Brooke and Michael

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T13:30:00.001-05:00

Audrey and Julia went to our church's trunk or treat as beautiful butterflies. They loved seeing everyone dressed up and of course, they loved the sweets!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Five Question Friday 10.7.11

2011-10-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Alrighty, folks. I'm gonna try to get back into blogging. Answering questions is the easiest way to jump back in. Oh, and I have to add, GO RANGERS!!!

1. What is your go to comfort food or sweet?

Chocolate! Also Italian food, especially in the winter months. I try not to buy chocolate because I will eat it if it's in the house. I shouldn't do that because, inevitably, I HAVE TO HAVE chocolate. Then I just want to cry when I can't find any around.

2. What is the most romantic place you've ever been to?

Well, I haven't been on a remote island or anything like that, but Michael does a good job taking me to nice places and making me feel special.

3. What is your favorite thing about fall/Halloween?

Hmmm...the crisp air (85 is crisp after the summer we had!), the pumpkin spiced drinks at Starbucks, the pumpkin candles, Audrey excited about dressing up, Rangers baseball...I could go on for a long time. This isn't true for every fall season, but for the last two, I have to say BASEBALL!

4. How would you spend 24 hours alone?

I would make the girls' costumes, organize my coupons, plan my grocery trips, and shop ALONE! I'm such a nerd.

5. Does you husband bring you flowers? Are you the bring-me-flowers type of girl?

I am not the type of girl who desires flowers, but my husband surprises me frequently with them! I always cry because I know that he went out of his way to, again, make me feel special. I tell you what, he's quite a guy!

I'm back! But for how long???

2011-09-26T15:28:00.001-05:00

Well, it certainly has been awhile. There's lots of reasons why my writing has come to a halt, and now that I'm out of the habit, who knows if I'll be able to pick it up again.

The biggest news I should share is that Michael has a new job!!! He last worked for PWC on August 2 and he took a week off before beginning his new job. We spent a few days of that week in College Station visiting family. Now, Michael is the controller for a company called the Covenant Group in Fort Worth. It's a good, Christian environment and he really likes what he does. He gets to go to many Ranger games and he's going to the Cowboys game tonight. Tough, huh? The best part is that he won't have any more 100+ hour work weeks. And, no, we're not moving. (Can you tell I've been asked that question a lot?) It takes him about 40 minutes to get to work, so it's not so bad. Praise God for a good job and more family time!

Shamu and Splashtown

2011-07-12T12:30:00.003-05:00

I finally got my pictures developed that were on our disposable and waterproof camera. The pictures of Shamu were not great. That makes me sad that I was so cautious with the real camera. Oh well. I'll know in the future just how high the water goes if we go again. All I know is that there was water on the floor where we were sitting and I wanted to be careful with my new camera.

If you remember, we decided to save some green and go to Splashtown on Saturday instead of swimming at Sea World. I think we made the right decision. The girls just wanted to be in the water. I stayed with Julia as she took a nap in the minivan that we rented for the trip. If we had gone to Sea World, I probably wouldn't have let Julia sleep. Sea World is just too big to try to find someone, even with cell phones. It turned out great for all.

Independence Day 2011

2011-07-11T21:02:00.005-05:00

Nearly every 4th of July of my life has been spent with the families of friends my mom went to high school with. We cook out and swim all day. It is fun to have my girls do the same things I did while growing up.

Julia, Macie, Audrey, and Maddie

Julia and me with Annabelle and Melody. The girls are a couple of weeks apart.

Audrey swimming all by herself.

Julia really does like the water.

Five Question Friday- 7.8.11

2011-07-08T08:54:00.001-05:00

1. Do you think cursive writing is overrated? (Schools in Indiana have now voted to take teaching cursive writing out of their curriculum.)

I can understand the argument. Everything is printed/typed. But, oh, I really think it is something that should be taught. Sheesh, I took a handwriting course in college! You know I love my husband, right? His handwriting leaves a lot to be desired. If we our romance had developed through hand-written love letters, it would have suffocated. It started through instant messaging each other. So, I guess it is true that times are changing. But I loved reading my grandpatents' love letters and seeing their remarkable handwriting. Everything about it was so beautiful.

2. Do you still use a pocket calendar or notepad or do you keep your info on your smart phone?

I may support cursive handwriting, but I do embrace technology. This phone is my everything.

3. What 3 things would you save if your house was burning down? (family & pets are already safe)

Laptop, camera, dvd's of the girls' births.

4. Country Mouse or City Mouse, err Person?

I was just thinking last night how fun and convenient city living is, but I think I'm a small town girl at heart.

5. If you could pick ANY reality show to go on, which would you pick?

What Not To Wear! Please nominate me!

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Embrace the Camera 7.7.11

2011-07-07T15:17:00.003-05:00

I am sooooo very proud of my naturally-fearful Audrey! She has never seen fireworks, but has been awakened by them before. She gets in a scared-for-her-life state and talks about how much she is scared of fireworks. She had talked about how much she did not like them as recently as LAST WEEK. You can imagine my surprise when she wanted to see them this 4th of July!

We met a coworker of Michael's who lives in Addison and she let us park at her house. We walked to the fire station to get a clear view of Kaboom Town. Audrey was great, even talked to random neighbor dogs, until we got to the fire station. The building itself scared her! Isabel took this picture of us. We were trying to get her happy again. Didn't work. The fireworks did brighten her mood (Phew!) but she was ready to leave about 10 minutes into the show. I guess it's just too late for her still. I am very proud of her for sitting through the whole thing. And if you ask her what her favorite part was, she'll tell you the Mickey Mouse fireworks.

Sea World

2011-07-06T12:28:00.004-05:00

After celebrating MaMaw's birthday Thursday night in San Antonio, we stayed to do Sea World. I had planned out our two days there: rides and shows on Friday and swimming on Saturday. We got to a slow start on Friday because we visited with family during breakfast for a long time. I let go of my type-A self and decided just to go with the flow. We did get to see 2 shows on Friday, Shamu (or as Audrey says, Shampoo) and the Sea Lion one. No pictures of Shamu because I had no idea if we'd get wet, so I used my water-proof camera and I haven't developed those pictures yet. Then on Saturday, we decided to save some cash and do Splash Town instead. We visited my brother, Brett, on Saturday night too.

We lucked out with 92 degree weather, but that was still very, very hot.

I think I got sun block on the lens on the picture above.

The girls watching Elmo and gang.

Sea World was a lot of fun! There may be a post soon about Sea World and Splash Town after those pictures are developed.

MaMaw's 80th Birthday

2011-07-05T20:57:00.005-05:00

Last Thursday, we packed up and headed to San Antonio to celebrate Michael's grandmother's 80th birthday. MaMaw has a lot of children and grandchildren and most were able to travel to the party. Even cousins from Paris and Berlin came!

MaMaw is something else, one of a kind, special. When her Sunday school class learned of her party, they created a "Flat Jean" (like a Flat Stanley) and took pictures of her all over town. It was the funniest thing I've seen in a while. People were kissing her, she was popping out of bushes, and lots of other funny things. Perfect for her and her personality.

Happy 80th, MaMaw!

Some Flat Jean pictures. (She's in black)

Audrey

Cake. Her favorite color is purple. We were encouraged to wear purple and the decorations were purple too.

Julia

Averys, Halls, and us. Burrows were not able to come.

MaMaw looking at the gift we got her.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T08:45:00.003-05:00

HAPPY 4TH Y'ALL!

5 Question Friday 7.1.11

2011-06-30T22:42:00.001-05:00

1. If you had the opportunity to bungee jump, would you?

I once had the chance. I was on my first real date with this guy. This guy is my husband's cousin, but we dated before I dated my husband. Anyways, I was not wanting to look like a wuss and I was wanting to impress, so I was going to do the bungee jump. I was a little concerned because I had heart issues when I was in high school. This was in college, so I was more concerned than I would be now. I said I'd do it and the Lord stepped in and said, "Oh no you don't." It started to rain and they closed the jump. I was thrilled! I stayed safe and looked brave all at the same time!

2. Would you rather go to the movie theater or to the drive-in?

Drive-in!!! My college town had a drive-in. We'd take large groups of people and tailgate at the movies. So fun!

3. Do you have your groceries delivered?

No, but where do I sign up? My life would be a hundred times easier if someone did that for me!

4. Eyebrows: Do you wax, thread, pluck, or stay au naturel?

Pluck.

5. Would the people you went to high school with be surprised by your life today?

I don't think so. I'm kinda living my dream, so I'm not too far off from who I truly am.

