The O'Neals are a little Nutz

Address Change

2011-04-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

I figure a new life deserves a new Blog address, mesandmines.blogspot.com

Evelyn Eddie O'Neal

2011-02-28T08:32:00.001-08:00

Born February 10, 2011 at 12:41pm she weighed 7lbs (the smallest of my three). Eve is an absolute dream baby, I love her so much already. She nurses like a champ, sleeps beautifully and doesn't seem to mind when the kids "hold" her.

Jake is feeding his little sister with tiny bottles that belong to a set of magnetic dolls.

Claire and Jake have developed opinions about what they wear, Eve on the other hand is completely oblivious to the fact that I dressed her up like an 80 year old man with her pants up to her nipples. I sat and laughed at her appearance for 10 minutes straight; clearly I have issues.

I was fortunate to have the help of my sister and both Nana's over the past 2 1/2 weeks, I'm positive my kids would have been severely neglected without their help. Mary Jane, Jana, Kelly, Stephanie, Xan...the Spring Ward, has also showered me with so much love and support that I feel completely spoiled.

"Eddie" was the name of my paternal grandmother. I have always loved and respected my grandma, but as I grow older and acquire more life experience my level of admiration for this amazing woman and her example continue to astound me. She is one of my hero's and I strive to make her proud. I hope to instill in my sweet little daughter some of Eddie's attributes.

Eight Months

2011-01-18T14:55:00.000-08:00

If it looks to you like the baby has "dropped", my aching cervix would agree with your assessment :) My Dr. is willing to induce me a week early which means I have 3 weeks and 2 days to go...

I've been a full time stay at home mom for a week now and I've been nesting like crazy! Baby girl's clothes are washed, folded and put away, ironed and hanging. Her new bedding is all set up, car seat, swing and bouncer and fresh and ready. I've purchased all of the horrible necessities like jumbo maxi pads, boob milk absorbent inserts, nipple cream... Now that everything is ready, I'm anxious to meet her and bring her home. Plus I'm super bored, I hardly know what to do with myself. I've been operating in multi-task mode for so long I can't handle all this free time. I'm sure in about 3 weeks I'll be wishing I had appreciated this down time a little more :)

Girl's Weekend, Houston Style

2011-01-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

My girl's weekend came and went too quickly (tears). I prefer to get out of town and experience new things but being 8 months pregnant doesn't really allow for adventure, so we did the best we could with what Houston has to offer. Humm, lets think... Thursday we ate lunch at Lupe Tortilla and had massages, Friday we went to Backstreet Cafe for (what turned out to be) my surprise baby shower, followed by a facial for Kendyll and a salt glow for me. That night we ate sushi (all cooked), watched The Tourist aka worst movie ever made, and went grocery shopping for Kendyll's favorite recipes. We spent an hour in the make-up section of the store testing lipsticks and comparing colors, It's probably been 15 years since I last did that :) Saturday began with kolaches, pedicures, cupcakes, Cheesecake Factory, shopping (I purchased some very sensible new Chucks and Kendyll bought stilettos covered in sparkly diamonds), followed by a night at home with southern fatty food and plenty of board games. Sunday, your typical sabbath day, and Monday was bye, bye Kendyll. Like I said, over too quickly. It goes with out saying that I loved every minute of my weekend and am greatful to my husband for watching the babes and for encouraging me to "live it up".

Surprise Baby Shower

2011-01-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

My sweet friend Charlene used her cunning female trickery to organize a surprise baby shower for me at the Backstreet Cafe. I was so touched by the love and generosity of the friends in attendance. Sometimes I feel blue that none of my family live in Texas; but as I sat there, surrounded by people who took an afternoon out of their crazy lives to drive all the way downtown and share in the excitement of my new addition, I was overcome with appreciation and gratitude. Thank you Charlene for your tremendous friendship and thank you ladies of the Spring ward for making me feel at home.

Happy Happy New Year

2011-01-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

In the match of Daddy's fist vs. Jake's face, the winner is...

Daddy's fist! Winner by TKO.

Uncle Adam and aunt Amanda visited for a week and helped us ring in the new year. We went ice skating, to the Houston Art Museum, the zoo, the spa, played lots of board games and ate lots of food. I love it when company comes, it forces us to get out of the house and do fun things. Come back soon!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T19:29:00.000-08:00

What kind of a sick mother am I that I get such a kick out of my children looking like dorks? I can't help it, I love it!

It took "Santa" over three hours to put together a palace for wooden dolls to dwell. Unpacking the box was so exciting for me; I always wanted a doll house. I thoroughly enjoyed arranging the furniture and making the bed.

It was worth it! Claire loves her doll house and family of dolls so much. Claire asked me if I would play "house" with her and I was thrilled to do so; it's a nice break from playing the villain opposite Ironman.

The five minutes that followed the plate of doughnuts hitting the table surface, were the quietest of the whole day. I couldn't get Claire to stop stuffing her face long enough to answer a question.

Family Pictures

2010-12-20T10:36:00.000-08:00

My little Beauty.

The Hazel's sent us some Christmas clothes for the kids and requested that we take some pictures of them all dressed up. Claire's dress was so pretty! Claire however, "doesn't like to be beautiful". She cried all morning and explained that the dress doesn't have any of her favorite colors (blue or green). Ryan and I had to convince her that Iron man, Super man, Spider man and Santa all LOVE the color red... only then was she willing to leave the house. I'm grateful to be having another girl so we can get at least one more wear out of the dress.

Mommy Daughter Day

2010-12-17T17:38:00.001-08:00

Today Claire and I dropped Brother off at school and then just us girls hit the town. We did some Christmas shopping, went out to lunch then saw the movie Tangled. Such a good movie, I cried like a baby. The kind of crying where your stomach quivers when you try to take a deep breath; what a boob I am! (a quality I get from my mother). Then of course, we had our nails done, it wouldn't have been a "girls day" without that piece of the puzzle.

I'm 7 months pregnant today. Please forgive the frequent belly shots. Every day seems to last forever when a tiny person is kicking your organs, but really "pregnancy" is such a fleeting experience in life. This will be the last time I have my organs kicked so I want to remember it :)

Gratitude

2010-12-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

I just took my Calculus II final, and so marks the end of another semester. I am overcome with a feeling of gratitude, I truly can't believe how stinkin lucky I am. College pre-marriage was fine, I mean I enjoyed learning, but lets be honest, my first priorities were having fun and boys (or more specifically Ryan, as he was sort of my obsession). Now that I'm married with kids, school is so different. It's like a guilty pleasure because it's something I get to do as opposed to something I should do. I LOVE learning and being challenged and having something that pushes me to expand my brain. Not to be braggy, but all of my teachers love me because they can tell I'm not just there for the grade but that I genuinely want to know the subject. Aside from loving school, I'm grateful for Ryan's support (single tear). If I stayed home with the kids we would have twice our disposable income and our house would be a lot cleaner. He works all day, takes care of dinner at night, and then let's me study if need be. He could very easily insist that I just wait a few years and he would instantly have more money in his pocket and free time on his hands, but he would never do that. I'm grateful for my kids; watching them learn and grow is such a delight. They bring me absolute joy (with a side of stress and grey hair, but that's ok, I'll take it). I'm grateful for my faith, I feel the Lord bless my life every single day. Being in school and mastering things that are difficult really helps me appreciate that I am a daughter of God with limitless potential. I pray as hard as I study and I know that's what keeps my grades high. As soon as I feel I'm smart enough to pull my own weight, my grades slump; Its a nice little reality check. Thank you Lord, thank you husband, thank you kids, thank you everyone.
As a general update, I just finished Chem and Calc II. I start Art Appreciation on Monday, it's a 3 week mini-mester that meets everyday. I love mini-mesters, they're over in a snap. Then I'm taking History, Computers and P.E. as online courses in the Spring. It's all the loose-end crap I've been avoiding to finish up my generals. I'm looking forward to the Spring and to welcoming our new little addition. She moves around so much I'm getting anxious to meet her and to see if Ryan has marked yet another child with his goofy looks.

