A Last Minute Vaca Before Cabin Fever Set In

Late on Friday night I got a call from my Mom. "We are just 4 hours away from Austin, come stay with us this weekend!" How could I say "No" the first time since our move that we could have a halfway meeting? I couldn't. At 4am the next morning I discovered it was more like 5 1/2 hours that I would be driving, but I had already said we'd be there...it would just be a little later and more time in the car with the kidlings. Thank goodness we left so early, I could not imagine driving so far with the kids in the middle of the day. It would have taken 8 hours with all of the bathroom breaks that would have made necessary. I was not a happy camper by the time we arrived. I was tired and smelled of coffee and Sonic sweet potato tots. Mom's attempts at making me feel better about the drive did not work. "This is halfway between Long Beach and Austin" (THEY did not leave from Long Beach, that is where my grandparents live) and "You used to drive this far to go to IKEA" (yes, with weeks of planning and obsessing) were not working, in fact they were making it worse. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. It would have been easier if I had planned ahead and psyched myself up for a long ride. It was a matter of going that far on a whim that made it a bit difficult. (Cute side note: while we drove Elvis cried and cried that we needed to go back home. He kept saying we need to go back to town, we don't know the way back. He was convinced I didn't know how to get back to Austin because he sure didn't. So sad and so sweet.) All that being said, it was worth the difficulty. We had a wonderful 2 days with Honey and Nana! Neither of the kids knew where we were going, so the looks of excitement on their faces when they realized who we were there to visit were priceless! We had a great time at the ball park watching Becca play, catching up on all the latest happenings, and seeing other friends. The drive back was much easier, I think, because I knew what to expect. Though, since we have been back I have been suffering from an extreme bought of cabin fever. While Alex goes to work and has interaction with adults (creative adults, no less) other than me, I sit at home unpacking and interacting with our children. When Al gets home he can barely get a word in edgewise because he is the first person who can communicate on a level I have been longing for for hours and hours. This is phase five of the stress of moving. First it is packing up your life, taking stock of all the crap you have accumulated. Second is the realization that you will be leaving your friends, family, and support system. Third is the actual moving. Fourth is unpacking, similar to the first stage in its catalyst like nature in that you want to throw everything you own out with the trash and live a minimalist lifestyle so as to never have to deal with the mountains of stuff again. Fifth comes the actualization of leaving your family, friends, and support system. I would like to move past the stress of moving and graduate to the joys of new friendships and the formation of a support system. Now please! I'm going a bit nuts here. Alex asked me last night (with a little bit of a permission here), "could you please just take it easy on yourself and just play and have fun with the kids?" I will admit that I have been on a tear to get our house in not just working order but perfect order. I may just be being too hard on myself?

Merry Christmas!

Day one of feeling halfway normal was, of course, Christmas Eve. Thankfully the shopping for Ruby and Elvis was done by my Mom and Grandmother (THANK YOU SO MUCH!), but there were a couple of other things I needed to get done so off we went into the day before craziness. When we got the kids' Santa pictures done on Christmas Eve last year I swore that that was the way we would do it from now on...and so we did (only not because I had remembered my resolve...I'll scan a post them soon). There was no line for photos and plenty of last minute sales for those last minute gifts. I have to admit that this years gift giving went off better than I can remember it ever going. I didn't stress myself out, I got what I could get, and had a better Christmas day for it (it did help that the only hand I had in buying for the kids was choosing a theme and cutting a check...oops, I haven't even done that last part yet...I will soon!).

Day two of feeling well was Christmas Day and it was great! We stayed the night at my Mom's because due to my flu I didn't even put up a tree and EVERYONE knows Santa leaves presents under trees! This year, the year Ruby actually started ASKING for specific gifts (just one really...a Princess and the Frog doll), she "called" every gift before opening it. Ruby is just too smart! It was like she was performing a parlor trick when she was handed a package. Rubes would quite accurately tell everyone what was inside the paper, unwrap it and say "I LOVE IT!" The amazement only gave way when her thankfulness did the same. The last few packages were met with "I do not love THAT!" Note for next year: curb the number of gifts. We don't tend to buy too much (or much at all for that matter), but with me being sick a few people took our little ones under their wings buying for them as if they were there own...it overwhelmed me and Alex with emotion and overwhelmed the kids as well. Thank you to those who know who you are! After a probably 10 wrapping paper roll morning, we headed to my grandparents' house 2 hours east of BR in Long Beach, MS. A big pot of gumbo and all of my Mom's siblings & their families awaited our arrival. The food, gifts and blessings were plentiful! After visiting with my Dad and his sister, Aunt Kim, we headed home fueled by 16 oz. coffees so that Alex could be at work at 6 am on the 26th.

I couldn't ask for a more wonderful Christmas!

Love to all of you and our family & friends we weren't able to be with on Christmas! We were with you in our hearts! xoxo

WILD THING

Yeah, wild with cuteness!

The other day Ruby thought her baby brother needed to be contained. I have to say, I've never thought caging children was cute or even an option, but this has changed my mind. He's cuter than a monkey at the zoo!

