Becoming the Buskirks

My Handy Husband

2012-02-02T21:50:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago Justin and I decided to take the leap into the world of current technology. This may be hard to believe but I was the instigator of this update. I think Justin had a secret love affair going with our old projection tv and therefore didn't want to let her go. Ha. Anyway, we decided to move her out and move in a new sleek flat screen. I can't believe we didn't do it sooner. It is like a whole new world has opened up to us. We are literally seeing things clearly now. With the new addition our old media tower/cabinet just wasn't doing the trick. Insert my great idea for Justin to build us a new media console and the next day we were happily shopping at Home Depot for all the required items. The way I decided what Justin was going to build...simply searching through the Pottery Barn magazine! Here is their version...

Here is our version...

I love the way it turned out. It looks amazing. I am super impressed with Justin's mad woodworking skills and am already coming up with a list of other things for him to build for me. Unfortunately I didn't get very good pictures cause I had to use my flash but I will put up more later. Now I just need a bigger house to fit all this awesomeness in! My husband is super handy and I think I will keep him around...at least until the new Pottery Barn catalog comes out. :)

Just Because

2012-01-16T10:13:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures of Haley...just because it has been quite a while since she has been "featured" on the blog. :) Oh, and I have finally figured out how to get here to smile normal...let's just say a simple "cheese" does not do the trick.

This one is just a reminder of the old days. :)

Ten Months

2012-01-09T11:11:00.001-06:00

Jake has hit the ten month mark...a few weeks ago. How is it possible that my little guy is going to be celebrating his first birthday in just two months?!?!?! He is growing up so fast that I can hardly keep up. Things worth mentioning this month...

He has started saying dada and bye bye... and mama once but I might have heard things.
He has finally given up army crawling and crawls on all fours about 99% of the time.
He pulls up and stands next to everything but doesn't have the nerve to let go yet.
He loves hiding under anything.
He has an abnormal love of balls.
He has started sleeping later in the morning...till 7:15ish. This is a huge deal for me!
He now has four teeth...two on top and two below.
He loves tortillas and cheese. Strawberries not so much.

He chews on everything. Goodbye crib.

Happy Ten Months Jake Jake!

Christmas

2011-12-26T20:51:00.002-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas in Geronimo. The weather was a little dreary all weekend but we made due and managed to even make some great memories. This was Jake's first Christmas and Haley's first Christmas where she actually got into it. It was so fun to watch our little ones enjoy in the holiday excitement. Haley carefully opened each of her presents and then tore through Jake's..what a helpful big sister.

Haley's Santa pile

Jake's Santa pile

Needing a little rest after all the present opening!

At this point I still think she thought they were all for her!

Baby Cousins

Look at this picture again...now there are three baby cousins!

We rounded out the holiday weekend with a bonfire...the perfect excuse to wear his camo!

We Love the Zoo

2011-12-21T14:55:00.001-06:00

We went to the zoo this morning with some family and friends. With everyone out of school it was a great chance for us all to get together. The weather was chilly but we survived. Please excuse all the runny noses. :) Here's our zoo crew...

A special treat...Santa was there. This time I was able to get Haley to sit in his lap but there was no smiling...or even looking mildly happy for that matter. Jake, on the other hand, was just confused as to who the old man holding him was.

Christmas Train

2011-12-21T14:40:00.000-06:00

We took the kids to the Alvin Christmas train on Tuesday night. Santa was there but apparently Haley has decided to be scared of him and didn't want to sit on his lap. Maybe next year. The weather was a little chilly so we bundled up and boarded the train. Haley absolutely loved it. Around every turn you could see the Christmas excitement come over her face. After the quick trip we headed next door for some pizza. It was a fun evening!

Merry Christmas!

Nine Months

2011-12-03T15:37:00.000-06:00

Jake had his nine month checkup yesterday and things went really well. He is right on track with his measurements except for his height...he is in the 92%...maybe we have a basketball superstar on our hands. :) No shots this go round so he(I) was really happy. I say it every month but he really is growing up to fast.

Jake's nine month facts:

He is now switching between crawling on all fours and army crawling...he just can't decided which he likes more.
He is pulling up on the furniture every chance he gets and will take a few steps.
He loves banana yogurt.
He hates table food...excluding Chickfila fries and apparently Santa cookies (see pic below).
He still just has two bottom teeth but has one coming in on the top any day now.
His new sure fire giggle producer is pat-a-cake.
He loves the song "I'm a Tex, I'm a Tex, I'm a Texas star."
His favorite past time is watching Haley do anything.

Happy 9 months little man!

Snow Day

2011-12-03T15:15:00.003-06:00

We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Nebraska this year. All week long the weather was pretty unseasonably warm, which for them is fun but for us it is a bummer since we always enjoy the change in temperature. It was like we packed Texas in our bags and took it with us. Fortunately when we packed our bags back up for the trip home it seems we didn't forget Texas...it snowed that night. No heavy snowman making snow but enough for a few snowballs before we hit the road. Haley thought it was awesome...Jake slept through it.

8 Months

2011-11-02T21:44:00.000-05:00

My little boy is growing up too fast. It has been such a joy to watch him change each and every day...and these last two months he has changed a lot.

Jake now has his two bottom teeth.
He has been army crawling all over the house for weeks.
He is growing to love snacks. His favorites are the cheddar puffs.
His favorite meal is squash and bananas.
He weighs approximately 19 pounds.
He loves playing in the grass.
He graduated to taking a bath in the big tub with his sister. He loves it.
He favorite song is Twinkle Twinkle.

Last but not least...Jake absolutely loves his sister. And here is the photo proof I will show him when he is a teenager.

Happy 8 months little man!

Pinteresting - Quilted Letters

2011-10-31T21:28:00.000-05:00

Decided it was time to work on a few of the to-do things I have backlogged on Pinterest. The first up...fabric numbers for Haley. These were super easy and turned out way better than I first thought. Plus, Haley has really enjoyed playing with them. So much so that I have the number all lined up and ready to sew.

By the way, I am addicted to Pinterest. It literally is the greatest site ever created!!

Trick-or-Treating

2011-10-31T21:14:00.000-05:00

Halloween Bash 2011

2011-10-31T21:08:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday was our annual Halloween Bash. We had a blast as usual and are already looking forward to next year. Congrats to Chris on winning the Buskirk Boo-ward this year for "Best" costume. Any man willing to walk around all night with his nipples showing definately deserve the win. Ha.

Artsy Craftsy

2011-10-23T19:29:00.001-05:00

Haley is apparently addicted to arts and crafts. Every day after rest time she comes out of her room immediately asking for artsy craftsy time!! She just can't get enough. I have about exhausted my resources for Halloween so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Jake even got in on the action this time.

Check out out spooooooooooky spiders!!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-22T09:03:00.000-05:00

Zoo Boo

2011-10-21T15:16:00.000-05:00

Justin

2011-10-20T16:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband Justin. Today we celebrate four years together. Justin really is the greatest person I have ever known. He is a wonderful man, an amazing father, and an awesome singer. :) He is also our blog's greatest advocate; he shares the link with anybody and everybody who has a free sec. It was actually one of his colleagues that asked him last week if he was even in this family. Apparently they went back searching in our blog for posts about Justin and couldn't find one. I immediately felt like a horrible wife. From now on I will try to post more information about Justin...he is, after all, sort of important to our family. :)

My husband's name is Justin Andrew Buskirk. He is 29 years old. He is 11 months younger than me. He loves fishing. He does not love the water. He loves Angry Birds. He loves karaoke even though he won't admit it. He cooks an amazing burger. He is the father of my children (glad we cleared that up). He loves playing golf. He is very handy around the house. He forgets to take the trash out. He is very smart. He knows and gets me. These were just a few interesting facts about Justin and now here are some quick pics from our last year of marriage.

I loved you again today!

Cupcakes

2011-10-20T15:50:00.000-05:00

A new friend from my playgroup inspired me to throw dieting to the wind and whip up a batch of cupcakes (thanks Julie). I have seen these made on Pinterest several times and thought it seemed simple enough. I mean, how much easier does it get than cake mix, premade icing, and food coloring?!?! In theory they were supposed to be layered like candy corn but we quickly found that to be to difficult for Haley and just layered the colors as we saw fit. They turned out sort of like Halloween tie-dye but still tasted great. The real motivation for today's baking adventure was not delectable treats but fun times with my big girl and some post worthy pictures. Enjoy!

