So many beautiful things

After I dropped Alyssa off at her 3 hour pre school, I decided to make a dash out to Pottery Barn. You see, I had a gift card given to me by a dearie over the summer and I wanted to spend it...but not on myself, on a wedding gift for an old friend. The younger brother of my BFF, Natalie. He is just 2 years younger than me, and time spent at Nat's house growing up, was also time spent with Rich. His wedding announcement was beautiful and as I looked up their registry at Pottery Barn, it took my breath away. Mostly the colors that PB is emphasizing this season are MY colors! The greens and the oranges are right up my alley. I found this lovely "buffet" that is the exact color of my kitchen wall, so it couldn't go in there (my kitchen isn't bit enough anyway).

I can't find the DOT PALAMPORE CORK MAT GREEN placemat's that I purchased, but they are really cool....cork placemats...so they don't bend or roll like linen, but they wipe clean...I gotta get me some of those, as soon as I have my buffet to store them in...someday...probably when they no longer sell this collection. (They don't have a picture of the placemats online, but it is the pattern of this pillow below and instead of black, it is the green of the furniture above).

I actually first went to the arboretum shopping center and when they didn't have enough of the placemats (I became fixated) I drove further south to the Barton Creek Mall. I hadn't been there in several years, but it was nice to stroll around. After my purchase (gift wrap and shipping included) I went to PB kids and oohed over the adorable Halloween and Thanksgiving things they have in there. I want to make these....




And doesn't this just look yummy???? Williams Sonoma sells it for a mere $89. My baking friend says we can make it...maybe it'll be on my Halloween table this year. It is just too perfect looking.
Oh yeah, and on my way home, I stopped for lunch at one of my favorites, Jimmy John's. The Beach Club (#12) was delicious.
Don't worry, J, I saved some of the gift card for myself, too.

HAPPY OCTOBER, EVERYONE...MY SECOND FAVORITE MONTH OF THE YEAR...I've got a whirlwind ahead of me...I'll try to swiftly document it along the way.

6 years...

6 years ago today...we moved to Austin/Round Rock. I was 8 months pregnant with Matthew, and Tyler was a wee almost 2 year old.

We lived in a lovely apartment for just 4 months, then purchased our home where we currently reside. We have been blessed. This is a place we know we were meant to be...we wanted to move to California or Colorado, but felt strongly we needed to go to Texas, even though neither or us really wanted to.

Just a mish mash of stuff...

I almost wore the belt to cub scouts...then I didn't.
Tyler has wanted to lose a tooth at school because you get to go to the nurse and she gives you a fun little tooth treasure box. It was really wiggly yesterday and I said..."wiggle it during the day and maybe you can go to the nurse." Sure enough he did and he was SO excited to show me the box that he had only told me about before. He now has 2 big teeth in the middle with cute gaps on either side. I think this is #6 lost (every other time, dad yanked it).
For 4 years, my friend Candida (back right) and I have celebrated the birthday of our other friend, Kathy (in the middle next to me). The past 3 we've taken her to lunch, just the 3 of us. This year her daughter (on the other side of her) contacted a few of her other friends (others not shown) and we surprised her at Olive Garden. It was so fun to surprise her because I was worried she thought we'd forgotten...I am grateful for Kathy's firm testimony and friendship she's shared with me through the years.
This is my friend natalie and I working on a project that will be further revealed in time....
Cool hair, huh?

I like this new show

California in July: Alyssa and Abigail and their Pinkie's

Backtracking....there is still a lot I didn't post from California
In the months before going on our trip to California, I knew I wanted to make my only neice a rag doll as I'd made for Alyssa for her birthday. When I asked my sis in law what Abigail's favorite colors were, she said pink and purple. So I gathered the materials to make her doll and went the funky route with the hot pink hair. I fell SO in love with this doll, that I just had to make another one exactly like it for me--I mean Alyssa. The first one I accidentally made too small, so I ended up keeping that one for AJ (as a little sis to her Butterfly doll) and made Abigail a brand new one just the same. My crafty friends Natalie and Debra helped me in the final days before my trip to get it all done. Hallelujah for them. I still have to sew buttons on Alyssa's pinky.
I was so excited to give the doll to Abigail, I was shaking. It was too perfect also that she just so happened to be wearing pink and purple the day we saw her. Alyssa was very excited to watch her open it.



We brought Aj's doll, too so they could play together throughout the week. It was fun to see them play dolly's together, as well as getting along pretty well. Abigail is 2 years older then Alyssa, but she was very patient with my feisty one. I had fun grabbing shots of them playing throughout the week.

When the boys are away...the girls will play

Many people have asked how Alyssa and myself are adjusting to both boys being in school now. We are getting along just fine. She did ask about them the first few days, but we go up there for lunch once a week and she now has activities of her own, that she does ok. I taught her pre school class this week and she was very excited to have it at our house. She talked about it for days before it happened.

