Domestic Bliss

red berry's birthday

2009-10-05T20:37:00.003-05:00

Paige and I did a little photo shoot to celebrate Red Berry Photography's 1st Birthday.

wee school

2009-08-25T08:46:00.004-05:00

At the urging of several people and as a last-ditch effort to preserve some of my sanity, Brooke started the Mother's Day Out program at our church this morning. Not a tear was shed by either of us, which makes me feel better about the decision.

Hi Ho Hi Ho....

Proof that I love her:

cheaper than $29.99

2009-08-20T09:47:00.003-05:00

Today was picture day at school. I cheated and took these pictures before she went to school. Save myself $30 and I think they're much better anyway!

hello, my name is bob

2009-08-08T11:24:00.003-05:00

Brooke finally got her first haircut. Bye curls and frizz...hello big-girl bob!

before:

before and afters:

She had SO much fun watching herself in the mirror. She sat perfectly still and even helped Marcy style it!

And one last "before" with big sis:

the first day of at least 16 years of homework.

2009-08-03T16:57:00.000-05:00

She's so intense!

first day of first

2009-07-28T20:51:00.003-05:00

Paige had her first day of school today. She said it was AWESOME, except they don't get as much playtime as the kindergartners!

camp paige

2009-06-20T11:00:00.004-05:00

Paige's much anticipated Camp Paige party finally happened yesterday! I got this idea from my friend Kelli who hosted Camp Kenedy last year. Thanks for all your help Kelli!

When each girl arrived, they changed into their Camp Paige t-shirt, then went outside to make pinecone birdfeeders and friendship bracelets. After a dinner of hotdogs, Justin helped the girls roast marshmallows in the firepit he built and then I helped them smush the marshmallows into their smores. We all had a great time!

Here was the invitation:

The cake:

And the fun!

orange cup

2009-06-11T20:21:00.002-05:00

The girls and I tagged along with Justin last week while he was in San Antonio for a meeting and we met up with my friend Georgianna who is also a photographer for a little lunch and photo safari at La Cantera. I loved the colors in this frozen yogurt shop.

Here are Trey and Paige hamming it up for the camera. Oh, and Brooke trying to be sneaky.

the end of the beginning

2009-05-31T12:43:00.003-05:00

We have a first-grader!! Paige "graduated" from kindergarten this week! She's come a long way in just a few short months. She is now writing, reading, and doing math on a 1st or 2nd grade level! It's amazing! She had a wonderful and loving teacher that made it all possible!

Here she is as she left for school on her last day. Here she was on her first day.

The last day was basically just the awards assembly. I decided to take a few pictures of her and her friends before it started and this is when she told me, "You better go sit down!!"

And this is when I told her, "You better smile or I'm not leaving!"

Waiting to get her diploma:

Paige and her principal/superintendent:

splash down

2009-05-31T12:33:00.003-05:00

This is the event that Paige looks forward to every year. She has been eyeing these monster water slides since she was 3. We still lived next to the school at that time and she could see them from our yard. She would plead with me to let her come to school early just so she could play on the slides. When it was time for her to start Pre-K last year, she was so excited that she would finally get to participate in water day!!

Here are the 5 amigos...the kinder girls!!

peace out

2009-05-23T18:42:00.001-05:00

it was bring your daddy to school day

2009-05-23T08:50:00.000-05:00

J was the featured guest speaker in Paige's class the other day. He brought in lots of dead stuff and told them all about a day in the life of a wildlife biologist. Afterwards, we loaded all the kids in the bus and took them to see all the alligators in one of the lakes on the ranch. They l-o-v-e-d it! They sang like munchkins all the way!

Notice his little "helper" in the front of the class.

blue belles

2009-05-22T18:55:00.000-05:00

What she really thinks of having her picture taken.

on the way to McDonalds

2009-05-21T18:46:00.002-05:00

them, not us. We were on the way to school. For you city slickers, this is what a traffic jam looks like where I come from.

because i'm the mommy, that's why

2009-05-10T22:20:00.004-05:00

We celebrated Mother's Day today with a brunch even Fancy Nancy would have been proud of! We took J's mom and mimi to the Omni for Mother's Day brunch.

Me & the girls

The flowers I got from J & the girls

Brooke & Mimi

Paige and GG

Paige posing with the roses we received at brunch

A big shout out to the rocking' iPhone camera, for making these pics possible! Can you guess what my present was??

and it all begins...

2009-05-08T09:10:00.001-05:00

Should I be more worried that she can get into ANYTHING if unsupervised for 5 seconds or that my 2 year old can already apply mascara correctly??

dancing in the rain

2009-05-01T22:31:00.002-05:00

Well, not real rain. I'm not sure that Brooke has ever actually seen REAL rain, so a sprinkler is the next best thing!

brooke's birthday bonanza

2009-04-27T22:04:00.003-05:00

Brooke and I took a snack to P's class today to celebrate her birthday. You see, B is quite the little celebrity when it comes to P's class...they LOVE her. So, of course, when they heard she was turning the big 2, they wanted to have a party for her!

easter 2009....better late than never!

2009-04-26T22:12:00.002-05:00

bum knee

2009-04-02T21:54:00.004-05:00

I finally got a definitive diagnosis on my knee problem which has kept me out of the gym for nearly a month now.

