Quit the Addiction-Cold Turkey

So Friday night was the cutoff. We're talking cold turkey here, possible withdrawal symptoms, no 12-step program, no "milk patch" available.

NO MORE BOTTLE.

I have to admit, with Kolbe we were really good about his bottle routine, he never had one in bed, and he had no problem stopping at a year. Now with Nickolas, I don't know if it's because we felt more tired, or were lazy, or he was just a hungrier boy, but we gave him one at night and gave him a bottle when he would cry. It got to the point where he was sometimes taking a bottle 3 times a night which I knew he wasn't calorie-deprived, so we had started a very bad habit.

So needless to say I was worried going into the weekend, and thankful I had the upcoming week off to catch a nap during the day if I needed to, but Nickolas has done amazingly well. He takes a cup during the day, and no bottle anymore. He was up the first night and cried for 23 minutes (which felt like 223 minutes in Mom time), but went to sleep on his own and slept until 6. Then last night was up for maybe 5 minutes at midnight and slept until 7:15. No problems napping either.

Signed,
Bottle-free happy home!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICKOLAS!

Yes, I know it was yesterday (Bad Mom, Bad Mom), but we were in San Antonio and I had no way to post so please forgive.

I think Nickolas had a good birthday. We spent 3 days with Keith's brother and his family. So yesterday we decided to all head over to the zoo. Nickolas isn't quite old enough to get it, but I think he still had fun. Then after dinner he had his own birthday cake that his Aunt Dorys made for him, and we sang Happy Birthday!

I can't believe my baby is a year old now!

Nickolas' First Birthday Celebration Video

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

What could be better than sitting at home on Christmas Eve, with a warm fire going, watching "A Christmas Story" on TV, drinking some hot chocolate, and walking into the kitchen to find....

YOUR SON'S CHAINSAW IN THE FRIDGE!

Hope your holiday is filled with pleasant surprises as well!

Kolbe's First Christmas Program

His program was last week after school, and he had been practicing his songs for weeks. My Mom, sister and grandparents drove all the way over for the show too. Which was very nice of them.

Kolbe did a great job. He was carrying a set of bells that I really think entertained him the whole time. At one point during the program, I saw the bells fly across the stage and him run to get them. And in the middle of the next to last song he saw us in the back, smiled really big and left to come sit with us. He had decided he was done.

So we all sat there and watches the rest together. I'm so proud of him!

Your Typical Garage Decor

I promised my friend Keri I would put this picture out for the world to see, or at least for the 3 people who read this blog.

So as a woman of my word, here it is...the picture that is A.K.A. a heart attack in a 20x20 room called the garage that belongs to Keri. Why anyone in their right mind would have this just sitting in a place anywhere remotely close to where they sleep is beyond me. I wouldn't be able to lay in bed at night knowing that this was within the same walls as I am. I think I might actually be welcoming evil into my blogspace by doing this, but that's what friends are for.

You 3 people enjoy!

Had to Grab the Camera!

Okay.

Note: My sister is 18 and doesn't look kindly upon small humans.

I did not put my child on my sister's lap.

I actually witnessed this with my own two eyes. Nickolas was crawling on the ground, and sat kind of near my sister's legs. He wasn't crying, and he didn't need anything. She looked down, and without looking at anyone reached down with her own two hands and physically lifted him from the ground....nicely!

HAD TO GRAB THE CAMERA!

This is a first!

Car Seats

Nickolas is almost a year old, so we went ahead and got Kolbe a new booster seat and switched Nickolas to the forward facing seat Kolbe used to use.

What a difference when you look in the back and see both of them facing forward. I feel like we reached a milestone as parents for some reason. Now all the things that happen that are "turning points" are starting to hit me. The car seat, stopping the bottle, walking, no more diapers. Before you know it, I will have a 5 year old and a 3 year old and no more babies in the house.

Part of me would really miss that, but the other part thinks RELIEF!

The Boys Saw Santa!

