Unemployed

Jeff's last day at NI was yesterday, leaving him officially unemployeed for the first time since I've known him. And, frankly, it's been fun. We spent the day together, taking care of some necessary car issues, playing at RadiJazz and creating a very yummy dinner. He'll be a contractor for BazaarVoice the next couple of days and will start full-time on Monday. So, here's what unempolyeed looks like:

Not So Hard To Say Good-bye

This week has been say-goodbye-to-pacifier-week at our house. I'll be honest, I have been cringing at the thought for quite a while now (which is why we are just now getting around to it). But it turns out I was cringing unnecessarily, because it has pretty much been a cinch. The first night he wailed for about 20 minutes, but since then he's hardly put up much of a fight at all. This is a kid who is just so happy to be going to bed that I don't think he even cares. Certainly a different story from the last time we had say-goodby-to-pacifier-week around here. Good job, Weston, on kicking the habit like a man.

Spaghetti Squash Is Cool

I cooked a dish tonight that I have never made before, but will definitely try again. On a whim at the store the other day I bought a spaghetti squash. I have never bought one of those before, and I've certainly never cooked one. But basically, you put it in the oven and when it gets soft, it turns into "spaghetti." It was very fun. And besides that, it tasted pretty darn good. We tossed ours with sauteed onions, green pepper, garlic, tomatoes and some Italian spices. I think it would also be good with just about any kind of pasta sauce. The next time you're at the store pick one up and see what you can come up with. If nothing else, you (and your kids) will have fun watching an ordinary squash turn into everybody's favorite: spaghetti.

29.5

That's my exact age today. And as I've thought about that number (and more specifically, as I've thought about the number that will replace that one in six months), I've realized that I have within me a wild, panicky rebellion against losing my youth, which makes me want to run away to an island and rip open that bag of wild oats I've been carefully storing untouched all these years. (Not to worry, I will most likely not do that, as 1. I'm responsible to a fault, 2. I don't have any real desire to do any of the things that fit into that category and 3. I'm generally just a chicken). I know this is just some kind of life-crisis, but I'm wondering what happens to these feelings. At some point, will I just crack and go off the deep end or will I just gracefully accept that I'm not 20 anymore and just go on? (As an aside here, please don't mistake any of these feelings for unhappiness or lack of satisfaction in my life. Most of the things in my life fit pretty neatly into the almost-too-good-to-be-true category, so I'm definitely not complaining). I'm certain when I reach 39.5, I will look back on these feelings and laugh at myself the way I now look back on my high school crushes and all the things that seemed so very important then but weren't. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I feel "old." It's just that I feel like an important phase of my life is ending. Time is taking from me something I can never get back, something precious and sweet, and I miss it already. I'm not one to live in the past, and I'm not about to start that now. I'm just being reflective, I guess. I'm also not one to think life ends at 29.5 (or even at that number that starts with 3 and ends with 0). In fact, I think in many ways life is just beginning. It's just human nature, I suppose, to stand on the brink of something new and look back before you look forward. And maybe, just maybe, if I get this out of my system now, that day in August won't seem so traumatic somehow.

Ruthless

And Westonless. The kids are off at Nana and Papa's, living it up, while we do a little living of our own. We went out to dinner and then picked up some dessert and chai at our favorite coffee place. Then, we did something really wild and crazy: we went purse/shoe shopping (and here's the crazy part) at Jeff's suggestion. He bought me a really cute bag and really encouraged me in the shoe department, though for once I didn't find any that I wanted to get. But it truly was the thought that counted. That man is just such a sweetie.

