Relatively Ririe

Life with this Girl...our '3' yr old Mia

2012-02-01T21:53:00.008-06:00

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "To talk of many things:
Of shoes - and ships - and sealing-wax - Of cabbages - and kings
And why the sea is boiling hot - And whether pigs have wings."

I remember reading this poem to her and being so anxious for her to enjoy the whole book. She is growing so fast and never ceases to amaze us with the new things she learns and is interested in. Her love for reading is unbelievable, but more than anything her comprehension of stories and ability to make up her own is beyond words.

Every Jan. I look forward to celebrating the next birthday of a few family members, yet I dread facing the fact that two of my babies turn another year older... little Mia Lourdes turned 3 last Sat.
She is the epitome of spunk, the ultimate diva, a prodigy of humor, the definition of fearless, the meaning of wholesome, distilled love, the keeper of my heart, the other half of my soul, she is a daughter of God, a spirit divine...

Happy 3rd birthday our sweet girl

Favorites:
1. Entertainment- Books (Llama Llama...,Not All Princesses Wear Pink, I Don't want a Cool Cat), and musicals (Annie, Wizard of Oz)
2. Foods- Chik fil a, chips & salsa, chicken quesadillas
3. Songs- (Scarborough Fare, Love you like a love song, Someone like you)
4. Movie- Beauty and the Beast
5. Color- Green
6. Best Friend- Harper
7. Saying- "Oh that's great"
8. Hymns- Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam, Follow the prophet, Do as I'm doing
9. Game- Hide and Seek, puzzles, and memory
10. Princess- Belle, Pinkalicious, Snow White
reading How do Dinosaurs say I love you?
daddy date

not quite sure?

I Jump party

2012-01-31T23:54:00.001-06:00

Mia's 3rd birthday was simple and sweet. She woke up to a streamer covered doorway and broke through with a big smile...
Beckham on the other hand...
We took the kids to I Jump and let them run wild...they've thought of everything...from inflatables to go karts, arcade, toddler room, and yes ~~JUNK FOOD~~ concession!

after lunch and naps, we invited their friends over to enjoy some cake and sing happy birthday to Mia, they were so sweet and brought her her first collectable doll. The children are Egyptian and speak Arabic fluently, it was cute to hear Mia tyring to mimic them and John practice, they actually understood him.

McWane Science Center

2012-01-24T00:50:00.004-06:00

Hands down a whole day of serious family fun! My kids loved this place... the McWane Science Center was endless hands on experiments/exhibits, Imax theatres, an aquarium with shark and stingray petting, shark egg hatchery, and a full on food court. We'll definitely be back.

I really need to put the camera down sometimes, what's with my ballet feet position in the back corner? Dorky!

The Vulcan...

2012-01-24T00:18:00.005-06:00

or as Mia says the Bungie-Man, it's obvious why! the Vulcan was a really cool outing for the kids, the Vulcan Center was a mini museum that told a great deal of the Vulcan's significance and history. The view of the city was amazing, we'll surely be going again but, with all of the "family fun things" on our list, it may not be any time soon.

Sweet Home Alabama... part 2

2012-01-23T03:34:00.000-06:00

Finally I got my fried green tomatoes, deelish! I love all of the southern home cookin, and the fact that John works less than 3 min. away, means trying out different restaurants and...

taking his girls to get manicures on his lunch break

poor little Beck dislocated his arm so we've already made a trip to the pediatrician whom the kids just adore, she's amazing! she popped that bone back in place in a second and he was good as new

There are about 4 library branches within 8 miles of our house...and each one of them has the most amazing children's programs. They get snacks during their storytime, they get library name tags that are waiting for them at the door before the programs start, they have a little theatre just for the kids activities with curtains and seating, and my favorite part is that they have an actual toddler/preschool area that the kids don't have to be too quiet, they can touch, read, and play with anything, love it !

Sweet Home Alabama... part 1

2012-01-23T03:14:00.000-06:00

We made it...after 7 hrs and an overnight in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, then another 3 hrs. to Birmingham, we settled in New Years Eve eve. The drive was gorgeous and the kids were absolutely fantastic the whole trip, thanks to lots of snacks, movies, and good music. We are getting used to seeing Auburn and Alabama fanatics everywhere and have been warned not to publicly show support for one team. Hopefully we'll be neutral in our Texas and BYU gear.

With the exception of a visit from "Paul" (our downstairs neighbor, whose uncanny resemblance to Joel Olsteen is quite hilarious being that he has the exact same accent as well) about all of the noise we were making, you know "walking around" and normal things humans do, we are LOVING Alabama and our the corporate housing arrangements. We've got tennis courts, a gym, a business center, and a movie theatre with a popcorn machine that you can either screen movies or play Wii. The kids are not shy around here and have already buddied up with the Ririe kids. We can't get over how cute their accents are and how sweet and inviting they are.

It's usually between 29 and 54 degrees around here, but we've gotten used to it and I love getting to add layers of scarves and sweaters and junk.

Bye Bye Houston, Hello Birmingham

2012-01-19T22:54:00.006-06:00

The Riries have taken their show on the road. We finally made our first move, Birmingham, AL, for now... It was a crazy Christmas with John flying to and from Alabama and Florida, Christmas shopping, wrapping, decorating, organizing this move, de-cluttering, painting, yard work, carpentry work, carpet cleaning, and cleaning crews...oh my goodness I'm dizzy thinking about it. But, we pulled together and got everything done, thanks to friends, missionaries and wonderful members of our ward, we COULD not have done it without them!
As we drove off, a flood of emotions and memories filled my heart as I thought of all the blessings we received while in that home. I was taught my very first discussion of the plan of salvation in that home which led to mine and Sebastian's baptism as well as my husband coming back to the church. We were sealed shortly after, and also welcomed two beautiful babies into our family while in this home. I love everything about that house and hope whoever leases it while we're gone takes good care of it. We miss you Oakway!

Oh the nightmare that was our back yard, became a serious "why hadn't we done this before moment"...it was just like one of those things that you don't know where to start until you absolutely have to.
it had this disgusting rotting deck that took up about 85% of the yard the boys cleared it out and put down some sod and the change was nothing short of a miracle, especially for the time of year and weather we'd been having!
We were cutting and raking it within weeks

Farewell to our "Humble" friends

2012-01-18T22:34:00.014-06:00

Who said Mormons can't dance? Before we moved, our friends made sure that we had one last hurrah...we are so blessed to have such amazing friends, I miss my gals so much!!! Christa, (pictured below with santa hat) threw the most swanky farewell party for John and I. She went all out with lots of bubbly, a DJ, yummy food, and being the incredibly gifted photog that she is, she set up a crazy Christmas photo booth with props. We danced ourselves silly and will cherish those memories. Love you guys!