Our Babies

2011-10-19T21:36:00.000-05:00

Just some new pics of our adorable/smart/sweet/slobbery/playful/loving/funny/boogery/inquisitive/creative/adventurous/bruised/silly/amazing/beautiful babies!!

Arts & Crafts - Halloween

2011-10-19T21:16:00.000-05:00

We had a lot of free time today so I decided to be a good mommy and bust out the art box for some good old fashion messy crafting. Haley had a blast and I had a little fun too. :) Here is the finished product.

Happy HALLOWEEN!!!!

Comal County Fair

2011-10-12T14:30:00.000-05:00

This post is way past due considering the Comal County Fair was in mid-September but here are the pictures anyway. We went to the parade in the morning with granny and poppy and then to the actual fair the next day with Erin and the girls. Haley loved it. There were "roller coasters", a petting zoo, and cotton candy! Jake liked the marching bands in the parade...they really got his attention. Hopefully we can make it back again next year with the whole family.

Sorry for the picture quality...left my memory card at home and had to resort to using my phone.

Six Months - Stats

2011-09-13T13:56:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday we had Jake's six month checkup with Dr. Wilber. My previous estimates were pretty close to his actual stats...Jake currently weighs in at 15 lbs 13 oz (35%) and is 27.5 in long (83%). At his previous appt when he weighed in the 5% I was a little worried...I come from a family of chubby babies...so I am glad to see the considerable weight gain after the last 2 months. Apparently he is just going to be a long and lean baby and I need to learn to deal. At this appt he got 4 shots which he didn't care for too much. Luckily I was there to appease him with some goofy mom faces and he was back to my happy little baby in no time. :)

Photo Shoot

2011-09-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

Today was a beautiful day. The weather was amazing and we couldn't help but go outside and enjoy it. I haven't taken any real pictures of the kiddos since Easter so I thought why not today. These were my attempt at being an artsy fartsy photographer and I am quite pleased with the outcome. Please don't judge me for the number of pictures I am posting but I just couldn't choose one or even five for that matter. I think my children are adorable. Enjoy.

Six Months

2011-09-03T14:15:00.001-05:00

Happy six months to our little man! You are growing up right before our eyes. It has been an absolute blast and we have loved every minute.

Here are some current interesting facts about Jake:

You weigh almost 16 lbs by my calculations. To some this may sound tiny but from our last appointment this is a great improvement.
You really love toys...all of them...you are not picky.
You enjoy baby food...so far you have had green beans, squash, peas, and sweet potatoes.
You think your sister is hilarious.
You can roll, scoot, and push your way around the room.
You sleep through the night...in our house that means 8:30 to 7:00.
You can sit all by yourself even though you are still a little wobbly.
Despite my efforts to change your mind you always end up sleeping on your tummy.
You are always smiling.
Your favorite place to be in the world is your jumperoo.
You take two naps a day with an occasional snooze at the dinner table.
You really like the outdoors.
You have zero teeth yet.

We can't wait to see what the next 6 months have in store! Happy 1/2 Birthday Jake!

Yum Yum Yum

2011-08-29T08:39:00.000-05:00

Jake was doing so well with the rice cereal that after just two weeks we decided to move him on to the real thing. There was a brief moment this go round where I thought it would be fun to try and make all his food from scratch but then the reality of my laziness came back to me and I stocked up on Gerber. He has loved everything so far. And Haley loves playing with the food containers. I promise they both have rooms full of real toys.

Haley the Architect...with some help from mommy.

Peas...yum.

Green beans...yummy.

Foot...delicious.

High chair....ehhh.

Best Buds

2011-08-14T09:13:00.000-05:00

I have been participating in a playgroup with Erin and our friend Erika for the last few weeks. We all had babies within months of each other so we have a ton in common and plenty of things to chit chat about. We have had a lot of fun talking babies, drinking wine, and letting the big kids run off steam. Unfortunately this was the last week since school starts again next week and our schedules just won't work out any longer. I will miss it. Fortunately I think we still see each other enough that these little ones will grow up best buds for sure!

Cora - 11 weeks; Hayden - 13 weeks; Jake - 23 weeks

Yum Yum

2011-08-11T19:37:00.000-05:00

Jake had his first experience with rice cereal last week. He wasn't too sure at first but now he loves dinner time. He scarfs it down like he is afraid someone else might eat it if he takes too long. :) Our little boy is growing up to fast.

Snowcones

2011-08-11T18:18:00.000-05:00

During the month of August in Texas there isn't much to do to keep cool. It literally feels like the face of the sun out there. Most days we try to stay inside and keep cool but for some reason this week we got the urge to venture outdoors and decided to meet up with Erin and the cousins for a little treat at the park...snowcones. It was Haley's first snowcone and she absolutely loved it. I am sure we will try to get in a few more before summer comes to a quick end. The park we chose had some equipment that looked old enough that Erin and I might have played on it back in the day but the kids still had a blast.

Kitchen Remodel - Complete

2011-08-09T18:11:00.001-05:00

Our remodel is finally done!!! Everything was wrapped up late Monday afternoon...and we couldn't be happier. We love it. I wish I would have done it three years ago when we moved in to the house. Despite all the delays and hiccups I am still very pleased with the outcome and our contractor.

Before

After

Here is one where it is all set up and ready to go. Please ignore our unhealthy eating clues...a huge portion of tater tots on the stove and two sticks of butter on the island ready to make cookies. The fruit basket is just for show. :)

Safety First

2011-08-09T17:52:00.000-05:00

I came from an era were childhood was more about having a good time while getting scrapes and bruises than staying tear-free. I wish this was something that I could give my kids but it just doesn't seem possible. Haley and Jake will grow up cushioned and protected and probably never know real fun. :)

With that said, this is not the correct way to wear a bike helmet.

Remodel Update

2011-08-05T07:40:00.000-05:00

I never in a millions years thought it would take this long to remodel the kitchen. In my mind it was going to go off without any hitches and turn out beautifully just like on HGTV. :)

The granite was installed as scheduled on Tuesday...which I love...but in the end there were a few issues with installation and the guys are supposed to be coming back today to fix. The bad part is that without the countertops finalized we were not able to move on to the backsplash. As of late yesterday afternoon we do have a working sink, dishwasher, and stove so we are surviving. Hopefully we will have everything done and finished by early next week...cross my fingers.

Here is the kitchen with the new granite!

At The Carwash

2011-08-03T17:37:00.001-05:00

Poppy "picked" this sweet ride for us for free. Thanks Poppy! We were more than happy to add it to our collection of outdoor play things...all it needed was a little sprucing up. Haley loves cars and any chance to play in the water so as soon as I mentioned car wash she was game. There is nothing more entertaining to a toddler than being outside with water and bubbles. Regardless of whether it needs it or not I am sure washing the car will become a weekly event.

To those of you asking where is Jake, he was peacefully napping inside in the A/C. Haley and I should have been in there too instead of out in the blistering heat. Seriously, weather channel says it feels like 105?!?!?

Smile

2011-08-01T22:23:00.000-05:00

This is what results when you try to have a sit down with a toddler and try to teach her how to smile for the camera. Haley currently has a super cheese smile that cause her eyes to squint. It leads to some cute photos but at the same time it makes me crazy. As you look at the pictures below just imagine me saying from behind the camera..."Say cheese...smile Haley...Open your eyes wide...smile...show me your teeth...wide...smile!...you want a skittle...open wide...SMILE!!" I think in the end she was very confused.

Kitchen Remodel - Before & Demo

2011-08-01T22:07:00.001-05:00

This morning we finally began our kitchen remodel after months of planning and thinking and planning some more. Ever since we moved into this house three years ago I have had a real love/hate relationship with my kitchen. I love the space. It is the perfect size for my family and it has a great layout that really works for us. Plus every time we have guests over it seems to always draw people in for talking and hanging out. We have had some great times in this kitchen. On the hate side, I have always disliked the color scheme and the constant need for scrubbing. It screams 90's with the blue backsplash tiles and the stark white laminate tops have to be bleached almost daily to keep them white.

I am so excited for the remodel and nervous at the same time. I hope everything goes off without any hitches and that by Thursday afternoon we have a new kitchen. Here are some pictures I took last night after clearing the kitchen in preparation.

Here are some pictures I took tonight after a day of demo. Looks like a clean slate ready for a new personality.

Stay tuned for the after pictures in a few days.

