The Newton's go to Sea World!

Josh's friend Tenielle called to see if we wanted to bring the family to San Antonio last weekend for a trip to Sea World. What a great idea...and even better...we got to go with Cameron's cousins, Riley and Jace.

Although the fee was a little outrageous to get in, it was well worth it! Cameron enjoyed himself so much and the kids made it through the entire day with no nap! (A first for Cameron) We couldn't of asked for better kids!! Anyways, here are some pictures from our trip for all to enjoy! (oh, and I had to add some cute videos near the bottom)

First off, Cameron in the only pumpkin patch I took him to this year (thank you Sea World!)



We started the trip off with a good time in Shamu's Harbor. Yes, that is me, preggo and all climbing a huge rope jungle jim.


It was Fright Fest at Sea World...not sure what Cameron thought of it!


Shamu jumping for joy:


Isn't Shamu so cool?


Cameron and his Daddy enjoying the sea lion show:


The family visiting the sharks (sorry I look so bad...it was a long day!)


And finally, two videos for you. The first one is of Cameron enjoying the beginning of the Shamu show. I just love how excited he is. You can even hear him say 'get wet'. He was so excited about getting wet, and well, then on to the second video. You can see that the reaction to getting wet isn't exactly what we expected.

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Although we had some tears from getting two wet, it was a great trip! I highly reccomend Sea World for a two year old! (plus they get in free!) Believe it or not, but Cameron still did not sleep on the way home! I finally got him to fall asleep at 9:30...way past bed time! Sea World was a great idea and we can't wait to go back again!

Mom's 50th Birthday Surprise!!

So, my mom's actual birthday was October 7th, but due to weddings and other events we had to put off celebrating until the weekend October 18th. The best part of it all...she had no idea!!

Dennis and I put together a special weekend for mom in San Antonio. I told mom that Cameron, Josh, and I were coming to Austin for my high school reunion. Luckily, she didn't look too much into that as the reunion wasn't until the next weekend and I really had no plans to go! We got to Austin Saturday morning and she immediately went to playing with Cameron. I pulled her away long enough so that I could give her her birthday present. I bought her some new fun luggage. She was excited, but not really until I told her to pack her bags, we were leaving! I knew the exact reaction I would receive..."I'm not going anywhere!" I was prepared for this, and informed her that if she did not in fact leave, Dennis would be out a lot of money (he paid for the hotel that night) and that there were people meeting us there that would have no idea what to do. She still wouldn't' have any of it. So finally, I had to tell her that we were headed to San Antonio for a night on the river walk and that my Aunt Debbie (her sister) was meeting us. She finally packed her bags and off we headed.

Once we got to San Antonio, we pulled up to the Emily Morgan hotel...which was totally cool! It was 12 steps from the entrance to the Alamo and the manager hooked us up with a twelfth story view of the Alamo and downtown San Antonio. We didn't stay in the room long, as the non-preggo women had margaritas to drink! We headed to the Alamo first (for a little sight seeing) and then down to the riverwalk. We walked for a while, but we finally found the restaraunt my mom and Debbie were looking for, Casa Rio. (I think that is the name) Anyways, it is right on the riverwalk. They got their margaritas, I got my coke (hey...I can splurge too!) and we enjoyed nachos and quacamole...our favorite! After going enjoying some laughter and fun, we went for a tour of downtown San Antonio on one of the riverboats. What fun that was!! Then, it was on to another restaraunt, for another margarita (and a virgin daquari for me). Of course we weren't done yet, so we headed for the Tower of America. Instead of paying the $12 fee to go to the lookout deck, we headed to the restaraunt. This was the best part of the entire evening! We enjoyed sunset, appetizers, and laughing and goofing off some more. After that, it was back to the hotel and to bed! What an evening!

The next morning we went down and enjoyed a big breakfast in the hotel and then my grandma asked us to come see her. Now, this was all part of the plan and my mom had no idea. When we finally go to Grandma's house, mom was greeted with a big Happy Birthday sign in the front yard and all of the rest of the family there to celebrate her big day. Grandma made some yummy food and a even better red velvet cake! I think mom had a great time, and overall, was very surprised!

