Every body loves a little dirt now and then...

Anna's day in the dirt...

Especially children. : ) We had a wonderful day yesterday. Stephen was off for the day and we got to do a variety of errands that went surprisingly well. Anna was great, traffic was great so therefor Stephen was great, and we were able to get a lot done in a reasonable amount of time.

I received some pots for our front porch for Christmas so one of the errands was to get some plants and dirt. When we got home we sat on the front porch and planted the pretty greens and then allowed Anna some time to play in the dirt. She had so much fun. Hope you enjoy the pictures and the little video of her playing.

Anna having fun in the dirt.....and leaves. : )

I wanted everyone to see the front of our house...kinda. Check out the plants in the corner.

Close up of the seriousness of moving dirt from one pot to another. She was not playing around. : )

There's just something about that name.....

So, Christmas was good. We spent time with Stephen's family in Victoria. Things were great until Christmas Eve, when the cold came to visit...and I don't mean weather. Yep, you got it - we all got a cold. Anna started strong with a runny nose and cough. I came along second with a scratchy throat and stuffy head, and Stephen followed up the rear with all of the above.

Anyway, it wasn't a very photogenic Christmas...Anna was NOT having it when it came to camera time. I will post some of these because you have to admit they are funny, but I will wait until I have all of them...some are on other cameras.

Today was a fairly rough day. We are still trying desperately to get over this cold to no avail. Anna was not really having any of it...all she wanted to do was sit in my lap and watch Baby Einstein all day...which, as comforting as that sounds cannot be good for her. So when she pointed at the tv and said moh moh...which is Anna for remote (she knows the remote makes the dvd player work - smart girl!) and I said no, she flipped her lid.

So, the last hour of the evening, I really tried to spend some quality time with her. It was great. She was positive and played and smiled and made me smile. We threw a little plastic football and she was able to say two words together (which we have been working on). I kept saying over and over, "Good throw Anna!" A few minutes later, she said, gooh toe! I was so happy. : )

Then when it was time to get her to bed, I rocked her and talked with her (can't sing as I normally do because I am sick ) about how I loved her and Daddy loved her and Jesus loved her. I looked at her and said, "Anna, can you say Jesus"? And she said it....SO clear it shocked me. So much that I just started crying. It was an amazing moment to hear my child utter the most important Name in the universe. I am so thankful for the life I have and the life He has entrusted to Stephen and I. It is pretty humbling...and makes you want to be the best parent ever. Made me think of the old hymn....and I agree, there's just something about that Name.

Poh Poh.....

I am not resurrecting terms we used in high school for the cops and this is not me trying out a Kevin Fedderline song. The title of this post is my child's rendition of the large animal we all know as a hippopotamus. We have been watching Baby Noah in the evenings as we are getting ready for bed and she just LOVES the hippo. She will walk around the house just saying it over and over...poh poh....poh poh....poh poh. It gets quite funny. She is also really getting into children's songs...you know, the ones that drive you mad and create a desire in you to scream. I sit there and tell myself over and over; this is good for her, it is for her development....she is learning. But there is only a certain number of times you can listen to There's a Hole in the Bucket before you get a little crazy. I just wish that toddlers at her age didn't need so much repetition. She wants everything, again. Ghin mah..ghin. ( again mama, again) This is what I get quite often. That or Moe. ( translation, more.) But back to the children's songs...she has started to sing! Stephen and I are tickled to death. She will sit in the car and bob her head to Row, Row, Row Your Boat and after they start singing the words she cannot say, like, "gently down the stream"...( a little advanced for my 17 month old) she will start saying Woah, woah, woah....which makes the horrid song drown out a bit and then you smile and tear up. They get so big, SO fast. It really is great to watch them learn every day and see what they can remember and recognize and repeat....even if it does mean listening to stuff you don't like.