Embrace the Camera 6.30.11

2011-06-30T07:00:00.001-05:00

The picture quality is horrible, but this girl makes me laugh so much and it shows here. Audrey is such a sweet, helpful, goofy, one of a kind kid. For instance, she just came to me chanting, "Happy Poo Poo, Daddy!" ?????? Exactly. She has been so loving towards Julia lately. I love it. The jealousy that sometimes pops up is dwindling away quickly. I read a book with her tonight that talks about how wonderful little girls are and it is so true. Ok...so, I just took a picture. Gotta upload it on here for you to see. This kid is somethin else.

Those are headbands around her face.

Standing Up Tall

2011-06-29T11:56:00.001-05:00

She's done it! Julia finally decided to try out those feet and legs God gave her. I noticed last Thursday morning that she was really trying to pull up on me while I was helping Audrey get dressed. Then, that afternoon, she scaled the stairs at her grandparents' house, using her feet quite a bit. That night, as I was pouring her bath, she actually pulled up all by herself! Just shy of 15 months old. I tell you what, she has a mind of her own and is on her own timeline!

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First Jump!

2011-06-28T07:00:00.003-05:00

Audrey took swim lessons all of last week. She did great and got to jump off the diving board on Friday! She loved it and has already told me that she wants to do it again. I'm so proud of her for being so brave!

Wedding Weekend!

2011-06-27T07:03:00.000-05:00

A lot happened Friday and Saturday! One - Audrey jumped off a diving board! (video to come later this week) Two - Our incredible, simply incredible, friends, Mike and Ruth, moved to Houston. We are going to miss them A TON, but it is such a good move for them. Anyone want to fill the void that we now have for accountability and our go-to weekend couple? Miss them so much already! Three - Jake and Amanda were married!

Michael and I introduced two lovely people a few years ago and Saturday night, they joined their lives together forever. I'm so glad it worked out and I'm so truly thrilled for them! The wedding was beautiful and the reception was tons of fun. Most importantly, two Christian people joined forces for God.

Here are some pictures from Friday and Saturday. I stole a bunch from Facebook. (Karen Heflin's and Stephanie Edevane's....hope that's okay!)

Michael and I at Rehearsal Dinner.

Jake and Amanda meeting but not seeing before the wedding. Isn't that dress/she elegant!

Reception at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Stephanie's Picture

Dance floor.

Stephanie's Picture

Houston and Karen with Jake and Amanda. Houston also married us.

Both are beautiful couples.

Karen's Picture

Great fun! Ignore my poor posture/strange dancing.

Stephanie's Picture

When you get a bunch of ACUers together, you are bound to get a Sing Song face picture!

Sarah was a college roommate. Now she is a neighbor and an aquatic pilates partner.

Stephanie's Picture

Bride and Groom dancing.

Stephanie's Picture

More dancing. Notice Scott and Cindy's faces. :)

Stephanie's Picture

Swim Lessons!

2011-06-23T12:44:00.010-05:00

Audrey has been taking swim lessons this week. She has done so great and I'm a very proud momma. I know that she was nervous about it at the beginning, but she has been a champ about doing everything. I hope that this is a character trait of hers. I love how she has stepped up to each challenge. She also has an awesome teacher, Miss Brenda. You DCers and Saturn Roaders know who she is!

Mavs Championship Parade

2011-06-22T13:51:00.005-05:00

Last Thursday, the Dallas Mavericks had their Championship parade. A friend of ours was in Houston when the Rockets had their parade and highly recommended Michael and I to go when the Mavs won the finals. The Mavs DID win and we were really hoping that the parade would fall on a day we could go. And it did! (obviously...or I wouldn't be posting) My parents came to watch the girls and Michael and I jumped on a DART rail to head to the American Airlines Center.

There was a bit of a line at our starting station, but we got on a train and had seats. We were rolling along just fine, but then we stopped. A train ahead of us had a door malfunction and its passengers overloaded into the trains behind it, including ours. The parade had already started and we were stuck. I was a little worried we wouldn't see anything, but I was having fun anyway with the people of Dallas celebrating the Mavs.

We get to the AAC and we just have enough room to get off the train. Thousands of people are crowded around and we just start squeezing our way forward. We couldn't see much, but I got some pics from my phone when I held it high. Oh, and I recorded, or so I thought, when Dirk, Kidd, and Terry came around. Yeah...I messed up somehow, so you won't see them. :(

CONGRATS MAVS!

AAC

VIPs

Us.

Can you see the crowd on the other side?

Jaime Fox.

Mark Cuban.

Coach Carlisle.

Barea, Marion, ??

Office people.

Tyson Chandler.

Dead LeBron.

Fathers Day

2011-06-20T16:00:00.002-05:00

Michael is absolutely the best daddy to my two girls. They love him to pieces! It was never more evident than when Michael was working long hours not too long ago. Fathers play such an important role in families and I'm so thankful to have Michael be the father in our small family. He is such a hard worker, but he drops it all to have fun, teach lessons, and play with the girls. God has blessed me so much with this special guy!

Five Question Friday 6.10.11

2011-06-10T10:21:00.002-05:00

LOVE THOSE MAVS!

Anyone else loving this series? I know everyone in Dallas is loving this. And, I'm pretty sure everyone outside of Miami is also loving this. It is so easy to hate the Heat. Because, WOW, what arrogance!

Now on to the real reason of this post.

1. How close to your childhood dreams is your life now?

Hmmm...in my childhood dreams, I was married to a Canadian hockey player. Today, I'm married to a hispanic man who is an auditor. Doesn't sound too exciting, does it? Let me tell ya, it far exceeds my dreams. Michael is simply amazing. I love staying at home and we have the two sweetest girls who(m?) I love so much. Don't want to brag, but I've got it good.

2. What is one must have item for the summer?

Remember how I'm practical? My answer for this is air conditioning. Seriously. These summer days would be unbearable with out the a/c. I also like our little kid pool and sno-cones.

3. Do you have your kids stay up on school stuff during summer vacation? (Or, if you don't have kiddos, did your parents make you keep up on school stuff during summer?)

I didn't have work during the summer. I would probably let the kids slide on the school stuff until the last week of summer vacation. When did schools start assigning work during the summer? What if you move during the summer break? Do you have to go digging around, trying to figure out your assignment? Ridiculous.

4. Do you can or freeze fresh produce?

Fresh produce? It gets eaten.

5. Do you get ready for the day first thing in the morning?

I definitely sleep until the kids wake up and then I wait for Julia to take her morning nap to get ready. So, I get ready at 9:00 each morning.

Sandy Lake

2011-06-08T07:17:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, Michael took the day off so we braved the hot weather and went to Sandy Lake Amusement Park. I came here a few times as a kid and knew Audrey would have a lot of fun. If you plan to go, be sure to go to their website and print off a coupon to park free. I planned to let Julia ride some of the rides, but I think we both required tickets. That would use up our tickets twice as fast and she didn't mind just watching from her stroller.

Lego Land

2011-06-07T09:53:00.010-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Lego Land. Boy, it was expensive. We went there, thinking we could use a discount but we weren't allowed to use it. Then they required socks and we didn't have any with us. So we weighed our options. Buy socks and pay a ridiculous amount of money for something we weren't sure about or go home and disappoint Audrey. We should have disappointed Audrey.

We went in and she was scared from the moment the tour started. I didn't take pictures of what scared her because we had to soothe her. She had fun at the very end, but she still talks about how Lego Land was scary.

I did enjoy looking at the Lego town of DFW.

Jerry World

Great Wolf Lodge

Southfork

The Ballpark

Fair Park

DFW Airport

American Airlines Center

Poor Audrey just wasn't having a good time.

Five Question Friday 6.3.2011

2011-06-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

1. If you had to choose, how would you prefer to choose to spend money...on landscaping or a pool?

I would LOVE to have some professional landscapers come in and beautify my yard! I would love a pool too, but not with kids around. So, yeah, landscaping. We spend enough moolah on tree-trimming, brush-whacking, and grass-cutting.

2. Death penalty, yay or nay?

I've always struggled with this. I know that there is pure evil in this world and it's hard not to want that person eradicated. But, as a Christian, I just don't know if it's our place to take someone's life. In the Old Testament, the punishment for a life is life. What about in the New Testament? I don't know. I would want someone to have every opportunity to claim Jesus as their Savior. Jesus died even for the evilest of persons. Have you ever watched the Changling with Angelina Jolie in it? I thought I was getting a Halloween movie, but it soooo wasn't. It was based on a true story and I couldn't watch parts of it at all. A man was put to death in the movie as a result of his actions. I, as a regular person, didn't like seeing him killed, though it was very deserved. BUT, if I had been a mom to one of his victims, I would want him dead. It's such a hard question for me!

