Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday Morning Tradition
We have a new tradition in the Allen house. Pancake Saturday!! (A little Jon and Kate Plus 8, don't ya think?) We didn't really plan it, but it just sort of hapened over time. Two weeks ago I made pancakes with pureed sweet potato and squash. Last weekend we were in OKC, but still had pancakes Saturday morning. And today I made them with pureed sweet potato, carrots and bananas. No matter what is in them Charlie LOVES them!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Changes in 2010!
The biggest change is that Patrick started his new JOB today at Bank of the Ozarks. I know, I know... we have been pretty hush, hush about this because we didn't know if it was going to work out or not. But, it has! Patrick got offered the position last Monday night, accepted on Tuesday, gave his 2 week notice to Beal Bank on Wednesday... but, since not much is happening at Beal currently they let him have Friday as his last day. He took a few days off and started today at the new job. Quick turn-around. He will be working in the Assets Management group and his new office is just right down the road in Preston Center (Preston and NW Hwy). Much closer to home... yay!
Some other changes have to do with the house. Monday was a school holiday for me, so both Patrick and I had off Monday and Tuesday of this week. We decided to make good use of our time. We stayed in OKC until Monday morning and set off to Winnfield, La to pick up a piece of furniture that we have been meaning to get for, oh, two years now! We drove to Shreveport and met my parents and Jay at the U-Haul place so that they could jump in our car and take Charlie back to their house for the afternoon. Patrick and I jumped in the U-Haul and headed to Winnfield to load up our new china cabinet (at least, it's new to us!) and whatever other furniture my uncle and aunt could throw at us in the short time we were there and then we came back to Shreveport for the night. We woke up early on Tuesday and caravaned back to Dallas and spent the rest of the day reorganizing the house. It was a whirl-wind trip!
Some other changes have to do with the house. Monday was a school holiday for me, so both Patrick and I had off Monday and Tuesday of this week. We decided to make good use of our time. We stayed in OKC until Monday morning and set off to Winnfield, La to pick up a piece of furniture that we have been meaning to get for, oh, two years now! We drove to Shreveport and met my parents and Jay at the U-Haul place so that they could jump in our car and take Charlie back to their house for the afternoon. Patrick and I jumped in the U-Haul and headed to Winnfield to load up our new china cabinet (at least, it's new to us!) and whatever other furniture my uncle and aunt could throw at us in the short time we were there and then we came back to Shreveport for the night. We woke up early on Tuesday and caravaned back to Dallas and spent the rest of the day reorganizing the house. It was a whirl-wind trip!
The house now looks like this:
The old buffet is our new TV stand
And the china cabinet is now were the buffet was in the dining roomSide note: While in Winnfield, my parents were responsible for feeding Charlie. Guess what my dad got him? McFish-fi-let and french fries from McDonalds! Eeeew!! Apparently he gobbled it right up, though. What did we have for dinner? Homemade lentil and barley soup.... which Charlie would have LOVED!!
Charlie changes include clapping and waving for the first time! Yesterday morning I was going to work while Patrick was taking Charlie to daycare. I waved and said "bye-bye" and he waved right back. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen.
Cupcake Trio
We were in OKC this weekend for the triplets birthday party. It was a "cupcake" theme. Julie and Manny (and others) made mac and cheese cupcakes and meatloaf cupcakes. They also had a make-your-own-cupcake station. Pretty cute ideas!
Julie and Manny made their own smash cakes for the trio:
Julie made all of the kids personalized aprons to make their cupcakes in:
All of the kids helped to open gifts:
Charlie had a great time!
Happy Birthday Isabelle!
Happy Birthday Cooper!
Happy Birthday Sophia!
Friday, January 15, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweet babies!
One year ago tomorrow I became an aunt! An aunt to the tiniest little babies that I had ever seen. I remember getting a phone call on Thursday night that Julie was in labor and praying against all odds that the doctors would be able to stop it. She was 30 wks and 1 day. The next day I went to work and kept my phone near. At 11am I got the call that Julie was scheduled for her c-section at 1pm. I wasn't going to make it to OKC in time for the birth. I first, had to get the OK from my doctor to travel, as I was nearing the 34 week mark. I remember that Patrick and I were in such a rush to get to OKC that when we arrived we figured out that we had left my bag in Dallas... I had no clothes or toiletries... or meds with me. All was fine except for the blood pressure meds... I needed those! (My aunt swung by the house and brought my stuff up in case you were worried.) Anywho, back to the story. I remember going to see Juls and Manny. Julie felt fine, except that she couldn't hold anything down. This meant that she couldn't meet the babies just yet. But, I got to! My mom brought me into the NICU and I first met baby Sophia (2 lbs 10oz.). Words can not describe how TINY she was and pictures do not do it justice. I broke down right there in the NICU. I was so scared for these babies. I just KNEW everything was going to be fine, but they were just so little. I met Cooper next (3lbs 10oz... big man!) and then Isabelle (2 lbs 11oz). All three of them opened there eyes when I met them. I was the only person that they had done this to. I think they thought I sounded a lot like there momma!! I was in LOVE with all of these prescious, little babies!