Montessori Christmas Party

2010-12-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

Jake has this thing where he refuses to allow his eyeballs look at the camera.

What a super cool fun party day! The kids made ginger bread houses, hand print plates, Christmas tree cards, sang carols and ate a special Christmas lunch. I love the kids school SO MUCH. They are completely engaged every minute of every day. Claire is doing so well with her reading and Jake can put puzzles together faster than Houdini. In a few weeks I'm pulling them out to stay home with me and the new baby for a while. I'll be honest, I feel sorry for them, Mom isn't nearly as cool or entertaining as what they currently get to do all day.

Ice Skating

2010-12-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

I didn't get to skate this year (my balance isn't so great on solid ground, let alone ice) but I had a great time cheering from the side lines and taking pictures. I'll have to take little Eve around for a lap next year.

Ryan was disappointed they didn't have double bladed-strap on's in his size :(

Whoa, check out that action shot.

My little family of pink, stickered dorks.

Claire did Great! She skated around all by herself and didn't even need to hold the side walls (like her dad, *cough*) Ok, Ryan's going to be mad I totally just made fun of him - twice. He was such a good sport about holding on to two young kids and wobbling around in circles for hours. Thank you honey.

8 Years

2010-12-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

Today marks 8 years of marriage. We've moved a total of 7 times, been through 8 various jobs, accomplished 1 masters degree and almost 1 associates degree, traveled to 5 different countries and vacationed in 10 states, produced 2 (almost 3) children, laughed, screamed, cried, and after all that... we're still here. I wonder what year 9 will bring?

Lights

2010-12-12T19:43:00.001-08:00

To my Houston friends, there is a neighborhood called Prestonwood Forest by the 249 and Cypresswood that knows what it means to be merry. I think I counted 15 large cul-de-sac's that each had their own Christmas theme: nativity, frosty the snowman, Rudolph the reindeer, Santa's workshop, night before Christmas, and of course... TEXAS Christmas. It was so fun driving through and looking at all the lights; people truly went all out.

Tis the Season

2010-12-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

Ward Christmas Party

Ryan's Work "Holiday" Party

4 Laughing Babies

2010-12-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Highlights

2010-11-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

Who's excited to open presents?!

Spiderman, Superman, and Ironman action figures; her dream come true (she's giving them all a big hug)

Claire was Nanna's shadow for 3 days

More Ironman... this one talks! If I hear "hero up" one more time, this toy is going to mysteriously disappear.

Two goof balls

Dinner with adults only, oh so nice...

Holly and Ronny

Adam and Amanda

Emily and "Fear the Beard" O'Neal

Wildlife Center

2010-11-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

Uncle Adam and Aunt Amanda took our family to the Wildlife Center in Louisiana. The park is unique because all the animals (herbivores only) are free to roam about the property and visitors can buy buckets of corn and feed them. We paid to ride the train that cuts through the park, but because we showed up on a day that was freezing and rainy they upgraded our tickets and gave us a private jeep tour. We were able to cut across the land and visit animals not typically seen, plus when the animals rushed over for some corn we had them all to ourselves. The kids squealed with delight (and so did I if I'm being honest), it was quite thrilling. The giraffes' were incredibly soft and the bison were slimy, long tonged and disgusting; they reminded me of Jabba the Hut.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

2010-11-19T10:31:00.000-08:00

Last night in The Woodlands at Market Street the community hosted their annual Tree Lighting Ceremony; complete with magical elves, Christmas music played by the Woodlands Orchestra, carriage rides, and even snow fall! So, so fun. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, it brightens my soul.

Later that night (or technically, very early this morning) Ryan and I went to the midnight premier of Harry Potter. We love going to the premiers' of fantasy movies because everyone is super nerdy and excited, people get dressed up and sit outside in the cold for hours waiting with anticipation. As a result, we can't help but be excited with them. When we walked into the theater we saw people with their wands out casting spells back and forth, Ryan said "we've just entered Hogwarts and it's full of nerds." Just prior to the movie, we went out for sushi and devoured an obscene amount of food. So the movie was awesome, but I was slightly distracted by Ryan's "sushi burps".

Token 6 month belly shot :)

Austin

2010-11-14T16:22:00.001-08:00

Ryan has every other Friday off of work; a three day weekend isn't long enough for a vacation but perfect for "staycation". Austin is only 3 hours away, the first thing we did was visit the states' capital.

Damn it Jake, hold still and take a picture!

The next thing we did was eat... at a few different restaurants with in a few hours :) There were so many places that looked good, and I wanted to sample them all. Oh, sooo much food, so little time.

My favorite was a restaurant called Romeo's which had live music. Sydney Sprague was the first act and she was absolutely delightful to listen to, beautiful voice, lyrics and guitar. We bought her CD and she was sweet enough to autograph it for Claire and snap a picture.

The next day Ryan competed in a "Magic" tournament so I took the kids to play miniature golf. They are both the biggest cheaters I've ever played with, as seen above.

That night we went to the "Bat Bridge" where at dusk, a million bats leave there cave and fly out into the night. It's quite a sight to behold, the picture doesn't do it justice. We discovered the existence of the bridge when we went out to our car that morning and found that it was a huge poop slick. Where did all this shit come from? Oh, we parked right next to where a million bats live- got it.

So the real reason for our trip, COMIC CON! What's comic con? It's a convention where you pay money to hang out with guys like this (depicted below) all day. So yeah, money well spent. I'm sure I'll see you there next year ;)

Here's a picture of the O'Neal Family doing their part to "keep Austin weird"

Angolan Independance Day Celebration

2010-11-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

In 1975, the West African country of Angola won Independence from Portuguese rule. Every year Chevron throws an Angolan Independence Day celebration here in Houston to commemorate this event. This year it was at the Four Seasons Ballroom. African dancing, African food and lots of African co-workers. Good food, good friends, good times.

Spooky Scary

2010-10-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

Claire knew 3 months prior to Halloween that she wanted to be Iron Man, so once costumes hit the stores her dream became reality. Mind you, Target was selling a girl version of Iron Man, it was a cute little dress, Claire's response was, "absolutely not". So there you have it. She has been extremely dedicated to her character, if she's not in costume we must call her Tony Stark, if she is in costume we must refer to her as Iron Man and remember at all times that she is stronger, smarter and faster than us all. I'm not gonna lie, her imagination has been exhausting.