3. What's the worst thing your kid has gotten into when you turned your back/blogged/showered/blinked?

The only thing that pops into my mind is when Audrey took my foundation and smeared some on my cabinets. No biggie. I fear the smearing of diaper cream all over the body. Apparently, that's pretty common and super tough to clean up!

4. How often do you REALLY go to the dentist?

We missed our appointment in December because of Michael's crazy schedule. We have an appointment later this month that's already been pushed back. We were supposed to go on Wednesday, but Michael had training at work. When we don't go when we're supposed to, it costs us dearly in dental work. I miss the days when my mom, a former hygienist, would clean my teeth, like, every two weeks!

5. What is your favorite animal (doesn't have to be a pet-type animal)?

I love small to medium sized dogs. I love to play and cuddle with them. Big dogs are impressive, but they're not as cuddly and they are sometimes scary. We will probably never own a dog because of Audrey's allergies.

Embrace the Camera Thursday 6.2.2011

2011-06-02T12:27:00.005-05:00

Can't believe it's Thursday already! I'm going back to Great Wolf Lodge vacation pictures again because I haven't transferred the newer pictures from my camera to my computer yet. So, again, I'm sorry if you're a facebook friend. This should be the last time you see our vacation pictures!

I still can't believe that this tomboy (me) is the mother of GIRLS! I love them so much and I like how they make me more girly. With that being said, I will still proclaim, "GO MAVS!"

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother, Brett!

Great Wolf Lodge

2011-06-01T14:06:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Michael called me early on a Wednesday afternoon. He said he was coming home early and taking the week off. He wanted to go to Great Wolf Lodge and we definitely thought that was a great idea! We packed our bags, went to Best Buy to get my broken camera and were ready to go! Best Buy couldn't fix my camera and it had been discontinued. We got credit to buy a new camera and they didn't have the camera I wanted. Sooo, we went to another Best Buy and got the one I wanted. It completely slowed us down, but I'm so glad I had a camera to get some pictures of our first family vacation, or stay-cation! We had a great time and look forward to going back. You've already seen these if you're my facebook friend.

Doesn't that look like fun?!

Audrey was pampered while there and got a mani/pedi. Isn't that a cute shot of her in her robe and tiara?

We ate at the Cracker Barrel and had breakfast for dinner. Yum!

Going for one last swim.

Audrey stayed in this little room and loved it!

Memorial Day

2011-05-31T12:14:00.001-05:00

Hope y'all enjoyed your holiday! We had the Macks and Potthoffs over for some burgers and let the kids play in the pool and sprinklers. We had a really good time. My girls didn't have the stamina to keep up with the boys. After a couple of hours, they were both napping and missing the party. Even Audrey!

Thank you to those of you that serve our country!

My Excuse...

2011-05-25T15:07:00.002-05:00

...for not blogging:

NBA playoffs
Taking cover in a closet during storms
Going on a stay-cation
Michael being home and throwing off my schedule
Working on two very special presents for grandmothers
Being outside when it is nice

Stay tuned. There will be Great Wolf Lodge pictures, GattiTown pictures, LegoLand pictures, and let's be honest (I won't post until next week probably), Memorial Day pictures coming soon. Oh, and I'll see my brother from out of town and his family this week too!

Go Mavs!

5 Question Friday...er...Sunday

2011-05-15T16:39:00.001-05:00

1. Tube socks, calf socks, crew, ankle, none?

Ankle socks all the way! I have no further comment on the subject.

2. Was your child's (children's) name a mutual decision or was it a debate? If you don't have children, do you plan on giving your spouse a say, or do you have a name you MUST have, regardless if your other half likes it or not?!

I think we were pretty mutual on our kids' names. I do feel like Audrey was my name and Julia was his.

3. What is your favorite type of weather?

I love cloudy, rainy days when you have no where to go. If it's a sunny, non-windy day in the 70's, you can find me outside with my two girls.

4. If left to your own devices, what time would you wake up every day?

Probably 10 AM. That would be heavenly.

5. Have you bought your cemetery plots yet?

No. I think my parents have bought theirs, but I'm not sure. Guess I should find that out.

Embrace the Camera Thursday 5.12.2011

2011-05-12T10:31:00.000-05:00

A little while ago, we took the girls to Gattitown. They loved it! Julia only got to ride on the carousel, but she loved it and cried every time I took her off the horse. Audrey loved the carousel and that boat ride that swings back and forth. She liked to sit in the far back. She laughed a lot and said it tickled her tummy. (See video below)

Just a Few Things

2011-05-11T09:28:00.001-05:00

A few things that have me bummed. They are very small, but an irritant.

My camera is broken. A couple if weekends ago, I was trying to take pictures of the girls playing with each other. The camera wouldn't shoot when I wanted it too. I soon discovered that my auto-focus was broken. I have no idea what happened since the camera had been sitting in it's case and nothing had happened to it. I'm glad Michael got the warranty and it is being fixed!

Both Audrey and Julia are sick with something. Julia is fine, but this sickness is making Audrey wheeze. She saw an allergist on Monday and she's on yet another medicine since the breathing treatments weren't cutting it. That means we're currently giving her four medicines everyday instead of the typical two. I'm sad that even a small illness effects her breathing. She had been doing so great with her new allergy medicine.

My hair is another annoyance. After losing all that extra hair once Julia was born, it is growing back in. Before it was sticking straight up. I just tried to spray it down with hairspray. Now it is long enough that it just hangs down like bangs. I can't control where they lay and it frustrates me every time I do my hair. I don't remember having this problem after Audrey was born. But at least I have hair, right?

Lastly, I won't go into details here, but please tell the truth. Don't intentionally hurt others by spreading lies. It's just not cool.

Mothers Day 2011

2011-05-10T11:49:00.005-05:00

I'm still not in the mood to blog, but I'm doing it anyway. What is wrong? Why don't I want to do this? I know I'll love having all of this later in life. Here it goes!

We spent the weekend celebrating moms. We took Michael's mom out on Saturday night to The Cheesecake Factory. Yummo! We enjoyed ourselves greatly, and of course, ate too much! Michael and I split the chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. We really wanted something with peanut butter, but Audrey was with us and we don't risk it around her. Ma had a delicious pina colada cheesecake. Note - Audrey began wheezing this night.

On Sunday, we went to church with mom and had lunch and visited with a lot of family at my parents' house. Nana, Barbara, Sasa, Joe, Jana, Jordan, Judy, Ashley, Brad, Jill, Hunter, Hannah, Blake, Jaime, Maddie, and Macie were there. We also watched the Mavs embarrass the Lakers. And we took pictures, as you can tell below! (Yes, we had outfit changes.)

Saw this idea on another blog.

5 Reasons Why I Like Being a Mom

The pure love my girls give me on a daily basis.
The opportunity to teach about God and His love for my girls.
The laughter shared between us.
The sweet cuddling.
The excuse to be silly. :)

Hope all of the mothers out there enjoyed their day!

5 Question Friday

2011-05-06T13:09:00.002-05:00

Boy, I haven't been in the mood to blog AT ALL! Forcing myself to do this so that maybe next week it'll be easier to jump back in.

***Prayer request update***

Mark's surgery went very well. They were able to get all of the tumor and placed a wafer (Is that correct? That's the word in my head but it looks so wrong!) in his brain to disperse chemo to hopefully get any cancer cells left behind. He has done very well after surgery. They are awaiting the pathology results and know that the prognosis will most likely be very bad. Keep praying! ***Just saw that he's going home today! They also got the prognosis. Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage 4.

Now onto 5 Question Friday. Happy Mothers Day to all you moms out there! It's been a hard mom week for me, so I can honestly say it is the hardest job out there! More kudos to you if you do the mom thing alone!

1. Have you ever had roommates?

Oh yes! In fact, I sometimes feel like my only readers are my former roomies! I love them! I've had 6 roomies. Lori, Shannon, Mere, Crystal, Sarah, and Kami. I lived with Lori for four years and I think we might still jump at an opportunity to live in a duplex together if it presented itself! I live a few blocks away from Sarah but don't see her nearly as often as I'd like. These girls have lived all over Texas, except Crystal. She resides in Oregon and that makes me sad. :( Oh the stories these girls could tell!

2. How many names do you/your children have? (i.e. Prince Charming William Phillip Arthur Louis John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt)

Each one of us have three names. I'm the odd one as I go by my middle name. If we have another child and it's a boy, he could receive four names if my husband has his way.

3. Did you watch the Royal Wedding?

I got out my archaic VCR and somehow got it to work with our new tv and recorded it. I thought it was nice and I'm glad I saw it for historical reasons. I don't envy Kate at all. She does have it great in many ways, but it is not a life I want. I'm living that life!

