Kids Reaction to the New Yard!

The new swing set!

Tommy the Turtle lives in the backyard...he's wild!

The telescope!

Sister can slide!

Gotta learn to climb down backwards!

Happy Birthday...or something ...to Me?

I totally debated whether or not to post about my birthday. I didn't want to get all, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" on you. But my conversation with my husband last night was the kicker. It went something like this:

Jamie: "Honey, did we celebrate your birthday?"

Becky: "Well sort of...I bought myself a $3 cake and the kids and I had leftovers for dinner."

Jamie: "We had cake?"

Becky: "Yeah, but you barely made it home for that. We ate dinner without you."

Jamie: "Okay, that's good. I was afraid I'd missed it completely."

Mind you, my birthday was August 25 and this conversation occurred on Sept. 3.

I'm not in search of pity because I'm not all that excited about birthdays anyway. This year is the last one I'll ever have...perpetually 29. It's just that the conversation was so...classic that I had to record it for posterity. And it explains the pictures posted below.

My lovely party guests...

My gourmet cake...

The real reason I record anything! Great blackmail and better memories!

What to do with Laynie Loo?

Laynie has more hair than any 18-month old should have. She's at the age where it's hard for her to sit still long enough for a "cute do" everyday. However, I LOVE her to look perfectly styled.

So here's my dilemma: 1) Do I buy a small round brush and blow dry her hair every day? 2) Do I curl it with a curling iron (curlers don't work, nor stay in). 3) Do I wait for it to grow a little more so that I can put it in full piggies every day?

Her hair is thick enough that it doesn't look mullet-ish but its got cocker-spaniel wave (not enough to be curly, just enough to look scraggly. Poor kid's got my hair).

I don't want to heat damage her hair, and honestly it seems a little over-the-top to blow dry my baby's hair everyday. I just don't want her to look like a ragamuffin. Any ideas?

Muchas gracias.

Ten Things I Miss About Texas (so far...)

10. Non-stick pans and my IKEA scrub brush: Laynie ate a whole mini-container of playdough in the time it took me to scrub the scrambled eggs out of the pan this morning.
9. My Rocking Chair: Where can I snuggle and read to my babies? They miss it too!
8. My Car: No explanation needed.
7. Having two bedrooms for my kids: They are good at sleeping in the same room at night, but not for nap time.
6. Sonic: Cherry Coke, I yearn for you!!
5. The Stupid Firetruck: The toy that caused the most problems in our house was the most fun! I was sort of hoping it would get lost in the move...
4. DVR: What I wouldn't give to be able to queue up Super Why for a few moments of distraction.
3. Knowing where everything is: We got lost going to Target the other night. It took 40-minutes to "find ourselves." Awesome.
2. Detached Housing: Townhomes are much worse than Fart Houses (houses so close together that if you fart loud enough your neighbor will here it). I yell at Gavin all day, "Use your inside voice" or "Quiet feet." I can't wait to send him out in our new backyard and let him make as much noise as a little boy can.
1. Having some place to go and someone to go with: I miss treat night at Loo's, swimming with Bri, hanging out at Jami's, story time with Jen, and using Warden's house for pit stops. I miss my "preschool" kids and playgroup.

I think this is the first time in my life that I've actually prayed for Sunday to come. It's amazing how the gospel sustains us, but the members support us. I can't wait to meet new people and make new friends, for both me and the kids!

I don't really want to get attached to the people in this apartment complex because we are leaving in about three weeks. We are going to have a couple over for dinner this weekend. It certainly gives me something to look forward to!

Family Time

I couldn't get this pic to upload with the post below, but here Gav and Laynie are having fun together!

Hello Fairfax!

I'm a positive person. My mom and grandma even call me PollyAnna.

Putting the spoon-full-of-sugar perspective aside, this post is going to be realistic. I'm a journalist at heart, and I hope this review of our living situation will be a "fair and balanced."

1. Anything is a toy.

Jamie didn't want me to pack any toys for our one-month stay in temporary housing. Seriously. I did manage to convince him that for me to remain somewhat sane, the kids would need some things to play with--trucks, play dough, crayons, etc. Maybe I shouldn't have wasted my breath. So far the kids' favorite playthings have been empty luggage and closets.

2. TV time is underrated.

I have no car. We went to the park and the pool yesterday. Because I couldn't manage to carry the 34 pound stroller and 20 pound Laynie down the 8 cement steps that lead to our "town home," I made the kids walk.

Walking never hurt anyone. Unless there are swarms of biting flies (SNAP! I traded in fire ants for horse flies. Not an improvement).

Laynie got two bites on her elbow yesterday. I know they are hard to see, but both are quarter-size. Gavin got one on his back and calf and refused to go back outside today. Our conversation this morning went like this: "Hey Gav, do you want to go to the park or the pool today?"

"I don't want to go outside."

"Really, why? You love to go outside."

"Bugs eat me...let's just watch Nemo."

I'll try again after naptime. Maybe he'll eventually get stir crazy.

Did I mention that it poured on us on our way back from the pool and Laynie got a huge blister on her foot from all the walking? I totally rock as a mom.

3. Virginia is...Formal.

I don't want to use the word pretentious because I'm not sure the people here are snooty by nature. It's just that you can't go to the store in comfy black shorts and a t-shirt without looking like you belong with the "Walmart Crowd." Not that I have anything against those folks. I shopped among them weekly while living in Texas. But it's one thing to shop at Walmart and another to look like you belong there. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, just take a peek at the Walmart Bingo card I've pasted below).

Sadly, I am guilty of at least one of the offenses on the Card. Laynie wouldn't have gotten a blister on her foot if she'd wear shoes a little more often.

I guess I'll have to throw on my jeans (gasp!) and some jewelry to go to the grocery store. I don't even want to think about how many times each week I'm going to have to blow dry my hair.

4. It doesn't matter where you live.

This is our little town home. It's old as the hills (that's a little West Virginia saying for ya'), but clean. It's got two bedrooms. Gav and Laynie are sharing a room for the first time. They are both sleeping okay at night, but Gav is napping in my room. He can't get Laynie out of the pack-and-play, so he climbs in it. If I wasn't afraid that Laynie would fall out, or that Gavin would smother her on accident, I'd just let them sleep in the queen together. Laynie loves the "big bed." She's having a little morning nap there now.

Even though they push each other's buttons on occasion, they are such cute friends. Yesterday Gavin was "reading" to Laynie. And she was sitting still and listening!

Obviously this living situation isn't ideal, but we are together. We could live in the pit of despair and would still manage to have some fun. It doesn't really matter where you live as long as you love the people you live with...and use your imagination to have fun!

Let Freedom Ring!

This is our new home on Freedom Street in Chantilly, Virginia.

This is the living room off the foyer. I think it's going to be empty for a while.

The dining room...another room we'll have to buy furniture to fill.

I have no idea what this room is supposed to be. It's off the dining room...maybe a sunroom or something? I think it's actually a glorified walkway.

The breakfast nook. We actually have a table for this area.

The kitchen. I'm fairly certain the little old man isn't coming with the house...

The upstairs living room.