! Jonathan and I decided that it was time for him to leave the Dallas Mavericks after his 2 years of service. He began Jan. 1 unemployed. I know, not a good way to start things off. However, he had been interviewing with companies for the past couple of months and we were extremely blessed to be offered a job just 1 week into his search.

Jonathan was hired by The Richard's Group - an advertising agency based out of Dallas. They were voted the best place to work in Dallas and are one of the nation's top ad firms. Jonathan is working in the Richards Relationship Marketing group. This is such a huge huge blessing for us! He is so much happier at this job and the quick timing of getting this position was incredible!

My job is continueing to go really well. I am acclimated to the projects and people now, and I'm really enjoying both. I've been working on a medical office building at A&M, and I think I'll be able to see this project through to the end (I hope!). I've gained a ton of new technical skills and design knowledge.

We have big ambitions this year with our house. We have already started tackling our craft room (for the 3rd or 4th time) and I plan on finishing it this time!! We also want to do some improvements to our back yard so that we can spend more time outdoors. Another plan is to get a vanity in our master bathroom (it's currently just a pedestal sink and my make-up is always falling in).

Speaking of houses, Jonathan's parents bought a new house and we are so excited for them!!! It is in Fairview (near McKinney/Allen). I'm excited to see how Debbie jazzes the place up and for fun family gatherings.

So Haiti, what the heck. I just can't get my mind wrapped around this country's devastation. I am praying hard for these people. Not only for the physical tragedy, but the spiritual warfare that takes place there. As a Christian, seeing how broken our world is just makes me long for heaven or for Christ's return. What a hope we have in Jesus!

Jonathan and I are in a multi-generational home group through the Village Church. We have been a part of this group (together) for about a year. He attended about a year before I joined. Jonathan and I are both members at the church and I can say that I am so blessed to call this place our home. We have such an amazing group of people to encourage and love us.

So, life is good and God is good all the time. Even through cancer, lay-offs, and unemployment, He has delivered us from it all! We are both healthy and employed, a first for our relationship! Praise His name all the time, in not so great seasons and in wonderful ones.

December Update

2009-12-30T15:28:00.000-08:00

This is another BIG post of photos to retell most of December for the Wade's. A few non-photo updates are:

1) I got a new job! I'm now working at BOKA Powell, an architecture and design firm. I'm back in the industry and loving it. BOKAP is a smaller company then my last one, but offers a greater responsibilty on projects. I've been there almost 1 month and I'm really enjoying it. Great company culture!
2) We have a new cousin! Jonathan's cousins, Emily and husband Kyle welcomed their son, Max, this month! Congrats to Emily, Kyle, and Max!
3) My 20 month follow-up with Dr. Casas was all good! Everything is clear and he said that I just have to do x-rays for next visit, so no more MRIs for now! I am very happy about this.

And here are our photos with captions :)

At the Mav's Game with our game faces on!

Matt & Sarah Rodgers!!! Finally! Matt & Sarah's beautiful wedding.
Baylor vs. Tech game at the new cowboys station.

Baylor vs. Tech. GO BEARS!!!

In our awesome seats!

At the Cowboys vs Chargers game.

The beautiful station at night.

It's beginning to look like Christmas!

Our Christmas tree!

Christmas decorations.

Our stockings hung on the fireplace! And our old window with christmas cards.

Apt. 2105 Christmas party. Picture with the old roommates.

Dre and me :)

The crew at Medieval Times! The ladies surprised the guys with this date night!! So much fun!

Let the games begin!!!!

And the FEAST~!!

I'm trying to catch the knight's rose in the picture. I was unsuccessful in getting his attention.

Me and my knight :)

DIRK! Great seats at our last mavs game! Right behind the basket.

Christmas Eve and It's SNOWING!!!!

Swedish Christmas at the Roos. Adobe, the HUGE boxer, thinks she is a lap dog.

And she thinks she is a baby!!

Dad, April, and Jonathan

Our house the night before Christmas!!! It's was a white Christmas!!! Sweet reminder of Christ's birth and how he washes us white as snow :) Thank you, Jesus!

Christmas morning. We look rough, but I thought the picture was necessary.

Jonathan enjoying some imaginary soup with Hannah and her new kitchen equipment.

Debbie and Alvin

A cute pot for our front porch at 10114 Champa Drive!

Baby Lauren, so sweet :)

Christmas night at my dad's house. Nice flocked tree!

The perfect gift for the Roos' - a Baylor gnome! My bro-in-law, Jonas, is Swedish and gnomes are a big part of their Christmas decorating.