4. What is the messiest room in your house?

Depends. It's wherever my focus is not. Currently, it my bedroom. I did attack parts of it today, I just kept having to take care of two little girls. Saw this on facebook yesterday: "A perfectly kept house is evidence of a life misspent." Everyone say, "Amen."

5. What is your ideal mothers day?

Honestly, a day of relaxation, chocolate, and quiet. But I'll spend it with family, noise, busyness, and maybe a little chocolate. It'll still be good!

Prayer Request

2011-05-03T08:43:00.002-05:00

Please join me in praying for Mark Holland today. Mark goes to our church and is having surgery to remove a tumor from his brain. It is a very aggressive type of cancer. Please pray for complete healing. The surgery begins at 10 o'clock this morning and will take all day. Let the glory of the Lord be shown in this man!

Embrace the Camera 4.28.11

2011-04-28T17:13:00.003-05:00

Gotta love a computer shot in a funky-lit room.

Not gonna lie...I just got the girls dressed so we could go to the grocery store today...after 5pm. They've been napping all day and I just think on some days it is pointless to get them dressed. Since dinner is asking to be made, I must go to the store. (If you're wondering why I'm never prepared for dinner, it's because I never know these days when Michael will be home. I can get by on a bowl of cereal and the girls can eat fruit on the days we eat alone.) Anyways, it's almost the weekend! Who's watching that royal wedding? I may have to figure out how to set up the vcr since we no longer have dvr. No way I'm getting up THAT early!

100Cameras

2011-04-27T10:36:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share with you an iPhone app that can make some pictures more interesting. It's called 100Cameras. I don't remember who told me about this, but I think it is pretty cool. You have a choice of 100 overlays to put over pictures that you have taken or uploaded to your phone. I took this picture this morning of one of the roses Michael got me last night (he's is amazing, I tell ya!) and sent it to my phone to edit with 100Cameras. Very easy!

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T15:38:00.004-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We really enjoyed all of our activities.

On Friday, the girls and I had lunch with my grandmother, great-aunt, cousin, aunt, and mom. We has a real good time visiting. Then, we headed home to eat dinner with Michael at my favorite place, BJ's. Later in the evening, some friends came over with Sprinkle's cupcakes. Overall, it was a very good and tasty day!

On Saturday, I caught up on some of my chores and spent time with my family. After the girls napped, we went to Michael's parents house. His two sisters' families were here for LTC and we got to visit and celebrate Ashley and Andrew's birthdays. (They're the oldest in the picture.) The kids got to dye Easter eggs.

On Sunday, we went to Michael's parents' church. Ma had bought all the girls dresses, bows, and gloves. Precious! After I put the gloves on Julia, she held out her hands and said, "Oooo!" We had lunch at Spring Creek. Then we went back to Ma's for pictures, changed for an Easter Egg Hunt, then cascarones, and then the delivery of full Easter baskets. On Sunday night, we had our Bible study and thoroughly enjoyed that too! Great family, great friends, and a great reason to celebrate! Because He lives!

5 Question Friday 4.22.11

2011-04-22T07:32:00.000-05:00

HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY!

ENJOY EASTER!

She wasn't happy with her sister when I snapped this shot, but she loved her Easter egg hair!

1. What is your favorite Easter tradition?

Since entering into my husband's family, cascarones are my favorite tradition. Cascarones are colorful eggs filled with confetti. You smash the eggs over people's heads. LOADS of fun! And talking about traditions, do you know that I have never dyed eggs before? I don't know if the yolk is still inside, if they are hard-boiled or soft, and I have no idea how to actually dye them. You can pick up your jaw off the floor now.

2. Are you a "shower" or a "long, hot bath" kind of person?

As a mom, I'm a shower as quickly as you can girl. I hate it. I love showering for a long time under very hot water. I know, I know...horrible for your skin, but oh, it feels so good! When I was in my first year of teaching (and single with no family), there was nothing better than soaking in a good bubble bath, with candles burning, and great music playing. Unfortunately, the bathtub I have now isn't really good for all of that because of it's size and other factors.

3. Can you parallel park and if so when is the last time you did it?

You know, I was never taught how to do this in Driver's Ed. I can do it if I need to, but it takes me awhile and it's not the best. I avoid it as much as possible. I have no idea when I parallel parked last.

4. What is your favorite Easter candy?

I really like Hershey's chocolate filled eggs. I like peeps and Cadbury eggs too. I'm trying to behave this year. TRYING to be healthy. I've been able to work out this week for the first time in a LONG time and it feels great!

5. Easter: do you go all out with the Easter Bunny or focus on the religious part of the holiday?

It's mainly religious to me. The Easter Bunny is fun and it's great as my kids don't understand the religious aspect yet. I don't get pictures with the Easter Bunny because older girl would go crazy from fear. So, yeah, Jesus is enough for me.

Embrace the Camera 4.21.11

2011-04-21T06:50:00.001-05:00

You may or may not have remembered me mentioning going to karaoke bar a few weeks ago. This was not any ole karaoke bar. This was a Korean, family-style karaoke bar. Although, I ~~think~~ know I wouldn't bring my young family there. It was SO MUCH FUN. Apparently, the Asians know how to do karaoke right. They have dozens of rooms where your party can go and there is no embarrassing yourself in front of strangers. The rooms have leather couches and televisions on the walls. The tv's show you the lyrics and also have cartoon-like characters or weird korean videos as the background. There are two microphones to pass around. And the best part? They auto-tune your voice. It must really work because my friends didn't take my microphone away. They really are sweet people. Let me introduce you to them:

That's me, Jill, Ashley, and Shanta(visiting from TN)

Sarah and Katie jumped in as well.

Sarah doing a little Staying Alive dance move.

Sing it, Katie!

I must mention that our husbands made this possible. We were having dinner together and the guys offered to take our children home and watch them so that we could party all night. These girls were the perfect girls to do this with. They all have a little diva-ness to them and being in the spotlight is just their thing...especially Ashley! Her rendition of It's Raining Men still makes me laugh. I have video footage - oh buhlieve me, I do - but I should not post that to the world. I don't think y'all could handle such greatness! I had such a fabulous time and it came at the perfect time in my hectic life. Thanks, girls!

Sleep!

2011-04-20T07:50:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, Audrey visited her allergist. Bad news: He thinks we're going to be buddies. Good news: He gave her a prescription that has really helped her! Her eyes have not swelled up, gotten red, or itched and she has not wheezed either! She had been waking up a lot at night because her eyes hurt or were sealed shut. Not anymore. In fact, she and Julia have decided that waking up past EIGHT is the way to do things! Julia has always been easy to put to bed, but Audrey is just now putting herself to bed. So now sleep is occurring earlier for us and lasting longer too. I might just conquer the world now.

LBJ Express

2011-04-19T04:21:00.000-05:00

I live close to several freeways. The congestion is really bad near where I live. It hardly affects us though because we can just exit and drive home on the side streets or use the HOV lanes. Below is a video of what they (TxDOT) have started to improve the congestion. There are some pretty smart people out there. I would never be able to figure out how a layered freeway system might work. They are doubling the lanes and keeping the existing ones. Crazy!

Bluebonnets 2011

2011-04-18T02:53:00.000-05:00

So, yeah. I tried to do the bluebonnet picture thing. I am not pleased with the pictures, but at least I got some which I sure haven't been able to do before. Audrey's allergies were pretty calm on Wednesday, so I stuck her in the middle of a flowery field. :) I wanted to go in the morning, when the light was better, but Audrey slept until 9:20 and Julia was already napping when she woke up. Sooo, I took them out at high noon. That's the worst time for lighting, right? And they were hungry. I didn't use the right settings on my camera either. And I was scared of rattlesnakes after that lady on the news the night before talked about how foolish it was to take these pictures. I stayed where the grass was short and not into the middle of the bluebonnets. Julia didn't like the nature thing. She wanted me to hold her and didn't like that I just clicked away instead. Maybe I'll do this again if everything lines up correctly.

Five Question Friday - 4.15.11

2011-04-15T03:10:00.001-05:00

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

It's my proposal anniversary!

I said "YES!" 6 years ago today, on tax day, to my CPA! :)

1. What is your favorite sign of spring?

Well it sure is not the allergies! I'm taking my daughter to the allergist today and hopefully she'll get some relief. I really love the perfect evenings. We've been going to the park and walking at night. It's great to have that family time.

2. What was your best birthday ever?

That's tough. My college roomies really made my 21st birthday special. My husband also made my 30th birthday special too. Anytime someone takes the time and effort to surprise you and gather friends to celebrate YOU is a blessing.