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Return From The Wild West

For the past two days we have been making our way home, and we finally arrived this evening, speeding ticket in hand to prove our journey was made with much haste. We can't be certain exactly what time zone we're in, and we are not much looking forward to being reinstated into the real world, but we are immensely happy to be out of the car and overwhelmingly thankful for the opportunity we had to go on such an incredible trip. We saw and did more on this trip than I can even grasp, and it was just a blast. For those of you thinking about taking your own family roadtrip, I have a few words of advice:

• The Build-A-Route feature of Mapquest is really nice. It allows you to input up to 10 different stops along the way and gives you a breakdown of the time it takes between stops and the mileage.
• KOA Kamping Kabins are awesome. They are super-fun and super-cheap, and everyone is super-friendly. Many of them also have special features like free breakfast, playgrounds, or even miniture golf. The KOA website also has a trip planner that will show you KOAs along your route and descriptions of what kinds of things are nearby to see and do.
• Organize and label luggage for each stop. That way you don't have to take in everything at every stop and you have what you need close at hand. You will have a few more bags but it will be much easier to navigate and you won't end up with a huge bag that you can't carry and can't find anything in anyway. Be sure to pack a bag of things that you will need at every stop to avoid having to re-pack those things at every stop.
• Stock the vehicle with plenty of toys, books, videos, games, snacks and bottles of water. Have these in a place that is easy for the children to access.
• Stop at McDonald's (or other simialr place) to play on the playground when necessary. A few minutes of climbing and playing can make a big difference in how much longer kids can sit in the car.
• Las Vegas has a well-earned reputation for being a morality-deprived adult playground...but it is also a fabulous family vacation spot. There are so many things to see and do there, many of which are free or fairly inexpensive. It's like seeing all the popular bits of some really famous vacation spots all in one city. Each Hotel/Casino offers something unique and even beyond those venues there is plenty to do and see in the surrounding area.
• Pack lunches, if possible. Take your lunch on your daily outings to minimize frustration when everyone is hungry NOW, and to minimize your expenses. This will also maximize your fun since you won't have to stop to figure out where to eat and what everyone wants. You can always find a food court or picnic area with tables for spreading your feast.
• Try to work in a few "normal" things--playing on a playground, going to a library, watching a video or reading books. Adults love to see and do new and different things when they travel, but kids really crave consistency. Getting to do things they do all the time helps kids feel more stable when they are away from home, and allows them to enjoy the new stuff more too.
• Have a plan, but be flexible.
• Take lots of pictures and encourage your kids to take their own pictures, too.
• Allot kids a certain amount of souvenier money and help them make good choices to make the most of their money.
• Most of all, have fun!

Thanks for keeping up with us on our adventure. If you're looking for me this week, I'll be the one under the enormous pile of laundry.

Vegas Vacation--Day 9

It was another full and fun day around here. We had breakfast at a place called Mimi's Cafe in honor of our wonderful Mimi. Then we toured the local chocolate factory and adjoining cactus garden. Unfortunately, they don't actually opperate the factory on the weekend, but we did enjoy the free chocolate and the beautiful gardens. After that, it was naptime for some of us and play-on-the-playground time for others of us. This afternoon, we drove through beautiful Red Rock Canyon and even got to see a wild burro, who tried to climb into the car with us. From there, we went over to Sam's Town Casino for the wild west laser light and water show and then dinner. Fun times!

Mimi and the kids at Mimi's Cafe

Red Rock Canyon

Kids at Ethel M Cactus Garden

So-called wild burro

Vegas Vacation--Gallery 3

Dancing on Fremont Street

Enjoying the lights and music on Fremont Street

Ruth loves the showgirls.

Ruth at the Natural History Museum

Family pic at the Flamingo Hilton

Vegas Vacation--Gallery 2

Bellagio Bontanical Garden--decorated for Chinese New Year

Clown at Circus Circus

27 ft. chocolate fountain at Bellagio

Dancing fountains at Bellagio

Eiffel Tower at Paris

Vegas Vacation--Day 8

Oh my goodness. We've done so much in the last two days, and I'm way behind with no chance of catching up, so you're going to get the CliffsNotes version. Yesterday, we visited the Bellagio, Paris, The Flamingo Hilton and Circus Circus during the day. Then, last night Jeff and I left the kids with Mimi and Grandpa and had a ourselves a nice little date night. We had a wonderful dinner at one of the nice (but certainly not the nicest) restaurants in the Bellagio and went to see Drew Carey and the Improve All-Stars, which was pretty much like being at a live performace of "Who's Line Is It Anyway?" I almost wet my pants, we laughed so hard. After the show, we walked along The Strip, stopping to see the dancing fountain at the Bellagio and the errupting volcano at the Mirage.

