Jen.Jerry.Mia.Bri

Love my babies

2012-02-09T15:26:00.000-06:00

My favorite age is 4 months for sure!

Swim Lessons

2012-02-09T15:23:00.000-06:00

How are we staying busy? Well, we joined in the YMCA that is very close by and LOVE it! With childcare included, how could you not? I work out every morning, shower, etc. I love it. Ive met some great people there. Mia started swim lessons there and surprisingly loves it, as long as the instructor doesnt touch her:) I keep waiting to do indoor activities like swimming and bouncy houses until it gets cold but its mid February and we have been able to be outside every day so I guess I'll stop waiting. The weather has been divine. Payback for the summer I guess.

Bri's Blessing and other pics from Utah

2012-01-19T14:43:00.001-06:00

Relatives come to Utah

2012-01-19T14:33:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things about this Christmas was my cousins and Aunt Susie and Uncle Steve from Venezuela and Colombia were in town for the holidays. I havent seen some of them in years so we had ALOT of catching up to do! We spent New Years eve having lunch at Snowbasin and chatting. It was great. Now its my turn to go visit them:)

My mom and her two brothers, Steve and Jim.

Surprise in Utah

2012-01-19T14:26:00.000-06:00

Christmas break in Utah

2012-01-19T14:19:00.000-06:00

This picture sums up how Mia feels about going to Utah. She loves snow, being outside, lots of grandmas and grandpas, horses, dogs, ATTENTION:) She had alot of fun. Thanks Utah family for letting us drop in on Christmas and stay 2 weeks!

Christmas eve morning

2012-01-19T14:14:00.000-06:00

Everyone knows this I think... but we did Christmas on the eve morning since we were flying out that afternoon for Utah. The night before we went for a run to the Zilker park christmas tree, then had cocoa and watched Christmas movies. It was perfect. Christmas eve morning we got to the best day of the year to watch children. Its so fun to watch Mia open her presents and be in love with everything from the paper to the goods. We loved it.

The week before Christmas

2012-01-19T14:09:00.000-06:00

This is the brace for her hyp dysplasia. This was at 2 months of age. Its quite the contraption...

Ward Christmas Party

2011-12-12T14:41:00.000-06:00

Christmas gets more fun each year as my child understands what is going on. I can also use the party as collateral for good behavior. Im figuring this stuff out. We had a very informal, open christmas party which is the only way to go in our ward. There are more kids under 5 than adults so allowing them to run wild is necessary. We had soups/bread/dessert and musical numbers and of course a nativity. I really enjoyed the night. The musical talent in our ward is pretty spectacular

Bri- 2 months

2011-12-12T14:35:00.000-06:00

Happy my baby is 2 months old. Now I can chill out on being a germ freak and maybe my hands can get some skin re-growth. I wash/sanitize so much my hands are like a brillo pad!

Bring on the cheeks- and the hair. Its not falling out...its growing!
Mia kisses her ALL day
Bri stares at her just like this and I think she likes being harrassed constantly by her big sis.

Christmas Dance class- parents invited!

2011-12-12T14:30:00.000-06:00

Why is it so fun to dress your kid up? She loves it too so I guess its fine. She loves her class and teacher so much. Jerry and I got such a kick out of going and watching.

Mia's photobook 2011

2011-12-08T21:52:00.001-06:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books are the new way to preserve your memories. Create your own today.

Grandparents are the best

2011-12-04T17:21:00.000-06:00

Jerry's mom and stepdad came for a visit this weekend. We had a great time. Its funny that it rained the entire weekend and I have a cold, two things that havent happened in a long time but did while they were here. They didnt mind at all and we had fun looking at the University of Texas and the Texas state capitol. We mostly hung out and played with the kids. Thanks for coming Rod and Dianna!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-28T17:26:00.000-06:00

We were lucky enough to spend the day with great neighbors and friends. Thanks for hosting Howells!

Week 3 with Bri

2011-11-13T20:12:00.000-06:00

Thank goodness my mom came back from Utah with me and finished out her stay here with us. Thank you to my dad for sacrificing and letting her be here with me, right after his father/best friend passed away.

We just love this little peanut. As you can see in the pic below, Mia loves her too. In fact, she kind of wants to squeeze her extra tight, grits her teeth and makes me gasp everytime she gets near her. No harm yet, but I'm bracing myself for when she just cant contain all her love any longer...

