Let it snow!

A couple weekends ago it was VERY frigid for us here in Texas. Dude....I'm talking it barely got to 32 degrees as our high! But it didn't even snow here in Austin...well at least not NATURALLY.

The outdoor mall in our area had a huge snow blowing machine set up. SOOOOOOOOO much fun!

They made snow angels, slid down a small snow hill and of course had a good old fashioned snow ball fight. We left with numb hands and rosy cheeks :-) As much fun as it all was, I'm glad we don't get snow here all the time...it was FREEZING LOL!

It's VLOGcember!

First I would like to say thank you to everyone that reached out to me after my last post. The 'want' is definitely still there, but I no longer feel selfish and/or sad about my 'situation.' Faith, you were right...talking/venting about it all definitely is making the sadness go away :-) I still get very teary eyed, especially when I open FB and I get 5 status updates announcing a baby is on the way. I have cried less and less and that is good. Again, thank you for all your support!!

Now let's see...oh ya...

IT'S VLOGCEMBER. A lot of people are calling it VLOGmas on YouTube...but I kinda like VLOGcember better: you know, vlogging everyday in December (and not just until Christmas).

I don't know about you but I guess I'm kinda a voyeur...I love watching what other people "do." I love the unedited real lives of folks. I follow a lot of bloggers/vloggers on YouTube and thought, hey, I can do that...so I did. And then stopped because I felt like I didn't do a whole lot that was interesting. Then I realized, the vlogs I do watch, do most of the same stuff I do. So I said to myself: "Self, let's do this!" So I'm back at it again. Vlogging is fun! I don't upload everyday vlogs like some folks (which kinda IS the point of VLOGcember), but instead, I compile 2-3 days worth and upload them all together...unless a 1 days vlog is 5 min or longer.
I'll be posting my vlogs here so you don't have to always go to YouTube. But I would love it if you visited me there every once in awhile....and maybe subscribe to me, like my vlogs, and maybe even comment while you're there :-D (how's that for a shameless plug?)

The one where all I do is cry....

Before Big Daddy and I got married I suffered a painful, 4 month miscarriage. He was devastated! I was devastated. We knew that once we got married we would want to have a child right away. And we did. I got pregnant with Juju after about a month of being married. After having him, we thought, you know what...with my 2 older boys, our family was complete. He did not mind at all having only 1 child. Around Juju's 1st birthday we toyed around with the idea of maybe, maybe, having another one. The decision was unanimous that he (along with my older 2) was all we needed. Shortly thereafter, my period didn't come and there you have it LOL. Baby #2 was on his way. During my pregnancy we toyed with the idea of getting me "fixed" so as to not have another surprise later. I was all for the idea, then not for the idea, then all for it again...you get the picture. The week before I had BamBam I went to pre-register myself at the hospital and made the decision that he would be our last child. So on April 10, 2008 after they pulled his big head out of me via c-section, my doctor cut my tubes and burnt the edges...forever sealing off any chance of getting pregnant ever again.

Every now and then since 2008 I get a mild case of baby fever that goes away shortly thereafter. But not this time. This time is a different story. All I've been thinking about since the beginning of November is how much I want to have another baby. Financially, it would totally NOT be ideal, but dammit! Ugh and I'm back in school...Am I being selfish? I've spent countless hours over the past month searching online "can I get pregnant after my tubes have been cut and burnt." And I just cry. Reversal, in vitro, pure miracles... I've never wanted to have another baby so much. I start to talk about it with my husband and then chicken out because I know he does not want to have another one or I'm afraid he will actually say he would like to have another. And then I just get so mad at him and think to myself, "you made me do this, why?" But it's not his fault. And then I cry again. I've been so emotional about all of this. I think good god woman, everything is going great as it is so stop being selfish, and that makes me cry. I have talked to a few close friends about how I've been feeling and they tell me these feelings should pass...but do I really want them to? Its my stupid "clock." I never believed in that notion until now. Now it's actually ticking away, day by day...and all I want to do is curl up in my bed and cry.

THIS is a big reason why I haven't really been around here much.
Will I get through this? Yes. When? Who knows. Until then, pass me the tissues...

Life moves pretty fast...

If you don't stop to look around once in awhile, you could miss it. ~ Ferris Bueller

"weighted" push ups

We run..rain or shine ;-)

Go, go power rangers!

Road trippin'

50s day for the 50th day of school. My little rebel without a cause.

Ready, set, RUN!

It's that time of year again...Marathon Kids! This will be Juju's 3rd go and this is BamBam's first 'official' year.
The first 1/4 mile kick off was once again held at the Mike Myers track and soccer stadium on UT's campus. We got to run with our P.E. teacher this year too!

My Titans and Coach Fyffe

Hook em!

Waiting for our turn to go down to the track

We were the first ones in line!! That never happens. Our school (the 3 pictured here) also got to run through the banner. Too fun!

1st 1/4 mile done son!

The boy, Juju, and BamBam with their goodies from Whole Foods, Rouge Running and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Last year, it was wet and rainy and cold...But this year the sun was SHINING! And it was hot too LOL. But y'all know I'll take hot over cold any day! So proud of my guys. Especially BamBam. He ran the whole way without stopping or even slowing down. Juju is a natural runner like Big Daddy. He's got this long stride that makes his running look effortless. Then there's me...the non-runner LOL. I ran ALMOST the whole way...jogged to the end when I got tired HA! We celebrated their great run with italian wood oven fired nutella sandwiches :-)

To find out more about Marathon Kids, check out their website: Http://marathonkids.org

Happy Anniversary to me!