Here are some pictures from the trip!

Our hotel:


Debbie & Mom infront of the Alamo:


Margaritas on the Riverwalk:


Up in the tower:


Mom's Birthday sign:

And now we know...

That Cameron will officially have a...




BABY BROTHER!!



I have always been told that I will be a mom of boys and now I know that it might be true!! We were so excited to see that little penis yesterday! (ha!) Now, we have to somehow explain to Cameron that he is not going to have a baby tister (his way of saying sister).

We can't be more excited...for some reason it makes it so much more real! Now...on to name picking! Any suggestions?

Today's the day...

Is a boy or girl?

We find out today at 3:15! Let's hope this baby has it's legs spread!!

Update to come later...

It's Official...

My brother decided last Thursday to make the love his life, Erin, his fiance! We can't be more excited to welcome someone new to our family! Erin is a great girl and I feel very lucky that she lives right down the street from me so I have really gotten to know her. Here is the latest picture of the happy couple! (Sorry it is a little blurry).




We are looking forward to a spring wedding!

Congrats you two!

Cody & Ashley's Wedding

My cousin, Cody, married his high school sweetheart on Saturday! We have been waiting for the wedding for what seems like forever! Cody and Ashley met in high school and I don't think Cody was ever the same! She swept him off his feet! Even for the time that they broke up, all we heard about was Ashley. He made up songs about her and spoke of her every chance he could. They found their way back to each other and after a long courtship finally tied the knot on Saturday. It was a great wedding in Austin and we had a lot of fun dancing and watching the happy couple. Here are some pictures from the evening.

The cute couple:


Cameron sporting his new tie. (He loved this thing and showed everyone all night!)


Cameron's date for the evening (his fourth cousin, Lily):


And this is right before Josh took Cameron home for the evening so that Mommy could party some more:


My brother and the groom:

Is it hormones or am I crazy?

Why oh why, when I watch Dancing with Stars did I need this?



So, Josh leaves me at home on Monday night to go watch Monday Night Football. So his guys night turns into a 'sit on the couch by myself and watch Dancing with the Stars' night for me. I make it through the evening until the last dance. Brooke Burke and her partner did a dance to the song Daughters by John Mayer. What a great song, but on top of that, it was really a pretty dance, which leaves me sobbing on the couch by myself. So, if you didn't see it, I 'you tubed' it and found it. I know you may not want to watch the whole thing, so the good part starts at about 3:05. She is so graceful and really makes me miss dancing!!



So now I ask, am I crazy or really just that hormonal?

Happy Birthday Mom!!

50 is Nifty right?

I know that you will love that I put this on my blog...but here is goes...

50 Great Things about my mom:

1. She is the best mom...yes, even better than me!
2. I can talk to her for hours on the phone about nothing.
3. I love it when she calls to say, 'Can I come up this weekend?'
4. She still worries about us, which can get annoying, but we still like it.
5. She loves to ask 101 questions, and I am glad that I picked this up from her too!
6. She is great best friend.
7. She is an even better Mimi.
8. I thought I made her happy, but then Cameron came along.
9. She gives really good advice...about anything.
10. She is a hard worker!
11. She would do anything for her family.
12. She was a great mom when we were growing up.
13. We had so much fun planning our wedding.
14. She has my grandpa's sense of humor.
15. She loves to sing.
16. And even better, she makes up her own songs.
17. We can never keep anything from her, she always finds out somehow (go back to #5)
18. She is the best example of what a mom should be!
19. She is so energetic.
20. Her high energy rubs off on others when she is around.
21. I hear this so often..."I would love for your mom to be my mom!"
22. We love to watch Golden Girls together.
23. In high school, after I got my heart broken, she would stay with me until I fell alseep. Now that is a cool momma!
24. She was a great board member on the McNeil Highschool Majestic Board!
25. She was always there to chear me on!
26. Although she hates shopping, she will go with me anytime.
27. She is a great sister...I know my aunts would say that!
28. She is smokin' hot!
29. She can make anyone laugh!
30. She really loves her job and I know that it makes her happy.
31. Her parents, I know, are proud of her.
32. My dad is one lucky man!
33. Dennis is truly a momma's boy...and he is o.k. with that!
34. She is always in the mood to talk...especially in traffic on the way home from work.
36. She is one of the kindest people I know.
37. She is very dedicated to her family and friends.
38. She loves Josh like he his her own.
39. My mom has a way of making Dennis and I feel special in our own way.
40. I talk about her being fun, give her a margarita and her fun is multiplied by 100...add friends to the mix, and they usually get told to be quiet!
41. We both love Luby's.
42. Cameron adores her.
43. She is one of the strongest people I know.
44. She has a way of calming me down when I call her on the phone upset about something.
45. She is excited about having another grandchild!
46. She takes such good care of her yard...it is a hobby I wish I had.
47. She loves pictures, and I love that when you walk in her house, she has so many pictures of us through the years.
48. I love reminising with her (and we do it often).
49. She always looks for the best in everyone.
50. She may be fifty, but she SERIOUSLY looks 30!

