Stella & Dot

I really am not sure why in the world I wanted to add anything to my plate but Stella & Dot found me and I couldn't pass it up! I'm selling this fabulous but affordable jewelry (over half the line is under $50) via my website (www.stelladot.com/jordanpenick) and in-home trunk shows. The trunk shows are pretty much just parties with snacks, fun people and pretty jewelry. The jewelry truly sells itself so I don't have to learn any awkward or embarassing speeches. I really got involved because I love the jewelry. Stella & Dot is a modern company that wants its sales team to be who they are and not imprisoned in a pair of panty hose. If you read any magazines or watch the Bachelorette, you've seen Stella & Dot. I have a feeling you're about to see it even more blow up. So when you hear about it, just remember me. Throw a party and invite me over. I'll bring the jewelry, you fix some cocktails. It will be fun.

P.S. I'm having a launch party on Thursday, August 6 at the Fredericksburg Bakery from 7-9 pm. I'd love to have you.

Oh and P.P.S. if you have a husband or boyfriend or partner or friend or dad or brother that's needs a little help in the gifts department, send them my way. I can help them out.

We'll Miss You, Ringo!

Last week we lost a member of the family. It was traumatic for all of us but mostly for me because I was driving the car that killed him. It was just me and Cash in the car so the kids didn't see it. He actually walked away from the accident but the internal damage was too severe so we had to put him down. It was a very hard good-bye for me. Let me say, too, that Derrek was so wonderful that day. I'm a basketcase when it comes to saying any sort of good-bye and, even though Derrek was emotional as well, he walked me through the whole thing. He left work immediately to help get Ringo some help, make the hard decision, say our good-byes, hold him as he took his last breath, hold me after that, dig his grave and put stones on top of it and tell the kids. I really don't know how I would have made it through the day without him. Those are the moments you understand why God matched you with a guy that can't get his socks to the dirty clothes. Ever.

Ringo was such a loving dog. He was completely devoted to every member of this family. He always wanted to be a lap dog but didn't complain or get mad at us that he wasn't. Since we moved out to the Penick's he's smelled like a skunk about 85% of the time. He had a fat butt, a good heart and a penchant for chasing raindrops. I miss the comfort of him sleeping right outside the door to protect us. I miss his smelly snuggles. I miss his incessant licking. I miss the smile on his face. I miss him every morning when he used to greet me after he slept under my car for the night and I'll always wonder why he stayed there that Tuesday morning.

Here's how we said good-bye...

(no idea why this picture is turned!)

Seriously

I'm a broken record and I realize this. Blogging is on the backburner these days. I'm still working at Root and the bakery doing the books. I've finally started taking Cash to a babysitter a couple of days a week. It was hard the first time but OH does it feel good to actually be productive! Not that spending all day with a child can't be productive but trying to give your all to work and your child at the same time feels anti-productive, if that's a word. I know many of my friends have felt this pain. Anyway, Destiny, Lea and I have also jumped (with both feet!) into transitioning the bakery. From the old to the new. From bakery to bakery plus (beer, wine, lunch). From Mike to the three of us. From country blue to turqoise. We have high hopes for revamping the bakery and building the business and we hope to kick off the first phase of our takeover during Octoberfest. Many things have to happen without a hiccup for this to actually take place but we're still hopeful. I had no idea what to expect when we started this but I have to say, it has been a blast so far. I know we have many years to go and lots of hard work ahead of us but spending my days with Lea and Destiny with similar goals in mind, has been fun. The point of this story, is just to convince my readers (if there are any left!) that I've added one more thing to the overflowing "plate". It feels great! Tonight, I've tried to catch up on some posts I started TWO months ago (see Cash's Baptism from May & the Horn Family Reunion from June) and see really how far behind I am. 10 posts behind to be exact. Probably 750 pictures to sort through. But I can do this. One post at a time right?

Cash Hearts Ashley

Cash truly loves both of his siblings. He's completely mesmerized by the both of them. Maybe it's just that Ashley is more capable with him but his awe reaches a higher level with her. Unless he's starving, he reaches for her before me in many cases. Don't worry because I LOVE IT! They're so happy together and she is a fabulous babysitter.

