Isabella, push toys, and cuteness

A little over a week ago, on Sunday, Maxine insisted that we take this toy home with us from church, since Isabella seemed to enjoy it so much. Love it, she does. So much so that she wants her beloved Henry (wait, there are two of them she carries with her now!) to ride it.

2008-6-30

Also pushes around the Choo-choo train Grandma (Karen) gave her.

VIctoria curled up, Isabella stuffing her face with apples and having fun

This past Saturday night (June 28th), Alice, Jeff, and Andrea came over for dinner. I made chicken fried rice, and they brought over salmon, tilapia, and four pints of different flavors of ice cream. Bless them! I want meat and fish more than I have ever desired them. And in much larger quantities. It's amazing or scary. I'd be weighing a ton more, if it weren't for my gift to Victoria.

2008-6-28

Victoria looked so sweet, so comfortable in Alice's arms. Speaking of being in other people's arms, I'm been so grateful of the people who have helped me hold Victoria (who will wake up when put down) while I eat. Some times I feel like an eating and drinking machine!

Here's Isabella stuffing her face with apples. This is after she had already had her meal. She consumed around one and a half apples.

Interestingly, Isabella doesn't seem to care for apples that have been peeled and cut for more than a day. She'll turn those down flat. She prefers freshly peeled and cut apples!

2008-6-29

a sleeping Victoria

2008-6-28

Play time

This afternoon (Friday afternoon), I had just finished taking care of Victoria and I was checking on Isabella. Am trying to spend more time with her when I'm not nursing the littlest one, cooking, doing household chores, or sleeping.

Her appearance, what she was carrying, made me laugh so hard. Wearing a hat a bit too small. Carrying Henry in one hand and Victoria's onesie in another. Well, in the picture immediately below, she had gotten a hold of one of her own socks.

2008-6-27

Made my first cell phone trinket sale today!

I need to be preparing for tomorrow's life group and then going to bed, so I'm going to make this quick. I made my first cell phone trinket sale this morning. Hooray! I was up late last night, making a variety of them, because my family had agreed to have a coffee date at Moon Beans this morning. That meant we were going to see the gal that had voiced interest in the cell phone trinket I had made. I'll post some variation of the one she chose after I take a picture of the one I still have.

Isabella, Play-Doh, Henry, and Cuteness

Though Isabella hasn't had that many encounters with Play-Doh, she knows how to call it by name.

2008-6-17

Isabella with Henry, her favorite dog. Well, there's actually two of them. Identical.

How much would you pay for a cell phone trinket?

I made this cell phone trinket last week, when Diana & Maritza came over during an evening (the boys had gone to see "The Incredible Hulk" in the theater). The next day, after a caffeine high, I asked one of the managers at a coffee shop what she thought of the cell phone trinket I made, she wanted one, too. Perhaps I could make her one before we move. Her response? She'd be willing to buy one from me!!

So, how should I price these babies? I made an identical one for Diana, since she seemed to like it a lot. Haven't made any since. Purchased goods to make different ones, but haven't had time to do so, yet.

Tell me what you think.

Cute and adorable

2008-5-15

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there.

All about Isabella - looking cute, giving her sister kisses, and walking

Took all these pictures yesterday, on Friday, June 13, 2008.

Too cute for words.

Kisses.

Last night, Diana and Maritza came over for relaxing girl time, while the boys went to see "The Incredible Hulk." While I was washing dishes in the kitchen, Isabella started walking of her own initiative and volition. Hooray! She did it several more times in the evening. Here, in the pictures below, she walked at least seven to twelve steps toward me. What a champ!

She's quite proud of her accomplishment, as she should be. She has been hesitant in walking, because she is extremely cautious. My parents tell me I didn't walk until I was two years old, for similar reasons; must take after her mommy.

What else is needed to use the vacuum-sealed space bags?

One invention that I absolutely love is the vacuum-sealed space bag. The "space" in the title refers to the amount of space a person saves by utilizing such an entity. Really. It's amazing how much those things can shrink with all the air sucked out of the bag, and then some.

I was telling one of my good girlfriends about how much I LOVE these vacuum-sealed bags. I'm storing all kinds of clothing, from Isabella's 3 months up to 18 months clothing, some of my winter (what's that?) clothing, and pregnancy clothes. Filled four to five large vacuum-sealed bags. My good friend asked whether one could still benefit from the space-saving feature of the product without owning a vacuum.

Well . . . I don't think any person's mouth or such can do what a vacuum cleaner can do.

A person must use a vacuum-cleaner to make use of the space-saving feature of the bag. Yup.

Mutual admiration and kisses

2008-6-9

2008-6-9

2008-6-9

I love, love, love my family. Don't you? That sounded super vain. Seriously, what's not to like?

Victoria joining our family has been an adjustment for Isabella, I will tell you no lies. Her approaching the terrible twos doesn't help. The more mommy time she gets, the better Isabella copes. What else helps? Getting her involved with her sister. Yesterday, I put Isabella on our bed with her sister and asked her to help me change Victoria's diaper. Gave Isabella a wipe, and I think she felt like she was participating in the process. She also wants to be near Victoria, and when she wants to be near her.

My hubby's wonderful, too. He's been keeping company with our older one, especially in the mornings, so I can continue to recover from d-day. What a guy, huh? How do we look for couple's time out with two little ones under the age of two? Where there's a will, there's a way, right?

Yay for new clothes from Old Navy!

2008-5-31

I've got to say, my mom's fantastically awesome to look for new clothes for me. She didn't give up trying to find something for me. The stuff she got at Target was a bust. Old Navy, nope. Seriously, it was the thought that counts. She was working so hard to find something that works for me.

In the end, all of us went on an outing - my parents, Troy, Isabella, Victoria, and me - to Old Navy. Isabella helped me find stuff to try. Found two pairs of pants and three tops. Yay! Thanks Mommy and Daddy. What a way to make a new mommy feel not so frompy. I'll try to model some of the other clothes later.

More vendors are carrying my book on Amazon.com

Small wonders that make my day. I have no idea whether anyone has purchased my book, but I went on Amazon.com moments ago and saw that "8 new are available from $88.11." Pretty cool, huh? Well, I think so. If you're bored and have nothing else to do, check it out: Aristotle on Happiness.

Purging time

Troy and I found out that the apartment complex in Littleton, where we're planning to live for our first year there, wants us to move in by July 15th. I pushed the move-in date to July 18th. I'd like Victoria to have her 2 month appointment with her current pediatrician.

A couple of years ago, one of my best friends Christine and her family were preparing to move from Missouri to Alabama. She kept telling me that she wanted to sell or get rid of anything that wasn't bolted down, including stuff like her dining room table or even her Ethan Allen sofa, both of which were purchased brand spanking new. I thought she was crazy, but I just nodded and smiled, as much as one can over the phone.

Now I can completely understand what she was saying. With two tots in tow, with us scaling down to a two bedroom apartment for a year, and with the pain of moving in general; I'm not at all keen on moving everything that followed us to South Texas plus crap we've accumulated since coming. You know we're in trouble when comments from different visitors to our home say, "wow, you have a lot of stuff."

Yes, folks. It is time to purge, and purge BIG! Stuff is going to the church, to the church yard sale, to friends in need, to acquaintances in need, to friends of friends in need, to the trash (it would be insulting to give some of our junk to other people), and to the good will. If I have the time or energy, might even sell some things to Children's Orchard and sell some stuff on Craig's List. Everything will be inventoried, including wedding stuff (we got married almost 6 years ago) that we haven't touched this entire time.

Tell me your needs, especially if you are local. Ms. Claus may be visiting you early this year.