people + things I love

Blonde!

2010-03-10T08:24:00.004-07:00

Well, I took the plunge and I'm never going back.

I suppose I'm a blonde at heart, eh? :)

Privacy Please - Joining the Band Wagon

2010-02-25T12:58:00.003-07:00

I'm making our blog private. Sorry - I know it is annoying. I'm just concerned over the amount of personal information that EVERYONE has access to. If you'd like to continue reading, please leave your email address. Thanks!

Oh yeah and...
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE KEPT PRIVATE. IT WILL SHOW UP IN A COMMENT THAT I WILL NOT PUBLISH (ONLY I CAN SEE IT).

Thankful

2010-02-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

I love this little girl so much that it makes my heart hurt.

I thank God every day that she came into my life. Everything is different. Everything is better.

Grandpa!

2010-02-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

Yeah, you could say they're buds.

Sophie thinks her Grandpa Archie is the coolest.

And who could blame her?

My Valentine

2010-02-22T22:41:00.001-07:00

For Valentine's Day, Chase made me the most delicious dinner. Boy oh Boy, can that boy cook!

-Chase-
Thank you so much for making that day special. You really are a romantic at heart.
I'm glad I have you as my life-long valentine! :) Love you!

Sophia's 1st Birthday Party

2010-02-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Thank you to ...
Archie, Donna, Jess, Paul, Ella (Sophie's best friend), Therese, Chris, Kelton, Grandma Rosie, & Great Grandma Nita! We had such a wonderful time! We are blessed to have the best of family and friends. We love you!

What in the name of....?

2010-02-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sophie just ripped off her diaper and pooped on the floor. Seriously?

1st Year Photo Shoot

2010-02-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here are the ones I ended up ordering!

-Koppi Write Photography in the Woodlands-

-Cake Smash-

Oh No!

2010-02-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

I just accidently deleted all the comments instead of publishing them! Deep, guttural UGHHHHH! I don't even know who left the comments or what they said. I am idiot. So, if you come here and you don't see your comment, I promise it was an accident. And I'm sad about it. BIG TIME.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

2010-02-09T23:48:00.003-07:00

It's funny, fantastic, horrible, and tragic all the same time; a narrative laced with the blood and broken dreams of a brutal regime. I couldn't put it down. One of the best books I've ever read. I identified a little too much with the nerdy Oscar. Poor, pathetic, sentimental Oscar. If you don't fall in love with him by the end of the book, you have no heart. I can't believe how much I learned about the history of the Dominican Republic. When I wasn't reading the book, I was reading everything I could get my hands on pertaining to the D.R's history. Junot Diaz knows how to tell a story, let me tell you! And we're blessed, so blessed to live in a country where we can choose life and love without being afraid. I forget that more than I remember it.

The passage that moved me to tears: (Said by Lola, Oscar's sister, at the very end)

"Ten million Trujillos is all we are."

Lucy Gayheart

2010-02-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

I just finished Lucy Gayheart by Willa Cather. I loved it! I love anything by Willa Cather though. I love the way she describes the landscape and how she brings so much depth to the characters. She really helps you understand them in a way that one can only wish to be understood.

My favorite passage: (Said by an old matriarch whose husband had founded Lucy's small town)

"Make it as many as you can, Lucy. Nothing really matters but living. Get all you can out of it. I'm an old woman, and I know. Accomplishments are the ornaments of life, they come second. Sometimes people disappoint us, and sometimes we disappoint ourselves; but the thing is, to go right on living. You've hardly begun yet. Don't let a backward spring discourage you. There's a long summer before you, and everything rights itself in time."

1st Birthday Smash Cake Sneak Peek!

2010-02-05T20:40:00.002-07:00

Koppi Write Photography (The Woodlands, Texas) just gave me a teaser for the photography session we had yesterday. I can't wait to see the rest!

And yes, Sophie's first birthday is this month. Where does the time go?!

Mrs. Dalloway

2010-02-05T10:37:00.004-07:00

I just finished it. Finally. I've started this book at least 5 times and today I finished it. Finally.

This is my favorite passage:

"In people's eyes, in the swing, tramp, and trudge; in the bellow and the uproar; the carriages, motor cars, omnibuses, vans, sandwich men shuffling and swinging; brass bands; barrel organs; in the triumph and the jingle and the strange high singing of some aeroplane overhead was what she loved; life; London; this moment of June."

Doesn't it make you feel like you are there? People used to walk everywhere. I don't walk anywhere. It's no way to live - disconnected from the world. I want to be in the thick of it all. I want to walk more; like Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway.

if

2010-02-05T10:25:00.001-07:00

if i were a month, i'd be september.
if i were a day of the week, i'd be sunday.
if i were a time of day, i'd be late afternoon.
if i were a sea animal, i'd be a jelly fish.
if i were a direction, i'd be west.
if i were a gemstone, i'd be a pearl.
if i were a tree, i'd be an oak.
if i were a tool, i'd be a chisel.
if i were a flower, i'd be a ranunculus.
if i were a kind of weather, i'd be a monsoon.
if i were a musical instrument, i'd be a violin.
if i were a color, i'd be blue.
if i were a fruit, i'd be an apple.
if i were an element, i'd be water.
if i were a food, i'd be fresh garden corn.
if i were a place, i'd be a sandy beach with trees and countryside.
if i were a material, i'd be white cotton.
if i were a scent, i'd be lychee rose.
if i were an object, i'd be a bridge.
if i were a song, i'd be come away with me.

Daddy!

2010-02-02T03:39:00.001-07:00

Thanks for being such a wonderful dad!

My Wordle

2010-01-29T12:40:00.001-07:00

What is a Wordle, you ask?

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text (wordle website). Make one!