I've got a meniscus tear (aka torn cartilage). Here's my handy MRI..

Can you see it? Yeah, me neither.

I have surgery scheduled for next Thursday, so hopefully I will be back to the gym by May!

gettin dirty

2009-03-28T00:44:00.002-05:00

Paige and Laynie collaborated on a science fair project this year. No award, but they can both tell you what permeable means!!

lazy days of spring

2009-03-18T21:48:00.001-05:00

I'm too lazy to double post, so jump over to the Red Berry Photo blog to see pics from our day at the beach!

i ♥ me lucky charms!

2009-03-17T17:42:00.002-05:00

tooth watch 2009

2009-03-06T19:47:00.000-06:00

Paige has her first loose tooth!

my hot date

2009-02-14T21:32:00.004-06:00

The waiter at PF Changs spilled a steamy, family size bowl of wonton soup all over me.

They were kind enough to give me a complimentary burn kit with my meal, though.

It was a huge blessing that it hit me and not Brooke who was just a few inches away. (my Coach bag was not so lucky)

Anyway, here was my v-day posse, who are hot in their own right:

Hope all my bloggies had a great Valentine's Day!!

V-Day '09

2009-02-13T09:59:00.003-06:00

Thought I'd share some of the projects Paige and I made for her school V-Day.

First, here's her class valentine. They were wallet size.

I made each of her classmates a bar of frog prince soap.

Here are little bags of chocolate covered marshmallows we made for administrative/support staff.

We made cinnamon bread for her teachers:

And hot chocolate for the dieters:

She even let me put her hair up in DOUBLE bows!!

why Brooke is not allowed to go to newborn photo sessions

2009-02-12T20:06:00.002-06:00

I was practicing for my upcoming newborn session when Brooke decided to "help".

kitty fights back

2009-02-09T22:09:00.000-06:00

This is how Paige prefers to carry our cat, Pepper.

Because she's had to deal with it since near birth, she's usually pretty passive and takes it in stride.

But sometimes, kitty fights back.

Other cuties from that afternoon:

100

2009-02-07T22:30:00.003-06:00

Friday was the 100th day of school! All the kindergartners brought 100 of something (we chose Q-tips). The class also celebrated with cupcakes. (baked by Ms. Tessa)

Brooke is the unofficial mascot for the class and makes herself at home whenever she can.

Betcha didn't know there was a song about the 100th day of school!!!

Note to self: never leave my cupcake unattended when Brooke is around.

When's dessert???

knifty knitter

2009-02-02T12:28:00.003-06:00

Hi. My name is Alexandra. It's been 2 weeks since my last blog post. I blame Facebook. And exercise. And my kids. And knitting. (yup, you read correctly)

I'm trying to counteract my teenage tendancies with an elderly activity. And I'm pretty good. And I overuse the word and.

Here's my first creation.

It only took a couple hours. And, wow it's addictive.

Here's my next project: a prop for a newborn session I have coming up in the next week.

I've been coveting the baby cocoons on etsy, but not so much the price. So, I headed over to the WalMartz and picked up a knifty knitter. It's totally knitting for dummies, but I rarely do things the hard way. WM is pretty limited on yarn selection, so I picked the best of the bunch and went to work. The next day I was at JoAnn's with my handy coupon and got the cool rainbow yarn for the cocoon.

While at JoAnn's P and I found these cool heart glasses and decided they would be perfect for her class valentine's card. This isn't the photo I used (you'll have to wait for that one!) but I thought it was cute anyway!

a man of peace

2009-01-19T06:47:00.000-06:00

you're fired and the story of the woodpecker

2009-01-13T16:04:00.006-06:00

A few days ago, P's teacher was talking to the kids about putting effort into their assignments. She went on to say that when they grew up and had jobs, their boss would expect them to do a good job and put effort into their work.

One little boy raised his hand and told the class if they didn't put effort into their work, their boss would fire them.

Paige promptly answered that that never happens to her dad. Her teacher asked her to clarify, and she said that her dad never gets fired, but her mom does sometimes.

Alright, Donald.

Yesterday P's class found a dead woodpecker on the playground. She said everyone was yelling and talking loudly when they found it. She said she had to talk EXTRA loudly to say a prayer to God to take the bird to heaven and fix him so he could fly again.

Then one of the teachers came and threw the woodpecker in the trash, so Paige laid 3 leaves where he was so the angels could find him (seriously, where does she come up with this???)

She waited and waited.

Nothing.

When she came home she asked me if I thought maybe angels just came at night.

Don't you just love her??

her life plan {the rough draft}

2009-01-07T21:29:00.003-06:00

This morning P and I had an interesting conversation as she was getting ready for her first day back to school.

Me: You only have half a year of school left!!

Her: Yeah, I can't wait to go to first grade!

Me: Oh, I'll be so sad when your a first grader.

Her: Why?

Me: Because you'll be a big kid and I want you to stay my baby.

Her: Um, what about when I go on a date?

Me: A DATE? Who are going on a DATE with?

Her: Well, someday I'm going to get married to a boy and then I'll have to go on date.

Me: But I want you to live with me forever.

Her: Uh, not when I'm 20!

