So today was the first day Alex actually saw the big grey monster. I figured he would be scared of it but, NOPE! Just the opposite. Absolutely loves it. Can't keep him away from it. Just thought it was funny.

Girls night and Greenville parade

So I can imagine that the first part of that title will make a few gals nervous. No worries. I only got in a few shots with my camera before I put it up. (Now Leigha's camera, you may need to worry about!)

We'll start with the St. Patty's Day block party on Greenville on Sat. afternoon. We typically go every year but Allen and I had to skip last year because I was pregnant. (Didn't want to be that girl..) But showed up in full force this year. In attendance was: (that you might now from our crowd)

Allen and I
Amanda and Jason
Chris and Stacy (and it was her birthday weekend!)
John and Rach
We also ran into Woody, Hunter, Tamera and Timothy!

First thing on our minds was lunch. We tried everywhere, but it was all packed. Cafe Brazil was the only establishment that did not allow alcohol and was suspiciously empty. We took that opportunity to get some food in our tummy. I had a Ninja sandwich. It was great.

Then, let the fun begin. We wandered back and forth in the crowd, mainly to buy beer and people watch. There was also never a dull moment when someone needed a potty break, since the mass quantities of portable stalls always lend a hand in good jokes. Never a dull moment.

After quite a few beers and walking, we left. Only to go back to the car and realize my battery was dead. I could not believe the cops looked Stacy right in the face and said he did not have jumper cables. LIAR! Either way, we found some jumper cables and got the car started. A quick trip to bennigan's for a Monte Cristo Sandi and we were done. Almost all of us (ahem. ahem. Amanda) had a kiddo to go pick up.

So below are some shots from the day.

The party people...


Look who we found!

I could not help it. The costumes combined with the shirts made me laugh. No clue who these guys were but they sure were funny.

Allen showing his St. Patrick's day flare. (Notice the green hair)

ANNNNND, my car won't start. Allen likes to blame this on me. I like to blame it on him. All is fair in love and war. Unless you write the blog and then you get to say whose fault it is. Entirely Allen's I promise.

So now I start in on girls night. Not much to say except it was fun! I think we should do it every year. Although, it did take me a full week to recuperate. Honestly, it wore me out. Thanks Sheila for having us.

Two of my best gals at Ozona for drinks and anything fried and crispy. MMMMM.

Phyllis and Christine, ALL smiles!

The group -2. Alynn and Sheila were away goofing off somewhere.

Sorry Leigha. I had to do it to you. For some reason I could not sleep. All the other girls were OUT! So, being the person I am, I took photos. But it was so cute!

Thanks for checking in.

P.S. Alex took his first steps last week, so I am poised and ready with the video to get a good shot of him in action. Stay tuned.

Well if the toys can go in there........

I turned my head for two seconds while Alex was playing..........
Apparently, if the toys are in the toy box, that is the best place to be. (obviously)

A Rant

I hate to say this but, women truly are oblivious to anything going on further out than 1 foot in diameter around them.

Ladies, when walking in groups in crowded places, say the mall or the underground hallways at work, politely step aside while the four of you decide which place you would like to go to eat. DO NOT, as you always collectively do, stand in the most narrow point of a hallway, door, or opening that you can find, start talking about lunch, get distracted and start talking about how you expect Valentine's day to go, and stand there completely unaware that you are truly blocking what would be a good two way flow of traffic in a most inconvenient place to all except yourselves.

Also, whilst driving. DO NOT get in the left lane on the highway and go 60. I promise you that you are actually putting yourself in more danger than if you traveled, oh, say, at least the actual speed limit. Also, please don't sit at red lights re-applying lipstick and gazing at yourself long enough to actually cause yourself (and a few irate others) to miss half of the green light. In addition, if I am cruising at a decent rate of speed with a HUUUUUUGGE gap in traffic behind me, DON'T pull out and make a turn right in front of me only to travel at half the rate of speed I was. YOU. ARE. AN. IDIOT.

Now, ladies, if you see a pair of shoes that are just amazing and fit so well and look so good that you just have to get them, then go ahead, splurge. However, one good rule of thumb is: they may look so wonderful off of a foot, but when you put them on you are actually physically, literally, and obviously struggling to walk properly, it completely negates how good the actual shoe looks and makes you look, well, again , like an idiot. I am not saying I have never done this. Every woman has! However, I am not yet 30 years old and have picked up on this most obvious rule simply through a keen sense of observation, without one person having advised me on this fact. I will go ahead and say any woman who has a job that requires decent shoes, should know and have adopted this rule within one year of employment. If you haven't figured it out by then, then you are the gal I'm talkin' to. Get with it. Stumbling and awkward stride is not sexy.

