Day 6: Present

The last thing Maddy said tonight before she went to sleep was "It's my present day." She declared it as such because, out of sheer coincidence, she received 2 belated birthday gifts today.

The first was from Hailey and Sydney. When she opened it her exact words were "This.is.the.best.day. I got princess books!!"

Then we got home and there was a box. She noticed her name on it and I opened it for her. She caught a glimpse of the princess bag.... "What is it?! What is it?!" She opens the bag and "AHHHHHH! It's a Tiana dress! Oh my gosh, it's Tiana! It's the one I don't have! Look at it, it's soooo pretty! And the shoes! They light up! And there's a crown! They're sooooo pretty!" Then she ran around the house and had the same basic conversation with my mom, my dad, Paige, me again, my mom again, my dad again, Paige again, her dad when he walked through the door 5 minutes later, me again, and then her dad again.

This picture doesn't even begin to do justice to her excitement. I really wish I had caught it on video. She was ECSTATIC! Completely over the moon!

Thanks, Andersons!

Day 5: my choice

Just wanted to share my super score today! Yep, you read that right! $50 for an American Girl doll! While I do agree that a big part of the whole experience is going to the store and picking out their own doll, I couldn't pass on the price!

Day 4: Shopping

Holiday deliveries have begun! Between boxes from work and online shopping, I'm sure the UPS man hates me.
Also, see my 3 Disney gift cards there? Total score today at HEB that will help a little on our big trip to The Mouse's House in FOUR days! In fact, what I saved on those gift cards paid for at least one of those boxes, I'm sure!

Day 3: Birth

Next year (by the lunar calendar) will be my zodiac birth year so we can all agree that year of the snake people are the most awesome. There are babies coming next year. Some planned, some a surprise, and while none of them belong to me, they belong to people very special to me and I can't wait! Bring on the snakes!

Day 2: Treats

Yesterday was a busy day. It included a 10 mile run, a snake encounter, a baking lesson, an afternoon visit with some besties and dinner with some more besties.

I've been baking a pretty tasty, much requested oatmeal cranberry cookie for a few years to gift during the holidays to coworkers, neighbors, teachers, etc. Last year I threw in some toffee graham crackers. This year I've been looking for a new, but preferably easy recipe. So I'm not sure what possessed me to agree to attend a macaron baking lesson.

Don't be fooled, the batches we made weren't nearly this pretty. Some were missing their "feet" and many were cracked, but they were still delicious!

Day 1: Angel

The world lost a wonderful soul last month. I'm going to miss Fred and his easygoing ways, his corny jokes and just overall joy that he brought whenever he was around.

I've been in a funk over the last few weeks hearing about his last days, his passing and attending his funeral. But then I try to remember how Fred never let things get him down, not even a brain cancer diagnosis at 28 years of age.

Lots of things have always made me think of Fred, and will continue to do so. In particular, Jason's Deli and Jack Johnson. But I remember driving to Austin once (same trip where he slept through me getting pulled over!) and us pointing out this tree to one another.

"It stands on Highway 71 between La Grange and Bastrop, Texas. You can see it from far away, and admire its shape and canopy. Although weakened by drought, to Fred, it will always remain "Perfect Tree". We'll remember him when we pass it in our travels."

December

I'm going to give the blog a day challenge another go this month!

Day 7: sign

This is a sign I desperately want to get rid of.  We are exactly one month away from having our house on the market for A YEAR.  Someone buy my house!!

Day 5 & 6: guilty pleasure & scoop

yes, I am cheating already!  :)

snacks after I put the kids to bed is my bad, bad guilty pleasure.  and tonight it happens to be ice cream.  or maybe I chose ice cream so it would fit in with scoop!

Day 4: Summer Lovin'

Barb & Marty's Cancun wedding gave us the opportunity for a much needed, kid-free getaway.

Day 3: Labor

My labor days....

 Madelyn Ngoc Lien: October 7th, 2007

Paige Hong Uyen: August 3rd. 2010

Day 2: fear

I'm always a little scared when I see this sight.  Maddy taking a nap always means a drawn out bedtime routine full of excuses to get out of bed which leads to a very late night!