Today, we visited the Natural History Museum, had lunch at Bally's and watched the Bellagio fountains. Then, when my in-laws got home from work, we headed downtown to Fremont Street for dinner, live music, and a very neat light/music show, which I can't even describe. It has been two very full days, but we've had so much fun! We're looking forward to spending the day with Mimi and Grandpa tomorrow and having even more adventures.

Sorry, Blogger isn't cooperating with allowing me to upload pictures. I'll try again tomorrow.

Vegas Vacation--Day 6

We spent another fun day on The Strip. First we visited The Mirage, where we enjoyed seeing the beautiful white tiger, the incredible indoor rainforest and waterfalls aplenty. Then we went over to Treasure Island to see the pirate ships. We spent the rest of our time (until about 2:00) in the Venetian, which was so much fun. We rode the gondola, saw living staues, and saw a neat performance which was sort of a mix between a circus and an opera. We also had some fantastic gelato. We decided to cut our day a bit shorter today so we could catch some much-needed naps. We'll hit it again tomrrow.

White Tiger at The Mirage

Ruth and Jeff on the gondola

Ruth with opera singer

Waterfalls at The Mirage

Vegas Vacation--Day 5

We rose with the roosters this morning once again (5:00 local time), so we got off to a nice early start. First, we drove up and down the Strip, trying to decide where we wanted to begin our adventure. We decided on the MGM Grand, where we immediately made our way to M&M World so we could create our own bag of M&Ms. From there, we went over to the Lion Habitat, where we saw two adorable little 4-month-old cubs. Eventually, we made our way over to New York New York, where we enjoyed some yummy ice cream in the little Big Apple. From there, we visited Excalibur, which completely thrilled Ruth because it was a real castle. Then we took pictures outside the Luxor of the Sphinx and Pyramid. And finally we went over to Mandalay Bay, where we saw the most amazing aquarium. We ended the day with a wonderful meal at El Jefe's, in honor of my wonderful hubby. We walked at least a million miles today, but we really had a blast. Can't wait to see what we get into tomorrow!

Golden Crocodile--Mandalay Bay Shark Reef

New York New York

Excalibur

M&M World

Luxor

El Jefe at El Jefe's

Vegas Vacation--Gallery

Family Pic at Hoover Dam

Kids on petrified log at Petrified Forest

Family Pic at The Canyon

Grand Canyon

Kids at KOA in Grants, NM

Vegas Vacation--Day 4

Is is only Day 4? My goodness. We've packed so much in I would have thought we'd have been gone a week! On Sunday, we got up very, very early (about 4:00, Texas time) and began our adventures for the day. We played in the snow and then hopped in the van and made our way to the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest, where we saw some really neat sights and enjoyed a picnic lunch. Then, we were back in the van for a few hours, finally arriving at our destination for the day: The Grand Canyon. Just as we entered the park, we encountered a herd of elk--there were about 20 of them that we could see, and they were very close to the road, making it a perfect picture opportunity. From there, we made our way to some of the look-out points of the canyon, and I must say words cannot even begin to describe what we saw. Amazing, just amazing! We checked into our hotel room, which was just a quarter of a mile from the canyon's rim, had some dinner and then went into a nearby town to see an IMAX movie about the Grand Canyon. We promptly fell into bed at 8:30 (local time), exhausted, excited and full of anticipation at what the next day would hold. We hopped up this morning (not quite so early, but certainly early enough), had some breakfast, learned some lessons about spending money wisely, bought some souveniers, and headed for the other end of the canyon from what we saw yesterday. Even more breathtaking, if you can imagine. I was totally blown away! When we had taken in all our eyes could hold and more than our memories could, we made our way to the Hoover Dam, where we stopped for the full tour. Very interesting! That dam is truly a piece of work. It's amazing it was ever built at all, much less that it was built at time when brains cranked out those engineering problems rather than computers! From there, we made the last short leg of our journey, and finally arrived at Jeff's parents place this evening. We are very happy to be here, and we are looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings. I will make every effort to post some pictures tomorrow. Stay tuned...