More from Francisco

2011-12-19T19:48:00.002-06:00

Francisco made another "unappearance", Mia is just about at the end of her rope as she has yet to meet Francisco our elf in person. He left some games and candy and instructions for the kids to get their Santa letters out. So, this weekend while my parents were here, Mia wrote her letter and while we were out on our Sip & See (annual light seeing) we stopped by a cul de sac, aptly named Candy Cane Court, that had a "letters to Santa" mailbox...yep straight to the Northpole it did go.

Snowman Poop

2011-12-08T15:46:00.004-06:00

Francisco popped in last night after his snowman poop duty, Santa said he had dodged his turn of cleaning up after the snowmen too long. So, he brought the Ririe kids some left over poop in a cute bag he made on his break...of course he couldn't leave without playing with toys first! Thanks Francisco, or as Mia says Franskeesko

Francisco... the elf on OUR shelf

2011-12-04T02:16:00.005-06:00

The Christmas season is surely upon us... we've started some really fun traditions here in Ririeville, like: collecting ornaments from all of our vacations, our annual SIP & SEE (we stop at Starbucks for some hot chocolate then go "light seeing", make a clothing donation, we take out all of our favorite Christmas books and set them out for the month to read at night, take pics for cards, watch some Christmas classics (How the Grinch..., A Christmas Story and Carol, Frosty and Rudolph, Scrooged (not with kids, but it's super funny) make goodies for friends and neighbors, check out Discovery Green at least once before Christmas, follow The Christmas Story nightly and sing hymns from the binder a dear friend made me, Dad reads us Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve...but THIS YEAR, We've added a new little tradition that went over 100 times better than I thought. We've tweaked the Elf on the Shelf concept a little and given our elf the name Francisco, we thought it only fitting being that our household is predominantly Hispanic. We read the original story to the kids, but I changed a few things while reading (the little ones didn't know any better) So, instead of him being seen and untouchable, he is never seen and just leaves little gifts, games, and family activities somewhere in the house for them to find everyday. This was day one... I plant the note then I'll tell the kids that Francisco left them some pictures of all the crazy "elf" things he did while they were sleeping. Mia flipped, she loves it! She asks for him all day long. He's super bossy, and a little cranky, but really sweet for leaving all these goodies. So, keep checking back to see what he's up to. The kids love them some Francisco, hmm, that's fun to say F r a n c i s c o!

so naughty, playing with their carnival

This was day 3, he left them a foam craft and then took a dip in the garden tub...huh elves?

Yay, we got our tree, it's a little guy this year because of the move, but I'll be happy about that when it's time to dispose of it... Happy Holiday!!

2011-11-16T23:12:00.005-06:00

If I didn't fall off the face of the earth, didn't join the peace corp, didn't run off to be a Broadway star, and didn't crawl under a rock (although lately I've wanted to with all the "changes" ahead)...where have I been??? Not in BLOGLAND that's for sure! Well, now that we've officially got word that we're moving, things have been moving at like warp speed and my head is spinning. That being said... I've finally made time to update and will put you up to warp speed in the goings on of the Riries...Enjoy!
Sebastian is still happy to participate in anything that will allow him to dress in full camo, how else are you gonna dress to launch a pop rocket?
still aspiring to make her debut on America's Best Dance Crew, Mia's enjoying gymnastics, ballet, and tap...
Beckham is still diligently studying his scriptures...he prefers the illustrations in A Child's Story of the Book of Mormon from 1962 as opposed to the more modern versions out there today

all things Halloween

2011-11-16T22:27:00.002-06:00

I swoon all things leading up to, on, and after Halloween! We get to make and taste a ton of goodies and sweet treats, go to parties, dress up, eat candy, then enjoy all the after sales... Everybody wins!
we tried making candy apples this year
not bad for our 1st time

costume parade at MOD

marshmallow treats
Mia's gal pals at school

ok it's official!!! Mia's first crush...her teachers told me that she is often seen caressing his cheeks and heard asking him "are you having a good day", she's been seen feeding him her food, and they've also been seen hugging, A LOT!!! I won't give his name but it's the cutest ever, it's the last name of the host of Bravo TV's Watch What Happens Live. My mom has a picture just like this of me and my first crush "James", I only remember his name because my family NEVER let me live it down. I'm on a mission to find that picture!
pumpkin carving sundae bar
Ursula (her choice), the burglar, and Nacho consumed more candy on that night than I had room in the trash can to dispose of the wrappers

Mini Reunion-San Antonio

2011-11-14T23:05:00.010-06:00

My grandma, she's 92 and still as awesome as ever! "there's no basement at the Alamo"

we made mini candy apples-they are now my new go to for parties and last minute bring alongs.
finally all together after 2 1/2 years These two are twin cousins...born on the same day in two seperate cities, their 3rd time seeing each other...they pretty much just pick up where they left off everytime!

FINALLY!!!...family pics

2011-09-28T17:15:00.012-05:00

We finally after our third child, have a family picture with ALL of us! We did these in Utah, with the insanely talented Abbey Kyhl of AK Design Studio.

Stain cover up...

2011-09-27T22:57:00.003-05:00

Do your kids have stubborn stains on shirts that are too funky to continue wearing, but the shirt is too cute or new to toss? Well, I love these Target tees and Mia did a number on it, so I made this little high heel cut out and sewed it over the stain, then I twisted ric rac and singed it to look like a leather flower, just like mommy's heels... She loves it! I think I'm going to do an old fashioned phone with ric rac cord, and a lipstick with compact next...

Roses are Red...

2011-09-21T13:10:00.003-05:00

...Kisses are free, I owe you a million for sending these to me! How can I possibly have a bad day after receiving these? Thank you for brightening my day, te quiero mucho mucho y tanto tanto!

KC is the big 3 0 !

2011-09-19T21:28:00.005-05:00

When I heard the plans to kick off this girls 30th, I was all over it. We tried this genius pizza place called Bombay Pizza downtown. It's like an Indian/Greek/Italian fusion pizzaria. What!? Seriously, this combo sounds weird but it was nothing short of deliciousness, the line was out the door on a Sat. night, you have to try it. So, of course we needed to get to the Chocolate Bar in Rice Village to sing a proper "Happy Birthday" with their famous 5 layer triple chocolate cake, but on the way we stopped in at Candylicious next door. After our diabetic comas subsided, we headed out for dancing. Nothing funnier than 5 (one other gal that joined us not in photo) Mormon couples cuttin a rug! We danced the night away and I can't remember when I had so much fun! Who's birthday is next?
Happy 30th KC, we love you!

Tom Hanks Toddlers and Tiaras spoof

2011-09-19T17:43:00.001-05:00

If you love to hate Toddlers & Tiaras, you must see this spoof that Tom Hanks made with his daughter, it's hysterical!

home is where the heart is !