What is that cumbersome looking brace thing on her you ask? Just that. A very awkward, bulky brace that makes it look like she has broken legs or back or something. She has hyp dysplasia. Mostly on the left, some on the right. Its essentially a dislocated hip. The head of her femur slips in and out of the hip joint. So, she gets to wear this awesome brace 23 hours a day for awhile (probably another couple of months). We go to the orthopedist every week to make sure its still fitting correctly on her rapidly growing body. She isnt in pain and doesnt even know that she is wearing the annoying thing. I'll be happy to see it go when we are done with it. Its getting in the way of all the cute outfits I want to put her in and newborn cuddle time:)

Bitter sweet event

2011-11-13T20:03:00.000-06:00

About 2 weeks after I had Bri, my grandpa, Darrell passed away. It was somewhat quick but I am relieved for him. He had recently broken his hip and bouncing back from that is hard for any 83 year old. My mom was here with me and we decided as a family that it was important and okay to take the girls and fly to Utah for the funeral. Im glad I went. Although it was sad to say goodbye to him, it was very fitting to have a newborn baby there for the family to be overjoyed with. I will miss him very much.

This is my grandma Lynette holding her newest great-grandbaby

Havent forgotten about Mia;)

2011-10-27T14:20:00.000-05:00

So, my mom brought her winter coat from Utah so we can use it here this winter (I cant actually recall cold weather here but I imagine it will happen). She used this coat last winter when we were in Utah to play in the snow, etc. When she saw the coat, she wanted it on. Okay. Then she wanted shoes on. Hmm, okay. Then she wanted grandma to put her coat and shoes on. Uh oh. Then she wanted gloves. Crap. Its 92' outside. When I inquired of her plan.. "build a snowman with gwamma". Outside. now. play in snow. How does a kid remember from a year ago? She was pretty furious- gwamma was here, and so was her winter coat, and we are trying to tell her there is no snow. I giggled, not gonna lie

Minnie Mouse, her favorite:) Happy Halloween!

Brianna- week 2

2011-10-27T14:15:00.002-05:00

Slideshows are fast and easy, even though I want to comment on each photo. You get the idea though. Grandma is here, therefore EVERYTHING is better. From mom down to the 2y/o and even the husband. Health issues getting resolved one day and prayer at a time. I think we are going to make it!

Welcome Bri!

2011-10-23T12:32:00.000-05:00

Little Bri surprised us and came 3 weeks early! The VBAC was successful and labor was quick. After a short setback (spinal headache for a few days...and counting), we are doing alright. She is such a wonderful baby. She eats, sleeps, poops, just as she should and is happy! She smiles all the time. She loves to hear Mia's voice and perks right up when she is around. Below are pics of the first week. Now that Im feeling better, I hope to take more. Gramma comes tomorrow and I cant hardly wait. Thanks for all the love/concern/prayers on our behalf. They worked, as always. Love, Jen

Big Girl Bed

2011-08-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

I have been going back and forth on what to do about moving Mia out of her crib. She has only made a few attempts to climb out and she sleeps so good in there, so I have been hesitant to mess with the force. However, I started having thoughts of her trying to climb out and it being close to baby sister's time to arrive and having too much transition at once. I also dont want her to feel like she is getting the boot when I decide to let the baby sleep in that crib. Maybe a few months before is a good time to do it. I started looking for a toddler bed on craigslist and then was addicted to the hunt. Found a deal, borrowed a very kind friend's van and a friend to come along and it was done. I left it in her room for a few days before having her sleep in it and every day we talked about how big she was and it was her bed, her pillow, her blanket, etc. I also took the crib bedding out and made it look like it "doesnt work". I took the plunge Sunday night and am amazed to report not one problem at nighttime. She reads some stories, says her prayers, I kiss her goodnight, and that is that. She hasnt gotten out of the bed once and stays relatively close to the head of the bed. Im shocked, actually. Naptime is a different story but today she napped just fine. Im compromising with quiet time and not coming out versus sleeping all the time. A work in progress I guess. I also got this dresser from Ikea and am officially ready for baby #2. Everything is out and put away and ready to go. Im losing steam and figured I should do all this now before I want to fall over:)

Still trying to beat the heat

2011-08-30T15:01:00.000-05:00

The heat it pretty brutal. Record breaking temps and days of 100+, blah blah blah. I dont want to hear it, just want it to cool down. One day last week it dropped to the 90's and rained a bit and I didnt have to get naked and stand in front of fan as soon as I walked in the door. Mia is going to have a reality check one day when she sees people in their homes with clothes on. I am desperate at this point to keep cool. I have one indoor activity a day for Mia that is using someone elses A/C and is supposed to wear her out. I bought a groupon at Gymboree's play and learn center that gives us access to open gym times and one class a week for a month, which is turning out to be awesome. (see below) Dance class is quite the hit with her and she talks about it ALL week long and lists off her friends there and Miss Kristy is always on her mind. Everyday she asks if we are going to dance class. Makes me feel like a good parent.