I totally blame all this on the marathon of The Secret Life of the American Teenager that I watched this weekend while I THOUGHT she was busy playing Pet Pals.

i'm so popular i got tagged twice

2009-01-01T23:53:00.003-06:00

My friend Sarah (one of the many great people I can keep up with thanks to blogging) tagged me a few days ago, and then Margie piggy-backed and tagged me AGAIN. Okay, people. I get the message, you love looking at my pictures.

These are the Directions:

1) Choose the 4th Picture Folder on your Computer.

2) Choose the 4th Picture.

3) Explain the Picture.

4) Tag 4 More People to do the Same.

This is a picture of Paige when she was 3 and we took her to the circus. Wow, those are some big 'ole bows! I miss the pigtail days. I can't wait until Brooke grows some hair so she can use all the bows I made for Paige!

I'll admit I was scared to see what picture would come up when I followed the directions. What a relief!

I tag: Tessa, Colleen, Jeanne and Julie (once she's through having her baby!!!)

can you hear those sleighbells ringing?

2008-12-26T01:19:00.002-06:00

We left Santa a slice of our traditional, red velvet birthday cake for Jesus.

Some people couldn't wait until morning!

the best gift of all

2008-12-25T10:00:00.004-06:00

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

Isaiah 9 : 2, 6-7

a very merry Christmas to you

2008-12-24T20:57:00.002-06:00

cookie monster

2008-12-24T00:13:00.006-06:00

2 packages organic sugar cookie dough +

4 cups powdered sugar +

4 colors of food coloring +

5 shakers of Christmas sprinkles +

One super hyped-up 5 year old

A big sticky mess

several dozen very colorful cookies for Santa

Here's a shot of Auntie and the very proud baker.

ocho, ocho, ocho - ocho, ocho, zero, ocho

2008-12-23T23:31:00.008-06:00

Thanks Colleen for the tag!

8 shows I watch:
The Real Housewives (all of them)
The Office
Big Love (Jan. 18, ya'll)
Kath & Kim (one of my new faves)
Made, True Life, The Hills (like, because I, like, think I'm, like a teenager)
Jon & Kate Plus 8

8 Favorite Restaurants
I can't think of 8 places I like to eat. Pretty much any place where they refill your drinks and wash the dishes.

8 things that happened today:
I slept in. Love it when J can stay home.
Checked email
Took a shower.
Went to exercise.
Sat in traffic foreva ya'll
Went to Target (I'm totally brave)
Went to World Market
Both of my SILs came to visit

8 things I look forward too:
Spending time alone with J.
Snuggling with Brooke
Spending time with my friends
Getting to exercise (alone)
Picking Paige up from school
Justin coming home
Going on vacation
Having a clean house

8 things I wish for:
A long and happy marriage.
A deeper faith in the Lord.
Healthy children who outlive me.
To know my true purpose.
To be a better photographer.
Feeling fulfilled and successful.
Beating the odds.
Wellness and Energy

8 people I tag:

Unfortunately i don't think 8 people read my blog.

and the stockings were hung...

2008-12-21T13:00:00.000-06:00

it's a far cry from "o, come all ye faithful"

2008-12-20T12:08:00.004-06:00

The theme for this year's Christmas program was a '50's rock and roll Christmas.

The Pre-K/Kinder class sang Rockin at the North Pole.

Paige was a total Christmas ham. See how the other kids finished the song? See how Paige did it?

All the other kids gave a single obligatory bow. Not our Paigie! She keep curtsying until the applause stopped!

And not to be outdone, Brooke insisted on dancing in the aisles!!

because your house smells funny, that's why

2008-12-19T16:13:00.002-06:00

I made these cute little Christmas potpourri bags for some friends recently and thought I'd share the recipe with you in case you need a last minute hostess/teacher/mailman/asst. to the regional manager gift.

I wrapped these in squares of cellophane (approx. 20"x30"). Inside, I put:

1 small green apple
1 small red apple
1 small orange
10 whole cloves
3 star anise
a chunk of fresh ginger
3 small sticks of cinnamon

You can buy all of these in bulk and save a ton of money. Each bag cost me about a dollar.

I also added these instructions:

Then I just wrapped it all up and tied with a ribbon!

I have some on the stove right now and it smells SOOOOOO GOOOOD!!!!

santa, south texas style

2008-12-19T15:00:00.003-06:00

Santa visited Paige's school today...via helecopter. Apparently, according to Santa (who bears an interesting resemblance to our HS football coach), the reindeer were home resting.

Paige drew Santa a picture of a gingerbread house. Here's a pic of him holding it.

Paige said she asked Santa for a video game, a new radio (hers no longer plays cds), and princess dcc's (dvds).

oh my this is funny!

2008-12-19T10:40:00.003-06:00

Santa, don't forget the Grinch. I know he's mean and hairy and smelly, and his hands are cold and clammy, but I think he's kinda... sweet.

2008-12-12T10:19:00.003-06:00

Cindy Lou Who doesn't have anything on our little elf!

I found a fabulous lady on etsy that makes these appliques. Those plus a WM tee, iron, some old jeans and a little fabric equals a pretty cute outfit if I do say so myself!

he's baaaaaackkkkkkk!!!!

2008-11-30T22:45:00.002-06:00

The Elf that is.