Tricia and I reenacting a dance we did as kids. We were too big for our own moves!

Jonathan and I inherited the family Wii this year. Jonathan has already acheived "Professional" status in some of the games.

Recently...

2009-11-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

We've been up to a lot of busy-ness lately, but here are some pics from the past month or so that describe some of our activities.

My Sous Chef. Jonathan took over the kitchen one night and cooked a beautiful meal for me. It hasn't happend since, but I'm looking forward to the next one! He's an all-or-nothing guy, so when he cooks he goes all out.
Andrea and I after her Baptism! I was privileged to get to baptism Dre after she shared her testimony with our church. It was such an incredible night for both of us!

Playing with Hannah Banana.

King of Leon Concert.

The dudes singing some Kings of Leon and me not really knowing what to do or think about it.

Flowers from my husband :)

We are growing fresh Basil in our kitchen. It's a 10-12 weeks process and about 3 weeks in we have already forgotten to water it. We lost a few good ones, but I'm sure that we can revive it.

Baylor Homecoming!!! My favorite time of year :) Me, Heather (soon-to-be Mrs.), and my sweet Ashley. Bonfire was sorta small this year, but the crowd was huge. It was Baylor's 100th Homecoming celebration! Sic 'em.

Brett & Jonathan

The Wade's

Me and Jonathan posing with Judge Baylor.

Debbie, Hannah Banana, and me at the Bears football game (we got killed!)

Debbie and Alvin, so sweet :)

Although we didn't hang out together in college, there are still many things that Jonathan and I both love about Baylor and one of those is George's! We made a late night stop for a Big O beer, fried pickles, and crazy wings (bacon wrapped chicken with jalopenas and cheese).

Pumpkin Carving Night!! We invited some friends over and had a pumpkin carving night. The Metheny kiddos came and carved some pretty impression pumpkins... with Katie's help.

Nix's pumpkin: Pac-Man Andrea's pumpkin: Happy pumpkin!

I did a Nordstrom themed pumpkin to enter into a competition at work. I glittered it up, added feathers and paint. I didn't end up winning :( I think it was fixed.

Andrea and me at Gilda's Rock the Red Door event.

The Hernandez's - it was a costume party, but we didnt' dress up.

Me and my sweetie in front of the Dallas skyline. He is handsome :)

Courtney and baby Lauren at Halloween Trunk or Treat. Courtney made her a ladybug costume, very cute!!

Hannah Banana as Tinker Bell!! I made her cute little costume. She is a grumpy gus in this pic, but she was excited to be Tink!

Fall at the Arboretum

2009-09-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

The temperature is FINALLY dropping and the past week has been absolutely gorgeous outside! Jonathan and I have enjoyed 2 bike rides around White Rock lake this week. I'm in love with fall. The BEST place in Dallas for fall is at the Arboretum! Today, I took a trip there with my 2 nieces (Hannah & Lauren), sister-in-law (Courtney), and mother-in-law (Debbie). We had a photoshoot with the girls and here are some of my favorites......

Another update :)

2009-09-03T07:32:00.001-07:00

I'm now 3 weeks into my new job at Nordstrom and so far, so great! The retail hours have definitely been a big adjustment for Jonathan and I, but for whichever 8 hours I am there during the day I do love it. My most favorite part is that I get to meet new people everyday and serve them. I get to pray for all of the little ones by name and love on their families. I've learned the product line quickly, so I really feel like I can help people. It's fun :) Working the weekends though, not so fun.

Jonathan started taking care of our lawn last week and he did such a great job! We have a lot of grass to mow and shrubs to trim. It grows fast!

We celebrated our 3 month anniversary last week! Time flies :) A lot has changed in the Wade house. After a month of kicking each other in our sleep, we are now sleep comfortably in our queen bed. We have our shared chores, our new couch, and our favorite shows. Everyday I feel so blessed to have him as my best friend, roommate, and husband. He is my favorite person!

Fun times: Hillsong United concert with Cliff and Andrea, The Village Church at Northway Dallas opens in 1 week!, last minute Rangers tickets, pizza and movie night, flowers from my husband, sewing new dresses, and being challenged through marriage - sometimes not so fun, but always good :)

I don't really have any pictures for the post, but here is a pic of a new dress I made:

Quack & Oink

2009-08-14T06:55:00.001-07:00

My online store is finally open!!! It only has a few items in it right now, but I will be adding more soon!

