Still on the hunt...

Still looking for a house, we're coming up on three months. The last "perfect" house I posted about turned out to be not so perfect. When we went and looked at it a second time we realized that the neighborhood was not so great. I would rather have the worst house on the best street than the other way around. I can fix my house, I can't fix the neighbors!

My students are k-i-l-l-i-n-g me right now. Today I had to explain to one of my little angels that algae is not a predator (this is 8th grade). Really? Watch out for the attack algae!!!!! It makes me wonder why I even bother to show up to work sometimes....good luck on the TAKS kiddo.

Blake has been cracking us up lately. She has started talking more and more and saying some pretty funny things. It's pretty amazing to me that I can't think of ANY right now. So just trust me.

Blake has also been throwing some pretty righteous fits too. She does this great dancing move and stomps her feet and screams really loud. Good try, my little friend, but that's not going to get you another candy corn.

Well, that's about it for now. My brain is not 100% functional. I just ran for 8 minutes...

House Hunting....

Friday at school, Ryan sent me an email from our realtor. She had a house to show us that wasn't on the market yet but she knew we would love it. The price was just over our maximum we are willing to pay. My response: No. We will love it and we can't afford it. I don't want to look at it.

We went to look at it.

And guess what?

I love it. It's ridiculous. I knew we shouldn't have gone to look at it. I knew nothing about the house. I just knew it was out of our price range and I knew I would love it. It's a little cottage straight out of a magazine. I love it mostly because the lady who lives their is an excellent decorator. I try to remind myself of that every time I think of it. Would it have been as cute if she didn't live there??? I don't know. What I do know is the house devil is tempting me.

What sucks about this? The house isn't really that expensive. It's definitely on the low end when it comes to houses. But when we left Fort Worth we took a pretty big pay cut. This house is about the same price as our house in Fort Worth. But we don't make as much money as we did in Fort Worth. We are trying to simplify. Simplify, Meredith, simplify. I will continue to chant this over and over every time I remember the picture perfect cottage. It probably won't work. We'll see.

Blake putting in Mimi's earplugs. Those can't get stuck can they?

B's halloween costume. I should probably wait until Halloween to post this but after this day, it was really hard to get her to wear the hat. So, here she is.

wearing Mimi's glasses. Blake really needs more friends her age. No offense Mimi.

Day Off...

I took a day off from school today...mental health day. When I called in for a sub, I chose "personal business." I didn't feel good about choosing "personal sickness" because I'm not sick, just sick of school...Ha! (I hope my principal isn't reading this.)

Well, I finally made a freaking header for my blog. It took me two hours. I think I found my new hobby. Yeah right. I know that I shouldn't design blogs like my bff Shauna for many reasons. But I think if I went to blog design 101 they would tell you to pick your background and then make a header to match it. I did it the other way around. It took F-O-R-E-V-E-R to find a background to match. When you are cheap and want to get it all for free, it doesn't end up perfect but this was my first go at it. I think I may get better....or I may have this blog design for 20 more years.

Yeah, yeah, yeah... but really Meredith, where the heck have you been?? Well, thanks for asking!

We packed up all of our belongings, Blake, two dogs and a cat and moved to Abilene! We really love it so far and everything with our move has gone amazingly smoothe. I got a job teaching 8th grade at the beginning of June and had to be in Abilene by August 13th. We moved our stuff on August 9th and we closed on our house on August 12th. Ryan went back to Fort Worth to finish up with his job and then he moved somewhere around the 16th or 17th. Then after a little searching, Ryan found a job too. The last piece of the puzzle is not happening as quickly as the others......we have not found a house yet and we are still living with my parents.

Which is totally awesome, don't get me wrong. My dad cooks every night and there is a cleaning lady who comes every other week AND we have live in babysitters! Amazing!!! It has been like a vacation. We have been looking at houses and haven't quite found the right place yet. But we will...someday. Because, we can't live with my parents forever...or can we? More news to come.

IF you are reading this, thanks for not giving up on me! Here are some pics of the last few months. We've tried to change a few things about our life since moving to Abilene.(ps-if you think my blog is ugly, don't tell me.)

Blake with her nanny. We've really started watching the kinds of food we give Blake. Here she is enjoying some brownie mix for supper.

One day Blake told us she was going to run away. We just wanted her to be prepared. P.S. Her shirt says Dear Jesus, please holla back.