For those that don't have this tradition in their home I highly recommend it! Mr. Elf comes to your house around Thanksgiving and keeps a close eye on everyone during the day (he can even see you at school) then through special elf magic flies back to the N. Pole to report to the Big Man on your behavior during the day. By the time you wake up, he's back and sitting in a new spot.

Our dear friends gave him to us last year and he's an even bigger hit this year!

You can get your very own elf here. He even comes with a really neat book that explains everything.

outtakes or what-will-not-be-seen-on-our-christmas-card

2008-11-28T21:32:00.000-06:00

Lest you think I have some magic fairy wand that I wave over small children to get them to pose for photographs, I submit into evidence the following from my attempt at a Christmas card photo shoot yesterday.

A shot of the elusive, phantom husband. Yes, Margie, he does exist!!

So, it's back to the drawing board for photo ideas.

On another note, I scored some AWESOME Black Friday deals online AND had PF Changs for lunch. It was pretty perfect.

pretty pictures

2008-11-26T00:56:00.000-06:00

I have been very blessed recently with several beautiful families who have hired me to photograph their families. Have you been to my other blog lately? If not, go take a look and let me know what you think!!

I'm planning to take some photos of my own kids in the next few days, too, and will post them at the end of the week.

coral reefs and hail to the chief

2008-11-22T09:50:00.010-06:00

One of the teachers at Paige's school is going on a week-long trip to the Bahamas this week to study the coral reefs.

I took some pictures of her with her class before she left.

She even showed off her snorkel gear in front of the whole school.

The cool part is that you can go with her. Just go to her blog and she's going to upload pictures and videos of her trip for her class. You can ask questions and learn some cool stuff about coral reefs.

In other educational news, our school board elected me president last week.

Look out Sarah Palin!

attack of the bee

2008-11-21T06:26:00.003-06:00

Yesterday after I picked up Paige from school, I stopped to talk to one of the other moms. We were deep in conversation talking about outfits for the Christmas Program when we heard a scream come from the back seat.

It was not a normal "I've about had it sitting in this car seat while you two chat, so you better do what's good for you and head home" scream. It was definitely a pain inflicted scream.

So I jump out and open the door next to Brooke's car seat where I find her clutching her right hand in desperation.

And then I see it. THE STINGER.

I try to calmly, but firmly hold her hand while I pry that little thing out of her finger.

Because this has never happened to either of my girls, I have no idea if she is allergic so I unbuckle her and head for the school nurse's office where she promptly applied an ice pack, sticker and a lots of TLC.

Luckily she's fine, but boy howdy was there some drama. And of course, being the good mom that I am, I make her pose for pictures before the tears have even dried.

See the tear?

The finger.

It was absolutely awful!!!

gettin' real

2008-11-13T21:24:00.002-06:00

Such a busy month. Photo sessions are picking up and we've had lots of school events lately. J's been working non-stop, too. I can already feel Christmas season sneaking up on me. I joined a gym that had kid care so I could return to a regular excercise program, but "things" keep getting in the way of that intention.

I feel like priorities are getting shuffled and it's starting to wear me out.

I got the best email today from Lifeway. Talk about divine timing. I thought I'd share some of it with my internets.

Let’s “Get Real” about motivation.
• Realize the truth.
• Eliminate excuses.
• Ask for accountability.
• Live with a plan.

Realize the truth. Motivation is not a constant feeling. It ebbs and flows like ocean tides. Sometimes you are pumped up, excited and really want to go workout. You are progressing toward a goal and seeing obvious success. Other times you see your workout as an obligation and dread the work that it will be. Progress may be slow. There is no desire to push or challenge yourself and you are tired before you even start. You can’t only rely on your motivation level or desire to decide whether or not you will keep your exercise commitment. Explore other motivational tools to keep you on track when your “want to” doesn’t want to.

Eliminate excuses. “I’m just too busy today.” “I don’t feel like it.” “I’m not losing weight like I thought so what’s the point.” “It’s too cold (or wet, or hot, or dark.)” Any of these thoughts and many others are common signs that motivation is low. If you have these thoughts, acknowledge them and then choose to exercise anyway. You then experience the satisfaction of completing your commitment to yourself and enjoy the benefits of more energy, a clearer mind, and a stronger, fitter body.

Ask for accountability. When motivation is low accountability is your best resource for staying on track. Accountability can come in several forms. Meet a friend at the gym or park for a walk. Hire a personal trainer and keep scheduled appointments to exercise. Tell a family member or friends that you will be exercising and then share your experience with them afterwards.

Live with a plan. If you have your exercise plan already established, (number of days a week, amount of time each session, and what activity you will do) then work your plan even when you don’t want to. If you don’t have an exercise plan in place so you flounder each time to begin to exercise, then motivation is very challenging to continue. You are, most likely, very frustrated and see little point or personal benefits from exercise. It’s been said, “When you fail to plan you plan to fail.”

I met with my personal trainer on Monday. She's wonderful and I really enjoyed her help. I can't wait to work with her again....when I can find the time...sigh.

the most wonderful time of the year

2008-11-05T17:03:00.003-06:00

It's beginning to feel alot like Christmas!

Okay, not really. But some of my favorite bloggers are feelin' festive!

I can't wait to see all these great Southern homes decked out for the holidays.