The Arm-Powered Bike

2010-01-23T10:25:00.004-07:00

So, I've had a bunch of lower back problems since giving birth and I've finally found something that strengthens my abdominal muscles without putting pressure on my back!

Behold...

THE ARM POWERED BIKE!

(Thanks for letting me use it Donna!)

The problem is that the Mexicans who are working on the house across the street always laugh at me as I go by. You might think that I'm being overly sensitive and that they are probably laughing at something else. Nope. Today, one of the guys pointed at me, said something in Spanish, and then all the other guys looked at me and started laughing! Unbelievable. When I have abs like Gwen Stefani , who will be laughing then, HUH? Yeah, that's what I thought!

Sunshine Days

2010-01-22T16:32:00.003-07:00

Here in Texas, we are enjoying the sunshine!

Sophia - 11 Months Old

2010-01-22T14:34:00.005-07:00

Dear Sophia,
At 11 months old, you are...

So stinking cute...

& walking!

You love being outside.

You have a sweet tooth. I have to watch were I put my chocolate!

Your personality is coming out more and more every day and you are such ham!

-You wave, clap, initiate peek-a-boo, lean in for kisses, & give lots of hugs.

-You are beyond curious about everything!

-You're the ultimate busy body. You have to be completely exhausted or sick to just sit there.

-You like avocados, beans, corn, cheerios, stars, crackers, mac & cheese (thanks a lot Grandpa), apples, & cheese.

-You don't like bananas. What kind of a kid doesn't like bananas?! Seriously?

-You deplore sippy cups. You really have a chip on your shoulder about them.

-You take two naps a day.

-You like swinging on the swings at the park. You always wave to me when I'm pushing your swing. It really kills me. You are so cute!

- You can imitate some basic sounds. When I say, "Say dadada" or "Say yayaya", you do it. You can tell the difference between some consonants.

-You are a chatterbox and you have a tendency to sing your little heart out.

-You've got rhythm. When you dance, you throw your head back and bounce your legs up and down.

-When I get you out of bed, you give me a hug an pat my back. Oh, I really love you!

-You open and close cupboards and drawers. You like to shut doors too.

-Apparently, you like to eat dirt. We learned this today at the park.

-You still really need your binky to feel good about life. I'm getting a little nervous that you might turn into "one of those kids." Oh well! I'm not taking that thing away! :)

-You like to play with other kids. You get super excited when your cousin Ella comes over to play. You think she's the coolest.

-You like texture books the best right now. You like to feel the fuzzy ducks and the glossy snakes.

-You are wearing size 18 month clothes and size 3 diapers.

-You have 8 teeth.

I'm so thankful that I've been able to stay at home with you these past few weeks. I feel like we've really bonded. There isn't any place I'd rather be. We have so much fun together. I love you more than you will ever know.

Love,

Mommy

My Little Bungalow In The Sky

2010-01-21T10:39:00.007-07:00

Lately, I've been dreaming about renting a bungalow in Houston with hardwood floors and little nooks (there are thousands of them here!). In my dream, I always ask myself how I would decorate that perfect little house. I think it would go something like this:

Walking, Clapping, & Waving

2010-01-12T14:27:00.004-07:00

Ladies & Gents,
Behold the 10 month old child genius! :) Hahahahaha

This is for you Mama Lisa & Mama Rosie! We love you!

New Tricks!

2009-12-05T21:31:00.004-07:00

(Please excuse the mess. We're in the middle of moving)

Sophia - 9 Months

2009-12-05T18:10:00.009-07:00

Sophia,

At 9 months old, you are the light of my life! I hope we are always this close. Having you around makes everything better. I can't explain it. It just is.

Here are some of the things you are doing right now:

You are Super Mobile!

-You are my little explorer. Nothing makes you happier than getting into absolutely everything.

-You walk behind your walker (Sometimes pushing it with only one hand!)
-You can crawl really, really fast.

-You love standing up. Using the couch or coffee table to balance yourself, you walk.

-You can open cupboards.

-You can reach for things on your tippy, tippy, tippy toes. I'm continually amazed at how far you can stretch your little body to reach something you want.

You are Happy, Happy, Happy.

-I've never seen such a happy baby. You radiate joy. You smile the days away. I can't believe how lucky I am to have your sunshine in my life continually.

-You have a silly sense of humor too. You crack me up. Last night in the bathtub, you licked the water like a little puppy dog and then smiled at me like you thought that was just hilarious.

-You are obsessed, OBSESSED with the cellphone, laptop, and remote.
-You have two cute little teeth.

-You like teething biscuits, sweet potatoes, and squash

-You nap on your belly with your bum in the air

-You still can't function without your binky nearby. Can we say ADDICT?

-You wear size 12 months clothing

-You are in Size 3 diapers

-You like your bottle, binky, and blanket to be just so before you take your nap.

-You are starting to get cuddly again. I'm so glad! Nothing in the world is better than cuddling with you! You lay your head on my shoulder and wrap your chubby little arms around me. Whenever you do this, I die!

-You are a chatter box. You talk all the time! I have no idea what you are saying, but it sounds very interesting.

I love, love, love you. I'm the luckiest mama in the world to get to be around you every day. I really mean that. Every time I pick you up, I feel thankful and blessed. You're a joy and I'm crazy about you!

Love,

Mama

www.ladiesreport.com

2009-10-26T14:19:00.002-06:00

Hey all (if anyone is even still there)! Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've been working on a website and I'm so excited about it!

www.ladiesreport.com

I'm compiling links to giveaways, coupons, freebies, craigslist finds, articles, & etsy shops.

Check it out and tell me what you think!

Newsflash!

2009-10-11T11:34:00.002-06:00

I went to the Soel Boutique Swap and I got a pair of Seven Jeans for $5! Life is sweet my friends. Just thought I'd share the best news of my life - haha. :)