In other news, Stephen finished his first semester and made a 4.0. I am so proud of him...he really is working hard. He is still at Cafe Aeby and really likes the people he works with and the knowledge he is gaining from being in a semi-upscale environment. If you ever come to Corpus, you must check it out, it is definitely worth it.

Tomorrow is the last day of school before the break...WOO HOO! The kids are about driving me nuts and I need a break. The last few days have been quite interesting in school, and if you want more details, it isn't appropriate to post so you will have to call me if I have caused enough intrigue.

I will be uploading a video of Anna dancing like a rapper as soon as I can figure out how to get it off of Stephen's phone. She was gettin' down too....you will have to look for it. Until then....here are a few pics of late....


Who doesn't love baby airwalks??



Hangin out with Dad.


Close up with a non Digital SLR...but I am not bitter.....

Music..it rocks my socks off....

You will notice a new addition to our blog. I was wandering around in blog world, hopping from post to comment to new post, when I discovered someone had music playing when you opened up their page. I was stunned. Was it possible to have music on a blog? Yes, it must be.. because there it was! So I did a little investigating and found this lovely website where you can create a playlist and upload it to your blogpage. They have a great philosophy about legally sharing music. You must check it out.
http://www.projectplaylist.com/
At the same time in my life I have recently heard this song by Relient K on the radio...which is apparently not a new song. It was created for the film The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. You can also hear this on my playlist. : ) That really does make me happy...my playlist. Anyway, it features quite a bit of piano which reminds me of Bend Folds a lot...which also makes me happy. I am really into the piano. ( especially jazz ) Stephen normally gets fussy about my love of melancholy music. It makes him sad but it makes me happy. : ) Even though this song by Relient K has some sad lyrics and undertones, the lyrics aren't what make me happy. It is the wicked melody of this song. ( every once in a while I like to pretend I am from Boston.) Anyway, back to the song... I just love the music. It has been in my head for about three days and it hasn't gotten old yet. But I am not listening to it around Stephen because he says it makes him depressed. Whatever the style, when it all comes down to it...music rocks my socks off and puts a smile on my face. (A big one...with teeth showing. ) and I am SO pumped that I can share that with all of you because of this website. : ) Hope you like some of the tunes on my playlist. Stephen is still seething about Paul McCartney...oh well.
: )

On the road again...for friends and family

Stephen was working two doubles this past weekend, so Anna and I decided we would go hang out with Parker and Holly in Waco. Jered was on call this weekend, so he was going to be there, but with limited time. So on Friday we got packed in the car and headed north. One of the hardest things about moving is the realization that things are not as close as they once were. Waco used to be a three and half to four hour trip for us when we lived in Victoria. Now, living farther south, this trip kicks in around five hours. ROUGH! That is all I have to say about that.
But, thanks to Baby Einstein and a trusty portable DVD player, it was MUCH more enjoyable for everyone involved.


We all got up on Saturday and went shopping. We did not choose the right time for this. Both Anna and Parker were not in the best of moods because they are on different schedules. When Parker napped in the early morning, Anna was awake ( and loud ) and woke Parker up. When Anna went down for her mid-morning nap, Parker was awake ( and loud...he is really into his voice right now..so cute!) and woke Anna up. So, the odds were stacked against us, but we braved shopping anyway. After a melt down of dramatic proportions, we went home and put them down for a nap. Jered was the adult left in charge. Holly and I hopped back in the car to head back and finish up our shopping day. She called on his cell and at home when we were headed back and there was no answer. We got a little freaked and raced home. Well, Jered was an outstanding Dad and took charge. Anna did not nap....imagine that? When you want a child to sleep they do not. Jered got her up after about 10 minutes of pitiful whining. Then, 20 minutes into his nap, Parker woke up screaming. So we drove up to the house and all three of them were hanging out in the front yard. I guess when all else fails, take the kids outside! Good work Jered!