3. What is your favorite dessert?

ALL of them! I love dessert. Like children, they tug at your heartstrings in different ways and have something great to offer!

4. What is the best excuse you've ever used to get out of a ticket?

I've gotten out of tickets before but it was never because of an excuse - just because of a nice officer.

5. Do you wake up before your alarm, with your alarm, or after hitting snooze several times?

I typically wake up to the kids. I just read a blog that said you should wake up before your kids so that you can mentally prepare for the day, spend some God time, and not wake up grumpy to a kid waking up. I guess if I was waking up grumpy or if I knew when my kids were going to wake up, I'd do that. Frankly, I get more grumpy when I set my alarm and begin my day and then my kids sleep in. I just sit there thinking about how I can still be in bed and I get upset. Sleep is very important to me. Very.

On days that the alarm goes off, I hit snooze like nobody's business!

Embrace the Camera 4.14.11

2011-04-14T05:03:00.001-05:00

I got to see my college roomie, Crystal, last Thursday. She had a layover at DFW and we were able to spend an hour together before she went back home to Portland. I haven't seen this girl since my wedding day and that was over five years ago! To say that that was too long is an understatement! We're hoping to have a reunion of sorts with another roomie next summer. Crystal has got to be one of the most fun gals to be around. Audrey really liked her and said she was nice and silly. Yep, that's her alright! Do you like the oh-we're-at-the-airport-already-let's-get-a-picture-in-the-car shot?

Just Some Catching Up

2011-04-13T08:08:00.004-05:00

Lately, I've been using my internet time to find good dinner recipes instead of blogging. Michael has been able to come home in time for dinner some. It had been so long since I've cooked that I felt like a rookie. So I've been looking at a lot of recipes and so far I've had some good successes. Do you have any good go-to recipes you'd like to share?

We've also been spending his hard-earned money, but not really wanting to.

Our faucet broke and hot water was leaking in a good, steady stream. I dealt with the problem by turning off the hot water. Any time I needed it or ran the dishwasher, I would just turn it back on. It made a horrible noise and leaked at the faucet when the dishwasher was on. It really threw off my schedule because I couldn't just let the washer run at night like I typically do because hot water would run all night. I stayed up a few nights just waiting for the wash cycle to end. Michael finally got the time to look at it to see if he could fix the issue. He could not, so he just bought a new faucet. We ended up calling the plumber anyways. He bought a bronze faucet and I was all too happy to replace my brass cabinet hardware with bronze. I found a great deal online on those knobs and pulls.

Then the tv that my parents gave us died earlier this week. This was the only tv that can connect to our antenna and AppleTV. So Michael went out to buy a certain model that was rated well on Consumer Reports. The store didn't have it. Long story short, they offered a display for half off and he haggled them down even lower. So now we have a great tv for less than what we were going to pay originally.

I didn't help matters when I convinced Michael that I needed a nice mixer after I broke ours making his birthday cake. I felt I was going to do enough baking just for Julia's party to justify the purchase. I didn't know everything else around me was going to fall apart. At least I got the mixer for much less at Kohl's when it was on sale and I had 30% off coupon. Oh, I also bought a good straightener then too. Whoops.

So, yeah. We went over budget this month. Hopefully it will all even out soon!

Yesterday, I called up Audrey's school and cancelled for the rest of the year. That should help our finances. She has missed so much lately with her allergies. She also hasn't been wanting to go lately. She's been to school only once or twice since Spring Break. I just felt like we were wasting money for something she might go to and wasn't really enjoying. I am glad we put her in school because I know it has helped her and she's enrolled for next year. It's just not feeling right at this time.

On another note, I found out I was pregnant with Audrey on April 11, 2007. Julia was weaned from nursing on April 10, 2011. The entire time between those dates, I was either pregnant or breastfeeding. I have my body back for the first time in 4 years! I can take medicine if I want! Wahoo!

I'm hoping to go get bluebonnet picture today. Doesn't help that I heard on the news last night that some lady believes that there are rattlesnakes in the fields. Should I heed her warning?

Sorry that this was more of a journal entry than a blog entry today.

Five Question Friday - 4.8.11

2011-04-08T07:35:00.001-05:00

1. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

I wish I could decide if I'm an introvert or an extrovert. I was so very shy growing up. I was not shy at all while in college. In the almost TEN years since college, I've gone back and forth from being timid and shy to being a leader and outgoing. I like myself a little bit more as an outgoing person, but I think I'm shy by nature. Is anyone else like this or is it just me?

2. Write about a time when you got lost.

How about when I lost my husband in church last week? I missed just about the entire service looking for him. He was in Audrey's classroom, it turns out. Hmmm, me being lost... That doesn't happen often with technology. I did get lost on the way to my friend, Shannon's, wedding reception. That was horrible. I arrived sooo late.

I missed the bridesmaids being introduced. Sorry Shannon! At least I was on time for the wedding. She was such a gorgeous bride!

3. Camping or 5 star hotel?

It's been such a long time since I've gone camping. I think I'll opt for the 5 star hotel now that I'm a bit older. I'd rather have a comfy bed than a sleeping bag. I'm all about sleep these days. BTW, I just downloaded an app called Sleep Cycle and I love it! It wakes you up when you are in a light sleep instead of a deep sleep that alarm clocks seem to hit. It also tracks your sleep cycles that night. I wish I could have seen the ridiculous amounts of non-sleep I was getting back in February.

4. Have you donated blood?

I sure have tried! Every single time I've gone to give blood, I've either been on my period, was going to be involved in a physical activity later that day (intramurals), on medication, or might be pregnant. I've tried many times but they have always turned me away. I've got A- blood. I don't know if negative blood is in greater need or if that detail even matters. I feel an extra responsibility to give since I believe negative blood is more rare than positive. Do y'all now if they even care about the postive/negative aspect of blood? It doesn't bother me one bit when they take the vials and vials of blood when you're pregnant, so I really want to give.

*Looked all of this up. My A- blood can only go to O- and A- blood types. And, if I read correctly, if you have a negative blood type, you are more likely to develop an auto-immune disease. So, negative blood type, I have you to thank!

5. Do you have a budget or do you 'fly by' most months?

We do have a budget. We've gone over this month for sure. We used to be really good at following it, but it takes some time - time that is very precious to us right now. I generally don't spend much money, so it's pretty easy to stay under budget. I do know that we have $130 left this month to eat out. Michael really likes eating out. He says that when he eats at home, he feels guilty for not having his laptop out and working. Isn't that sad? I can't wait for his work to slow down.

Embrace the Camera 4.7.11

2011-04-07T09:57:00.002-05:00

Embracing the camera with my ONE YEAR OLD! We're singing Happy Birthday with a bunch of family around. It's been a week already and it still hasn't sunk in that she's one.

Got Milk?

2011-04-05T15:37:00.004-05:00

We took Julia to her 1 year well check today. She is not a fan of being messed with or of shots, but she was her joyful self the rest of the time. She weighed in at a light 17#9oz (5%) and measured at 30in (80%). So she dropped some in both categories. I was worried about her weight because she had only gained a few ounces in 2 months when we were last there. BUT, in three weeks, she gained over a pound. I guess it's that whole milk! Below is her first taste of it on the morning of her birthday. BTW, Audrey was in the 5% in weight at that age and was quite a bit shorter.

Sorry about the poor quality.

Julia's First Birthday Party

2011-04-04T19:03:00.006-05:00

WARNING: Picture overload!

On Saturday, we celebrated Julia's first year of life. We had a lot of fun and I was so happy so many showed up for her birthday celebration!

The theme was Milk and Cookies. Julia had her first sip of milk on Thursday and she's a fan! Good thing since it was her party theme. Audrey just last week decided that she liked white milk.

For the milk, we had white, strawberry, and chocolate milk.

For the cookies, we had chocolate sugar cookies with pink icing in "J"s and "1"s; Oreos (ran out of steam to do Orea Balls); Cocoa Krisp Treats with black/pink M&Ms; M&M cookies; and German chocolate cake cookies.

We also had chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes and cookies and cream cake.

A special thanks goes out to Rachel for making me the German chocolate cake cookies when I had a baby and introducing me to Annie's Eats.

I like to have family-only parties for the first couple of years. I tried to get pictures of everyone, but didn't get them all.

Here's my great-aunt, Barbara.

This is my "great" aunt, Sandra. We call her Sasa.

My niece, Maddie and sis-in-law, Jaime. Blake and Macie were there too.

My parents, Papa and Mimi. They hosted.

Of course, Audrey was there.

Michael's Dad, Poppy. Audrey being shy.

Michael's Mom, Ma.

