pics pics and more pics!

Well, I took Sydni and Averi to Rachel for Averi's 1 yr pictures!! I am completely addicted to her shots. They are so beautiful and just POP out at you. I went to Mikabeth Edwards last fall. I loved her pics too but something about Rachel's style I just really like. Plus the fact that she is SO good with the girls. She was so patient and sweet to them...even though they were all over the place! She is pricey but totally worth it. I highly recommend her. You won't regret it.

Here is a link to her blog with a few of the girls' pictures if you didn't get my email yesterday.
http://rayelawphotography.com/blog/

Tubes, Timeouts, and more...

Well, Averi just hasn't been herself the last couple days. When I took her to daycare this morning they mentioned that she has been grumpy there too. So I knew what that meant...dum dum dummmmm...ear infection. I get her an appt at 1040am. And while I appreciate them getting me in that day, I DO NOT appreciate waiting 2 hrs to see the doc. Just TELL me 1240 next time...or at least 12. ugh...anyway, yes, she has an infection and yes, we have to do tubes. So they are going to schedule me an appt with the ENT doc.

When we get ready for bath time Sydni strips down and runs around the house like a banshee. Now, shes normally that hyper anyway but being naked seems to multiply it by 100. I try to get her in the bathtub and usually end up having to threaten a timeout....which the last 2 nights have resulted in her saying..."ok". And plopping down right there for her allotted 3 minutes. Now, WTH would Supernanny do?? So, I go for popsicle. She has been getting a popsicle every night so once I threaten to give her popsicle to Averi she hops directly into the bathtub. Gotta find their currency....

And Averi has been playing peekaboo. It is freaking adorable. Here is a sneak peek of my April pics so you can see her playing.

I am Martha Stewart

So I decided at Sydni's first birthday that I was going to make her cake every year...and kiddos thereafter. Its really fun (although I am not that good at it). Here is my "experience".

Cake #1 - The Rancid Duck (I learned not to use grey shortening)

Cake #2 - Elmo (This one was EASY! And turned out well I think!)

Cake #3 - The Artistic Cinderella (This one was TOUGH!)

I am doing a sunshine for Averi this year. It should be interesting b/c I am turning a flower cake into a sunshine. We will see how it goes.

Another Bday shout out

Its my girl Sara's 30th birthday today!! We have been through a lot in our years. Unfortunately, I don't get to see her very often since she lives in Austin. So I thought I would post some pics from our glory days. LOVE YA GIRL! Hope you have a wonderful day. Check out the new slideshow...

I tagged myself...

from a blog I read...so here ya go.

What I was doing 10 years ago:
1998- hmmm, I had just moved back to Arkansas from Colorado. I was working full time as a front desk clerk at a hotel getting my shit together to get back in school that fall

What I was doing 5 years ago:
2003- Jim and I had just gotten engaged :)

5 favorite snacks:
chips and dip (any kind...I love it all!)
leftovers (ask Jim...I will eat anything!)
Frozen custard (greatest stuff EVER)
cheese and crackers....hard cheese, not that soft kind...BLAH
...this is tough, I don't snack much...ummmm wheat thins?

5 places I want to travel internationally:
Greece
Aruba
Virgin Islands
Paris
Fiji

The next 5 places I want to travel nationally:
NYC
Key West (haven't been since my honeymoon and I want to go BACK)
Las Vegas (of course)
Seattle (never been!)
Minnelapolis (sp?...I must hit that big mall...)

Jobs I have had:
Dental Assistant
Secretary
Hotel Clerk
Programmer
I think thats it...???

Three places I have lived:
Fort Smith, AR
Boulder, CO
Valdosta, GA

the weekend

Well, the weekend went great! We took the girls over to Joel's and they had a great time! Averi showed off her walking skills and Sydni karoked to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" (quite well I might add). I think we need to get her one of those machines for her birthday. I, of course, sang David Allen Coe (just for you, Dad!), and Jim sang a Chicago song. He wanted to do a little Air Supply but had to settle for Chicago.

The big news of the weekend was Averi's top teeth are FINALLY starting to come in! I felt one of them Sunday morning and today I thought I saw the other one poking through. HOORAY! Shes been in much better spirits...if we can just get rid of the cold!

Sunday afternoon I took Averi over to Joel's for some pictures for the upcoming 1 yr birthday. Joel was so good with her and got some PRECIOUS shots so far. He has only posted a few but I am already WAY excited.
http://photos.joelculbersonphotography.com/p256905208/
I can't believe she is going to be a year old soon. I keep thinking of her as my tiny baby. She was so little and so perfect. Of course she is still perfect but not as little :(. Its a good thing though. I can't wait to watch her grow. Its the best.