Vegas Vacation--Day 2

We hit the road yesterday afternoon and found ourselves at the end of the day in Haskell, TX, welcomed by excited grandparents, a fabulous home-cooked meal and a comfy bed. Then after breakfast this morning, we were on the road again, making our way to Albuquerque, NM, where we stopped to have an early dinner with my dear friend Tiffany and her family. Our final stop of the day has landed us at the KOA in Grants, NM. Now, I have never stayed at a KOA before, but I can promise you I will frequent them in the future. We were greeted with our key, the campground rules and a bag of yummy cookies. Then, we made our way to the cutest cabin, which is just perfect for our little family of four. Ruth is just about to burst, she's so excited about our adventure. The traveling has been smooth and easy...and fast, since the speed limit changed to 75 once we reached NM--meaning we pretty much had to drive 90 to stay up with traffic. NM is covered with a beatiful blanket of snow and the mountains in the distance are absolutely breath-taking. Hopefully, we will be able to take some pictures tomorrow to share with you. Tomorrow were off to the Petrified Forest, The Painted Desert and finally, the Grand Canyon. Stay tuned for more Vegas Vacation stories...

Viva Las Vegas!

Our Vegas Vacation starts tomorrow, and we are so excited. The bags are packed and loaded, so the minute Jeff gets home from work, we are out of here. AhRoi (my computer--pronounced "Ahoy") will be making the journey with us, so I will hopefully be able to keep you up-to-date on where we are and what we're doing. It's just too hard to try to catch up after almost two weeks.

It Pays To Be Friendly

Last night, while I was working out, I fell into friendly conversation with the lady working out next to me. When I was all done, she caught up with me at the door and said, "Hey. I wanted to give you something." I couldn't imagine for the life of me what she wanted to give me. Then she said, "I'm a Mary Kay consultant, and because you were so friendly tonight, I just wanted to give you a $13 gift certificate to use on my website." I was floored. Things like this NEVER happen to me! I don't normally use Mary Kay products, but I may just have to start. And not only did I get a cool gift certificate, I also made a new friend. It definitely pays to be friendly!

Take It Like A Man

We went in to the pediatrician's office today to get Weston's ears checked out. He is free of infection and quite healthy. But, while we were there the doctor noticed on his chart that he never had the flu booster he was suppose to have gotten, so she wanted him to have it today. So, the nurse came in and stuck him right in the leg. He winced ever so slightly and went "ugh." He didn't even act like he was going to cry. It was an incredible display of toughness! And most impressed of all was Ruth. She said, "Man. He didn't even cry. I always cry when they give me a shot because I hate shots!" Truth be told, she starts crying way before they give her the shot, so by the time they actually give it to her there isn't anything left to cry about. Weston is definitely the man. He was laughing it up before I could even get his pants pulled up.

1st Day Of Gymnastics

Ruth had her first day of gymnastics class today, and it sounds like she had a blast. There were some friends in her class that she knew from preschool last year and, of course, she made lots of new friends. I stayed only long enough to take a couple of pictures, but she's been talking about it all day, and she even showed us a few of her new moves. She can't wait to go back when we get back from our vacation.

Local News Blues

When the heck are the local news stations going to realize their uselessness and go away and leave us alone? I absolutely cannot stand the local news. I hate the way the anchor people carry on pointless banter, and the way they insist on reporting on things that don't even remotely resemble what I would call news. And don't get me started on the over-dramatic weathermen and women, and their super-duper doplers! And this may sound radical, but do we really need 5:00 AND 6:00 news and 9:00 AND 10:00 news?! And would it kill a field reporter to put someone on the air who can actually form a complete sentence?! I just think the local news is the biggest waste of airtime there ever was--and that's saying something considering what's on TV these days. Forgive the rant, but I just can't take it anymore. I can't wait until the local news goes the way of the dinosaur.

"Someday I Will Be a Woman"--Jeff

Well, the new water rower arrived this week, with instructions for 3 settings: child, woman and athlete. I immediately took offense at that, being a woman and an athlete. But I felt a bit better tonight when Jeff decided to give it a try on the lowest setting and found it a bit more difficult than he anticipated. He said he could feel it in every part of his body, so I guess it's a pretty good workout. I knew this would change things around here, but Jeff becoming a woman is a bit more than I bargained for!