And don't they look thrilled? =)

Kolbe was actually very interested this year and really understand what was supposed to happen when he saw him. Well, the important part in his world which is candy and presents. So he asked for new choo choos.

Nickolas was very perplexed by Santa's beard, and wouldn't stop trying to grab it. Neither one of them cried though, so that's a bonus.

Santa looks a little tired, but he was nice and it was a good experience.
Kolbe was so excited about it afterwards he was walking around the mall telling everyone what he asked for. He even told a lady in the store she could have the necklace she was looking at "if she was good".

Better make sure you behave!

Fun Lessons From GrandParents

Now that I have children of my own, and a bank account that realizes I have children of my own, it takes me back to when I was growing up and all the extra activities I was involved in, and hobbies I had.

Guitar, banjo, oboe, clarinet, flute, gymnastics, soccer, volleyball, the list goes on and on.

I remember every Saturday morning, my grandfather would take me over to to my guitar lessons, where if I played the song I had practiced for the week perfectly I would get $5.00. In the meantime, my grandfather was probably easily paying $60-$100 a month for those lessons. 7 years of lessons, just to be able to say I can play some Christmas songs and a few country tunes.

I mean, that's almost $1200 a year. Over the course of 7 years that's almost $8400. I really don't think my guitar skills are worth $8400, but, I now understand why they did that for me. And that was just for that one hobby.

They wanted me to have the experience. Which is why I will eventually shell out thousands of dollars for whatever musical instrument, sport or other hobby my kids are interested in, so that they can say they were able to try it.

So thank you to my Mom, my grandmother and my grandfather. I appreciate it now!

Good Luck, Florian & Lissette

On Friday night we were thankful to be a part of Florian and Lissette's Going Away Dinner. They are headed off to Germany on January 6th!

We had a wonderful dinner at Trader Vic's near Mockingbird Station. Great atmosphere and good company. It was Lissette's brothers and their wives (that sounds bad, they each only have one wife), and a few people from Fossil, including Linda. Flo announced that they are expecting their first baby in July.

I remember the days when Florian had just joined our group, and was new to the country. During a "younger" and more eager time, we spent many hours up at work learning new things, hanging out and goofing off. Last night we talked and reminisced about those days, and the differences in the cultures, and the wonderment of being in a new place. I will never forget all our conversations, Dr. Pepper, "How are you" and "JA".

It's only Good-Bye for now...

Over-Planning....Do I?

After a lengthy discussion with my friend Jill several days ago, and some other occurrences in my life the last couple of days, I started to question some of my actions and whether or not I am an over-planner.

If you ask anyone who knows me well, I think a few of the terms that would come to mind and out of mouth for them would include things like worrier, work-a-holic, soft-spoken, organized. At least I like to think that's what they would say.

So as I am laying in bed last night, debating this topic with myself, I realize that my mind quickly drifts to Sunday, where I have 3 things planned for the day already. At 1:00 I have my sister's birthday party. At 5:00 I have a Girl's Groups gathering and at 7:00 I have a date with Keith. The point isn't that I have those things planned, it's that it is Wednesday night, and I am lying there thinking about every detail of the day. If the boys get up at 7:00 in the morning, I will be able to make them breakfast, get them dressed, start to get ready, lay Nickolas down for a morning nap at 10:00, he will sleep until 12:00, then pack everyone up and head over to my Mom's for the birthday party. We can stay there until about 2:30 or 3, and then Keith can head out to drive the boys down to the lakehouse. They will be able to nap in the car that way. While he's doing that I can go to my friend's house and visit. Then get home and he will be there for our date that night. On top of that I'm planning what I will wear, the boys will wear, what kind of food we will have that day, what time I think I will be in bed that night, the list does on and on. And that's just one day out of the week....

While referencing the handy dandy webernet, this stood out to me...

"In an attempt to exercise maximum control over his world, the worrier tries to anticipate every possible occurrence and plan for it – in minute detail. What makes this kind of planning inappropriate is that it is constant. It is not a plan that is mapped out at the onset of the journey and occasionally updated if warranted. It is a plan that is constantly being revised from moment to moment. The entire journey is spent deliberating the next move."