Dance Class

2011-08-21T16:46:00.000-05:00

I put Mia in a little dance class that is tap/ballet/tumbling. The truth is, it could be a class where they learn how to walk in a straight line and I would be happy. I just want her to be around other kids, listening to another adult besides me, and have some fun. She got all of that and more. Its only been one time but Im loving it so far. These are the little girls in her class and its pretty fun to watch them.

Sorry for the words across the slideshow

2011-08-14T20:00:00.000-05:00

If the words are blocking the slideshow, either click on it so it opens in a new window, or click on the text box in the bottom left hand corner and it will go away. I dont know how to fix it:)

Summer trip at a glance

2011-08-14T19:32:00.001-05:00

For my student housing friends

2011-08-13T20:37:00.000-05:00

This slide takes danger to a whole new level and blows the slides at brack and colorado out of the park! The scenery behind is the mouth of the canyon heading to Jackson Hole, Wy.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-05T14:06:00.002-05:00

Didnt get pics of the fireworks because we were hallucinating from heat exhaustion but Mia really enjoyed her first fireworks show:) Did I mention Texas is miserably hot?

Hamilton Pool

2011-06-06T20:27:00.000-05:00

Totally recommend going there. Be prepared to hike down in a fourth of a mile. Favorite swimming hole in Texas so far.

Goodbye friends, and nice weather

2011-06-06T20:24:00.008-05:00

I hate to see it get hot but my garden doesnt seem to mind. Its actually growing edible stuff! We are making lots of salsa from the peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro, and the cucumbers, beans, and edemame are great too! Now if only I could keep the stupid birds away from my almost ripe tomatoes...grrr

Andrew, Sam and Mia. Mia's first friend moved away. She still thinks we are going to his house when we drive by. Now she knows he's not there and says things like "no andrew house" and frowns.

Mia- 2yrs old

2011-05-27T14:28:00.003-05:00

Back in Austin

2011-05-27T14:22:00.000-05:00

We were greeted with rain when we returned to Austin and I was so thankful. Im dying of heat as I write this but the first of the month was nice and mild and Mia loves playing in the water. She thinks the thunder is an airplane.

When Mia does something good or gets praised for something her latest comeback is "soooo smart". You are so smart my little darling. I love you so so much. I love that you think it is so funny to put glasses/hats/bumbos, diapers/shower caps on your head and look at yourself in the mirror and say "so funny". You are growing so fast and your language just blows me away. Only occasionally do I not understand what you are telling me or what you need. Its making life pretty good! Happy 2 yrs baby girl!

more wedding day stuff

2011-05-27T14:16:00.000-05:00

cute grandma and Brian and Kelsey

this is her saying "cheeesssee"

umm... my mother NEVER skips my nap. What is going on?

R and A's Wedding day

2011-05-27T14:12:00.000-05:00

Why not play with Barbie and hide her in the bushes while waiting for mom and dad

Great day!

Mia turns 2

2011-05-27T14:10:00.000-05:00

Easter

2011-04-26T08:22:00.000-05:00

Just the three of us. Started out at church but left when Mia started to shake like a leaf and obviously had a fever brewing. Its been a miserable few days but today we are seeing some improvement, which is good because we are headed to Utah tomorrow!

Gideon

2011-04-15T14:21:00.000-05:00

This is Gideon. Mia and I go over to his house 2 days a week and eat lunch and take a nap. His parents are friends of ours and are busy people that need a few kid-less hours during the day. Its been fun for us, as they have a big backyard with a nice play structure and house that has fun, different toys. They also have 2 other kids that are 6 and 7 and Mia loves when she sees them for a few minutes when they get home from school.