Mutton Bustin'!!!

This past weekend was the Stonewall Peach Jamboree (Rodeo) and Blake, Cole & Rance decided to try their hands at mutton bustin (sheep ridin'). Blake has really grown in so many ways in the last year. Besides the physical (taller, less baby face) and social (not at all as shy, listens very well) there is the mental/emotional growth. Last year, he had no interest in riding those crazy sheep. This year he stood at the end of the line and watched everyone else go before him. He saw plenty of them crash and burn and shed some tears and he still went for it! Not only did he go for it, that little sucker won!!!

Ever seen a mutton bustin' champion with a green mohawk? Didn't think so.

Here's the video.

Horn Family Reunion

Last weekend, Cash and I met, Aunt Traci, Sam, Alice, Ruby, Mimi and Grandpa Steve (Ruby has renamed him Peepaw!) in Brownwood and traveled to Weatherford for the Horn Family Reunion. My maternal grandmother was Wilma Horn. She had four sisters. Clara Ruth (Aunt Sister) was the oldest and died in 1978. Wilma was then the oldest to Aunt Ila, Aunt Mary and Aunt Reba. You may recall, 4 days before Cash was born, my grandmother passed away. She had never missed a reunion and I definitely was missing her this weekend! It was a great time for Mom and my Aunt J'Lyn to visit with all of their first cousins. They all were lucky enough to grow up fairly close together and it's neat to see the distance and years between their get-togethers just fall away. They all laugh easily together and share and equally appreciate their joint upbringings. As usual, I was able to get a few money shots of Cash when we were there. My sister and I stayed an extra night at Mom & Steve's after the reunion. I miss my family:)

Mom, J'Lyn and their Horn Family cousins

Bathtime with Mimi

Do you think he knows he's cute?

Love this picture! I'm not really sure why she got so upset...

This may be one of my all-time favorite pictures.

Saying our good-byes..A slimey kiss for Alice.

A slimey kiss for Sam.

Seven Months? Are you kidding me?

Okay, so it's seven and a half months. I'm a blogging loser these days. After this post, I think I will be completely excused. The last 6 weeks have been nothing short of a blur. Trying to communicate with this wirey, strong, climbing little ball of movement is challenging, to say the least. He's crawling. He's pulling up. He's yelling. He says "oooooohhhhhhhhhhhh". He can blow. He can say "dadadadadadadadada" (not to be confused with "Dada"). He - and has always - smiles with his whole face. If you're holding him when he's standing up and he wants to turn, he just turns so you have to be ready. He's calling the shots and it's our job to just make sure he doesn't crash and burn. He's eating now!!! What does he eat, you ask? Uh, mostly, BEANS. Much to my close family and friends sickening enjoyment, my kids favorite food is freakin' beans. In case you didn't know, I HATE beans. He doesn't just like them, he cries between bites to ready himself for the next mouthful of mushed up black, whole, pinto, baked or refried beans. The part that I do like about this is that most restaurants serve some type of beans. Most of the restaurants we patron anyway, since we eat 80% Mexican food. So I often find myself fighting a gag when I have beans ON me. Yuck. But I have to say, Cash eating until he can't eat anymore is so worth raising a bean-lover. He's also added bananas, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cereal, Puffs (excellent time-waster when I need to eat), prunes (NECESSARY with the drastic breast-milk-only-straight-to-table-food transition), and Malt-O-Meal. We're also down to two naps a day. It mostly comes from the fact that I spend too much time dragging him all over town for work & errands. But they are good naps. He still isn't really gaining much weight. He still hovers around 17 pounds. He seems to be changing though, right in front of our eyes. However, one physical characteristic that we love that seems unchanging, as of yet, is that he has this AWESOME patch of hair that grows right over his left ear. It has grown longer and thicker each month. It is also extremely straight and tough to tuck behind his ear.
He continues to become more attached to me and a little clingy when he's tired or hungry. So strange for a baby, right? Anyway, my goal is to have him with a babysitter a couple days a week by 8 months. I just have to make the call! It will be so good for us. Both of us. But look at that face!