Photo Hunters #3 "Gross"

My lil puddin' pie

One for the Money

Last night I finished my first Janet Evanovich novel, One for the Money. This is the first book of many in her Stephanie Plum series. A friend of mine recommended the series, I was very skeptical due to the fact that I've never even picked up a crime fiction novel. This just further proves to me that I need to step outside of myself and try new things. I would have never imagined that I'd be hooked on a crime fiction novel! I can't WAIT to go get my hands on the next book in the series "Two for the Dough".

I've worked over 9 hours today (can you say child neglect) and I have a 5 year old litterally pulling me out of my chair screaming "PLAY-WITH-MEEEEE!" Gotta run.

It's their day!

Today is the 2nd anniversary of Mark and Ashley's special day. The day Ashley was officially adopted by Mark and she became an "official" Urben. Ashley has been talking about today for weeks and anticipating their special time together. Last year she got to stay home from school and the two of them spent the day together. This year, Mark didn't say a word to her about it, he had plans up his sleeve. Last night before bed when Mark was tucking her in she said "Daddy, you know tomorrow is February 1st?" Mark had his plan and didn't want to spoil it, so he says "Yeah, January sure did go by fast!" Poor girl, she must have been so sad. She told us weeks ago that we should maybe celebrate on the weekend since she's missed so much school this year. This morning she went off to school without a spoken word. I later found out that the plan worked, she thought we all forgot. Mark showed up to pick her up from school around 10 this morning. She had no idea. Mark took her for donuts and then they met us at the library, checked out some books, then they went ice skating, had lunch and went to Build-A-Bear to make a special bear. They made him together, he has two hearts, one from Mark and one from Ash. They made him together and picked out his little skater clothes together too. They went to a few other places and just had some wonderful time together. It's so hard to believe that it's only been 2 years. He's been daddy since before she could even remember, so 2 years is nothing but a formality, but still a very special day to celebrate two of my most favorite people in this whole world.

This evening Alex informed me that he really, really, really wanted to be adopted too. <> What ever are we going to do with this boy.

Wordless Wednesday #3

January 30, 2007

Daddy, Alex, Grams, Pops and I sat in the Performing Arts Center at the High School and watched Miss Ashley receive her award for advancing to Area in the Visual Arts category for the Reflections contest. She got the biggest ribbon she's ever received, and I'm sure there's a special place on her wall reserved for it. This years theme was "My favorite place". Ashley drew a picture of her view from horseback.

Ash and I went to our first girls High School Basketball game together tonight. Just the two of us. We watched Varsity go in to overtime and win by 1 whopping point. We were on the edge of our seats and that last few minutes we could't even sit, it was an incredibly exciting game. I thought it was pretty special that Ash opted to sit with me instead of all of her friends. I didn't mind if she had decided to sit with them, in fact, I fully expected it, but I thought it was pretty special when she came back over, sat in front of me and leaned back, wrapped her arms around my legs and watched the game with me. I wonder how much longer I have to enjoy this. :)

That I Would Be Good

This song has always been such a positive force for me. When I'm down, listening to this really helps me dig my way out.

Alanis morissette - that i would be good (unplugged)





that I would be good even if I did nothing
that I would be good even if I got the thumbs down
that I would be good if I got and stayed sick
that I would be good even if I gained ten pounds

that I would be fine even if I went bankrupt
that I would be good if I lost my hair and my youth
that I would be great if I was no longer queen
that I would be grand if I was not all knowing

that I would be loved even when I numb myself
that I would be good even when I am overwhelmed
that I would be loved even when I was fuming
that I would be good even if I was clingy

that I would be good even if I lost sanity
that I would be good
whether with or without you

She's back!!

Our favorite Golden is back for a visit this week!!! Joe is having some work done on the house and will have workers in and out all week. We are so happy to have our step-dog Ally back...even if it just for a short time.

I wonder if we should get our joint custody documented? ;)

CHM Carnival Topic: What parts of yourself do you hope that your child gets?

Another good topic to ponder.

There are so many things I want for my children, but in reality I haven't ever really imagined these things as pieces of myself...but I suppose they are.

Here goes...

• I hope that they both have a very strong sense of family.

• I hope they will have self confidence...it has taken me a looong time to learn this, but hopefully I can show them what I have learned and they can pass me up with an even stronger sense of self confidence.

• I so, so, hope they both continue to have a sense of humor, because no matter what happens in life, a sense of humor will ALWAYS help you get through those bumps in the road.