My grandmother, Nana

Papa, again.

My cousin, Jill. Her kids Hannah and Hunter were there too.

My cousins, Jana, Judy, and Ashley were also there.

Mimi bought Audrey this sweet little pink and black dress for the party.

Julia got her very own cupcake to eat.

She preferred just eating the mini morsels.

She finally got a bit of icing.

Love her!

If it were not for my mom, I could not have pulled this off. She watched the girls for me while I made a mess of her kitchen. She also helped me put all of the last-minute details together. She was awesome!

Happy Birthday, Julia!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY, JULIA!

2011-03-31T11:55:00.004-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET GIRL!!!

A sweet little angel was brought to my arms one year ago today. It has been a real hard year on us, but this little doll has brought nothing but smiles and laughter. Julia has been the easiest baby I've been around and for that I'm very grateful. Her quick smile, black eyes, and to-die-for eyelashes draw you in. Then she laughs, crinkles her nose, and cuddles with you and you melt instantly. She loves Daddy so much and watches Audrey's every move. I'm sure I'm in her list of favorite people, but I'm just glad I get to spend my days with this joyful spirit. She's easy-going almost to a fault (slow developer), but that just makes this family run more smoothly. Her shrieks of delight when Daddy walks in the door or when she's crawling after Audrey makes this momma's heart bust. LOVE HER!!!

The Last Day of Julia's First Year

2011-03-30T01:20:00.000-05:00

I won't allow to let myself get too emotional yet. I made a video of Audrey's first year and just had to do one for Julia too. The song for Audrey fit her perfectly. I had to search around for awhile to find one I really liked for Julia. Allison Kraus has always been a favorite of mine, so I went with her. I hope you enjoy!

Julia, we love you so much! You make our lives so full of joy, love, and happiness. God sent a little angel to us last year.

Photo Project - Planning

2011-03-29T06:07:00.000-05:00

Last week's photo project theme was planning. Boy, have I been planning! Julia's first birthday party is this weekend. I've been making, creating, and buying. My house is a wreck because of this party. The pictures aren't great, but it will give you a little glimpse of what the party will be like.

I am a Excel nut. I plan almost everything this way, including my children's names.

I copied and pasted my recipes. Then I combined all the ingredients into one list so I'll know what I'll need and what I'll need to buy. The Find feature insures me that I didn't miss any ingredient.

You wanna know what I'll be baking? Squint and see if you can read the screen. If not, you'll have to wait for the party pictures. :)

And can you tell what I'm making here? Hmmm....

What did moms do before blogging? I have gotten most of my ideas from blogs for this party. I got my theme, recipes, instructions, creative ideas, etc. from the talented people out there in Blogland. So thanks, y'all!

Great Weekend!

2011-03-28T12:44:00.003-05:00

There were some wonderful people that spent time with either one or both of my daughters this weekend and allowed me to do things all by myself or with just one girl this weekend. I huge shout goes to the people below.

Poppy flying a kite with Audrey. Ma didn't get her picture taken.

Michael stepped up big time this weekend too. He allowed me to go to a Korean Karaoke Bar and to a wedding shower. Thanks, Babe!

Mimi came over so that I could get my hair cut!

Papa came over and offered to keep the girls, but it wasn't needed at the time.

Embrace the Camera 3.24.11

2011-03-24T10:13:00.004-05:00

Happy Thursday, y'all! I don't know why, but I really like Thursdays. I guess I can just feel the weekend coming and that means we're about to see my husband a bit more and that's always good for the soul.

I've got internet access FINALLY. I haven't had it for awhile due to a broken tower of some sort. I got it back just in time to ramp up my celebration of my baby turning one year old next Thursday. Currently, we're dealing with allergies, especially poor Audrey. Her eyes tend to turn red and swell (and even blister) when the pollen is bad. So, we won't be taking pictures today. Instead, I will look back at when Julia was born and show you the first picture of us girls together. I cherish it!

Five Question Friday - 3.18.11

2011-03-18T11:49:00.003-05:00

I am soooooo tired! I don't see how my husband is functioning. He's gotten about 6 hours of sleep the past two nights and he was pretty low on fuel before then as well. It's just not right to go to bed at 11:30pm and set your alarm for 2:00am. He was out the door before 4:30am. I may not see him tonight and he'll work this weekend. Hey busy season - you have overstayed your welcome. Now scram!

1. Have you ever testified in court? For what?

Nope.

2. Do you still have your wedding dress?

Yes, I sure do. It's hanging in Audrey's closet. I'm sure that will need to change soon because she'll become a little girl who wants her closet space. Or, if we ever have another child, she'll be sharing that closet with Julia. So, where do you take a dress to be treated so it won't turn yellow? I'm not really trusting my dry cleaners at the moment.

3. Is there a special place you like to go when you're happy, sad, stressed, etc.?

I either want to be alone or in the arms of my husband when sad or stressed. Being a mom and being a wife of the hardest working man I know, I haven't had either in awhile.

4. If you have kids, do they sleep with you? If you don't have kids...will you let your kids sleep with you when/if you have them?

They don't sleep with me. I'd love it if Audrey would just lay down next to me in the mornings so that I could catch some extra z's, but I don't ever see that happening.

5. Do you watch late night TV?

We don't have cable and that has gotten us out of the habit of watching tv. If Michael and I do watch some tv at night, we will pull up something on Netflix. I guess it's not considered late night tv if it aired earlier and you're just watching it late at night, huh?

Embrace the Camera 3.17.11

2011-03-17T09:51:00.003-05:00

Happy St Patty's Day y'all! Michael is always making fun of me for being Irish because of some temper that he says I have. Where he got that, I'll never know. Ha! I'm using ancestry.com to trace our genealogy and I'm finding more Irish on his side than on mine. He may be half Hispanic, but he may be more Irish than me!

Last Friday night, I got a call from a dear friend who lives in San Antonio, Caley. She was on her way to Ft. Worth and was going to be bringing her mom to Dallas in the morning and she was wondering if she could see me. Ummm...let me check my calendar, um....Caley, get your rear over here NOW! I love this girl! She was in my wedding. In fact, she and I shared a bed the night before my wedding. Who knows what kind of conversations we had before my big leap in life. We were planning on having a family picnic at the park on Saturday and she just joined us. Audrey is almost always hesitant around people, but never Caley. That says a lot about how comfortable Caley makes people feel. Love ya Cakes!

Caley

Julia

Audrey

Caley and me

Us, all in blue. Ha!

LDN

2011-03-16T09:18:00.004-05:00

I had the honor to be a guest blogger for Today's Housewife. Click on the button above to see their great site.

I wrote about the drug I've been researching the last several months, Low Dose Naltrexone. I will hopefully take this drug if I ever get pregnant again to keep my Pemphigoid Gestationis away. Michael and I are still prayfully considering how to go forward with our family. Even as my confidence in this drug grows, so does my peace for having just our two girls. God knows what our family will look like years from now and we just have to trust Him as we wrestle with making this hard decision.

Please take a look at the post and think about telling others that you know with an autoimmune disease about the drug. Even if I never take it, I will always be an advocate for the drug.

How many things can I fit on my head?

2011-03-15T15:17:00.003-05:00

A bow
A paci
Sunglasses

Michael sent me this picture today. He had placed the glasses over her eyes, but Julia thought, "Good grief Dad, I'm still inside!" and moved them up.

Spring

2011-03-14T15:42:00.003-05:00

Spring is the theme this week for the photo project. We had a family day at the park on Saturday. We had the added bonus of having a dear friend come with us! I was glad to see a lot of flowers that I could photograph while Michael and the girls played. Did you take pictures? I would live to see spring in your life too!

Five Question Friday - 3.11.11

2011-03-11T08:33:00.002-06:00

1. Do you know what your REAL hair color is?

I know my true hair color and so do you! What you see is the real deal.

2. Do you plan ahead for summer, or fly by the seat of your pants?

Mostly fly by the seat of our pants. We have weddings and a birthday trip planned, but that's about it.

3. What is your favorite meal to cook?

I don't like cooking, so I'll go with what Michael likes to eat the best. Chicken Marsala. I'm proud of it because I came up with it myself instead of following a recipe and he loves it.

4. Do you get offended by not receiving thank yous?

No! I often say not to write a thank you note when I give the gift, but then I think that makes them want to write a note more. I almost always write one because I don't want to offend someone. I once read a post from a person that has gifted me before about how rude it is not to send a thank you note. I ALWAYS write her one! It is the polite thing to do since someone spent time, money, and energy on you, but I don't need a note.

So, friends, if I give you something, there is no need to write me!