Random picture. If you marry yourself a boy from New Orleans, you might be served this for lunch (complete with bowl of melted butter and dish of Tony Chachere's). Ryan says, "food so good, make you wanna to slap your grandma!"

Old Mcdonalds Farm

2010-10-26T16:38:00.001-07:00

Beach House Retreat

2010-10-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend Charlene turned the big 30! To celebrate her special day her sweet husband rented out a huge beach house in Galveston and invited five couples to come enjoy a weekend retreat. We were too busy having fun to take many pictures but the home was absolutely beautiful and Ryan and I thoroughly enjoyed our escape. On the drive down to Galveston Ryan and I discussed whether or not we would still enjoy each others company when the kids go off to college; I'm happy to report that after 24 hours of having no kids around, we do officially still like each other (sigh of relief :)

Hocus Pocus Pops

2010-10-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

Every year the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion hosts a free Halloween concert. The Houston Symphony played spooky songs while smoke and a light show danced in the air. Prior to the music, the kids collected candy, played games, and painted pumpkins. I was impressed with how well the event was organized, we plan on making it a yearly tradition.

Jake ate a hot dog, a bunch of candy, drank some soda and then went rolling down a grass hill... which is why he's no longer in his superman costume (it was covered in puke). So we didn't win any parenting competitions that night, but the kids had a blast.

Happy 60 Birthdays to Papa

2010-10-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

Warning: This video is for Papa Nutz only (probably really annoying to all others)

Happy Birthday Jimmy Jim, Love you.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

Two things I love about this picture are that Caity and Claire are sporting the same shoes and that Claire and Jakers are holding hands, awwwe.

It's a Girl!
Ryan's reaction: "Man, that's two weddings to pay for!"

My reaction: "Are you sure? Check again."

Claire's reaction: "I always wanted a sister!"

Jake's reaction: "..." (with a not so bright look on his face)

Now that the news has had a day to settle, we are all so excited to welcome another little female into our hearts. 19 weeks to go...

Harry Potter

2010-10-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

New Trailer! 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I' Extra

If you're excited to see this movie, you'll love this preview

Joan Jett Jr.

2010-10-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

Claire's new idol...

Goodbye to the Donald Trump Do

2010-09-09T15:03:00.000-07:00

Claire thinks brother now looks like her friend Jaxon. I think he looks weird, it will take some getting used to...

Utah Trip 2010

2010-09-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

Our newest cousin, baby Austin. Jake gave him a full examination.

Claire bear and Lou

Jake was quite taken with Caity (I think it's the blond hair)

Ma Maw

Pa Paw (complete with napkin bow tie)

We took the kids to the farm at Thanksgiving Point. Fed animals, rode some ponies, took a hay ride...good times.

This summer I took three math classes back to back (Trig, Pre Cal, and Cal I) By the end of summer, I was exhausted and the kids were completely neglected; so we decided to treat ourselves to a little vacation. There is nothing in this world that Claire loves more than her cousins. The trip was completely relaxing, we enjoyed some one on one time with each of the cousins and imposed ourselves on the Hazels (I venture to suggest they didn't mind, seeing as how the kids were greeted with an astro jump in the back yard!)

Successful Fishing Venture

2010-07-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

Ryan and his buddy Cole went fishing in Galveston yesterday, as the tale goes: "We hiked down a jetty that was two miles long, at one point the land had crumbled away so we were forced to dive into the shark infested waters with our bait tied to our waists' while holding our poles and gear in the air. Keep in mind, this is at 4am and it's pitch black outside. Once we made it to the other side where the jetty continued on we took tally of the cuts and bruises we had sustained , but it was worth it because we had the land all to ourselves (perhaps no one else was as brave as we). We fished for 2 hours only, four lines at a time, netting 4 fish at once with every cast! We could carry no more than the 50 huge fish we had captured, and so we were forced to call it a day. Being the generous individuals that we are, we gave away some of our booty to some of the less fortunate onlookers. All in all, it was a success."

Nanna & Pappa

2010-06-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

Ryan described it best when he said "Claire is be-dazzled by her Nanna." What 4 year old wouldn't be won over with a lifetime supply of bubbles and a new pool? Today in church, Jake remained relatively quite for an HOUR, thanks to some sort of cosmic connection between him and his Pappa O'Neal. We just wished they would visit more often =)

Fathers Day

2010-06-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

This year I wanted to surprise Ryan with a gift that he would really enjoy, so after much reflection on all of his hobbies, I decided to promote the hobby that benefits me the most - cooking! I signed us up for a one day French Culinary Basics class at the Viking School located inside the Hubbell & Hudson Market and Bistro. We learned how to make (and then devoured) cheese souffle, seafood crepes, beef bourguignon, tarte tatin, and a bunch of sauces. My favorite part was the kneading, twisting, baking and eating of the french baguettes. We both loved the class so much and are excited to have found something we can do together.

Moorehead Blueberry Farm

2010-06-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

My little farm hands =) Hey, you missed one...

20 minutes north of where we live there is a blueberry farm, they provided us with buckets and we picked for free. It was such great, outdoor, productive, delicious fun! Claire actually did really well picking only the ripe ones and Jake, well, he was the opposite of helpful. The little shit stomped his foot inside my bucket and smashed all my berries! We picked for an hour and collected 10 lbs (not to shabby) then we paid just 1.50 a pound, how cool is that?

Top 5 Reasons I Love Splash Town

2010-05-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Reason 5:It's a place where the family can spend time together.

Reason 4:It gives me the perfect excuse to wear my sexy water shoes.

Reason 3: It gives Claire a chance to develop her crocodile fighting skills.

Reason 2: From the moment we arrive until the moment we leave, the kids entertain themselves!

The Number 1 Reason I Love Splash Town: Need I say more?

Girl's Trip 2010 - San Diego

2010-05-17T15:55:00.001-07:00

Brit's baby shower gave my best friends and I an excuse to gather together in sunny San Diego. Brit is the most popular girl I know, her guest list was 60 friends long and they all came! Planning and throwing the shower was so fun, I loved every minute I was able to spend with the old gang.

Kendyll and her mother Shannon (aka provider of everything beautiful at the party). Man o' man, these two have an eye for decorating.

Our friend Valerie (who I haven't seen in 10 years) flew out from Arizona for the festivities, it was awesome having the complete set of old South Bay Ward trouble makers.
After the shower we did what women do best, we shopped and we ate =)

Sometimes we spoon, and sometimes we photograph each other breastfeeding our babies, so what?

Our hotel room opened directly to our own private portion of the beach, so that was fun. Until next year...

And bonus, my parents took me out to dinner at Claim Jumper, I saw Iron Man 2 with my dad and got a mani pedi with my mom. Perfect!

