New Friends...and a Possible Love Interest

Well it was a good day!

Let me give you a little background first- Allan and I have been in this awkward stage of really wanting deep friendships in our lives since moving to Texas and in all honesty were getting a bit discouraged. We thought that we had been intentional about reaching out to people, but rarely was that reciprocated. Anyway, in the last few weeks we decided to stick our necks out yet again and it seems to be paying off.

We have joined a couple of small groups at our church and we have met a few people that we think might become friends. We have been invited to dinner this week at one couples house, and today we had our first small group playgroup that only one other couple showed up for (which turned out to be nice so we could really start getting to know them), then we ended the evening having a family over for pizza that we met while making up Claire's gym class (and we really like them!!!).

It was a great day and we are really hopeful that we are beginning some good friendships as a family!

Claire had a great time getting to know her newest buddy James this evening. We saw a whole new side of her as she grabbed his hand and led him around the house. At one point I heard kissing noises around the corner and thought "are you kidding me?" when I went to see what was going on I saw Claire pushing one of her Little People to James' mouth and make kissing noises (it was really cute and I was thankful that Claire wasn't being too forward with her new friend).

Sleepover

We had the privelege of hanging out with three of the coolest kids I know this weekend. My niece, Allie, and nephews, Jack and Cooper spent Saturday night with us while their parents had a little one on one time for Valentine's. We had SO much fun with them. Cooper entertained us while rocking out on the guitar and singing Slow Ride (he may be the most hilarious little boy I know). After Claire and Cooper were in bed Allan and I joined "the big kids" in a little Wii play. We had some friendly competition playing tennis and bowling (poor jack had me on his team and I am terrible at videogames, but we had fun anyway). Allan and Allie beat us to a pulp.

This morning the kids were itching to get outside for a bit so we bundled them up and while Allan and Jack played catch Claire and Cooper chased each other up and down the sidewalk. We looked a little disheveled in our PJs, coats, hats, and whatever shoes we had available (Coop even ended up wearing some pink gloves, because he said his fingers were freezing).

All in all it was a great time. I love how much fun the cousins have when they get together. We are beyond blessed to live so close to some of our family. These three kiddos are pretty darn special!

Lipstick Jungle

I think I have mentioned before that Claire L-O-V-E-S make up, especially lipstick. The other night I gave into her pleading and supervised as she applied her touch of color to her lips, cheeks, forhead, thigh, and arm. Once she tired of primping herself it was on to her next closest victim...daddy. He was such a good sport as she smeared the pretty pink lipstick on his lips and cheek. It was so cute to watch them play together. Claire is so blessed to have a daddy that will just play with his girl no matter what activity she has chosen. He dives right in and gives 100% to getting on her level and making the most of their time together.

Catching Up In Pictures

****Update!!! I KNOW that the pictures don't fit on this template. It is SO frustrating, but it took me all day just to figure out how to do a dang slideshow, I don't have anymore energy to fix it, so I guess you will have to use your imagination on what the right side of the pictures look like and what some of the captions say. Sorry, next time will be better I am sure.

Here are the pictures from the last few weeks. I just went and bought a new cable for my camera and instead of going back and adding pictures to all the posts over the last few weeks I decided to just let you have them in one sitting. There are pictures from just hanging out around the house, Claire's first haircut, my organized pantry, and the playgroup Valentine's Day party. I hope you enjoy!

7 Weird Things

My darling sister Amy tagged anyone who reads her blog to share 7 weird things about themselves and I am taking her challenge and running with it. This will be hard since you all know that I am the farthest thing from weird and really quite the ambassador of coolness (if you know me at all you will know that I am being a bit sarcastic). So without further ado, I present you with my MAGNIFICENT SEVEN...

1. I HATE when tears or hair that has become disconnected from its owner touches me. Quite honestly, Claire's tears are the only ones I can take touching me and I don't even really enjoy those that much.

2. I am unable to properly screw a cap back on a bottle (or anything that require the rescrewing of a cap). I have to really think about what I am doing for the cap to be tightly screwed.