In this picture, I had moved all the chairs out of the kitchen to mop. I thought it would be fun to set it up like a bus (the boys would have done this on their own, but Alyssa needed a nudge). I told her to go get her babies and they could ride the bus. She was very excited about that. So she drove and we "took all the babies home" and then "went home to have dinner and sleep" and then "woke up to pick them up to go to school." She loved it and I loved that she loved it. I don't always stop to do these things, but today I did.




Here is me mopping in my unconventional way. I like it.
AJ and her preschool buddies.
We took a bike ride one day and I was so proud of myself that I figured out how to attach the trailer to my bike. A friend gave it to me about 6 months ago when she moved and I hadn't used it (Michael had a few times though). Alyssa likes it and kept telling me to "go faster" but it was really tough. I don't do well on the slightest of inclines. Cycling really isn't my thing.
Alyssa loves to have her window rolled down and this is the view I get of her waving her hand out of it.
We had lunch at Subway...she got the chips while I ate the sandwich (she had a pb&j later).
We are doing just fine during the hours they are off to school...but we do miss them.

I'm addicted

I just keeping going back...checking daily, sometimes multiple times a day. Checking on updates of the couple in the plane crash (Stephanie and Christian Nielson). I was able to raise $400 in my photography auction, so that makes me happy to contribute in a small way. Her sis, CJane (yellow arty box link on the right) is updating her blog and her storytelling is riveting. The past 2 posts really grabbed me. One, titled "Unexplained Infertility Explained." The other, about the Love Story of Stephanie and Christian.

When I was at the park today with friends, someone said to me, "So Kristen, what's going on in your life?" This was the first thing that came to mind, to tell about the story I read this morning. It's like a reality show that won't end. Someone compared it to the Truman show....at the end when followers all over the world are glued to the television set to see what Truman does. In this case, people all over the world are stalking this girls blog...waiting on pins and needles for details. When there are few details to share, she shares stories about this couple, this family, whom most of us don't even know. She gets up to 300 comments a day on her posts, which means I'm sure up to 1000 or even more are reading daily. I only occasionally read the comments, but what touches me even more is knowing that I am touched by it, but many many people are profoundly touched...lifechanging touched...and they share that in their comments. What impresses me is this families positive perspective, and how they are sharing that with others across the world.

CJane mentioned a few months ago that she might stop her blogging because it initially began as she detailed her infertility struggle. When she had her baby, she felt she had less to write about. Then she read the talk by Elder Ballard and saw the importance of continuing to share her life and her testimony through her blog (this makes me sad that my blog is private). Last week, they were on the Today Show, interviewed via satellite by Matt Lauer (siblings). Many people found their story that way and have tuned in since then. Here are a few comments from random people that have touched me:

-Like many I was drawn by your family's story, but have stuck around to enjoy your writing, which never fails to surprise and inspire. Also, as a politically liberal East-coast person with some preconceived notions about Mormonism, I've found that you, Stephanie, and the family and friends supporting you are doing some fantastic (incidental) PR for your faith and way of life.

-how can it be? I am not an emotional woman...not that I don't feel deeply....i just don't cry. Not too much. I think my husband has seen me cry a handful of times and we've been together over 12 years. But you, you and your sister....you make me cry....tears of happiness, sadness, joy, hope all mixed together. Thank you. Thank you for making me realize once again, what it means to live and how we need to treasure each day we have.

-What a beautiful story, and I am so thrilled they were finally able to be together. I've been on the edge of me seat for a month, just eating up every single post of yours as if I'm starving and only your blog can feed me. Thank you for touching us so deeply with your sincerity ... the laughs, the tears, all of it!

-She seems to be so genuinely happy with her life as a wife and a mother also she seem so truly in love with her husband which is so rare these days. She is an inspiration. I cry and pray for her, Christian and her children.

-I appreciate that you keep your cyber-family in the loop.

-I guess we all need a little reminder that every life can attain the good and wonderful things it desires, but first you must learn how to see it.

-I don't believe you will ever know how deeply and profoundly you and stephanie have impacted people's lives. Much like Christian woke Stephanie up, I too feel like Stephanie and you have awakened me. I feel like I have had a great and passionate love story of my own in my husband, but for the past couple years of our marriage it was beginning to get a little stale. After furiously reading everything I could about Stephanie and her love and her life, I feel like a new breath is now infused into my marriage. For that, I thank the great example from Stephanie, Christian and your family. You are all a living testament of passionate living. Thank you for sharing your story and keeping us all updated on Christian and Stephanie! *LOVE*

-although I don't know your family and am not even particularly religious, i pray for you all every day!!

