Back to the Land of the Blogging

Blogland, I think of you every day. When Cash does anything new or cute, I can't wait to run and tell you. As Ashley & Blake opened presents and celebrated the holidays, I wished I could have had you there with me in real time. Every picture I snap, I can't wait to show you. I miss you, Blogland!

But because I've been gone so long, I have to do one of those long recaps that certainly won't do complete justice to each event but, hey, it's better than no blogging at all right?

First, I have to show you all how the little guy is growing....

So we left off at Ashley's birthday. A few short days later, I turned 30. That's right. The big 3-0. It really wasn't so bad. Well, Derrek and I had just recovered from strep throat and I did not get to see Ashley & Blake on my birthday and I don't have any pictures yet (I have to get them from Destiny - so keep checking back)but the actual turning 30 was fine. I feel young and love my life and I feel like I'm in a wonderful place to celebrate a big birthday. Derrek threw together a little party at Auslander. There was dinner and a few glasses of wine. Cash had his first babysitter! He loves his Billie Jean! She works at Root so they hang out. It actually wasn't that hard to leave him! But holy cow, was it great to get home!!! Not only did Derrek plan the dinner, he also got me a digital camera that I can stick in my pocket so now I have even more pictures to upload! I've also been taking tons of little videos and here's one I love. Derrek worked really hard to make my birthday a special day and it was perfect. Here are some birthday pics of Cash...pictures of me will be posted soon. Well, maybe.

The day after my birthday, Derrek, Cash & I met my mom and Steve in Mason for a late birthday lunch. I think it was just a good excuse to see Cash but that's fine with me. Mimi missed her newest grandbaby...and can you blame her?

(He was VERY sleepy!)

Derrek, Cash and I also went to Blake's class Christmas party. Wow. God Bless Kindergarten Teachers!!! That's all I can say.

A couple of kids really took a liking to Derrek. Blake was sweet to share his Dad.

Blake has a couple of "fans" in his class. This is Ashby.

Sam, Alice, Ruby, Aunt Traci & Mimi came to visit the weekend before Christmas. It was Sam, Alice & Ruby's first time to meet Cash. This was a great visit for a few reasons. 1) Sam, Alice, Blake & Ashley love hanging out. They're all equally excited to see each other. This warms my heart every time since they're cousins by marriage and I love them all so much. 2) Sam can finally put up with Blake. Although the four of them love to see each other, it was a rocky start for Sam & Blake. Blake never really realized but Sam used to have very little tolerance for the poor little guy. Maybe it's because Blake has learned a little bit about how to not be annoying in Kindergarten. Maybe Sam is just lightening up a little bit. Either way, it's so much better for everyone involved. 3) The kids got to ice skate and make gingerbread houses. We met up with Cooper, Cameron, Cole & Rance at the bakery to decorate gingerbread houses. The kids do it every year and it was nice to have Sam & Alice join in. (Although, I'm waiting on pictures of those as well!) 4) I love having my mom and sister around. They read my mind and still baby me a little and I feel like my brain can relax a little because I can ask them what do to. 5) The first meeting of Ruby & Cash was hilarious!!! She was NOT having it. My sister was holding him and Ruby just looked at him with complete disgust. Then she cried a dramatic little cry and positioned herself squarely between Cash and my sister. (This is another video, I'll have on youtube)

(Ruby is mortified)

Then, the same weekend, on Sunday, we celebrated Christmas with Derrek's family with a progressive dinner (I need more pictures for this post!). We had cheese fondu at Destiny's house. Everyone came to our house for some bok choy salad (and BeeGee's on vinyl!). We moved onto Lea & Dac's house for stir fry. We ended up at Mike & Patsy's for dessert and presents! Every year the grandkids always get new pajamas and this year was no different. These may have been my favorite pj's yet. It was touch to get a good picture of all of the kids because it was getting late and they just weren't cooperating but you get the idea of exactly how cute these pajamas are. Cash got lots of new clothes, a noise machine and a play matt. I was just starting to feel guilty about not having any toys to look at now that he's becoming so alert so I was so excited to open that gift! She also got him some toys to hang from his stroller & car seat. Ashley got an awesome new cell phone (and thank goodness because she was a bump on a log until she opened that gift! Sam & Alice kept her up late.). She also got some really cute clothes. Blake got an awesome remote control car, some clothes and some monster trucks.

(This is kind of mean but his eyes are kind of crossed. He had a couple of weeks of being cross-eyed most of the time.)

Can someone that knows photoshop, photoshop that spit-up out for me?

Then could that photoshopper cover up the spit-up stain on my shirt in this one? Thanks

She's alive!

Derrek & I headed to San Antonio to do the last 95% of our shopping. It's a tough day to shop with an infant and a husband 3 days before Christmas but we survived. I also used my birthday money to buy an iPod Touch and I was so excited but now I'm having iTunes issues on my computer so I'm really frustrated. The highlight of the day was seeing my friend Jenn. (And I have a great picture of us but it's totally out of order because you can't insert pictures in this thing so if you forget one you have to either REupload all of them or post it later...it will be posted later. Along with all the other missing pictures I've been talking about!) She followed us around shopping and holding Cash. Then we had a beer and some onion rings and chit chatted some more. It's SO great to be around good friends like that. She's one of my besties for sure. She brought the cutest sleeper gown and onesie for Cash and his bestie Wolfgang.

