I've Been Tagged!!

Yippeee!!! I love being tagged, thanks Sharla. :)

The rules are you go to your sixth folder and pick your sixth picture and explain it.

When I went through the blogger upload and found my sixth folder (they are listed alphabetically here, so it is from August 2008) and sixth picture, this is what I got:

I know! BO-RING!!! It's almost exactly like the one I have on my blog alllll the time! Of all the pictures...ha! So, just for fun, instead I went to My Pictures and got the sixth picture from the sixth folder there where they are NOT listed alphabetically, and this is what I got:

This is from June 2004 when our great friends Laura and Clay (who now live all the way in Boston, *sniff sniff*) came and stayed with us at our old apartment and we spent the day at AstroWorld. It was cloudy and hot, but not crowded at all and this is a picture of Paul (who you can see in the very back left seat) and Clay riding this ride while Laura and I took pictures. What a fun day and a fun memory!!!!

Okay, I'm tagging Dacia, Robin, and Lacey S.!!!

Look What I Found!

Thanks to a comment on my last post, I found this...
http://www.bookitprogram.com/
Awww, maybe Charlie will get to earn his own personal pan pizza one day. :)
And you can go here if you're a Bookit alumni to share your old school Book It memories.

Book It!

Does anyone else remember the purple "book-it" buttons back in the early 90's? You could earn a free personal pan pizza at Pizza Hut for filling up your button with stickers proving you'd read a certain number of books. I was queen of the book-it button. I loved to read. I could soak up a book for hours at a time. My favorites were the "Ramona" books- by Beverly Cleary. Anybody else out there with me on that? They were the best.

Well, since college textbooks and then graduate textbooks and eventually an 8-4 job thing got in the way of my love for reading, I haven't quite been the same. But guess what. I'm back, people. Bring on the book-it button and the personal pan pizza. I'm reading tons of books, at least one whole book every night, and just today I read two before nap time. And yesterday was a record for me... I read all these books in one day:

Yep, gotta love kids books! Remember yesterday I said I got a great deal on all those kids books at the bookstore? Well the reason is because I took TONS of old CDs and books I had lying around my house and traded them in for store credit at Hastings. I got $75.00! (which I was really surprised at- these were old Shania, Mariah, and Celine CDs- who knew?) So Charlie got himself some new (and some hand-me-down) books and I got myself one too- and only spent half of our money. Just hoping to pass along a little of my own love for reading, so we're starting early! Can you tell which one is his favorite?

Hurricane Vacation

Well, so far, this hurricane feels a little bit like a vacation... Paul got off of work at 1 pm yesterday and has all of today off. We tried to "run" out to Lowe's yesterday afternoon to get some bolts for the deck and quickly saw the reason for everyone to have today off- the TRAFFIC. Today's been nice though- we got up, went for a walk, and now we're just hanging out drinking coffee and putting off folding the laundry or doing the dishes from last night. It sort of feels like "hey, we're going to be here all night and all day tomorrow, so why do it now?" It's like a little vacation.
Here's a view of the sky at 8:30 am today from our backyard:
Stay tuned for more updates as long as we have power! ( you know, unless you live around here, then just look out your window) :)

Ike

It looks like we are going to be on the "dirty side" of Ike and have decided to hunker down. We live far enough north that we have been told to stay put, even though we could still face 75+ mph winds. We left the area during hurricane Rita a few years ago (which happened just after Katrina) and returned to find that hardly anything had hit our area. So this time, Paul is determined to stay. I just got back from Target, which was surprisingly uncrowded, and got a few canned goods, some water, and batteries. I just hope the power isn't out too long because I've got about 50 ounces of breastmilk in the freezer!!! Ack! Do you know how many hours of pumping that is for me??? It will be a very sad thing if I have to throw it all away...

And as for an update on the progress of our deck: here are three of the six beautiful posts that will hopefully be holding up the roof portion of our new deck... if they are all still there on Sunday!!! Here is a picture to record the work done by Paul, K, and another friend M. Only time will tell...

Hairdos

Fall

Even though the weather here does not confirm it, I just get that Fall feeling every year right around now. Since I didn't move to Texas until my sophomore year of high school, I just can't seem shake that feeling I got every year, even as a child, when experiencing the beauty of Fall.

It's like the back to school feeling of buying school supplies and new school clothes that consist of jeans and sweaters in browns and reds and golds. I want so badly to put out some pumpkins and gourds, my autumn wreaths, a pumpkin spice scented candle. I want to put my baby in the stroller and go for a walk and point out the different colors and find some pretty leaves to bring home.

But here we are in Texas where it is probably the hottest its ever been right about now and if we even attempted a walk in the middle of the day we'd both be drenched in sweat before we got off the driveway. And there'd be no pretty leaves to bring home... we'd either have to pluck them green off the tree, or find some dead ones floating around in the street. And wearing a sweater? I'd like to see you try.

Ahh well, I'll leave myself with these images to drool over in my air-conditioned house:

And just look at this little autumn-ready baby boy in his borrowed hats from his "cousin" Isaac. Unfortunately for that big noggin of his, they probably won't fit by the time its actually cool enough to wear them.