Here's what they say is a step to take in order to help with overplanning:

If you do find yourself engaging in overplanning, then each day discipline yourself to refrain from overplanning one ‘event’ – whether it be the commute, the trip to the dentist or the grocery shopping. Just force yourself to conduct that ‘event’ on the fly.

I have to say, I think it will be hard for me to stop planning out the grocery trip. I have my coupons organized by department and synced up with my grocery list, which is also written out in order of the path I take through the store. I plan my grocery list according to which meals I will be making in the next 7 days. I plan my meals based on the budget I have put in place for the week, and I am constantly working on the budget, I look at it and keep it in check every single day. Poor Keith can't get a penny through without me asking questions.

So I have come to the reality that I may have a problem here, and I think I may have to make out a list of actions to take in order to plan to resolve it.

Sick Baby - Heartbreaking!

So Nickolas had a temperature on Tuesday of 102.7, and we started giving him Tylenol. Come Wednesday night, it still wasn't gone, so Keith took him to the emergency room. They were worried and did some bloodwork and gave him some fluids (in an IV) and his temperature shot up to 105. After about 4 hours in there they figured out he has a virus, and just isn't handling it very well. We can only treat the symptoms (which is only a fever), and since about 2am it's been mostly down.

It's the worst feeling when your little baby is sick, and there's nothing you can really do for him except hold him and comfort him-at least try.

He had more of an appetite tonight, so that's good. Eventhough my Aunt said that going a few days without food, for him and his size, probably wouldn't hurt too much! =)

I'm Proud of My Sister!

Eventhough at 18 she already has 2 tattoos, a belly piercing and has had more boyfriends than I can keep up with, I am so proud of her. ;)

She is such a hard worker. She works almost 30 hours a week and it going to the University of North Texas full-time majoring in a very difficult program. Over winter break she will be working 2 jobs. I just talked to her at 11:00 tonight and she was headed out to do laundry.

I admire how intelligent and determined she is. She has a good head on her shoulders and she makes me laugh. She is my seeeeester and my friend and I love her!

My Date

Today I had a wonderful date with one of my favorite guys. Kolbe and I went to see "Bee Movie"!

We had stopped by Dory's place to see Ella and Ava and visit for a bit, and then headed over to the theatre. Kolbe was so great. We bought our tickets, and then went inside and bought popcorn and some candy. The movie was about an hour and a half. Kolbe did great sitting through all of it. Twice he wanted to sit on my lap, and we snuggled some, and then he would go back to his seat. The movie was really cute and the colors were amazing. It's always so mesmerizing to watch the artistic part of it and to think about the technology behind it all. Which is what I'm sure Kolbe was thinking about too.

I came out of it thinking differently about bees and Kolbe came out of it with a sticky hand from the candy.

It was still fun!

Busiest Shopping Day of the Year

And you will not see me out in it! Well, okay...we did go to Walmart, and I got a little tense and we were in and out in 45 minutes.

Thanksgiving was really nice! We spent Wednesday evening at Keith's parents house. His Uncle Bill drove all the way in from Florida. It was really nice to see him-he hadn't met Nickolas yet. He was eager to see his grandkids (Billy and Andrew), and then we got a call on Thursday around noon that Andrew was in the emergency room with mono! So they didn't even make it out. What a horrible thing to have, especially on Thanksgiving.

We still had a nice time visiting, and then drove in to my grandparents' house for dinner. I was really nervous about whether or not she made macaroni, but I saw her sneak out to the backyard and when she opened the grill it was there-WHEW! I had 3 helpings, and of course a Dr. P! That made the whole day (and I guess seeing family did too)!

Now only 31 more shopping days until Christmas. (at least that's what the Walmart sign said)!

Being Thankful

Is definitely not something that I express as much as I should. It's unfortunate that some people take the opportunity only around the holidays to show it, and I hope I can make a habit of being thankful more often, and being open and honest about what exactly it is I am thankful for.