On Tuesday, Cassell and Rebekah sent a photographer to our house for our first official, for real, for real, family pictures! It was my 30th birthday present and I can't thank them enough. Please go to http://www.portraitsbyjenn.com/, click on "enter site", then "clients", then type penick & a slide show of the pics will come up.

No presents were under the tree until Christmas Eve. I think Blake was in a state of panic. I put a big keep out sign on the door & wrapped as fast as possible. Derrek and I also took turns running around town for some last minute gifts for the kids and each other. We're pathetic but consistent. Christmas Eve night, the kids and I made some cookies for Santa. I can't wait to have a bigger kitchen one day so we can bake more often. It used to be one of my favorite things to do and it's one of my favorite memories with my mom. I hope that I can make it the same for my kids.

Christmas morning was awesome. Santa brought Ashley a new digital camera and Blake, a new MP3 player and lots of little army guys. Cash got new stuffed animals and rattles for his wrists and feet. I love those things! We got Ashley a ring with her birthstone in it, a UT jacket (I know, I know) and some games for her DS and Wii. We got Blake a digital camera (that we're returning), some boots and games for his DS. Derrek and the kids got me some accessories for my iPod and new rainboots! Although...I think they're too small. We got Derrek a new bedside table that just happens to be a minifridge. Not joking. My cousin/brother-in-law gave him the idea and he's wanted one for a while now. We had a fantastic morning. I wish it could have lasted so much longer. Sadly, at noon, we had to take Blake & Ashley to their mom's house. It's probably the worst part of this whole situation. We're prepared for it and we know it's coming and dropping them off isn't even all that bad anymore but driving home to an emptier house? It's AWFUL. Derrek, Cash and I actually couldn't even come home. We drove around and looked at houses for sale for a few hours. Anything to get our mind on something else and dry up the tears a little bit. Next year, we'll be the house they'll come to on Christmas day but we won't have Christmas morning with them. I think I've decided I'd rather them come to our house that day just because dropping them off is so hard. Mimi came later that afternoon and I was so glad to see her. I was so tired so I wasn't much of a hostess but, believe me, she's used to that.

So, I think we're caught up. You're probably tired of me saying that I'll really try to be better, but I'll really try to be better!

Cowboy Santa

So, I was a little hesitant going to Santa at the local feed store but it was really Santa in his cowboy gear. Very authentic. I'm pretty sure this might be a new family tradition.

Happy Birthday, Ashley!

So, I started this post on Ashley's actual birthday (December 9th) and finished it and was uploading my pictures when I found out my internet was not connected and wasn't saving the whole time so I lost everything. It was devastating. I've had internet issues ever since so uploadng pictures takes a VERY long time. Anyway, I'll see if I can quickly review.

Ashley turned 12. And I'm not just saying this because she's my step-daughter, but she is probably the smartest, coolest 12 year old out there. She chooses her friends so wisely. As soon as they get too dramatic for her, she moves on. She doesnt' really take all of this middle school stuff too seriously. For example, she had a slumber party (see pictures below) the Friday before her birthday and, of course, she could not invite all of her friends. So, it got out that she was having a party and they weren't all invited and some of the girls gave her a hard time at school. For a few days she even had to find a new place to sit at lunch. But she didn't let it get her down! I think, in fact, I was more traumatized than she was.

So, not only is she way ahead of the curve on the social front, she's funny, laughs at herself, is kind to others (except her brother sometime:)) and is all about enjoying the right now. It's started happening a little more often but for the most part, Ashley doesn't sit around wishing for this or that. She just makes the best of what's going on. Now, I know I've said before she's getting a little bit of the pre-teen bug where she is pretty sure she's smarter than us but I think Derrek and I nipped that in the bud a little bit, at our house anyway. Now she's figuring out we were both in middle school once and actually know a little bit about what she goes through every day.

She's also had her first boyfriend, in theory anyway. He asked her to be his girlfriend to her face! I was very impressed. That was probably the only reason she agreed...because she didn't know how to turn someone down to their face! But I'm afraid, after that they never spoke again! I think after 2 months or so of having absolutely no conversation or interaction, she ended it.

We were so nervous about middle school. The middle school here in town does not really have the best reputation. We didn't know if it was the staff or if middle schoolers today are just into more than we were. The pregnancy rate at the school is disturbing (one pregnant 7th or 8th grader is terrifying...it's insane that there's actually a "rate"). Drugs definitely have a presence there as well. So, we are thanking God everyday that we've got a girl with a really really really good head on her shoulders. Right now, she's decided she doesn't even like to hang out with kids that say bad words. One person, she told me said the "c" word and I almost cried but I made her spell it. "C. R.A.P." she said. Little did I know, the 25 times a day I say that word, she's not impressed.

She's the perfect mix of a tomboy and a young lady. She likes to look cute but would opt for chapstick over lipgloss any day. It's an act of God to get her to take a shower but she would die if there were any bumps in her ponytail. We're becoming closer friends every day and I think that's a really good sign as she gets further and further into this school of doom. Another great sign is that she and Cooper (her cousin) went to separate elementary schools but have managed to find themselves in the same GOOD group of friends. Now Destiny and I can help keep tabs on everything. Since we don't get to see Ashley everyday, we still get the scoop on what's going on with her at school, so it's been wonderful.

So, for her birthday, we had a little get together to watch the Christmas Parade at the bakery, then a few girls spent the night with us at Derrek's parents house (I don't think we could have handled all those girls and a newborn in our tiny little house!). Then on her birthday, the family got together at Mamacita's. (I was sick with the beginning of strep throat!).

In conclusion, Ashley is 12 and awesome!