-I love blogs because it makes me realize how much, and how many, people care about other people. Sometimes this crazy world makes you wonder....

-I asked my Rabbi to offer a prayer for your family

Anyway, I'm just touched by others tuning in, and am addicted myself. Click on the yellow box on the right for the CJane updates (by Stephanie's sister) and click on the blue box (Nie Nie) to read excerpts from Stephanie's blog from past almost 3 years (her brother is picking random entries and posting them at the top).

Thanks to my friend, Michael Robin, I have the blogs now of Christian's sisters and they offer more details than CJane. I was also linked to Stephanie's "celebrity status" before her accident. That was cool.

Who goes to Connecticut anyway?

Amazingly, I packed everything I needed into this little blue rolling bag because I didn't want to have to pay to check on a bag. I shoved 3 days worth of clothes (2 outfits a day) and a few pairs of shoes (having to eleminate 2 pair I wanted to bring) and even my camera and an extra lense. I snapped some "farewell" shots with Alyssa and even had her take a picture of the butterfly on the back of my shirt that I loved. After packing and playing babies with AJ, at 2pm I dropped her off at Jessica's and she was happy to play there as I walked away (she had been talking about it all day wondering when we were going to go). I was off. My flight left Austin at 3:59 pm and I changed planes in Atlanta. I'm pretty familiar with the airport routine and there is something quite liberating to do all that airport business all on my own...pulling my rolling suitcase right behind me...self reliant and all. I remembered that they had my favorite hamburger joint, Checkers, and ate the yummiest fries that remind me of my childhood (Rally's turned into Checkers). It is an enjoyable time flying alone, and strolling through an airport with my tunes plugged into my ears...wanting to bust out dancing, but holding myself back. Gracing a big smile upon my face, people watching, in my own world.

I flew into Hartford, CT at 10:30pm and Natalie only flew in about 15 minutes before me (coming from Dallas). We thought about trying to fly together, but neither of us wanted to drive to the other before flying and after. I went down the escalator, and there were my girls waiting for me! Agh, it was so exciting! We giddily chatted all the hour long drive home, plopped on the couch and talked and laughed til nearly 2am (CT time). Just like old times, Natalie and I shared a bed and Emily had the dresser adorned with treats and flowers, magazines, and a suggested itenerary for our pleasure and enjoyment.

Friday we drove to Mystic, CT where the movie Mystic Pizza was filmed. I don't think I'd seen it all, maybe an edited version on TNT or something, but I knew it was the movie that started it all for Julia Roberts. They even had the movie playing on repeat on a tv while we ate, but silenced and appeard to be edited. The pizza was delicious, and even Natalie who is a self proclaimed pizza connoisseur loved it. I got the boring pepperoni and bacon (I'm talkin' entire sliced of bacon, not bits) pizza while Em and Nat shared a weird combination pizza with artichokes and pepperchini's and something else. Em's little girl, Abby, wanted me to sit with her and she nearly sat on my lap while we ate. I loved it:)

weird pizza on top, my meat pizza on bottom
We spent the afternoon at home and then got all gussied up to go out in the evening. We went to a casino, not to gamble, but to have our pick of unique restaraunts. I wore my new "80's" outfit and we had fun getting ready together, just like we used to do with Prom and Homecoming.
CLICK TO ENLARGE



Emily, Natalie, Me


After dinner, we decided to go home and get into comfy jammies and make brownies with ice cream. Emily was about to serve me up and asked if I preferred the edge. I said "actually I prefer the VERY MIDDLE because I like the soft part." I was joking, but she decided to carve out the complete middle and plop it in my bowl. I loved it! We watched the movie Penelope, to which Natalie fell asleep. I quite liked the flick myself--especially when we realized (after racking our brains and searching IMDB) the main guy in it was actually Mr. Tumnus.

Saturday morning we were supposed to head out on a drive of the coast. Em's Naval Hubby had to be called into work because of others "integrity issues" so we just relaxed at home all morning. Em made us pancakes with peanut butter and fruit on top. Aren't these girls just delightful? Check out the picts I took of them on my photog blog.
Then we went to find a lighthouse...packed in Em's 4 girls, and Natalie got the job of "taking care of them" while we drove:) He he, Emily and I giggled about that from the front seat.

It was a very overcast day, so the lighthouse shots weren't overly glorious--check the photog blog for that. Emily's daughter took this one of me photographying it.

5 year old Abby nad I blowing kisses
visiting the submarine with our gaggle of girls (Clark, Emily's husband met up with us here when he got off work) It was fun to check out the submarines, since he works in them and lives in them for up to 6 months at a time.