Love you Mom

2010-05-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day has given me the opportunity to reflect on my own mother and appreciate the amazing person she is. One memory that stands out is, she walked through the front door after a long days work to the usual barrage of children clamoring for attention, I yelled out "mom, are you going to help me with my project?!" and her simple reply was "did I tell you I would?" and that was it... I knew my mom would help me, because she had said she would, and she always followed through with her promises. She always had to work full time but I never felt neglected, from the moment she came home, her full attention was ours. Only now that I'm a mother can I begin to appreciate how exhausting it must have been. She was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and has had to endure a pretty shitty year. Every time I called to check in, her voice was always upbeat and she quickly passed over the bad stuff to minimize my concern and heartache. I love this woman and I'm greatful she's still with us.

Mother's Weekend

2010-05-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

Ryan turned Mother's Day into Mother's Weekend and I fully support that decision. Friday night he took the kids and I to Sweet Bella's (my favorite Italian food restaurant) and then he allowed me to command the remote control, he didn't even flinch when I tuned in to chick flicks. Saturday we took the kids to Splash Town, he made sure the kids didn't kill themselves, while I laid out in the sun. Later that night I went out for a girl's night, it's always such a guilty pleasure to leave the kids behind and go have fun. This morning Ryan and the kids surprised me with new bag covered in Claire's perfect hand prints and Jake's overly excited blob smears. Homemade doughnuts for breakfast (yes, we find any excuse to make those), chicken fajitas for dinner and baked with love chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Thank you honey and kids, feel free to keep up the love.

New Family Portrait

2010-04-30T20:27:00.001-07:00

These were the last family pictures we had taken (by Brit Mann photography). Wow, when your son is old enough to ask why he's not included in the family pics, you know it's time for an updated portrait!

I love that he has a scratched up forehead and is holding a rock... so very Jake. Ryan said it looks like he has been marked by Lord Voldemort and is holding the sorcerer's stone.

Our latest pics are courtesy of Matt and Terri Cannon and we love them.
I know what you're thinking and yes this is the best our family can look and yes we have embraced that fact.

Happy 4th Birthday Claire Bear

2010-04-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Homemade doughnuts piled into a "cake", a Nutz family tradition that will never die.

We told Claire that she could choose one friend to bring with her on her birthday adventure, she chose Katey from her nursery class. The girls played together so well, I'm pretty sure we could have skipped all the fun stuff and it still would have been one of Claire's favorite days.

After (what Claire calls) Chuck n' Cheese, we went to the park, the blue dot is Jake, the grey blob is Ryan and the pink dot is Claire flying her new kite.

We invited three little families over to our house for BBQ/cake, which meant our humble dwelling was busting at the seems.

Claire with Katey (winner of Pin the Tail on the Donkey)

The pinata proved to be surprisingly resilient, after the children cycled through twice we had some of the dad's take a whack at it. Matt Cannon (our brainy, physicist friend) gave it a one handed strike that concluded the battle. His Kung Fu skills will become the stuff of legend.

I love my little birthday girl. She is so sweet, thoughtful and cunning. She is currently obsessed with swords, capes and boots. When playing pretend, she insists on being the prince, she even makes Ryan be the princess =) She started preschool a few months ago and is absolutely thriving, her teacher says she is a delight and a joy to have in the classroom. I love her personality and I only hope this next year doesn't fly by so fast.

Easter Weekend

2010-04-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Aix en Provence/Arles (Last Day - Single Tear)

2010-03-26T06:02:00.000-07:00

We spent our last morning in Aix en Provence, it was market day! Fresh meat, cheese, fruits, veggies, bread, herbs & spices, leather, linens, pottery, books... I keep wanting to break out in song "there goes the baker with his tray like always..." (from The Beauty and the Beast). When the vendors started to close up shop, we piled in the car and drove to Arles. Supposedly Arles has the second most Roman ruins outside of Rome itself. Also Vincent van Gogh lived there for a while and some of his famous works of art are depictions of the town. We thought it was incredibly charming and we would love to go back and stay for a few days. Here we are in front of a Roman Colosseum.

Hot chocolate and waffles will cure all that ails you :)

Goodbye hugs.

Our last meal was perfection! I forget the name of this gadget but you fry up some meat on the top while cheese is getting melty and bubbly on the bottom, combine together with some veggies and baked potato and life is good!

Thank you Charly for taking such great care of my son while we were away. Although I don't appreciate returning home to hear him calling you mommy. How easily they forget! Thank you Terri for taking us to and from the airport and for rescuing my sister =) and Thank you Janet, Daniel, Jaxon and Baby Jonas for EVERYTHING! We love and appreciate you. Until next time...

Marseille, France (Day 6)

2010-03-25T04:12:00.001-07:00

Just off the coast of Marseille is a little island with the prison Chateau d'If. It was the prison referenced to in the "Count of Monte Cristo" and home to "The Man in the Iron Mask".

Claire thought she could escape through a tunnel in the rock, but alas her plan was foiled by the iron bars (evil laugh)!

The absolute highlight of Claire's trip was getting to throw rocks into the water. Oh the simple things in life.

After exploring the prison, we took a boat tour of the clanques (small inlets along the coast). Each beach is so secluded that only the most dedicated of mountain climbers have access. Pictures never do justice.

Claire was so excited to have her portrait sketched, she held perfectly still with a coy little smile on her face. It turned out so pretty, just like our Claire.

That night for dinner Janet made us a French delicacy foie gras (aka fatty goose livers). I know what your thinking, yumm. Actually it tasted really good, however we made the mistake of asking (during the meal) how foie gras is made. After learning that the goose is FORCE fed corn until its liver explodes, we sort of lost our appetites. Mental note for next time, don't ask, just eat.

London, England (Day 5)

2010-03-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

We only had half the day to play in London because we had to spend the other half of the day traveling back to France. We were able to visit St. Paul's Cathedral and The British Museum. Actually, we spent an hour arguing about where to eat breakfast so we just looked at the Cathedral as opposed to touring the inside. Oh well, next time right?

The museum was awesome, my favorite exhibit was a huge room full of ancient books, they were all so beautiful I just wanted to sit down and start reading, but "no touchy." We could have easily spent a week lost inside that museum; again, next time.

London, England (Day 4)

2010-03-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

Traditional English breakfast. Protein, protein, starch, grease, sodium, protein and a slice of tomato for good measure. Americans have one thing in common with the English, an unbalanced diet!

After breakfast Ryan and I walked over to Buckingham Palace and watched the changing of the guard. When the ceremony was over we armed ourselves with our digital camera, video camera and an obnoxiously big map of the city and climbed onto a red double decker bus that gave a live tour of the city. Yes, we were that couple. The tour guide referred to himself as a "true Brit" because he had an "unintelligible accent and bad teeth". The tour was humorous and informative.

When the tour was over Ryan decided that the English are the same as Americans except that they are funnier, dress better, and their architecture and history are way cooler!

One of my old high school friends now lives in London and I was able to contact him via facebook. Oh, facebook. Drew was nice enough to take us out to an authentic English pub where we enjoyed some fish and chips.

To conclude our already perfect day, we were able to see Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theater. It was (as many of you already know) absolutely fantastic.