2011-09-18T22:12:00.006-05:00

Before we found out we may be relocated I was doing some house hunting and stumbled upon this UNBELIEVABLY GORGEOUS to die for house. I couldn't believe my eyes, the clouds parted, the angels sang, ok that's a bit much, but if this is your style ladies, I know you feel me. Anyhow, I actually had the privilege to talk with the owner and she very graciously gave me the skinny on everything I thought you and I would like to know about this perfect house and all of it's eye candy. So read the q & a below to find out how she put her heart into this home. FYI: It's active and in Kingwood, so if you want specifics on the house or realtors, email me or leave a comment. Also, E.L. said feel free to ask any other questions and she'd be happy to answer them. My kinda gal!
Click to view lgr. image
1. do you do your own decorating? and what is your inspiration? [E.L.] . yes, I do my own decorating. My husband is a big hunter, and we love the outdoors. My inspiration comes mainly from my mom’s paintings and growing up in Louisiana. I love neutral tones, whites, creams, etc. but I also love the color red. You can probably tell that from all my rugs. I can’t seem to get away from blue and white pottery as well—you see a lot of that in my lamps.
2. have you always used this style or do you change it up through the years? [E.L.] No changes- same style year after year. I try to remain pretty traditional. My attempts to reinvent myself through different trendy styles have ended in disaster—so I try to remain true to my roots!!
3. where did you find the black hardware for your kitchen cabinets, and front door? (hinges, latches) [E.L.] we found it in a restoration magazine that specializes in hardware. I think it’s called antique restoration?? I can look up the name for you.
4. Paintings- where do you find your artwork? (dog, cattle, beach scene, sailboats, etc.) [E.L.] My mother is an artist and has painted just about everything in my house. Her favorite subject is cattle- as you can see. She is also inspired by our love of Labrador retrievers and has made it her mission to paint every single one I have owned. The beauty in my kitchen sporting the red bandana is our beloved Bella who passed away 2 years ago.
5. Furniture- where is your favorite place to shop for furniture? [E.L.] Round top, TX!! And any antique store, junk store, garage sale, estate sale ,etc. I HATE new furniture. I like things that have been used and loved by others!!
6. can you tell me about the beds and especially that adorable crib? where did you find the matching twin beds and master bed? [E.L.] my crib is by a company called paint box designs. My husband nearly killed me when I bought it—far too expensive for his taste. But- it has served us well with three little girls- we definitely got our money out of it. The twin beds were found at an estate sale- solid brass and heavy as lead. My master bed is just a simple pine pencil post bed that my husband stained a darker wood. My parents bought it years ago and gave it to us when we married.
7. Bedding: the linen and bedding in your home is to die for, where is your favorite place to buy bedding? [E.L.] I refuse to pay full price for bedding so I shop the Ralph Lauren outlet store for all my bedding. I have picked up great bargains over the past few years. The girls have pottery barn linen on their beds- also from the outlet. I have found great things at HomeGoods on 1960 as well. Oh- and when Macy’s has a blowout sale- I pick up Ralph Lauren shams and coverlets there as well.
8. how would you describe your style? [E.L.] No clue! I just like a home that has a bunch of things to look at. Terri told me when we listed the house that I needed to de-clutter—I never got around to doing that!!
9. What will you miss the most about this house? [E.L.] I will miss everything about this house. It has been such an amazing home. I am so sad about the possibility of leaving it and I really hope a young family can care for it and love it as much as we have. It sounds like your family would be the perfect fit- I’m sorry it can’t work out.

Kemah

2011-09-17T23:22:00.000-05:00

After visiting Kemah last Aug., 8 months pregnant in the scorching heat, I thought I'd never go back for fear of melting. We didn't have that problem this visit because the weather was perfect... breezy, cool, and slightly overcast. It was a good Labor Day getaway!

Decal onesies, flower headbands

2011-09-02T20:22:00.003-05:00

These are some of my latest creations...I made these onesies for a friends baby shower, she's having a boy (Chance) and her theme was surf/beach, so I whipped these up with scrap material. I traced the seahorse from a pattern my friend Becca had given Beck on a onesie and I free handed the C and whale. I thought they were simple and cute.

These were done at my craft group and I'm loving how ridiculously easy they are to make 1. trace a CD 2. starting snipping felt 1/2" or less around from the edge till you leave a circle about the size of a half dollar 3. add hot glue to that circle and glue rolled up petal on it. Simple!
This one was done with a hoop and originally ends up puffy, but I snipped the edge all around and when I wash it, I'll get the frayed look.

All About It...

2011-08-25T21:55:00.006-05:00

This girl was born to move...We've had to add a disclaimer lately when we are out in public or just at home with company and Mia starts dancing. This cheeky lil sassy pants can move like nobodys business. She's made it clear that she will NOT choose between ballet and tumbling, so she's doing both. It's gonna be a fun year!

Color Them Happy

2011-08-25T21:12:00.001-05:00

I bought two of these lil Crayola octopuses for .50 at a garage sale and the lady there said if you go to Wal Mart they sell the Crayola color fizz tablets that you can put in their mouth and the water will change colors. This was the best .50 I've ever spent, these kids went nuts when they saw the water changing color! It doesn't stain and is unscented, I thought they were excited for tubbies before, now it's like a race to get to tubbies every night.

Last Days of Summer...

2011-08-19T23:37:00.016-05:00

These
+ this
= A super fun FHE
I got this Family night jar at the DI in Utah and it's filled with wonderful questions about testimonies, the gospel, scriptures, family dynamics, and kids opinions about all of that. It was so fun to listen to their comments and responses to those questions. Plus it let us switch things up a bit.
You can tell Bash is really interested in Mia's testimony
Driving Mr. Beckham

Sidewalk Chalk...
Oh this project was super fun and way easy to make. It's equal parts corn starch and water and then add food coloring of your choice, then use your muscles to mix well and poof, you've got yourselves homemade sidewalk chalk/paint. These kids went to town with it and the good part is it washes off so easy.

Trying to get in lots of pool time is these last days of summer

Fun with cupcakes

Meet the teacher night

I made this wreath for Bash's and Mia's teachers... Total cost for both wreaths...uhh .70 cents each. I know it's awesome...It took me all of five minutes to cover the foam wreath (9" from dollar tree cut in half for each teacher) with scrap polka dot material then glue gun the crayons and add twine to hang and to string the name tag. I filled it in at the school. She loved it and put it on her door immediately, hey brownie points for Bash.