Jumperoo Jake

2011-08-01T21:41:00.003-05:00

Goodbye baby swing...hello Jumperoo!! He loved it.

Check out these shots of Haley two years ago...like sister like brother.

These Days

2011-07-24T19:55:00.001-05:00

Ready and waiting for her very first Granny Camp...three nights alone with Granny and Poppy! This was a first for her. You can not see it but on the other side of the camera is me crying because I am going to miss my big girl like crazy. She had a blast and I had a wonderful few days with just my little guy.

Jake has learned how to hold his bottle...well sort of. Everything has to be balanced and lined up perfectly and then he can hold it in place for a few minutes if he doesn't squirm. I am so proud.

There is nothing like spending some girl time with my little girl. She is hilarious and makes me laugh constantly. Here she was having some fun playing beauty parlor. Unfortunately with a smile as cheesy as hers I don't think we are going to be called in for Toddlers and Tiaras any time soon.

Skinny Boy

2011-07-07T16:10:00.000-05:00

Jake had his four month checkup this morning and it looks like we have a skinny boy on our hands. He is way down low on the charts at 12 lbs 2.5 oz which puts him in the 5% percentile. I was flabbergasted because I feel like I am feeding him constantly. Dr. Wilber didn't have any real concern about it since everything else is going well. Perhaps this is a sign that I should switch him to formula. :) The worst part of the appointment was the shots as usual...it always makes me cringe however Jake took it like a champ. A few tears and he was good. I can hardly believe our skinny little boy is four months old. How time flies. We love you Jake.

Thump

2011-07-05T17:41:00.001-05:00

Two weekends ago we packed up the family and headed to the fabulous Watermelon Thump in Luling. They had a parade on Saturday morning that was the epitome of what I think small town Texas is...lazy mornings full of wholesome family time and good old fashion fun. The kids had a blast and the weather actually wasn't too bad.

Being the old folks that we are we didn't make it to the concert at the Thump that night but we did go out for a few beers...my first since having Jake. I really need to kick this breastfeeding to the curb because it is really getting in the way of me consuming alcohol. :)

Sibling Hugs...aka Wrestling Practice

2011-07-03T17:53:00.000-05:00

A Visit

2011-07-03T17:47:00.001-05:00

Haley had a visit from a few of her Nebraska cousins and her aunt Shelley this weekend. We took our standard trip down to the beach to enjoy some fun in the sun at Surfside and some quality family time. It was a wonderful first trip of the summer and a great chance to catch up...and bury cousin Julia in the sand. The beach was pretty crowded since it was a holiday weekend but we found a spot early and made it our own. The kids had a blast and I got a little sun on my white legs.

Thanks to Shelley and the gang for making the trip down. We loved seeing you guys and can't wait till Thanksgiving.

Popsicle

2011-06-23T21:54:00.000-05:00

It is officially summer in Texas. Too hot to do much of anything outside except play in the water or enjoy a cool treat. Today Haley opted for a Popsicle. She wasn't more than a lick or two into it and the melt off was already running down her face and arms. What a mess...good thing the hose was just a few steps away.

Tummy Time

2011-06-23T21:36:00.000-05:00

Tummy time in our house can be summed up by one picture.

You can see fear in his eyes. Fear of what is the question...being left on his tummy forever, not getting to see the fan again, losing the bald sot on the back of his head? Seriously what is so bad about being on his tummy? For those of you out there that may think I get a kick out of letting my son cry...don't believe it. Just a few short moments after this picture was taken I was able to get him back on the happy track by waving a pink rattle in front of him...maybe after admitting that in writing I will get the energy to go out and buy Jake some properly colored baby toys of his own. Here is proof that he came around.

Father's Day Photo

2011-06-23T12:46:00.000-05:00

Happy Belated Fathers Day to Haley and Jake's amazing daddy! You are awesome and we love you. We would be lost without you.

Justin has been asking for a picture of me and the kids for his new office so I thought Father's day would be the perfect chance. I had Erin take them the other day and I think they turned out pretty cute. We will have to try again in a few months to get another one where Jake is smiling but these will definately work for now. There aren't alot of pictures of me out there with the kids where I am not covered in spit up or chocolate milk so I loved the opportunity to get dressed up with my babies.

Baking - Toddler Style

2011-06-17T08:13:00.000-05:00

Froggies

2011-06-17T08:08:00.001-05:00

Justin and I have the cutest children in the world...just my biased opinion. I couldn't resist a picture in their froggie jammies. Is there a way to keep them this cute forever???

Bath Time and Potty Training

2011-06-17T08:06:00.001-05:00

Jake has finally started to somewhat enjoy his bath time. It has made it a much more pleasureable bedtime routine when it is not filled with screams and tears. I can hardly believe he is already 3 months old.

Speaking of growing up I started potty training Haley the week before last. So far it is going remarkably well. She had a ton of accidents the first day but has been getting better everyday since. We typically go several accident free days and then out of the blue she has a completely random accident. Wish us luck...this is up there with most difficult experiences since becoming a parent.

Our Little Man

2011-05-23T19:40:00.000-05:00

2 Months

2011-05-05T13:40:00.000-05:00

This is a few weeks late but since I use this to look back on from time to time I thought I should go ahead and add it.

Jake's two month check up went great. He weighed in at 10 lbs 14.5 ounces and was 23 inches long. He is growing right along the normal curve and seems to be doing great. He is starting to get really good at holding his head up and can even smile after being provoked for at least an hour. He is loving just watching everything. Surprisingly (wink) he is not the least bit interested in any of his sister's old toys and has been pushing me to buy all new stuff. I can't blame him though...what little guy wants to play with pink rattles and a purple crackle alligator. :) Everyday he seems to change a little and it just reminds me of how fast it all goes by. We absolutely love this little guy!

Love My Life

2011-05-02T17:43:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter

2011-04-26T15:38:00.000-05:00

New Pics

2011-04-17T17:04:00.001-05:00

Big guy - 6 weeks

Granny and Poppy and there grandgang

Strawberry picking

My little artist

Gardening with poppy

Still too Busy For Words

2011-03-24T10:19:00.000-05:00

In Pictures

2011-03-14T17:20:00.001-05:00

Surprise surprise...I don't have time to type. Instead here are some pictures from our first 10 days.

Welcome Home Jake

First bath

The park rocks!

Jake's Birth Day

2011-03-05T13:40:00.049-06:00

Since this one is so ridiculously late I decided to post date it back to Jake's birth date. I am actually writing this on 5/5/2011.
Justin and I left the house at 5:30 Wednesday morning and headed off to the hospital for the scheduled arrival of our newest addition. After arriving at the hospital we got checked in and were in a room within about an hour. They began the Pitocin around 7:30 and we were off and laboring. The morning went by pretty uneventful. Around lunch time they came in and I got my epidural. Around the same time Haley came up for a last minute visit. We hung out for just a minute and then she was off to explore the hospital while I got down to business. I started feeling the contractions around 1:30ish and by 2:18 Jake Owen Buskirk was here. I really didn't take too much work on my part. I only had to actually push through 3 contractions and he was here. It was truly awesome...easiest delivery ever! He was just the most perfect little boy I had ever seen. He weighed in at 8 pounds 3 ounces and was 21 3/4 inches long. We loved him instantly.

Shortly after delivery Haley got to come up to meet Jake. She looked him over briefly but decided in the end that she would rather be out in the waiting room with her cousins. She never seemed jealous or anything...just disinterested. It wore off quickly. At her next visit she was ready for hugs and kisses and even an attempt at holding. What a great big sister she already is.

Welcome to the family little Jake! We love you.

Jake Owen Buskirk

2011-03-04T08:58:00.000-06:00

Jake Owen Buskirk arrived at 2:13 pm on Wednesday March 2nd. He weighed in at 8 lbs 3 oz, was 20 3/4 inches, and is the most handsome baby boy we have ever seen. I will provide more details of the day later...hopefully these pictures will hold everyone over for now.

Good News

2011-02-25T10:29:00.000-06:00

After our appointment yesterday I am happy to say that Jake did the required fliparoo and is no longer breech. We are now scheduled to go in to Labor & Delivery at 5:00 am Wednesday morning to be induced! Hopefully things will progress quickly and we can become a family of 4 before the day ends. I will update the blog with the news of his arrival as soon as I get a chance...could be 2012. Ha.

Family Pictures

2011-02-25T10:24:00.000-06:00

Below is what happens when a family of squinters tries to take pictures on a windy day. The pictures turned out great, thanks to my sister, however please note that my entire family DID brush their hair before hand.