Marseille, France (Day 3)

2010-03-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

These two picked up right where they left off a year and a half ago. Claire was on Jaxon like white on rice and the novelty never wore off. Now that we're back home, she likes to remind me every five minutes that she misses her best friend Jaxon.

Crepes, yumm...

GET IT. BITE IT. BITE IT LIKE A LITTLE MONKEY!!!

Ryan and I left that afternoon for London, so we all just took it easy for the day and relaxed at the park. And what a beautiful park it was.

Cassis, France (Day 2)

2010-03-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Cassis, France is perfect. The water is so clear that you can see the little minnows swimming about. The cliffs were colorful and awe inspiring; it's a good thing I had Ryan there with me to explain their formation or I would have been so confused:) Ryan and Daniel hung out at the beach with the kids while Janet and I stole away for some shopping. Euros are so colorful it was like shopping with monopoly money; when I got home and checked my checking account balance I realized, nope, that was real money all right! After some French sausages and ice cream we went for a hike.

I must have taken two hundred pictures on our hike because every few feet I thought, "this is it, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen - click." Ryan is laying down on the edge of a cliff that is 3000 feet high and sheer straight down to the bottom.

That night, we went out to dinner at a fancy French restaurant. The food kept coming...
Then a cart of cheese was wheeled over and we were given the name, source, and origin of twenty different cheeses. We let Daniel and Janet handle the selection:) Three hours later, the meal was complete. The French really have eating down to a pleasurable science.

Marseille, France (Day 1)

2010-03-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

Our first day in France was pretty easy going, jet lag required us to start out with a three hour nap. Following which we went down to the port and walked through the market. At one point Ryan went into a patisserie (bakery) and reappeared with a huge bag bulging with delicious works of art, we didn't mind his over zealousness. That night Janet (aka master of French cuisine) whipped us up some veal de something French sounding...
After we stuffed ourselves silly, a platter of cheese and bread was brought out and we learned that there are more than four types of cheese in the world. Goat, mountain, sheep, cow, who's yo momma cheeses! Cheese was followed by tea and dessert, then I'm pretty sure I fell asleep at the table because I don't remember much after that. It was a wonderful start to one of the best weeks of my life.

1st Day of School

2010-02-22T06:51:00.000-08:00

Claire LOVED her outfit! I think it's just the right amount of dorky, in ten years she's going to say "oh my gosh mom, I can't believe you let me wear that!" Mission accomplished.

Ryan and I have been looking around at different schools for a while and we finally found the one. Most little "schools" are just scary day cares with a fancier title, but this place is awesome. When I walked in, the stars aligned and I said "where do I sign!" The curriculum is fun, challenging, and individualized. Clearly I'm in love.

once I was BLIND, but now I can SEE

2010-02-14T16:45:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Ryan gave me the gift of sight. He also made delicious shrimp scampi and cleaned the house. I gave him a hug and a kiss and a smile and said "thank you". So I figure we're pretty even.
I took these goggles off for 30 seconds because, well, they're ridiculous. Jake must have sensed the opportunity to cause trouble, so he waisted no time in finding a big metal spoon and hitting me square between the eyes. So now me and these stupid goggles are good buddies.

I gave the kids free reign to destroy mommy's glasses.

Ringing in 10

2010-01-09T06:09:00.001-08:00

Grant and Brit took us out to dinner and then we walked over to The Living Room for dessert. Before dinner we went with them to check out a potential apartment, I think the crazy drunken neighbor who could out cuss a sailor, ruined it for them. Funny memory that's only funny to me.

Brit took me out to breakfast at the Park house Eatery. If there was any question as to why she wanted to go there, it was answered when she ordered half the menu (oink, that's all I'm gonna say) haha. With our bellies full, we went and had facials.

Chef Boyarbrit made chocolate lava cakes from scratch, Ryan was analyzing their magnificence for days.

They were good sports about having their asses handed to them at Settlers of Catan. Alas, their doom was foretold.

Right around midnight, Ryan and his card eyes were hilarious!

Christmas 09 Highlights

2010-01-05T20:54:00.000-08:00

More than anything, Claire LOVES her cousins. That huge, goofey smile did not leave her face the entire time they were in her presence. I've had to listen to her say "I miss my cousins" a million billion times since we've been back.

We all went to "Zoo Nights" courtsey of papa Jim. They had Christmas lights everywhere, songs, and a fake ice arena. My dad was quite the celebrity, bus drivers were stopping left and right (in the middle of their tours) and chatting it up with Jim, by defalt our big family became part of the show.

We couldn't really see many of the animals but we did get glittery red noses.

My cousin Anna Bahen (the cute girl in red) got the part of Cindy Lou Who in the play The Grinch Stole Christmas. It was held in the Old Globe Theater in Balboa Park and it was increadibly charming and fun. Anna was awesome, mark my words, you'll be seeing her name in lights.

Claire was spoiled rotten by nanny and papa and out of it all - the "handy manny gloves" won her heart.

I forced my dad to set aside his BYU hoodie (pretty much a permanent fixture) and represent some U of H pride.

Whos dad works at the zoo? That's right ours does!

I love my little sister Charly. She watched my kids many a night so Ryan and I could go out on dates. Ryan said "if anyone gets a free pass into heaven, its Charly."

We got to hang out with Lauren, Todd and Ela the night before baby Tasha was born. Food, games, good times. A few days later I got to meet baby girl, she was so beautiful and sweet. Lauren was walking around, chatting with company, she made having a new baby look so easy!

We took the kids to Sea World. Claire asked if she could get her face painted like a "scary snake", I said I don't think so try again, her second choice was a spider with blood dripping off its fangs... we compromised on the leopard.

My mom and dad took us out to breakfast almost every single day, being on vacation is awesome.

Erika and Lex took us out to a Korean BBQ restaurant, it was delicious and interesting. Ryan scarfed down some tongue. I passed. You can't tell from the pic but Erika was great with child, looking radiant as always. They're about to have baby no. 3 and still call eachother "lovey". Thats cute.

Ryan got in a few good surfs before slicing open his foot on some rocks (for the second time). Next time he goes I'm making him wear those goofey looking water boots.

My dad and I took the kids to Belmont Park, Claire was fearless and Jake was amazed.

All in all a wonderful trip. My aunt Judy was kind enough to let us crash at her place (which was big and beautiful) and we got to enjoy spending time with those friends and family we miss all year long.

7 Years of Hell - Woops I Mean Marriage

2009-12-13T14:37:00.000-08:00

Just kidding, marriage really is awesome. Having a husband and family to come home to is what brings me joy. Ryan cleaned the house yesterday, made me breakfast, lunch and dinner, and bought us some new pots and pans.

They didn't have skates in his size, he was PISSED!

Ryan and I have been married for seven years. I don't have the energy to create a list of all the wonderful things I love about my spouse, it sufficeth me to say that I love him and he loves me. We went to breakfast at "The Egg and I" in the Woodlands, it was delicious! A step up from our usual trip to the Waffle House (sorry Waffle House, but its true). Then we took the kids ice skating, Claire loved it. On a side note, I'm done with three out of my four finals and today I'm feeling like - life is good.

