Saturday, March 19, 2011

What THIS Teacher Did Over Spring Break

It has been a wonderful Spring Break. For the first time in a few years it feels like I wasn't running around all over the place trying to get things done but instead I got to focus on my house and the things I wanted to get done here at home.

So a recap of the week:

Saturday, March 12, 2011 - I participated in my first 5K. Megan, Amber, and I walked/jogged the race and really enjoyed each other's company. Rex and Astoria cheered us on from the sidelines. Getting to the race was chaos. We rode the DART thank goodness but even it was jammed packed. I felt as if I was in Japan, all I needed to see was a few white gloved people pushing us onto the train even tighter.


Sunday, March 13, 2011 - Astoria and I introduced Nana to Music Together. Astoria had a blast as she always does. It's amazing over a 10 week period what she has learned. There are two songs that are her favorite; the Hello Song and Mary Wore a Red Dress. We sing both of those over and over before bed and in the car she will continually ask for the "Hewow Song". These things combined made me re-enroll her for another 10 weeks this spring.

As we were singing away that morning Rex was at home with his friend John building a swing set we inherited from the Aylors as they are moving to Georgia. John brought his three boys with him (the youngest two are twins a little older than Astoria). We were a little worried Astoria would not like them playing with her toys when we got home but the four of them played very well together all day. Rex and John got done early evening but with just enough time for all of the kids to hang out in the sandbox for a while. They all played very contently together, it was harmony.

That evening we called in the babysitter to come over and watch Olivia and Astoria while Mom, Mere, Rex and I went to dinner and out for ice cream. It was the perfect end to a Sunday, Hibachi and YoguartLand.

Monday, March 14, 2011 - Mom and I got up early to get the girls off to daycare and I had a dentist appointment. I came home afterwards and we frantically ran off to Home Depot to buy things to start working on the yard with. My gardens were lacking in all kinds of areas. I wish I had thought to take a before picture but I didn't. Anyway 17 bags of mulch, 7 bags of play sand, 2 bags of topsoil, 9 pieces of sod and 1 bag of pebble rocks later we felt we had what we needed to get started. And so we began.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - Mom and I continued to work on the yards (front and back) all day long. That night we put together Astoria's Easter dress to be ready for pictures on Saturday. This was the last night Mom was here with me as she was leaving to go to OKC with Mere for the remainder of the week. I still had a lot left to do outside yet we made a lot of progress.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - I continued working outside.

Thursday, March 17, 2011 - I continued working outside and decided I needed something more to do (haha) so I went and bought concrete stain. Rex and I had wanted to do this for awhile and had never gotten around to it. The paint 'specialist' at Home Depot informed me it would dry darker than it showed on the paint card, it didn't. It's not a bad color by any means but it's NOT as dark as I had wanted it either. I also tore down the 1980's lattice work that was still up around the patio, another thing we'd been meaning to do for awhile. The yards were done, the patio looked spiffy, the house was maintained and the laundry was started. Friday was going to be pamper ME day!

So here is the grand finale of what all was done outside!

Front yard


Front porch


Cleaned and organized shed

Back flowerbeds

Fountain is up and running

Side flower beds
Patio with stain and new flowers planted. This is where the lattice was too. Taking it down really made our patio look bigger as well.

Swing set built

Another view of the patio with the furniture back on.

This is all of the JBF stuff tagged and ready to go. This is what I did at night when I couldn't work outside.

Friday, March 18, 2011 - Got up weighed in (down 3.4lbs, yahoo) and went off to get my pedicure done. I don't keep my toes looking nice over the winter time so I knew a lot of work was going to need to be done. Two hours later (yeah that's normal for them, love my massages!)

Before of the ugly feet:

Lookin' good:

I walked out and decided I needed my hair trimmed. The girl I normally used was completely booked, of course, she's good. So I found a hole in the wall place and went in...I should have known better. Let's just say I walked out of there hating life and trying not to cry too hard in front of her and I'd only seen the front. She never showed me the back. After I cried, called Mere, cried some more I went to another Salon used by Bree. Angel did the best she could, my hair is SUPER SHORT. She said there was nothing she could really do to save it. I was bawling. So on the plus side: my hair grows fast, summer is approaching, and we'll be saving on shampoo and conditioner.

I needed to take a picture between the tears...it's a horrible fake smile!

After that I went to Kohl's looking for some jeans, failed on that as well although I did find a pair of black capris..I will be taking all of my extra shampoo and conditioner money and applying it to my new wardrobe money from losing weight ;) After that I went and picked Astoria up and we went to Party City to inflate one of the balloons for her party and pictures on Saturday. We also picked up plates, napkins, and a few other things. Her party is going to be adorable. After that we came home, I grilled dinner and we sat out on the patio to end a splendid evening.