Lastly, I would just like to say, if you are in any place where a shopping cart is necessary, please, PLEASE, pay attention to the damn thing. If you are walking down and isle and spot something you might need or want, DO NOT take your hands off your cart and leave it right there in the very spot where your eyes fell upon this object of potential desire. Take two seconds, move the cart to the side, and then go. In fact, let's just go one step further and say, move your cart aside and look both ways before crossing the traffic you ARE going to run into. This goes a long with my "walk forward, look forward" rule. But that is anther topic entirely.

This concludes my rant this even......WAIT!

Sorry, one more.

PLEEEEEASE pay attention to the cars you park next to. No one wants a door ding. NO ONE! And you know what? I get it. I've done the whole "this car seat is heavy and awkward to carry and there isn't much space here and I am very tired and frustrated and there is some jerk waiting for my spot looking annoyed that I am taking so long so now I am in a hurry too" thing. It doesn't make door dings OK. Nothing does. Watch yourself. Watch your kids. Only you can prevent door dings.

I think I really am done this time.

Yeah.

I am.

All of these aweseom observations came from 1 single trip to Super Target today. Isn't that amazing? It just goes to show, the best way to learn is through experience.

Good night.

A visit from Alex and Laura

I know. I couldn't really think of a better title than that. I must be losing my sarcastic edge.

Anywho.

Alex and Laura came to come visit and one of the coolest things about Alex coming to visit is that it means he brings his super bad ass awesomely fast but hugely over sized camera with him. I love this camera. Takes great photos and the shutter speed is very quick.

Laura is due in May and moving along. She was eager to take advantage of the shopping here in Dallas because, as she kept saying all week, "They just don't have this stuff over there." We hit the motherland, Babies R' Us, where she got quite a few useful things, and did some shopping at Northpark. We also had a baby shower for them while they were here. It was a couples shower so a large attendance and lots of fun.

So! I provide large quantities of current pics of Big Alex and Little Alex and Laura. What else are you going to do with your brother and one super bad ass awesomely fast but hugely over sized camera?

Right about the same I think right?

Laura and I under.........those things I made.


The boys sucking beer out of baby bottles. Allen won and I coudn't pretend that didn't concern me. He won by quite a bit. Hmm...

Laura and Little Alex

All smiles, all the time

Except for when we are growling at you. No smiles then.

I love ducks.

Ducks. Ducks. Ducks.

Big and Little Alex

Man do we like to play rough. Really rough.

It's our favorite.

Jack Boy

Most of you have met our Doberman, Jack. We call him Jack Boy. He looooves to sit anywhere near anyone. Allen and I have always found this rather annoying since he is SO LARGE! I guess Allen and I knew this was funny, but I never realized how funny until I showed these pictures to a few girlfriends at work. Jack has done this for almost a year now and I just now took pictures of it. The gals at work thought it was the funniest (and strangest) thing ever.

But when I say Jack likes to sit near you, I mean near. He has developed a way of sitting on the couch that gets him as close to you as possible. He sits like we sit. Bottom on the seat, feet on the floor. Now he does it even when we aren't sitting on the couch.

Besides calling him Jack Boy, his other nick name around the house is "Big Dumb Dummy". Every year that nick name becomes more and more fitting.

So here you go, Jack, sitting on the couch, just hangin' out......

9 MONTHS OLD!

Alex turned 9 months old yesterday. I just can't believe it. I was updating his baby book and thought I would post some of my favorite photos to the site.

I can stand up now and I am never laying down when Mommy comes to get me out of the crib
Hey Mommy!

Every time I look at this it makes me laugh. he is so unaware that his face is smashed, Coincidentally, I had a doberman that used to do this at the back door. Alex loves his playpen.

My new friend Riley. (Smiley Riley) Riley was born in the same hospital as Alex just 1 1/2 days prior. Her Momma was in my birthing class.

It impossible to catch a candid photo of Riley's face! Riley sees that light comes on and turns to pose.

Another bath tub photo because damnit, they are cute.