3. I can dislocate my jaw on demand. This is not something I do that often anymore because I have now learned that more than likely one day it will not pop back into place and then I will have to have it broken and wired shut to fix it and that would really stink.

4. The tell tell sign of me having too much to drink is when my nose feels tingly. Let me just say that this is something that RARELY happens now that my life is a bit more on the right track, but it was something that I always found very interesting (and my friends thought was weird).

5. I CANNOT do simple math without counting on my fingers, EVER.

6. Allan thinks that the way I pick parking spots is weird. I (almost) always park on the row that is even with the entrance to the store, even if that means parking twice as far out than one row over.

7. I really don't like words that sound like what they mean (i.e. moist)

Ok, I am following Amy's lead. I tag anyone who is reading my blog. If you are going to participate please leave me a comment so I read about how weird you are too.

Hope You Think It Is Funny Too

Allan and I went on a romantic Valentine's dinner date tonight (sorry that I can't share pictures, still missing the USB cord). Anyway we have this thing when one of us says something randomly funny we will say "quote of the day". Tonight Allan won the award twice...

Quote 1:
He was eating a crab bisque and said "if you tasted as good as this soup I would lick you a lot more". I about spewed water out of my nose it was so funny. I mean who says that?!?!?

I can't share quote 2 with the entire bloggy world, because I don't know or trust you all that much, but it was DANG funny!!! I will say it had something to do with me passing out after having two martinis and him not caring.

You really have to know our humor to get us, but believe me we are funny (at least to each other and that is all that matters right?)

Do It For A Friend

Hello blog buddies,
I am attaching a link to a friends audition to be on the radio in Austin. She needs our support!!! I have attached a little something she sent out and I am asking you to help her get noticed. This would be so cool for her and she really would be great. She is so funny and sweet.


Hi friends and family,
I am sending you a link to my "audition tape," for the JB and Sandy radio show in Austin (94.7). I would love to be the new sidekick, but I realize this is a long shot. So I need your help! I need you to write in anonymously and post comments . . . honest feedback that is not over-the-top, but positive . . . I want it to seem like you are a listener not my friend. I know this is a lot to ask, but I would really appreciate it! And if you have any friends who could help . . . please ask them to do the same. I hope to get enough commentary that they take notice, at the very least!
Thank you so much!
Dawn
http://jobwithjbandsandy.blogspot.com/

Already?

Well the day has come. I am heading over to sign my tiny baby (that is not so tiny and hardly a baby) up for Mother's Day Out. I get a little misty eyed just thinking about dropping her off for her first day of "school", granted it is not going to start for about seven more months. It seems like just yesterday I was cuddling her listening to those sweet baby noises in total awe of the miracle God had blessed Allan and I with. I guess not too much has really changed I am still in awe of her, but we don't cuddle quite as much since she is such a busy bee and her sweet baby noises have turned into loud funny squeals and words which are amazing to me and her daddy.

I guess that I will have these "already?" moments many many more times throughout her life. I am pretty sure that the days just after she was born will always seem like "just yesterday". She will always be my very special baby, even when she is 44.

I mean REALLY?!?!?!

I will be the first to say that I HATE politics! I will not be offering up too many of my opinions as we are trudging through this nasty season of who is the lesser evil to run our country. I honestly think that all (successful) politicians are somewhat slimy, even the "good ones". But I do want to get this off my chest...

REALLY?!?!? Is this someone that we want to lead one of the most powerful countries in the world (the country that I happen to live in)? I mean this woman can't hold it together for a full week at a time. I am all about being in touch with your emotions, but crying every time something does not go your way- come on.

And that is all I have to say about that.

Congrats Hubby!!!

Allan has been pursued by a few people at his job to join their team or switch to their department. He is VERY good at his job. He has been passionate about the airline industry for most of his life and it is paying off now. He interviewed for a new position within his department this week and although they had said that it would be a couple of weeks before they made any decisions he was offered the position (Systems Analyst) this afternoon. He accepted and I am so proud of him!!! The higher ups in his department know they have a good man and do not want to lose him, I think that says a lot. Congratulations Sweet Man, I love you like crazy!!!!