Ryan: Ditto! I love Emily and am greatful for her still loving me after all these years. I can be a BIG ass sometimes, but she loves me nonetheless and I am the luckiest guy in the world. I got a great one and my kids aren't hideous either. Happy anniversary sweetheart, you make me happy like nothing else.

Snow in Houston

2009-12-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

Claire scrapped together all the snow she could find in a three yard radius and this snowman is all that was produced. Ryan's work Christmas party was supposed to be that night, but do to "severe weather conditions" the party was canceled. The schools were also shut down, and most employers let their employees go home early. These Houstonians don't know jack frost about severe weather!

Childrens Festivle

2009-11-15T06:09:00.000-08:00

Barney (friendly, big, purple dinosaur) is singin it up in the background. Ryan and I sang along to all the songs (with gusto I might add), Claire sat still and quiet and Jake played with the stadium seats oblivious to all else.

Ryan displaying his, I mean Jakes artwork.

Any outing that results in Jake passing out, is so worth it.

2009-11-11T15:58:00.000-08:00

Maybe mommy and daddy cross dressing for Halloween wasn't such a good idea! Hahaha

Halloween Party

2009-11-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

Yikes!

Double YIKES! The Udy's Halloween party: lots of people, food and fun. The scariest party of Halloween was how much Ryan enjoyed wearing a dress.

Trunk or Treat

2009-10-31T13:38:00.001-07:00

He's our little monkey (if you couldn't tell)

Nanny Nutz sent Claire this costume a few weeks ago, so naturally this was the twentieth time she wore it! Seriously I'm surprised it still looks as good as it does.

Daddy Daughter Date

2009-10-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Ryan surprised us and came home early today so that he could take Claire on a date. They went to see Toy Story in 3D. Hummm, I can't be sure but I think she loved it!

I Turned My Back

2009-10-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

When I turn my back, messy things happen! Having Jake in the house makes me think twice about:
Getting a drink of water
Using the restroom
Running out to grab the mail
Having another son

Give it up for Ryan - He's 30!

2009-10-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Isn't he handsome? Those striking features that have been refined with age...

We recently celebrated Ryan's 30th birthday. I wanted to plan something special to acknowledge the end of his third decade, so I arranged child care for four days and offered to take Ryan anywhere. Secretly I was hoping that he would want to go somewhere that I wanted to go... Alas, his dream vacation (as it turns out) was not fancy or exotic - it was (drum roll if you please) a weekend in San Antonio! More than anything, he wanted to go to Six Flags and Schlitterbon water park and be able to ride all the rides without having to worry about the babies. As fate would have it, a child got sick and our four day trip was more like two =)However, we were able to enjoy a few delicious meals, visit the river walk, ride some life threatening rides, and see the new Harry Potter (twice, ha ha). Thanks Jeannie and Chuck for watching our little ones. Love you Ryan, its cool that you're old because you're still dead sexy!

Race for the Cure

2009-10-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

On October 3rd 2009 we ran the "Race for the Cure" here in Houston to honor Emily's mom who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Claire ran her first race and came in just over 8' on her 1k. Daddy ran the 5k and came in at 26' 58". It was good times for a good cause. We ate at the Waffle House after to celebrate the day and to make sure we didn't get too skinny from the run. We love you Gini and are behind you 100%.

Anjie's Visit

2009-08-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

My cousin Anjie came to town, what a doll, she could have gone anywhere and she came to see me! I took her out to 17 various restaurants in 3 days;) We hit up the spa for facials/pedicures, went shopping (where we both resisted the tantalizing merchandise), we invited Ryan to come to an Astro's game with us and then he forced us to see the movie Time Travelers Wife instead. That Ryan, he just LOVES chick flicks, can't keep him away...haha. Thank you Anjie for coming and I encourage all friends and family to follow in her footsteps.

BOWL HEAD

2009-08-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

Jake's new trick is his ability to transform an ordinary cereal bowl into a fancy new hat. This boy has skills! Now if I could only train him to rinse the bowl when he's done and put it in the dishwasher.

Adam & Amanda Came to Play

2009-08-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

Ryan's brother Adam and his girlfriend Amanda drove over from Louisiana for a visit. We have been so excited to have them! The kids warmed right up to their auntie and uncle and I have enjoyed a break from being their primary source of entertainment. Ryan took on the role of personal tour guide at the Natural History Museum, I'm almost positive Adam and Amanda could open their own oil mining business and do very well:) Other than that we have been eating out, really what else is there to do in Houston? Love you guys, hope yall come back soon!

Girl's Trip 2009 - San Fransisco

2009-07-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

This was taken outside of Cafe Boudin, where they make fantastic sourdough bread bowls and clam chowder. I wanted to buy everything in the shop and stuff it in my suitcase, but the thought of Ryan looking at me like I had lost my mind helped me to restrain myself.

These are my girls, we grew up together in San Diego: Lauren (we went to the same middle school, high school, college and church, shared an apartment, worked at the same law firm, traveled France/Italy, got married in the same wedding dress and we have the same tattoo.) Kendyll (we grew up in the same church and then later moved to Utah and lived close to one another for six years. We have seen each other through tiffs with husbands, new jobs, new homes, new babies, loosing babies, the good, the bad and the ugly. Also, she decorated my house and I still ask her opinion before buying anything major) Brit (again, same church and then we were Utah neighbors and worked for the same DDS. Although I haven't done as much with Brit, she has always had a soft spot in my heart and I know she is always there for me. She is an amazing photographer, every family photo in my home that I love was taken by her. You should google her, Brit Mann:) I love my girls!

Crab Fondue, yumm. In the background you will see Brit writing out our itinerary, she was our trips navigator, everything fun we did and saw was thanks to her prior research. Actually, Brit told us where to go and Kendyll told us how. Most often Lauren and I walked behind the two of them while they led the way with maps in hand.

Alcatraz prison in the distance, Brit with her camera (that's weird) and Lauren with her cute prego belly.

There it is, the Golden Gate Bridge. Lauren and I are wearing the same scarf in different colors, because that's how we roll...

We are relaxed after our afternoon at the spa.

The original Ghirardelli Chocolate factory is in the background, willy wonka's got nothing on this place.

I loved every single minute of my trip. When I called Ryan at the end of every day to report our activities, the conversation always went something like "we ate at this amazing cafe for breakfast...then we ate deliciousness for lunch... then for dinner..." Truly the food was so fantastic, 90 percent of my pictures are of us eating! Great moments: Sights, shopping, spa, Brit and I ran the 5K which went directly under part of the Golden Gate Bridge (she smoked me), the funniest line was "good God lets eat" compliments of Lauren, all four of us soaking our feet in the bath at the same time and listening to Kendyll tell stories (she is the best story teller - she's very animated). I'm sad its over but delighted to be home, I missed my husband (who took time off work to stay home with the kids) and my babies.