Confucius once said "It takes 100 days to break a habit, and it takes 100 days to gain a habit". Maybe if we all took the next 100 days and made a point to be thankful every single day for something-and told someone-it would make a difference.

I am so thankful for my happy and healthy boys. They are such a joy to be around, and although my patience is tried at times, they bring so much laughter and a new perspective on life and how to live it. That I am thankful for.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Learning to Lead

So today was the first day of DMI's "Learning to Lead" seminar in Boston. It was partially what I had anticipated, and was worried I wasn't going to be able to keep up with the pace.

We had an article to read before even entering the classroom and I read it last night so that it would be fresh in my head, and took in most of it, but some of it was still over my head.

There were about 20 or so people in the seminar. A few from Ebay, Google and Hasbro. I also met a guy from TI. Almost everyone was from the design discipline, all split by web, print and marketing.

We spent a long time on introductions, and the instructor really got to know our backgrounds, and created mind maps around comments made. We did several team exercises, and ended the day with a great team exercise and presentation based on breaking down issues/challenges as design leader, the difference between the problem and the purpose, and how to get to aspirational goals based on those insights.

Pretty in-depth information-and it's going well so far.

Day One in Boston

Travel this morning went fairly smooth with the exception of a terminal change and trying to find a cab that would take a credit card. My flight left at 8:45 this morning, and we landed just as they had anticipated-1:20pm Eastern time. Took a taxi over to the hotel. On the way I went through a tunnel that reminded me of the one in D.C. IN D. C. we had Kolbe with us at the time and he loved the tunnel. This one was just like it. All the orange lights and really long.

Made it to the hotel. It's really nice...a very pleasant surprise. ;) Got settled in and then checked out the city a little bit. Had a hard time finding the university, but only because I went around the back of the building and they were doing a lot of construction. Right across the street is the Granary Burial Ground where a lot of historical names lay to rest, a lot from the Boston Massacre. Saw the plots for John Hancock, Paul Revere and Mary "Mother" Goose.

The city and architecture remind me a little bit of Italy. Some of the same shape details, and the way the streets are laid out are very similar. There were a lot of people out. Running, waking, shopping. Getting to destinations by foot is common, along with the underground bus system. I also saw a few trollies. The area seemed good, there were a few people sleeping on the park benches, and there were a lot of dark alleys. It got dark at 4:30. I walked through Boston Commons which is the oldest public park in the United States. The colors of the trees were beautiful.

Had dinner in the hotel restaurant. The food was good and the view was great-it overlooked the city street. I am anxious for the seminar to begin tomorrow, and hope I can keep up with the intellectual level in the room! I'm ready to learn!

Boston Pictures

It's Day 3...

Of Kolbe being away on his camping trip with Oma and Opa, and I think my heart is about to explode I miss him so much.

I know he is having a great time, and they are having fun. Have been taking walks, and playing, and making fires and exploring. The cousins were there last night and will be there all day today, and I know Kolbe is having fun with DoryAnn.

There is a huge piece missing when he's not home. And as much as I enjoy one on one time with Nickolas, only lugging one child out to the car, and a little more quiet time in the house, I enjoy Kolbe and the contagious laughter he brings. He makes me laugh and is such a wonderful little boy. I don't know how I got so lucky!

Only 2 more days.

Am I Addicted to the Internet?

First off, can I say how ironic I find it that there are countless sites ONLINE for internet addiction. This one (http://www.netaddiction.com/) even claims this statement "Welcome to the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery <------------, --------> your resource<------------- for assessment and treatment for Internet addiction disorders." I looked up signs of an addiction, where else, on the internet... Preoccupation with the Internet. (Thoughts about previous on-line activity or anticipation of the next on-line session.) YES

Use of the Internet in increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction. NO

Repeated, unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use. YES

Feelings of restlessness, moodiness, depression or irritability when attempting to cut down use of the Internet. NO

On-line longer than originally intended. YES

Jeopardized or risked loss of significant relationships, job, educational or career opportunities because of Internet use. NO

Lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet. NO

Use of the Internet as a way to escape from problems or to relieve a dysphoric mood. (e.g., feelings of hopelessness, guilt, anxiety, depression.) NO

Okay, so 3 YES and 5 NO. That's a good sign I guess. My addiction is more work-related, and needing to get information as soon as possible. I also use it as a resource for anything I need, shopping, research, weather, entertainment. I can't remember the last time I read a newspaper, besides the ads. It's the reason I refuse to get a PDA, because I would never have a personal life. I feel like if there is something to be done, or information sitting there for me, I can't just let it sit, I have to get it.