Go Dog Go

2011-04-15T14:10:00.000-05:00

This is Chica, and we were her house guests last weekend. It was totally stressful since her main goal in life is to eat other dogs when going outside to do her business. She is very docile inside but the anxiety she causes outside is almost unbearable. Not to mention Mia kindly let herself and the dog out one morning to "go for a walk" without me. I panicked, looked like a psychotic mother while trying to find the child and the dog in a dress while frantically kicking off my heels to be able to run faster. Thanks to a merciful God I found both, happy as can be:)

Lately

2011-04-10T14:19:00.000-05:00

Yes, I planted a garden. First thing Ive planted in the ground my life. My closest relatives would say that my feet arent even planted on the ground so there you go. Its not really a hobby but as the little buds start popping up Im getting a little excited. I realized that thr prep work for the soil is WAY harder than planting things in the ground. I have had lots of help/advice from my fellow community gardeners. The advice is in chinese but Im understanding what it is they are wanting me to do by following hand gestures. I need to eat something out of it before I will venture to call it a success.

Mia is obsessed with salsa. Not just any salsa, HOT salsa. In this partuicular picture, I thought this salsa was so so hot and she was trying to pick it up by the fistfuls. We can thank her dad for teaching her that most fine foods can be dipped into something. For now, she is falling for dipping chicken into cottage cheese, which is better than BBQ sauce that she gets when her dad is in charge. I think she realized that this salsa was a little hot because she was trying to wipe her teeth and she was breathing heavy in her mouth. Then she drank almost my whole glass of ice water. Silly girl. I love her

Friend! It has been so much fun to watch her develop friendships and recognize people as friends. When I tell her we are going to church, she starts naming of the kids in nursery with her. This friend is Teresa. She is a neighbor girl that Mia playes with a lot. She is 3 and showing Mia the big girl ropes. Its also fun to watch Mia realize that her friends have other friends besides her. The other day she attempted to guard her friend from another little girl by wrapping her arms around her and scrunching her face and yelling "mine" over and over again.

Spring day (not really a break:()

2011-03-21T14:41:00.000-05:00

Jerry gave us one day for spring break and we took advantage. I can't complain too much because I actually worked 26+ hours that week. We headed 30 miles west to Pedernales State Park. We went early in an attempt to avoid the heat and we couldnt have timed it better! It was nice and cloudy with a breeze for the majority of the trip. Around noon the sun came out, as well as ALOT of people, so we ate lunch on the rocks and took off. It was really fun.

Why?

2011-03-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

I live with quite the pair. I find them doing some random stuff... Please take note of the mardi gras beads:)

Papa came to visit!

2011-02-27T21:02:00.000-06:00

My dad has a business trip in Houston and decided to drive up for the weekend and fly out of Austin. We were very low key and liked it that way! We went to get BBQ in Lockhart, Amy's ice cream, watched basketball, and walked up to Mt. Bonnell, which is what the pictures are of.

Thanks Papa! See you in a few months!

Random pics I found taken over Christmas

2011-02-27T20:52:00.001-06:00

Christmas day here in Austin and a few in Eden, Utah

BFF

2011-02-27T20:47:00.000-06:00

Her name is Aliza (or "southside" as Mia says it..)

Pony Ride!

Dancing there hearts out!

Last month of happenings

2011-02-27T20:44:00.000-06:00

Mia has a new friend, Gideon. We hang out with him twice a week for a few hours at his house. After all, he has a house with a backyard, a novelty to a graduate student family!

Jerry took me to the San Antonio rodeo with Lady Antebellum. It was a great date.

It snowed in Austin. Yes, that is Mia in a raincoat and rain boots, with a beenie and socks on her hands as gloves. I refuse to buy and then store winter clothing here in Texas:)

Mia- 20 months

2011-02-02T20:53:00.001-06:00

The ladies....

2011-01-24T14:06:00.000-06:00

Both of my brothers have some pretty great girls in their lives. Rhett and Alexis are getting married on May 7th this year and I couldnt be happier. Not only is she so much fun and great to be around, we wear the same size clothes, swimsuit, shoes, you name it! I finally have a sister!! Lucky for us, we get to spend Mia's 2nd birthday in Utah celebrating.

Brian and Kelsey have been together for a year. They are busy college kids that find time to do so much fun stuff together. It was great to be in town long enough to get to know Kelsey a little better.

The truth is, I didnt take hardly any pictures so these posts dont do the trip justice, but Im okay with that. I spent lots of time with the best mom in the world, got some snowboarding in, went to the movies, and saw lots of friends and family. All in all, it was a great trip!

Dads Birthday

2011-01-22T13:59:00.000-06:00

We were lucky enough to stay and be in town for my dads birthday. We had a great day and finished it off with fantastic dinner with our friends, the Burrows, and our family

It finally got above freezing!

