All About Alli

Monday, March 24, 2008

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone had a wonderful day! We had a great day....busy but fun! Every year we either go to my mom's house if Meredith and her family are in town, or to Jason's mom's house with Julie and her family. This year Meredith stayed in Austin and Julie is in Richmond, so we thought we would stay at our house and have our parents over. So after church, my mom, dad, step dad, and father-in-law came over for lunch. Whew, it's a lot of work being the host! But I loved having them over.

Enough of me yapping...the pictures will walk you through the night before and the day of Easter.

Joshua dying his egg....he dropped it and it cracked. But that didn't stop him! Next year I have to get extra dippers. He was NOT thrilled about giving it to Sammi for her turn. In fact, he was so unhappy that he promptly went to bed after a fit he had. Poor Josh, he was tired and wasn't in the mood for sharing. :) But wen he was dunking his egg and seeing it come out in another color, he would always say "whoa!" Cute.

Sammi's turn to dye her eggs. She was so meticulous and did it like a pro. But when she dyed it yellow, then put it in the blue dye to make it green and it didn't turn out to be a true green, she quickly questioned it and wanted to know what to do to make it right. Her inquisitive nature makes me smile!

Morning after finding their baskets. Sneaky Sammi saw a few goodies in Joshua's basket before he woke up that she wanted. So she just took it upon herself to put them in her basket. Nice try! She was not happy that I made her put them back. As you can see from this picture, Joshua was not in the mood to have his picture taken. His response when he sees me with the camera is either "no! go!" or "cheeeese!" You know what he said this time. Ha!

Ah, gotta love presents from grandparents! My dad got them a basket with candy and a basketball. They fought over the ball and now we are having to teach Joshua that throwing a basketball at us is not the same as throwing a football!

I love this picture of Sammi with my mom. Aka "Lita". She made the kids a cute planter for flowers. She took an egg, cut the top off, took out the yolk, put dirt and a flower in it, then glued it to a saucer for a flower pot. So cute!

While the Easter bunny (my dad, step dad, and Jason's dad) hid the eggs in our backyard, my mom took the kids in the front yard to blow bubbles. I had to come up with a way to get them away from the windows to the backyard!

Joshua didn't quite get the hang of hunting eggs again this year. He would find an egg, then just wanted to hold it or try to open it up and see what candy was inside. He wasn't thrilled with the ones that had money in them.

I just love this picture. But I had to snap fast because she did not want to waste anytime not finding eggs....or let Joshua get any of them.

The Easter bunny tried really hard to hide the eggs....under a pile of leaves! But "he" hid a real egg in there, which was stepped on. That one went in the trash!

After the hunt with all of their loot!

Silly Sammi!

Can't you just hear Joshua saying "cheeeese!"??

Check out those chipmunk cheeks full of candy! Both of them were just giddy from all of the candy they got to eat. I don't think they had a real dinner that night! Oh well, what's one night of candy for dinner going to do to them?? :)

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Mr. Mom

This weekend Jason was home alone with the kids. It is not often that I am away for an entire weekend. I went to a scrap book retreat...I go twice a year and this was my 4th trip. The first retreat, Jason recently had surgery on his finger (who can't forget that awful ordeal with his cut finger??) so he could not pick up Joshua, much less change a diaper. 2nd retreat was right after the knuckle replacement. Same thing. The 3rd retreat he had to work that weekend. Anywho, you can see where I am going. But this time, nothing! Yea! I was so excited to be gone to relax, do a hobby that I love, and hang out with friends. Oh yea, and know that he was home alone ALL weekend with the kids and see what I deal with.

For what I am about to write about, please do not think I am an ungrateful wife that is picky and finds fault in my husband. It all just really made me laugh because I immediately thought about the movie "Mr. Mom". If you have never seen the movie, rent it! It's hilarious.