5. How did you meet your best friend?

I met Lori because I was looking for a college roommate. My future sister-in-law's friend knew someone that needed a roomie as well. I called her, but she had found someone already. She gave me another friend's info. That friend was Lori. She's from Austin and I'm from Dallas. We met at an event in Abilene our senior year in high school. We weren't thrilled with what we saw, but figured it was better than pot luck. When we actually got to college, we clicked immediately. We roomed all 4 years and were basically inseparable. Same classes, double dates, everything. We live in different cities now, but hopefully we'll live close by one day!

I am quickly becoming good friends with Ruth. My husband was really good friends with her husband in college. They moved to our area and they have really been there for us. She is gorgeous on the outside but even prettier on the inside. True woman of God.

Embrace the Camera 3.10.11 Daddy edition

2011-03-09T20:30:00.005-06:00

One of Michael's clients is in the Galleria. Often, when Michael sees this client, he stops by Old Navy and picks up something for the girls. This week, it was matching pj's that say Fairy Princess and have a little skirt on them. They loved their gifts and immediately switched pj's before going to bed. They love their Daddy and were so glad to see him!

The Tale of Two Girls

2011-03-09T13:56:00.004-06:00

First off, I have big news! Julia learned how to crawl today! Aaaaaaannnndddd she's already gotten into trouble! Uhoh! I liked my baby girl and she's crawling away from me now. :(

Below is footage from this morning as she was figuring it out. I used crackers for motivation. I, on the other hand, don't have any motivation to get up and get out the good cameras because I got up about ten times last night. I'm pooped.

She's a bit faster now and wants to go everywhere.

Audrey came to me today and told me that she straightened up her bathroom. Her bathroom is a constant mess because she loves to brush her teeth and wash her hands all of the time. A 3 year old just can't help but make a mess while she gets clean. Meanwhile, my other daughter was doing this...

I figure I don't have any male readers, at least I hope not! And yes, I keep the box in the floor during this time of the month because there is not a convenient place to put them in my bathroom. I knew what she was up to, but I let her have fun. I did have her place each one back into the box. One daughter cleans while the other makes a mess.

Double Whammy

2011-03-08T13:06:00.002-06:00

Remember that monster of a cold Julia had last week? Well, it morphed into a double ear infection. Thankfully, it's her first ear infection. She has decided to join Audrey in the Doctors are no fun AT ALL routine. Doesn't help that we've been to his office each week the past three weeks and we have her well check scheduled real soon too. At least I like him! He reminds me of Mr. Rogers and almost everyone likes Mr. Rogers!

Underneath

2011-03-07T14:33:00.005-06:00

...the blooming pear tree.

Underneath is this week's theme. Too bad it is so cloudy today. It's supposed to rain tomorrow and if I wait longer, those blooms may be gone. I love how God makes new life so beautiful. Spring. It rejuvenates the soul, doesn't it? Next week's project is Spring and I am looking forward to find spring sprouting all about me. Please join me for Spring Week. I'd love to see all of your pictures! Leave a comment on my blog if you take a picture of Spring so we can all see!

Five Question Friday - 3.4.11

2011-03-04T08:17:00.003-06:00

1. Have you ever forgotten your child in a store or at school?

Nope. But I have forgotten someone else's kid at school! When I was in either junior high or high school, we often took my neighbor, Matt home. We went to a private school and weren't really near our homes at all. One day, my Dad picked me up. Not in a fancy car like all those rich kids were being picked up in, but in a big, yellow, Dallas County school bus. I was mortified. I ran in and probably told him to put the pedal to the medal, totally forgetting to pick up Matt. I wonder if Matt was grateful we forgot him?

2. Where did you go on your very first date? (Like...first first, not first with your spouse or current significant other!)

Hmmm...I went on a double date with Dee Dee and Beau and my date was Brian. It was a club social thing. I have no idea what the social was, but we went to TGIFridays afterwards. Now, when it came to a date where I was the one actually asked out, you have to fast-foward to after high school graduation. A guy named Cade asked me out while I was at my summer job and he took me to lunch somewhere. My first dates vastly improved until I found the winner in my husband. He won the prize for best first date (Three Forks). He won all the prizes in fact. :)

3. What's your "silly" fear? (We're not talking water and heights.)

I asked Michael and he said bugs. That's not a silly fear! Hmmm...I don't know. I think all of my fears are legit.

4. Confrontation: do you cause it, deal with is as it comes, or run far far away?

I hate confrontation. If you're friends with me on facebook, you saw that I just had to confront the dry cleaners about a mark they put on my comforter. They went back and forth on what it was and if it would come out. They never admitted that the spot come from them and they were placing the blame on me, and even my girls. I stood my ground and they removed the spot for free. I was nauseous the entire day after talking with them because I hate arguing with people like that.

5. Wood floors or carpet?

Michael put some wood floors in our house and we still have some carpet. I love just about everything about the wood floors. But my girls love going to someone's house that has fluffy carpet. They love how soft and cushiony it is. Since Audrey has so many allergies, I'm glad we got the wood floors because who knows what is in carpet after awhile. Audrey is also scared of the vacuum cleaner, so that another plus for the wood floors.

Have a great weekend!

11 Months

2011-03-03T20:32:00.003-06:00

Say it ain't so! I can not have just one month left with my baby! Julia turned eleven months on...uh...eh...I don't know. When in the world do you recognize a month birthday that's on the 31st in a month with only 28 days? Usually, I would just recognize it on the 1st when there are only 30 days, but this one is just plain odd. I usually despise the month of February (for various reasons) and I think it just needs to be removed from the calendar. Now back to Julia.

It was a big month for Julia! Something actually happened! She got a tooth! In fact, she has two now, but #2 broke through during that mushy 10 to 11 month period. She still doesn't have a crawl figured out. I took her to the doctor Monday and while I was there, I made him check out her legs. She's a strong one, so she's just choosing to sit and not do much. I don't mind. I can't call her a toddler if she's not even pulling up, right? If she's not a toddler, then she's still a baby. I don't want her to grow up! Let's see, what else? She got her second haircut. She still sleeps 3 times a day usually. She waves hi and bye-bye. She says Dada much more than Mama. My mom and I heard her say thank you, but I don't really count that one. She's a picky eater so far.

More than anything, she is just the sweetest baby I've been around. She will lay her head down on my chest and love on me for awhile. She smiles a lot and laughs often. We were watching Dick Van Dyke on Netflix the other day and she was constantly laughing at the clumsiness of Rob Petrie. Audrey remains her number one comedian. It has been a wonderful year with a cute baby girl that I'm so glad to be blessed with!

Poor, sick Julia is 11 Months

2011-03-01T11:11:00.003-06:00

My baby is sick. She went to the doctor yesterday. He says it's just a cold, but she is miserable with a temperature above 101, runny nose, and a cough. So, I won't be taking her 11 month picture today. I was wanting to postpone her nearing a year old anyways and February was just too short of a month, so it's all good.

Weekend

2011-02-28T07:51:00.005-06:00

Well, we had a rough weekend at our house. Let's see...Michael was home just to sleep for probably a combined total of 10 hours, Audrey was wheezing and being a 3 year old that desperately misses her daddy, and Julia developed a fever that I hope has more to do with teething than with a cough that she has. Throw in some other unfortunate instances and poor mothering on my part, and you have one poopy weekend. But I do have some pictures of our highlights. I apologize in advance for the poor picture quality. You never know what you'll get with your cell phone camera.

My aunt, we call her Sasa, gave Julia her second haircut. Amazing that Julia has had the same number of haircuts that I have had since she was born. She desperately needed some shape and style. When I had cut her hair 4 months ago, I just cut off her mullet. Audrey has yet to have someone other than me cut her hair. I doubt that will change any time soon. Two very different kids, I tell ya!

Audrey receiving a breathing treatment before going to bed. This is a highlight because Daddy was home to give it to her. Believe me, they were both soaking up this moment.

Tug at my heartstrings! Look at the girls reaching for each other! They are becoming better and better friends lately. Whenever Julia decides to become mobile, they will have so much fun together.

One day I will think this is cute. I'm admittedly annoyed with it right now. Wherever we go, Audrey says it is loud and covers her ears. Which means she doesn't eat if we're at a restaurant. At this particular place, I could hear the conversations on the other side of the restaurant because it was so quiet. There is a story behind her doing this, but I don't know if I want to go there.

So how does one forget a rather bad weekend if they aren't much of a drinker? I go to Corner Bakery and order their french toast (made with custard) and eggs. I'm an emotional eater and this did wonders for me. Maybe I won't be wearing a swimsuit this summer after all. ;)

Five Question Friday - 2.25.11

2011-02-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

1. Can you drive a stick shift?

No, I can't, and I'm okay with that.