Also, The Nester is going to teach me (& about a thousand other Nester-lovers) how to make this gorgeous garland.

our mermaid and her lobster

2008-11-01T10:26:00.002-05:00

We spent Halloween at our school's Homecoming game. They had lots of games and trick-or-treating for the kiddos in the stadium and it was nice to not have to get them both in and out of carseats all night.

shhh....pretend to be surprised

2008-10-28T21:26:00.004-05:00

Here's a sneak peek of Paige's Halloween costume. I couldn't wait until Friday!

More pictures later!

say cheesy

2008-10-23T08:39:00.002-05:00

Today is school picture day. Cheesy headshots against a background of fake books. Bleh. Because I didn't trust that she would make it to her scheduled picture time with hair and clothes intact, I snapped a few before we left this morning. Did I mention that she look super cute, too??

big g little o

2008-10-21T08:21:00.000-05:00

Our school held a kiddie cheer camp on Saturday morning. After 2 hours of instruction, they felt the girls were ready for the big leagues and let them cheer for the first half of the game that night.

Paige was in her element when she got a hold of that megaphone. The more she yelled, the more the audience "ahhed" over her, which only fed into her yelling more.

Check out the hip action!!

paige picked a peck of pumpkins

2008-10-20T12:08:00.005-05:00

Paige's class took a trip to the local pumpkin patch this morning. Brooke and I met them there. It was Brooke's first pumpkin experience.

Paige picked a "cinderella shaped" pumpkin

That camera is giving me a headache!

Hercules! Hercules!!

Check out my gourd!

This one's kind of bumpy.

five little pumpkins

2008-10-16T08:19:00.003-05:00

*turn off my playlist at the bottom*

Here's Paige singing a cute little song she learned at school.

sleeveless in october

2008-10-13T23:09:00.003-05:00

It's still in the 90's here. Need.some.fall.weather.ASAP.

they say it's your birthday

2008-10-13T09:07:00.001-05:00

It's my birthday, too!!

rub-a-dub-dub

2008-10-09T23:34:00.000-05:00

Erin recently posted on her blog a new photo that she was going to put up in her bathroom. I thought it was a great idea, so I let the girls have a "treat" by taking a bath in the middle of the afternoon and snapped a few photos for their bathroom wall. Aren't they cute?

petticoat junction

2008-10-08T21:59:00.003-05:00

All's fair in love and photography. If one gets a photo shoot, so must the other. We didn't make it out until dusk, so we had to work fast.

little lady

2008-10-07T23:11:00.005-05:00

Brooke will no longer look at the camera. Please, please let this be a phase. I chased her around the yard tonight to get these. It's REALLY hard to get good focus & exposure when your subject runs from you with her head down. Sigh.

as seen on tv

2008-10-07T16:55:00.003-05:00

Paige is a marketer's dream. Every time one of those commercials for the "as seen on tv"-type products comes on she stops what she's doing and listens intently as the likes of Billy Mays imparts some brilliant nuggets of wisdom about the latest time/money saver.

She saves up all this information and waits for the right sales opportunity to come along.

As I'm buying bananas at the grocery store: "We should get some of those green bags like on tv so our bananas don't turn brown. And our carrots will be crunchy and not bendy."

As I am watering our houseplants: "You should get those glass balls that water your plants for you! I'm going to ask Daddy for some money so I can get them for your birthday."

And my favorite, as we're watching the nutrisystem commercial: "That's what you can use to lose weight!"

Been there, done that, honey.

Of course this all comes from the same child who can't remember to put on shoes before we leave the house.

puttin' on the ritz

2008-10-02T11:19:00.006-05:00

Dang that HEB. A couple weeks ago they had a great deal on Reduced Fat Ritz crackers. I don't usually buy crackers, but it was BARGAIN...coupon and everything.

Is it really that great of a bargain if you wouldn't have bought it anyway? Probably not, but my addiction to coupons/saving money/getting a deal is kind of pathetic. But that's a whole 'nother post. I digress.

So, I make it home with 3 boxes of RF Ritz. (yes 3...don't you judge me. I said it was a bargain, remember?) A few days later the girls are wanting a snack so I decide to whip out the crackers. That's when it started.

Once Brooke sank her cute little baby teeth into that buttery, salty goodness, she was addicted. Like 12-step addicted. Since then, I've caught her sneaking into the pantry and pulling down the box from the shelf and gleefully pulling sleeves of crakers out. Fortunately, she can't open them, but she does know how to use her whiney voice and stomping and crying to wear her momma down.

The other day I inadvertantly left an open package within her reach. She pulled them down, found an empty cup filled it with the ritz, and proceeded to press her chubby little face into the cup and inhale.

That's right. My sweet, angelic daughter huffs Ritz. The horror.

pursuit of happyness

2008-09-29T22:43:00.006-05:00

I had the enormous pleasure of hearing Chris Gardner speak on Saturday. He is an amazing man with a truly compelling life story.

If you have seen The Pursuit of Happyness movie with Will Smith you are familiar with his story. Basically, he is a man of great courage who was able to overcome nearly insurmountable odds in order to keep his family together and provide a more stable life for his son.

The main theme of the message he delivered to us was the importance of your child knowing that you will always be there for them, physically and emotionally. The most impressive difference between his real life and the movie was the fact that producers chose to portray his son at the age of five (for dialogue purposes), when really he was only 14 months old during that period in their lives. Can you imagine sleeping with a toddler in a train station bathroom or in a shelter every day for a year? I can't.

