Cade's Party

We are finally back in our house. Everything but a few minor things need to be completed but we're just glad to be back in our own beds. One thing we did before we moved in was hire an awesome maid service to come out and clean the house. It almost sparkled when they left. I told Travis I'm going to have to figure out a way to have them come out at least once a month.....it's so worth it!

Since we knew we would be back in our house by March 21st we decided to celebrate Cade's 2nd birthday on that day. His actual birthday is Feb. 16 but since we had so much going on with the flooding incident we post poned it until we could be back in our house.

On his actual birthday we took him to get his 2nd year pictures and to eat chicken nuggets at the mall- oh and we rode the carousel. We also had a cupcakes sprinkled with Thomas confetti. Here

Cade and Abbey Cade enjoying his chicken nugget

Cade was set on having a choo-choo party so we couldn't let our little guy down! We purchased some cute invitations at Hobby Lobby and ordered our cake to match from RJs. Picked up some balloons and borrowed a train table and wallah- a choo-choo party!

Here some pictures from the bash

The favors were super cute- train hats and whistles from Oriental Trading. The funny thing was after I handed those out, one of the little boys asked me, Miss Tara don't you have any goody bags-- too cute!

we have floors

So since the last time I posted we now how 3 rooms with carpet and most of our wet areas are tiled.... next comes the wood. We should be moved in by next weekend which is fine with me.... The furniture people are coming out this week to repair anything that had water damage and then we can finally get those pieces back in the right places instead of in a huge pile in the middle of our living room. I can't wait for the cleaning crew to get here....this house is so dusty... even the key board has a layer of grit.

It'll all get back in order sooner or later....

water

I have so many people in my life that are pregnant right now. Some with their first, some with no. 2 on the way and some with their 4th and some that are trying! I keep debating when we will have another child. I definitely want Cade to have a partner in crime. Everyone says that their will never be the perfect time..... I just know now is not the time. I can see maybe trying later in the year..... I'd love to have another spring baby!

So our house was flooded about 2 weeks ago from a little plastic tube that connects the fridge ice maker to the water. The tube must have been detached all night with the amount of damage we had. I woke up to the mess and am still living in it.

The good thing is is that we are getting to upgrade our house with new carpet, tile and wood floors. We decided on tile for the bathroom and kitchen. Tomorrow I'm sure we'll decide on the wood. So many choices and putting it all together isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

Cade is good. He turns two next Monday. He's such a smart baby.. I mean toddler.

He can count to 10, and sometimes higher (eleventeen, twelve, thirteen)
He can say his ABCs and even identify some of them (W, E, and O)
He sings pat a cake with hand movements
Stacks blocks like there is no tomorrow
LOVES ice cream
And says, AMEN and Bless You

He's the greatest blessing~ Travis too!

Tubes are in

For the past 23 months Cade has had 12 ear infections. Here lately it seems like he just can't get over them. So we made an appointment last month to get evaluated a second time by the ENT for the possibility of placing tubes in Cade's ears. It was highly recommended to help drain the ear and prevent further infections- while the ear can still become infected it at least can drain and not cause as much pain as a full blown infection. So we schedule the surgery.



Yesterday we woke up a 6 and arrived at the surgery center at 7. He played in the waiting room until it was time to get prepped. That took about 20 minutes and then he headed back to the OR for about 10 minutes. We literally sat down and got back up to go get him. He was the least bit happy to see us. Finally he settled down and we drove home. He slept a good while once we got home....and then all of sudden he shot up and said JUICE. Not sure if he was really awake, I comforted him and carried him to the kitchen, handed him his juice and then all of a sudden he went BLAH all over himself and me.



Poor baby. We cleaned him up and then he did it again.... just a little bit. So we stripped him down and tossed him into the tub. I think that made him feel better. Afterwards he was his normal self.... a little wobbly and bit more cranky than normal but overall he was doing well.



As for sleeping last night- I rocked him and tried to put him down and popped back up. I decided to not let him cry it out since he just had the procedure done-- he did sleep until 7 with me. So that was nice treat. Hopefully he'll wear himself out this afternoon at the park.



We go back in 2 weeks for a follow up. Let's hope for good results.

Snow Fun

At school this week they had a snow day. Cade had "snow" much fun sliding and playing in the snow.



Mrs. Fran and Cade

Even I went down the slide.... so fun!

Cade is really talking a lot these days. He's singing songs and counting to 10...and sometimes higher. He is constantly doing something to amaze us!

We're planning his 2nd birthday party for the 21st of February. I think we are going with a truck theme....however when I asked him if he wanted a choo-choo or a truck party he replied- choo-choo truck.

Should be cute and fun no matter what!

Travis is heading to Buffalo this morning to help his dad build a rail on the back porch. Cade and I are staying home with big plans of cleaning out the closets. We have so much stuff that just sits and takes up space and it's driving me crazy. Our fun will start after we have our playdate at Pump it Up this morning..... hopefully Cade will enjoy that.