Baby Buskirk Update

2011-02-21T09:40:00.000-06:00

As of last Thursday we are scheduled to welcome our little boy into the world on March 2nd. It was apparent in our most recent U/S that this little guy doesn't want to come out easily...he is breach. Per our doctor's recommendation we are scheduled for a C-section on the morning of the 2nd. To add to the fun she also told us that he is going to be pretty big. Three weeks ago at our U/S he was already weighing in at just under 7 lbs. They are going to do another check this Thursday to see his position and then they will check again that morning. If he does do the flip we need him to do then they will go ahead and induce us rather than surgery. I have my fingers crossed. One way or the other our little guy is going to arrive March 2nd and I couldn't be happier. We are so ready.

Now for a much belated picture...here is little mister Jake Buskirk...and as you can see we finally decided on the name.

Happy Birthday Haley Kate

2011-02-21T08:56:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday to our sweet little "big" girl. Haley turned two this past Friday however we didn't really celebrate until her birthday party on Saturday with family and friends. She had a blast and actually ate some cake this year! I can hardly believe another year has already passed.

Things about Haley:

You love playing pretend
You love baby dolls and anything you can take care of
You can build really tall towers from Legos
You know your colors
Your favorite cartoon is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
You love giving hugs and kisses
You like to sing Row Row Row Your Boat and the ABC's
You enjoy "swimming" in the bath tub
You are a picky eater (even though last night you actually tried hamburger)
You like to dress up
You try to be just like mommy
You have a boyfriend named Colby even though daddy doesn't approve
You want Haley to do everything
You sleep in a big girl bed
You help mommy in the kitchen
Your favorite place in the world is the park
You are going to be a wonderful big sister

We love you and can't wait to see what the terrible twos have in store for us!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Baby Update

2011-01-12T16:59:00.000-06:00

Last night I was sitting around pondering life and how things change. There were so many things I have always said I would do yet it seems that time just continues to escape me. If you sense a smidgen of guilt in my voice you are right. Our second bean isn't even here yet and I already feel as though I have neglected him. When I was pregnant with Haley I posted every few weeks about what was going on, the progress we were making, and about how excited we were for her arrival. I have written one post about Buskirk bean 2! Bad mommy. I have often wanted to post but the time slipped through my hands and I never got it done. So....I am going to try better for the bean 2 starting now!

I am 32 weeks pregnant which puts the baby just shy of 4 lbs, or for those visual learners, a average sized jicama (it is a root vegetable - I had to google it).

At my last appointment on the 6th everything looked great and he is right on target with his growth. I have to go every two weeks from this point on so hopefully I will have more details next week. My blood pressure is still normal and I haven't experienced any real swelling so maybe I will scoot through these last several weeks without too much discomfort. By this time with Haley I looked like a balloon! We have our final ultrasound set for February 3rd...I promise to put up pictures!

Everything at the house is going great. After moving Haley to her big girl room we primed and prepped her old room to go blue. We are still deciding on a wall color but I have already purchased bedding and started stocking up on clothes and diapers. It is amazing what all you realize you can do without the second go round. Did I really ever need, or use, that sleep positioner and baby massage lotion? :) And at the same time the things you absolutely must have. I started making some new handmade baby items for the bean 2...burp cloths, towels, room decor. It is pretty slow going but I am confident I will get it all done by his arrival. I can hardly believe it is just 8 weeks away! I can't wait, even though Haley might disagree.

I guess that will be it for this post. If I am feeling peppy tonight maybe I will get a picture of my 8 month baby belly so I will have something to gross you guys out with in the next post. Thanks for listening and helping to ease my second baby guilt.

(disclaimer...If I don't post again till his birthday please do not judge. Haha.)

Never Turn Your Back on a Toddler

2011-01-06T10:10:00.000-06:00

Literally I turned my back to wash dishes for 5 seconds and this is what happens?!?!?!

Nebraska Fun

2011-01-04T13:08:00.000-06:00

Justin, Haley, and I had been in Nebraska for the last 9 days celebrating Christmas with the Buskirk side of the family. It was a ton of fun as usual. This was the first Christmas where Haley was actually excited to get something. She has loved tearing the presents open and finding what wonderful surprises are inside. Some of the ones I thought were a little silly turned out to be the favs...ex: a stool for washing her hands in the sink. I will blog a more detailed post later but I really wanted to get something on here so everyone knew we were still alive and well...and not frozen solid.

Before we set off for Nebraska we celebrated Christmas early with the Evans side of the family and Justin and I got a new video camera. It has been an absolute blast so far. Who ever knew that I had so many moments I wanted/needed to document and preserve forever. Check out the clip below...Haley's first encounter with bubble wrap. I have alot of other clips but am having trouble uploading them. Hopefully I will have this technical issue cleared up soon.

Christmas Photo Shoot # 1

2010-12-08T10:02:00.000-06:00

This next one made me pee my pants a little. I am not entirely sure if this is even my daughter. The redneck teeth are really throwing me off.

Merry Christmas!

Park Fun

2010-11-29T10:10:00.000-06:00

Friday morning we headed out for a little family fun in New Braunfels. I think it is such a great little town and love to visit when we get a chance. First we made a stop at Naegelin's Bakery to pick up some delectable treats and then it was straight over to Landa Park. We were hoping the trains were running but unfortunately they were closed for the holiday. Instead we ate of treats by the water, fed the ducks our leftovers, and then headed over to the playground which, hands down, has to be the best one I have been to yet. Justin and Haley both loved it.

Tears and Cheers

2010-11-23T15:13:00.000-06:00

Saturday night as my husband was crying...I was cheering. A&M managed to squeak past Nebraska for a win. I should never have doubted my aggies; They came through for me and beat Nebraska on our wedding day and now they did it again in the final game against the Huskers before they leave the Big 12. I now have bragging rights till the end of time!!

"I think I hear daddy crying"

Gig'em Aggies!

Ready for Turkey

2010-11-23T15:06:00.000-06:00

Walk for the Cure

2010-11-08T15:31:00.002-06:00

This past weekend Justin, Haley, and I traveled to Austin to participate in this year's Susan G Komen walk for the cure. It was like no race I had ever participated in in my life. There were people every where...thousands! We were there to walk with my family in support of my aunt Ninny who battled breast cancer a few years ago but is now cancer free!! It was a great experience despite my feelings about large crowds (I cringe). The day was a success and there is already talk of next year. Hopefully we can improve on our time of 1+ hours. Haha. Let's just say it was a leisurely stroll dedicated to conversation and enjoying family rather than a race for the medal.

Trick or Treat

2010-11-05T22:42:00.000-05:00

We managed to actually get a costume on Haley this year that she loved. She wore it all night Saturday for our second annual Halloween Bash and then again Halloween night. We didn't actually venture out for trick or treating but Haley had a blast opening the door for the other little kids and helping me give out candy. Next year I am sure will be a different story as Haley runs from house to house trying to score candy for the year. :)

She is really loving dressing up right now. Check out her trial run with daddy's costume.

Baby Update

2010-10-28T16:57:00.000-05:00

Today Justin and I had our big 20 week ultrasound and it looks like everything is on target. The baby is already weighing 8 oz and was super active during our appointment. I didn't realize until I started this post that I hadn't yet mentioned that our new little bundle is going to be a boy! When we found out a few weeks ago I was both excited and nervous. Having a boy is like starting over from scratch as a parent. I have no idea what boys like or how to care for them...I understand that general care is the same for both sexes but I was quickly made aware of a few drastic differences by fellow mothers of boys. My plan is to just turn him over to Justin. Haha. Can I just tell you that Justin was ecstatic? I think at the very moment the u/s tech pointed out the extra appendage I saw a glimmer of hope appear in Justin's eye for a future Husker quarterback in the family. I am just glad to lessen my stress for keeping the Buskirk name going. :)

Three Years and Counting

2010-10-22T09:29:00.000-05:00

Three years ago Justin and I said our vows to love each other through thick and thin!! It was a wonderful day that I will never forget; the way he looked, the way I felt, how happy we both were to be joining our lives. As time passes and our family grows I know that everything is possible because I have him by my side.Our relationship is the backbone of our family and without each other it just wouldn't work. I couldn't do it without him.