The reason I was prompted to really think about this, is because last night I couldn't get online, and I really didn't want to contact tech support to get it, and I got really upset. Not only did I want to work, but I wanted to check email, look up the weather, just plain surf, and I couldn't. I felt unproductive, and anxious.

That sounds pretty bad. Maybe I need to look into a support group.

Cursed Be the Time Change!

Long gone are the days when I would look forward to that Saturday night in fall...anticipating 2am when I rolled back that hour hand to 1. An extra hour of life. An extra hour of sleep.

Welcome to the days, when that hour hand moves, and it's like it is somehow directly connected to my childrens' brains. How can only one tiny hour mess up an entire week of sleep?

For the last 4 days, both of my kids have been up at 5:30am. It doesn't even make sense. That's 6:30am the old time, which is still an hour earlier than when they used to get up. So, somehow their daylight savings brain is on a 2 hour window, not one.

Worst case scenario...there's always April to look forward to.

Future BodyBuilder?

Looks like we have some bicep (callout 1), brachialis (callout 2), and brachioradialis (callout 3 & callout 4) development going on here.

Enough said.

Door to NoWhere?

We were out at Keith's parents' house over the weekend, and drove past this house (slowly) on the golf cart. I'm sure that at one point they had some kind of stairwell that got you down to the ground, but I wonder what happened to it?

Maybe they just use it now to have people walk the plank?

Uh-Oh

Fun Paintings

First off, how do people get so much time on their hands? Maybe I just spend too much time doing unproductive things?

Even still, I had fun looking at this idea and think they did a great job. It's fun and creative, and we need more of that in life!

Happy Halloween!

Kolbe Turned 3!

He's not a baby anymore!!

We had Kolbe's birthday party on Sunday morning, and it lasted through lunch. Gattitown was a pretty good place to have it. Price was reasonable, food was good, and they had a TRAIN (which was the whole reason we had it there). The room was a little small, but we were really only in there to eat and visit some. The adults had to buy their own buffet which I felt kind of bad about.

After we ate, the kids rode the train and played games.

We saved Kolbe's presents until last night to open (his actual birthday), and he really understood it this year. Loved the presents, and was able to tell people he is 3 and hold up the right amount of fingers. It was really a big step in understanding between 2 and 3.

Now he will be a little angel every single day since he's out of the terrible 2's, right?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/houseofmuellers/sets/72157602800473226/

Where Do the Years Go?

Welcome to 7 years ago, when Keith and I bought our first digital camera, and when I was 24.

Not that I would want to trade my world right now for anything, but, sometimes it's nice to reminisce about the years before kids, and what life was like without sleepless night, runny noses and noise....

I look at this picture and think about those years, right out of college, full-time job, traveling... and the big worries were work, where to eat for dinner and what the plans were for the weekend. The apartment was small, but we loved it. So much potential and so much time on our hands (not that we knew it then).

Our decisions involved us, and only us. If we made a bad financial move, it was ours. If we got sick, it was us. If we went outside, there were just 2.

What a drastically different world.

If I make a decision now, my first thought is how will it effect my kids. Am I making the right choices for them? Am I taking care of them to meet their needs? Am I responsible and knowledgeble enough to be there for them? Am I leaving the store without forgetting one of them? ;) And that goes on top of the now compounded responsibility at work, maintaining a household, family, friends, taking care of myself and any ounce of personal alone time left. Bottom line is, I am not the only one I am accountable for now, and it's often a scary thought.

