iPhones and Rodeo Time

She is really into our iPhones, so it's hard getting a picture of her without her running over to get the iPhone from our hands. Then it's all fake tears and whining until she gets it or we distract her with something else.

Here she comes, cute as can be, running to grab the iPhone.

I was able to snatch this pic before the grimy hands got the phone.

We went to the rodeo petting zoo this week for Spring Break (I got to take the morning off of work).  Even though I unfortunately forgot the stroller and had to run around chasing her, we had a great time!  She absolutely LOVED the petting zoo and was so fearless with the larger animals.  There were many llamas, piggies, goats, sheep and even a baby deer.  She was very sweet and gentle in petting them - having Harley to practice on helped with this new adventure. 

 Here we are at the Rodeo petting zoo. 

Let me in GOAT!!!

 I'm going to stand over by this baby lamb and explain my excitement to her.

 Oh little chicks, welcome to the world...now turn into marshmallow goodness before Easter!

 Mommy and Me in front of Bevo's larger cousin, Trident.  I sure do see a lot of Bevos around here.



Santa Barbara, CA

A new post...finally!  I've been working a lot for the past couple of weeks.  I expected this since it is my "busy" time.  Despite all time working, I do still love my job and what I'm doing.  I haven't complained at all to Blair about working a lot, or felt the need to...which is different than my previous jobs.
I did get to take one day off and Blair and I went to Santa Barbara, CA for two nights.  We used the excuse of my birthday and got upgraded with a beach view and fireplace (nice!) at our resort.  It was truly the most relaxing and rejuvenating vacation in a long time.  We went with no definite plans and still got to do a lot, including wine tasting, spa appointments, laying out by the pool, beach walking, driving around the city and hills.  Basically I want to go back and re-live it all.

At the Gainey Winery

View from our porch

The path along the grounds right outside our porch

A perfect morning with my hot tea and a walk on the beach

Snow Day and Bad Hair Days

Lydia had Snow Day at school last week (after being re-scheduled twice due to rain) and she had a good time.  She loved touching and grabing the snow.  It's nice to have this activity though I'm sure our friends up North think we are crazy to believe snow can be fun.

 So I'm not suppose to eat yellow snow?

I thought you were suppose to sit on Frosty?

GOOD MORNING to Lydia's Hair

Lydia's Notorious Bed Head - It's crazy and very hard to tame!!



Mondays...

Each Monday my Mom takes Lydia to music class and then lunch. 

I couldn't stop laughing at this picture when my Mom sent it to me at work.

I'm personally jealous of 3 things going on in this picture:

- she got to go to Chick-fil-a

- she's napping

- she has a balloon



New Job!!!

I started a new full-time job this past week at Stewart Title in the Compensation Department.  I really like it so far and especially like my schedule.  I work MWF 7-2, TTh 8-5 and make up the rest of the 40 or so hours working at home.  I made sure this schedule was approved before I accepted this position and it lets me pick up Lydia from school and go home and hang out with her.  It's located right on Post Oak, so very close to Lydia's school and the house.
I don't get to see her in the mornings as she is a sleepy-head and sleeps until 8 or sometimes even 8:45.  But her Daddy is loving his morning time with her.  He loves to get her up and she plays a game with us each morning.  She waits until we come in her room and acts like she wants us to get her out of the crib, but then when we go for her, she just falls back down and kicks her legs and laughs.  She could really do this for 15 minutes until we trick her into grabbing her...then she's all hugs.
Anywho, about the new job...I'm working on developing a Job Classification System, so it's basically the same job I did at my previous contract position, though I get to see the project all the way through.  I'm excited about it and believe it or not, really happy to be back in a professional setting.  Everyone is very glad I'm here and that makes it worthwhile as well.  I have a great office facing SE which is the direction of Blair's office.  And we are both on the 9th floor, so if we had really good binoculars, we could probably see each other regardless of the 10 mile span.  Aren't we too cute? 
I had about a month off from the end of my contract position to starting this new FT position and I got a lot done around the house on top of dealing with the holidays.  I completely cleaned out the house and organized each closet, drawer, cabinet and shelf.  Now it would be a miracle if it all stays that way.  So far, so good.  I also got rid of a lot of items that we didn't need and that we just took because they were given to us.  It is a huge relief to minimize the pieces in the house and finish decorating the walls (it's been 3 years).  We even got some landscaping done in the back so our flowerbeds aren't just mud pits for Harley and Lydia to play in.  Lydia still eats the dirt from the potted flowers...I can't control everything.