I am back into couponing!

CVS-
2/$7 Panteen (-3.50 extra care bucks (previously earned), - $3 off 2 coupon)= 2 bottles of Panteen for .54cents
Oh and I earned an additional $2 in extra care bucks

Walgreens
3.50 Electrasol- (-2.50 coupon, - 1.50 mail in rebate) = .50 overage
2.99 Garnier Shampoo (-$2 easy saver coupon, - $1 coupon) .01 overage


The cashier at CVS said- soooo basically we just paid you to shop here. I said, pretty much you did.

Get inspired~ check out this lady- http://jane4girls800dollarannualbudget.blogspot.com/ she feeds her family of 4 on $800 a year just by couponing..... pretty amazing.

And look at hotcouponworld.com for other couponing deals!

a very, yummy dinner

I made a great dinner tonight.

I had the salad earlier this week at a holiday social and had to make it for myself. It's fresh and delish~ perfect for the season--and super simple to make. In a bowl, toss green salad with pomegranate, feta, nuts, and pears. Serve with Raspberry Pomegranate vinaigrette.

Salmon fillet with a brown sugar glaze--In a saucepan 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp butter, 1 tbsp honey- stir over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Whisk in a few dashes of s n p, olive oil, and soy sauce. Cool for 5 minutes. You really can't mess up the glaze......

Place fish on a foil lined tray and pour glaze over them. Bake 25 minutes at 350.

Such a yummy dish.

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Our tree is up and the house is decked out with holiday decor!

I love this time of year. The twinkle of lights, hot coco, all of the Santas at the mall and the magic behind it all. Cade seems to like it too. He is really into the Christmas tree...and the ornaments. I started him a collection of ornaments- I buy one for him that relates to something that happened over the year. Last year it was his Baby's first Christmas and this year it is a glass ornament of an ice cream cone~ since that's his favorite thing to say whenever I open the freezer~ (eye-neem, eye-neem).

Here is a picture of our tree.

sorry for the glare we are in the process of getting shutters!

exactly the same but different....botique?

Tonight was the first pre-shift of the holiday market. I met up with Amanda and we directed traffic in the lot....vendors move in...vendors move out. We did that for an hour together then her shift ended and I was on deck, solo. I did have some company from some other girls- who were super nice!

The market looks like it's going to be a great success this year! My friends are going, and mom and all her friends and even Stephanie is making a special trip down! I hope it meets their expectations!

Tomorrow I have to work the mid-day shift. 11-3:30. I hope I don't pass out from starvation! Note to self: bring a snack. Then I have to come home and bake bread for Friday's shift... The only perk about baking the bread is that it's probably one of the easiest of all the possible recipes out of the JL cookbook to make.....or at least from the ones I picked from.

Friday isn't anything.....that evening, I'll probably head over to mom and Daddy's to visit with Maxie- My toothless niece. She lost her two front teeth and one bottom one this past weekend....and not by choice. A while back someone bumped into her on the playground and caused her tooth(loose tooth) to turn blue...she must have wiggled it for two months straight before the neighbor next to them was able to yank it out! The following day she had a run in with a tennis racket- she busted her lip and swallowed a tooth (we think) and another fell out (it was already loose). Poor girl!

anyway, that's all for now...........i'm in need of a shower and some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's.

So, Becky started posting on her old site and now I am too. I took a few minutes to go back and read some of my old posts and it brought back so many memories! This blog will be more about my life now as a mom-- and a wife and all the adventures in between. So enjoy and I'll try to post a few times a week or as time allows.

I dread time changes....but surprisingly it wasn't so bad this time. Cade went to bed last night at

8:30 and managed to only wake once during the night. I almost didn't get him but I hate hearing him say "mama...mama...mama" over the intercom. I just rocked him for a few and laid him back down. To my surprise I didn't hear those words again until 8:15. Yay for sleep!

I woke Travis up at 9 and told him that today is FAMILY DAY! We decided on visiting the Houston Zoo. We got there a little after 10 and managed to see it all in under 2 hours and learned a few things along the way.

Interesting facts about giraffes:

The gestational pd for a giraffe is 14 months....and I thought 9 months was long.

Giraffes give birth standing up.
A baby giraffe when born can weigh 150 lbs and can be 6 ft tall.

Before we left we had an ice cream treat and purchased a little stuffed giraffe (we named him Barney). I'm pretty sure Cade likes him because he's holding him tight right now as he sleeps.

Wedding plans are coming along nicely! We finished our wedding blog on theknot.com. Our registry is almost complete as well. We still need to register at Foley's and add towels at Linens and Things. We tried to complete the LNT registery yesterday but the scanner kept freezing up on us!

Today Becky and I are going to look at Bridesmaid dresses. The colors for the wedding are soft and romantic pinks and creams. It shouldn't be too hard to find those colors since spring is just around the corner. Actually spring might be here now- yesterday it was 80 degrees! Ohhh you gotta love that Texas weather.