Girl's Trip 2008 - Barcelona

2009-07-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

I leave tomorrow morning for a girl's trip in San Fransisco, my mind is reeling with excitement and memories of last years adventure. When I got the news that I was pregnant with Jake, I had a burning desire to go somewhere awesome (and put another flag on my world map) before being home bound and sleep deprived for an impending 6 months. Ryan's work schedule made traveling with him impossible, so I said "sorry babe, I'm going without ya!" It took me a minute to establish a group of willing travelers, but I was persistent in my quest. Kendyll (my childhood, San Diego friend), Desire (my Utah friend), and Amanda my soon to be sister in law. It was interesting because none of the girls knew each other - just me. hahaha. Barcelona was amazing, wonderful people, sights, food, culture...I would live there forever if I could. I enjoyed the "girls trip" so much I'm determined to make it a yearly tradition:)

Fishing with Daddy

2009-07-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

Note how skillfully she reels in her catch; Ryan says she inherited his fishing finesse.

Floors, Before & After

2009-07-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

Jake thoroughly enjoyed himself, rolling around in old carpet, eating nails, playing with the saw...

Ryan, relaxing on the fruits of my labor.

I am NOT crafty or creative, I do not have an eye for decorating (just ask Kendyll), but I do enjoy working on projects around the house. I have helped hang sheet rock, I have mud and taped, I have mastered painting and now I can say I know how to install laminate flooring. What makes this task impressive is that I did it with two kids crawling on me like a jungle gym while pulling my hair out! My only mishap was cutting through the power cord of the saw, I know what you're thinking, that was such a guy thing to do. My least favorite part was riping out the carpet and pulling up the tack boards, the rest was fun. Ryan did help (a little) when he got home from work, so I must give credit where credit is due.

Damn Fire Ants

2009-07-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Hide and Seek

2009-06-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Or... Hide and pretend your don't see...

I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home!!

2009-06-21T16:06:00.000-07:00

In this picture, Claire is brushing Daddy's teeth with a piece of cardboard.

Ryan is getting his hair blow dried by an Ariel bubble blower.

When daddy walks in the door - he's toast! The kids are drawn to him like moths to a flame (which is fine by me)! Happy Fathers Day my love! I love that you:

10) Are willing to work hard all day, so I can stay home and raise our babies
9) Cook gourmet deluxe meals almost every night
8) Tell jokes that only I think are funny
7) Support me in school and church
6) Allow my to take "girls trips"
5) Still look dead sexy after 6 1/2 years of marriage
4) Don't sweat the small stuff
3) Take time to really teach the kids
2) Have ambition
1) Listen to my stories and care about my happiness.

Dang, when I write it all out, it makes me feel like I need to step up my game! I love and appreciate you babe.

Love you Daddy

2009-06-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

My dad, otherwise known as "Jimmy Jim" is the best. He loves his family and he loves the Lord. Here's my top ten:

10) Waking my sister and I for early morning seminary by opening the door and shouting "DIKEMBE MUTOMBOOOOOOO"
9) Once I was crying my eyes out and he offered his shirt for me to blow my nose in.
8) If I said, "Dad I'm hungry" he would say "for a booger sandwich?"
7) Very, very generous
6) Freely offers compliments, praise and adoration
5) Loves my mom
4) His favorite joke is "pull my finger"/ if no one is willing to pull, he will jump and click his heels.
3) Will laugh till he cries at idiots on "wipe out"
2) Wears clothes and shoes that are old, full of holes, and stained...and couldn't care less!!!
1) He can gleek clear across the room and hit the dog!

EXCLUSIVE - New Moon Official Trailer

2009-06-08T19:09:00.001-07:00

I know I know, don't judge my ridiculousness!!

VACATION IN SAN DIEGO

2009-05-31T17:34:00.000-07:00

BEACH/POOL

Note: the holding of hands - oh how cute!

SAN DIEGO ZOO

My Dad works at the Zoo during the summers so our family was given royal zoo treatment, plus we had our own personal tour/animal guide:) My dad's best animal joke: What do you call a camel with no humps? Humpfree!! HA HA HA

DISNEY LAND

Jake didn't have a clean shirt for our second day at Disney, so I asked Ryan to run down to the gift shop and buy him a new one... he came back with matching shirts for the whole family!! So yea, we were that family at the park

Airplane tickets, long car rides, hotel, a fortune spent and Claire's favorite ride was the Merry Go Round!! We should have just taken her to the mall...

SEA WORLD

Ryan tried to convince Claire to choose a cute, fluffy stuffed animal - she wasn't having it! She insited on a "sword of truth", she didn't let it out of her sight for the remainder of the trip.
FAMILY

We were able to stay with Ryan's sister for a few days. Whenever we get together with the O'Neals board games will be played, and food will get eaten!!! I'm pretty sure Claire has a crush on her Uncle Steve:)

My sisters came down from Utah the same weekend I arrived, we laughed, layed out and let our mom take us to the day spa... I love being on vacation

FRIENDS

Birthday Boy

2009-05-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

Jake is one - and boys will be boys!! It took Claire twenty minutes to delicately lay a hand on her first cake, Jake wasted NO time tearing his cake to pieces. What started out as a perfect display of chocolate and butter cream would be transformed into helpless fragments, hunks and smears of unrecognizable mess! Ryan lived vicariously, offering pointers and cheers from the sideline. Claire hovered over the scene like a vulture waiting to swoop in and devour the unclaimed crumbs. I stood poised with mop and soapy water ready to spring into cleaning action. Jake consumed, ran wild... and crashed hard. Birthday mission, accomplished.

Sigh of Relief!

2009-05-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

I know you are probably rolling your eyes at this post but my grades are the only validation I have for the time away from my family and for my perpetually messy house - so please excuse my excitement.

We love you mommy

2009-05-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

She is the glue that holds us all together. She gives us joy when we are down. She always seems to have a smile to offer and love to give. She always puts others before herself. She is a great mother, wife and friend. I know I speak for many when I say that our lives would be much less meaningful if she wasn't in them. Emily, we love you very much. And even though you are special to us every day, we honor you on this day. Happy Mother's Day!

Claire's Make-Shift Birthday Party

2009-05-02T17:15:00.000-07:00

We are headed to San Diego in a few weeks and are planning to hit up Disney and Sea World, sooo we weren't going to do anything big for Claire's birthday. I mean really how many parties does a 3 year old need? The night before her birthday, Claire went to her friend Jocelyn's party at Main Event, there was golf, games, prizes, food, friends (the works). We woke Claire up the next morning by singing Happy Birthday and she responded by asking, "Where's my super fun party?!!" Ryan and I looked at each other like - Oh crap. So needless to say I tried to pull something together. We took the kids to the zoo, pet some goats, played in some water, then while she was napping I decorated the dining room. I think she had fun. Oh well, I guess a three year old needs three parties.

Ryan's How to Video

2009-04-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

Crawfish Festivle

2009-04-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Daddy feeding Jake just what every growing boy needs - Funnel Cake!!

Eli and Jessica have shared our fence for two years, they fed us "box chicken" and banana pudding and forced us to love them...now we shed tears and wish them well as they return to Tennessee. Miss you so much already! I have decided to stop making new friends, it sucks saying goodbye.