I love you mom! Don't fret about today...it is just a number! Have a WONDERFUL birthday!

'Say it ain't so Joe'

My favorite part of last night's debate. I love her sarcasim!! (It is at about 55 seconds)



All around...she is a cool lady! You gotta give her snaps for being so strong ('da-gone-it' as she would say)!

Dawn's Trip to Dallas

I have spent the past four days in Dallas, TX at the Adolphus hotel at a teacher conference. It was a great conference, but really, the fun came from meeting two celebrities! Well, one a Hollywood celebrity, the other a reality t.v. star! What a trip to forget my camera.

On our first night in Dallas (Sunday) we were waiting for valet to come bring us our car. This man pulls up in a big white work truck and literally looked like he just walked off a field where he had been working all day. He had wranglers on, his shirt untucked, cowboy boots on (which were over his jeans), a cowboy hat and long, unbrushed hair. He didn't fit in to the 'Adolphus' look! A friend said, 'Hey...I know that guy..he's from Wings'. Well, if you don't remember the show Wings, I do, because Josh watches reruns every night. He always chuckles at Lowell, the airplane tech guy and sure enough, there at the check out counter was...Thomas Haden Church! He was also in Spiderman and Sideways. Nobody wanted to talk to him, so I went up to him and asked if he was the guy from Wings. He wasn't in the mood to talk, but he replied with a 'That was a long time ago' and nicely (and maybe in a little faster pace as 7 women were staring at him) walked away. Here is a picture of him (definitely not from Sunday night) to help you put a face with a name.



So, the next night, as we are pulling up to valet again from eating some yummy food, there standing waiting for his car was Jeremy from the past season of The Bachelorette. Now, you are probably saying, 'Dawn, how lame are you to know who was on the Bachelorette?' But, for some reason, I started watching last season and got hooked. I knew that Jeremy would win. There was such a connection. (Sad that I am saying this, I know) But, Deanna broke his heart, and mine too. Jeremy cried. I cried. He came back the next episode begging for her to take him back. He cried more, I cried more. So, when I pull up to valet and there is Jeremy standing in front of me, I of course had to say something. His good looks confirmed that it was indeed Jeremy. I told him that I loved watching him on the show and that I had really been rooting for him. He gave me a little chuckle. And then, introduced himself with a handshake. It was then that I felt the need to ask him if he was o.k. He assured me he was, and then gave me the all important sideways hug. He smelled good. I then turned around to see that I had locked all of the girls that were with me in my car. Woops. I think he laughed at me a little more. It was a great night. Here is Jeremy...



Apparently, Jerry Jones was also at the Adolphus hotel that night. I never met him, but did hear that he was really enjoying the company of a 'blonde bombshell' as one of the teacher's put it.

It was a great trip, with some great friends. We learned some, laughed a lot, and did some great shopping!