If it were up to her she'd a made the whole thing green (her favorite color) or "greem" as she calls it

Utah vacation Part I-SLC, Utah

2011-08-08T22:24:00.011-05:00

Ok Utah was absolutely nothing like I expected... with that said, it was way COOLER! I swoon Utah...the shopping (hello modest clothing all over), the restaurants, the Deseret Book Store, and yes, I finally can say "I got it at the DI". I would move there in a heartbeat... as a matter of fact I think we're gonna make good on an invite from Aunt Elaine to spend Christmas there. She had me at snowmobiling, skiing, sledding and shopping.
awaiting departure
sister missionaries at Temple square giving the kids an acoustic demonstration at the tabernacle
John: Who is that Mia
Mia: Jesus
John: Doesn't he look nice?
Mia: Yeah, like a princess
Now the reason that I love and will never forget this dialogue is because a "princess" in my 2 yr. old daughters eyes is just about the most beautiful thing on this earth and that is the only way she knew how to describe how the statue of Christ looked to her.

Ririe Reunion part II- Brian Head, Utah

2011-08-08T21:49:00.012-05:00

The "11" Ririe Reunion was a blast to say the least! It was so well planned by Aunt Elaine...we knew about lodging, entertainment, shopping, dining, activities for kids, the forecast, I mean we knew what type of soil we'd be walking on, this was a serious undertaking with incredible planning, good on ya Aunt Elaine. The resort was right around 9400 feet up this winding mountain we drove up everyday since we stayed in Parawan. The view was breathtaking, and getting to reacquaint ourselves with family and meet new members was wonderful. I wouldn't miss one for the world, just to get to see my kiddos kissing their Great Grandma and Grandpa makes it all worth it.
girls got manis
we spent a lot of time in the game room

game night
zip zip

Circus Party

2011-08-08T18:39:00.001-05:00

Beckham's big top birthday put a smile on faces young and old, and the one his face was priceless. I love carnival/circus theme anythings, so I jumped at the chance to do it for Beckham. There were a lot of last minute details that I didn't get to do but having gotten back from a weeks vacation 2 days before the party, I'm happy with the turnout.

These were our thank you cards
games
I made a strawberry cake with marshmallows that look like popcorn candy buffet a must
clown and face painter

Mia was gettin our $'s worth
made his lil cake out of a tuna can he split before the candy chaos ensued

dad's gift to ~~Mia~~ Beck?
bruisers

{One year}

2011-07-14T01:31:00.004-05:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

{Beckham's Big Top Birthday}

2011-07-13T22:35:00.010-05:00

Beckham's 1st birthday is around the corner and so that I don't completely lose it emotionally, I've occupied my time preparing for a "Circus theme" party. I've taken little ideas from here and there in blogland. This particular shoot was inspired by this amazing and incredibly talented mom at Winding Road .

{Nap Mat}

2011-07-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

I'm seriously excited about the outcome of this project! Remember my post about Mia wanting to stay for nap at camp, well I finally made her nap mat. Thank you so much to Prudent Baby, you are an amazing seamstress and I'm grateful that I stumbled upon your blog for this awesome nap mat. I looked at a few tutorials but this one was by far the most cozy, comfy, and convenient of it's kind. Mia was nappin like a cat at camp today. My husband said "Dang she's gonna get in a fight over that thing today, it's like an inmate walkin into prison with a new pair of Jordans." Well, because I am a beginner I won't even begin to try and post a tutorial instead, just click on the website above for the full and easy tutorial.

{July 4th Part 1}

2011-07-13T19:03:00.008-05:00

We were greeted at my dad's ranch by Barney the owl, aptly named by my dad because he was born in his barn...what an amazing creature, and loud too... hence the name screeching owl, boy did he live up to that at night.

these guys are like little bandits that as soon as my dad turned his back, they were ready to pull the great escape
what's up doc?
we ate at Luchesse's in Alice, Tx. cause Grandpa wanted the kids to see the new baby
My little sundbeams... I have a bigger one but it doesn't particularly like being posed in wheat for a photograph

I love the ray in her hand that looks like she's holding a fireball

{July 4th part 2}

2011-07-13T18:13:00.013-05:00

If there is one thing my family has a lot of , it's COUSINS, my goodness, my kids have the time of their lives when they get to see their cousins. Most of the ones that are my age hadn't met Beckham yet so it was so much fun to get to see their reactions. We stayed at the Holiday Inn on the beach so we'd be close enough to fun stuff on the sand and of coarse the Texas State Aquarium, which by the way has definitely beefed up their exhibits, shows, and outside waterpark. It was well worth it.

John always says that I'm the world's worst junk food junkie, and he says that our kids will more than likely be just like their mom if I keep giving them Hot Cheetos and sour punch straws... so I sent him this pic.

Fun at Carrie & Bob's house

Independence day celebration at the water gardens
clearly her pinky is losing circulation from having my dad wrapped around it so tight
The perfect end to a perfect week, fireworks on the bayfront

{Summer is Here}

2011-06-15T21:33:00.006-05:00

This year summer is bittersweet...On one hand I think of the fun summer camps, swimming, vacations, spending time with family...BUT on the other, I think of my sweet baby Beckham, because as soon as summer is over, he'll be 1 year old...sigh, sniff sniff

He is ALL over the place Chasing dolls around furniture, climbing the stair and Oh, dare I type it... taking steps

Mia has started a darling cooking camp. They are growing veggies, cooking, learning about food groups, and lot's of other reasons for her to be more interested in my stove and pots and pans. Last week they made pudding and she did not, I rephrase, refused to come home. She loves her teachers, and so, I think I may have to suck it up sew her a nap mat...Pics of that coming soon
Pool pics

the bitterness continues as my 1st baby boy will only have one more year in elementary

{Rainy Day}

2011-06-15T21:21:00.006-05:00

Anyone know the cut-off age for public nudity as it pertains to toddlers?
Yes my kids actually were outside playing like this, ah, it's summer, plus it finally rained, plus there was a power outage, what else were we supposed to do? Don't hate.

Daddy gave Beck a complex when he nicknamed him"Hippo Teeth"
Happy now Dad, he's doing your closed mouth smile

{Yay Soccer's over !}

2011-06-15T20:59:00.005-05:00

Finally, soccer is over and I love our Saturdays being free to just do whatever.... that is until next season. My parents came to see his last game, which in the spirit of FFPS league, we are Not supposed to keep score, but Bash's team clobbered the opposing. We invited a team mate to hang out with us. He just moved here from Brazil and his English is amazing for only having been here 6 mo. We headed Disc. Green and saw the Fab 40 pay a wicked tribute to The Beatles. It's hilarious to hear my mom and John talk about their favorite Beatles tunes, that was one of our instant connections when we met... Beatles fans, who knew?