• I hope Ashley learns how a husband should treat his wife. I hope that I set a good example of balance in a relationship.

• I hope they both learn that kindness and empathy are essential in all relationsips and that both of these will make their lives fruitful.

• I hope they both turn out to be free thinking individuals that don't follow the paths of others without reason.

• And lastly, I hope they learn from their mistakes, and mistakes, there will be a-plenty.

Cranium Family Fun

A few days ago I mentioned my Latest treasure, a game by Cranium called Family Fun. We played it for the first time tonight, and I have to say, this is our new favorite game. The box says ages 8 and up, but Alex is 5 and did fine with me as a partner. Some of it was a little advanced, but nothing we couldn't work around. Basically, there are four different categories and within each category are several different challenges to be completed as a team. You're either drawing, writing, molding, thinking or acting....possibly more. This game is fun for the whole family. We love Cranium games, but this was the best yet.

Crazy old lady from Austin on Ellen...too funny!

This was just too funny not to share.

Photo Hunters #2 "Silver"

Another treasure!

Ok, so my second favorite thrift store EVER, is The Caring Place. Love, love, love to rumage through this store.

Yesterday I found another treasure:

Cranium Family Fun Game
Brand Spankin New, still wrapped in original plastic
Amazon - $19.99
TCP - $3.50

Wordless Wednesday #2

Who's your favorite Role Model and Why?

Yes, I'm posting this early...free time, I take it whenever I can get it.
Crazy Hip Blog Mama's Carnival Topic of the week:
Who's your favorite Role Model and Why

Ok, I'm starting this off, without even knowing who this is. I have ALWAYS struggled with this, so when I read that this would be my first Carnival topic EVER, I rolled my eyes and thought AS IF!? This is all about growth though right? Practice writing, practice connection, it's all part of the "plan". So here goes.

Role Model - a person whose behavior in a particular role is imitated by others.
**Cringe*** Ok, my favorite role model in life, not as a mom, not as wife, but as a whole person would have to be my stepmom. My stepmom has played a very active loving role in my life since I was 4 years old. I was your typical kid, and found every opportunity to criticize that role as stepmother and taunted her with the typical mouthy remarks like "you're not my mother!", "but my mom lets me!" etc. The list of lines I wish I could take back is long. I guess it was around the time I had a daughter of my own that I realized how invested this woman was in me, not as the daughter of my father, but as a person. She treated me as her own, and despite my awful behavior at times, stood her ground, and vowed to be a positive role model in my life, even if meant loosing out on a mother-ish daughter relationship. She didn't kiss my ass to make right by my father. She loved me to make right by my father, and with that came rules (plenty of them) and expectations. I look back now and realize that there was never a time in my life when her best interests came before mine. She taught me that honesty is always the answer, and that everyone has their own story. She has always played devils advocate, or so it seemed to the inexperienced kid that I was. If someone screwed up, she always talked me through what they might be going through, or the reason why they might have treated me they way they did (much to my dismay at times). She taught me to give people the benefit of the doubt, and that sometimes you have just have to walk a mile in someones shoes, and sometimes that's just not possible, and you just have to accept it and move on. She's taught me how to give unconditionally, accept gracefully, and how doing both as often as possible will make your life so much richer.

Gosh, I could really go on and on about all that I have learned from her, and why she's such a positive role model in my life, there's just so much she's done to help mold me in to the person I have and will become. She's taught me so much, and continues to do so. I figure if I'm going to be half the person she is, I have a LONG way to go, and she has a LOT more teaching to do.
:)

South Padre...red faced Nana with her margarita! Nana always gets a little silly after just a few sips. The best entertainment around.



Nana and sweet baby Keller


Nana with Kel at Ashley's 10 Birthday party

Caution: bragging mom ahead, PROCEED WITH CAUTION

Ok, so Alex and I do a lot of fun learning activities together, and with that has come math. I've always noticed that he's had a knack for math, he's always just "got it". The concept seems to come very natural. So yesterday during our busy errands, we're driving down the road, he's in his carseat and out of the blue he says "momma, I know what 20 minus 10 is."
me: "Oh really!"
A: "yeah, it's 10!"
me: "Wow, Alex, that's excellent. So who taught you that?" (cause it wasn't me)
A: "Oh no one."
me: "Wow, you are just sooo smart!" I say, while in my head I just KNOW there's no way he's figured this out on his own... we do math, but haven't even touched on subtraction. Sure it has come up, but only in a very practical sense.
A: "I know 10 plus 10 is twenty, so that means 20 minus 10 is 10."
me: <<>> "WHAT!?"
A: "Yeah, and 10 minus 5 is 5 because 5 plus 5 is 10."
me: <<>>
A: "And 2 minus 1 is 1 because 1 plus 1 is 2."
me: "Holy cow Alex, that is excellent!"
A: "Am I right?"