2011-01-08T14:09:00.000-06:00

Grandma is much more entertaning than mom. I want to clone her

Too cold...so we stayed inside!

2011-01-06T13:56:00.000-06:00

Lots of stories with Papa

She loves this hat. Totally fits the surroundings

Had to get sick, so she watched her shows

Played with cousins

Outdoor Fun

2010-12-31T13:52:00.000-06:00

what a process

2 hours later...

so pretty up here in Ogden Valley

She loved being pulled on the sled. A few weeks later we got really brave and sledded all the way down the mountain

Christmas 2010

2010-12-30T13:47:00.000-06:00

We braved Christmas alone this year and spent it together, just the 3 of us, in Austin. Much to my surprise, we had a great time! Watching your child open presents and LOVE them is the best feeling ever. She was so excited and understood the concept. We had French Dip sandwiches on Christmas Eve, read Christmas stories, and watched the old school Mickey Mouse version of A Christmas Carol. On Christmas Day we went for a run to the park, let Mia play, cooked a turkey and made all the fixings to go with it, watched movies (and some sports for me..:)), and had a great time. 2 days later, we took it all down and prepared for the trip west for an extended stay in Utah.

The day after we got to my mom and dads, we had our family Christmas morning and it was so great for everyone to be there. My brothers had their girlfriends with them and it was nice and white outside. Here are some pics from that morning.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-19T20:21:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving 2010--Mexican Riviera Cruise!

2010-12-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

Quick Washington DC Trip

2010-11-09T08:46:00.002-06:00

Halloween

2010-11-09T07:48:00.000-06:00

Another friend had the same idea. I love it!

Cute little cheerleader. Can you tell how HOT it was? We were dying

Lots and lots of cuddle time with Grandma. She affectionately calls her "boppa". I love it.

Saved the day

2010-10-24T21:10:00.002-05:00

This is what the Flu looks like

But then Gramma and Papa came and saved the day! The best medicine out there

Thanks for coming Mom and Dad

2010-10-24T21:09:00.000-05:00

She just loved her visit from Gramma and Papa.

Pumpkin Fun

2010-10-24T21:07:00.000-05:00

A few hours at ACL

2010-10-11T21:28:00.000-05:00

Cute little family that totally does NOT fit in at ACL! I loved it anyway

She really is in to this dancing thing. She hears the word dance, sees a CD, elevator music, hymns, you name it- She just starts dancing like crazy. She figured out how to turn on my alarm clock radio. When she wakes up in the morning she wants to dance and says "dan" (dance) Its too much.

We went until it got a bit too rowdy and pot smoke filled for a little girl. Although she loved it, I will leave her home if there ever is a next time. Besides, we can hear the music just fine from our apt.!

Favorite two, doing my favorite things

2010-10-11T21:15:00.000-05:00

Texas Football. Getting ready to cheer on the Longhorns. Its looking to be a long season but we support them all the way and will be at the games cheering them on!
Lazy Sundays. All day long, Mia says "Daddy, daddy, daddy" I love it
Food!We finally made it out to this famous donut shop in Round Rock and got the Texas Donut. I ate about 1/12th and Jerry at the rest within 12 hours, no lie.
Bedtime! I love her, and I love when she is ready to go to bed. Arent they cute?

Mia hard at work

2010-09-13T21:55:00.000-05:00

I had to take Mia to work today... They were in a bind and I said I could come but Mia would have to come along. So she did, and this is where she hung out most of the day with a few walks fit in here and there and trips out to the waiting room to greet patients. She was really good, but probably shouldnt happen that often:)

Not so little anymore (insert sniff here)

2010-09-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

I just love her
This is her new face she makes- Hilarious
Im not cutting it, so stop asking:)

OKC

2010-09-09T18:20:00.007-05:00

Jerry has relatives in Oklahoma City so we decided to keep going after Dallas and drive the 3 extra hours to OKC. We had such a blast. He has so many memories with these family members and we loved it.

This is the Oklahoma City bombing memorial. The water represents where the federal building once stood.

The chairs are organized by floors of the building and who was killed on what floor. A very sobering experience. The small chairs are for the little children that lost their lives.

This is Aunt Barbara and cousin Avery with Mia

This is cousin Angee. She is the new principle at this elementary school so we went to check the place out

Labor Day weekend

2010-09-09T18:11:00.000-05:00

A sports fan? Yes. A Dallas Cowboys fan? Not a chance. We took advantage of craigslist and got great seats at Jerry's fundome (Jones that is...) Mia liked it even!