It was an absolutely riveting speech and I highly encourage you to attend one of his events if you ever get the chance. He held a book signing after the event so I actually got to shake his hand and get a signed copy of his book! Of course, my camera was at home....

my life is a fairytale

2008-09-27T23:56:00.003-05:00

You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)

Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

personal vaycay, part 2

2008-09-26T23:10:00.005-05:00

What a day! Fabulous food, fabulous company and good times! We had a day full of learning and a night full of relaxing. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective) all is well on the homefront. Apparently, life goes on without me. Really, I'm glad the girls are having a great time. In addition to all the "work" tommorrow we have a fab trip to Sam Moon and the mall and an early morning workout. Whee!!!

leaving on a jet plane

2008-09-24T17:55:00.004-05:00

I spent the day washing, drying, and folding every piece of laundry we have. Now I have to pack a bag for Paige, one for Brooke, and one for me, plus make sure J has everything he needs for the weekend including food. Ugh! I'm heading to Dallas for the state school board convention, P & B are heading to my parents (it will be the first time for B. eek!) and J is staying here for the opening of deer season. Three different directions, three times the work. All this work will be worth it as I get to wear grown up clothes, go to grown up meetings, eat in grown up restaurants and enjoy my very own hotel room for 3 whole nights. Ahhh....peace.

senior session | rbp

2008-09-22T14:14:00.003-05:00

I had the opportunity to take some senior portraits this weekend. You can take a peek at them over at the Red Berry blog. I'm going to add a few more later, too.

the ants go marching

2008-09-19T14:40:00.003-05:00

Paige had a parent picnic today at school. It's billed as a time for students and their families to enjoy lunch at school and hang out. Really it's just a way to rope us into spending a small fortune at the book fair.

Here are the girls after lunch.

Brooke has what is affectionately known in the photography world as a poop face.

it's fall ya'll

2008-09-19T14:25:00.004-05:00

at least it feels like it. We dipped into the 80s this week. WooHoo!!

I decided to start bringing out the autumnal decorations before we go back up into the 100s.

I've been collecting the supplies from Hobby Lobby to make a new wreath. If you're patient, eventually everything ends up 50% off.

Yesterday during nap time, I started with this.

Normal people would stop at this point.

But gaudy is GOOD!

I also updated my Nester-inspired candle arrangement with some cute punkins.

Happy Fall Ya'll!!

i scream

2008-09-16T14:16:00.002-05:00

One of the moms in Paige's class invited the kindergarten girls out for ice cream at our local soda fountain last week.

She is brave.

Paigie digging into the sprinkles.

Miss Em.

L&L with Brooke

Miss S

The whole gang

Thanks for the fun afternoon Miss Tessa!!!

this is what happily ever after looks like

2008-09-12T10:48:00.009-05:00

Just when you start to take yourself too seriously... Seriously, so blessed! comes along to knock you off your pedestal. This is some pretty funny stuff.

Need the 411 on your fave political dudes/dudette? TAMN sums it up for you.

Think you have the best hubby? Can he compare to JJWT?

She even has her own clothing line!! We could totally be BFF!!!

red berry photography

2008-09-07T00:03:00.003-05:00

As many of you know I have taken up photography in last year. I really wanted something more personal and reflective of my girls' personalities than the typical department store portraits. So, I invested in a quality camera and lenses, read lots of books, took a class, and found some very talented mentors to help me develop the technical and creative knowledge I needed. I am still learning and continuing to develop my skills, but have had several people ask me to photograph their children and families. I want to give them what I would want from a photographer so I have created Red Berry Photography which will allow me the opportunity to create and provide a professional experience to those that want more creative and personal photographs.

Please check out the website and let me know what you think. I am so excited to embark on this adventure and hope that you will join me when you have a chance. And if not, that's okay, too...but please pass this along to someone that you think might like it.

In the next few weeks I will have a Christmas card session special to help you get ready for the holidays. I'll post details on the Red Berry blog when they're available.

girls' night out

2008-09-06T23:10:00.004-05:00

I got a chance to go out tonight and celebrate two of my very good friends' birthdays. They wanted to try out their AARP cards so we left the kids with the husbands and spent the evening chatting, getting pedicures, chatting, eating Mexican food at chatting. Fun stuff!!!! It was nice to get a break and have some girl time!

Toe show!

One of the birthday girls. Cute hat, huh? It came with a Happy Birthday song sung by the waiters.

today's funny

2008-08-28T10:39:00.001-05:00

This is addicting. I dare you to watch it only once.

country comes to town

2008-08-26T14:31:00.003-05:00

We loaded up the fam this weekend for a little visit to Fort Worth. The girls and I got lots of shopping accomplished!

First, we headed to Frisco for a trip to IKEA. Paige lurved it. So many colors and toys and beds and chairs, oh my!

Afterwards we had a yummy lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (blood sugars were VERY low by mid day) and then spent some time in Stonebriar Centre where Paige got her first taste of Libby Lu. It's like little girl crack, I tell ya!!

Here are some shots of our VERY modern-style hotel (purple velvet chair in our room!) The gardens were very pretty, too!