I get home today around 3:00 and so excited to see the kids and Jason. I walk in, and the kids are finishing lunch. Yes, lunch at 3:00 PM. Sammi is wearing mix-matched pj's and Joshua is wearing camo pants with a tie-dyed shirt that didn't even have the same colors. The house is a wreck. Jason looked so relieved to see me. Not a look like he missed me, but he had a look on his face of "oh thank goodness, relief is here!" He talked about how it took him hours to get the dishes done because he kept on having to stop to do something with or for the kids. I went outside to unload my car and Joshua followed me. I told him we needed to put some shoes on him. Jason told me that some shoes are in his truck. He opens it up and all of their stuff from the week at my mom's was still in there since Friday. I take it out and see the kids toothbrushes on top. I asked him if he brushed their teeth all weekend...nope. He said he didn't think about it. I asked him if he brushed his teeth...yes, of course. So I then asked him why he didn't think to brush theirs. All of it was so comical to me. About an hour after I got home Jason asked if he could go run errands. Ha ha! I was pretty sure he was desperate to get away.

Needless to say, I got a good laugh out of all of it....but I would never tell him this! :) Coming home to a messy house and messy kids was all worth the wonderful, relaxing weekend that I had!

Random Facts About Me

I have a ton of pics to upload and create new blogs, but I'm so behind on everything in my life right now! But in the meantime, here are random facts about me. I posted it on myspace and thought I should add it here too.

1. I pop my knuckles and other joints everyday. Probably too much.
2. I was the only female in my drafting and engineering classes in college. Drove me crazy (some old fashioned guys that had the mind-set of someone in the 50's that women can't do "man's work") but it made me work harder. I won awards because of that...not letting them beat me and think their sexist views were right.
3. I cannot stand for my food to touch! The person that invented the divided plate was a genius!
4. I am addicted to celebrity news. I have had People magazine since I was in high school. But at least I admit it!
5. My dream retirement is living in a big log cabin in the mountains in Colorado. Then I can drive around the mountains as much as I want!
6. I LOVE cars...I can look at the headlights, front, or back of any car (ok, not really old cars) and tell you the make or model. If a car passes me and I'm wrong, I make a mental note so that I am not wrong again. I know, strange obession. But I love cars of all kinds.
7. I cannot stand it when people whistle, smack when they eat, or hum. Just be quiet!
8. I was a major tomboy when I was growing up. My sister had to give me make up for Christmas one year....I think that was a hint!
9. I don't have any big fears of anything (spiders, snakes, etc) but I fear of dying while my children are young.
10. I have to clean my ears everyday or I feel gross.
11. I LOVE to read maps and floorplans. I honestly think the best birthday gift I got from Jason that really showed he knew me was a huge book full of floorplans. When I am in a new state or city and am driving around, I love to read the maps of the area. It drives Jason crazy when he is driving. He says he doesn't want it to look so obvious that we are tourists.

Ok, that's it. Now do you feel you know me better? Or wish you didn't know so much? :)

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

LOOONG Day And LOOONG Post

WARNING: Long post!

Sunday evening Sammi & Josh went to my mom's for the week. I had a trip to Denver for work leaving on Monday through late Wednesday night, then leaving Thursday night for a scrapbook retreat with two friends. With Jason's crazy work hours, they go to my mom's when I am out of town. They love going there and getting spoiled by their Lito & Lita (shortened from Abualito & Abualita in spanish). I look at this as a win-win situation for all of us...I get to travel (which I LOVE!), be in a hotel room at night ALONE, Jason gets to be a bachelor for a few days, and the kids get lots of love and time with their grandparents.

I took advantage of them being gone Monday morning and went to work early. I dashed off to the airport to catch a 3:40 flight. The plan was to go to my friend Amy's house for dinner once I got to Denver. She works in recruiting in Denver and became a real close friend to me after we met several years ago. I was looking forward to someone cooking for me and just getting to hang out with her, as opposed to our crazy, busy meetings in other parts of the country where we can only catch up at night when we are done with work and meetings.