The kid goes on and on to tell me more and more subtraction and with every answer, explaining how he came up with the answer.

Looks like we're going to have to start searching for his real parents too.

January 22, 2007

Watched as my sons momma-botched haircut was finally laid to rest. I took Alex to Mark's new favorite barber shop. Yes, it's a BARBER SHOP. So Quaint. I went on a weekday in the morning, because everyone knows that most hair places are dead at that time. I walked in at about 10:30 in the morning and every single seat was taken, but one, including the waiting area. Every elderly man within a 5 mile radius was sitting in that room waiting for a hair cut, and every one of those heads turned and watched as this young woman and her 5 year old walked in. This was quite an experience. Just imagine a large hallway, with 4 barber chairs making up the entire length of the shop, and across from these chairs, just an arms reach away are about 10 "waiting chairs". This little place was just adorable! I felt like I walked in to a time machine. I saw old bottles of talc, straight razors and the neatest little old fashioned shaving cream dispensers ever. At one point it occoured to me that there was no chance this place had a credit card machine...thankfully I brought my check book. I went ahead and asked to be sure they accepted checks. The man says "yeah, we had a fancy dressed lady walk in one day and asked if we took Visa, I laughed and said, lady, have you looked around? We just discovered cash, up until now we used the barter system." This was pure entertainment. I listened to good ol boys talk about the weather, one man talking about what I can only guess must have been some sort of tractor award. I'm still confused about that one. Even Alex was entertained. I had to hush him once when an old man a few chairs down began to snore. What a trip. I was a little sad to leave only to discover I really did drive a minivan there, and the streets were, in fact, paved. I guess this wasn't a time machine afterall. Bummer.

Taekwando hurt today. Ashley is sure enjoyin this stuff though. She's very serious about it and most times, she's the only little voice you hear yell out "YES SIR!" She's got her Taekwando grunt/noise down too. Yaaaa!

The New 9+ million dollar Georgetown library is complete. It's gorgeous. The childrens area is about 4 times bigger than Leander's old library.

A must read

I was up way too late lastnight finishing
Conversations with the Fat Girl Full on chic-lit, but well worth the read. It's very rare that I can come up with enough time to actually finish a book these days, sleep is precious you know, but with this one I had no choice. It called out to me. I couldn't wait to lay in bed and soak up Liza's painfully witty account of life as the "Fat Girl". Of course, we never even find out how fat she really is...for all we know she could have an awful self image and be a size 8. That makes it all the more interesting.

January 21, 2007

It's Sunday, family dinner night. We had lettuce wraps with rice, spring rolls, egg rolls and of course fried rice noodles. One of the kids favorites. We always look forward to Sunday dinners with Grams and Pops...and it's extra special now that Jason is here too.

The smell of pine needles is now gone. Just shy of one month later and our tree is finally out the door!

We're really enjoying the new lighting in the kitchen. It's amazing what $30 can do to a kitchen. Lighting can really make such a huge difference in the feel of a room. We did rope lighting on top and some under the counter lights. It's an amazing difference, a much more peaceful feel.

Photo Hunters #1 "Wild"

Photo Hunters theme this week is "Wild".

Hiiii Yaaahhh!

As in chop suey, white cotton scrubby outfits, and rainbow belts.

Ash and I started Taekwando together today. Well actually the first 8 weeks are more of a self defense class, but after that if she's still interested I'll keep her in it and I'll take the kickboxing class they offer at the same time. It was a really fun class, even though I managed to screw up once again and got us there 15 minutes late. Who starts a class at 6:15 anyway??? 6:30 was much more logical in my mind, so my mind chose to remember the wrong time. Yes, I have a planner. No, I didn't right it down. Shame on me! Maybe if I put the start time in my BLOG I'll actually remember it, since I do look at my blog a heck of a lot more than my planner. I'm hopeless.

So our instructor gave us an assignment due next week.
Our assignment: Make a list of all we hope to accomplish in this lifetime. Wow! That's big. Maybe I'll blog it. Maybe if I'm allowed, I'll blog Ashley's too.