2. What are two foods you just can't eat?

Sushi and mushrooms - two foods that my husband likes. Okay, I'm lying a bit, he Loves (notice the capital L?) sushi. Bleh. Gag me. Have I ever tasted either? No way! But I know I wouldn't like it.

3. Do you buy Girl Scout Cookies? What is your favorite kind?

I wasn't going to this year. I am not happy with my tummy 10 months after baby and swimsuit season is drawing near. But alas, my husband was taken captive by a beautiful young lady at church and he bought them. At least I think he did, because I have no memory of it. He used my name and phone number. And that gets me to thinking that I boughtthem. His thin mints are still hanging around. My tagalongs are long-gone. We got the cookies Sunday. No willpower at all.

4. How do you pamper yourself?

I am not the pampering kind. Reading blogs is what I do to unwind. I feel like I am being pampered just getting my hair cut. Maybe that's why it's hard for me to go get it cut; I feel like I'm throwing money away. Funny how we push men to get their hair cut but then we just ignore our own head of long hair. Or is that just me?

5. What is your nickname and how did you get it?

Do I really want to share this? No, but I will.

No Nose. Because, well, isn't it obvious?

I got it in high school. Nice.

My husband's Valentine card said he loved my small nose. How sweet of him to tell me he loves what I'm insecure about.

I once had a guy cut my hair that literally had no nose. Not kidding. Made me appreciate my own nose, no matter how small it is.

Embrace the Camera - 2.24.2011

2011-02-24T14:01:00.003-06:00

We are missing Daddy a lot lately. It's so pitiful to see him work this hard. I kept Audrey home from school because her allergies were acting up and I like to keep an eye on her so we don't end up in the ER with wheezing again. I did not enjoy my midnight to 6am ER stay when Julia was just a few weeks old because of Audrey's wheezing, thankyouverymuch! So because Auds was with me today, Michael wanted to eat lunch with us since he sees us like 20 minutes a day. Please say a pray that my husband can handle all of this stress. I can see it physically wearing on him.

Anyways, here's our Chic-fil-a pictures from today.

I Can't Wait to Go to Bed!

2011-02-23T21:56:00.002-06:00

We are in the middle of Michael's busy season at work right now. That means he's working all the time. He's hardly ever home and when he is home, he's working. On Sunday, he decided he could work from home and locked himself up in our bedroom. Audrey is allowed to be in the room with him if she quietly watches a movie while he works.

A certain someone allowed a certain 3 year old to eat raspberries on our bed. The results were stained pants, comforter, and pillow sham. Her sippy cup also leaked juice onto our comforter. Audrey's pants were cleaned easily, but I had to take the comforter to the dry cleaners.

I have spent the last two nights longing for my heavy, warm comforter. I added blankets and turned on the heat, but there's just something about the weight of the comforter that can't be replaced by blankets. I definitely became a snuggler the past 2 nights after Michael comes home (after midnight lately). At least I can warm up by him. I have my comforter back today and I can't wait to get under it!

How do you like to sleep? I like to wear socks, have my sheets tucked in, and have something heavy and warm on me. Michael doesn't like socks and likes his sheets untucked. How do we ever stay married?

Spirit

2011-02-22T18:38:00.004-06:00

So I struggled with this week's photo project. I wasn't even in a blogging mood. I was thinking about what I should do while playing playdoh with Audrey. What's more spirited than a cheerleader? I didn't want to go find one, so I made one. Hopefully I'll do better in the future on these pictures. ;) But, you got a glimpse into my life. Playdoh. Every day.

Five Question Friday - 2.18.11

2011-02-18T11:30:00.002-06:00

1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row?

Oh goodness, yes! There are some days that I don't get dressed until 5:00 (isn't that lovely?!) and then I go right back into my pj's soon after. Why waste that outfit and not wear it again the next day? Of course, with these girls around, it is sometimes hard to keep a shirt clean.

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?

I suppose Dallas since I have lived in Dallas proper or just outside the city limits for the majority of my life. I like Dallas alright, but the snootiness is really getting to me. I may be a small-town girl at heart. My husband took me to where he grew up (right outside of Denver) in September and I fell in love. I probably couldn't handle the winters though. If I didn't have to worry about family and friends, I'd love to live in Vancouver. Again, I'd have to worry about the colder weather. Talk to me about this in August and I'm sure I would trade 100+ degree days for some snow!

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?

My children have never flown before. I don't think Julia would give me any troubles, but I'm afraid Audrey would flip out. She has so many fears and I can see her screaming and then we would receive the wrath of all the passengers. If we had to fly, I would hope she would think it was fun. You just never know with her. We've driven before and it was fine, I guess. No one can stay completely sane on a long car trip.

4. What is your idea of "spring cleaning"?

I just want to maintain a state of clean. If I can't do that, how on earth would I do spring cleaning? Seriously. My house was clean yesterday until I picked Audrey up from school. By the time Michael came home, it was a complete disaster. Drives me nuts!

5. What is the best book you have ever read?

This is hard. I like books. I like reading books. I don't have the time for books. I don't see how you people with kids, a job, who watch all of these tv shows, and still are able to read a ton of books, do it! I don't have a job, my kids are fairly easy to care for, I don't watch tv, and I still have zero time for book reading. We're only reading parts of chapters in the Bible for my small group and I can barely get that done! Blogging is barely happening for me too. I could stop any day now because I it's hard to find the time to do it. But back to the question. I also have a horrible memory. The book that I enjoyed the most in my school days was Bridge to Terabithia. I also enjoyed CS Lewis' books in high school and college as well.

Happy Weekend to y'all!

Embrace the Camera - 2.17.2011

2011-02-17T15:54:00.004-06:00

It's time to embrace the camera again! Emily changed her button, but it's the same ole thing. Grab a camera, a family member, and take a picture of you with them. I really should have taken pictures yesterday since I was with my mom, grandmother, brother, nieces, and daughters. Wouldn't you like to see them instead of these two each week? Oh, I see...you think my girls are cute just like I do! ;)

Nothing special here. I just grabbed the camera after picking Audrey up from school. She has gotten to the point where she'll only pose for one picture and run off. Julia is more willing to stick around.

The Trouble with Girls is...

2011-02-16T19:31:00.003-06:00

... you come across AMAZINGLY ADORABLE stuff that you want to buy, but you just have to dig deep down (and for this, it was very deep down) and find your will power. Aren't these to die for?!?!

They are from Janie and Jack. I went into their store thinking about Easter dresses and because I saw sale signs. I didn't look at a single dress after looking at these. I even got Michael from the Apple store to show him. But alas, I made the smart choice and just walked away.

Gorgeous Weather!

2011-02-15T17:54:00.003-06:00

Can you believe this weather? I mean, really! My February 2011 picture folder is the most random group of pictures! My kids are either bundled up, playing in the snow, or barefoot, playing outside. I love the snow, but I also love weather in the upper 70's. We had to go to the park today. Did you have the chance to do something outside?

Romance

2011-02-14T08:51:00.003-06:00

This week's photo project topic is Romance. Seeing how I haven't seen my husband much during this new year because of work, I went looking in my archive of pictures to see if I could find something, anything that was romantic. I looked in our wedding anniversary file and pulled out this picture I took while eating at Flagstaff House Restaurant. We were out on the balcony and the sun was setting. I edited a bit and thought it gave a sense of romance.

Five Question Friday - 2.11.11

2011-02-11T08:30:00.002-06:00

1. Would you rather be on ABC's Extreme Home MakeOver or TLC's What not to Wear?

My dream is to be on TLC's What Not to Wear! I really would hate to go in the 360 degree mirror and realize just how bad I've looked, but the end result would be so worth it. I used to think I would enjoy the hair and makeup the best, but after having 2 kids, I have no idea how to dress this new body of mine. I need clothes help and pronto!

2. Do you have any tattoos?

No and I don't have a desire for one at all.

3. Do you tell your kids about things you did growing up?

I didn't "do" anything growing up to tell them about. Now if we're talking about traditions or something, I'll probably tell them about those.

4. If the traffic signal turns yellow, do you stop or speed up?

The best advice I've ever received on this is that if you have any hesitation at all, stop. I'm sure that has saved me from many tickets now that they have those cameras set up everywhere. Yes, there are times that I stop and someone that was pretty far behind me made the light. And I know that I've made some people directly behind me upset. But when you get right down to it, you could be saving a life, so I don't mind it too much.

5. What's your preference: chocolate or chips?

Hands down - chocolate! I can't get enough of the stuff. I'm not a big fan of salt, so I'll choose sweet over salty every time.