Swimming babies!!

Paw Paw's visit

Mike's 34th Birthday!

It only took 8 years but I finally surprised Mike on Friday with a good present for his birthday!!  Groupon had a special to rent a Lamborghini for an hour for $99.  I didn't tell Mike where we were going so when we pulled up to Lone Star Exotics, he thought we were at a strip club (ha ha!)  He was really excited at first when he saw the cars, but then he got nervous!  He called our insurance to make sure he was covered to drive the car and then paid to drive the Ferrari.  He had a great time!!


Saturday was his actual birthday and we started the day with Donuts!!  The kids love donuts!

After donuts we hung out with PawPaw and then Mike and his Dad headed out to look at cars.  We had an early dinner at Pluckers for wings.  

Capital of Texas Zoo

This little goat was just walking around!

Alex feeding the little goat

Alex wants more food for the goat!

both kiddos throwing food for the Zebras

Kate's favorite!

The pony that ruined our lunch!

Since we are having such great weather the kiddos and I headed to the Capital of Texas Zoo this morning.  It is a very small and country-type zoo. Very easy to see everything once or twice in a morning.  We were having a great time seeing all the animals and even feeding some little goats and a pony.  Alex loved the zebras and Kate loved some baby leopards that she called baby kitties.  We attempted to have lunch there but the pony wanted to eat our lunch so we left!

Jill's Trip to DC

I was so excited to take a trip on my own to DC to visit my best friend from high school, Amanda.  Unfortunately, Tuesday night (Valentines Day) I started throwing up at dinner time.  I thought it was just due to the bad food I had eaten that day since it was V-Day, but I was wrong.  I called in sick to work on Wednesday (ha ha, I wish!) and hang out all day with Alex on the couch.

 I headed out Thursday morning at around 4am for my 6:10 flight.  My tummy felt better, but was still sore from vomiting.  I tend to get sick flying so I decided to take 2 Dramamine instead of the 1 I usually take.  Oh my goodness I thought I was going to pass out before I even boarded the plane!  I slept and read and before I knew it I arrived early in DC.


Amanda picked me up and then we headed out to pick up little Greyson!  He is 3 months old and the best baby ever!!  He is always happy and just slept and ate the whole time I was there.  Really I didn't even feel like there was a baby in the house he was so good!!


Unfortunately I found out I did have a stomach virus because Amanda starting throwing up Thursday night.  Poor thing!  I felt so bad for her!  Then Mike got it on Friday during the night and then his Dad (who flew in Thursday night) got it on Sunday.  Either of the kids got it, just us adults!


Friday Amanda and I just hung out, she felt pretty bad from throwing up! Saturday we finally left the house to meet Mike's brother, Doug and his girlfriend for dinner.  I was excited to meet Lizzi, since I had heard so much about her.  Amanda and I both just loved her and her and Doug were too cute together!  So glad we met up with them!  After our late lunch we headed to Target and then back to Amanda's for dinner and TV watching!


Sunday afternoon Amanda took me over to my friend's Katie's house (which we almost didn't find due to my stupid iphone dying like 5 miles from Katie's house!!!)  Anywho, I enjoyed seeing Katie, Trey and their sweet little girl Haley.

Monday morning I had another super early flight and before I knew it, with 2 Dramamines later, I was home!!

I didn't realize how much I missed Mike and the kiddos until I saw them and started to cry!!

Me, Amanda and Greyson

Like I said--HAPPY baby!!

Thank you so much to Amanda, James and Greyson for having me!  It was so wonderful to catch up with an old friend and lay in bed until 9AM!!

Happy V-DAY

She opened all her cards herself!

Alex only wanted Mommy this morning!

She loved her ladybug & candy from MeMe

Here are their cards and cutie Kate

Kate could not wait to get downstairs to see all her V-day stuff!!  She loved opening all the cards and candy from both her grandparents, great grandmother Helen and us.  Alex only wanted Mommy, but he did eat some M&Ms.

After the last 2 days being rainly and in the 30-40's, today it is going to get in the high 70's.  I did some work in the yard and here are some photos of our beautiful roses!

Our beautiful roses

How pretty!!

Happy Valentines day!

Kate is all ready for her Valentine Party at school today!

Mama's weight loss update

In September I started on my "get my body back" plan.  After spending the last few years pregnant, nursing and then pregnant and nursing for another year, I finally wasn't sharing my body anymore!! I started on the Adkins diet with Mike and started classes at the rec center and was also running.  It is now 5 months later and I am almost down 20 lbs!!  And I have gone from a size 12 to a size 6!!  In January I started new classes at the rec center and I think they are really going to get me nice and toned!  Here is an example of my class on Fridays:

As many reps as possible class

I could barely move after this class!  I was sore for DAYS after!  But I am getting stronger week by week!

My weight goal was 135 and I have hit that and are continuing to lose weight.  I had told myself that when I reached my goal I would get my hair highlighted for the first time, well I did it and love it!

Big thanks goes to Mike for his support!  I couldn't have done this without him!

Alex at 17 months

REally, really is my little baby going to be a year and a half next month??  Really?  Gosh he is growing up way too fast!

He will be 17 months tomorrow and man do we love our little buddy!  He talks a mile a minute and FINALLY doesn't cry when I leave him in the nursery at the rec center (he is such a Mama's boy).  His favorite things to say right now are Where?, On, Off, Scary, Play, Waffles, Strawberries, Pineapples, Katiebug, Where are you? Ready, Set, Go and gosh I could list like a million other things he says.

He has 8 front teeth and I think 2 molars in now.  None really seemed to bother him coming in.

His hair is pretty crazy and curly now.  I just love it!

He loves to play!  A few weeks ago I told him we were going to a play date and as I was driving there I got a phone call from a friend.  I pulled over to talk and then after a while, Alex started yelling at me "Play, Play."  It was so funny!

He loves to do everything that Kate does.  She loves to spell her name all the time, so Alex will say some letters, like "A E B C" and then clap for himself and say "yeah!"  just like we do for Kate after she spells her name.  She learned at school that a rocket goes "Vroom" and now Alex will do that also.  He loves her so much and just wants to be just like her!

He is really obsessed with Elmo, Big Bird and Ernie.  There is a video on YouTube of Elmo singing this song and he just wants us to sing it ALL the time!  He will also sit still and watch Elmo and Ernie on my ipad or iphone.

He is so smart that he blows me away!  I feel like he is a little sponge just absorbing everything we tell and read to him.

He doesn't throw fits at all but has bad behavior while sitting at the table.  He will knock his cup on the floor, kick with his feet to move himself away from the table and then pick up his plate randomly.  And yes, if he makes a mess, he will look at me and say "Mess."  He will also yell for whatever food he wants and his fork.

All in all, he is supper sweet and fun and I wish he would stay this small forever!

Beautiful day in February!!!

On February 1st I am not kidding in saying that we had a high of I think about 75 degrees!!  It was beautiful!  So the kiddos and I headed over to play with Jax, Reese and Cassie.

Cookies and Cupcakes

Last week we headed to a cookie place in downtown Pflugerville.  Kate insisted she get a cupcake, even though I knew she would only eat the icing and then want a cookie (which I was right about!) Alex picked out a cookie with M&Ms.  Alex ended up eating half a cookie and the cupcake!!

Rip Betty & Minnie

Well, we are down 2 more fish. Only 2 left! So sad.

This is what happens when you have a sister!