One Sunday, Daddy joined in the shopping fun by helping Paige pick out her very first "hunting outfit" for the BIG hunt coming up this fall.

Here's what Brooke thought of the ride home about 4 hours into it.

And last, a pretty terrible picture of the capital as seen through my window as we drove through Austin.

We are ALL glad to be home!!!

photo overload

2008-08-14T20:19:00.003-05:00

love that curl!

that's so funny!

the big sister

this isn't going to end well....

one more!

anaqua

2008-08-11T23:11:00.002-05:00

This tree is just down the road from us and I noticed today that it had burst into blooms almost overnight. So, when Paige came home from school we took a little walk to get a closer look.

It was soooo full of these tiny white flowers and the whole tree was flooded with butterflies.

So pretty!

Paige decided to run home.

we've got the fever

2008-08-11T22:38:00.004-05:00

Olympic fever that is!!! Swimming, volleyball, diving and gymnastics, oh my!!

Paige has really taken an interest in learning the names of different countries, about the different sports and about China in general.

Does anyone else feel really sorry for the "other" male swimmers? These guys have trained their whole lives for this competition, and are winning medals and breaking world records and they keep getting referred to as that American swimmer or the other swimmers, or Michael Phelps' teammate. "You just swam the best race of your life, you must be so excited! How does it feel to swim with 11 time medal winner Micheal Phelps??"

He is the new American Idol.

Micheal Phelps and "those other guys"

saturday morning...

2008-08-09T22:15:00.000-05:00

was spent relaxing in our pj's

and playing with Pepper

no more pictures, mom!!!

school spirit

2008-08-08T11:32:00.002-05:00

I had the honor of taking a group picture at Paige's school today. Can you believe this is PreK-8th grade? These are some of the best kids and teachers around. We are so blessed to be a part of it!

Paige is first row, 7th from the left. (She's wearing flip flops with bows on them)

weekend snapshots

2008-08-03T22:46:00.005-05:00

a dream is a wish your heart makes...

you know, there is an easier way.....

getting clean

helping hand

2008-07-30T21:33:00.001-05:00

Paige brought home a special reward today for being such a great helper at school!

wordless wednesday

2008-07-30T00:00:00.002-05:00

new beginnings

2008-07-29T09:46:00.007-05:00

Paige started kindergarten today. She was so excited and helped to comfort the other kids that were crying.

B2S: part deux

2008-07-28T19:23:00.000-05:00

I love Laptop Lunches. Paige started using them when she went to Mother's Day Out. They are perfect for toddler-sized portions, they keep everything neat and they are environmentally friendly.

If you need ideas for fun ways to pack you Bento, check out the Vegan Lunch Box. Jennifer is a very health-conscious and creative lunch packer. I've used lots of her ideas.

Of course I'm not vegan (not that there's anything wrong with that) but you can adapt lots of the recipes.

I have found that it is very hard to find a cute carrying case for the box, but last year I bought one of these Stephen Joseph bags, and it fits perfectly. You can even drop an ice pack or a Capri Sun in the front pocket. Paige has the butterfly and it's really cute. (they even come with matching note cards to leave in your kid's lunch)

back 2 school: part one

2008-07-28T00:48:00.008-05:00

Do you remember the commercial from a few years ago that had a dad skipping through the school supply aisles at KMart (I think) to the tune of "It's the most wonderful time of the year"? That about sums up the mood around here. School starts Tuesday and it's not coming fast enough. Our big girl is starting kindergarten!!

We are soooo lucky that she will have the same teachers she had last year in PreK. (PreK and K are taught in the same room) Mrs. G is one of the most gifted teachers I have ever met. She made such a connection last year with Paige and the skills she mastered in her class were remarkable! I can't wait to see the growth she has this year.

We've been doing the usual B2S prep...new clothes, planning out the week, etc.

Aren't these darling???

This year her school is providing all the school supplies so, all we have to bring is her nap mat and backpack, both of which we used last year. (I cannot say enough good things about Hanna Andersson backpacks. They hold up so well, I couldn't find a reason not to use it a second year.)

I finished up the bows to match her school clothes.

I also found these cute monogrammed headbands on etsy.

Moms of girls (especially those who don't like big bows) will love She Does Hair. Be sure and check out her links to other girly hair-do blogs.

Stay tuned for B2S: part deux....LUNCH!

i'm a planner

2008-07-27T22:29:00.006-05:00

Am I the only one who is already planning Halloween costumes? Last year Paige was sooo sick on Halloween and Justin was working so we didn't get to go out at all. :( Brooke missed her first Halloween.

I think this year we're going to have a ladybug and a witch. I don't know who is going to be which yet. I can tell you they will both involve tutus....

idhtbptbb

2008-07-24T15:52:00.006-05:00

I came across The Nester about 3 months ago. I immediately fell in love with her style and straight-forward approach to decorating. No complicated patterns or long lists of supplies. She is the ultimate McGyver of crafts. Her "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful" mantra is something I need to apply to more than just decorating.

I knew I wanted to attempt one of her window mistreatments, so I started with my kitchen window.

She was right! It was easy AND beautiful!!!! (did I mention cheap???)

Note: Please be careful when mistreating your windows. It is very addicting. Trust me, you'll be looking for naked windows everywhere. Even in other people's homes. It's a sickness, I know.