Oh well, he'd prefer eating the hat to wearing it anyway!

The Injury

Thanks for the mom advice. I've made my decision: next time I go to the gym, I will let them know I really don't want him to watch T.V.! If he is fussing, they can come and get me. Thanks for the encouragement, fellow moms!

I would have been telling them this at the gym today, except that it seems I will not be able to go to the gym for a while, at least a few days... I have injured my foot in the Body Step class I've been going to... which is unfortunate as I have just spent four and a half months not being able to exercise, and here I am again. It's really not that bad, but enough to keep me off of it for a while...hopefully, this will heal quickly...

(By the way, the pics were Paul's idea) Who knows what the title of this post and pictures are in honor of??? Gotta have something to entertain ourselves until September 25th!!!

The Post-Pregnancy Banana Split

One banana, a little (or, a lot of) chocolate syrup, and a spoonful of cool whip. It's pretty much all banana, which means its healthy, right? ;)

Olympic Fatigue and other Random Thoughts

• I have Olympic Fatigue. Definition: Extreme exhaustion and tiredness that results from consecutive late nights of staying up to watch the Olympics. Your eyes start to close and you tell yourself "it's only once every four years!" and you force them back open.

• I am in LOVE with The Nesting Place blog. Her decorating ideas are cute and simple and I feel like I get to read a decorating magazine for free when I read her posts. As soon as I can get myself and Charlie out to the fabric store, I'm planning my very own mistreatments for the bathroom.

• I was finally cleared for exercising this week by my doctor. So I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in about six months. I went to a class called Body Step and it was so great. I really work out a lot better in a class format... and who did I think of to motivate myself when I almost pooped out on the push-ups? Shawn Johnson. :)

• I feel sort of like I'm in Beijing since its raining and I'm watching the Olympics and its raining there too.

• I haven't finished painting my Timeless Taupe, but I'm getting close! I at least got the main parts of the room finished so I could put furniture back in its place and hang pictures. I will post pictures when I'm finished!

• And how could I not have this big post without at least one picture... :)

Proud to be an American!

These people make me proud!

We have been loving the gymnastics and swimming, staying up all hours of the night to see who takes the gold. We can't get enough! But today, I saw this, and if you get it, explain it to me, because I just do not get it! An olympic sport?

We're not talking jumping fences and stuff, they're just kind of prancing... hmmm, with a little practice, maybe Daisy and I will make it to the London olympics, ha!

The Picture Game!

Okay everyone, it's time for a new "get to know your friends" post! I was never tagged, but got the idea from someone else's blog... here are the rules: Take all pictures right away (no cleaning up first!!!), and then tag three friends to do it too!

1. Favorite Destination

We went to NYC last summer and had a great time. While I usually think of myself as more of a beach-vacation type person, I loved this trip and think of it fondly as it was the last big trip Paul & I had together before having Charlie!

2. Self Portrait

Sitting in the dining room...

3. What the Kids are Doing

I heart early bedtimes! I have to admit, this is an old picture... he really is sleeping, but it is really dark in there and you know what happens when you wake a sleeping baby!!!

4. My Closet

Okay, no cleaning up beforehand, remember? I have to preface this one with the following: please remember that I am four months- post pregnancy and my wardrobe currently consists of the following: maternity clothes, pre-preggo clothes I squeeze into, and a few new things that are a larger size... all of which are making their home together somewhere in my closet. I often try on old things, hoping they will fit, and when they do not, I angrily throw them down and refuse to hang them up... :)

5. Laundry Room

Okay, this is getting a little embarassing... I guess I have some laundry to do tomorrow!

6. The Refrigerator

... maybe a little grocery shopping too. :)

7. Favorite Room in the House

The guest room/home office (I also love Charlie's room, but ya know, sleeping baby in there right now!)

8. The Bathroom

Recently made kid-friendly...

9. The Kitchen Sink

Whew, got lucky on this one, only a few dishes!!!

10. Favorite Shoes

My new wedge sandals! Love them!

Okay, wasn't that fun? Now I am tagging: Robin, Carly, and Erica! Remember, no cleaning up before you take the pictures!!!

*sorry Carly, just remembered you are currently nomadic! Save this tag for your new house and in the meantime I tag... Erin!

Olympic Fun

We really get into the Olympics at our house...

Back to School

The next couple of weeks mark the beginning of that wonderful thing we call "school." It's a cultural phenomenon and if you've been to Wal-Mart, Target, or any clothing store recently, you know that the season is upon us. Teachers and school staff alike are already in preparation mode for the long weeks ahead. Students will follow shortly after, armed with their new backpacks, back-to-school fashions, and bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils (a la You've Got Mail).

I have family, friends, and (former) co-workers all in this preparatory state, marked with both dread and anticipation, longing for summer to last a few more weeks, but ready to get back into their routine, with fresh calendars and classrooms, ready to go (or getting there). I know that feeling well, because it has been that way my whole life. But this year, its different. And its a little strange for me. For the first time in probably 22 years, I am not going "back to school." This will be the first time that I can remember, that my year will not be measured in semesters, and my time will not be measured by class schedules.