Check it out at www.aprilwade.etsy.com

There will be dresses, purses, totes, aprons, and other random things being added weekly, so check back often.

The Name?? "Quack & Oink" came from a design project I did in college for a children's store idea. I don't really know how I thought of it... the design was sorta a modern twist on the classic farm animals. It's cute and catchy, so why not! I want to continue to focus my designs on children and woman's clothing and accessories.

ENJOY!!!! I have a blog for Quack & Oink as well... www.QuacknOink.blogspot.com

I GOT A JOB!!!!

2009-08-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

WHOA! I'm so excited right now :) It's been a long unemployment period, but I finally got a job today. I'll be working at Nordstrom in the kid's shoes department at Northpark. It's good people and good pay! It's perfect timing too! I'll start work on Sunday which gives me just the right amount of time to finish organizing the house. I am so grateful that this opportunity came after my grandmother death and the garage sale! All things happen in God's good timing :)

Now I need to get new work clothes :)

Here's to happy shopping!!!! Look for me if you shop at Nordstrom :)

Updates!

2009-08-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's time for another strand of updates from our past couple of weeks....

Nanny Heflich: For the past three weeks my grandmother, Mary 89, was in the hospital after having a stroke in her home. She was such an independent woman. She lived by herself, drove to the grocery store, and walked to the mailbox each day. At 4'10", she was a very frail person; however, her smile could brighten anyone's day. She had a signature wave that she greeted everyone with and she was always early on sending b-day cards. She spent one week in hospice before passing away. We had her funeral this past Wednesday in Hot Springs, AR, and buried her next to my grandfather. It was strange to see a whole generation laid to rest. During her hospital stay, she never let go of her rosary beads - she was a devote Catholic.

Emily's Wedding: We attended Jonathan's cousin's wedding on Aug. 1st in Austin, TX. We got to stay at the amazing Driskall hotel on 6th street. The wedding and reception was in this historic hotel and was so beautiful! This was our awesome hotel room....

Our oversized chair in our room.....

Garage Sale: After a little bit of a delay, we finally had our garage sale this past weekend. We started the day with a garage FULL of items for sale (yes, it was actually IN the garage). We had a great turn out and made enough money for a new couch and desks for our office. Plus, we got rid of so much stuff!!! It was a great feeling. A not so great feeling was the thief that stole our PS2 and controllers from our garage sale! Someone just walked off with $100 worth of electronics. It makes me feel so icky that someone stole from us!

Jonathan's Wisdom Teeth: Also this weekend, Jonathan had his 4 fully grown wisdom teeth removed from his mouth. He recovered pretty quickly and is doing good. He was really loopy when we took him home and was pretty funny to watch.

Interviews: I've gone on some interviews lately and I am very hopeful for a new job soon! :) It's not in Interior Design, but it's a job that has a promising future. More details to come, but pray that God will help guide me in these discussions and that I might have work soon.

Hannah turns 2!!! Our niece had her 2nd b-day party last night. She is so grown up and it was fun watching her expressions and excitment during the party. We had snacks and pizza, opened presents, went to the waterpark, and ate cake. It was also fun to get to see our other niece, Lauren (she is almost 4 weeks old). I love holding her, she is so tiny!

Hannah's dress I made her, she said "so cute!"

Baby Lauren

Ready to go to the waterpark with her princess crown on!!

Kaden was a lot more aggressive with the water than Hannah. He went sprinting into the water immediately. Hannah, however, pranced around the water for a good 20 minutes before putting her hand in - such a princess. They had LOTS of fun!

The ladies: Caroline, Angie, Meghan, and Courtney

Playing in/next to the water...

Aunt April & Uncle J

Getting help with the water fountain from Big Daddy (after trying to drink from the dog fountain)

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

Redecorating the House. After our massive purging, Jonathan and I are rearranging the house. My mother-in-law, Debbie, came over the other day and helped me gather and group items. I'll be honest... I'm a designer, but decorating a home is not really my thing. I'm learning and getting better, but still need help. It is looking better and better. We bought our desk and couch yesterday and I'm so excited for the couch!! It has two built-in recliners for us to lay back and watch TV.

What's next.... not much, which I'm really happy about. Just because the calendar is light doesn't mean things won't get busy, but I hope we can slow things down and get in a routine soon.

Mary Heflich

2009-07-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

This is my Nanny - isn't she precious! She is 89 years old (almost 90) and she's in her last days of hospice here in Hot Springs, AR. Please pray for her and our family as we help her transition from this world to the next.