We're engaged!

We're planning to be married in April 2006 in the Texas Hill Country. This week Becky and I are going to Fredericksburg to check out a few venues to host the reception at. We are interested in Kairos Celebration Barn, Trois Estates and the Enchanted Chateau.

Saturday was the first time I took the bridal party out to look at dresses. We went to David's Bridal and Panache. I wasn't expecting to find my dress on the first run but I did! I love it and can't wait to wear it! It's...oh, wait I can't tell you because it's a secret! I hate secrets!

So, I haven't purchased the shoes yet. I am just as disappointed as you. I did look last weekend but the mall was packed with wanna be gangstas. So I'm still surfing the net and sneaking a peek at the feet that pound the gym floor. I've add a pair of pumas to my list of possibilities. There are so many cute color combinations to choose from!

One more day before the weekend is here! I'm thinking about going over to my parent's house and spending some time with my mom. My dad is up in the hill country since deer season is now open. I'll probably head over kind of early on Saturday. I'm wanting to take her to breakfast at Panera Bread and then head to Old Town Springs for an hour or two. We usually hit up Maggies and stroll around that end of town. We avoid the doll shops by all means. Doll shops scare me and a visit to the doll hospital scares me even more!

With that said, I hope to find some cute holiday decorations since Becky and I are hosting a Christmas party Dec. 9th. The following Friday my mom and I are going to the Nutcracker Market at the Reliant Center. The market is amazing. You'll find everything from salsa dip to elaborate holiday decor. We've gone the past 4 years and know the floor plan pretty well! As soon as we make it in the event area, we head straight to the back booth because that's where they have the best things, at reasonable prices!

The one item that I always leave with is a jar of amaretto butter spread. It's made right here in Texas! It's this yummy spread that melts in your mouth when it's warm! You can put it on pancakes, biscuits, toast................a spoon! It's just that good!

Speaking of yummy Texas products! I also love, LoVe, LOVE Fischer Weiser products, especially the Raspberry Chipolte Sauce. You can pour it on top of cream cheese and serve with crackers or use it as a dipping sauce for any kind of meat. There are several flavors to choose from and once you do, ketchup will be a thing of the past.

Also, how yummy does this sound...Hot Chocolate Cake!

I was surfing the net for new gym shoes today and and found the nike shox aprisa that I'm interested in. I've never owed a pair of black shoes but I thought that they would look nice with my black workout pants- which is very important to me! Of course, I'll be able to tell right away if they are a keeper the minute I put them on! Hopefully they'll be a perfect fit. I'm also considering the nike shox go because I love the color red. Tonight I saw a girl at the gym wearing them...I was so jealous!

Something cool on nike.com is that you can get a mini workout while you surf their site. You can break a sweat while doing a warm-up or whittle your waist away with a salsa dancing lessons. The instructor goes step by step and then puts it all together and even throws in a cha-cha-CHA.

These have to be the prettiest matches ever....I love the white box with red dots- it's just my style.

Today I was reading in a magazine about different ways to save money. One way was to clip coupons....imagine that. I'm always a big fan of getting the Sunday paper and scanning the ads for coupons! It's always a good feeling to look at the reciept and see that you actually saved money- even if it's only a couple of bucks. It all adds up in the end. The magazine mentioned a sight called, grocerygame.com. The site finds the "rock bottom" prices on hundreds of products each week and matches them up with manufacturers' coupons for the best possible savings at your local supermarket. How cool is that?! There is a $10 fee every 8 weeks if after your trial period you continue to use the service. Sounds like a good deal to me.

new music to check out-Lori McKenna.

Cupcake anyone?

I just finished baking a dozen and half Strawberry Cupcakes. They turned out so prefect! I served one cupcake on a piece of antique china and dusted it with powered sugar, muy magnificent! There couldn't be anything better than whipped cream and fresh fruit piled between a layer of super moist cupcake!

The recipe is super easy to follow and would be a great date night dessert to make with the one you love! And if you choose to do it alone, you will surely earn a smile or two once the dessert is served!

bon appetite!

I never thought that another ice cream could possibly top Cookies 'n Cream Ice Cream. I'm a huge fan of cookies and cream! I love the creamy texture and hard cookie combination. But the other day on the way to the hair salon we drove past a Ben and Jerry's and I made the comment that I have only had their Ice Cream once in my entire life but that I couldn't remember what kind it was. Well the day went on and I forgot about the ice cream. The next night we met my parents for dinner and on the way there, the Ben and Jerry's sponser car drove beside us. I knew this was a sign from God telling me to venture out into the frozen food section and pick up a carton of Ben and Jerry's. So tonight after my Pilates class I did just that! I know, I know it does defeat the purpose of working out if you're going to splurg on sugary snacks but one bite of Cherry Garcia will knock your socks off. Imagine cherries with chocolate chunks! Pure yummy goodness.