To celebrate the day we dropped the munchkin off with ECLG and headed off for a quiet dinner for two at Taste of Texas...our official anniversary restaurant (hello they give you a free slice of Snickers cake if you are celebrating an event). We have been there every year so far. The food was great and the alone time was even better. I love just talking with my husband and always look forward to the time we have together a couple.

Happy Anniversary honey!

Pumpkins

2010-10-16T14:28:00.002-05:00

We took a family outing to the Pearland pumpkin patch (really just pumpkins brought in and set up in a cute way at a local church) this week. Haley had a great time roaming around trying to find the biggest pumpkin she could pick up and playing with her cousins. We did make it out with 6 of our favorites. We got a warty one, one ready for carving, and my absolute favorite...a white one. Oh and 3 baby pumpkins just cause they are so darn cute. I really love fall and sometimes wish we lived somewhere that the season actually existed. It would be way more fun to pick out our family pumpkins if we weren't sweating.

A New Do

2010-10-15T11:52:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we took Haley for her very first hair cut! I don't think it was necessarily warranted since her hair did not need a cut but I have resorted to everything to get it to grow. I am tired or her constant bed/chair/car seat head. I am so ready for clips and ponytails.

Haley did great at her appointment. She fussed at the very beginning cause she didn't want to sit in the chair but as soon as they blew bubbles in her face and gave her a lollipop she was smitten. (side note - Remind me to put in a customer comment in at Snip-It's that sticky lollipops are probably not the best choice of reward for a place that is full of hair clippings. Haley dropped it and it was a hairy goner.) In the end the change was less than dramatic but still a fun experience.

I did mentioned to Justin after the appointment that I think I might become Haley's personal hairstylist from here on out. Seriously...how hard can it be?

Fashionista

2010-10-11T09:57:00.000-05:00

Not sure if this new hot fashion trend has hit your area yet but it has taken our house by storm...shorts-hat!!

Hahahaha.

Camping

2010-10-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

This past weekend Justin, Haley, and I packed up for a little family adventure...we went camping at Brazos Bend State Park. It was a ton of fun: the weather was beautiful, the park was great, and the alligators kept their distance. Aside from a run in with raccoons at 4:00 am the trip was a blast. We stayed just one night which was plenty for Haley (and mommy). Maybe when the kiddos are a bit older we can plan for a longer stay.

When I was younger every family trip we went on we always went camping. I can only remember staying in a hotel on a few special occasion. My parents always enjoyed it and passed their passion onto their kids(granted it has been dormant in my life for a good portion of my teens and twenties). It is a part of my childhood that I actually have memories about and am glad to be incorporating the experiences into Haley's. Also, Justin loved it. It was just the right amount of roughing it while still enjoying the convenience of running water, restrooms, and electricity.

Our Castle

Alligator!

Show and Tell

Story time and craft at the nature center.

There was no way I was letting her climb this ladder alone...it was like 40 ft high!!!!

Adventure Girl

Girl's Only Nature Walk

Campfire fun

Lucy's Quilt

2010-09-30T13:01:00.001-05:00

I finally got around to taking some pictures of the quilt I made for my niece Lucy. I gave it to her on her 6th birthday...only 6 years late! It was a pretty simple quilt to put together and went really quick from start to finish. Quilts like this are always fun because I am all about immediate results!

Race Pic

2010-09-29T11:33:00.000-05:00

Here is the group pic from last weekends 5K race. We had a great time and have already discussed doing it again next year. Hopefully next year I will be able to enjoy the free beer at the post-party.

Random Roundup & The End of an Era

2010-09-27T11:00:00.001-05:00

1. Justin and I participated in our first family 5K this past Saturday. I am not sure what motivated Justin (perhaps it was all my nagging) but he finally agreed to partake in a race with me...please take the word "race" very loosely. Since I haven't worked out in over 16 weeks, except for an occasion evening stroll, I didn't set my expectations too high. In fact I planned to walk the entire distant (this might have also influenced Justin's decision to join). The race was Saturday evening down in Missouri City. The race started at 6 and Justin, Haley, and I crossed the finish line at 6:46. I can't say that this is a time that I am proud of but it was probably one of the most fun to date because my family was with me. Haley fussed for a few minutes but for the most part dedicated her time to motivating us by yelling run! I guess it worked because we jogged all the down hill portions. Hopefully Buskirk Bean # 2 didn't get too shook up. Hehe. I think Justin may have actually enjoyed himself cause we are already talking about another one in October!

2. Sunday we went to Erin and Chris' for a Texas Showdown party. The party was alot of fun even though the Texans lost the game. I am not a big fan (in fact I just learned who our quarterback was yesterday) but I was sad that they lost. Hopefully this is a minor setback and they can pull out a decent season.

So, I have decided, after much consideration, to take a break from my weekly Random Roundups. It has gotten to the point where I am having to force myself to come up with things to write about and is losing some of the fun. Plus the weekly write up isn't really motivating me to use my camera which was the original plan for RR. I will still be posting regularly but it will be more event based, or photo op driven, rather than a weekly synopsis of our lives.

Thanks for reading!

Random Roundup

2010-09-20T11:50:00.000-05:00

1. We had our third baby appointment this Thursday. We didn't get to see the baby but we did hear the tiny heart beat. Such a sweet little sound. The appointment was short and sweet except for the mean nurse giving me a shot (I am making a pouty face). They recommended I get the flu shot and had them there so I said what the heck. The shot itself wasn't so bad...it is the soreness in my arm every since that has me unhappy. It gives me a new outlook on all those shots they give Haley. In the past I have always appeased her with hugs, kisses, and juice but I think I will need to improve those "rewards" to something like a milkshake or candy. Shots really hurt.

2. We had our new quarterly stamp club this Thursday. Ever since we stopped meeting monthly I have missed the girls and all the chit chat. It was fun to get together and hear how everyone is doing and what all has been going on. We did do a little craft but for the most part it was just hanging out. Thanks to Erin for having us over and can't wait till another 3 months passes! See you girls there.

3. My entire family met up at my parents house this past weekend for a little get together. Nothing special we just hadn't all been in a while. It was a nice visit. We finally got to see all the pictures from Kurt & Agata's Italian vacation. Wow is all I can say...and beautiful. I was totally jealous. The girls went out shopping while the boys did some manly dove hunting. Justin shot 6 birds which amounts to about a handful of meat. Perhaps after 30 more trips we can have a feast. The weekend also involved alot football and alot of outdoor playing...Haley rode a tricycle for the first time and loved it. Our little girl is growing up too fast.

4. On our shopping adventure this weekend I bought fabric for two new quilts. Not sure if I will have time to complete them this year but I am sure going to try. I still have another one in the works that has been sitting in the craft room for several weeks so we will have to see. Speaking of quilts I finally got around to taking pictures of the quilts I finished this summer so I will hopefully get those posted this week. Sorry for the ridiculously long delay!

News

2010-09-14T10:26:00.001-05:00

"The heart has a miraculous ability to stretch to the infinity...It's not about sharing your heart with your children, because the love does not have to be rationed and spread out, but rather it just miraculously multiplies."

Justin and I are due with Buskirk Bean # 2 on March 12th! At my last appointment we were 11 weeks and the baby was just over 5.5cm long. By my estimates, we are now almost 15 weeks and appx 4 inches...the size of a apple.We have not found out the sex yet but are hoping to know in the next few weeks. I have already been calling it a girl even though I know Justin has his fingers crossed for a little boy. We will have to wait and see. I am sure Haley will be happy either way. We actually already bought her her very own baby and she has been carrying it around constantly. I will chose to look past the fact that the baby gets thrown, drug, and hidden in weird spots. Ha.

I will keep you guys posted as the weeks go on with all the happy pregnancy news and details. We are currently taking both boy and girl name suggestions.

Random Roundup - Better Late Than Never

2010-09-07T20:39:00.003-05:00

The drawback, or the bonus depending on how you look at it, of posting late is that I forgot all the small details and was only able to come up with 2 items.

1. To celebrate Labor Day we decided (no surprise) to host a BBQ. All the regulars showed up and we had a grand ole time. Justin made ribs, I contributed macaroni & cheese, and everyone else brought the goods...pasta salad, Texas sheet cake, fruit pizza, and cookies all the way from Italy. Yummy, yummy, yummy!

2. We have been on a movie kick lately trying to make up for lost time and lost Netflix dollars. We watched two movies over the weekend and were pleasantly pleased with both.