John 14:1-7
"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

The Lord is my Shepherd

2009-07-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

My grandmother's favorite verse is Psalm 23. She's 4 foot 10 inches and she's a devote Catholic. She knows more prayers than you and can also cook better than you. She thinks the internet is a facade and that technology is a joke. She loves animals and feeds the birds regularly. There is nothing that can get her off schedule, so don't call her past 9pm because that is bedtime.

Jonathan and I are hanging out in hospice with my grandmother, Mary, and my family this weekend. Today, Mary is enjoying the scriptures that we are reading to her, especially Psalm 23. Yesterday, she told us that she is ready to be with Jesus and now we are just enjoying her presence as she enjoys us. We've been telling stories all day and saying prayers out loud. She loves it when we talk to her. Her eyelids are the only things that move, but we can understand what she is trying to tell us.

I am so thankful that Mary knows Jesus. There is no greater comfort at death than to know the Lord as your Savior. I'm so excited for the amazing things that she will see soon, but also sad to see her go. Thank you Lord for sweet last moments!

Call your parents and grandparents today :)

Baby Lauren, Day 1

2009-07-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today was Courtney's birthday and Lauren's 1st full day of LIFE! She was looking extra precious today with her cute outfit and bow. Here's some pics of the day...

My precious nieces! Hannah has her "CHEESE" down and Lauren looks like a babydoll! I promise she is real :)

Uncle J!

Tiny Toes!!!!

Debbie and Alvin with baby Lauren

Courtney being a seasoned mother of TWO

The WILD CHILD! Hannah is almost two and showing signs already! Attention span is about 10 seconds if you are lucky... and she's off!

Welcome Lauren Kate!!!

2009-07-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

Our baby niece arrived today, Lauren Kate Alban! Courtney gave birth like a champion and delivered a healthy 7 lbs. 11 ounce baby girl. She is so tiny and so precious! What a blessing to have two wonderful nieces.

Lauren spent a little time in the NICU today to help with her breathing, but she is doing great now. It's rough coming into this world!

Here are a few pics from the day:

44 days in!!

2009-07-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

Jonathan and I have been married now for 44 days! I wanted to show some snapshots of what we have been up to in our 1st months of marriage.....

We have cleaned and shuffled our junk around about a dozen times! Although it's still a work in progress, here are some of the fruits of our labor...

Our humble home @ 10114 Champa Drive. We love this cozy place :)

My craft room started as a crap room :( ...

But slowly it is turning into a great place for me to work! I painted a light green stripe on the walls and added IKEA storage towers (missing a set of doors still). We plan on getting 2 new desks to have our office / work area. I am loving this room so far and have spent hours sewing! I think we might have to add a TV to this room to keep me entertained though! Our bathroom was the first thing I worked on. We painted the walls a pretty lavender color and I painted a scripture over the shower. We updated our shower head and added a vanity mirror to the wall. I love this bathroom now and its the only room that is complete so far! We are definitely still working on the bedroom. We've painted the walls, added furniture, drapes, and a rug. We just bought our headboard, so it will be here soon. The decor is still a debate - J doesn't like my milk glass so we'll have to compromise on something. We're still missing some personal touches...

Flowers from my husband :)

And of course we aren't the only ones getting married this summer! We've been to two wedding and have another one coming in just a few weeks.

My 14 month check-up was all clear :) I had an MRI on my leg and chest x-ray. I'll see Dr. Casas again in 3 months. I hate going to these check-ups and Jonathan can testify that I'm always a little stressed during this time, but I'm so thankful that God is continuing to protect me! Go to my old blog for my cancer story...

July 4th! We had lots of friends over to watch fireworks. There is a great lookout spot just down the street where we can see multiple shows at one time over the city. 14 ladies and 4 dudes :) Earlier that day we went to the Wade's for swimming and a cookout.

Birthdays! Mine is June 27th, J's is July 10th, and Courtney's (J's sister) is on July 16th. We celebrated with Jonathan's family at Benihana. We had some great b-day dessert!

J's mom, Debbie, with our niece Hannah - Hannah is getting so big and she'll be a big sister in just a few days. Courtney is waiting for baby Lauren to come, as is the fam! We're so excited for another niece!!

This past week I worked some volleyball camps at Bishop Lynch High School. It was so much fun to coach and help the girls. I lead the strength and conditioning drills for the HS camp and I am still sore from the workouts! I miss volleyball so much :(

I'm still looking for a job, but have found little things here and there to get some extra cash. I'm working on building an inventory to start an online store and will be marketing to local boutiques soon. Jonathan is in the summer season with the Mavericks and working hard to sell those tickets! The Mavericks have been making lots of trades, so hopefully they'll have a great season.