So, a few weeks ago I went to JoAnn's during their 4th of July sale. I was looking in the decorator fabric section for some fabric to use on my living room windows. That's when I found this:

In the clearance section.

And it had a red dot.

This thick, gorgeous designer fabric was marked down from $27 a yard to...wait for it...$4.50!!!! Wheee!!

I snatched up all that was left. Unfortunately there was not as much as I had hoped, so they don't reach all the way to the floor, but idhtbptbb.

I would still like to eventually add a fringe to the edge, but I had them put together in about 10 minutes. Justin hung the curtain rods for me (cuz he's handy like that) and TADA!

And do you know what the best part is?? I finally get to add this to my blog!!!

Thanks Nester for all of your inspiration and generosity! If you're ever in Texas, we'll make a run to Hobby Lobby together!

My next Nester project is going to be this. I just have to work up the courage to cut up the girls' old baby clothes first.

so long Dolly!

2008-07-24T14:18:00.007-05:00

Well, Dolly didn't end up sparing us that much. She ended up turning north just before land fall, which put her about 100 miles south as a Cat 2. We went to bed Tuesday night thinking we would get some rain and wind, but nothing extraordinary. However, by Wed morning Dolly had strengthened and began moving NW. By lunch, Justin had been sent home for the day and the wind and rain had picked up. The afternoon was a little windy and it rained pretty steadily. The girls were stir crazy, bored and I swear the barometric pressure does something to my patience level.

Last night the rain and wind bands began increasing in strength as the storm moved farther inland. Around 3 am we lost power and the wind was gusting at probably 60 mph. It sounded like a tornado all night. Paige freaked out and ended up in our bed.

We had to get up early so we could get Justin to the airport for his flight to Utah this morning. It was soooo much fun showering, getting dressed and putting on makeup by candle light with no a/c. We left an hour earlier than we had to just so we could ride around with air conditioning!

Our electricity was finally restored around 11. The rain still comes and goes, but I think the worst is over.

I was able to complete several projects while stuck inside so I'll post those after I get some pictures. Until then here are some pictures after Dollypalooza '08.

The worst:

puddles

this used to stand up straight!

more puddles

if only the pay was better

2008-07-22T21:26:00.003-05:00

As a 1930s wife, I am
Superior

Take the test!

esto es hilarante

2008-07-22T08:13:00.001-05:00

Those 2 years of high school Spanish and 4 years of Dora the Explorer are really paying off for me now!

*you will need to pause my playlist at the bottom of the page so you can hear the video*

adiós, amigas!

hello dolly

2008-07-22T00:27:00.008-05:00

Looks like she might spare us this time, but we will definitely get plenty of rain!

tagged

2008-07-21T20:08:00.004-05:00

Wow, my very first tag! And by Julie, one of my very favorite crafters. You must stop by Joy's Hope and say hi and check out her cute ideas.

Okay, here goes...

Here's a little bit about me:
A. Attached or single? Attached.
B. Best friend? Justin.
C. Cake or pie? Pie, apple.
D. Day of Choice? Monday, because we get back into routine
E. Essential Item? Philosophy's on a clear day cleanser.
F. Favorite color? Turquoise.
G. Gummy bears or worms? Worms, sour.
H. Hometown? Riviera,TX.
I. Favorite indulgence? Spa treatments and nice hotels.
J. January or July? July.
K. Kids? 2.
L. Life isn't complete without? God.
M. Marriage Date? June 3, 2000.
N. Number of brothers and sisters? One brother.
O. Oranges or apples? Oranges.
P. Phobias? funeral homes and snakes.
Q. Quotes? "A photo says, You were happy, and I wanted to catch that. A photo says, You were so important to me that I put down everything else to come watch."Jodi Picoult from My Sister's Keeper
R. Reasons to smile? Kids' random thoughts and conversations.
S. Season of choice? Fall.
T. Tag 4 people: Colleen, Holly, Lyndsey, Margie (get a blog already.)
U. Unknown fact about me? I hate public speaking.
W. Worst habit? Biting my nails. Ewww.
X. X-ray or ultrasound? ultrasound...one of best part of pregnancy
Y. Your favorite food? Really good fresh fruit
Z. Zodiac sign? Libra.

okay, that took a long time.

rainbow bright

2008-07-19T22:41:00.005-05:00

I love you thiiiiisssss much!

Who makes their kid wear a crocheted hat in 98 degree weather? I do!!! It was worth it to get these pics.

i've got my new shoes on

2008-07-19T22:34:00.003-05:00

Brooke has finally gone upright! She's been working on this whole walking thing for a while now, but quickly realized that it's just easier to be carried. About 2 weeks ago, though, she hit the ground running! Since we're country, I haven't made her wear shoes up until now. So, here's her Keds debut!

pinkalicious

2008-07-19T00:19:00.002-05:00

just a couple of candids from today.

and bathing beauty

i can can

2008-07-16T21:36:00.003-05:00

I've been putting off the jelly canning for a few days.

precise measurements + 2 wild kids + boiling liquids = BIG disaster

So, after the girls were down for the night, I got out the supplies, sterilized the jars and set to jellin'. I cooked the jelly and Justin handled the hot jars.

Coming out of the bath

The 'scum' off the top. It's yummy!

Our babies...waiting for the *ping*