Home sweet home
We got back after being gone in Ohio for 10 days on Monday afternoon. 5 days in Ohio. 5 days in the car. 22 hours each way. Thousands of miles in between and yet, Ohio and Texas…they are both home.
Our life together began here. We had our babies here. This is home. But when we go to Ohio and see our family, it’s home too. Family that we adore but family that we don’t see but once or twice a year. The time we spend there is precious.
Grandmas and Great Grandmas
Sisters
Cousins
Our family is a melting pot of races and cultures and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My friends are home to me too. They live so very far and yet are so very close because they also live in my phone…we text and email daily. I love them.
It was a good, good visit.
On the way home we decided to stop in Nashville for the night to see the famous Christmas light display at the Opryland Resort. Um, yeah. You know me with Christmas. This was the most magical Christmas light display I’ve ever seen. I kind of wanted to live there.
But, then it was time to go home. Our Texas home. The home I love the most. Coming back to this
and this
and this.
Ya just can’t beat it.
It’s December which means Christmas is 25 days away. Let the giddy-ness continue.
The Madness Began
The madness began this weekend…
It’s a happy madness though. I couldn’t wait to put my Christmas decorations out. They’re out now and I sat in my living room last night with just the light of the tree illuminating the downstairs and I swear I smiled out loud…if there is even such a thing. My smile had sound. A sonic boom kinda smile.
Guess who’s coming to town.
It’s like Liv’s first Christmas all over again. She’s so fascinated by the tree and the lights. I’ve heard “MAMA! It’s so beautiful!” from her many times and also many complaints if I turn off the tree to give the lights a break for a bit. This kid, she’s gonna be like me…at least I hope she is. Hannah’s already lost interest with decorating and sat in her room while the tree went up. But not Livie. She was right there behind me wanting to help. I spaced my kids apart just perfectly. One is enterting the “I’m too cool for anything” phase while the other is just getting old enough to help and be excited about things. Being a parent means reliving your childhood and giving your kids better and more than you had…at least for me it means that. Mission accomplished 100 times over. When I see her face as she looks at that tree…puddle of mush on the floor. That’s me.
Still found time for relaxing coffee breaks and welcomed nights with friends that I’ve missed for way too long.
Looking forward to a hectic but good week as we get ready to head out of town. Hope yours is good too.
Reflections
As Hannah gets older and approaches the “tween” years, I find myself reflecting on when she was Livie’s age and that leads to me really REALLY trying to memorize every last detail of Livie’s life right now because I know with age will come that terrible tween years.
I’m not looking forward to it.
The tween years are coming and they’re stealing my baby girl. I barely can remember when Hannah was sweet and cute and funny like Livie is now. Instead I get “I don’t wanna talk about school” Hannah or “Don’t talk to me” Hannah or my favorite “You’re SO mean and you understand NOTHING MOM!!!” Hannah. It’s a rocky road here lately…it has been for a couple years now but everyone tells me this is the worst age and she’ll get better.
I pray so. I miss my little girl.
Some days, though, there’s a glimmer of her. Like the other night when she asked if she could help me make dinner.
And when she offered to read a bedtime story to Livie.
When the sweet, old Hannah comes out I do have that glimmer of hope that this moody age will pass soon and she’ll be back to her old self. Or at least a more mature version of herself.
So I spent a lot of the week focusing on Livie and really sucking in the age she is now. Everything we’re doing this season for Fall or Halloween we did last year but since she was only 1 last year she’s forgotten it all. When we lit the fireplace she was in awe. When I showed her her Halloween costume she had to have it on RIGHT. THIS. SECOND. That’s why I waited to show it to her til she could wear it to school on Thursday for her party.
Makes me so excited for Monday and trick or treating. It’ll be like the first time for her even though she went last year and she’s so vocal now. I can’t wait to hear what she says about it.
Speaking of appreciating her age right now, the little man I nanny is 6 months old already. I got him when he was 2 months old. He’s growing and changing so fast and before I know it, he’ll be her age and she’ll be 4. When I think about that, I want to freeze time for just a little bit.
More coming next week on all our Halloween festivities this weekend. Hope yours is fab.
Caught Fall
Here in Texas when fall comes it’s more like what late spring or late summer feels like up north. When the temps dip under 75 degrees we all freak out because it’s “chilly” and we love it.
A cold front blew in yesterday. Monday it was 90 degrees. Today? 70. My first thought? We gotta pick out pumpkins! Hannah decided she’s too old for that and so Liv and I went on our own to the makeshift aka fake pumpkin patch at the nearby church. I won’t even get into how I miss Ohio falls and real pumpkin patches everywhere and HELLO, the metroparks. Google it if you don’t live in Ohio. All I need is some Ohio fall leaves sent to me and I’d be golden.
As soon as we walked in she said “OOOH, I LOVE pumpkins!” and I think back to last year when she didn’t even know or really care what they were. She’s changed so much in a year.
She was so happy when she found one she could actually lift.
She’s got her pumpkin and she’s a happy girl.
Other happenings:
More backyard time
Happy car rides
And happy evenings just me and her while Dad works and Sister stays the night with Nana.
Can’t believe it’s already Wednesday. Happy midweek!
Loving my boots
Hannah had another competition this weekend. Before it started I said to The Man’s step dad ” Never in my life did I picture I’d be doing this right now. If I told the 15 year old me that one day I’d be living in Texas wearing cowboy boots and watching my daughter ride in rodeos I’d laugh and say yeah right, Texas? PFT!”