Movie: The Proposal
Buskirk Review: 4 stars

Movie: Funny People
Buskirk Review: 3 3/4 stars (we were really torn on this one)

Random Roundup

2010-08-31T11:06:00.000-05:00

1. Haley has an ear infection. Apparently my daughter inherited my high tolerance for pain because when I took her in on Friday the ear infection had already ruptured. I had no idea anything was even wrong with her until I noticed some drainage in her ear. The doctor assured me once again that I was not the world's worst mom and gave us some ear drops to heal it right up. This morning she was good as new.

2. I turned 29 on Thursday. There is something very doom and gloom about 29...it is basically just a holding point for 30. I can hardly believe that I am so close to leaving me twenties behind. It was an amazing decade.

On to more exciting birthday news...I got to celebrate twice. On my actual birthday Justin and Haley took me to dinner at Texas Roadhouse (best rolls ever). They also got me a new bracelet and a really sweet card. I couldn't have asked for a better birthDAY. Then Saturday night we got together with friends and family at one of my favorites spots...Texadelphia (best cheese dip ever)...for cheesesteaks and a few brews. It was a wonderful night only made better by arriving home to a giant cookie cake. I love my life...even if I am turning 30 in 365 days.

3. I bought some picture flashcards the week before last in an attempt to be a better mom and have been trying to use them with Haley. She doesn't really like to sit and go through them as I had originally intended, instead she takes them all out, spreads them on the floor, and then walks all over them. When she is done making a mess she jams them all back into the box and proceeds to carry it around the house repeating over and over "flashcards, flashcards, flashcards". It is hilarious. The way she says flashcards has got to be up there on her list of funniest things done to date. Justin and I can't help but laugh every time.

4. Justin and I added a few more movies to our have watched column.

Movie: 500 Days of Summer
Buskirk Review: 4 Stars

Movie: Time Travelers Wife (only watched by myself)
Buskirk Review: 3 Stars
Sara's Tear Jerker Review: off the charts!!

Random Roundup

2010-08-23T14:16:00.000-05:00

1. Haley had her 18 month checkup last Thursday. She is growing like a tall skinny weed; she is in the 95th percentile for height but on the 55% for weight. The doctor said everything looks great. On a negative note I think Haley has decided to hate the doctor's office. As soon as we set foot in the cheerfully colored patient room and she heard the crackle of the paper on the exam table she went ballistic. She cried and screamed and cried some more until we finally let her crawl around on the floor and play with every odd thing in my purse. I think at one point her tools of fun were a nail file, some anti-bacterial foam, and a hair tie. Thankfully Haley is not the first baby to cry through an appointment. Our doctor just talked a little louder and we moved through the appointment as though everything was cool.

2. Justin and I watched a couple movies last week. Apparently we are now getting into the comedy section of our queue. Here are a couple of reviews for you:

Movie: Hot Tub Time Machine.
Buskirk Review: 2 1/2 stars

Movie: I Love You Man
Buskirk Review: 4 1/2 stars (Just might not agree but I thought it was hilarious!)

3. Friday night we got together as a family to wish Kurt and Agata safe travels. They are headed to Italy for 2 weeks to visit Agata's family and do some sight seeing. Listening to all their plans half made me want to get a passport and hop in their luggage but then I thought a 9 hour flight in the luggage compartment might not be very pleasant. I will have to settle for Surfside beach and trips to the outdoor Pearland mall for now.

4. Saturday morning we went to IHOP. I love IHOP. What is not to love about pancakes, hash browns, and OJ?!?! I loved it at 4:00 in the morning in college when I was battling too many beers and I still love it now at 8:00 in the morning when I am trying to restrain my toddler from putting syrup in her hair. Their food may not be all that amazing, their service never the best, but the place always smells like bacon. I love IHOP.

5. Justin missed out on IHOP but instead got to get up at 4:00 in the morning to go fishing to catch nothing but back pain. I love my husband more than I could ever express but I will never understand the obsession with fishing. Fishing to me is less exciting than watching a pizza bake.

Big Girl

2010-08-18T11:50:00.000-05:00

Our little girl is 1 1/2 years old today! She is growing up too fast.

Happy 1/2 birthday munchkin! We love you.

Sorry for the less than stellar photo quality. Let's just say that photo shoots are way easier with an assistant. Plus, I promise, she smiles...alot.

Random Roundup

2010-08-16T09:23:00.000-05:00

1. Last week I got my first trial run of being a stay home mommy...sort of. Haley was sent home from school Monday and Wednesday with fever so I got to stay home with her all day on Tuesday and Thursday. As a side note I think there might actually be something wrong with the daycare thermometer because I never recorded over a 99.2 degree temp once she was home but I am not going to speak up...she did have a runny nose which needed to be mommy monitored. Ha. I love getting to spend the day playing and snuggling with my little girl. She is such a joy right now always wanting to play and read...and give hugs. It is amazing all the cool things she can say and do now. I am constantly in awe. As a trial run for staying home I think it went pretty well. I can see where there will need to be some adult time interjected throughout the week but for the most part it was a blast. I can hardly wait.

2. Buffalo Chicken Pizza Friday.

Based on past Random Roundups, and today's, it seems like our family eats a ridiculous amount of pizza. I promise I do cook dinner from time to time and it is generally healthy. Ha.

3. So after staying home with a booggered little Haley last week wouldn't you know that I would come down with the worst case of the cold yet. Justin had a little go round right before Haley, then it was Haley with the sniffles, and then me with the full blown cough, sneeze, chills, common cold. How is it that the mom always get the worst of it and have to still keep plugging a long. PS. There is nothing harder than having to get up in the middle of the night when you can hardly breath to rock your toddler back to sleep while trying desperately not to sneeze or cough. I love being sick.

4. Justin, Haley, and I attended a little pool party on Saturday to wish our friends Brett and Sophie and their little girl Annabelle farewell. After working in the US for about 2 years they decided it was time to head home to Australia. It is sad to see them go but I know they must miss there family terribly and this will be a good move for them. I know it is hard for us with Justin's family living in Nebraska and missing them all the time but just imagine if they lived on a different continent. I don't think international living is the Buskirk future.

5. Friday night, along with the pizza, Justin and I watched 17 Again. I am almost embarrassed to write that I put this movie in our queue but I was pleasantly surprised in the end. If you are looking for a deep sophisticated movie this is not for you. This was much more of a funny family movie with some romance mixed in.

Movie: 17 Again
Buskirk Review: 4 stars

Random Roundup

2010-08-09T12:57:00.001-05:00

1. Saturday night we had some friends over for a little Fiesta. No real reason just an excuse to get together and have some fun.We had fajitas and queso (yummy) and then after dinner we all settled in for a little friendly competition. We played LCR and Guts. I think Justin ended up losing $20!!!! Ha. I tend to be a fan of the free games. Maybe next time I can get a rousing game of Go Fish started up.

2. If you are a fan of Central Texas BBQ in Pearland Texas I suggest you call in your food before hand or get it to go on Friday nights. I was starving, it was already 7:00 (yes we eat on a seniors schedule), and we ended up having to wait in line for 45 minutes. I was so irritated by the time I got our food that I thought I might explode. Fortunately the food was delicious...and as soon as I took a bite of the peach cobbler their slate was wiped clean in my book.

3. I am ridiculously tired today. I imagine it has something to do with it being Monday and my office being really slow. It am drained of the energy to come up with more witty snip its from last week so this will be it. Sorry.

Random Roundup

2010-08-02T13:19:00.000-05:00

1. I tried my skills out on another new recipe. I am not sure if skills is the right word since the most difficult step in this recipe was boiling water but I am going to go with it. I saw the recipe the week before last on the Tasty Kitchen blog and thought it looked right up our alley. It came together real quick and tasted pretty good. Here is the link to recipe. We added a little extra cheese to ours (of course) and had it will green beans and garlic bread. Yummy.

2. This weekend Justin left town, yet again, for a fishing trip to Seadrift. He was gone Friday through Sunday. It was a group of about 10 of them and I think they had a pretty good time. The weather was really hot but they still managed to catch some fish and have a little fun. Justin even won a $1.50 in the Saturday night poker game. As you can see from his winnings it was high stakes. Ha.

3. Since all our men were out of town for the weekend we decided to have a little girls weekend of our own. We had a lot less booze and a majority of our participants were under the age of 6 but we still had a blast. Friday night my niece Lucy had a girls only birthday party with some of her friends so we spent our first night of Girls Weekend painting finger nails, eating pizza and cake, and making tie dyed shirts. Saturday we charged up with a breakfast at Cracker Barrel before spending the day shopping over at Baybrook. During all the down time in between we just enjoyed relaxing and visiting. When even found time to watch some new movies. It will say that it was, hands down, the best slumber party I have been to in the last 15 years (and the only).