There is a Reason

When I first heard of the whole blogging thing a few years ago I thought there is no way that I would get into it, and I didn't for a long time. I didn't really see the point in setting up a place for people to check in on me and besides I didn't have anything too interesting to share. Obviously I gave into the notion of blogging and I am a bit addicted. I love having a place to get my thoughts out there, to share funny stories about my girl, to let people get to know me on a deeper level, to just be me. I am also somewhat addicted to my family and friend's blogs and some blogs of people that I will never meet (although I feel like I know them). I think that for awhile I kind of read the strangers blog as if it were some form of entertainment, almost like reality TV. Then I started coming across blogs of people that were going through a tragic event, or somthing so life changing that I could never imagine being in their shoes. The more I read about these families, these real people, the more I think that this whole blogging world brings us together for reasons bigger than peeking into the lives of others. There are people out there that need support and prayer in massive quantities and I think that instead of just "thinking" of them or lurking in the shadows of their blogs I need to step up and pray for them on a daily basis. I have decided to challenge you to do the same.

A few good options for you (although I know there are many many more):
- Confessions of a CF Husband
- Grewer Babies
- Levasheff Family
- Life Through My Eyes

Time with the In-Laws

As mentioned before Allan's parents were in town for a few days and we had a really good visit with them. Claire warmed right up to them. I think that I love them more watching my baby girl love them so unconditionally.

Some of the highlights of the trip (in no particular order):
- eating lots of great food
- having a babysitter and going on a double date to dinner and a movie (even though the movie wasn't so great)
- watching Claire light up when her Papa and Mimi walked into the room
- walking around in the beautiful spring like weather at Southlake
- Claire getting her first flowers from her Papa
- Organizing my pantry with Gig (it is fantastic!!! I love organization but I am terrible at it on my own. It was SO nice to have someone take the reins and get the job done)
- Watching the Super Bowl with Gig showing more enthusiasm than anyone else in the room (it was hilarious FYI)
- Having Claire's 18 month pictures taken at our house with Gig there to hop in a couple of them and help find the perfect props

There were so many more little moments that were sweet. We are so blessed to have Allan and Gig in our lives. I am so thrilled that Claire has such amazing grandparents that love her so deeply and that will take the time to come and spend some quality one on one time with her. I don't think they will be out for another six months and we will miss seeing them here. Thankfully we have a few more trips set up to go and spend time with them.

FRUSTRATING!!!!

I have a few posts that I have been waiting on until I download the pictures off of my camera. Last night I finally had the time to sit down with the computer and the camera at the same time and what do you know...I cannot find the cord that connects the two. I have searched high and low and still no cord. I think that I have decided to just do my posts without picstures and then when I find my cord (or buy a new one) I will add pictures later- grrrrrrr.

Number 14 is on the way!!!

That is right folks, I am proud to announce that there is another bun in the oven in my family. Sara and Beau told us this weekend that they are expecting baby number two. She is due at the beginning of October. I am SO excited for them!!! They are already such fantastic parents to their little Asher and I know that this baby will be just as blessed to have them as his/her parents.

So that brings my niece/nephew count to 14 (8 that have already made their grand entrance into this world, 3 that have already made their grand entrance into Heaven, and 3 that are still hanging out inside their mommies). I am one blessed aunt and I will be one broke aunt once Christmas rolls around haha.

An Amazing Guy

Happy Birthday Jackson!!!! I love you so much!

Let me tell you a little about this little man in my life. He is my nephew and a fantastic cousin to Claire. He is one of the most sensitive and sincere kiddos I know. He is alomost always willing to help out. He is constantly looking for the good in people or a situation. He seems to thouroughly enjoy life no matter what. I love his passion for life. I love that he is such a great encouager to others. I will watch him play sports and he seems truly thrilled when anyone on his team does well, he does not seek the spotlight (but doesn't shy away from it either). He really is a great cousin and friend to the little ones in our family. He is always trying to find a way to make a sad baby happy, he loves cuddling them, and playing with them. He is a true joy to be around.

I am so thankful that God gave him to our family alomost a decade ago. He truly is one of my favorite people in this great big world. I wish that you all could get to know him and his sweet heart; it is an honor.