Bear In My Belly

growling like the bear in her belly

showing us the bear and where she planned to put the bunnies to get them to the bear...we convinced her that the bear would get bunnies if she put them in her mouth

eating like a hungry bear, too

Ruby: "Daddy! There's a bear in my belly!"

Alex: "What's that?"

Ruby (with a "duh" kind of look on her face): "There is a bear growling in my belly."

Alex: "Why? What does it want?"

Ruby: "Daddy, it is sooooo hungry."

Alex & me: "What does it want to eat?"

Ruby: "Bunnies. It wants bunnies."

Ruby got her Annie's bunny crackers and a big laugh!

Beat It! The Heat...Beat the Heat!

With the heat index reaching 110 for days this week, I had been promising Ruby an after nap swim...that is after we got a pump to pump up our back yard pool. So, on the way to Becca's softball game Friday night we dropped by Target to pick up a pump (the kind you use for air mattresses and apparently blow up pools nowadays). After having an exciting morning which included a trip to the Downtown YMCA (fabulous gym, by the way), lunch with Honey and Nana at Whole Foods for Popcicle Palooza (free popcicles and fun crafts all day), and a side trip to the "lilo-tard" store (what is with ONE gymnastics leotard size XXS for a 3 YEAR OLD costing nearly $50? Needless to say we didn't buy one!), the kids went down for a nap and we set out to get the pool ready. Of course it didn't quite work out that way. We tried to get a bit of rest too and ended up blowing up and filling up the pool with Ruby after she woke up...but that was fine because I think it was just as exciting as the swimming was to her. Imagine being a 2 1/2 year old watching a pool grow before your very eyes. It must have been a total trip for her not really knowing exactly what was taking place. Yes, of course we offered an explanation. I think the acts of air are still pretty magical and mysterious to her, even so (and sometimes funny, i.e. passing gas...farts get ALOT of laughter in our house lately). Ruby, Alex, and Elvis had so much fun in the little pool (I say little, but these blow up pools have come a long way since I was a little kid. . .and adult, even two, can fit in them with their kids...that is so awesome compared to the 6" deep, 3'x3' circle pools of my youth!). My bonehead moment of the day came when not 2 minutes after I got out my camera with the long lens attached so as not to get at all wet, Ruby decided to take the hose out of the pool and wave it over her head like a lasso... getting me, my camera, and our living room (thanks to the sliding glass door being left open by me, of course) very very wet. I promptly turned off my camera leaving it to dry and shut the door...only to pick up my camera when the pool was full and the hose was turned OFF! I got some fun pictures of the three of them having fun. They played for about an hour before I gave in and put on my swimsuit...45 SECONDS after I stepped into the 95 degree water (it was like getting into a warm bath) it started to RAIN! I'm not complaining (reading over it it certainly sounds like I am, but I'm not!)...we REALLY NEEDED the rain! Even with the rain it was a perfect summer day! It was relaxing but not lazy. It was hot then cooled off. We all had smiles on our faces and breezy attitudes. I love the way I feel after swimming...the most good natured sleepy feeling (every one of us in this house is usually a grump when sleepy and that is putting it nicely). I didn't even stress about dinner, we had picnic food at the dinner table: sandwiches, cheese bunnies, and cut fruit. OH GOSH, it was a fantastic day! xoxo

Just want to shout out to Michael Jackson, wherever he may be. Our pastor actually spoke about him this morning in church and made me realize that no matter how I feel about what he had become in recent years that his music brought me through some really important times of my life. I actually can't remember a time in my life, not taking in account the past maybe 5 years, that I didn't listen to his music from Jackson 5 to Prince of Pop days. Quick memory: When I was in preschool I had a life size poster of MJ in a white tuxedo lying with a tiger hanging next to my bed. As a little Jayme I would talk to Michael endlessly about anything, I would sing to him, and dance. I can remember the day I put star stickers all over the poster and my mom being none too happy that I had done so...I mean, life size posters weren't cheap! I can't remember a time that I didn't know the words to Billy Jean or a time when it wasn't cool to learn the dance steps to Thriller (which I did have a Tshirt that had a picture of MJ in full Thriller costume that said something along the lines of "I know its you Michael and I'm not scared"...weird.). He may have become a total side show since his time in the the center ring came to a close, but his music will always hold a fondness in my heart as a monument to my youth.

A Gift from the Norse Gods: IKEA

The day was Monday, April 13. The destination was Houston, TX for our biannual trip to the most magical place on earth, IKEA! This trip was especially for our living room. Two weeks before our trip I decided to have a yard sale and sell ALL of our living room furniture so I could fill our house with beautiful new funky furnishings that I had been drooling over since we moved into our house over a year ago (September 07). So we rented a crew cab truck from Enterprise (shhhhhh, don't tell them we went out of state), got the kiddos in the back seat (check out their positioning. . .not so ideal to have them right next to one another on a long drive. . we had to pull over twice for some fairly mild discipline), and headed for the best sight for design sore eyes in the world (that we finally caught sight of after 5 hours of driving). 
Check out those two little angels in their carts (and Alex in the background getting our loot from the help yourself warehouse) About 2 hours into our drive we realized we had forgotten the stroller. . total foul! They did extremely well considering that neither one of them napped after getting out of the car at about 2pm (naptime generally starts then). We only had some minor break downs over wanting to sleep in the beds on the showroom level (those of you who have been to Ikea know what I'm talking about). Ruby really liked going this time around. When we arrived we asked her what we were going to do at Ikea, and she said,  "HAVE FUN!" Oh, yes we did! 
We managed to furnish our entire living room for under $1500 (though I do want to go back and get a second chair to match the one we bought, I had no idea that we could fit so much furniture into our new floor plan). I'm so excited to have grown up furniture that creates an actual "look" instead of having slapped together pieces that were sat together with no thought to design or feel. Our age of the futon has passed and we are now living in a pretty hip pad! I'll post pictures when we finish painting (who knows when that will happen, we are planning for this weekend).