So moooove over Cookies 'n Cream and welcome Cherry Garcia!

Never again will you have to have a boring USB memory stick. Now you can get a USB drive in a variety of styles. Check them out here! I really like the camo-rubber ducky.

How ridiculous is this: SPRAY ON MUD.

It's true- now you can actually buy something to make your car/truck appear dirty.

For the last few months my interest have gone from scrapbooking to card making but since summer is here I have decided to pull out my paper, scissors and glue and get back into the game. And to help me along they way I turned to the internet for some inspiration. After searching what seemed like an eternity I came across a page dedicated completely to scrapbooking! Kinderdcreations has all kinds of ideas, from page lay-outs to tips and tricks of getting your page just the way you want it! It has given me the inspiration I needed to get back into cropping!

The latest trend in scrapbooking is the use of ribbon, rubber stamps and layering (to the extreme). All of that means thinking outside of the box- which I'm pretty used to but when it comes to cropping I tend to freeze up and not be a risk taker. With help from this site and from the members online I'm hoping they can inspire me to take my scrapbooking to the next level because I'm ready, I just need a little push.

Creative Juices now being served online @:

Paper-source
bisous.biz
onescrappysite
HOUSTON STORE

Find what fits

This has to be the coolest idea ever! This morning I was looking online for a new pair of jeans. There are so many styles out there to choose from and it often becomes more of a frustration than anything when trying to find the perfect ones. During my search, I came across Intellifit which is a device that scans your body to see what size clothing you wear per designer. Think of all the hours you've spent in the dressing room trying on outfit after outfit. In as little as ten seconds the scanner measures your body and a computer print-out will lead you into the right direction of what will fit and flatter your figure. How smart is that...

Where to find the Intellifit.

Happy shopping!

Summer is officially here! I'm heading to Fredericksburg, tomorrow morning to spend a few days in the Hill Country. I'm really looking forward to spending time with Maxie and GiGi since I haven't seen them since Christmas! Lucky for me, Stephanie and Maxie came down this past weekend and I was able to spend a little time with them. Saturday night we all went over to The Watts' house for Jake's Graduation party. Then on Sunday, my Dad fired up the BBQ pit and made ribs and chicken for dinner. Right now I am at Travis' house, uploading songs on to my new iPOD shuffle. So far I have about 15 songs out of a possible 120 uploaded. This afternoon I'm picking Maxie up from my parents house and taking her to my apartment for the evening. We'll be watching movies, painting our toes and having dinner at a fancy restaurant like Chick-Fil-A. Then tomorrow, the three of us (me, maxie and the dog) will head to GiGi's house for some real fun.

Two Things

one: If you are bored at work (which I know never happens) go to jbandsandy.com and click on radio player and select a megamix to listen to. It will definitely make your day better! My personal favorites are Napolean Dynamite and Britney Spears with Linkin Park. It's super sweet.

two: I was offered a job in Magnolia teaching Kindergarten!

The wait is finally over! Faith Hill's newest song in over two years was released yesterday! Her new single "Mississippi Girl," can be heard here.

Another one bites the dust- Kenny Chesney and Rene Zellweger were married this past Monday. I'm impressed that they kept their relationship under the radar as long as they did. There aren't too many pictures of the two exchanging vows but from the ones I have seen, I like the barefoot Kenny Chesney look! If I decided to get married on an island far from here, my groom should take note of this opinion.

I called in sick (cough, cough) today because I have interviews scheduled with two school districts. I'm interviewing with Klein this morning and then in Magnolia this afternoon. Hopefully something will come from this!

Yankee or Dixie?

Take the quiz to find out!

My score: 74% (Dixie). That is a pretty strong Southern score.
Heck yeah it is.

Only 5 weeks left of school! Just typing that makes my feet tingle!

That means it's time to organize the cabinets and the files. I actually started doing a little tidying up this week. My kids can't believe how much stuff can fit into one file cabinet drawer. I need to figure out how I'm going to transfer everything from school to home. It's going to take a few trips I'm sure but everything must go! This is my last year in Fort Bend. I have mixed feelings about leaving because I love my team so much but it's for the best and I'm looking forward to a little change.

So far I haven't had much luck in the job hunting department. I've applied in Klein, Conroe and Magnolia. I haven't heard a thing from anyone but it's still pretty early in the game. I just hope I find something because it is pretty stressful to not know where I'm going to be.

Travis is pretty positive about it which helps me a lot. I need to believe that I'll find something and that everything will work out in the end. Keep your hopes up!

----last night----

I met Susan up at Gringo's for dinner. We caught up with each other and decided Laura should be apart of the fun! She showed up just as we were leaving so we went back in for another drink. She is always so much fun and her laughter is contagious...that's what I like about her. We talked for a little bit then we decided to head our seperate ways. The drive home was fine. I love where I live- easy access to the beltway!

Happy Friday....