Before we left Waco, we had to go see Ms. Eleanor Rhodes. She was beautiful and SOOO girly! She is so pretty! There is NO doubt she is a girl. Very feminine attributes.
Below is a picture of Anna checking out her new little friend. Congrats Jeremy and Nikki, she is perfect! OH and by the way, the letters were all they said they would be. : )



Anna and Eleanor! She is only 6 days old here weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz. Just so you all know...Anna weighed that 2 weeks before she was born. Eleanor was SOOO tiny!


Everyone likes a bath pic. But this one is best because it displays her new thing. She always puts her hands up like this when you ask her ANY question. It is pretty funny. Jeremy and Nikki got a big kick out of it. : )


Blankets anyone?? Also notice the THREE pacifiers within reach. We don't spoil her ONE bit.



Couldn't resist the tree pictures. Stephen picked it out this year. I think he did a wonderful job. I also had to put in this blurry pic because I love the way the tree looks when it is lit up and the flash does NOT give you that warm glow feel.

Thanksgiving...a Time for Food and Family

This year we planned to be with my parents for Thanksgiving, but before we headed that way we had a few things that needed to get done. Stephen was getting ready for his last few days in class, and had to create a dessert for a pot-luck lunch in his leadership class. He decided to tackle the tart. He looked around and settled on a Butternut Squash tart. He made the dough from scratch, which is supposed to be really hard to work with....and it was. He had a time getting it to fit the pan without it getting too sticky, but the results were wonderful. You can see the pic below. He also played around with another tart recipe using apples, strawberries and brie cheese. All I have to say is YUM! It's not featured in picture which is a shame because it was SO pretty. It was so good, it was devoured before it could be photographed.

We went out to my parents and had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Anna had fun riding in her wagon and playing with her cousin Parker (my brother Jered's son).

Anna being pulled in the wagon by Mom.



Stopping for a picture. It was pretty windy!



Anna and Parker. Isn't he SO CUTE! She loves to give him kisses... here she is going in for the kill..


She also had fun playing in his carseat. He has some cool toys!

We finished off the weekend by getting a little hair cut. I only trimmed off about a 1 inch lock from her bangs but it has seemed to make a dramatic difference in the way she looks. Oh well, at least her hair won't be hanging in her face anymore.

Anna during her "first" hair cut. The after pic with bangs down.


The after pic with J-Paw and Uncle Judd reading her a book!

I hope everyone had as wonderful a Thanksgiving as Stephen, Anna and I had. We are incredibly blessed with wonderful family on both sides and thank God for them on a regular basis.

Thanksgiving Dinner with Anna

Mashed potatoes are GOOD!!


Today was the Thanksgiving dinner at Anna's school where parents are invited to come and eat with their child. Stephen and I made arrangements to be at the school for lunch. Anna was so happy, it really does make your day when she is just standing there, not really showing much expression until she sees you....her mommy. I just love her smile and how happy she is to see me. Not to leave Stephen out, she was equally happy to see him, and lately has favored him in the evenings. They like to sit and read or watch her Baby Einstein video before she goes to bed.

Back to the lunch, Stephen and I arrived and went into the lunch room where they had all their tables set up. They feed them family style, with all the food on the table in large bowls. The teachers give each child a portion and they eat it up! I was very impressed to see her teacher, Ms. Frances grab Anna's hand before she scooped up some mashed potatoes and put them on Anna's plate. She was mimicking how to scoop potatoes for her. It is really nice to have a daycare system in which they teach your child a curriculum, not just babysit them.
All the adults sat on the floor around a table that is two feet from the ground. The children sat next to their parents and we all enjoyed a very nice lunch.

She loves her Daddy!

We had a great time spending time with her during the middle of the day. She did pretty good when we had to leave and go back to work, she cried a little, but settled down for a nap pretty quickly after we left. Before I got on the road to travel back to Rockport I went to the restroom. While Stephen waited for me he went back to check on her...she was sleeping soundly.

TAEA...a weekend full of fun!