Movie: Remember Me
Buskirk Review: 4 stars

Movie: Up in the Air
Buskirk Review: 4 stars

Photo Hunt

2010-07-29T12:18:00.000-05:00

Snapped this photo last weekend and didn't realize until I uploaded it just how funny it is.

Take a look at the picture below and see how many issue you can find that call my parenting into question?

shirt...but no pants (I promise there is a diaper on under there)
shoes are on the wrong feet
wire shelves turned upside down in the background (major tripping/poking hazard hazard)
empty laundry baskets (either I have all my laundry done or it is still in the dryer getting wrinkled-most likely)
bath scrubber and baby powder on the living room floor (no explanation for this one-just weird)
last week's grocery ads and random fabric scraps being used for toddler entertainment
small galvanized bucket that was once used to hold peanuts...my husband got it for a five finger discount back in college (we are instilling in her that stealing is okay)
the most outrageous crime...the Nebraska hat (how could I ever let her think she would go anywhere but A&M. Hahahaha.You can see below that she is much happier once that hat is off. Ha.

PS...the quilt she is standing on is one my most recent additions. I will get some better pics as soon as I have a free minute. It seems like we have been running crazy lately.

Random Roundup

2010-07-26T12:49:00.000-05:00

1. Wednesday night we went over to Devin and Erika's house for dinner. Originally the plans were set up so Justin could go over and help fix Devin's boat but the required parts didn't come in so that was a bust. Instead we decided to just get together for dinner and a little conversation. It seems every time we hang out with the Blount's it is a big group of us and the visiting is sacrificed for loud kiddos, babbling babies, cooking, drinking, etc. It was really nice to just be the four of us...well, Haley makes five...and get to chat. Plus we went over to help convince them just how cute little babies are and that they should definitely have a little Haley of their own. My reasons are selfish...I need more playdate companions!

2. Thursday night we went out to dinner with the Wicke's. We haven't seen Matthew and Sarah in several weeks and we were starting to think they didn't like us anymore. Tears. Luckily it was just the business of summer that was keeping us apart. We had dinner at BJ's. The food was yummy and the company was great. It is always a treat to hang out with the Wicke's.

**With all the eating away from home that we are doing you might think I am avoiding the grocery store. Ha.

3. I have never signed up for Facebook. I was tempted when Justin finally took the plunge a few months back but decided in the end to stick to my guns. I have cheated a time or two and looked on Justin's account but that is it...I swear. I wouldn't really say that I hate Facebook, in fact it is a great way to keep up with a lot of friends, I just never signed up and now I am afraid of repeating my embarrassment on mySpace. After years of refusing to sign up for mySpace I finally broke down and created a profile. Little did I know that that same moment mySpace began losing the battle to Facebook. I seem to always be on the tale end of things. To this day I think my profile still exists and I only have 3 friends. How embarrassing is it that I will go down in history for having the least number of friends via social networking?!?! It is there permanently for everyone to see. Someday Haley might get on mySpace and think her mom is super lame.

4. This past weekend we went to Rockport with my family to celebrate my niece Lucy's birthday. My BIL Chris' parents are incredible nice and let us enjoy the fun of their condo a time or two each summer. It is so much fun to have a place to go and relax and just have a good time. We spent the entire weekend lounging by the pool and napping. Haley is still really loving the pool. She loves splashing and kicking her feet. This weekend I even tried putting her under the water a few times...she seemed totally fine with it. I was the one that freaked out; It is really hard to consciously dunk your child under the water.

5. I was able to get two quilts bound this week. I finished up the smaller one by the end of the work week and the second I complete during our 6 hours worth of car time this weekend. I will show pictures later.

Random Roundup

2010-07-20T10:48:00.002-05:00

I really contemplated just skipping this week since I was running a day behind and feeling super lazy last night. Lucky for your guys I got a burst of energy this morning. Here is last week's Random Roundup.

1. Thursday my wonderful husband finally caught up with me in the age department...Justin turned 28! Not sure if everyone was aware of this but I liked younger men back in my dating days and ended up with a husband who is 11 months younger than me...and who never let's me forget it. However for a brief period every summer from July 15th to August 25th we are exactly the same age (by the number) and I love to rub it in. Happy Birthday old man!

For his birthday we went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse (yummy - for sure our favorite chain restaurant) and just hung out with our little family. It was nice and relaxing and the perfect evening. For his gift I really can't pin point one thing. Justin's gift strategy is to purchase a lot of different items for himself prior to his birthday, claim they are birthday gifts, and hope that my memory fails me again. I think the running tally was...a pair of boots, a set of battery powered hand tools, a outdoor shade tent, an attachment for the power washer, and the list goes on.

Happy Birthday Babe!!

2. My parents came through town on Tuesday night so we got together for dinner at Gringo's. Regardless of the wait we had a great time and enjoyed the visit as always. Hopefully next time they can stay a little longer. Since my parents retired and built their house in Geronimo they seem busier than ever. They are always going somewhere, doing something, visiting someone...it is crazy. And here I thought I was working at this amazing job so that I could one day retire and sit around on my rear end all day and do nothing. Ha

3. We got a package from the mailman on Thursday!! In the package were my two most recent quilt tops ready to be bound...yeah! I had sent them off to Nebraska a couple weeks ago to have them quilted. As usual Sonya and Shelley had them done and back to me in no time. The thread choices were perfect and the stitching looks amazing. It is so nice to have such a wonderful family that will do all the hard work for me...he he. Thank you girls for all the help. I promise to hold any new projects I have until our next visit so I can put in the labor myself.

I will post some pictures of the quilts once I have them bound. I should have the first done by this weekend but the second might be a few weeks. Stay tuned.

4. Justin and the boys had their most successful wade fishing trip yet this past weekend. I think the final total was 8 trout, 1 redfish, and 1 something I don't know the name of. Since they were so proud of their bounty we decided to celebrate with a fish fry Saturday night. Justin and I have never taken on such a large frying event with just our fryer and it was a definite test of our skills. Luckily we managed to get all the food cooked and served before midnight. Ha ha. Just kidding. The fish turned out great, the hush puppies were edible, so I was happy!

5. My last note is going to be a complaint I have with Texas right now...the mosquitoes are freaking ridiculous! With all the rain we had a few weeks ago and the warm weather they have just gone crazy. I think our front porch must be a ideal breeding ground or something because when you open the front door there is a cloud of mosquitoes that enter the house. It is pretty hard to keep them from coming in when Haley wants to walk by herself and doesn't really understand the concept of hurry just yet. On the plus side she has learned how to say a new word, go-go-go. Unfortunately I have already blown through my first can of bug spray and they don't seem to be letting up. Maybe I should give the city a call and request a few more drive-bys from the bug sprayer. Ha.

Harvest

2010-07-15T14:03:00.002-05:00

After a long wait the Buskirk peach tree was finally ready to harvest. I think we must have picked peaches for 2-3 hours and in the end we had about 35 lbs of peaches. The first couple that we picked off the tree we decided to try as samples and they were delicious. We were so excited about all the peach things we could make: jam, cobbler, ice cream, etc.

Unfortunately once I got the peaches inside and started trying to clean and slice them I realized that there was no way I was going to make it through the entire tub. Almost 50% of them I had to throw out immediately because of bugs. The other 50% I had to mutilate in order to get the bug holes out. We only ended up getting two small bags worth of peaches to put in the freezer. It was a little sad but still a good experience and made for some really good photo ops. Anyone have advice on how to keep bugs away from peaches for next year? I am sure by the time we decide to leave this house we will have finally learned how to grow peaches. Ha.

Random Roundup

2010-07-12T10:19:00.000-05:00

1. Haley participated in a 4th of July parade at her school last week. I actually worked a couple hours overtime so I could go watch. All the kids that were able to ride bikes, scooters, or tricycles did that and then the kids Haley's age and younger were pulled in wagons. Everyone decorated their modes of transportation with red, white, and blue. It was amazing how elaborate some of them were. The little babies were even out there being pulled around in a crib. The whole event was pretty funny. The parade was just a circle around the parking lot that they made three times with patriotic music playing in the background. It is crazy how entertaining such a small thing can be. All the kids loved it!