Travis and I have rented several movies lately, which is surprising to us both. We have probably only watched a handful of movies together- and have yet to actually go to the theater.

We rented 3 movies last Friday night: Ladder 49, Hero and Lucky 13. What? You've heard of the first two but not the last? Lucky 13 is about man (a no talent actor-Zach Baker) who revisits previous significant girlfriends in his life in order to win over the girl of his dreams- Gillmore Girl, Lauren Graham. This film would be great if the writer had written exactly the same thing but different. I fast forwarded through 70/95 minutes just to have a sense of closure. It was just that bad. It almost makes you feel dumber by watching the movie than by not watching it.

In the words of Napolean Dynmite, "This is pretty much the worst video ever made."

Q: What's the correct way to eat a Peep?

Is it to first bite the head off, then the butt, then stuff the middle in your mouth?

A: There's not really a correct way, but there is a preferred way.

According 1998 surveys by MSI International and International Communications Research (ICR), 60 percent of consumers eat Peeps head first. And if that's not grizzly enough, 40 percent stretch the neck out before the fatal chomp. No statistics on butt and belly biting, but 10 percent admit, actually admit, they stuff more than one whole Peep in their mouth at once.

Personally I like to eat half of a peep and then stuff the rest in Travis' mouth.

Click here to read more about PEEPs.

Have you ever started typing and then looked up and realized that you really haven't typed a darn thing. That just happend to me. So now I'm wondering where have all those letters gone, if they are not on my screen....

This morning Travis and I watched the movie, The Incredibles (or los increbiles). It was pretty funny!! Definitely worth seeing. I went ahead and bought a copy to add to my personal dvd collection, which is now up to 13.

After the movie we ran out to office depot where Travis bought a super comfy office chair. It spins, tilts, and just feels good.

--time to make cookies--

music.guide.real.com offers free listening parties on all genres of music. You can listen to any full length album or song for free. And if you really like a song you have the option of purchasing it for just .99 cents. Super cool.

You just have to have realplayer on your computer to be in business.

happy listening.

I have been told to update my blog by a particular someone who lives where the current temperature is 10 with a wind-chill of -9! Hmmm..Who could it be?

Well my plans to go to Austin were called off but that's alright because I've been able to take care of few things that needed to get done. I submitted my application to KLEIN ISD yesterday and have been working on updating my resume and cover letter all week! The Great Becky, Kristine and Travis have all helped me out tremendously on critiquing and editing my things!

This week I started going to 24 hour fitness and have introduced fish into my diet! Last night I cooked up salmon with a simple squeeze of lemon and a dash of salt & pepper. I also made this wonderful salad with basil pesto dressing-simply fabulous.

This morning I gave Lucy a well deserved bath. I think she secretly enjoys them because as soon as she is out of the tub, she does huge circles in my living room. It's a wonder how my carpet isn't torn to shreds...

The rest of my day will consist of going to the gym for a nice leg work out. Nothing too exciting. I was hoping to go to rodeo tonight but it doens't look like I'll be going. I know most of my readers on here don't listen to country music but there is something about Kenny Chesney's music that I love. Maybe it's how when he sings I can picture parts of my life in some of his lyrics. Especailly in the song- Be as You Are. I wanna go where I can lighten up the load-Drive a little while on the wrong side of the road-Get this laying low off to a flying start
I'm sure all of us have a particular artist or group that can take us places- just like Kenny does for me.

Anyway, hopefully I'll be able to start addressing lables and stuffing envelopes this evening. It'll be great to get them off in the mail this week. This is going to be a great experience- hopefully I'll find a job quickly!

Thanks for all your help Becky, Kris and Travis!

Spring Break

I'm officially on Spring Break! And to start it off right I met Susan at Papasitto's for Happy Hour! They have free appetizers just for teachers when you purchase one drink! Melisa, Kathy and Jenny came along too- It was great time!

Travis came over and we went out to a new resturant called Cantina Laredo for dinner! The atmosphere was great- dimmed lighting, spanish musicians playing, and the menu had so many dishes to choose from. We started with a super-sized margarita and chips and salsa and chose an appetizer to share. It was a nice evening!

Travis and I are planning to head to Conroe at some point today. No big plans there but to help him study for his exam on Monday. I'll be getting my haircut this afternoon at the Woodlands mall! I'm not sure what I'll go for but something needs to be done! Monday-Wednesday I'll be in Austin visiting with Stephanie and Maxie. We are planning on going to Salado for a little antique shopping. Wednesday night is the Kenny Chesney concert...I hope I'll be able to go! On Friday, Travis and I are babysitting Preston for the first time!

And there you have it...an update.

Today I met Susan at Memorial City Mall. We wandered around looking for nothing in particular. We ended up going to all the "usual" stores. Our last stop was to the accessory department in Foley's. I have been trying to find a pair of sunglasses that look good on me for nearly a year. I have tried on at least 50 pair and have never found the perfect ones. Today I realized that I'm not alone, Susan shares the same frustration.