Domestic Dysfunction

Now, you would think that a domestic engineer, such as myself, would develop certain skills, such as, oh I don't know, being able to put together dinner with a certain amount of ease. Unfortunately, I must have slept through that class, because I kid you not, every day--every day--I am totally surprised when it gets to be dinnertime and totally at a loss for what will be prepared. And just as I'm getting overwhelmed by the prospect, a baby starts to cry, kicking me into all-out shut-down mode. I used to have a great system where I made a menu for the week every Sunday evening, and then there were never any surprises. And then suddenly, somehow with the arrival of my second offspring and the expiring of my handy-dandy menu-planning desk calendar, that system has gone out the window. It's truly a tragedy. My husband is much better at this than I am, because he is not a slave to a recipe. He just throws things together and they (usually) turn out fabulously. But despite my deficiencies, I did manage to pull off a darn good dinner tonight...and it was even healthy. We had grilled portobello mushrooms and steamed brussel sprouts, and it was fantastic. And as a bonus, it was super-easy. Jeff claims I'm being too hard on myself and that I'm way better now that I was when we first married, so maybe I'm making progress. And perhaps, someday, when our dinnertime gets pushed back to something resembling "normal" (not 5:00), I won't be so surprised when I look up and it's already time to get dinner ready.

Here We Go Again

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since our last big road trip, and all the laundry is done and just sitting in the closet waiting to go somewhere else. So, we've planned another one. This time we're headed to Las Vegas to see Jeff's parents, who have accepted teaching positions there for this semester. We will leave a week from Friday, and we're very excited. We will make several stops along the way and see lots of sights, including the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert and the Grand Canyon. Plus, we'll have alomost a week in Vegas to explore all the casinos and see all the sights. I haven't really seen much of this part of the country so I'm really looking forward to it. Maybe I'll take the laptop along so I can keep you posted as we go. I normally like a more tropical location after we have ice in Austin, but I think this trip will be lots of fun even so.

White Tuesday

Mother Nature decided to add a touch of white to the landscape today, and we experienced something truly rare for Austin: snow. We usually get one or two days of ice every winter, but we don't normally see any snow falling. So, we did the only thing we could do: We bundled up and went outside to play in it. We even took a few pictures, but we weren't out long because it was soooo cold. When we came in we all had warm, sweet milk and smiled. I'm definitely not in favor of winter, but as long as we can keep it to just two or three days, it's kind of fun.

Ice Day

Jack Frost hasn't just been nipping today--he's been biting. At one point I think the temperature got up to 32, but that was brief. It's been super-cold, and we've been holed up in the house. Ruth's gymnastic class didn't meet because of the weather, and Jeff's boss encouraged him to come home at lunchtime. So, it's kind of been like vacation around here. We've watched movies, drank hot tea, napped, and had king crab legs for dinner. It's been really fun. Tomorrow may be more of the same. I hope you are all staying warm and safe.

The Wait Is Over

I know you have all been dying to know what our other big change is, and since we shared the news with the rest of the family this weekend, I am now at liberty to share it with all of you. Jeff has just resigned from NI (after 8 years) and has accepted a new job with a start-up company here in Austin called Bazaarvoice. He will be starting his new job on Feb. 15 and he is really, really excited about this new opportunity. I am very proud of him and look forward to seeing him succeed in this new role.

Our weekend, by the way, was really great. We visited my brother-in-law and his wife in Houston and just had a wonderful time. We ate some fabulous Mexican food on Friday night at Lupe Tortilla, visited the Downtown Aquarium on Saturday and had lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe today. We had such a great time and arrived home safely just ahead of the nasty weather. I'll leave you now with a few pictures.

Winds Of Change

We're changing around here--all for the better.

