Austin the Hunter? or the Fashion Designer???!!!

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

So, tonight has been relatively peaceful in our house...the kids have been playing back in their bedrooms and I haven't heard any yelling, so all must be well, right? Well, I decide to listen what they are saying to each other and I hear the following exchange:

Austin: Ok, Kayla, let's take those off (uh oh...that can't be good!)

Kayla: Ok, Bubba

Austin: Kayla, step in. KAYLA, STEP IN

Kayla: Ok, Bubba

A few minutes later, Kayla walks out of the bedroom dressed like this...

Austin was QUITE PROUD of his creation!

He told me that she was a princess who just had a baby. They are continuing to play in her room, she's still in the leotard with the tutu, the yellow high heels and the necklace. I think I just heard something about her having three twins...OH, LORD!

Austin and Joe went to Joe's mom's this weekend for his "first hunting trip." Duck season ends soon, and Austin has been wanting to go all season. For those of you who don't know, duck season around her this year has been pretty scarce because of the relatively mild temperatures. Joe's mom has a pond down behind her house that they hunt at sometimes. Well, Sunday morning, Joe and Austin went down to the pond to hunt. Not sure how many times Joe fired the gun (he probably wouldn't tell me anyway, since he didn't come home with much!), but Austin came home with A DUCK!!!



He was so excited about it and I know he can't wait to shoot his own duck. Joe was quite proud as well that Austin was wanting to "play" with it. The "treat" came later that night when he requested that they eat "fried duck" for dinner! Joe obliged and said it actually wasn't too bad (unfortunately, I wasn't here to try it!)

While Joe and Austin were out of town, Kayla and I stayed here to have a "girl's weekend." Unfortunately, Kayla was pretty sick all weekend, so we just stayed around the house. Towards the end of the weekend, she was obviously feeling better, and I walked into the living room as she was reading to her babies. I think they were all enjoying it!

I hope you're all having a great week. The playing still seems to be going well, although I just heard a very frustrated "NO, Bubba's not done!!" We'll see how long this lasts! I also keep hearing the sound of toys being pulled out of toy boxes...I wonder who's going to clean that up?!

Inauguration Day...

No photos today...just my random ramblings regarding the "festivities" occurring in our Nation's Capitol.

I am fully aware of the historical nature of today's events. Don't get me wrong, this is a day to go down in the history books. However, is it really necessary to spend this amount of money when the country is in the economic crisis that we're in? I can think of MANY better ways to spend the money. Can you imagine if a Republican were spending this sort of money on an inauguration event?! There is a bill that has been passed AND signed that would give federal loan forgiveness to prosecutors...but, there's no money to fund it! Maybe, if we cut back on an inaugural ball (or five!), we could use that money to pay back the great public servants in our country who don't make nearly what our private practice counterparts make.

I get that our new "leader" has a perceived "great vision" for the country...I just wish I could say that vision would be good for everyone. From what I've seen so far, it appears to me that the status quo would be better for me (yes, I'm selfish...I know!)

Obviously, Obama wasn't my choice for president in November. However, as an American, I know that he is now "my" president. I just wish his "hope" and "change" wasn't so divisive already. Only time will tell what his legacy will leave. I just hope people look behind the smoke and mirrors to what action he actually takes, what good he actually does and whether he actually leaves this country a better place than when he found it.

My Baby Girl is 2!!!!!

So, today is Kayla's birthday, although it has really been more of a birthday weekend! We had Kayla's party yesterday at The Bounce. The Bounce is really a very smart idea on the part of some entrepreneur here in town to fill a building with jump houses. What more could a kid ask for than about 10 different play things to jump in...and what could make a parent more crazy?! Well, we had about 15 kids come to celebrate with Kayla and I'm pretty sure she had a good time. OK, I'm not really sure she realized that the party was for her, but she had a good time anyway. We were there for about two hours, and she was definitely worn out by the end of the day! When we opened presents when we got home, it took forever because she wanted to COMPLETELY open every present she got. That also caused some problems for Austin. He was having such a hard time with Kayla getting a lot of presents and him not getting anything. And then he was getting really upset when she didn't want to share her toys. My mom kept having to sit him down and talk to him about how his birthday was coming up soon and that he would get presents then!

Here's Kayla jumping in one of the jumpie things! She had a BLAST!!

Austin joined in the fun, too. Here is he coming off of one of the slides!

Here's Kayla climbing the stairs to one of the slides!

Again, Kayla playing in one of the jumpie things. She is growing up so fast!

Austin had to show Kayla how to blow out the candles...and then he ended up blowing them out himself! She's lucky to have a big brother to show her how to do things!