Me and Isabelle:
When Patrick and I had to leave for Dallas on Sunday I remember feeling helpless. I felt like I needed to be in OKC with Julie and with the babies. I was so sad to leave them. Today, the babies look like this:
It's crazy the difference a year makes!! Happy 1st Birthday sweet babies!
Me and Isabelle:
When Patrick and I had to leave for Dallas on Sunday I remember feeling helpless. I felt like I needed to be in OKC with Julie and with the babies. I was so sad to leave them. Today, the babies look like this:
It's crazy the difference a year makes!! Happy 1st Birthday sweet babies!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Resolutions
New Year's resolutions are always hard for me to keep, but this year I am really making an effort! Here are some of the resolutions I have been working on:
1. De-clutter our house. We have LOTS of stuff. LOTS of stuff that we NEVER use. LOTS of clothes that we never wear. LOTS of crap to get rid of. And, we are well on our way. About a month ago Patrick and I spent a Saturday morning cleaning out our garage, which is our only storage area in our house. It felt like a weight had been lifted off. A couple of weekends ago, I spent the weekend cleaning out our office. Another space that inevitably collects crap. It now looks like this:
It is amazing how many trips to Goodwill we have made this month. Up next? Tackling the laundry room. The desk that used to be in the office in the kitchen/den:
2. Make our home more environmentally friendly. I have set a schedule of things to do each month to make our home, and us, more eco-friendly because let's be honest... this stuff costs $$$! At least up front. And then you enjoy the benefits later on by reducing your electric and water bills. I guess we actually started this last year by getting all new windows. And, that has already paid off in terms of the electric bill... it's crazy how much we are saving! Other things I have done are:
Using Smart Strips... great for your T.V.'s and computer.
Installing Low Flow shower heads
Using a dualing trash can... one side for trash, the other for recycling
Using eco-friendly lightbulbs
3. I always make the same resolution of losing weight and never seem to keep it, so this year I am tweeking it a bit. Eat better. One of my good friends has a rule about eating... she tries to only eat things that she knows what went into it. So, if she looks at the back of a box/can and doesn't know what half the ingredients are, then she doesn't eat it. Essentially this means eating more fresh foods and eating more organically. It also means cooking more at home... that way you know what you are putting in what you eat. So far, so good. I have started picking out recipes for the week and gathering the ingredients on Sunday. Another resolution that goes along with this one is that I want to start actually using my cookbooks! I rely on the internet too much and have all of these great cookbooks that I should be using. I think this will make me a better cook, too.
4. The last, but not least, New Year's resolution is one that both Patrick and I have. To continue being the best mom and wife I can be. God knows, it takes work from both you and your partner to make a happy home!
1. De-clutter our house. We have LOTS of stuff. LOTS of stuff that we NEVER use. LOTS of clothes that we never wear. LOTS of crap to get rid of. And, we are well on our way. About a month ago Patrick and I spent a Saturday morning cleaning out our garage, which is our only storage area in our house. It felt like a weight had been lifted off. A couple of weekends ago, I spent the weekend cleaning out our office. Another space that inevitably collects crap. It now looks like this:
It is amazing how many trips to Goodwill we have made this month. Up next? Tackling the laundry room. The desk that used to be in the office in the kitchen/den:
2. Make our home more environmentally friendly. I have set a schedule of things to do each month to make our home, and us, more eco-friendly because let's be honest... this stuff costs $$$! At least up front. And then you enjoy the benefits later on by reducing your electric and water bills. I guess we actually started this last year by getting all new windows. And, that has already paid off in terms of the electric bill... it's crazy how much we are saving! Other things I have done are:
Using Smart Strips... great for your T.V.'s and computer.
Installing Low Flow shower heads
Using a dualing trash can... one side for trash, the other for recycling
Using eco-friendly lightbulbs
3. I always make the same resolution of losing weight and never seem to keep it, so this year I am tweeking it a bit. Eat better. One of my good friends has a rule about eating... she tries to only eat things that she knows what went into it. So, if she looks at the back of a box/can and doesn't know what half the ingredients are, then she doesn't eat it. Essentially this means eating more fresh foods and eating more organically. It also means cooking more at home... that way you know what you are putting in what you eat. So far, so good. I have started picking out recipes for the week and gathering the ingredients on Sunday. Another resolution that goes along with this one is that I want to start actually using my cookbooks! I rely on the internet too much and have all of these great cookbooks that I should be using. I think this will make me a better cook, too.
4. The last, but not least, New Year's resolution is one that both Patrick and I have. To continue being the best mom and wife I can be. God knows, it takes work from both you and your partner to make a happy home!
Congrats!!
Two of my favorite friends have had babies in the past 2 weeks and I wanted to send a shout out. Congrats to Rhodes and Amanda who welcomed baby Drew last week! He is precious and looks a lot like his older brother, little Rhodes. And, congrats to Ronnie and Johnette who welcomed baby Trace on Tuesday. They didn't know the sex and were super excited to find out that it was a boy! They have two daughters as well...Milla and Amelie. I can't wait to meet baby Trace!
Monday, January 11, 2010
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