• Jeff ordered a new rowing machine, which will arrivie in a few days. It promises to change our bodies as well as our living room. We can't wait.
• We are trying out some new internet phones to see if that's a route we want to go when our cell phone contract is up in a few weeks. The phones are very cute and everything seems to work well. So, we may have a new phone number in the near future, as well as a change in our cell phone plan.
• Ruth announced to me today: "I used to be a princess...but I've changed." Then she asked if we could take down the princess towers from her bed. So, we did, and then we rearranged her bedroom.
• And, we have one more really big change, but I am not at liberty to share it until after the weekend, so you'll have to live in suspense for a few days.

We're off to Houston tomrrow, so I'll check in on Sunday night. Have a great weekend and embrace the changes around you.

Date With Dad

Sometime last week Ruth said to me, "I think it would be really fun to go on a date with Daddy--if we could just go out and do something." My response was, "That sounds like fun." And she fired back, "Well, I wasn't actually thinking of inviting you."

Well, today, Daddy made it happen. He took Ruth out to lunch and then to see "Charlotte's Web" at the movie theater. She was absolutely thrilled...and I think Daddy had a really good time, too.

On The Mend

Today is the first day in about a week that Weston hasn't run a fever of any kind. We are all thankful that he is starting to feel better. Also, Ruth is getting over her runny nose, thus alleviating some of the pain of her raw philtrum, thus eliminating some whining from the house, thus making us all feel better.

She's Gonna Flip

Well, we got Ruth all signed up for gymnastics today. She's going to be in a mother's-day-out program, which will meet on Mondays from 9-2. They'll do gymnastics and some school-type things as well. She is so excited. She can't wait to wear her new leotards and take her lunch. And, of course, she's excited about all the flipping she'll get to do. When we went by the gym today she promptly asked the lady if she could give us a tour so she could check everything out. It looks like lots of fun. In fact, I wish I could sign up for a class.

Poor Weston

Since about Tuesday afternoon, Weston has had a runny nose and a little cough. He has run a low-grade fever off and on all week. Yesterday, I thought he was pretty much over it. He seemed to feel pretty good and his fever was down to just 99, which isn't much for a little guy like Weston. But this morning, his fever was back up...way up. It was 103.6. Obviously, I was quite concerned, so I called the after-hours number for my pediatrician. The answering service assured me the PA would call me back soon, and she did. She was very compassionate and told me she would give the doctor a call and have her meet me to check Weston out. The doctor called me about 9:30 and I met her at the hospital, where she examined Weston in the waiting room and found out he has ear infections in both ears. She gave us a perscription for some antibiotics, which we had filled, and Weston has pretty much been sleeping all day. When he woke up around 1:30 this afternoon his fever was up yet again--to 104.3. I gave him more Tylenol and he slept some more. When I took his temperature around 4:00 it was down to 102, so hopefully that means he's on the road to getting better. Dr. Ellis said his fever should be gone by Wednesday, and he'll finish the anitbiotics in 10 days. Then we'll be back to see the doctor in two weeks. It's a process for sure, but I really hope Weston will be feeling better soon.

Grandparent Names

I think I forgot to mention that during the holidays (possibly to pass the time during many hours spent on the road), Jeff and I decided on our grandparent names. I shall be called "M" (think James Bond) and Jeff will be called "El Jefe." Whew. That's settled. Now we just have to wait 20 or 30 years to put them into practice, but at least that will give us time to get used to them.

A Warning For My Mom

The sidewalk sale at Half-Price Books is hard to beat. The kids and I strolled down to the one near the dry-cleaner today just to take a look, and we came away with six books (3 hardbacks, a paperback, a cookbook and a board book, all in like-new condition) for just $5. It was awesome. If it wouldn't have been so close to nap time (a.k.a. cranky time) I probably could have picked up even more. Mom, be careful. This could potentially be very dangerous territory for you, because I don't think you could control yourself. But if you need someone to help you carry all the books to the car, give me a call. I'd be happy to lend a hand!

A Conversation With Mr. Right

Mandi: It's funny how we are almost completely opposite, but still have so much in common.

Mr. Right: Yeah. We both think really highly of me.

This is the man I married?! Groan!