My flight was slightly delayed. No biggie. Flights rarely leave on time. The captain updates us as we are still at the gate that we can't leave and even he doesn't know why. Wow, that was reassuring! Eventually he tells us that maintenance blew a circuit and thus the plane was grounded. Everybody, off the plane! Great. So we go back and sit at the gate again. we were told they were waiting to find out if there was another plane to use. Do they just have big expensive airplanes parked somewhere in a hangar waiting for something like this? Really, I thought that. We waited. And waited. Waited some more. 2 hours later they finally told us that the flight was cancelled and to get in line to get a ticket for another flight. As I waited in the long line, I called my company's travel desk to see if they can do something quicker. Nope, both flights at 5:45 and 6:40 were booked, but I was on a 9:15 flight. The thought of waiting around the airport for another 4 hours did not sound appealing. I even contemplated calling Jason to meet me there for dinner. :) I finally get to the counter and the agent said she could get me on standby for the 6:40 flight. Great! I'll take it! Then she said "oh wait, it looks like I can get you a seat!" Hooray for having lots of frequent flier miles with American! I texted Amy to tell her I would be getting into Denver at 7:40 and she insisted that I still come over. Side note: what did we do before technology of cell phones and text messaging? Oh yea, I remember now....we used pay phones infested with germs. Yuck!

After 6 or 7 hours, I got to Amy's house. I was only there for about and hour and a half then she took me to my hotel. Not the night I had planned on, but it could have been much worse! I miss my kids terribly and won't get to see them until Sunday evening...but mommy needs some time to herself sometimes!

I planned my scrapbook retreat way before I found out about my trip to Denver. I think this will be the longest I have been away from Sammi & Joshua, but I know they are having a blast. I am most enjoying the fact that Jason will be alone with them all weekend. I foresee trips to McDonald's and doughnuts for breakfast. Their bodies will be in shock when I get home and they have square meals. :) But time alone with Daddy will be good for everyone!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Tea For Two..or Six

Today Sammi went to a Princess Tea Party for her friend Cici. She started out by picking out a princess dress and any and all accessories that go with it. They were told they would get make-up put on them and they all shrieked. Here is Sammi showing off her make-up.

They then started out with strawberry-vanilla tea. They were even taught the proper way to hold the cup and saucer and to stir the tea without making a sound. They proceeded to add milk and sugar to it....I am sure it tasted horrible after watching how much they added. The girls just loved asking each other to "please pass the sugar". The moms and dads enjoyed listening to the 6 girls talk as if we were not there. They were hilarious! For their lunch, they had chocolate soup, tea sandwiches (pb&j), fruit, and petit fours.

Here Sammi is with the birthday girl, Cici.

She had so much fun dressing up, putting on make-up, and acting like a princess. I had fun just watching her act grown up and saying "mom, aren't I pretty in my dress and make-up?" I have a feeling she will be having her birthday party there in October!

Daddy's Sweetheart

Happy Valentine's day! Well, how about 2 days late? Since we have had kids, we don't go out to dinner on this day. The crowds are crazy! Or am I just getting old and impatient? Instead, Jason cooked outside (my favorite!) and we just hung out together. He came home with roses for me and potted tulips for Sammi. She said "oh wow Dad, I love these!" She is by far her daddy's sweetheart! And I'm ok with that. :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day and had special time with your sweetheart!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Reminiscing...

So, this is my first blog. Yep, me who can talk, email, IM, and text like a mad woman is now blogging. I have wanted to do it for a long time, but never thought I had much to say since I think I'm pretty good at sending out pictures of my kids and keeping friends and family in the loop on our lives. But this past weekend is what gave me the boost to sit down and actually put my thoughts down.

My son Joshua turned 2, two weeks ago. Then on Saturday, we had his birthday party. All I have heard this past week is "I can't believe he is two! Time flies!" Yea, tell me about it. The thought of my baby boy being two just brought me to tears! Since Christmas I have been cleaning out his closet and toys to make room for the MANY new toys he received. I was finding more and more "baby" things that he no longer wanted or needed. Ugh, knife to my heart! Gone are the many different baby stackers. Gone is the Baby Bjorn (gosh, that's the best invention! and no, he wasn't in that after he was one). Gone are the walker/pusher things. The list goes on and on, so now I'm busy listing them on Craig's List. Anyways, my point is that I am sad that I no longer have a baby. But I feel so wonderfully blessed with the two that I have. So I am sad that all of the cutesy baby things won't be in my possession anymore. I see the new things at Babies R Us and get sad.

Ok, enough of the sadness of no baby stuff. Instead, I'll show pictures of Joshua through the "years"....I had a hard time picking, so there are a lot!