We both tried on several styles: large frames, small frames, narrow frames, frames with sparkles, heart-shaped frames, wire frames, larger than your face frames- but nothing suited us. Although, come to think of it, the heart shaped, rhinestone studded frames did wonders for Susan...or not.

Since we didn't have any luck with the sunglasses, we went over to the COACH section and found something that fits just right.

Oh, and by the way I found this site to find the perfect frames for your face! Maybe my luck will change- at least I can hope.

You are LaFawnduh. Why are you so sweaty?

Heck yeah I do.

always and forever...


Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

as seen on tv

How many of you are tired of the high cost of cleaning products? Well say goodbye to harsh smelling, high dollar bottles of man-made chemical compounds and check out The SHARK Portable Steam Cleaner. Blast with steam and wipe it clean. Instant steam, ready in 30 seconds. Great for quick clean ups in the kitchen, bathroom and all around the home. Cleaning the way nature intended.

The SHARK Portable Steam Cleaner would make the perfect gift for the non-cleaner. Simply plug-in and wait for the ready light. Pull the trigger and clean, clean, clean. The SHARK blasts away waterspots, soapscum and grime from countertops. The powerful SHARK even steams out wrinkles! amazing! There are endless cleaning opportunities to be had with this steam cleaner.

Warning: This product may cause compulsive cleaning.

This message has been brought to you by- Tara and Travis.

I am just about done unpacking my stuff from the big move. I love my new place! It's huge! I especially like the fact that it has wood flooring,crown molding and a ginormous bathroom! I told Travis that if you have to pay rent, you might as well put it towards something nice. Riiiiight?!

On Monday, I interviewed at the Ronald McDonald House to become a weekly volunteer. The RMH is a home away from home for families of children being treated for serious illnesses. Most of the volunteers at RMH are assigned to a floor/room and are expected to maintain it and also to accommodate the guests staying there. The person who I spoke to said that at Texas Children's Hospital there is much more one on one interaction. I think that's more up my alley. I'd like to do it once a week to keep me busy since Travis will be starting the Academy later this month. I'm also looking into taking a Leisure Learning class on how to sew. I bought a Singer Sewing machine a few weeks ago and last night we finally took it out of the box. We followed the directions on how to wind the bobbin and thread the needle BUT no sewing took place. The dang bobbin is getting hung up on something and causing great distress. A class is indeed a must!

Earlier this week I went to Whole Foods which is conveniently located right around the corner from my apartment. One step in the door and they have you wondering what on earth is that delicious smell?! It smells so YUMMY in there! I wasn't looking for anything in particular but there before me, pleasantly displayed, with labels facing outward is where I spotted the COOLEST water bottle ever! The bottle comes in two sizes, both are made of glass with the letters VOSS etched on the side. I told Travis all about them and he agreed that they did sound pretty cool! ;) So cool that he went to Whole Foods today and bought 2 bottles. One for himself and the other as a surprise for me. I immediately opened it and took a sip... ahhhhh. You'll have to see for yourself.

I'm sure the girls in BOSTON will appreciate this! I was reading Glamour magazine and found an ad for the site girl32.com. Check out the winter hat that you can wear even when your hair is pulled back into a ponytail. The hats are made of lambswool with Swarovski crystal buttons in back that open and close depending on the height of your pony tail! For only $78 you can wear a winter hat and have your hair pulled back into a ponytail....it just can't get any better than that!

Let the countdown begin! I will be moving in one week! I've already started cleaning out my closet and a few of my keepsake boxes that needed to be cleaned out. Who needs torn up envelopes anyway? I figure if I haven't looked at in a year, I'm probably never going to look at it again. I can't decide if I want to pack things up right now or if I just want to take my time moving things over? It would make more sense just to get it done all at once... so maybe I'll start that fun project later today.

About my weekend...

On Friday night I drove up to Buffalo to spend the weekend with Travis. He had prepared a lovely steak dinner- complete with potatoes and wine. And he made delicious cookies! My baby is the best! After dinner we lit the chimenea and did a bit of star gazing! The stars go on for miles up there. It's amazing! On Saturday we woke up early and went on a nice morning walk. Lucy came with us and ran the whole time. I don't know how she has so much energy!

Later that day we drove into Palestine to go to Wal-mart. While Travis strolled the down the tractor parts aisle, I headed to the crafts department. I decided I wanted to try my hand at crochetting. I haven't exactly got the technique down but at least I've got the first step down- making a chain! We also bought a 500 piece puzzle that looked like a painting. As an added bonus the puzzle came with a frame (the border), glue and wall hooks. BONUS!

Travis' dad and uncle came up on Sunday morning to work on the fence. So the 3 of them worked on that for most of the day. It'll probably take another weekend or two to finish up... but I don't think anyone will mind the trip back.