Dallas

2010-09-09T18:10:00.000-05:00

We had never been to Dallas, so we hit up the JFK museum and the grassy knoll. We love American History so it was nice for us. Did I mention the weather was perfect for walking around?

Back in Texas- End of summer...maybe

2010-08-20T16:13:00.000-05:00

Rain! the gutter water was hotter than any bath Ive ever given Mia. She loves playing outside, rain or shine. Its as if she doesnt even notice

Concert at Central Market- she was shocked/fascinated/ not sure what was going on. It was too funny. She would get up and dance and then run away
Church friends! Only a few more months and they will ALL invade the nursery:))

Love you Reece!

2010-08-05T20:52:00.001-05:00

We had SO much fun in San Diego. It was a trip very close to my heart. My cousin Jaime and I are the only girls in our family and as kids we were together alot. So, getting together for the first time with our little girls meant a lot to me and you cant beat a location like San Diego! Im working the "annual trip" angle on this one. Reece and Mia are about 6 weeks apart and kept each other busy the whole time. Love you guys

More San Diego/La Jolla

2010-08-05T17:58:00.000-05:00

Fun in San Diego

2010-08-05T17:56:00.000-05:00

more Idaho

2010-07-24T16:01:00.000-05:00

Fun game! Even funnier to watch

Anderson Ranch

2010-07-24T15:59:00.000-05:00

Lucky for us, we were able to go on our family and friends annual 24th of July trip. This year the destination was a random lake in Idaho that we have been to a handful of times over this weekend. Since its a boating trip, our number one goal is to get out of Utah and launch on a remote and peaceful lake. Idaho always provides this and although the fisherman arent very happy with us, we have so much fun every year. I was so relaxed I kind of forgot to get any good photos so here are just a few random shots

Fun times with cousins and grandma

2010-07-23T15:52:00.004-05:00

Mia always likes playing with cousins and grandma:)

Back at the Ranch

2010-07-21T15:45:00.001-05:00

Not really. But we can call it the ranch because it has a horse and a dog, right?
Mia loving the cooler weather outside and watching for the horse and dog constantly
She was obsessed with the tractor. She really couldnt get over it and wanted to crawl all over it. She was one dirty ranch hand when I made her go inside at dark.
Park time with Grandma and Papa. She really had a good time with them
I really love this photo

July 4, 2010- Just another day this year

2010-07-03T22:07:00.002-05:00

I am generally a very festive person on holidays. I LOVE the 4th for all the obvious reasons. This year we fell a little short. Here are some of our reasons
-- 4th is on a Sunday and Austin actually celebrates on Sunday- (note to self: for other holidays that fall on Sunday that involve fun outdoor activities... book flight to Utah!)
--Nice tropical storm that Im actually enjoying has prevented some planning needed for events like going to the lake, canoeing, etc.
-- Jen doesnt feel good. Annoying health issues that will probably resolve as soon as the 4th is over. Maybe its God helping me make sure I keep the Sabbath:)
-- There are some amazing athletic events going on. Wimbeldon was great until my favs were defeated. The World Cup is amazing and I am hooked and plan my day around the game in the morning and then the game in the afternoon. Mia's nap coincides and all. Dont judge me
--Our family is in a stage. Jerry is at a critical point in his schooling. He finished writing his comprehensive paper this weekend! He has just a little bit more feedback to get from a professor on it and if he passes, he can then go into candidacy. Great progress! I am so proud of him. I have never met someone that works as hard as he does. All this hard work takes TIME- the one thing I want from him. It is a constant battle to know how to divide time so everyone is happy. I know that the more he works on his schooling, the faster we will get on with our life, so we let him be for the most part. The other stage we are in is Mia's age. She doesnt know what the 4th is, why lights are going off in they sky, or that we should be at a parade, festival, etc. instead of watching the World Cup. She kind of walks but mostly crawls and is more into the bugs on the ground than any entertainment I could provide. So, the only person that misses have an awesome 4th of July celebration is me, and this year Im taking one for the team, and am okay with that.

We went to the park this morning and Mia climbed around.I grilled some hot dogs in our frying pan for lunch and Jerry and I laughed about how we were having a 4th of July BBQ! This evening I took her swimming. We had a good, relaxing time. There will be plenty of years with activities bursting from the seams and I will probably wish I could have another July 4th 2010, quiet and calm.