Since moving to Abilene, I have tried to avoid the there-are-no-cute-stores-here-so-you-can't-possibly-dress-cute-all-the-time stereotype. Heather looks good too.

Blake has made a lot of new friends since moving to Abilene, here she is with one of them...so cute. And I don't want to hear any comments about the pacifier in her mouth...it had been a long day, I think.

And finally, our cleaning lady at work.

trying to make a come back...

I really, really want to start blogging again...and I will. But first a new look is a must! I have played with about 50 backgrounds, not set on this one either but I can't make the header smaller. I love what Shauna did with my blog the first time but I don't think I can afford her anymore!! :) I love you Shauna!! So, I need a new look. What do I do? Does everyone pay someone to make their blog cute or do you all know how to do it now? ideas, please!!!!

Summa summa summa TIME!!!

We have been successful at doing a whole lot of nothing our first week of summer. But here are some of the things we have done so far.

hErE is WHAT I am LoVInG about SuMMERtIme.....

1. Playing everyday all day with my favorite kid in the world. To all of you stay at home mommys: how do you ever get anything done? Naps? Okay, I guess I should stop napping everytime Blake does.

2. Eating...a lot of eating.



3. Working out again. I took some pics in my swimsuit (no, I am not putting them on here) so that I would be able to track my progress this summer. Eating 24-7 is not helping this cause much.

4. Being outside. Blake has been playing in the water A LOT. Maybe we should get out more and go to the pool?? I think she is trying to tell me something.

5. Watching Blake come up with creative, and sometimes a little gross, ways to play on her own.

Yes, that's an empty can of cat food. And notice that this is two different days doing the same activity.

6. Taking baths in the middle of the day because we have played so hard and we are DIRTY! I have a little tomboy on my hands.

7. Letting Blake and Daddy spend time with GiGi and Grandpa so I can go to VEGAS with my mom and sister! (I don't have any pics yet...)

ThINgs i Am NOT LoVinG so MUch.....

1. All the stinkin' mosquitos in our backyard!!! We bathe in off everyday before we step foot outside.

2. Since we are trying to sell the house we have decided it probably needs to be clean... I HATE trying to keep the house spotless with a kid running around behind me pulling out everything I just put up! I am doing a really good job though, as you can see....

NOT!!! This is ridiculous!

And to all who are wondering, yes we are planning on moving. I don't want to go into details because... well, I just don't want to yet. More info to come!~

Here you go Joni...

And for anyone else who still checks....... Blake takin' the mic

I love this one because you can see her face through Darth Vader's (sp?) eye hole

Blake with uncle Barry
She didn't love the mac and cheese as much as she loved using her own fork

Computer hog...this is why I can't get on to blog anymore

B got a huge misquito bite on her ear and it swelled up. I didn't think it would ever look the same again...but it does.

Playing in the sprinkler

Yea!!! mommy stopped being lazy and finally posted about me!!!

Blogging Sabbatical

By definition a sabbatical is a rest from work. I have not been doing that AT ALL. But I haven't been blogging...obviously. We are trying to get some stuff figured out in our lives and I thought taking a break from the blogging world would help but it really hasn't. So I'm back. And since it has been so long here is a list of things that have gone in my life during my "sabbatical". I hope this isn't boring...