{Disc. Green-car parade}

2011-06-15T20:35:00.010-05:00

Who says there's nothing fun to do? We've been heading to Disc. Green for shows, exhibits, and concerts... I love that it's free and even if there isn't anything scheduled, the kids can run and play til they drop, check out their website. This car parade was nuts. There was a huge foam party, live music, tons of food, and crazy cars to check out, we shut the park down.

This car was made entirely out of peeps and my daughter so graciously helped herself to one

(She can stay...)

2011-06-08T13:48:00.006-05:00

Most often Mia is referred to by her brother as: a pest, brat, dragon and a few choice words I'll spare you.... BUT every now and then she will find a place in his heart and bury her little self there for a moment or two, those are the ones that I remind them to cherish because when they are my age and living in different cities as my siblings and I are, those are the moments we remember...like when I tell her to leave him alone,and he says "She can stay".

{a SuNBeaM}

2011-05-27T14:21:00.010-05:00

There is no shortage of broken used cell phones in our house, the kids love playing with them, especially Mia. She will often hand me the phone and when asked who it is will respond either "Mom" (my mom) or daddy, or whoever, but lately she has used a sandal from a pair I bought her with butterflies on them, to talk, but she only talks to one person with it... Jesus. I've tried testing it out many times. I'll hand her the cordless, my cell, other broken phones, and she'll say it's anyone else, but when handed the sandal...it's only Jesus. So yesterday she picked up her sandal and said the usual: "Here Mommy, talk to Jesus?" so I said "Oh ok I 'd love to, what does he want?" and she said "A Sunbeam", as I choked back my tears I replied "ok, will you be one for Him?" and just as cool and nonshalant as she could be replied, "Sure"
There is no question in my mind that she and all of the other little spirits on this earth communicate one to one with Him, whether it be by prayer, or song, or even a little sandal with butterflies, he's always listening...

Trinidad Trip

2011-05-27T09:58:00.005-05:00

Our trip to Trinidad was amazing...the country was breathtaking, the people were friendly, and the food and shopping were out of this world, I highly recommend going... Enjoy!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

{I love NOLA !}

2011-05-24T22:39:00.009-05:00

John and I headed to New Orleans to catch Bob Seger in concert after missing him here in Houston. For those of you who don't know who Bob Seger is, uh "Turn the Page", "Night Moves", "Like a Rock"... google him, the man is a legend, I could go on and on. Once again, John being the over planner really out did himself on this trip. (I'm sure some of it had to do with the fact that we did nothing on the anniversary of our marriage) We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria where we found out that ICE CUBE and Mike Epps were also staying. We ran into their body guards in the lobby. I guess NOLA's a great place for filming because the next day as we strolled French Quarter, we stumbled up Jason Lee's set for Memphis Beat. We tried to see other parts this time so we headed down to Canal street for some shopping and ate dinner at Morton's. I give this trip a perfect 10.
I should've superimposed Ice Cube in this one > Yes, I ate them all!
Jason Lee's set
SupeR KidS DaY

{Mother's Day '11'}

2011-05-23T00:41:00.005-05:00

I did NOT see this one coming! John knows that I am terrible about not being able to wait for presents. I will bug and bug and bug until he finally gives in. So now, he's found a way to break the suspence without giving the surprise away, LYING! He and Sebastian had me going good. He apparently briefed him on what to say. So as soon as I got Bash alone, I started probing, he had me totally believing that John had gotten me the Wii, along with the Just Dance Zumba edition game. The next morning, I was awakened to a delicious breakfast in bed, surrounded by John and the kids, and cards and "the gift". When I opened it, I didn't know whether to be concerned that Sebastian was such a convincing liar, or excited about the gorgeous diamond earrings they bought me. SCORE JOHN!!! Good on ya...This pyramid's for you.

{Chasing Rainbows}

2011-05-22T23:06:00.002-05:00

These are my favorite days. When there is no where left to go, no more errands left to run, and we can just go out and play our hearts out. Anytime I see my kids care free at play, I'm always reminded that the Spirit is among us. This particular day, as I was shooting pics of the kids I felt it so strongly that I had to fight the tears back. As we got ready to go in, I turned on the sprinkler and saw this gorgeous rainbow. It took Mia a while to see it, but when she did, it was all she could talk about. Thank you Heavenly Father, for showing us little miracles each day, and blessing us with these sweet spirits who remind us to appreciate them...

{Easter 11}

2011-05-22T22:53:00.004-05:00

This Easter was our first egg-dying experience with all of the kids. I was just prepared to let them get down and dirty, but to my surprise they were very meticulous and took their time painting each of their eggs. We also made some bunny and chickie cake pops. It was a wonderful day and as always one more special day to focus on the Savior's atoning sacrifice.

{ATTN: All Food Storage Fanatics}

2011-05-20T22:21:00.008-05:00

I just wanted to share information about this truly AMAZING company I recently found, it's called EFoods Global. Their products contain only the freshest ingredients, have 0 trans fat, can last up to 25 years, have 100's of choices in soups, entrees, breakfasts, breads, milk, snacks, etc. to choose from. The greatest part is that all you need is a pot of boiling water and 10-20 min. If you want to build up your food storage this is definitely the way to go.
Please click on this link and you can receive 12 servings of 3 different meals for FREE, I just did and can't wait to try them! All you have do is watch 6 short videos that are each less than 1 min. long. You won't regret it, trust me.

{prepareandprosper.myefoods.com/?pcid=66872} - click on "TAKE THE FREEDOM FOOD

TOUR"

"I can't reach it"

2011-05-20T21:38:00.003-05:00

Even though Mia has been potty trained for quite a while now, she still has to be accompanied to the bathroom at night, simply because she is not tall enough to reach the light switch yet. Enter, the KIDSWTCH ahhhhhhhh! This an awesome invention, perfect for your independent little tike that can't quite reach the switch on their own. It's got a great little shape at the bottom and best of all, IT GLOWS IN THE DARK, how cool is that. Check out this blog Dandy Givewaway for information and how to possibly get some for your home.

here's a video for the product

{Love is a battlefield}

2011-04-28T23:17:00.010-05:00

Not that I have anything against battle reeanctments, actually I really enjoy them, but just not during 96 degree Texas weather. Uggh. However, because I LOVE my son more than life itself, I toted him and the babies, right after a soccer game in the blistering hot sun, to La Porte for this monumental event...The Battle of San Jacinto reenactment, and I'm so glad because we had a fantastic time. It was absolutley amazing and so worth it. I'm inviting all family and friends who want to see this for themselves, to come with us next year, this definitely has to be an annual event for our family. The costumes were so realistic, the food was deelish, and there were plenty of things for the entire family.

as I was taking this pic, I hear the person who made this mini-model shout "DONT TOUCH", I lower the camera and who's he talking to? YEP, MIA! We had a fun little picnic Saw some shows