Here are some festive pics- just so I dont go down in history as lamest mother of July 2010

June= ick ick ick

2010-07-03T21:36:00.000-05:00

This picture pretty much sums up the month. We've been trapped! I started working one day a week for Valerie (pediatrician) and I'm bringing home every bug possible! Mia and I coughed for weeks(pertussis negative for the record:)). Then Mia had some virus that gave her a fever for 6 days. Then I have some annoying health issues through the 4th of July. Throw in a lot of teething and bumps from falling and there you have June. Kind of glad to see it go. Poor kid is tired of her toys, books, me, this list goes on and on. She is even tired of getting into stuff she knows is off limits! I hope I can shake things up enough for a few more weeks then its off to Utah where she wont have a dull moment!

Sundays

2010-07-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

I love Sundays. Its the only day we get Jerry's undivided attention and Mia gets stuff she doesnt normally get. They both look pretty guilty if you ask me!

Mia's Best Friend

2010-07-03T21:17:00.000-05:00

Its fun to watch your child start actually interacting and playing with friends. This is Aliza, her BFF! She is 4 days older than Mia and lives a stones throw away. She is darling and I love having her come play because Mia gets un-bored pretty quick.

There is a place in town that has tons of jump houses/slides etc. and is free for kids under 18 months. Out of the heat! Sweet

Oh What Do you Do in the Summertime

2010-07-03T21:12:00.000-05:00

Went to the ROT Rally- google it:) It started at the capitol so we snapped a pic of the only decent thing in sight. Texas has a beautiful capitol building.

We go to the mall where it is cool and Mia walks around for a long time pushing stroller. There isnt a play land in this mall so this will have to do. I never saw myself doing this in a mall but Im okay with that

We go to the park either early in the morning or at sunset. Its just too hot otherwise.

Make sure your volume is on

2010-06-11T13:48:00.002-05:00

Family Trip to Northern Cal

2010-06-10T22:09:00.000-05:00

We had such a good time visiting Jerry's dad and stepmom this past week. It rained and was cool the entire time, and we loved it (Texans will understand why)! We had lots of family time, watched lots of movies, and Mia had entertainment from someone other than her momma all day. Mia had a puking incident on the way to town one day and as her father was dry heaving from the smell and tearing apart the car seat, we went to Wal-Mart, the only clothing store in the town, to get Mia some warm clothes to replace the ones she had on and the store lady said it was summer and they didnt have any warm clothes for kids! I didnt believe her because it is always cool in Crescent City with a high chance for rain. Not a single long sleeved item for kids in the whole store...except the clearance rack, where I found the awesom Sacramento Kings sweatsuit. She rocked it and the way to the beach and dinner. She didnt even mind being called a boy. I dont know if Jerry will ever recover from the "incident". Mia learned to play with and say "kitty", but sounds more like "keykey". It was such a great time. Thanks again Bill and Chris!

Mia's new favorite activity

2010-05-30T19:22:00.002-05:00

Bring on the Summer

2010-05-30T19:20:00.000-05:00

But not the heat! We just went for a sunday evening stroll, 6:30pm and we were dripping wet with sweat when we got back! I hope mother nature has mercy on us down here:)
A pretty pathetic little pool but it will work for this summer
She loves to swing
She has more swimsuits than I do, and at least her potbelly is cute:)

Mia's First Birthday

2010-05-08T21:49:00.001-05:00

Birthday cake in parts

2010-05-08T21:29:00.003-05:00

Due to operator error and some technical difficulty, the eating of birthday cake by Mia comes to you in 3 parts... sorry

Mia eating birthday cake part 1

2010-05-08T21:29:00.001-05:00

Mia eating birthday cake part 2

2010-05-08T21:28:00.000-05:00

Mia eating birthday cake part 3

2010-05-08T21:27:00.000-05:00

Love you Gram and Gramp

2010-04-26T20:09:00.001-05:00

My gram and gramp have a cookie jar that is the shape and style of an Oreo cookie. That was always the first place we would go. To this day, when I eat an Oreo, it reminds of my gram and gramp and all the smells, feelings, and happiness that I associate with them. SO, when I busted out the Oreos I had been hiding from Jerry after dinner the other night, he couldnt resist giving Mia one of her own. The picture says the rest

Sucker

2010-04-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

As if she is saying "He has no idea what he is in for"

Easter weekend/Gramma here/Jens Birthday

2010-04-18T19:50:00.001-05:00

Spring Day.. oh.. I mean break

2010-03-24T10:22:00.000-05:00

We did make it out to have some fun one day of Jerry's spring break. He is working so hard right now to finish his comprehensive paper (100 pages plus). For Jerry's birthday I got him a pass with lessons to the rowing center here by our house. He went and got started and didnt realize how technical rowing is. I hope he keeps going. The best part about it is he has unlimited access to canoes and kayaks too for 6 months!