Random

Today was a pretty good day. Averi slept all night but shes still struggling with the teeth. I can tell. Shes just not herself. This afternoon she would THROW herself on the floor in an all out tantrum..out of NOWHERE. It was the weirdest thing. We are going to Joel's for dinner tomorrow night so I hope shes feeling better by then. I just wish those teeth would come in already so we can move on!! argh...

And do you know people like this...where you are talking to him/her and something comes out of their mouth and you are like...WTH??? Or you hear about something they said about you and you are like DAMN...why would they say something untrue like that? For what purpose? Odd I tell you...sorry if that is a bit random. Just had to get it off my chest...it doesn't really matter. I have an amazing husband that loves me more than any woman ever in the world and I have 2 of the most beautiful children and I have a loving family and awesome friends. (hmmmm maybe thats why the random said it. I would be jealous too! heehee) Who gives a rat what this random has to say? me thats who. haha....I kid I kid...

Oh, and for those that haven't checked out the Charolette Russe store in the mall yet don't bother. I am going to buy up all their clothes anyway. TOO CUTE! And great prices...

Oh, and one more thing....Happy Birthday LeAnn!!!

Mel's 31st

Well, today is my BF (thats right..I said it...did you hear that, Mel?) birthday today!! I posted a slideshow over to the left of some pics throughout our years. We met at work in 2001 and quite frankly I don't know how I made it those previous 24 years without her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY FRIEND!!!!

Teething sucks

So my perfect sweet Averi wasn't so perfect and sweet last night! She had some trouble sleeping Sat night but I just thought it was b/c Danielle put her down and not me. (She is our babysitter and is WONDERFUL) So last night woke up once before we went to bed and I had to rock her a little. Then she got up AGAIN at 4am. UGH...we gave up at 5 and Jim gave her a bottle....although she didn't eat much she did go back to sleep until I woke her at 7am.

So I take the kids to school for the day and Jim and I paint the living room and breakfast area. He was thrilled. haha We had a good time though. Its nice just hanging out the 2 of us...no kids...no TV. We work well together too! We had 2 coats of paint in both rooms by 2pm. Then it took us another couple hours to clean up. I love how it turned out though. Pics are on our site.

Keep your fingers crossed for SOUND SLEEPING for my little one...hell for both of them just in case! I need some rest...

Slideshow

So they have this cool feature on here that does a slideshow as you can see over in the left hand side. I think I am going to post random pics there occasionally. For the first one I have pics from AGES ago...heehee...have fun!

ps...Yes, I was a lard in one of those pictures.

Loud shoes

So Sydni has this obsession with heels...or "loud shoes" as she calls them. She asks me every morning "Are you wearing your loud shoes today, Momma?". She has 2 pair of play heels she wears around but her new faves are these white dress shoes that were passed down from cousin Matilda (which automatically makes them gold to Sydni anyway!). They aren't "real" heels but they do have a little heel on them. The main thing is they are LOUD on the floor. So she can stomp around and thinks shes very big. But the things are way too small for her. They were starting to leave marks on her feet! So the 4 of us set out for new loud shoes for her. We finally found some at Shoe Carnival of all places. I must say that kids shoe sizes are SO weird. Some she wears a 10 others she needs at least a 12. Anyway, shes happy with her new shoes and Mom is happy that her feet won't be torn apart anymore.

While I am on the subject, she also is crazy about this particular red and white striped shirt. I got it for her at the beginning of fall so again it is TOO SMALL. I refuse to let her wear it to school anymore but AS SOON as we get home she pulls it out (even from the dirty clothes...grrr) And she must wear jeans too. This is very important. So you can imagine the sight of her at home....in old ripped jeans, this faded short striped shirt and her loud shoes. She looks so trashy BUT so happy.

Trying this on for size

I decided I wasn't doing a very good job blogging off my homepage. So I thought this would be a better way to do it. Of course, I started one of these blogs right after Averi was born for my "diet blog" and that kind of fell off as well. But I feel more dedicated these days so here goes nothing...

I am not entirely sure what this blog will be about...but probably my life, my husband, and of course my darling girls. I don't make it very far in a conversation without bringing them up.

Schools were closed today because of the terrible storms that went through last night. Sydni didn't notice one bit. I am so glad shes not scared of storms. I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Averi didn't much care either. She was in bed before it hit and barely moved throughout the storm. Bless her heart.

Sydni will do anything to avoid bedtime. She stalls and complains...asks for "2 more minutes!!". She has gotten better, but she knows she has lots of ways to prolong it even after Jim coaxs her to the bathroom to potty and brush her teeth. It is much better than it used to be thank goodness. I can't wait til shes a teenager and I can harass her when she sleeps.

Ok I have much more to write but have to wake the girls from their naps! I am going to be good about this. I promise!