Long gone are the days of sleeping until noon, painting my nails while reading a magazine, and waiting for my next pay raise so I can buy clothes. Those are replaced with waking up at 3am to the 3 year old beside me, clipping my fingernails while giving kids a bath, and looking towards the next raise to contribute money into a 529 plan.

The next picture that our digital camera takes now includes 4 shapes, instead of 2, but I wouldn't change a thing.

What is It?

A fake brain for Halloween? A meteor? A painted piece of art?

Unfortunately, it was the dinner I attempted to make last night.

I started dinner a little early because I knew it would just be me and the boys, and I wanted to head out afterwards to the store, so I put some noodles on the stove, and went outside, reminding myself and Kolbe to come inside in 5 minutes to get it off the stove.

So, we go outside and the neighbor is out there with her son. They come over and start talking. We're talking about Halloween, about the school district her son goes to, about her husband's job, about what kinds of things she needs to get done this weekend before he leaves to go out of town.....is it sounding like this is a less than 5 minutes conversation?

Needless to say, I came inside to this (only after Kolbe opened the front door and I stunk up the whole neighborhood with the smell of burning!)

P.S. We didn't eat it.

Just Add This One to the List

We were in Target last night, and Kolbe stumbled over his feet and landed right on one of the hooks that holds product on the aisle. It started bleeding right away, and Kolbe was really upset for about 45 seconds until he saw a toy and got distracted.

Ouch.

What to Do With Money?

Maybe I should just make things out of it, because this whole financial planning stuff it tough.

I guess there are worse "boats" to be in...get it, get it, but after sitting down with a financial planner tonight, it sure is a lot to think about, and who's to say what are the best choices for you and your family.

Roth IRAS, mutual funds, 529 savings, whole life insurance as opposed to term, debt repayment.....BRAIN FREEZE!

I do feel like it's therapeutic to sit down with someone (who we trust) who doesn't know Keith and I personally, and get advice and information. We meet again in 2 weeks and I feel we have already made some progress. It's very rewarding to see the good decisions so far, and exciting now that we have two incomes. We still have a long way to go to meet some goals though.

I guess we'll see in 30 years how our decisions pan out!

Modern Day Picasso?

Maybe I'm biased, but I think that we may have an artist on our hands here. Kolbe drew this on the patio on Saturday. He originally drew the outline and the feet, and he said they were feet, so then I asked him to draw eyes and a mouth....and he did!!

I'm so proud of him! Like I said, maybe it's just me, but I think this is pretty darn good for a 2-year old!

*Autographs available upon request

Losing....

So this morning, I am actually ahead of schedule for work, ready to go, lunch packed, headed out the door, and realize... I have no keys. I look everywhere. In the kitchen, clothes from yesterday, under the couch, anywhere a 3-year old would place them. Nowhere. I decide to call Keith's parents, and yes, for the second time in the last 3 months they are at his parents house....an hour and half away.

I have 6 meetings today and cannot miss work. I end up calling my grandfather and luckily he has time to come and get me and drive me to the office.

Now I know I am getting up there in age, but I swear I do not remember putting them in the plastic bag that was left at Keith's parents house. There is no reason I would have put them in there, and I was actually planning on leaving them home just so that I didn't lose them. I really think Kolbe put them in there, but I can't be 100% sure on that.

I think I am losing my mind.

Fog?

Or are my windows just really dirty?

As I was trying to explain to Kolbe what fog was and how it got here, it made me realize I don't know that much about fog other than that it's moisture in the air.

Fog is a cloud in contact with the ground. Fog differs from other clouds only in that fog touches the surface of the Earth. The same cloud that is not fog on lower ground may be fog where it contacts higher ground such as hilltops or mountain ridges.

Fog forms when water vapor in the air at the surface begins to condense into liquid water. Fog normally occurs at a relative humidity of 100%. This can be achieved by either adding moisture to the air or dropping the ambient air temperature. Fog can form at lower humidities, and fog can sometimes not form with relative humidity at 100%

Little Clones

With mushy minds shaped by what we as humans call the TV?