We are waiting for our niece, Lauren Kate Alban, to be born and are so excited to meet her!

It is HOT here. This must be one of the warmest summers we have seen in a while. The pools are like bath tubs and the electric bills are getting high! I love the summer time, but this is way too hot!

Harry Potter 6 comes out this week. I am so thankful that I married a man who understands and appreciates this awesome book/movie series. We had a Harry Potter marathon last night and we are excited for the 6th movie!!

More Wedding Pics!!!

2009-06-22T07:46:00.001-07:00

Here are some more fun links for our wedding photos....

We had a photo booth at our wedding - all the images can be viewed here:

http://premierebooth.zenfolio.com/f237398337

All of the wedding photography has been posted online - a slideshow can be viewed here:

www.avesphotographicdesign.com/extra/JonathanLovesApril/

Here is a link to all of the wedding photos (a couple thousand)!! Password: wade

http://www.avesphotographicdesignclients.com/pickpic/gallery/splash.php?gallery_id=200

Wedding Photos!!!

2009-06-11T08:20:00.001-07:00

Aves Photography has posted our wedding photos on their blog!!!

Check them out:
http://www.avesphotographicdesign.com/blog/

Our Honeymoon in St. Lucia!

2009-06-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Jonathan and I have returned from our amazing honeymoon in St. Lucia and are now back to reality. I wouldn’t call coming home to a monstrous pile of wedding gifts a slap in the face or anything, but it is definitely not the same as waking up in paradise each morning!

St. Lucia could definitely be described as paradise in the Caribbean – with the motto “no pressure, no problem,” who wouldn’t want to relax there?! Our trip was adventurous, romantic, relaxing, and so much fun. Each day was a new excursion – zip-lining through the rainforest, horseback riding on the beach, exploring on a jeep safari, hiking up mountains, and sailing through the Atlantic. This is just a few to name!

One of our most memorable moments was our hike to Pigeon Island. Jonathan and I took an adventure to a historical park with remnants of buildings dating back to the eighteenth century and WWII. There are two peaks that we hiked. The smaller one held Fort Rodney, which was an old lookout spot where cannons would be fired into the ocean to protect the British from French invasions. The next peak was Signal Point – this was the highest point from which all sides of the ocean could be seen. The views were incredible and well work the effort it took to get there.

There were also some interesting/strange things that happened on the trip. First, we saw a man get escorted off of our plane by police with tazer guns (we are still not sure what he did). Strange for me (but not so new for others) is my first experiences with Jonathan’s night terrors – Yes, it happened a couple times! Another moment was seeing Amy Winehouse during our horseback ride on the beach. She has a condo near the cove that we were visiting and we spotted her at the bar that morning (go figure). What’s a trip without stuff like this?!

We stayed at the Grande Sandals resort, which was an all-inclusive! No checks, no bills, no pressure, no problem! It was great and we were really pleased with the dining selections. We had access to all 3 Sandals resorts on the island and were spoiled by 5 course meals and all the drinks we wanted. Our bedroom suite looked out to the beautiful ocean and the St. Lucian Mountains. Each morning we had breakfast on our back porch. The water was crystal clear with gorgeous beaches and the St. Lucians are very friendly and helpful.

We had 7 whole days of adventures and we enjoyed every minute of it! Being married to Jonathan is such a beautiful thing. I have loved waking up next to him in the mornings and knowing that I never have to leave again. I love the safety and security of being in a covenant with him and knowing that he is mine and I am his. It is wonderful!

Our wedding was so beautiful - when I get photos of the wedding I will post them! It turned out to be the perfect day outside and every detail of the wedding was awesome! I’m so sad it’s over, but we’re looking forward to seeing our videos and photos.

Blog post #1 complete :) Many more to come for the Wade family!

The view from our suite!!
St. Lucians selling fresh fruit in the country side.

Jonathan hiking to a waterfall in the rainforest.
Jonathan and April @ the Waterfall!
Being very brave and holding a snake!!
Historical ruins at Pigeon Island. The view from Fort Rodney.
The view from Signal Point - it was amazing at the top!
Dinner at the resort, all the food was awesome!
All day boat trip to the Pitons, botanical gardens, and snorkling!
At the Piton Mountains Chillin' on the Beach! He loves me :)
Candle light dinner on the beach :) Horseback riding on the beach! April snorkling!! The Wade's!!