I must say, this new life for me is tinged with a little anxiety... there are a lot of weeks between now and Christmas... what am I going to do with myself? How will we fill our time? Will it pass slowly or quickly? Am I going to wish I was back at school, back with my co-workers, having somewhere to get ready for in the morning and adults to talk with regularly?

Don't get me wrong, there is no remorse in this newness for me... rather, I have a profound sense of relief, which reminds me that we have made the right decision for me to stay home with Charlie. It also makes me thankful for the job my husband has, and the willingness he has to work hard at it, even though it's not his dream job, so that I can be at home. I know there are a lot of moms out there who want to, but don't have ability to stay home... so trust me, I am not complaining! Its just this thing I have with change...

As the year unfolds, I know I'll figure things out. (See how I called it "the year" even though the actual year started back in January??) It's the beginning of a new season in my life, and change, although at times scary, is a good thing.

Vintage Momma Designs

Yes I am home and have more pics to share... but first I had to share about my friend Sharla's jewelry designs! Check out some of my favorites from her website:

Here's a pic of the ring I have that she made... I love it and I wear it all the time!!!
If you're interested, her website is vintagemomma.etsy.com ... and oh yeah 5% go to the Haiti Rescue Center and 5% go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation... so what better reason do you need to buy yourself some new jewelry??? Let's shop! :)

No time for bloggin'

After our Alabama/Georgia trip to visit some of my family, we had a mere four days at home (spent helping our friends move and doing laundry!) and then packed up the suitcases again and headed to Spring, TX. I know, not too far, but still required a FULL car of suitcases, stroller, bouncer, dog, pack 'n play, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture! We spent a fun-filled four days with Paul's mom's side of the family, swimming and eating, eating and swimming. I think I'm gaining back all my baby weight. :P Pictures from that family reunion will probably be my next post...

THEN as if that weren't enough time of living out of a suitcase and for Charlie to be completely off schedule and waking up three times a night... Charlie and I headed out Monday morning to San Antonio to visit my family! Our first road trip with just me and him, but he did great, only waking up once when I ran with him into Buckee's to use the restroom... by the way if you have never been to Buckee's, they really DO have the CLEANEST bathrooms around and I held it for about 45 minutes just so I could go there.... well worth it.

My dad was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel yesterday and we came in for his promotion ceremony and reception. It was so great and there were tons of people all so proud. Dad could not have been happier to have his only (albeit noisy) grandson there to show off to all his co-workers that have been hearing about him for a year now!

One Word

1. Where is your cell phone? table
   
2. Your spouse? Sleeping
   
3. Your hair? Reddish
   
4. Your mother? Joni
   
5. Your father? Jim
   
6. Your favorite thing? friends
   
7. Your dream last night? forgot
   
8. Your favorite drink? coffee
   
9. Your dream/goal? skinny
10. The room you're in? bedroom
11. Your hobby? scrapbooking
12. Your fear? flying
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here
14. Where were you last night? date
15. What you're not? sleepy
16. Muffins? blueberry
17. One of your wish list items? ottoman
18. Where you grew up? everywhere
19. What are you wearing? P.J.'s
20. Your pets? Daisy
21. Your computer? mac
22. Your life? thankful
23. Your mood? caffeinated
24. Missing someone? family
25. Your car? mazda
26. Something you're not wearing? shoes
27. Favorite store? Target
28. Your summer? HOT
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When is the last time you laughed? tonight
31. Last time you cried? days

Copy this and try it... using one word is harder than you think!

Road Trip!

Thursday afternoon we loaded up the car and headed to San Antonio to spend the long weekend with my parents. We are having such a great time and I will post more later about our Fourth of July fun, but wanted to share some pictures from Charlie's first road trip...

Stroller? Check.

Dog? Check.

Baby? Check.

A few more pics of the view on one gorgeous day...

More fourth of July pictures to follow...

Something New

Today, Charlie and I went to a play-group with some moms and babies from an "All About Moms" group for new moms that meets at the hospital where Charlie was born. There's a big group on Mondays and then every Wednesday some of them go to someone's house for a play-group. They just lay a big blanket on the floor and the babies are just rolling around and the mommies talk and eat lunch. It was fun and I met a bunch of other new stay at home moms who are looking for friends and a reason to get out of the house! While I do have some really great friends, most of them live far away and the close ones will be working or moving come August (boo!) so I figured I needed to find some other SAHM's with new babies.

While it was a good time today, I must say it was a little like the first day of school for me. And being an army kid that moved every 2-3 years, I have had LOTS of first days of school. You know, where you're trying to make friends and meet everyone you can, but also trying to feel around for who is going to be your BEST friend. You're trying to be fun and funny, nice, and outgoing, but not too talkative, or too outgoing. And you know its your big chance because you're going to be with these people for a couple of years, so now's your chance to make a good impression. And you hope it won't take too long to settle in and just... be... comfortable... and... be... yourself...

Hopefully it won't take too long.

Dufilho Look-alike Meter

I never would have guessed it!