They don't watch TV that often, but don't they look just alike when they do?

Also, when did Nickolas' head get that big?

Better Start Saving for Braces....

So, I think Nickolas has 9 teeth now, but I'm not quite sure. Maybe it should be considered 8.5, because he has 2 teeth on the bottom that are merged, and a tooth on the top that is split. Nevertheless, they're pretty messed up. The doctor said it will more than likely be fine in the meantime, no need to get baby braces just yet!

Even with these teeth, I think he's pretty darn cute!

House of Blues

Had a great time tonight with some old friends (and new). Clay, Sonia, Taylor and Wes!

Thanks for hanging out and showing me the Foundation Room (very nice but not $18 for one crab cake nice). It's always good to hang out outside of work, and to catch-up and reminisce about old times.

GoodBye, Billy...

Billy was put to sleep today.

His liver had failed. He had spent the last several weeks very lethargic, not eating and drinking enough, and in the last week his skin had started to turn yellow. I also noticed a big difference in his hair. It just looked like he had started to age a lot in a short amount of time.

Keith called me as I was driving home from work. He had taken Billy into the doctor on very short notice, and I was not expecting what he had to say. They were going to let him go.

I asked him I could get there and see him to say goodbye. He was such a good cat and friend. The worst he ever did was drink out of an occasional glass left out. Kolbe and Nickolas liked to watch him. He was always small, since he was the runt of the litter, and was a very friendly and likeable cat.

He definitely didn't get the attention he deserved once the boys got here, but he always had a good nature about him. He will be missed, and was very much loved. I hope he knows that...

GayLord Resort

We hung out with Hank on Friday night.

Dinner at the Riverwalk Café was wonderful, just like the last time we ate there. The atmosphere was perfect and it was a nice and relaxing evening.

It was actually a special thank you dinner to Oma and Opa for all the help they give us with the boys. I had such a special relationship with my grandparents growing up, that it means so much to me that they are so involved with Kolbe and Nickolas. They usually see them every week or so, and they are great with them. Not only are the boys learning and seeing wonderful traits, but I get to see small pieces of how Keith was raised. It really gives a lot of insight.

They are the best grandparents we could ask for.

Camping

Keith took Kolbe camping for the first time over the weekend at Tyler State Park. They had a great time, aside from it being very muggy. They had spaghetti for dinner, burned marshmallows and spent lots of time looking at bugs and going for walks.

Kolbe had a hard time falling asleep in the tent for the first time, but other than that, I think it was a good start to many more camping trips to come!

How Many Designers Does It Take...

To change a flat tire?

After lunch today, Susie's tire was flat, weird....so we all decided to stand around and contribute a little something and help her out.

Turns out it takes:

- 1 to get the spare tire
- 1 to lift the truck
- 1 to change the tire
- 1 to hold an umbrella
- 1 to sit in another running car
- 2 to takes pictures
- 4 to watch

And that's how many it take to change a tire!

The Big One

Yes-it is. With a big 3 in front of it! In 33 minutes I will be 31. Much older and wiser than the mere 30 that I am right now.

Thank you to everyone today who made my birthday a super special one. I am lucky to have such great people around me who take the time to celebrate my aging process. You guys are the best!

Rock in the Nose-Sounds Good

I get a call at noon today from Kolbe's daycare, and they tell me that he decided to put a rock up his nose and they can't get it out. I will have to come and get him and take him to the doctor to have it removed.

I get to the school, and he is sitting in the office, runs up to me and very proudly tells me he "put a rock in his nose". I was surprised to see it look like it was just sitting in there, but it was rather large and he said it hurt to touch. I guess I had just pictured it being a pebble that was way up there and that's why it wouldn't come out.

It didn't take too long for the doctor to take it out, and she said this happens all the time, but told Kolbe never to put anything in his nose again! Especially rocks!

A Night Out!

Saturday night Keith and I went to III Forks. It's a very elegant restaurant that I have been wanting to try for years and years. With the inevitable event approaching (the big one) this week, we decided to take the night off and enjoy.