I Resolve To Make No Resolution

I am normally a fastidious resolution maker. I love lists in general, and nothing seems more logical than putting together a big to-do list for the upcoming year. But this year, I don't know, I just don't feel like it, I guess. I cannot get motivated to make even one resolution. I mean, there are certainly things I want to accomplish in 2007, but making it offical just doesn't seem that important to me this year. I think this year, I'll just take things as they come and make the most of whatever I get.

Home Again, Home Again Jiggety-Jig

We arrvived home safely from our travels around 2:00 this morning. Our adventure began when we reached our first destination and discovered that I (and my packing assistant) had neglected to pack for my oldest child 1. a coat or jacket of any kind and 2. any undergarments. This little parenting faux pas sent Daddy on a rare shopping trip to a nearby town to purchase the necessities...and he only called once to verify sizes and styles. His trip was a smashing success. He brought back a reversable hot pink faux-fur coat and days-of-the-week panties, the latter of which brought about an interesting conversation as our trip progressed:

Ruth: What do the panties say today?

Mom: Thursday

Ruth: How do they always know?!

With tragedy averted, we continued rather uneventfully through the rest of our journey. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting both sides of the family and our dear friends, the Kitchels, in Indiana. We ate so much and laughed so hard that, at times, we thought our sides would truly split. So many wonderful memories, and too many pictures to show here, so I will leave you with only a few.

"May I have this dance?"

The Three Amigos

All Bundled Up At The Park

Discovering Dinosaurs at the Indianapolis Children's Museum

Ice Skating in Lafayette

And We're Off

The goodies are made, the gifts are wrapped, the van is packed and tomorrow we're off on our final adventures of the year. First, we head to Haskell, TX for the Wainscott Christmas bash. We'll leave from there on Sunday afternoon and head to Buchanan Dam, TX for the Watts/Conger party and the Burnett reunion. Then, on Tuesday night (when the kids are nice and sleepy) we'll hit the road and make our way to Lafayette, IN. And we'll begin our New Year in true Watts fashion--in the car--headed back to Austin on New Year's Day. I'm sure it'll be a whirlwind of fun and excitement, and no doubt we'll come back needing a vacation from our vacation, but we really wouldn't have it any other way! I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday and a wonderful new year! We'll check in with you in 2007!

How To Entertain Your Child While You're Busy In The Kitchen

Today was baking day, and there was much to do. You mommies know that this activity doesn't jive with kiddos underfoot, so it's helpful to have an activity for said kiddos. So, I took a cue from our beloved "Little House On The Prairie" books and had Ruth stud an apple with cloves. She was interested because of the books and it was just hard enough to keep her busy, but not so hard as to cause her to become frustrated--or worse yet, for me to have to get involved. And she could do it in stages, if she got tired of it. She felt so big working on this project, and she was content being in close enough proximity to chatter away to me while I actually got some stuff done. It was fabulous! And as a bonus, when she was all done, we threw it, along with a few other ingredients, into the kettle and had some really wonderful cider this evening.

Topic Envy

Well, I didn't have much to report today, so I'm stealing a topic from my friend, Angela. She posted an article on her blog that I thought was really great. It talks about how so many kids (and people in general) just expect for things to be given to them, and it addresses the importance of disolving this attitude as we raise our kids. Jeff and I have always believed (and tried to instill in our children) that no one is entitled to anything. We want to pass along to them that we are thankful for what we get, but we do not feel that we deserve to be given things. At this time of year, I think it's especially important to remember this.

Random Roadtrip

Last night Jeff and I were sitting around, talking about what we wanted to do for the New Year's weekend, and we weren't really coming up with much. We both wanted to go somewhere, but we couldn't think where. Then, almost simultaneously, we thought of going to visit our friends in Indiana. (Honestly, we weren't really thinking of something that big to start with--it just sort of happened). So, we called up our friends, and they are available that weekend, so it looks like we'll be headed that way after the Christmas holidays. Yipee!

Once A Baby, Now A Toddler

Walking seems to have really clicked with Weston this weekend. He's everywhere. And not only can he walk in a straight line, he can turn completely around, and he can completely change paths on you if you aren't paying attention. And he is just sooo pleased with himself. Sometimes his excitement is actually a hinderance, as he tends to occasionally trip over his smile! No major crashes, yet, but I'm sure that's coming. But until then, we are all having a blast!

