My Cute Family

2011 has been a year of ups and downs. The last few months have been particularly challenging and I've been in denial about Christmas up until last week. Things are looking up though, and 2012 has a lot of promise. Through it all I am ever grateful for a beautiful, healthy, happy family.
Alexis is 5 this year, and doing so great. She has really taken to Kindergarten and loves school. She has perfect attendance so far this year, and cries when there are holidays. She still loves unicorns more than anything, and spends most of her free time drawing and making books. She is such a wonderful sister too. She watches out for her sister and makes sure she is happy and taken care of.
Brooklynn is 2 and full of spunk. She also LOVES her sister and follows her around the house constantly. Her favorite things this week are her baby, her blanket, and Blue's Clues. We go to the gym several times a week, and she loves that too. She is a child of routine and spends a lot of time putting things in their place or reminding me what's next on the program. She helps her Dad put his shoes away every night when he gets home from work.
Matt will complete his MBA this Spring which may...or may not...bring more change. We're staying flexible and excited about what's ahead. He is busy with work, school, family, and working on his car in the spare time. I'm working nights part time at the hospital and enjoy volunteering with the PTA at Lexi's school, hitting the gym with Brooklynn, and keeping our life in some sort of order.

We've also been lucky to have my sister Rikki with us most of the year. She started a job at the hospital this Fall and will start school in the Spring. It's been awesome having another adult in the house, and my girls love her so much.

So that's us this year. Looking forward to Christmas in LA with the Hall's. (maybe I'll post pictures when we get back???)

Long Overdue-Fishing Trip

As you may have noticed, I've become somewhat of a lame-o blogger. Matt asked me to post these pictures of his fishing trip a couple of months ago. I know I have Halloween, Thanksgiving, and preliminary Christmas pictures sitting on my camera as well, maybe you'll see them by Easter, but don't hold your breath.

Back in October Matt, James, and Casey headed down to Port Aransas for Matt's first guys trip since the infamous 'I'm not scared tour-2003'. Must be a reason he only does this once a decade.

Since I wasn't there, I don't have much commentary here except that it was a beautiful day, lots of stinky fish came home, along with one yummy shark. Lexi still adds her thankfulness for that shark in her daily prayers.

I do know the boys went to a restaurant that prepared and served the shark they caught that day. Very cool! A few weeks after the trip, Matt grilled the rest of the shark at home. It was delicious!

Cruise 2011

For at least a year (maybe longer), I have been obsessed with going on a cruise. I decided I was going to go and begged and pleaded everyone I knew to come with me. Matt had way too much going on with school and work this year, so I knew I'd have to make it a girls trip. Turns out my awesome sister Rikki came to my rescue and wanted to come too. We booked out cruise back in May, and have been anxiously waiting for November!

This past week we jumped on the Carnival Triumph and headed to Progresso & Cozumel Mexico for one of the best trips ever!
We booked the cheapest room there was, which came with bunkbeads. It actually worked out pretty good for the two of us.
At the pier in Galveston.
Relaxing, enjoying the easy life!
The ship had a cool water slide, and lots of deck chairs to lay out.
The food was really great. Lobster and shrimp tasted better than it looks.
Every night we headed to the dining room to eat with our retired friends. It started to amuse Rikki and I that we were always eating with elderly people. They always had great tips on how to cruise right though!
Progresso Mexico was a small fishing village. The town is trying to reinvent itself to be a touristy area, but is still a very small older looking Mexican town.
Another Progresso pier shot, with our super cool ship.
Dzilbilchaltun, our Mayan ruins excursion.
The sink hole at the Mayan Ruins. Rikki and I jumped in with the fish, it was awesome!
This was a summer solstice temple.
Cozumel Mexico, definitely more hustle and bustle than Progresso. I was impressed with how clean it was. We shopped till we almost dropped!
On the pier at Cozumel.
Rikki and her new best friend.
Hot spot for spring breakers, Senor Frogs!
Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.
The beach in Cozumel was gorgeous and so warm!
Lunch, chocolate swans and pepsi light :)
In Cozumel I go this cute cover up. All day Friday we laid out in the sun and I made good use of my swimsuit and the sunshine!
Sipping a Pina Colada and Strawberry Daquiri during a comedy show.

So those are a few of my favorites. I'll post the rest (and you can catch Rikki's too) on Facebook. Definitly a vacation to remember

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my 29th birthday, wahoo! Started the morning with a birthday gift from Matt and Lexi, which was a fancy dress and dangely (as Lexi described it) necklace.

Later that night, a limo showed up!
Matt looking good in the limo!
The limo showed up a few minutes before Rikki got home from work, so we took the girls for a spin while we waited for her.
Heading over to Sonic for a fancy drink. Too much fun!

Alexis did her best to get a picture of us.

We headed downtown to a restaurant called Eddy V's. The food was delicious, the atmosphere delightful, and the live music entertaining. Matt and I had a great time being together and enjoying the high life. When we sat down, they gave me a birthday card signed by all of their staff. And finished the night with a heavenly desert.

After dinner we strolled downtown Austin and got a picture with the local art.

All in all, an off the charts birthday. Thanks to my totally amazing and awesome husband, and super cool sister for watching my girls and letting us enjoy the evening.

I know, I know

So if there are grandparents who want to see pictures of my kids, check out:

THIS

I'll post something before Christmas...

Brooklynn had a birthday, shout horray!

Blowing out the candles.
Going all in with a spoon and her hands.
Happy girls all around.
Thanks to the Barlow's for helping us celebrate!
Cute outfit from Grammi and Papa!
Although Grammi sent this for Brooklynn, Lexi seems to be having more fun with it. I'm sure lots of birthdays will go this way for the both of them.
More present fun!
Baby Stella enjoying the festivities.
Brooklynn loves her babies, so JoMama sent a stroller. It's been a big hit!
Round and round the house they went.

July Outings

July 10th, Happy 5th birthday to Lexi! She woke up to a room full of balloons and a new princess bike. What more could a girl ask for?
Dad helped make her birthday cake. She requested a strawberry cake with strawberry icing, and strawberries on top, Dad made all her wishes come true.
Tasted as good as it looks!
Lexi's birthday was on a Sunday this year, so we headed off to church. She wore this princess crown the whole day, and most days since. On a side note, Matt brought these matching dresses for the girls from Vietnam, they've been a hit.
Alexis had her birthday party at Chuck-E-Cheese this year. I highly recommend it as a party spot. Definitely worth the money to show up and have the whole party taken care of, and everyone had a blast.
With a July birthday she has a hard time tracking down friends in town. Luckily for us Gwen & Harry, and Bradley & Sammy were around. We missed our Williard and Evans friends, among other school friends we've lost connection with. We'll have to work on that in years to come.
Pizza and cupcakes all around!
Dad even showed up for a little bit of Chuck-E-Cheese birthday fun.
Mom and the birthday girl.
Lexi got to keep as many tickets as she could grap out of the air, that was a good time.
Lexi referred to this life sized Chuck-E balloon as 'her man' and danced with him for days until he deflated.
The city of Austin does a free concert series called Blues on the Green. There are about 10,000 people packed into Zilker park, which provides a fairly intimidating traffic scene, but a great time if you're willing to brave it.
We met up with some of Matt's work friends, it was a fun group! The blur in the back is Alexis covering up our friend Myranda's head. Can't get that girl to hold still to save her life...or take a picture.
What could have been a nice family picture...
Even if she can't pose, Lexi did a pretty good job of taking our picture.

July has been a hot month, with lots of trips to the pool. We've been enjoying every minute though!