This weekend I went to an Art Educators Conference in Galveston. We had a very good time...I had a chance to catch up with some of the people I have taught along side in the past. I also got the chance to meet some new additions to the VISD art team. Saturday night we all got beaded up for an evening on The Strand titled Arti Gras. Evelyn had brought some masks with her from Marti Gras the year before and we were going to adorn these along with our beads she brought. We found out before departure from the hotel that they were going to provide masks that we were to decorate as we toured the shops on the strand. SO...we opted to leave the masks ( that were AMAZING ) in our room. BAD decision. The masks they gave us were Robin masks...like on Batman and Robin, but worse because the ones we were given were cardboard. You can see my distaste in this lovely photo. All in all, we had a great time. It is always good to see old friends.

Here is a picture of me and my new buddy Renee'...see how the the large mannequin is checkin' her out. Pretty funny.

Picture of us all with some random large gorilla. Why not? And the woman hiding in the back, that is Daisy. Funny lady. Also, I did not realize that I would look like such a dork in that pose...I really was just very happy to be there.

And on another note, while I was out, Stephen was slaving away at work while Anna stayed with T-Maw for two days and then another two with her Granny. Here are a few new pics that just make me laugh. The one where she looks like a drunk man at a pub was taken in Victoria at her Granny's house. So funny!


Anna, so happy watching Hi-5...her favorite show on tv.

Well...it is the next best thing....

We couldn't do Halloween because we were
recovering from ear tubes, but this Saturday
we decided to dress up and take a few pics. Stephen had already gone to work, so these are without mom and dad. Hope you enjoy. She REFUSED to put the cat ears on....hence the picture of her with cat ears screaming. She also rubbed all the make-up off her nose when we tried the ears, so she looks like she is dirty. Pretty funny. It will be a good story for her to hear and see one day. The post man walked up and looked a little confused until I explained. Oh well...you hate to waste a cute costume!!

In Recent Days....

The ear infection was our enemy. We had a wonderful day on Saturday with a garage sale with mom in Calallen. We made money...which never hurts. Anna was a perfect child and napped when I put her to bed, she ate great at lunch and had SO much fun outside with us on a GORGEOUS day to be outside.
Then Sunday, it hit with no warning. Fever, 103. She stopped eating and was very unhappy. We worked with the fever, called a nurse and got it down using baths and fever reducing meds. Monday took her to the PCP and she referred us to a ENT. All these acronyms make me laugh. At the time though, it was no laughing matter.
Her ears look real bad was his diagnosis, she will need tubes in the next few days. So I was looking at more time off...which was NOT good. ( I have been out a lot lately fighting this enemy, the ear infection.)
Miraculously, they had an opening for the next morning...and I had already called in for the next day! So Monday night we went home to cope. She was so pitiful. She had thrush from all the antibiotics ( due to the enemy) and could barely sleep. She would only sleep on Stephen or I. She was a drool MONSTER...her throat hurt so bad, she wouldn't swallow. It was so sad. We could not wait to get her feeling better.

Monday the surgery went great. She was calm, and our Anesthesiologist was a Christian..we found this out when he placed his hand on her tiny back and said, in Jesus' name we pray she will have a safe surgery. Stephen and I both about lost it! We had prayed that morning for God to watch over her and we really feel like He gave us comfort in that doctor.

Her recovery was, to say the least, outstanding. You can see the change in her after 24 hours. CRAZY! So our enemy was thwarted for the time being and we have our happy girl back!

Retroactive...

I have to go back...these moments are too hysterical and must be mentioned.

This was Anna on her first birthday with her first cake. Doesn't she look so excited to eat her first birthday cake? It took unbelievable convincing for her to eat it. But once we started, there was no going back.

She was into the cake!!

It must be in the water....

No we are not pregnant...we are just joining the blog world. Stephen and I have been very involved with MySpace this last year in order to keep family updated with pictures of our daughter Anna. But I want to talk about our lives too...and it is much easier just to blog. So...here we are! I must say a thank you to Holly for getting us started!