New Year = haircuts & exercise?

Happy New Year Y'all! Hope y'all had fun ringing in the New Year. Stephen spent it at the airport working. And the kids and I spent it at home with a mellow night - I gave the kids haircuts and a bubble bath. Then after I put them to bed I popped in my Redbox movie Julie & Julia. But I fell asleep on the couch at 11:50pm! I woke at 12:10am - missed the countdown at midnight! O'well. Good news, my mom was released from the hospital on New Year's Day. She's getting better as each day passes and resting a whole lot better at home.

James and Madeline on New Year's Day. I used Stephen's new Christmas clippers to give James a haircut. All looks good except I messed up around his ears. Oops! For Madeline I cut about 3" off, she wanted her hair shorter again like she had it last summer.

James wearing his hand me down hat from cousin Alex.

I think this hair length suits Madeline. :)

So anyone make a New Year's resolution to exercise better? I know I did, still procrastinating. But James and Penny Lane are getting their exercise in! For the first time yesterday we took Penny to the Norwood Estate Dog Park near downtown Austin. She LOVED it! Never seen her run so hard and for so long. She had slobber dripping from her lips! James had a ball too chasing all the dogs in the park.

There was definitely dogs in all shapes and sizes there including this humongous Great Dane. It's bark was so deep!

But it's size didn't intimidate Penny, she had fun running around with it and playing with this pack of dogs.

Beyond those trees you can see the river and the downtown Austin skyline. Madeline loved petting all the doggies.

Yes, that's Penny chasing after a Doberman.

All the dogs were going crazy after these tree jumping squirrels. We had a great time at the Dog Park. Definitely will be going back again so Penny and the kids can burn off some energy.

What do you think?

Yesterday evening before stopping at our mailbox the kids, Penny Lane and I stopped by our neighborhood park. Penny looks so grown up in this pic don't you think?

Jimmy-James showing his team spirit!
He loves the playscape at our park.

Our little model, Madeline.

Behind the basketball and volleyball courts there's this small ditch near the fence that the kids love to run up and down on.

Penny girl watching the kids.

We received an awesome package in the mail! On the last Sunday of September before James' birthday party I hosted a Premier Designs Jewelry party (like a candle or Tupperware party). My friend Jimmena came, as well as my new next door neighbor Kristen and her best friend. My cousin Pamela just started in this business and drove out from Houston to do a show at my house. They have a lot of pretty, affordable jewelry. And since I was the host I received $25 in free jewelry for hosting on my original date, and $25 in free jewelry for getting orders before my party. Plus an additional $90 in free jewelry from the percentage of the total cost of jewelry purchases made from my party. Ya can you believe it, I had no idea I'd be receiving all this free stuff! I also was able to purchase 4 items at 50% off. So above is all the jewelry I picked out. The top 3: heart, pearl and cross earrings I got for Madeline. I really like the long dangle earrings that are in right now so I got 4 pair, plus a necklace and a bracelet.

I sort of want to sport my new jewelry with a new haircut. I found this hairstyle and I think I'm going to do it! What do you think? My hair has gotten longer again, but it's so thick it gets weighed down and then I feel like my face looks fatter. So I want to go shorter again. Hopefully soon I can post a new pic of myself with a new haircut and new jewelry!

Brag Post

So our kids always get complimented on their beautiful eyes and super long eyelashes. Madeline's even curl up naturally. And James has the longest eyelashes I've ever seen on a boy! Well today James actually fell asleep on me for his afternoon nap, so Stephen snapped away some photos of us and close ups of him. Good thing, because of ALL the photos I take, I always forget to take sleeping ones of our kids!

Here's Madeline tonight. With ketchup on her nose from dinner and all! LOL Poor girl will definitely need to use tweezers and wax her eyebrows like me when she's older, but at least she won't need mascara or an eye lash curler!


And here is "pretty boy James" napping this afternoon. Can you believe how long his lashes are!? Comparing the photo with Madeline, he will definitely have lighter hair color than her.


So after James woke up from his nap this afternoon, we decided to give him a haircut. Stephen and I prefer and like "clean cut boy haircuts"...so his girly curls started growing in above his ears, and his hair was getting long up top and in the back. He did well while I used the shaver. And then I used the scissors for up top. Came out pretty good, not perfect, but good.

James after his haircut and a bath!


And here's silly Madeline before dance class this evening!

Day 13...San Marcos River

So today was the first day off Stephen had after working 12 straight days (10-12 hour shifts). Thank you everyone who has been praying for him on this promotion at work and checking in for updates. His boss has had several meetings with him, complimenting him on his efforts and hard work, implying that he's really been proving himself...and he even just gave Stephen the new duty of taking over the CSR (Counter Service Rep) Dept. This is a good sign as ultimately the Level 2 Manager position Stephen is gunning for oversees this dept. He thinks this is the last straw his boss needs to see if he can handle this. Stephen's very confident, focused and dedicated right now. He has a really good feeling that he could get this promotion. Although last night he got wind from a visiting San Antonio manager that his brother who is a Level 2 in Louisiana was approached about this position in Austin (we think by Stephen's boss' boss). That was a downer to hear, as this guy has more experience than Stephen. But Stephen's boss did say that he was looking to fill this position from within the location and it would be between Stephen and 2 other level 1 managers. So keep PRAYING. Pray for God to continue giving Stephen the endurance he needs to get through this proving time. Pray that God helps Stephen say the right things to his boss (he has a meeting with him tomorrow, go figure on his day off).

So late this afternoon we decided to venture out and check out the San Marcos River (about 15 minutes South from our house). After all it was 4 in the afternoon and in the 90's outside! We found a great recreational park right on the river. It was so much fun! About a mile up from where we were there's a Tube Rental place that you can get tubes at, float down river for 1-1.5 hours, and then be bused back to your car all for $7! We want to try it next time we have visitors...who wants to go!?

James checking out the rocks in the park.


Daddy and Maddy swimming in the river!


They had small cascading waterfalls here where people in tubes and kayaks went down, even swimmers!


My beautiful Ohana. :-) (P.S. Stephen made me promise to crop his pepperoni nipple out of this picture LOL!)


Madeline dipping her toes!


Back in the water again...isn't my husband absolutely gorgeous!?


Me and my boy...a stranger offered to take the photo.


James loves being thrown up in the air (notice the tubers in the water passing by).


After the river we got an appetizer at SaltGrass. Kids on top the Ford Edge (Stephen's been bringing this car home a lot, I really like it - sorry I didn't get a better shot of the car).

And if I didn't already post enough photos on this post...I just got my haircut again!

Here's the before (excuse how awful I look with no makeup and desperately needing my eyebrows waxed!)


And this is after! :-) Got about 3 inches cut off the back with an a-line cut to the front with longer layers. How does it look?