They often sleep 4 bunks up...how awful is that?
Once the little girls were with their dad, Emily took us to her favorite ice cream spot, Cows and Cones. It was raining fairly hard at that time and it was delightful eating our cones under a covering, looking out at the cows and chickens and rain. Natalie gave us these matching necklaces as a 30th birthday gift for us, as we take the aging plunge together.

The owner took this for us...it was deserted except for us and a dog that kept licking up our drippings.

It was pouring rain and we decided to just head home and relax and get ready to go out again in the evening. We just went to Outback and I got the yummy cheese fries.

I love Em laughing in this one.
Don't we look 16? Because it takes me back to 16 when I am with them, yet a bit more sophisticated.
Bidding farewell, just before we went to the airport.
Emily wrote a cute blog entry about our trip, and she is so much better at "suming up a person" than me. What I like about my friendship with these girls is that it is rather effortless. What's funny is I have so many memories with both of them, but not a bunch with both of them at the same time. There is no jealousy, no need for attention, no drama between us.

Natalie and I were friends first. In the same ward at church, practically down the street from each other. Became like sisters from the start. She, a grade younger than me.

Emily and I were friends. Were in seminary together, in the same grade, dated best friends, went off to college together, grew closer over time, a lot more after having kids similar ages. We also took college classes together.

Natalie and Emily were friends. They ran track together, were in love with the same boy, and roomed together in college for a semester.

I'm sad that I never got to live with them, but those are the brakes. It was so funny as we were together, reminding each other of events that the other didn't remember. Emily did not remember that she threw my Bridal shower at her house in Provo. Natalie didn't remember a rendezvous of streaking in the rain, and I cannot recall the photo that Emily posted on her blog of she and I playing guitars (check out my shiny hose).

Anyway, it's a comfort to be with friends who know me and love me. Who want to beat up the people that are mean to me, and embrace those that take care of me. I love these girls.

For my scenic shots, go to my photog blog.

It's coming, I promise

I know you are all sitting on the edges of your seats waiting for the run down of my trip to CT (maybe not all of you, but a few of you have mentioned it). It'll be done soon, probably posted tomorrow night (Monday).

I'll part with a few random thoughts:

-We did not get a DROP of rain from Hurrican Ike. My parents were not even in Houston (my dad on business in Africa and my mom on business in Pennsylvania) but we hear the power is out in their neighborhood and my mom won't be able to fly home tomorrow as originally planned.

-I had the idea (call it inspiration) to play our primary children's CD in the car on the drive to school every morning. The kids love it and it makes me happy that the last thing they hear and may probably ring through their ears during the day is "I am a Child of God." In the afternoon, I do fun songs, to help them unwind (this is a sacrifice for me because I like my music).

-We just did a major re-organization of what I liked to call our "miscelanious" room this weekend. It is our old computer/play/art/study/photography/craft/food storage room, or I've dubbed it the "Playroom." I took a pile of books to half price books and came home with $27 in cash. The kids were excited to get a cut of the deal ($2 for the boys $1 for Alyssa) because they helped a lot in the organization effort. It's still a work in progress....all the filing mess in the corner, I am getting a big 4 drawer file cabinet for it all. The train table (that michael built) used to have piles of stuff on it, our food storage in the left corner, the closet has all my business/photography/scrapbooking stuff.



-Matthew just learned how to ride a 2 wheeler bike, so now both boys can cruise around. He was very concerned about falling for a while, but he's done it now. He is also getting lots of positive notes home from his teacher at school saying what good manners he has, makes a mother smile:)

-Tyler is now officially potty trained at night (yes, my almost 8 year old) we tried everything the past several years and our doctor said some kids just do it later. It was very frustrating and we finally caved in and bought a buzzer and it totally worked! Right away! In the past 6 weeks, we've just had 2 or 3 bad nights. Unfortunately, upon Matthew's turn, he didn't even wake up to the buzzing in his ear...several nights in a row.


-Alyssa loves her accesories and her babies and continues to tote them around town with her. Bracelets all up her arm. She is enjoying preschool and can't wait until its at our house this week. She loves to climb on my lap and cuddle, and we play hide and seek at home while the boys are away. And doesn't she look like a true princess--even in her sleep?

-On our date night last friday, Michael and I ate at Macaronni Grill with a gift card and then he helped me find the perfect running shoe. Unfortunately, it isn't all about the cuteness...he watches me walk in many different shoes because I roll in one foot and I have to find a shoe that supports that. He knows things, you know? So this is what we found, and they were even kinda cute with some pink on them.


P.S. Is anyone in favor of me sending out emails in order to notify of a new blog post? I know its annoying that my blog is private (even I have to sign in on my computer even when I'm already signed into my gmail) and it isn't picked up by google reader. My brother has requested an email when I update, so wondered if anyone else wanted to be added to that list. Plus, I don't even use google reader myself and am just a random checker of blogs (those of you that wonder who have an open blog).