Consider, Considering, Considerate

We are actually checking out PUBLIC schools for Justinbustin and Shawners. We have a GREAT one that would be the one he went to. And it's FREE. Who knew? My eyes have been opened a LOOOOT in the last week about schooling in general, raising perfect kids (hey I THOUGHT it was possible, but whatever), and not having defensives against things I don't know much about. It's on the brain. Not happening yet. But at the cost of mucho dollars a year that this two day a week school is it may just be happening. Oh and Becky, I talked to the guy who did Sex, Money, and In-Laws in our Sunday school group last year and he said he would definently have the money part be a factor in our schooling decision as it would relieve a lot of stress not having to shell out that amount times TWO or even one. Roundabout way of asking what do you, my financial accountability partner think? Okay now I'm really going to be dropping you an email soon...xx

Eeny Meeny Miney Tacky Toe

Catch a tiger by it's toe,
If he hollers let him go.
Eeny Meeny Miney Tacky Toe.

as said by Shawners

Martini Part-AY

Allison's fun weekend reminded me of an enjoyable Saturday night we had the other week. L threw a Martini Party at her house! It was right next door so I went over beforehand to help set up and make Chocolate Hazelnut crepes, Cream Cheese and Orange Crepes and Sausages wrapped in croissants. I came home to fancy up with glitter eyeliner (missed the fake eyelashes and turqouise and black eyeliner ;) and we went over for Chocolate Martinis, Smooth & Filthy Super Dirty Martinis, Champagne Martinis, and for the guys Secret Agent Man-tinis. We had fun with the camera, made martinis, drank them, played Battle of the Sexes and made fun of it, and stayed up til' 4am before we went home to pass out. Fun night! It was a little grown up, a hint of college party, a touch of girl night, lots of guys especially my hottie and a ton of fun in one entertaining night.

Fun Stuff

Such a good, relaxing day we had yesterday. Church, lunch at the Cheesecake Factory -mmmm!, then the boys and Brando hung out at the game store and played the Nintendo Wii hehe, and I hung out in the bookstore and read half a book before I bought it - the one I mentioned in the previous post. Small group that night which was AWESOME. We have a great guy teaching our class right now and we were discussing what he talked about on marriage last Sunday. It really makes me feel connected when we talk about something we all heard the same thing on and everyone shares their different views.

Today the boys and I did school on a schedule. We woke up two hours past when it was supposed to start but we used the time frame for each activity and it kept things going much better. We did a lot more in a lot less. On top of that I had the timer to remind Justinbustin and myself to get it done. Brando came home early so I could head to the library by myself sooo nice. I'm so getting over the guilt trip of leaving my kids to do things by myself. It helped this time they wanted to stay.

More

Found a book today at Barnes & Nobles, Why am I afraid to tell you who I am? by John Powell. It was in the Christian section but it's more of a self help/psychology book, which works for me. There's a paragraph in there that personified why it's so gratifying to blog rather than just journal:

"Introspection of itself is helpless. We can confide all of our secrets to the docile pages of a personal diary, but we can know ourselves and experience the fullness of life only in the sharing with another person. Friendship becomes a great adventure. There is a continuously deeper discovery of myself and my friend as we continue to reveal new and deeper layers of ourselves. It opens my mind, widens my horizons, fills me with new awareness, deepens my feelings, gives my life meaning."

Okay I'm not sure about that last part applying to blogging as only being out there and living life gives life meaning, but blogging has certainly become a part of that in this day and age. Any way blogging IS a great adventure and perhaps this is one of the deeper reasons why. Any who great book so far, take it with a grain of salt of course, I'm not sure how grounded in Scripture it is and want to make sure I'm not relying solely on this guys' opinion.

Total Body Workout

My sister took the kids last night to spend the night at her place with my nephew and her so Brando and I took the dog and walked up to the gym. He showed me how to work every single machine. What worked for my arms, my abs, my back, my legs etc. and it was awesome!! He told me to take it easy but I did a little too much on one machine and so I knew I was going to be sore. Then this morning with the kids still gone we went kayaking in Zilker Park on Town Lake for two hours. Talk about sore! It hurts soooo good.

category note thanks to girl

Actual Emails Between my Sister and I

On Jan 26, 2007, at 10:56 AM, RK wrote (after a fwd I sent to her):

very interesting, thanks for thinking of us.

It hasn't been too mujch of a problem lately, but i will keep it in mind if it starts to be a problem.

rjk, your sister and annoyance all rolled up in one 10 lb. overweight eggroll

On Jan 26, 2007, at 11:07 AM, PSD wrote:

eggroll,

I'm always thinking of you.

soy sauce

We're such dorks. We crack ourselves up.