Big Daddy has a select side rugby game out of town this weekend. We decided that just the 2 of us will go alone and we will also be spending the night. Plans? Just rugby...and "date night" :-)

Happy Anniversary by mommybeautiful featuring a gold headband

Forever 21 red high low dress / DV by Dolce Vita sandals / DKNY leather shopping bag / Necklace / Earrings, $1,205 / Gold headband

Congratulations! It's a boy!

I am NOT PREGNANT!

Just wanted to scream that to you first LOL. Long story short...I now have a 17 year old, high school senior living with us. No, not Skinny. It's actually Big Daddy's youngest brother...we'll call him "The Boy."
He started hanging out with some not so great dudes and well, he got in trouble, VonTrapp kicked him out, and now he lives with us...since the 2nd week of school.
There's really not much else to it. Big Daddy and I are his legal guardians now. We love having him here. And duh...FREE babysitter!

I figure it would be a good idea to "introduce" the boy to you...since he's here and all...and he'll be all over this blog probably too.

A computer and social savvy parent night

Last night was Kindergarten parent night at our school. Let me just start off by saying: I LOVE OUR TEACHER! Ms. Stone is who I wanted for BamBam and we got her! Her excitement for kindergarten definitely puts my mind at ease.

Anyhoo...

Parent night was great. Got to know Ms. Stone more personally and of course professionally. Like many other parent nights, we went over daily schedules and what we should expect from our kindergartners. Oh and when I first walked in, I got to see BamBam's very first in school project 'sitting' in his chair. I actually forgot (meh) to take a pic of it...but I did get one when I brought it home...

BamBam and his "ME" project :-)

One of the main things Ms. Stone told us that she was doing this year that she didn't do previously was to be more computer and social savvy. Almost all forms needing to be filled out are being sent to us through Google drive (docs). I personally think this is a great leap in schools. Its a great resource for teachers and makes submitting things so much easier...no need to worry about important papers getting 'lost in transfer.' LOL if you're a parent then you KNOW what I mean.

Secondly, she is utilizing a service called remind 101. It's a one way text based reminder system. All personal information like our phone numbers are not visible to her and we cannot see her number either. No one has access to her account except for her and of course it is password protected. She uses it for quick reminders. For example, I got a text this morning reminding us today was library day and please don't forget to bring our books. 

Lastly, she created a twitter page for her class! WHAT?! SO AWESOME! She keeps her iPad on her desk all day and she says the kids love hearing the notification go off. She shows them things that she posts and always shows them if someone comments back. I think I was the only parent in the class that uses twitter...maybe. LOL. I heard some of the parents saying they had no idea what it was. But for a social media junky like me, you know I am so excited over this.

These 3 major jumps in education (in our class) just goes to show you how "social" we have all become. I know, I know, using google docs isn't really social, but it kinda is. Real life documenting in real time, being shared by more than one person to another. A group to the entire group itself. 

So how young is too young for social media? The use of iPads and computers in classrooms is becoming more widespread. BamBam's Pre-K classroom last year had 5 iMacs and an iPad. Most kids know how to operate their iPods/iPhones and other smart phones better than most grown ups. So how young is too young? My boys each have their own email address, which I of course maintain. I have thought about maybe getting them their own, PRIVATE instagram account since they LOVE taking pictures with my phone...but I'm still not so sure. I have given BamBam permission to tweet his teacher as long as I am around....

But the question still remains...how young is too young for social media? Thoughts?

It's that time of the year again

Yup...FOOTBALL! Except this year...I'm kinda of not into it...well not yet at least. But this weekend will definitely kick my butt into the craziness. Now, I've been playing fantasy football for a few years now and its always an amazing time when we have the draft party. But this year, I'm not actually playing. But, DUH, of course Big Daddy is and DUH we are going to the draft party...

It's a Draft Party by mommybeautiful featuring nike footwear

NIKE / Zara blue jean shorts / NIKE footwear / TOMS cushioned shoes / Reeds Jewelers sterling silver earrings / Dorothy Perkins head wrap headband

Time to get back to blogging

I think I've been gone long enough, don't you? Heehee. Couldn't help but enjoy my first ever summer vacation since high school. Lots of laughs and even more memories made. I'm putting together a vid of all the snippets I recorded this summer :-) Editing is taking a bit longer than usual since the dudes and I start reminiscing about each vid LOL. But I'll be back to my regular blogging schedule (wait, did I even have one of those) in the next week or so.

Heehee...couldn't leave you empty handed :-)

Sumer time!

Those 2 words...can wreck havoc in the lives of some and awesome fun in the lives of others LOL. Not bad havoc, just chaotic, yet fun, havoc :-)
Yesterday was officially our 1st day of summer vacation but in reality, our summer vacation started at 11am Friday afternoon. If this summer is anything like the past weekend, then it is going to be one hell of great freaking summer!!
We kicked off summer with a swim at a popular "watering hole" near to where we live, Bull Creek. The boys played in a split of boulders where the water was just rushing down like a waterfall. No pics but did get some video. After a couple hours of sliding between rocks, we went and got pizza...some great gourmet pizza. And of course some beers (for us, not the boys DUH). Juju said it was the best last day of school ever and I couldn't agree more.
Instead of talking about our lake life, just take a look :-)

Lake Travis is literally 7 minutes from our house...we timed it. I foresee MANY summer days here. You can follow our summer adventures via instagram or keek....you know...cuz y'all LOVE me. 

The sun is shining! Get out there and live! What do y'all have planned this summer or upcoming weekends?