Out Of The Mouth Of 4-Year-Olds

Thursday was my dad's birthday, so we gave him a call to share our birthday wishes. Ruth spoke to him first, then passed the phone to me. Then my dad put my mom on, then I passed the phone back to Ruth. And finally, it was Ruth and Papa once again to say good-bye, while I put Weston to bed. So, today my parents stopped by, and it came up in conversation that what Ruth had to say in that last conversation was this: I just wanted to take one last opportunity to wish you a happy birthday.

Then at dinner, I was talking with my parents about a friend of mine from high school who lives very near me now. Suddenly, Ruth chimed in: Is that the one who owns Brett?!

It's full-time hilarity around here, folks!

Making My Family Smile

It's the simple things, really. I went to Goodwill today, looking for some cheap containers, which I did not find. But what I did find, was definitely worth the trip. For the kids, I found like-new Woody and Jessie dolls (from the Toy Story movies). And for Jeff, the entire first season of "The Dukes of Hazzard" on DVD. And you would have thought I brought home gold nuggets for everyone. Maybe the best $14 I've ever spent for the return I got in smiles.

Zits Happen

Somehow I managed to escape my adolescent years with maybe one zit. And suddenly I reach my "child-bearing years," and I'm getting zits like crazy every month. And unfortunately, I'm afraid that, at this point, I'm not going to out-grow it. I guess the good news is that no potential prom date hangs in the balance. And I've certainly become comfortable enough with myself over the years not to be devestated by such a blemish. But it's just annoying.

Wednesday Bonus

I normally just make one post per day, but I just couldn't resist sharing this video with you.

*Just click on the link, and then click "Download Video" to play the video.

Little Piggies

My friend, Amy, has recently started her own business in which she captures the precious hand and foot prints of kiddos in clay. She has done a few for us, and they are really, really sweet. She has many different layouts, plate sizes and shapes and a ton of colors to choose from. Here are a couple she did for us:

Na-Na-Na (And Good-bye)

Weston has picked up a new "word" in the past week: na-na-na. Now, I know it isn't really "Mama," but it's by far the closest thing we've got, so I'm claiming it! (Although, if I'm honest, I don't think he really means it in that way since he uses it for things totally unrelated to me, but I'm not really that honest).

He is also really good at waving now and even does it at the right time--to say hello and good-bye. It's a whole-body wave and you just can't help but think he is genuinely happy to see you coming or going.

And finally, I just wanted to share some pictures and a video of our little walker. He's getting more confident everyday, and today I was even able to capture him on camera. We are so proud of the way he is growing, although it's hard to believe he's already big enough to walk and talk!

Life's Greatest Annoyance

I absolutely cannot stand service industries where they tell you they will show up at your house on Monday--sometime between 8am and 5pm. And they, of course, expect that you have absolutely nothing else to do but wait for them to show up. And, they have all these strict rules about if you have to cancel, it musts be before 24 hours in advance or you still owe them the service fee. So, I see no reason whatsoever that the reverse shouldn't apply. I waited for someone to show up at my house to fix my garbage disposal today. At 4:30 they called me to let me know they were way behind and they would have to reschedule. Are you kidding me?! So, the way I see it, ARS owes me $55. I'll be expecting a check tomorrow when you finally show up to fix my disposal, thank you very much!

Mama Needs A New Pair Of Shoes

O.k. so maybe it wasn't a pair of shoes, maybe it was three pairs of shoes. And maybe need (in the traditional sense) is too strong a word. But honestly, I did need something to help me change my attitude today, and shoe shopping was just the thing. I got three really cute pairs and I didn't spend all that much and--and this is maybe the most important thing--I got to get out of the house by myself for a while and just focus on me. Selfish, I know, but sometimes necessary. Don't take that to mean that my children were driving me nuts or that my husband was getting on my nerves. Quite the contrary. It was just one of those sad kind of days full of emotion I can't begin to explain, even to myself. I spent about three hours out of the house, and I came home with the "Most Improved" award for attitude--and, of course, three pairs of super-cute shoes!