Here are some pictures after I got home from work (yes I had to work on MLK day).  These two were a bunch of lazy bones.

 

Then while I was putting my clothes up in the closet, I turned around and she had dragged the hamper out and gotten inside.



Post-Christmas Events

Event 1: Whose Crate Is It Anyway?

Event 2: New playhouse - which was a pain in the A%& to put together.  But worth every second when she woke up the next day and jumped with excitement to go outside and play in it...THANKS Uncle Paul, Aunt Renee and Cousin Sam!!

Event 3: What Crazies had a Snow Day in Houston with 75 degrees outside?  Lydia still enjoyed playing in the snow until one little boy hit her mommy's leg with a snowball and got her jeans and new shoes all wet...ugh!

Event 4: Sliding with Daddy - her favorite thing to do

Event 5: New Slide and sporting a Vanderbilt shirt for the bowl game...so sad they lost :(

It's Christmas Time!!!

Lydia had a fabulous Christmas this year. 

We had a great time with everyone for Christmas.  

Here are some pictures of our love-filled day.

Good Morning - Merry Christmas!

At Nana and Grandpa's delivering presents.

At the Arterbury's with Princess Caroline perched on her throne.

Two crazy cousins on Christmas!  Good thing they each got a baby stroller.

 

With Honey and Charlotte.

Helping Grandpa open up a gift.

Hugging on Huckleberry while Nana and Grandpa check out the book we made for them.

 Mommy and Me!  Harley wouldn't turn around for the picture.

My Daddy and Mommy and Me!

Chick-Fil-A Lover and Texans Game

Lydia LOVES her some Chick-fil-a.  We've been going there a lot recently and so we decided to take the opportunity to use their cut-out.  She's so happy eating there and they are so nice and accommodating.  A little secret...if you get there after 10:30 and before 11:30, they usually give you some free leftover breakfast items.  Yes, that's how often we've been going.  Whoever started this chain is a genius to Lydia.

Blair and I got to go to the Texans game this past weekend and had a great time.  We hadn't gone to one this year and of course the one we went to is the one we lost.  Oh well.  We went to brunch in the practice bubble and took a picture with Santa too!  We really think this guy practices his poses in front of the mirror quite often.  He was quite the charming Santa!

 

Ho Ho Ho...Merry Christmas

Enjoy this video of Lydia!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
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Christmas Parties!

This weekend we had two Christmas parties - one for children and one for adults.  

Lydia got to see Santa for the 3rd time this year - that man gets around town.  She wasn't necessarily happy to see him again - she kept a tight grasp on my arm and wouldn't let me put her down.  She did get to dance to Christmas songs and run around playing with other kids.  She had a blast!

Who doesn't like bubbles?

 Sidney and Lydia

 Avoiding tears by just waving to Santa - not sitting on his lap this time.

 Where is my trusty reindeer Harley?

The night before we had some much needed "adult" time at a Christmas Party.  We enjoyed a couple of "adult" beverages before we headed out to dinner with Wendy where we continued to celebrate.

 Emily, Beth, Heather and I with props of course

Visit from Julia!

We got a great visit last weekend from Julia!  She came and stayed the night with us and we had so much fun catching up and playing with Lydia the next morning.  

Thanks for coming in town and seeing us!

SANTA!!!...not quite a fan this year

We eased Lydia into seeing Santa over the weekend.  

The first time we were in Santa's chair was at the Children's Museum and Santa hadn't arrived quite yet.  So Blair "played" Santa and sat with Lydia in the big man's chair.

Then we went to the Galleria with Mary and let her wave to Santa from across the way.  She didn't really seem to care that much.

So then we took her to sit on Santa's lap - knowing this wouldn't be the only time we go this year.  She waved at him and babbled to him before sitting on his lap, then once she sat down...priceless.