Saturday, March 19, 2011 - Took 2 year pictures and then attempted to go to McKinney's 3rd Monday trade days. Pictures were not as smooth as desired although we did get quite a few good ones. Trade days was a disaster. We didn't make it far before we had to get back in the car and drive home. She hadn't had a nap and wanted to play in the rocks more than look around or ride in the stroller. We came home, I got a nap (yay) and Rex and I worked outside on the back yard finishing a few more things I wanted to do but needed his strength for. Then we had turkey burgers on the grill and of course ate outside.
One of the two year pictures..she was really happy in the beginning.
Sunday, March 20, 2011 - Today was a lazy day. Rex and Astoria went to visit his parents this morning so I got to sleep in. Then we played outside for a bit where she fell asleep in the swing. Her and I then went to the Christmas Tree Store where I found more birthday stuff as well as some spring decorations.
What a great spring break!!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

"Airbows"

Astoria has lots of words these days. ECI came for their monthly visit yesterday and I was given the task over the next month to write down everything she is saying. I mentioned she is now combining words and Ms. Cheryl said more than likely then she has over 75 words she is using. Wow!! She is definitely growing up fast. Two will be here before I know it!

So in honor of having to write down words, the word for tonight is "airbow," also known as a hairbow. Normally she doesn't leave them in longer than about 2 minutes (I blame this on all of the hairbows I used to put on her head as an infant) but tonight she has kept it in for well over an hour, although I have a feeling she's just forgotten about it ;)

So in all of her cuteness with her "uck" (aka duck) pajamas we are wearing a "airbow".

Oh, and tonight for dinner she wanted more tomatoes! Know how I know? She asked for them, by name!



Watching Elmo

Sunday, February 20, 2011

First Haircut!

The time had finally come. At 22 months her hair was looking a little unkept. I headed to Cool Cuts for Kids, armed with my online coupon because they aren't cheap, and prayed we would not walk out with a mullet. I was glad I decided to go with them. I'm not sure she would have sat still at an 'adult' place.


She picked the red car.

Watching Barney on the TV.

She didn't really like the lady putting the water on her hair but she gave Astoria stickers and that helped keep her mind off of the cutting and the water.
My little girl all grown up with her BOB (no mullet here, yay!)

The back.

Still refusing to look at the camera.
Now that it's been washed a dried at home she has a few little curls that show up in the back which make it even more adorable!

February Snow and Valentine's Day

February came in with a vengeance. We had more snow in Dallas than had been seen in years. We missed a total of 5 days of school and that meant 5 days Astoria and I were home to entertain ourselves. The first day was a little scary. By the second day however we had gotten into a groove and I began to enjoy our time together. Here are a few highlights of our days.

This was Astoria's first real adventure in the snow. Last year she wasn't walking so she was limited to the area I sat her in. This year however she was ALL over the place.
Rex deciding he needed to 'show' Astoria how to make a snow angel. She was having none of it ;)

She did however love the snow.

She was even brave enough to pick it up and throw it.

How I managed to pass some of the time, a blanket tent.

We also managed to 'drive' around the house while wearing our Yo Gabba Gabba puppets.
Nana saved the day one day when a package showed up with fun stickers and cool clothes.

Love these Nana!
Mere and I made Valentines for the girls to take to school.

One of the cute outfits Nana made.

The other outfit. Looking like sisters here.

and how Olivia really smiles, haha.

January Recap

January was kind of a low profile month. We hibernated in the cold but when it was warm we were out of the house and headed to the Dallas Zoo with Megan and Madison. Astoria and I rode the DART, which she loved as always :)

The girls were quickly running up stairs and talking to the animals.

Megan always takes such good pictures. Getting them both to sit for this one was amazing.

One of my favorite new pictures of Astoria and I.

It's not too often I get cute pictures like this since she's often up at the crack of dawn, sometimes even before that but this one was too good to pass up :)

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Year In Review

Astoria's Year in Review


January
The shirt says it all..she was still so tiny.
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February

We saw our first big snow here in Texas.
Started cloth diapering.

Went to our first friend birthday party.
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March

Our first plane ride to Oklahoma.

Playing at the mall, still sucking our thumb and a pacifier.

I 'thought' she couldn't hold a bottle on her own...I was wrong! Needless to say I didn't hold to many bottles after I saw this!
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April

Celebrated her first birthday with family and friends.

Got her ears pierced.
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May

Went to a wildlife park to see the animals....LOVED IT!

Our first party at the house with kids...my water baby!
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June

Tubes in both ears.
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Spent many afternoon at the spray parks. Still not walking at this point so there were also a lot of scuffed knees from crawling at the parks.

Trip to Bonkers.

Swim lessons
Fun with friends at the Children's Museum.

Spent the 4th of July at the lake with Nana and Pops.

Relaxing in the hot tub.

Pictures taken in Granny's backyard.

Finally at 15 1/2 months you decided to start walking. There were still times that you chose not to, but for the most part you found it faster and a lot less rough on your knees.
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August

Trip to the Arboretum.
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September
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October


The skunk and the flamingo. We went through what I call a 'pacifier detox' in October to be ready for a new daycare that did not allow pacifiers. You did great...in the 5 day process you were done with them on day two.

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November

Growing up....

Always wanting outside.
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December

Our year has been amazing. We've gone from eating pureed foods to eating solids, crawling to walking, pointing to saying 30+ words, sweet and innocent to 'mine', pulling hair, hitting, and even biting, crying to throwing tantrums...ahh...the terrible twos have already begun.


I love you Astoria!!!