Fun Bakeries and Fun Friends

I discovered the BEST bakery yesterday! And one almost as good today!! I heart bakeries. Especially when they are tea room like. The first one is Thyme & Dough out in Dripping Springs where my sweet girl Kels lives. I walked in and breathed Country Court Tea Room, then a little further and took in Gayle's Bakery, two of my very favorite places in Capitola, California. Thyme & Dough is in an adorable little house with a nursery that will be blooming with color come spring. Their cheesecake is out of this world and I can't wait to go with Kels there for lunch. The second was Upper Crust Bakery here in Austin that I've heard of for ages but have never been. I discovered it was on the way to J's chess club the other day and decided to make a point of taking S on a date there while J was at chess club. So we did today. This one reminded me more of The Buttery - a recent but yummy discovery this last year back in Cali - but this one definently has an Austin aged eclectic feel. So so so happy to have found more yummy places! Hey even on a budget they still taste good!

Freeing My Schedule

Is exactly what I've done this semester. Apparently it's a good thing too because any plans I make are going down the pie hole. Which never happened last semester. I say, want to do something on Tuesday? They say, sure! I'm free. I say how about Thursday? They say no problem, I'm there. This semester? Oh, man I've got plans that night! And I? Have plans the other nights they're available. Only it's priority driven plans, not fillers. Think God's hinting I need to keep my schedule free much? Sometimes I have to force the hand to stop from emailing out, "I'd LOVE to do that!!" which is SO me. At the same time I'm a total homebody that loves to be with my kids and have huge large chunks of time that we can be together. A book club for Moms? Sounds fun! I stopped myself before I hit the send button. A slumber party, read: pleasure? Can't wait! Stopped myself before writing the email on that one. A baby shower? Love to! I actually said I was going to be at that one but didn't go. Part of needing to say no has to do with our financial situation as well, it costs gas, gifts, $$$ to do these things, though I could find a way if I really wanted to. I don't. That aspect sure helps free the schedule too! Either way I'm free. We're speeding along in school and enjoying the moments of life without rushing them.

School Days

My view of schooling vs. home-schooling and public vs. private vs. home has changed so much since Justinbustin started going to this two day a week school. Courtney asked me once how I "do all that". Honest to goodness, I didn't do THIS much. I worked on what Justinbustin did best. Math. We worked on his letters, we played chess, we cooked, we did speech, we LIVEd. I wouldn't have it any other way. We knew what he loves, we know how he learns, we know his interests and what they are or aren't and we can be his advocate for that. Not to mention he knew. When he was ready, he was READY. Ready for school. Ready for friends. Ready for an environment where he could learn that how Mommy and Daddy do things isn't the only way they can be done. There's lots of different ways out there and we all have to find what works best for us. Now that J is doing second grade language arts as well I'm thinking it would be nice to send Shawners to the same school next year. Though I find myself wondering if keeping him home a little longer will give him as strong a foothold as Justinbustin had and give myself a guilt trip a tiny bit for wanting to send him off so soon. We do have this year though. He turned five in November, and he is home this year. Funny how it flies by so fast.

Listening to





Jill Phillips
Nobody's Got It All Together

Texas Weather & January Christmas

It was snowing and 28F degrees on Tuesday and 69F degrees today with a beautifully clear blue sky. That's what we call Texas. We had a late Christmas after church with the my sister's family and were showered with sweet and so very thoughtful Christmas presents in a corner of a little coffeehouse in town. The boys gave sweet and thoughtful gifts of their own they'd picked and wrapped themselves. Christmas in January is perfect. The little coffeehouse we ate had a private room with five comfy chairs, a table, and a few lamps. It was perfect. We had our own little party going there and the employees got in on it. Shawners gave my nephew a gift and my nephew tells him I need a hug and one of the employees walks by and says, "Me too." Brando gave him a hug. Before we left they handed us a stack of free coffee certificates. On the drive home we stopped by this gorgeous restaurant we love to eat just to get pictures of us on the lake in the beautifully clear weather.Goofy Brandon

Sunny Day

This evening.

Cozy Little Community

This morning I woke up realizing how lucky I am being in a gorgeous apartment with 9 ft. high crown moulded ceilings, closets four times as big as my walk in closet when I was growing up, a laundry room with plenty of room beyond the washer and dryer, an island in my kitchen which I've always wanted, as well as a beautiful tiled back splash, a serene porch "verandah" with a three foot high rock wall and a gorgeous tree covered arroyo for our view with priceless orange and pink and gold sunsets. In addition to all that, two of my bestest friends and baby girl live right next door, my brother-in-law and children's uncle lives right next door on the other side.