The babes were totally worn out and slept all the way home while Alex and I sang, had totally incoherent conversations, and drank coffee trying to keep ourselves awake.  I honestly (and I hate to admit this), but I don't remember most of the drive. Thank goodness Alex was driving! What is so insane about that, though, is when we got home we put together 2 pieces of furniture and I completely remember that because I was helplessly awake at 2 in the morning when we finally made it home! We stayed up until Alex was supposed to be WAKING UP for work (he went in a little late that day). Since we have put together all but one dining chair (why we neglected that one out of six I can't explain). All in all, a successful voyage to the happiest place on earth (at least for Mommy)! Next up, a trip to the actual "Happiest Place on Earth", we leave for Disney World in 3 weeks!

Haircut

So in this picture you have to squint to see it, but Elvis was in NEED of a little trim! When he was born he had a head full of jet black hair most of which fell out...except this bunch right at the top. I swear it was at least 4 inches longer than all of his other hair. I had to do something! Ruby is 2 1/2 and has yet to get a haircut (I just cannot find it in myself to part with her baby curls), but Elvis was looking raggedy! I took the plunge into home haircutting and it wasn't too bad (not that it was a REAL haircut or anything, but Alex cuts his hair at home). Yay, for Elvis's first haircut, now I can style him up right! 

Visitor from Lalaland

After 4 years (OMG, has it really been 4 years since we left L.A.???) we got a little time to hang out with one of our favorite friends, Jorge. It was really a trip seeing someone from our kidless days as I'm sure it was pretty surreal for Jorge to see us in our new roles of Mommy and Daddy! To all you peeps that we haven't seen in forever...we still love ya and totally wish we could get some hang out time with you, too! Just give us a call and come visit (we would visit you, but we have no discretionary income & there are 4 of us). We have a comfy couch to sleep on and Ruby will adopt you as her new best friend! xoxo

Swing High

I guess today I'm going to post more than once to make up for the weeks of slim postings. We've been insanely busy lately, so hopefully my multiple blogging is a sign of things settling down! A girl can dream! 

Last week, Mimi & Papa came in town for a baseball tournament of Charlie's (Ruby's favorite cousin, no doubt) and brought along a little swing to add to our big kid swing set. Ruby has been asking for a while now to go outside and play on the swing set, but I haven't had anywhere to put Elvis while we are outside. Needless to say we were in dire need of a baby swing. Mimi & Papa save the day the way they often do. They have been a super help in MANY home improvement projects with Papa being the home improvement "Yoda" and Alex taking the part of "Obi Won" (you know, the entirely capable one that could always learn something new). So, yay for our new baby swing nestled neatly below the trapeze bar that no kid ever uses anyhow! 

Sing with me now, "Swing high, swing high, swing high in the sky! Elvis swings high, birds swing high, Elvis swings high in the sky!" (that's the song that Mimi sings when she's pushing the babies in their swing)

Big Easy Weekender

Yesterday we had a super fun time at the Big Easy Weekender Scooter Rally Picnic. Ruby and Elvis's first taste of what Mommy and Daddy used to do for fun before they came along (and hopefully will do more of now that we've got the first one under our belt as a family). Elvis had the best time smiling at everyone and listening to all the scooter motors. Ruby couldn't get enough SPRITE while chilling with Daddy and watching the Gymkahna (a scooter obstacle course) and Joust (see pics). It was only when we got half way there that I realized I should have encouraged Alex to follow us to NOLA on our scooter (the kids would have thought that was the best ever)...next time! After the rally we went into the city for some fun and food. We ended up riding around to find all of our favorite restaurants closed it being Sunday and all. Our ride took us all the way to the Camellia Grill, though we realized after finding the most perfect parking spot right in front that there are no high chairs at the Camellia Grill (it is only counter service) so we walked around the block to this little Pupusaria (I haven't seen one of those since we lived in L.A.)...YUMMO! The pupusas (an El Salvadorian kind of grilled sandwich...they are like corn meal pancakes, or hoe cakes, with meat & cheese inside) were really good, but a little overpriced. On the way home, while Ruby and Elvis slept, Alex and I had a wonderful conversation about how much we love where we live now...how Baton Rouge is such a great middle ground between all the places we've lived in the past and small town life. We pretty much love it here...the only thing that could pull us away is a super promotion for Al through WFM (that would be cool). 

xoxo