Bought some guns, marshmallow guns...or a "shoot" as Mia calls it Bash got a rubber band gun, the rubber bands lasted all but an hour

"All I heard was NEW LENS"

2011-04-16T01:36:00.007-05:00

The quote above is from my husband after hearing that I recently had the privilege of learning some tips from a fantastically amazing photog friend of mine on manual settings and ps. You can see her work here. She let me try out her lens and I'm hooked. I'm working on getting it. Sure I could just go buy it, but I've made it my goal to save for it by offering some mini sessions. SUPER amatuer being that I've only photographed mine and a few friend's children, but I'll give you a great deal, and who doesn't love pics of their kids. So if your interested in a short & fun shoot of your kids, email me americaririe@yahoo.com or leave me a comment. Details: we can do 45 min. for $35 and a free disc of all of the images (15- basic/natural editing+the rest of the images) my babies weren't feeling well so pardon the expressions

Bluebonnets

2011-04-16T00:48:00.002-05:00

Woodlands Children's Museum

2011-04-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

This is what I LOVE about Houston, there are a million things to do for kids. We met up with some friends here and it was perfect for my Mia & Beck. It's only one story, has a ton of hands on activities, dress up, pretend, water play, science exhibits, crafts, and games at their eye level. Plus BONUS, Waterstreet Market is just up the road, for mommy to have some play time! We stopped by Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Pottery Barn on our way home. It truly was a great strategy, Beck crashed in the stroller and Mia was too worn out to wanna run around while I got to shop. We have to do this again A. H. and your little one too.

Busy Saturday

2011-04-15T22:00:00.001-05:00

Soccer mom season is in fully swing. Bash has an "explosive" team, aptly named Dynomite! This was not a fashion statement, her hair tie busted never thought I'd ever five my kids baby bottle pop candy, but when it's 90 degrees and your stuck outside for hours, I'll try anything to keep them in the shade

Mia got her 1st haircut

She was so well behaved and keeps asking to go back, hopefully she won't try this at home.

Beckham was done, done, done, by the time we all got hair cuts and returned home!

Ever had one of these, that's how I feel right now.ha

Spring Break '11'

2011-04-15T11:28:00.000-05:00

Our trip to Corpus this last Spring Break was long over due. Since time goes by so fast when we're there, we hardly have time to visit half of the people we want to. I'm happy to say we finally got pic of the kids with my Grandma Alaniz. She is a 92 year old spunky red head who is a hoot to be around. She told us some hilarious stories about my dad as a kid that Bash kept teasing him about. We spent the next couple of days on the island with my parents. It was Beck's first beach trip and the look on his face when he tasted his first grain of sand was priceless. Seeing my dad with my kids on the beach brought back LOTS of fun memories... learning how to swim, jumping waves, body surfing, fishing, bonfires...needless to say they were not happy when it was time to go. Can't wait to go back!

Beach Day 1

Beach days 2 & 3

Back to my mom's house

Painting pottery

5 dinners in 1 hour

2011-04-15T00:56:00.003-05:00

So, I was recently made aware of a blog that will completley change your life, as it did mine. When I heard about this concept: THE CLOUDS PARTED, THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE ANGELS SANG...AHHHHHH It's called Make 5 dinners in ONE hour , ha try more like 45 min. I was shocked to have 5 meals for the week ready to go in less than 1 hour, including clean up. The pic below is literally all I needed. So, it works out to be 1.25 a week and the genius that she is Michelle will email you a menu that includes a shopping list, assembly instructions, storing instructions, and cooking directions. It's so simple, convenient, easy, ughh I just can't say enough good things about it. I tried it for the first time 2 weeks ago and I'm hooked.

-if you have a menu board that never gets planned or follow...this is for you

-if you hate grocery shopping because it takes too long....this is for you

-if you're vegetables go bad before you use them....this is for you

-if you shuttle kids to activities daily and don't have time to prepare dinner...this is for you

-if you're in a rut and can't think of anything fun and delish to make for dinner...this is for you

-if you're not that great in the kitchen but can read and follow directions...this is for you

click on her link above and get your FREE trial menu, you won't be disappointed!

You can thank me later, YOUR WELCOME! all dinners (w/out sides) prepped and ready to cook and serve first dinner from bags above last dinner also from bag above / Might I add, my family loved and devoured them all

For Rebecca

2011-04-02T03:28:00.005-05:00

While down in C.C. for sprink break, I took some pics of my friend Becca's daughter and Mia modeling some of her creations for her Etsy shop: Pratt McRae. These adorable skirts are fun, colorful, custom, easy wash & wear and a must have for any girl. Enjoy! (Becca's skirts are the yellow with polka dots and white w/ green trim)

{Brown Kids}

2011-04-02T02:39:00.002-05:00

These are the infamous and oh so cute Brown Kids, Leah and Ian, I got to take their pics over spring break and loved every second. They are so adorable and those eyes catch every glimmer of light. Their gorgeous mama Rebecca made a cameo as well. Hope you like em Becca!

{Book Fair @ Grammy's School}

2011-04-02T02:02:00.000-05:00

Grandma invited us to her school's book fair, the kids had a blast, got some cool books, and as always Nathan and Mia did some handholding.

{Pinewood Derby}

2011-04-01T04:13:00.001-05:00

It wasn't the fastest or the furioust, but we did our best.

{Exploring the world of Solid Foods}

2011-04-01T03:18:00.000-05:00

Bless his little heart, he didn't know what he was getting into when he was eating refried beans with tortillas. (I'm gonna pay for this post when he get's older)

{Daddy Daughter Dance}

2011-04-01T01:29:00.002-05:00

John and Mia attended a daddy daughter dance this last Feb. They got to ride in a limo, make a red carpet entrance, receive a free 5x7 photo of the them, eat a full sit down dinner w/ dessert, receive a tshirt, and then danced the night away. They had so much fun and made a special memory.

{Tae Kwon Do Kid}

2011-04-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Bash has been hard at work with Tae Kwon Do. He's loving it and we're so glad, there's nothing worse than when you invest in an activity and then you hear the dreaded words "I just don't want to do that anymore, it's boring" uggghhh! We got lucky with this : )

{We're in TROUBLE}

2011-03-31T04:49:00.000-05:00

{2011 Houston Rodeo / Janet Jackson}

2011-03-30T04:59:00.002-05:00

We finally were able to make the rodeo kick-off parade, after 3 years here. This was Mia and Beckham's first parade and they couldn't take their little eyes off of the horses, bands, and clowns. Later that week the girls cut loose for night on the town to see Janet...Ms. Jackson if you're nasty. This was the only good pic I got from my seat:

{Major Retraction...}

2011-03-28T23:08:00.010-05:00

Remember last January's post {Not so Terrible Two}? This is the DEFINITION of: re·tract (r-trkt) v. re·tract·ed, re·tract·ing, re·tracts v.tr. 1. To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement.\ These are the REASONS for my RETRACTION: ~~she completely pulverised her gate~~ safely removed itDON'T ACT LIKE YOU'RE NOT IMPRESSED! ~~graffitied doors~~ added some art to our home and herself and the carpet ~~stomped on every crumb of Pringles chips~~ left snacks for Beckham ~~hijacked her brothers crib~~ kept him company By the way, this was all in one day, you can tell by the PJ's. Where was I you ask, this all was literally within 20-30 min., as I was catching my breath and cleaning up after one incident, the next was happening in another room.