Funnel Cake, Check. What goes good with funnel cake?
I Know - Fried Twinkies!!! Hey, when in Rome...

He must have been confused by the blond hair and blue eyes. Hey boy, that is not your momma!

Positively Perfect Pitch!

2009-04-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

O.K. lets see if you can guess this one...

Go Cougars!

2009-04-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

I just got my acceptance letter to the business school at the University of Houston. This will be the forth college I've attended but the first with "university" in the title. Hey, lots of people go to college for 10 years - so what if they're called Dr. and I'm called... not Dr. I'd like to give a shout out to my mom for always being so excited about my grades, to Jimmy Jim (Dad) for helping with all forms of math, and Janet for making school with kids look so easy.

Ryan looked at this picture and said "open your eyes you crazy psycho!" ooh, my love:)Thank you for watching the kids and being so supportive while I endeavor to have us retire at 50.

More Memory Lane

2009-04-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

This was literally the FIRST time she stood up. She just decided she wanted to, Ryan and I were sitting right there and happened to be holding a camera. We looked at each other like - no way that just happened!

My little goose is almost three!

2009-04-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

Bideo Phone

2009-04-14T15:19:00.001-07:00

This is so fun!!! Claire loves to talk to her Nanny and Papa on her "bideo phone." My dad just recently started selling these phones, the phone is $100 bucks and the monthly service is $29 for unlimited local and long distance (which is cheaper than what we were currently paying). Every time the phone rings Claire gets so excited, the only thing is I wish I had more people to see/talk to! Its like a fax machine, its no fun faxing myself, so if your interested call 619-708-4588 (my dad's cell Jim Nutz). Come on, Houston's lonely!

Street Car

2009-04-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

The street car we're standing in front of was painted by Cole's mother. She is an artist in NO and was selected by the city to have her work displayed - cool huh.

Cole and Charlene (aren't they cute) asked me to be the Nanny (aka godmother in New Orleans lingo) to their new son, little Cole. I'm so honored and excited, thanks yall.

Ferry boats are fun.

Cole and Charlene also live in Houston but life is so busy we don't get to hang out very much - ironic that we both drove 6 hours to spend time together. Walked around, saw some sites and did the mandatory stop at cafe du monde for some beignets. I would have taken pictures but we ate them too fast!

Easter in NOLA

2009-04-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

What's the first thing you need after running 6.2 miles? Why, mounds of fried seafood washed down with spicy gumbo of course.

Ryan's orange wrist band is evidence that he ran the Crescent City Classic, a 10K that runs through down town New Orleans and to city park. NO staying true to form had tons of music and food, people ran in costumes - good times. He came in 2,000th place out of 30,000, not too shabby. Love you honey.

Claire's birthday is in a couple of weeks, so we had a mini pre-party with the cousins. Nana let little miss icing the cake and then she informed us, "I did a greaaaat job!"

2009-04-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

I know she doesn't look excited, but she had a great time!

Excited Much?

2009-04-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I brought home an Easter basket, eggs and candy, I explained to Claire that she would be able to go to the park this morning and hunt for eggs and share candy with her friends. She was so excited all night, I couldn't pry that basket out of her hot little hand for anything. Tucking her into bed I promised, "when you wake up it will be time to play with friends and eat candy." I was startled awake at 3:30a.m. by my child standing inches from my face, holding a clean outfit and (of course) the Easter basket! "I'm awake mom, let's go. I'm awake, I'm not tired." Poor Claire, clearly she doesn't get out much.

Aladdin, Like You've Never Heard

2009-03-29T06:51:00.000-07:00

She starts out by saying "sing with us everybody." After that only avid watchers of Aladdin can probably discern the tune.

Chasing the Chip

2009-03-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

The Gift That Keeps on Giving!

2009-03-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Can I just say, I LOVE this vacuum!!! Prior to its purchase, I used to smell stink every time I vacuumed. I thought my carpet had mildew (from Hurricane Ike) and the smell was stirred up when I vacuumed. So I had our carpet steam cleaned. Then I drug out my little hoover and the smell returned - sooo gross it was my vacuum. Anyway Dyson was expensive and I had buyers remorse until I used it. Keep in mind, fresh carpet-professionally cleaned...and the yuck that was sucked up-a sight to behold. I have had it for a little while now and I am constantly amazed at its performance. I have been so excited with it I cleaned my blinds, the walls, Ryan's teeth...

Coupons are Stupid

2009-03-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

So with the sucky economy and what not I thought "what's all this coupon business?" I've seen crazies on t.v. say they can buy a whole month of groceries for $200. So I gave it a try. I bought a Sunday paper, made a huge mess, got a paper cut and killed a tree. Armed with a budget, a meal plan and a fist full of little paper squares, I headed to the grocery store. I filled the cart with my coupon items, then I realized the only reason I put that stuff in my cart was because I had a coupon for it. I never would have bought it otherwise. So I emptied my cart and re-filled it with store brand items (which was cheaper than the regular item minus the coupon, anyway). I spent more on the Sunday paper than I saved at the store. Coupons are for suckers.

Cut That Out!

2009-03-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

Blocks and trains make everything better!

I tried to give her a sucker to help it out...she saw right through that

Claire and Jake were all too excited to get haircuts. This was Jakes first and Claires second. The joy that they felt can easily be seen on thier bright shining faces!

Walkin Boy

2009-03-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

Jump It Up

2009-03-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

While visiting friends and family in Utah, we were lucky enough to hang with Kendyll and her youngins for a few days. Claire and Wesley reunited (after laying the foundation of whose toys belonged to whom:) Wes did such a great job of sharing! We spent an afternoon at Jump it up, Wes conquered all, Claire attempted very little, Jake tried SO hard, and Jack drooled...Later that night we were caught in a snow storm driving a mustang and almost died. The next day the house hold came down with the stomach flu, Wesley led the charge by spilling his guts at the aquarium. Poor boy, he was so brave and sweet. Although unconventional, I loved spending time with Kendyll and her sweet family, she has a beautiful home (really it should be published) and she is a wonderful hostess.

CRAZY WITH THE COUSINS

2009-03-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

I don't want to speak for them, but I'm pretty sure Maddi, James and Cade found their cousins more exciting than Christmas morning! Fights broke out over who got to sit next to, play with or hold Claire and Jake. We all went to Jump It Up and I stood back and watched the cousins drain the energy from my children. Claire also touched a hamster, ate all kinds of new junk food (complements of auntie Kim) and somehow managed to win every race against Cade. Weird? After we were all jumped up we went to eat at Joe's Crab Shack, yumm! Kim, your condo is super cute and I love you and your kids!

Getting our Hazel Fix

2009-03-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

When I take the kids over to the Hazels, they do not want for love or attention! Upon arrival they are greeted with screams of excitement, new clothes, books and toys! Caity helped Claire make the "biggest snowman ever" (actually it stood 6 inches tall, but to a 3 year old...) Jake took his first steps in their front room (1 day shy of his 10 month birthday). The little fart decided to walk when I wasn't around, where's the love? We had a blast, thank you so much for putting us up (again) and for all the laughs, entertainment and food. Love and miss yall so much already!