I joined in on the fun, too...but only because Kayla convinced me she needed me to take her down the slide! I'm pretty sure those things aren't made for grown ups!

This is one of the presents Kayla got...a princess chair. Doesn't it look like a throne?!

Before Kayla's party, we had her two year pictures taken. I know, I know...like I really need more pictures of the kids, right?! Well, this time, Mark Sykes, the photographer we use came to the house and took pictures of Kayla playing in her room. He basically just let her play and followed her around the room and took pictures. I can't wait to see them...I think he got some really cute ones!

Its so amazing to see how much Kayla has changed, even in the past year. She is such a sweet girl, although we are definitely starting to see signs of the "terrible twos". She is talking so much now, although there are times I'm not quite sure what she's saying, but she is such a doll. I can't wait to see what this next year brings us...hopefully not too many temper tantrums!

Words you never thought you'd say...

OK, so I know I just posted, but I was on here playing around and had to say the words

"Kayla, stop biting the cat's tail..."

Wow...those are things you never thought you'd have to say!

Post Christmas Let-Down?

So, Joe and I decided yesterday that the week after Christmas is pretty depressing. It shouldn't be, considering I'm off work and home with the kids, but it's all over. You know what I mean...time to take down the decorations (no, I guess I can't wait until March!), family all goes home and its time to get back to normal life (whatever that means). I haven't started taking down the decorations yet, even though I know I should so I don't have to spend all weekend doing it, but there's just something about leaving it all up a little while longer.

So much for "many updates" during the week of Christmas-I should have known better than to make such a promise! The kids have been busy playing with all their fun Christmas gifts. Kayla just loves the kitchen and MANY baby dolls she got and has spent much time changing their diapers and making us all food to eat. Austin has been playing non-stop with his spiderman and astronaut toys and I'm pretty sure we've seen Wall-E 19 times since Christmas!

On Christmas Eve, Joe's family all came out to his mom's house and we had a big dinner. Joe made a prime rib that was AMAZING! The kids had a great time playing outside and swinging with their cousin. Kayla had on her dress so we could try to take family pictures (which was NOT successful!) and then she didn't want to take it off, so we left it on her for the rest of the day. Even while she was out in the barn with the horses! That night, we put out the cookies and milk, along with some hay for the reindeer, along with special reindeer food and then went to bed...but not really...WE, OF COURSE, WATCHED WALL-E!!!

This is the best family picture we got on Christmas Eve. And, by best, I mean that we're all looking at the camera and no one was crying! The camera was on the wrong setting, though, so the coloring is bad...figures!

This is Kayla running around outside in the barn in her fancy dress...oh well! I guess you only get to be young once, right?!

And, here's Austin playing tag with his cousin in his fancy clothes...

And swinging...


The next morning, we were pleasantly surprised (OK, the kids were!) to see the bikes that had been left for them. Kayla's was really from my grandparents, but it just seemed right to have both bikes out for the kids. Austin also got a painting set, which I may come to regret in the future. Kayla got a nursery center for her babydolls-which has already very much come in handy! The babydolls are all very clean after their baths and are well fed with food from the kitchen!

Austin was pretty excited about his Aggie Football uniform and spent the rest of the day wearing it!

We spent the rest of the week after Christmas before coming back home to visit with my parents for about a day before they left to head back again. Now its time to take it all down and get ready to start all over again. I realized that I have less than 2 weeks to get ready for Kayla's birthday-I realize that she's only turning 2 and that I don't have to do anything big, but I did for Austin's and I'm afraid she'll feel slighted! When am I going to learn?

So, what have I learned this year? Well, here we go

1. Having two kids that have very different personalities tends to drive you crazy-but it sure is fun!
2. Organized sports can be fun even if we "don't keep score"
3. Just because one kid does things one way doesn't mean the other will follow suit!
4. Just because I want to lose weight doesn't mean it will happen!
5. Joining a gym isn't enough...you actually have to go!
6. Having a "biter" isn't the end of the world-I just have to work with her a little more!
7. Kids grow up way too fast and you never take pictures at the times you wish you had!
8. A change in a job (Joe's) to a location much further away will actually give me more time with my husband!
9. Sometimes in an election, good really does come out on top (and I'm not talking about the National election!)
10. Friends and family are one of the most important things in the world and you never keep in touch as much as you wish you would!

I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season and have as much to be thankful for and look forward to in the new year as we do!

Merry Christmas!!

So, this will probably be the first of several (hopefully!) posts over this weekend to document our family Christmas! We came to Gee's house (Joe's mom) yesterday and have been going non-stop ever since. First, we had to make a run to Wal-Mart (about the only place to go in Palestine, Texas!) since I forgot the stockings at our house and spent way more time there than we wanted to. I guess that's what happens when you go to Wal-Mart two days before Christmas!