{"The Big Apple" Birthday Trip}

2011-03-21T22:44:00.016-05:00

Hello New York! John, took us on this fabulous trip as a belated birthday present to me. We wanted to do a Broadway show and were so fortunate that my MIL could come along to watch Beck, who is still somewhat tethered to me and had to come by default. Let me just say that NY was by far one of the friendliest cities we've ever been to. I've often heard people say the opposite and was just blown away by how helpful and kind and friendly people were. New Yorkers are super passionate about their city and mostly everyone we came in contact with was really knowledgeable about the history. It was a wonderful trip, although TOO SHORT to possibly do everything on our list, the good thing is... we'll have to go again to finish that list, soon! We did the Empire State building, Time square, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Battery Park, Central Park, NBC studios, Rockefeller Center, 5th avenue, FAO, tours to Little Italy, Chinatown, ground zero: saw BillyJoe Armstrong from Greenday, and I'm ashamed to say that the highlight was seeing Alec Baldwin walk past us 2 ft. away. So, there you have it, FUGGEDABOUDIT!
Some one's happy to be here on our way to Phantom

Billy Joe sighting
the obligatory Empire shot

If you watched the BH Housewives, you'll get this... DON'T JUDGE ME! I watched Atlanta too
John got to practice his Arabic...A LOT
If you watched NY housewives, you'll get this too
Welcome to Zarin Fabrics, hello! Battery Park I love her, especially growing up and everyone asking if your mom is the Statue of Liberty because of your name (mostly an elementary thing)

Knockoff shades and scarfs are a must in Little Italy

John:My wife asked if you'd take a pic with our son
FAO guy: Sure
(John tries to hand him Beckham)
(FAO guy pushes him away)
FAO guy: I've got a bad back
John: Oh....ok...I'll just hold him

Yanet with NY's Bravest

My husband being a die hard Beatles fan, this was the highlight of his trip, I'd say. On our way to see Lion King
this is insane, a huge ferris wheel inside the Toy R Us this MAC stayed open til midnight, you know I was there 10 min.til 12. I made a midnight run for Kabobs, pizza, drinks, and yeah... a little makeup, so what?

...Help Find Thomas...

2011-03-18T15:12:00.004-05:00

Thomas Gonzalez is my 15 year old nephew and has been missing for several weeks now. He was last seen at Windrush Apts. (Kostoryz/Horne) on Monday, March 14, 2011. My family is deeply concerned for his safety and would appreciate your help in either passing this information along or calling the Corpus Christi Police Department if you see him. Our family is going to post the complete version of this flyer all over the city tonight and we are all going to try and take advantage of FB, blogging, emailing, texting and whatever media we can use to spread the word. Please keep him and our family in your prayers. Thank you!

{Too many to count}

2011-02-08T22:42:00.001-06:00

So John and I used to celebrate the anniversary of the day we met in Feb. of 2006, then we got married and celebrated that one, then we got sealed and now we celebrate that one. Well, here's to meeting you kid, 5 short years ago, Te quiero much mucho y tanto tanto!

{32 yrs Young & 6 mo Old}

2011-02-08T00:17:00.000-06:00

I'm writitng this post, rather than send the same ole card,
to express thanks for my birthday dinner, from the bottom of my heart
I had a wonderful time and could have stayed all night...
visiting and laughing, but my kids got tired and were quite a sight.
The dinner was spectacular and the cake was perfection,
I'm lucky to have an MIL that cooks with such affection!
Also a big thanks for gifts given with such love and thought
I have no doubt that I'll soon use everything that I got.
I hope this expresses how grateful I feel, that you took the time to make my 32nd a big deal!
Besos,

So, as you may have guessed I'm another year older, SIGH... But I'm lovin the ride and thankful for everyday on this earth. My mother in law made me a lovely dinner with a decadent cake and the Brenners came along to celebrate. We all just sort of followed the kids upstairs and settled on the floor and just laughed and carried on, it was a fun night. Until kiddos started showing signs of well, ok they turned into dragons, I'm speaking of my own. But a memorable night to say the least. The next night our friends invited us over for another birthday dinner. She had the neatest idea to let us all make our own calzones, a winner for the kids! Then for my cake the stuck candles in a batch of "No Bake Cookies". It was my 1st time trying both the dinner and dessert, and I must say I'm a big fan of both! I cannot thank them enough for making my birthday weekend so special. Love you all!

Speaking of birthdays... Someone is halfway to his 1st today. Our little Becks is 6 mo. old, I still can't believe it, I guess the fact that he is now wearing a size 4 shoe is a huge reminder that he's getting ~~bigger~~ older. Oh dear, that's all I have to say about that.

{After this can we be done, Mom?}

2011-01-29T03:01:00.000-06:00

I can't help it, I think I have a problem, really

{Double Digits}

2011-01-29T01:33:00.000-06:00

I can't believe my lil Bash is in double digits! It seems like only yesterday he was small enough to rock to sleep, now he's almost taller than me and growing like a weed. He's growing his hair out and constantly pointing out to his dad and I how much "peach fuzz" he has. John told him last year if he rubbed around his mouth in a circular motion (similar to when a man looks in the mirror and is tracing his facial hair ) that his mustache would grow really fast. It was a dirty trick, but super funny to watch him in the car rubbing around his mouth and asking every hour if we noticed anything.
He is a remarkable kid and I'm grateful for the young man he is developing into.

S - uper sensitive to the Spirit and always mindful of his presence
E - xcellent at finding humor in everything
B - est big brother to Mia and Becks and boldly protective of them
A - stounding writer and creative story teller
S - avage sweet tooth for only the most awesome sour gummy candy, just like his mama
T - alented at anything he puts his mind to
I - maginative and able to imitate characters and quote one-liners from his favorite movies
A - lways courteous and willing to help others in need
N - ature lover and all things outdoors

R - eminds us how much our Father in heaven must love us to entrust us with such a special spirit

Happy 10th Birthday

I made him bust through this when he got home from school
Great-grandpa Ririe sent him this to start his mission fund (Let's hope they call him) When asked what he wanted to eat for his bday, yep, SUSHI.