This is the greenbelt. Its a nice shaded trail with a creek flowing next to it. Mia isnt too sure about the pack but she will get used to it.

Happy mama and baby

She was in heaven in the canoe! She is perfect size to stand and hold on. She was singing, talking, just loving life. The temperature was perfect too. We will definitely have to do this more before it gets hot

Down time

2010-03-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

A daily routine. She LOVES her books and will spend a lot of time flipping each page of each book and looking very closely at the pictures
We found this dress that is her cousin Addie's but had to wear it a few times before we give it back! I think it is so cute
She is so happy being naked. Her hair is too much
Since she knows how to stand up now, she has started standing up when I put her to bed. I dont go in any more so she talks and yells for about 15 minutes and this was the first night I didnt go in and lay her down.

Mia 10 months

2010-03-24T09:58:00.000-05:00

This is Sunday School. I didnt capture the other two kids crawling in the mix too. Lots of babies!
I am so in love with the weather right now in Austin. It needs to be like this year round:)

Bring on Easter!

2010-03-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

Mia's first cadbury egg. She cried when it was all over and I put the last piece in my mouth. She was sucking the creme out for all it was worth!

My mom is coming the first of April for my birthday, Easter, grandbaby, etc....yay!!! I LOVE when my mom comes, and so do my neighbors! She tends to feed the crowd and her food is amazing. If only she could bring her kitchen with her...

I totally understand why people just put pictures of their kids up. You just cant get enough of your own child. Mia is obviously well, but Jerry and I are well also. We dont see much of Jerry but we know he is working so hard and we support him 100%. He has had a run of bad luck the last two weeks and has been pretty sick but now seems to be on the mend. As you can imagine, he doesnt have an easy time resting and staying down-- too much to do!
I have been working a bit for Valerie (pediatrician) and I like it but miss Mia. For the most part, I would say its healthy for us both and I have some amazing neighbors that let Mia nap and play at their house. As she crawls around and realizes she can travel, Jerry and I just watch her with amazement and cant believe she is ours. She talks nonstop and has more personality than she can contain. She truly is the most joyful experience.

Bring on Spring! (stay away Texas heat...)

Bath and Hair

2010-03-02T21:21:00.000-06:00

She loves to lay down and hear herself with her ears under the water. She is a little fish and Im excited for summer swimming.
I have a picture like this for every couple of months of age. I love to see how much she changes every couple of months
Oh the hair. What am I going to do with it? It starting to grow in on the part but right now she has a circular mohawk surrounding the mop on top. It doesnt help that I accidentally cut some when trying to get an elastic out. Now she wrestles me every night to pull the elastic out. I'm not cutting it though. Its too cute

Cowboy up

2010-03-02T21:12:00.000-06:00

UT held a cowboy party for grad student housing. Live music, breakfast, pony rides, bouncy house, it was kickin!
Mia's first time on a pony- not so good:(

She was pretty mad. It didnt help that the little pony kind of bucked a bit when she was trying to like it!

Proof

2010-03-02T21:07:00.000-06:00

Here you go- actual snow in Austin. It even lasted more than 10 minutes. The most entertaining part of it all was the neighbors with their tripods out, dressed in 7 layers taking pictures of the flakes and themselves. It may be the first time they have ever seen snow. I liked it.

Heavens no my child isnt going to go play in it. She can watch from the window. She has already played in many feet of "real" snow; the greatest snow on earth actually:)

It's on!

2010-03-02T21:01:00.000-06:00

Bring it on. Mia has figured it out and my life is over as I know it. Guess I need to go buy the door lock things that I cant even get open:)

Mia 9 months

2010-03-02T20:55:00.002-06:00

Its a little cold here in the mornings. Mia gets to bundle up for the morning exercise time with mom! Cant wait for it to be a wee bit warmer in the morning- but only a weeee bit:)

I love her

Cheese ball! I've never met a baby that can put on such a cheesy face when she feels like it

Family Pics

2010-01-30T20:53:00.000-06:00

Thanks Bryce! Check him out at www.bryceolsen.com

Back in Austin

2010-01-29T21:17:00.001-06:00

This shirt is from her cousin Cambrie, but originally from her Grandpa Bill. I think it is hilarious. The front is the logo from the TV show Cheers