1. My parents took Blake to Abilene for a long weekend so Ryan and I went to Dallas for a mini vacation.
2. I tried bubble tea for the first time...amazing.
3. We went to IKEA.
4. Worked in the yard...picking up leaves.
5. Mom got Blake a sand box and we filled it with sand and she plays in it all the time! It was a great purchase.
6. Made a list of things that need to be done around the house.
7. Cried because they stopped publishing Cottage Living.
8. Tried to join Facebook three times and it wouldn't let me...guess I'm not cool enough.
9. Caught Blake playing croquette (sp?) in the backyard with the spatula from the grill and a dog turd.
10. Started my spring break by going to Edmond to visit Ryan's family.
11. Went to Abilene during my spring break to hang with mom, dad, Heather, Laine, Bowen, Robin, Linda and Reegan. It was great fun.
12. Audrey came to visit me at the end of my spring break because she is moving to London...ridiculous.
13. Shauna and her fam came over while Audrey was in town for a cookout.
14. Picked up some more leaves...
15. I went back to school...it's a hard thing to do after a week off!!!!!
16. Took Blake to the Dallas World Aquarium
17. Played outside...A LOT!
18. Spilled an entire cup of coffee on my pants in the parking lot of my school one morning
19. Ryan showed up at my school to bring me my pants but forgot my pants at home...
20. Wore sweat pants and a t-shirt that I found at school to teach the entire day...my underwear smelled like coffee
21. Went back to Abilene for Easter: we decorated eggs, hunted egss and played!
22. Finally got on Facebook...who wants to be my friend?
23. Started reading several books that I still haven't finished including: Gang Leader for a Day and The Shack...
24. We've been to Central Market to listen to music several times...one of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice
25. Got a bone density scan and it said I have a low bone density...Calcium supplements anyone??
26. Had a fun night out with the girls for Tara's birthday!
27. Started using one of those gradual self tanners because I am W-H-I-T-E! I can't decide if I like it yet.
28. Realized that I am a different size than I was last summer so none of my shorts fit...I hate buying shorts.
29. Getting ready for TAKS...it's this Thursday. Please pray that all my kids will pass and in order for that to happen, pray that the test is easier than last year!!!!
30. Heard the song "It won't be like this for long" on my way to school one morning and cried through the whole thing!
31. Been loving the age that Blake is right now...she is hilarious!! I love her more every single day!!
32. Gaining a deeper understanding of God's love as I watch my baby grow!
33. Picked up more leaves...have I ever mentioned that we have 36 trees in our backyard????
34. Got two...that's right two...tickets from those dang cameras for running red lights.
35. Working on what our future holds in terms of jobs, our house and where we want Blake to grow up
36. Started playing tennis again
37. Had a crick in my neck for a week...maybe it's because I have old woman bones
38. We've gone to the dog park a few times since the weather has been great!
39. Ryan and I have a new "deal," if you leave something in the living room and don't put it up you have to clean one room of the house chosen by the other person.
40. I have been counting down the days until summer since spring break
41. We went to the Main Street Arts Festival
42. We ate at the Love Shack in the Stockyards...best hot dog ever!
43. Ryan brought me flowers and a four pack of Virgil's rootbeer(the best ever) on a random day...he's the best!
44. We have a plague of disgustingly huge june bugs on our porch...the other day I needed to mail something and found about 700 in our mailbox....yuck!!!!!!!!
45. Have been spending way too much time watching American Idol and Biggest Loser...
46. I have cooked several new recipes lately
47. Since officially starting my facebook page yesterday (meaning I looked for friends etc) I have checked it about 10 times.
48. I have been writing this post for almost an hour and I am struggling to think of two more things to make it an even 50
49. Decided to go on a trip to Vegas with my mom and sister right after school is out
50. I missed blogging and checking other people's blogs...but I'm back now so please don't be mad anymore!!!

Sorry this was just a list and there are no pics...one thing at a time people.

si-ick

Tonight Ryan and I went to play tennis at some courts near our house. We let Blake wander around and play (i.e. dodge the balls we were hitting to each other). After a few minutes I look over and she is chewing on something..."Blake, what's in your mouth?" She opens it and chewed up gum falls out. siiiiiiiiiiiiiick!!!!

Bad Mom of the Day

First of all, I am a blogging maniac. This is my second post within 24 hours. Lookout!

Today I am playing stay at home mommy. I love to skip work for this! We started off the day with homemade french toast and then played while Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was on (I am in the habit of turning on cartoons in the morning. She does not watch them AT ALL. She loves the songs just not the cartoon. But secretly I love them!)

Then we got dressed and headed off to Target. I need a black shelf to put on the wall in Blake's room. Right when I got the cart she started moving her legs around like a martial artist so that I couldn't get them in the leg holes on the kid seat. So, I put her in the basket part. I do this all the time. She sits in there and looks around and sometimes stands but I go very slow. Yeah, I know. I am breaking the rules on the flippy down seat thing. It definitely has an X through a picture of a kid standing in the basket. AND NOW WE KNOW WHY...

I was in the book section looking at some books for Ryan and she stood up. The next thing I know she is reaching for something, puts her foot up on the side of the basket (she is climbing on everything lately) and FLIPS OUT OF THE BASKET!!!!! I had enough time to grab the back of her sweatshirt to break the fall a little but she flipped completely over and landed on her back. Somehow, she did not hit her head. I freaked! I picked her up and then immediately looked around to see who saw! Luckily, no one. I felt bad enough, I did not need anyone around to see what happended and freak out with me. She cried for about 30 seconds really hard until I found the pacifier in my bag and she stopped. I checked for bumps and bruises and amazingly there were none. I was sweating profusely.