{Not So Terrible Two}

2011-01-24T22:36:00.000-06:00

It's official ! She's terribly two, but seriously it's not so terrible, once you get past the fierce little diva behavior, there's a sweet, cheeky, little ray of sunshine. She never ceases to amaze us with her little vocabulary and how she phrases words to get her point across. She had been saying our dinner prayer since for the last month or so everytime we start to bless the food, she starts to pray over you, so we just made that her job. She has really developed a passion for reading, anytime of the day wherever she is in the house you are sure to find a book next to her. Some of her favorites include Do Princesses Wear hiking boots, Mi Papa, How do you feel today, and Dinosaurs Wear Underpants. She also loves to sing, mostly hymns and primary songs, but she has a few that she knows very well on the radio. Her favorites include: I am a child of God, Follow the prophet, Book of Mormon stories, Nephi's courage, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, Loca Loca Loca, Dynomite and 3 of her daddy's songs from his El Sancho Band days.
I can't imagine my life without this little girl that I prayed for my whole life, Happy Birthday my two year old blessing.

I think she had an idea that the day was going to be a special one because she woke up in an especially good mood. She was super sweet and very hungry. I had planned a little family gathering in less than 24 hrs. I figured since my mom and cousin Koebi would be in town, I could whip up a little something. I made Cuban sandwiches, black beans and white rice, platanos fritos, mojito, and tortilla soup. She had a wonderful time being with family and opening presents, I'm sure the cake and candy were on her list of favorites of the evening as well.

So we ran to Wal-Mart and grabbed a few essentials and found some things around the house and this is what I ended up with.
I baked her little center cake in a tuna can. My cousin gave me the idea to pipe the cupcake frosting using a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off
cany is always in great supply at our house Pink lemonade a must So Mia Her nose ran blue for two days
Not sure if he's old enough but oh well he didn't complain This is Koebi, the little sis I never had Their first bath together, way too much work without one of those bath rings that helps infants sit up securely, let's just say it doesn't do much good to be able to sit up when your belly is too big to let you.

{Too Cool for School}

2011-01-19T13:13:00.000-06:00

Our little Mia is growing up so fast... TEAR! She will be 2 on Friday and I'm just beside myself, I can't believe how fast the last two years have gone by. She started preschool last week and is absolutely loving it. It is a Christian academy where she's not only learning the basics but she has PE on Wed. and goes to chapel on Thurs. We are thrilled that she is able to learn a little bit more about the gospel while at school. The faculty and staff there are fabulous and she has become smitten with them. She has embraced the whole concept of school, Check out how excited she get's when it's time to go...

{Role reversal}

2011-01-18T18:20:00.001-06:00

Some people ask me how I could possibly shop with two little kids, I tell them, "sometimes you gotta use your imagination"

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

{End of 2010} Lost Footage

2011-01-12T01:31:00.000-06:00

Just a little hodge podge of the last few months of 2010 that I'm ashamed I so slacked on blogging about. It was real and it was fun...

Uncle Joe came to visit and met Beckham for the first time.

My mom came to visit one last time for the year. It was a weekend of 1st's. Her 1st time at IKEA, her 1st time to try Indian food, and her 1st time at Discovery Green.

Daddy's home and he came bearing gifts. All the kids got Algerian gear. Bash got a jersey and Prince of Persia in French of course, Mia got a doll that sings in Arabic, and Beck got a basketball outfit and an authentic Algerian tracksuit, too cute!

We went down to Corpus for Thanksgiving. We made our usual stops, my mom's then my dads. The boys got to take their toys out and hunt at the ranch while we went shopping.
I love Sicily's expression like "why can't you put the camera down and control your daughter"
We needed to get some cousin time in before Europe so we headed to the zoo with the Brenners. Always a good time when we get together with this bunch!

And finally, the culmination of an awesome year, the blessing of our newest member, Beckham Thomas. I know his family on the other side were smiling down on this precious moment.

Goodbye 2010, hello '11'

{We had a Paris (Pe-ree) Merry Christmas}

2010-12-16T23:11:00.000-06:00

As you can tell the pictures are a little out of order but I am tooo exhausted to even try to blog about this much less arrange them right now. I'll tweak it later but I just wanted to get some pics up for those requesting. Enjoy!
1-8-11 - Ok I'm back for tweaking...I've rearranged pics and will add commentary here and there as I'm sure since you've already seen all of them, there's no need for great detail, other than to say, We spent 3 fabulous days in Paris then took a train from Gare Du Nord to Brussels (spent one night), then took the train to Amsterdam (spent one night), then back to Paris. John planned this trip to the letter, from passports to planes, trains, buses, tours, museums, attractions, shopping, my OCD husband had this very well planned. Next is New York in Spring then Argentina and Utah in Summer, then Egypt in fall. As long as he does the planning I'll go to the moon and back.
My first shot of the Eiffel tower The boys sportin their France jerseys
Of course we brought record breaking snow... So in order to escape... We headed to the Louvre In case you are wondering, this is St. Sebastian Just to give you an idea of the scale we couldn't seem to wrap our minds around Breathtaking I love this guard, what was he gonna do, really? Ok now I have to explain this... Mia has some sort of resemblence to a character or figure in the Asian culture because everywhere we went, they would stop us to take photos with her. She started a frenzy in the Louvre. I mean families were crowding around her and kneeling to pose with her. It was unreal to say the least. My boys Excited to be out of the bitter cold
He kept saying "This is just like the De Vinci Code" even though he's never seen it The line outside before the snow Ok so apparently she's a hit with the Aglerians too. Salsa dancing in Paris, who knew? This skips us over to Brussels
The kids had done so much grown up stuff that we needed to regroup and let them do some kid stuffThis store was like Pottery Barn meets Ikea, I didn't want to leave Belgian waffle with godiva chocolate, strawberries, bananas and whip cream, DEELISH!Try saying this fast 3x's
We treked for miles in search of Manequin Pis, we thought it would be this grand statue, no, he's only like 18in. tall, but super cute Bash made friends quickly Mia was actually a better skater, I was the one holding her back Bash wants this to be his 1st car This should have a heart between the I and A You know I had to have one of those, my mom and I are suckers for some candy apples
Keeping busy on the train After all the shopping in Brussels, Mia decided she wanted to put on everything we bought her, including her boy shorts
This is one of the funnest attractions at the Belgian Christmas market. It's design was super Tim Burton style There's Bash in the rocket, John and I still laugh to tears when we remember seeing him go up and not knowing when it would stop, we thought he was lifting off to the moon, it was hilarious.
literally "a band of gypsys" their music was cool
A Christmas light show off of the castle wall

John and I did get caught up planning our next move and relied on everyone to help out with Becks, Mia was happy to