Here is another up and coming artist to check out! I personally recommend- No End In Sight

Sure do like those Christmas cookies, sugar! Sure do like those Christmas cookies, babe

Hope everyone had a happy holiday! I sure did! I spent Christmas Eve day with Travis' family. Travis and I exchanged gifts that morning because we weren't going to be together Christmas morning. Travis surprised me with a Kitchen Aide Professional Plus Mixer in the lovely shade of red. I can't wait to try it out! Travis knew about his BIG gift but he still acted surprised when he opened it! I bought him XM Radio. I love XM radio- no commercials and no tejano (unless you specifically select it- and that will never happen)! Another cool thing about the model I gave Travis is that it has a remote control...and if you know me I love to flip stations. And with over 200 channels to choose from you can imagine what it's like in the car- loads of fun. Maybe you're in the mood for Jazz or Texas Country...or maybe some uncensored Ghetto Rap. It's all there...

After we opened presents we headed into town and had breakfast at Panera Bread. We debated getting it to go or eating there- all because of XM. We were already hooked. We decided to eat it there and talk about the plans for the rest of the day. Our plans included a trip to Target and lunch in Huntsville with Memaw and Uncle T.

Christmas Eve dinner was spent at my parents house. My mom made lasagna and salad. Yum. After dinner we all put on our pj's and watched movies. Maxie and I watched Milo and Otis and the others watched ELF.

Do you like sugar?
Is there sugar in syrup?
Yes
...then YES!
Us elves try to stick to the four basic food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and sugar!

Maxie and I woke up right at 7 and went in to wake up Stephanie and Travis. She wanted to know if Santa came because she didn't hear the pitter patter. But we assured her that we all heard the pitter patter and the clatter last night!

She was really excited about her Santa presents: a Barbie
flashlight, an umbrella and pink cowgirl boots! She had a bag full of stuff and you could see the excitement in her eyes as she pulled everything out of the bag.

After Santa presents we all changed into regular clothes and then came back down to do the regular gift exchanged. My Grandma, Aunt and 2 cousins came down around 12. Travis also arrived around then with green bean casserole. My Uncle showed up right before lunch.

I decided my job this year would be to set the dinner table. So I went online and looked up table setting/napkin folding...There are so many different ways to fold a single napkin. I stuck with the beginners fold and ended up setting a beautiful table- the glasses were even set in the right spot...Can you say fancy?!

I spent the rest of the day with the family and Travis. Travis and I headed to Conroe, where we spent the night, around 8. What a long day it was...Here are a few pictures.


Mmmm syrup...We teased my mom with a new green bean casserole recipe.


happy family

Only 4 days of shopping left. I need to get a few more gifts and stocking stuffers and then i'll be done! I just finished my Christmas cards this morning and they are ready to be dropped off at the Postal Office. I almost don't want to send them because they are so cute!

Today Julie and I are going to make sugar cookies. This year we are going to focus on decorating instead of cut...so slice and bake it is! It's becomming quite the tradition for us to get together right before Christmas and bake!

...more to come!

Happy birthday to me! Actually it was Tuesday but I'm still celebrating! Tomorrow night Travis and I are going to the Nutcracker Ballet! I am so excited! I have wanted to go for several years now and now I finally get to go. I bought a super cute dress the other night...ohh-la-la!

Only 5 days left of teaching and then it's time for winter break! 2 weeks with no kids! YES!! Travis and I are planning on going to Fredericksburg on Saturday to do a little holiday shopping! I think we'll drive to Austin on Friday and snag Maxie for the weekend. We'll stay with Gi Gi Saturday & Sunday night and then head back to Austin on Monday for my dentist appointment. I still use my dentist in Austin since I know i'm in good hands (my sister works there).

I'm sure Christmas is going to sneak up on me- I have yet to buy anything. Well...that's not exactly true. I have picked up a few things, here and there, but nothing BIG. At least I know what i'm getting everyone.

We'll I'm heading to Foley's to get an evening bag and a wrap to wear. They are having a super sale with coupons. It started at 6 this morning but who wants to shop that early?

...who will get the drumstick...yummy, yummy, yumstick...

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and so is my week long vacation. I'm going to spend Monday-Wednesday in Fredericksburg and then head back to Houston for turkey dinner at the Miller's house. Then Saturday and Sunday will be spent decorating for Christmas. I'm already in the spirit- I went to the Nutcracker Market with my mom to do a little shopping. I've been to the market 3 years in a row and each time it gets bigger and better! I have my favorites- Paul Michael (home decor) and Cowboy Country (for honey butter)! This year the BIG thing was floral arrangements with feathers incorporated into it. Last year it was miniture Christmas tress with snow on them.

I have come to the conclusion that one must bring several things when attending an event such as the Nutcracker Market:
-some sort of backpack to put all the small stuff in
-walkie talkies in case of separation
-comfortable shoes
-gloves to prevent shopping bag rub (ouch)

I did come out of the Market with a few Christmas gifts and ornaments to add to my collection!