Reminiscing

Perusing through pictures I came upon this one:
This was at the Santa Cruz County Fair just before we left Santa Cruz in 2005. It was a pig race with the cutest pigs ever. They needed a volunteer and Brando's Mom, Oma, told Justinbustin to raise his hand and jump up and down. He jumped up and down and up and down for at least five minutes while the guy walked around the entire circle to pick a volunteer from each section. He got to Justinbustin and said there is no way I can't pick you with all your determination. It was the sweetest most heartfelt thing I've ever seen. He was SO happy to get our section to cheer for his piggy!

Perspective

You can't change your attitude but if you change your perspective the attitude follows. This thought occured to me a few days ago when mulling over the fact I hated when my parents would say, "Change your attitude." "Have a good attitude." Well, excuuuse me, how the he.. do you do that?

Now I find myself saying that to my kids and hating it just as much. So now Brando and I have been teaching them HOW to have a different perspective. Brando rocks that avenue and I'm trying to learn from what he teaches them. Mine is usually an opposite of the negative rather than a whole new view so I'm a little rusty, but a little polishing and we'll be good.

Shawner's Cali babysitter took this picture.

Fanciful

Thanks to London Southern Belle I just found the sweetest website, Inside the Black Apple. Her prints are so creative and thoughtful with as much heart poured into them as possible. Amanda is herself engrossed with all things adorable as well. While I appreciate all things adorable I would not be able to pour out of my soul the adorableness they create, though I would absolutely love to. The Black Apple reminds me so very much of my niece, cute short dark hair, striking features and eyes that have a story to tell, whose poor soul has been tortured by people around her who don't appreciate the dark cuteness that bubbles to the surface. I look forward to her creating similar sorts of creations that I can treasure and keep as part of her in my house twenty four too many hundred miles away.

From The Black Apple Shop. Shawner's favorite and one of mine.

Winter Wonderland

It SNOWed in TEXAS for four hours! We made snowballs, snowmen and women, had snow fights, drank hot cider and stayed in our pajamas and coats and scarves all day. L next door made her first snowman and we made a snow lady. Baby K got to see her first snow and the boys got to see their second. The boys have been wishing it would snow since we got here and they got their wish. The first time we moved to Texas it snowed the second winter we were here and this time we moved to Texas it snowed the second winter as well. I think it's a sign from God. Not sure if it means we're supposed to be here or we're supposed to move where it snows someday. teehee

I LOVEd this day enjoying the snow and playing with the boys all day long!

Princess Brownie got in on the fun too!Snow Family

Brrrr

It is freezing and raining outside. We've been watching the temparature drop all day from 39F to 34F where it is right now. When the wind blows there's a windchill of 28F. Tomorrow it's supposed to freeze and everything shut down tonight. Time for scarves, wool coats, fur edged gloves, and my cute new cable knit bag. Love it!

We had the BEST small group tonight. Brando and I are the curriculum coordinators for our Sunday school class and us along with the curriculum team have lined up an awesome lineup for this year's curriculum. God really has done it all - we've asked the questions and scheduled as available. He's worked it perfectly. As a small group we've decided to delve into what we're studying Sunday mornings instead of going off on our own tangent which I'm so excited about. It seems to unite our group having a common thread to start with.

The speaker who spoke in Sunday morning class today spoke on The Five Love Languages and tied it to the Bible which is a perspective I hadn't heard before. He said something interesting, "All truth is God's truth." which I can understand. I read that book and knew it resounded true but didn't know where it was backed up in the Bible. He showed how the story of the Good Samaritan demonstrated all five love languages. I loved that. More than three people came up to me to tell me how excited they are about the curriculum coming up - it gives them a reason to actually want to come to class. I couldn't agree more for ourselves and am so excited others feel the same! It's nice to be really fed spiritually and feel like you're taking in something you can use.

I Want a New Passion

Cooking, decorating, drawing, figuring out how I want my hair, my clothes, my makeup and how to do that, teaching my kids, finding my niche socially with being young and having older kids, scrapbooking, blogging, sewing. I love being the renaissance woman so I want to find a new passion. I've considered painting but I don't want to spend the money on the supplies and I can just see a Curious George like room with my kiddos romping around. What do you think I should try?

My Ideal Life

If I had to choose it would be something like this, completely steeped in family life in the rolling hills of a beautiful country or this, experiencing the world and something completely out of my realm and reveling in every second.