Day 1: before

we got on the road and headed for dallas for ella's birthday!

Day 30: guarantee

I finally caved and got a clarisonic mia.  so far, I really like it!  I've been guaranteed that I'll love it and will want the full body one!

Day 29: work

better late than never!
starting the work week off with a short breakfast meeting... parisian benedict, yum!!

Day 26 & 27 & 28: hair & song & 80's

Meet "metal shop"...  an 80's rock cover band that performed at our meeting this week.  I hope to never have to witness coworkers "dancing" to "pour some sugar on me" and other similar songs ever again.
ETA: just checked tomorrow's word and decided I couldn't NOT add it to the same picture... Although I really wanted to post the pic from my bachelorette party, but it's in storage! Maybe Kim or Mica will have it!

Day 25: sweet!!!!!

No, I'm not really THAT excited, but that's all I got for today bc none of the desserts at this meeting have been picture worthy, LOL!

Day 24: play

graduation party, house shopping (unfortunately not for me!), then a little playtime with my girls at memorial city mall.  busy sunday!

Day 23: reflection

fancy new shades!

Day 22: almost

My runs have been few and far between lately.  It's been hard to get them in with the heat and Thach's hectic schedule. 
This morning I decided to hit up memorial park on my half day friday since I was going to do admin from my house anyways, and it wouldn't matter if I stank!  I almost didn't make the entire loop running, but I pushed through and did it!

Day 21: space

sleeping under the stars.... stars, space, same difference, right?

Day 19 & 20: cold & light/lite

what I found in my fridge (there is another 12 pack on the shelf). 

Day 18: jump

When I think of jump + photo, I think of my friend Thao because that is her M.O.  I know she has a great wedding photo of her wedding party jumping (similar to what you pinned, Kellie!), but I couldn't find it on her photographer's blog, but I did find this one from their engagement session:

Day 17: dad

Yesterday while Thach was at work, the girls wrapped and decorated his gifts. 
This morning, Thach had to work so we only had a short amount of time together this morning for father's day. Promptly after finishing their breakfast, the girls ran in with their "happy birth-uh, father's day" and "happy day" wishes, then sent him on a father's day hunt for his three gifts.
The girls love their daddy, and the feeling is very much mutual!

Day 16: dirty

Dirty but effective boredom buster.... homemade finger paints!

Day 15: looking down

looking down at my sleeping beauty from this angle, it's hard to believe the havoc she's capable of wreaking!

Day 14: splash

I tried to get video of Maddy's end of class jump and swim, but I was low on batteries, so this is what you will have to settle for!  

Day 13: handwriting

Doesn't Maddy have beautiful handwriting?
Just look at that signature!

or maybe Mrs. Fields does....
and yes, she did forget the "l", lol!

Day 12: past

Thach and I have been trying to plan a much needed kid-free vacation, so I thought I would post pictures of some of our past vacations together!

Horseshoe Bay - 2004

St. Lucia - October 2004

San Diego - December 2005

NYC - October 2006

Boston - June 2007

Portland - July 2007

Oahu - August 2008

The Big Island - August 2008

Cabo - September 2009

Day 12: junk

I am a junk food junkie!

Day 10: secret

I'm not sure what my girls are conspiring to here:
but I'm pretty sure it's along the lines of this:

Day 9: money

Seeing Maddy perform on stage with such confidence and pride is worth every penny of ballet class and all the costs that come with the recital!
 

She loves anything and everything ballet related, including Miss Kendra!

 

Day 8: bad habit

Maddy caught this random picture of me which shows one of my bad habits that drives my mom crazy... Running my hand through my hair until there are no more loose hairs shedding.
Yeah, it's a little OCD, I know.

Day 7: back

Aaaaand.... That's a wrap on the day!

Day 6: history

Today after swim I decided to eat out and not fight traffic home.
In the history of my tenure as a mom, I don't think I have ever had such an uneventful, successful meal out with my two monsters, er, kids. And especially not when I'm playing single mom!
PS. Sorry for the picture quality, we were sitting by a window!