We ended up leaving without a shelf but managed to find several "I'm sorry I put you in the basket and let you flip out on your back" purchases including: some sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a new stroller for her baby (the last one broke because she sat in it all the time) and some easter eggs.

Vegas...Here we Come!

Mimi, did you teach Blake a new trick on Monday?



Blake's rash...the rest of the story.

Blake's fever finally subsided and her rash disappeared. I have no idea what was wrong because I didn't take her to the doctor. By Monday she back to her old self!

Crate Training

We have been trying to crate train Stella. We tried with Lola too. We did really well... she slept at the foot of our bed for almost two years. We decided that we could not go through that again. So Stella has finally learned to sleep in the crate at night. She wakes up at the crack of dawn to pee but no more whining during the middle of the night. If you have ever had a puppy, or should I say a spoiled puppy, then you know it is very similar to having a baby. They wake up in the middle of the night and cry and whine and they need to go to the bathroom a lot and the pee on things and you have to clean it up...just like a baby.

The crate training worked so well with Stella, we thought we would try it with Blake.

Here she is going to bed...night night Blake.

It only took her a few nights to not get freaked out when we shut the door. We even gave her a blanket to sleep on. When she starts to get scared we just talk to her through the door and give her a treat every now and then.

Aaahhhh...nice and rested. As soon as she starts whining we hop out of bed and let her out to pee. Works like a charm.

Calling all mom doctors...

Blake's sick. It's Sunday. So I don't have many options. I could go to Care Now (yuck) but I would rather not. So, I need your help. Here are the symptoms:

Fever last night and the night before but not really during the day.

Did not sleep well...at all.

She still has an appetite.

Seems to be feeling ok.

Rash all over her tummy, under her arms, around her armpits and on her back.

And she has been making this face...

A LOT.

Ideas?

Our New Addition...

No, it's not a baby. Well, actually it is a baby but not a human baby. This is Stella Penelope Ware (Penelope is not her official middle name but it just came to me and I thought it flowed nicely) aka "Stelly". We decided that Lola needed a friend since we play with Blake more than her these days. Stella and Lola are bff.

No words...

Blake's 1st Birthday

First of all, sorry I didn't do this yesterday, Joni. And, sorry I didn't get a video. I tried. I have three of Blake standing in front of me trying to get the camera and me saying "Can you say Daddy? Can you say dog? Can you say peekaboo?" No, apparently she couldn't. Sorry, friend, this is all I've got. I also tried to record her saying "Thanks, AJ, for my sweet shirt. I love it!"

Here are some other things in life that I am slacking on...it's not just my blog!!!

1. I just unpacked my bag from our trip to Edmond. (We got back last Thursday, as in not this past one, the one before that.)

2. Our Christmas tree is still up. All the decorations are off, thanks to my mom, but it is still standing in front of our window.

3. Two trees in our front yard still have Christmas lights on them... from last year.

4. I was supposed to clean the house today but our bathroom and bedroom were so gross that I didn't have time for anything else after Blake woke up from her 2 HOUR NAP.

5. Ryan and I are "training" for a 10k. I ran twice... the week before last.

6. I have two finches for class pets. They came home with me over the break. I was running late every morning last week so I didn't take them to school with me. If I had, I probably would have noticed that they were out of food...Saturday I wondered why they weren't chirping. It's because they died.

BLAKE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY

We decided to only have a family party for Blake's first birthday. And in hindsight, this was a genius idea. Read on to find out why...

On her birthday (the 23rd) we were still at home and had lots of errands to run because we were leaving that night to head to A-town for the rest of the week. She did not feel good and had to get in and out of the car A LOT but we did get to turn her carseat around. Yippee!

This was probably the best part of her day. In fact, at one point I thought "I bet your birthday last year was better than this!"

We had Blake's party on Christmas Eve when the rest of my family came in town. She was still sick and desperately needed a nap. This face pretty much sums up how she felt about the whole thing.

But, we still tried to party on anyway. We sang, she blew out her own candle and we practically force fed her a cupcake to try to get the cute cupcake and icing all over your face picture. It didn't really work.

She did manage to open a few presents before nap time. And of course, loved the boxes just as much as the gifts themselves.

Any guesses what this was? Great wrapping, Paco!!!

After a few doses of some benadryl and some tylenol, we did finally get her to eat some icing at the end of the day.

Happy first Birthday, Blakester! I love you with all of my heart!