Now look at us.
Hannah’s riding a new horse again. She’s on Fancy now…we’re trying to figure out the best horse for her that’s fast that she can win on and yet she feels comfortable on. We’ve decided Fancy will probably be it so she raced her Saturday afternoon in the perfect 85 degree sunny weather.
I was super excited to get this shot of her clearing the barrel. Usually it’s blurry or too fast but Saturday I finally got it.
Twice.
She gets so excited to watch Hannah ride and be around the horses. When we pulled in she yelled “YAHOOOOOOOO! HORSES!!!!”
I thought both of my girls would be dancers. Instead they’ll be cowgirls.
I love it. I’ve become accustomed to that kind of life. Sure, I still come home and put on my heels and dress shorts and I enjoy a good song by The Black Keys or Lilly Allen or heck, Britney Spears. But there’s something about competition days when we get up early and rush out of the door throwing our cowboy boots on and packing coolers with water and snacks because we know we’ll be at the arena all day. The sounds of the announcer calling my baby’s name as she bolts out of the gate and tries to get her fastest time yet is something I live for. I never EVER thought this would be my life…the rodeo and the horse racing and the boots. I’ve embraced it and y’all? The country living? Ain’t too shoddy. Not at all. I get it now. And? I adore my boots.
After that winner of a Saturday yesterday we kept it low key. We went to church. We planted ourselves on the couch for a day of football.
I love football. (GO TEXANS!) I love a good Bud Light Lime while watching the game too. They go hand in hand. Livie feels as though a good cup of Blue Bell goes with football. I tend to agree.
A quick soccer game during halftime? Why not.
And dancing when you’re bored of watching football, even when your parents aren’t.
Have a good Monday. Don’t forget to dance.
More to come
Has it really been a month since I’ve posted. Who the heck am I? To think that I went from daily blogging to 3 times a week to once a week to ONCE A MONTH?!!
And would you believe it if I told you that I’ve so royally slacked on taking pictures? I take a few on my phone a week but the last time I’ve picked up my real camera to take pictures? Hannah’s comp a few weeks ago. And before that? Couldn’t tell ya.
I WILL say that all of this slacking is due to life living. Staying home has changed my life so much…so many little things that have culminated into one big giant change of life. I’m home more so I have more time to take pictures but I don’t. We probably do more but I don’t take pictures. I’m busier so I don’t blog as much. I certainly don’t have time to read blogs. So many things I did while sitting at a desk at work that now? Just have fallen by the wayside.
Some of this I’m ok with. Others, I’m not. I miss my camera. I miss editing photos. I miss blogging. I’m hoping I can get back into the swing of things soon…you know I’ve been struggling with this for months now.
So this is kind of an introductory post back into what I hope is regular blogging. And yes, some pictures. If you read this blog in a reader, open it up because my Halloween theme that Jenn made me is so bad ass and for the past 2 years I’ve loved it tons!
She has no fear. She rides that horse like it’s the last time she’ll get on him. Amazes me. And little sister watches because Hannah’s kind of her hero when it comes to riding.
We’ve finally gotten some cooler nights and we love to spend them in the back yard.
And? I went to Vegas. Yes, I sure did.
To say I had a fabulous time would be an understatement.
Here’s to a happy weekend and a hopeful return to blogging.
Halloween is coming. More to come soon.
Fall
Along with the seasonal and yearly changes, I guess I changed too. I used to have a hunger to want to blog constantly and lately here posts have been few and far between. So, I’ve decided to just blog when I have something to say like many of you do. It doesn’t have to be consistent or on a schedule. I will write when I feel like the words I say have some meaning and not just because it’s been a few days and I haven’t. Not that it was ever like that but lately I just haven’t had anything to really put out there. I’m friends with so many of you on Twitter or Facebook so I don’t feel disconnected like I thought I would if I didn’t blog a few times a week.
With that said, it’s fall. Now, I realize that fall doesn’t officially start til the end of this month but I don’t care. I love fall here. The weather finally has broken. It’s in the high 80s and low 90s during the day instead of the 102 it was for WEEKS daily. The humidity is gone. We’re able to be outside without sweating. We don’t need jackets or sweaters…I love it. We pick pumpkins in tank tops and shorts and we take hayrides with sunglasses on and flip flops. It’s a Texas fall and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Well except for the leaves changing colors. I do miss that about Ohio.
So what have we been up to? Well Livie started Mother’s Day Out twice a week. The Man’s mom teaches the class so I thought she’d be fine and have fun.
Wrong.
She cries all day. She’s so nervous and just not in her comfort zone no matter who is around so we’re not sure if she’ll make it or be a preschool drop out. Either way, she looked really cute on her first day.
Hannah won her first belt buckle for her riding comps this summer. We’re so proud.
At her lesson after that her teacher decided to move her up to a bigger horse. She’s so excited about that. So are we.
And last weekend The Man and I took a trip to New Orleans for an early 10 year anniversary celebration just us two. What we didn’t know when we planned this weeks ago was that a massive tropical storm named Lee would be making landfall the day we got there. It rained the whole weekend but we made the best of it. We got out when it wasn’t too bad and took cabs and stayed inside when it did.
It may not look like fall outside or even feel like it to most people, but to me it’s here. And if you read this blog in a reader, you’ll have to check out my actual page because it’s fall on my blog too.
Happy September and lots of browns and oranges and hopefully changing leaves to you.
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