Over the weekend Travis and I headed out to Huntsville for a little haunted house action. His cousin Brian took 6 weeks to transform his land into a Haunted Trail- complete with strobe lights, fog machines and creatures that pop out of nowhere... I was a little spooked. The kids seemed to have a great time too-bobbing for apples, going on hayrides, and of course eating as much candy as they possibly could.

On Sunday we busted out the carving kit and carved up some mighty fine lookin' pumpkins. Travis decided to carve his freestyle and I opted to use a pattern of a witch flying on a broom. We even had Mr. G from next door come over and be the judge of who did the better job- but he wouldn't say. Must be the Grandpa in him- couldn't choose if he had too.

Bubba

The rest of the afternoon was spent running around town. I bought a new book- Shopaholic Ties the Knot- and Travis spent some time pricing computer accessories. We headed back to the house and packed our bags and went over to see Scott, Ronda and baby Preston!


We all sat out on the driveway and passed out candy to the trick-or-treaters. There weren't too many but my personal favorite was the Ninja turtle- hard back shell and all.

Make sure you vote- it counts.

If you're nutrition-conscious about what you eat while out on the road (or at least try to be) check out these sites- airlinemeals for consumer ratings of airlines' dishes or roadfoood for reviews on roadside food stops.


zoom. zoom....

Travis and I refinised my dining room table in an Antique White. It looks awesome! We decided to scrap the chairs because they were too wobbly. So you know what that means....I get to go SHOPPING! I think I'm going to go for a slight french county cottage look for the dinning room. As soon as its all in place I'll post a picture!

I can't wait to be able to decorate a house- weekend trips to Lowes, walls you can paint, a yard to mow! So much to look forward too!

GO ASTROS!

I just completed my 3rd Pampered Chef catalog show and I am already signed up to do another show in February! The best thing about doing a show is that the more you sell the more points you earn towards free stuff- I just love free stuff! The checks will be in the mail tomorrow and the products should arrive in 2 weeks! Yippie!

Since I haven't updated in awhile I will fill you in with the scoop on the happenings in my life. Here goes...

Stephanie and Maxie came down this past weekend. Mom took Maxie to get her pictures taken at Sears....SEARS the home and garden, appliance and electronics, tools and tires shop?!! I couldn't believe it but they did an awesome job! I wish I could show you just how cute they are but no can do... I only have a hard copy.

School News- Today I decided to rearrange my room. I recruited help from the time-out gang. I'm not sure what exactly made me want to do it right then but I just had to change it on the spot. I over heard my Mr. Smartypants say, "she must be mad, she is moving furniture..." I wasn't mad... just unhappy about the flow but now the room is looking mighty fine. I'll have to take a picture to share with the group.

Travis and I have a weekend project in store for us come Saturday- refinishing my dining room table. I can't wait to have my table back! It's been in storage for a couple of weeks. It's not so much that I use it to dine on as much as I use it to pile all my crap on. I'll be sure to take a before and after shot of the process.

Friday is in-service day. I really don't mind going since they usually let us out early from the 2nd session but ssshhhhhh don't tell.

that is all. tara

Tonight Travis and I made a trip to Target. We stumbled upon this ultra cute halloween costume, not for ourselves, but for LUCY.

AAARrrrrrrrgh

Pumpkins, gourds and squash...oh my!

This is too funny!

Time to update!

Becky and I had a great time in San Francisco! It's absolutely beautiful out there. The air is fresh and the temperature is perfect! I arrived on Thursday afternoon and took a shuttle (driven by an angry Chinese man) to the Fisherman's Wharf. I met Becky at the hotel. We hung out there for awhile then decided to hit the streets and head towards Ghirardelli Square. Yum, Chocolate!!


We walked down strand and checked out a few places to eat before settling down on one. I decided to try the clam chowder and Becky went for the crabcakes. Since it was still early we decided to go out to the Dirty Martini bar. I had my favorite- sour apple and Becky opted for the lemon drop. Cheers!
The next day we went for a cable car ride down to Union Square. Ding Ding



"Please use brakes generously!"

All around town you'll find these cute painted hearts. This is one of my favorites!



After a delicious lunch at The Cheesecake Factory we cruised the mall and then headed to China town.

won't you take me to...China town




I bought a few things for Travis down there but I was holding out for Paper-Source. Later that afternoon we rented our PT Cruiser and headed to Berkeley to meet Becky's friends. We ended up going out to dinner at a fondue restaurant where Sal, our waiter, entertained us. Can't you see how excited I am?

Sal- straight to the heart.



The next day we woke up with good intentions of making it out the wine country early but instead we made it out there around noon. We went to a few of Becky's favorite wineries then made a mad dash to the lesser known for a quick tasting.






Most of the places close early in Napa so we headed back to San Francisco, stopping for a quick picture at the Golden Gate Bridge.






I had such a great time! Thanks Becky for showing me around town and inviting me out there!

Feeling stressed? THIS might help.