The atmosphere was amazing. Walking into low lighting, elegant jazz music from a small band playing near the bar, there was an aura of class. We had to wait for a short time, and got a drink. When our table was ready, the hostess approached us directly (no beeper), and she offered to carry my drink.

We sat in the "courtyard" dining room. It was romantic and nice. I ordered a salad and the salmon with vegetables, potatoes and corn. It was wonderful. Keith and I got to sit and relax, and enjoy good food and good conversation.

Not only did I get to try a new place, but I get to check it off my list of things to do!

OK is OK!

I give it two thumbs up!

Keith and I had a night alone on Sunday, so we decided to drive up to Oklahoma and gamble! The place was pretty nice- and big. I think the average age was 63, but the machines were nice, the tables had good table minimums, and the people were friendly.

I didn't find a 3 credit max double-diamond machine where the diamonds move to the bar line on the end of an aisle in a highly trafficked area...but I would definitely go back!

Nickolas Says Mom-Mom

Email Etiquette

I have a huge pet peeve that I have to get off my chest, and it has to do with one of my favorite things-email!

Have you ever wondered how someone was doing, so you decided to email them, keep them in the loop, write and check in, and never get a response? Time goes on, you try again...nothing. It's been months and months, sometimes over a year. One random day you open your inbox and WHALA-A FORWARDED JOKE from that person who you thought had fallen off the face of the earth. You take a closer look and yes, you have 6 FORWARDED emails from that person.

In the amount of time it takes to read them all, hit forward, skim the address book and send them all, it could have been a personal email with a small note saying "I'm Okay".

Please don't do this to your friends.

7:15 A.M.

This is what it looks like in Dallas at 7:15am.

I'm usually just waking up about this time, so what a pleasant surprise to see such a beautiful sunrise. I feel it's wrong to be up before the light of day, but with this view, it sure was worth it today.

Welcome Baby Hank!

Hank was born on Thursday, September 20th, and he is absolutely perfect! Congratulations to one of my best friends Nikki, and to proud dad Nate!

They are going to be wonderful parents, and are a beautiful family!

My GrandMother

Had her knee replaced. She is doing great.

This is the second time she's had this procedure. The first time was about 7 years ago and she has had no problems with that one. For the last several years she has had major problems with the other one, and has been in constant pain for years with repeated cortisone shots, scraping, draining, you name it. But she feared going "under" and she also didn't want to be laid up in bed and doing physical therapy. Well, she finally gave in and did it.

It's funny how times like these allow you to see things in your own family that you usually either take for granted or don't stop to acknowledge. My grandmother is so strong-physically and mentally. She is 75 years old, and does amazing things.

My grandfather has been there by her side for the whole thing. I get butterflies in my stomach watching them. Him holding her hand, encouraging her, helping her walk, getting her anything she needs. Yes, they bicker-quite a bit. But it's times like these where the true emotions come out, and they love each other so much, they joke with each other and make each other laugh. All these years, and they are right there for each other-that is what a true marriage is all about.

The Best Moment of My Life

I'm not sure if it's the song I'm listening to, or some events going on in my friend's lives, but I have been reflecting tonight on that small window of time that changed me forever, the birth of my first son.

I remember as if it just happened, I can see the details like I am still there. Amazing how I know I will never forget anything about that day, yet I can't even remember details from yesterday.

Keith and I didn't know whether we were having a boy or a girl, what to expect, how the day would go, how we would feel. I remember laying there, hearing the doctor say how many minutes until we had a baby. Lots of pressure, feeling like it was taking forever, bright lights, lots of foreign sounds. Excitement building up and doctor's getting ready as the time came closer. Everyone gets moving and I hear a strong cry...the doctor says "It's a boy", and I start crying uncontrollably. The emotions are pouring through me and I have never felt anything more powerful in my life.

Keith brought him to me after just barely a minute. He was the most perfect thing I have ever seen. My heart is now walking around outside of my body, and I am a better person because of it.