For now my ideal life will do. We are us. A family. Brando has been making such an effort with our relationship lately, taking me on walks, really listening to me or at least making me feel like I can blabber on and not be completely ignored hehe, taking me on dates, and being there. We've gone out as a family as well. I am so deliriously happy with where we are at right now that I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Friends of ours are moving to France in the coming year. It is so much fun talking with them about the logistics of doing the actual move. It makes it seem possible to move and live abroad and not just a "if only..." dream. I would LOVE to live abroad one day. I'd also love to live in the snow. I once thought that would have to be in the form of a visit without the kids or reality when they grow up, but I'm beginning to think maybe not...

Argh

SO pmsing today at EVERYthing. This dog is eating POOP people. Am I not feeding her enough? Never mind the eating she's actually pooping in my HOUSE and she's getting over the runs. Ugh. The good dog? I'm not sure what happened to her. Maybe she *poof*ed. She's pooping and peeing NEXT to the puppy pad. No, no, not on it. That would be too easy. Grrrr. Could this paragraph have any more frustrated growling sounds?!

Not to mention my internet hasn't worked all day. I thought I was hardwired turns out hubby had set up the wireless AGAIN with the new wireless router that I keep telling him is NOT working. Agh!!

At least the kids are being fabulous, Justinbustin and I got school completely done today and had a blast doing it, I've had ten cookies - maybe that's part of the problem though, and the kids are hilariously copying Ice Age 2's The Meltdown's Sid dance where he makes all the little sloth things dance strangely, and I know I'm supposed to start tomorrow so at least I don't feel like I'm a raging bi-otch though I am totally being one.

Family Days

We went to Zilker Park today in downtown Austin and it was cooold which we had come completely unprepared for. I ended up using Brando's sweatshirt and my jacket because I'm cold blooded. Justinbustin was the only one of us completely prepared with four shirts on. Yes. Four shirts. That's my Justinbustin. He was so sweet and gave one to Shawners - that's our Justinbustin too, so now Shawners was warm enough, I was warm enough, Justinbustin was warm enough, and Brando suffered, because, well, he's Brando and he does that sort of thing. I did rub his arms to keep him warm though! We took Brownie, the pups, and leash trained her a little more. The boys ran on ahead and we walked arm in arm with the puppy by our side, and talked. It was such a great family time. After our walk we climbed rocks and then as we headed to the car Shawners says, "I'm the oneth, Daddy you're the twoth, Mommy you're the threeth, and Justinbustin you're the fourth." We can't even remember what it was about but it was so cute it had to be blogged.

xoxo

Shawners: Do you know why I always give you hugs?

Mommy: Because you love me.

Shawners: Because I love you and you are the beautifulest and the sweetest in the whole wide world.

Just Kidding

I just told Allison the other day I've been really good at blogging and now look at me. I've been wrapped in a little cocoon bubble of peace for the last few days. I've hardly seen Brando at all this last year as he has been starting his business (note to self: need to note how hard starting a business is for future and for others who are starting their own) and we've adjusted to a completely new schedule of work, work, work. Oh there's time for play? Good! Nope, just kidding, it's work time. Yeah, lots of that. These last three days have been bliss, he has come home and asked me to take a walk with him and we've walked and talked, along with little Princess Brownie who has become more of a chew Brownie, no more than before it's just getting old. He's asked me to go on a walk for three nights in a ROW. That's got to be a record somewhere. Then yesterday the four of us walked up to the business center at the front of our apartments in the breezy, gorgeous 80 degree weather that it was. These are the moments I want to remember about starting a business, not all the busyness, hardship, and money stress mixed in between, but rest assured it. is. there.

Austin

The Little Things

You know the nice thing about blogging? The little things matter here. They're the little things that make up the whole but it's usually those that are forgotten when the whole stares me in the face every day. Here it all gets to be spilled out with no inhibitions, every nook and cranny covered with dust and cobwebs from lack of being spoke of, every experience too redundant to rehash in person yet becomes a beautiful memory when written down. When the whole smacks me upside the face that gets to be written too. But for the moment that gets to take a back burner, and the little things? They get to have the front seat.

We Don't Have The Money

So many times I say that and I wonder what I really mean. When I want to get my nails done, or I want to order pizza on New Year's Day or I stop by the grocery store to get beer and ice cream I have the money. When I need to buy Christmas gifts, or I need to buy a gift, or I want to do something extra special for a friend I don't have the money. Unless I feel like I have the money to go all out for that person I won't do anything. All out meaning more than I would do for myself. Ice cream and beer cuts the mustard for me. It would be a homemade strawberry souffle dessert or a birthday cake from the grocery store and a bottle of champagne and some red wine for somebody else. It would be a french manicure on my nails and a color on my toes to save the three dollars for me, for somebody else I would make sure it was a french manicure on both and include a substantial tip. So instead of doing the ice cream and the beer or the french nails and the color on the toes or heck just the french nails like I do for myself sometimes, I end up saying I don't have the money to.