This morning (Christmas Eve), Joe was going to take Austin duck hunting for the first time. Keep in mind that Austin does not have any hunting clothes, so Joe is just planning on putting one of his coats on Austin so that he will be camouflaged! Also keep in mind that it is about 65 degrees here right now, so there are NO ducks anywhere to be seen. Well, Joe and Austin are on their way to check it out anyway. Joe gets Austin up at 6:15 and gets him dressed to take him to the pond behind the house to "hunt." I hear them about to walk out the door and Austin is doing such a great job being quiet. They open the door and I hear

Joe: "uh oh"

Austin: "its raining."

I wish I could get across the sound in his voice. It was filled with such disappointment, but so matter of fact. They then proceed to stand at the door, with the door open, and look at it, as if staring hard enough will make it go away. Finally, they come back in, resolved to try again another day.

So, later, Kayla gets up and is playing outside. When Austin was little, we used to let him play outside at Gee's house without worrying about what he was doing. He always stayed right near the house and RARELY got into anything he wasn't supposed to. Kayla, on the otherhand, cannot be trusted even if she were on a leash. She gets into EVERYTHING! Yesterday, I walked outside and she had her hands in the little fishpond behind the house trying to catch the little goldfish in there. She looks up at me and says "Look, Mommy, fishies..." Wow... Well, today, Gee goes outside to look for Kayla and can't find her, but she can hear her talking. She walks around the corner and finds Kayla ON THE TRACTOR!!! Kayla has climbed up by herself and is sitting in the tractor pretending to drive. I finally convince her that we should go get Bubba (mostly so he can keep his eye on her while she's playing!) and as we're heading into the house, he comes out. She waves him over and says "come on Bubba" and then proceeds to show him that she has discovered the tractor they can play on! Wow, again...

Here's Kayla, quite pleased with her new find!!

And here they both are. I think Austin is trying to figure out if he's going to get in trouble by being on the tractor!

They have been having such a great time and are taking a nap as I type this! Tonight, the rest of Joe's family will be coming over to eat dinner and open gifts. Should be an incredibly hectic night! I'm sure it will be VERY easy to put them to bed tonight!

Last week was Austin's Christmas program at school...he was one of the three wisemen. He was so cute (again...not that I'm biased or anything!) and did such a good job standing by the manger scene!

That night, we went to Santa's Wonderland with some of our friends. We ate dinner, went to the petting zoo, took a hayride to look at Christmas lights and sat by the campfire. It was a very fun night for everyone, although you wouldn't know it by Kayla's temper tantrum at the end of the night.

Here are the kids waiting "patiently" for the hayride!

I'm pretty sure Kayla had had enough and was ready to go home!

Finally, we celebrated Christmas with my family on Sunday evening since they would all be in Houston and we're all at Joe's mom's house. Austin's favorite gift was a Polar Express train that my grandparent's game him. He said it was his "best Christmas present ever." Kayla got a kitchen from my mom that has already gotten much play time. She loves to make dinner for everyone, even though it usually consists of plastic cookies. Its probably a good thing that we split it all up into several days. I think both children were a little overwhelmed by everything on Sunday.


Austin with his new train!

Who knows what Kayla was cooking at this point!

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy spending time with family and friends. I will post more as the week progresses!

Winter Wonderland!!!

So, it SNOWED tonight!!! It started at about 4:30 and lasted until about 7:15. And, not just that wet, sleety stuff...REAL SNOW!!! The kind I used to see all the time growing up! It was sticking to the grass and everything! I got excited and got home as quick (and safely!) as I could to take pictures of the kids in the snow. You never know when (or if!) we're ever going to see this sort of thing in College Station again! We get home and put on their warm coats and Kayla has a MELTDOWN as soon as we walk into the snow. I mean screaming and kicking and yelling "No, snow!" Austin on the other hand was running in the yard and trying to make snowballs. We discovered that is hard to do when you don't have gloves since the snow is rather cold on the hands!

Finally, we were able to get Kayla to walk outside and take a group shot and then she SORT OF walked around and touched it...A LITTLE BIT! Hopefully she'll get used to this. If not, it could make for some interesting ski trips when they get older! Here are some pics from our fun!

Here's our house from the street...

...and a little bit closer!

Here's Austin absolutely THRILLED about the snow...

...And Kayla not thinking its so great!

But finally she started to get interested in it!

Family shot (well, minus Joe!)

Kinda random...but I liked this shot of our Christmas tree...
And the first fire of the year!

Again...random! Just thought this looked pretty cool!

Hope you've all had a great week!