NewHaven

When we found out that we would be moving to New Haven, Connecticut in the spring of 04. I was excited. Something new, somewhere new. Piling everything up in the rental truck was not hard to do. We had an apartment waiting for us somewhere up there. Josh, me and our Roxydog.
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I remember as a kid looking at maps and peering all the way north and east, seeing states like Rhode Island, Delaware, and Connecticut and wondering if they were real places, so small on that map. And I laugh thinking, "I'm going to be living here?"

And live we did, 3 years to be exact. What a wonderful time in our lives to look back on. Very scary at times as we really struggled to find exactly what mattered to us, individually and as a couple. With Josh realizing that his pursuit of higher education was not actually what he wanted to pursue for much longer, oh but he would finish! And me seeming to teeter along, working and living. After a year there we had found out that we were having a baby. So we started our family here, on a chilly April morning our baby boy, James came. It was then that I feel like life became a whole lot more interesting and meaningful. Having kids puts Gods unconditional love for us in a more realistic perspective(for me anyhow) While yes, James can make me angry, even disappointed. I still love him no matter what, that will never change.

We also made some very amazing friends. Celebrating holidays together, birthdays and cool nights next to fires. Burritos at the park on Thursdays. Laughter and tears. What a great group of people God gave us. Joshs Great(I mean she is fantastic) Aunt Barbara and her husband Ed, lived nearby. And they took us to dinner often, or we went to their house for dominoes and desert!

That Christmas we found some surprising news..another baby??! I still find it amazing. Driving up to Connecticut with all our earthly belongings and Roxydog. Then 3 years later, leaving, heading to Texas with 1 child and 1 on the way.

What an experience it was. I'm so thankful that we did it. Took a risk and moved 1,822 miles away from everything we'd ever known. And came back home with a whole lot more than I thought we'd ever get.

Little Brother

Happy Birthday little brother. I'm sorry that all these pictures I have of you are mostly from your really awkward phase. But I love you. And I'm so proud of you. 17 years old, and I've known you for all of those years. I'm so glad that you're in my life. So glad that you are my little brother, but now bigger than me. Thanks for all the memories over the years like:

Throwing a baseball through the van window while I was driving it, then acting as if you had no idea what had happened. And letting me get into BIG trouble for it...then not telling the truth for 10 years. Then finally enlightening us at Christmas dinner last year. That was so nice.

Having lunch with you in elementary school with all your friends.

Wrestling to the point of you crying...gosh that was just last week.(ha)

You are such a special young man. I pray that you will ask God to follow right along side of you in everything you do.
Love you Bubba!

Back to work

Well I'm back, to work that is. I had secretly said to myself that I would return when Scarlett turned 1. She'll be 1 in about a week. I'm at the same salon I was when we lived in Austin 4 years ago. J.Thomas Salon. Almost all the same people that had worked there 4 years ago are still there. Its good to see familiar faces. And doing what I love; Making people feel great about their hair. Just doing part-time right now. When Josh gets home from work, I leave. 4 nights a week from 5-9. It feels good to be back. I'm feeling quite productive with myself. That's not saying that I'm not feeling that way staying with the kids. I just now know that I am contributing to our family. And the kids are getting some very special time with Daddy.

All that to say...if you ever need a little cut, a little color. Come see me. And if you're a little to far...I'll give you a little deal.

Photos by James

James has been really interested in the camera lately, so I gave in and let him try it out. The rules are that he must stay near me or be seated while he has it. Check out his skills!





We went to a new park today, Little Stacy Park. Very nice and secluded too. If you're ever wondering how to get 2 kids to swing at the same time...try this:



Here's a video of Scarlett spinning.

Smart

Walmart, not my favorite place to go, but sometimes for convenience sake I must go. With children in tow. Trying to teach James to say it, wal mart. He shortens it and calls it " Wart". Once before we've been and James sees Timon from the Lion King. Its just a ride, but he wants it badly and for a quarter I don't mind. He refers to it as a cow, and moo's loudly while riding it. A few days ago I was running errands and we drive by this walmart and James is mooing and says he wants to ride this cow....he's only 2. Can he already read this Walmart sign? To make matters worse my bank, and Chik-fil-a are all in the same shopping center. The bank always gives him "yawyipops"(lollipops)and Chik-fil-a has his favorite thing in the world, a "paypace"(playplace)I need to stop going to Walmart, that bank and Chik-fil-a.
All the while happy little Scarlett complies with wherever we go, as long as we are going.



I also must share this story so I will never forget it! James had been interested in potty training for awhile now. A good friend of mine recommends the child to go commando while learning the new sensations of what it feels like to have to go. Great, so James is doing the commando thing perfectly doing really well. So well that I decided to take him to his most favorite place in the world, the "playplace" Goin Bananas(you should go too, it is so fun)
Once there I tell James lets go potty before playing. Done and done. This place is nice b/c I feel perfectly fine about letting James run around and not watching him like a hawk. I meet some nice moms in the back and she has a baby about the age of Scarlett, so we get to talking about our little girls. When all of a sudden a lady rushes over to me, says "Your son is covered in poop." Literally just like that..oh great I think. Nice mother lets me leave Scarlett with her as a sprint to find James with his hand up the leg of his pants trying to get the poop out. I pick him up quickly without a chance to think about what could be the best possible way to proceed managing to not get poop on myself. Get him cleaned up quickly and a diaper on quick. Only to walk out of the restroom, with the sweet woman that owns this joint on her hands and knees cleaning up my sons poop. What a saint she is...Bless her God, please.



Needless to say I did not learn my lesson there.



Days later, having put a diaper on him while running errands, we make our way to Barnes and Noble during a very raining stormy day. Immediately I take James to the bathroom, as he's doing the potty dance. While in the bathroom the power just so happens to go out, great. Then quickly comes back on Thank God. He does both(1 and 2) so I take his diaper off. We're safe right? I mean he JUST went duh. In the kids book section and the power goes out and I look up to see James making this familiar face. OH NO. Look down and see poop on the floor. crap. Power still out. Have a plastic bag in my diaper bag, pick up poo, whisk James to the bathroom to clean him up, power still out. Diaper back on and we're now leaving Barnes and Noble. Please also picture me doing all these things with Scarlett attached to the front of me in a carrier. Poor child.

Port A

We were fortunate enough to go to Port Aransas the second weekend in August with a great group of our friends. Joshs dad came and picked up our kids. And our kids were playing at either my parents home mom-mom and poppa or Joshs' parents ami and poppa.
They had so much fun. And so did we. It was a nice relaxing weekend on the beach. Played some sand volleyball, a very funny game called telephone pictionary. And ate, drank and were lazy...just how I wanted it. And lots of laughing too. I love our friends.