2. We watched another movie this week...Igor. I am not sure why we rent so many cartoons. Every time we receive a new set of movie to watch I am convinced that someone has broken into our account and tampered with the queue. Did we seriously pick these out?!?!

Movie: Igor

Buskirk Review: 3 stars

3. Haley had her first trip to a splash pad this weekend and absolutely loved it. She was constantly wanting to run off by herself. They had all sorts of sprayers, and slides, and activities that were great for toddlers. It is essentially a water amusement park for kids. We went with Erin, Lucy, and Grace on Sunday and it was hot and really pretty crowded but we still had a great time. We are already looking forward to our next chance to go.

4. Justin went fishing again. (yawn!) The boys all went down and did a little surf fishing on Sunday morning. Justin had a pretty successful trip catching 2 trout which we had for dinner. Who would have ever thought I would start to like fish. I am still not sure I will ever crave it or really think "I want fish for dinner" but when it is there and it is fresh I am game. With the right amount of ketchup and hush puppies for sides it is almost delicious. Ha. I am sure it is not a surprise to anyone but I think Justin is planning on going again next weekend.

5. We had an eventful game night on Friday over at ECLG's. It was the original group of six; Justin and I, Kurt and Agata, and Erin and Chris. We decided to play Pictionary, boys vs girls, which always ends with multiple divorce threats and many quiet trips home. Ha. Not sure why but this particular game really brings out the worst in all of us...and the alcohol just exaggerates it. Plus, for some reason the boys can't play any game without cheating. I haven't figured out just yet how but I know they have a system. Luckily the girls were able to overcome this time and won. Woohoo! Now as a mature adult I think we should end game nights forever. Ha.

A Perfect Afternoon

2010-07-08T20:37:00.001-05:00

BBQ Season 2010

2010-07-08T15:10:00.001-05:00

BBQ season has begun. This past weekend Justin fired up the pit after 6 months of hibernation for a little 4th of July celebration. I will never understand the appeal of BBQing but Justin and my brother sure do love it. When the two of them get together it automatically becomes a competition to see who can be the best. This weekend Justin made a brisket (my favorite) that turned out delicious and Kurt made ribs that were super yummy too. The meat is obviously the real star of the show but we also had potato salad and beans. To top the meal off our wonderful friends brought a super yummy banana pudding and a tasty "Happy Birthday America" cake. It was the perfect BBQ meal to start the season.

{It might be hard to see but the words "Happy Birthday America" were literally piped onto the cake. So cute and funny.}

I feel I should note that this weekend was my first attempt at making potato salad and I think it turned out pretty good. The recipe is my mom's and was really easy to whip up. Here are the details:

Potato Salad

4 baking potatoes

1/2 cup miracle whip

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 -3/4 cup onion, grated

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

2-3 tbsp pickle relish

1 tbsp pimento

Peel and cube the potatoes to edible pieces. Boil until just tender enough to eat. I cut my cubes to about 3/4" to 1" in size and boiled for just about 8 minutes. Let potatoes cool.

Add all remaining ingredients to potatoes and stir until completely combined. Store overnight in fridge before serving.

Yummy.

Thought I would add a pic of my family just to show you how relaxed these parties are; Notice my lack of makeup and Haley's lack of clothing. It was long, wonderful day. I will try to be more presentable as the summer goes on. Ha.

Picnic Table

2010-07-07T09:54:00.000-05:00

My husband is amazing! And I am not just being a doting wife...he has mad skills. As I mentioned on Monday Justin built a picnic table for Haley this past weekend. He worked on it off and on all day on Saturday and by the time we fell asleep that night the last coat of weather proofer was drying. We got some plans online and altered them slightly for our needs. He did a great job and I am so proud of him. Thanks honey. Haley is one lucky little girl.

(please ignore the crazy fuss, wash out on this pic. It was super bright and my lens kept fogging over when I would come outside with it. It was ridiculously humid that day.)

We are always having outdoor get togethers during the summer and this new picnic table is a great addition to keep the little ones entertained. Haley gave it a test run on the 4th and loved it. It is the perfect size for her and she can easily climb up and down without assistance. We will have to wait till we have more kiddos over but I think it should fit 4 pretty easily.

Random Roundup

2010-07-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

**update for the week ending 6/27/10** Forgot to post about it last week but Haley and I went to the beach with some friends last weekend. It was a mommy and kiddo thing so Justin didn't get to go. I am sure he managed just fine without us. My friend Jill, her daughter Lucy, and a new friend Pam, and her two boys, came down and stayed the night with us. Once the kiddos were asleep the mommies stayed up late chit chatting and having a few drinks. It was a blast hanging out with other mommies and just talking. The next morning we woke up and headed sown to Surfside. We drove through a few showers on the way but didn't get a drop once we were at the beach. The kiddos loved it and had the most fun just sitting under the canopy and playing in the sand. Even the mommies got involved. By the end of the day we were all covered from head to toe in sand. I even found it in Haley's ears. Ha. Unfortunately I will have to say that this was the most unpleasant Texas beach trip I have ever experienced. The beach was really dirty. Aside from all the seaweed, which can't really be controlled, the beach was covered in litter. It was really quite sad. There were beer cans everywhere and I even saw a futon and mattress at one point (it was way past usable Kurt). Not to rant but I have never understood people littering...There is absolutely no reason for it. Pick up your own trash! Anyhoo, the trip overall was a ton of fun due to the good company. I can't wait till the next get together and hope it comes soon.

1. It rained all week. Literally it rained every day. I am so tired of the rain. I was going stir crazy from being indoors so long. It was so dreary. On the plus side we watched the two Netflix movies that we have had for 3 months. Maybe it is time to reevaluate that membership. Ha.

Movie: Bride Wars
Buskirk Review 2 stars; not a favorite for sure

Movie: Smother
Buskirk Review: 3 stars; this movie was also pretty lack luster however it did have some funny parts

2. We had friends over all day on Sunday to celebrate the 4th of July. Luckily the weather ended up being pretty nice and we were able to spend the day outdoors. It was a little hot and muggy but we survived. Justin made BBQ brisket which was delicious and I made my very first potato salad which turned out pretty good. It was a fun day. I will show you some pics from the day later in the week.

3. After being trapped in our house for days (see item 1 above) we finally decided to get off the couch and get some indoor projects done. The biggest and best accomplishment of the weekend comes from my husband. Justin built Haley her very own toddler sized picnic table! It is so cute. If anyone is still wondering my husband has mad skills! It is amazing the things he can do once he puts his mind to it. I will post pictures later in the week. I did a few projects myself but nothing good enough to steal the lime light. Ha.

4. I love Blue Bell ice cream. Their Butter Crunch flavor is to die for and it is in circulation as we speak. I better stock up.

Look What I Made

2010-07-02T10:23:00.001-05:00

I threw this together Wednesday night. It is an owl for those who can't see it. I should have used something other than white felt for the beak but I had to work with what I had. I found the pattern on a blog and it only took me about an hour to complete. Super cute, super easy and super fun. The fabric I got while shopping last weekend with my mom. The back is polka dot minky which is unbelievably soft. Haley loves it. She is constantly rubbing the back and yanking on the button eyes.

Side note: Last weekend my mom was introduced to my ridiculous anxiety about buying fabric. It takes me forever to settle on things. Not sure if it is the lack of my decisiveness or the amount of beautiful fabrics available. My MIL and SIL can definitely vouch for the craziness. It is like pulling teeth each time they have to help me pick out fabric. Are there others like me?

Megan

2010-07-01T16:04:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post I went to see Megan, my best friend from high, in Austin. I took the trip all by self and even though I missed Haley terribly it was a much needed break. It is remarkable what one night away can do to rejuvenate.

I got into Austin around 5ish on Saturday evening. We hung out around Megan's apartment just catching up for a hour or so and then we headed into town for dinner and drinks at a place called Doc's. It was a pretty cool little place. We set up camp outside on the patio where we could take in both the inside and outside happenings (we have a shared loved of people watching). It has been years since I have been to a bar to just hang out and it was just as fun as I remember. The majority of the night we spent talking about high school memories and catching up on what is new. We enjoyed some yummy food and perhaps a few too many alcoholic beverages. We stayed at Doc's till a little after 11. And then headed back to Megan's to watch some trashy reality television (another shared love). I was snoring by 12:30. It may not sound like much to those hard core partiers out there but to me it was a perfect night! Thanks Megan for having me and for entertaining me as always. Sorry it took me so long to come visit...I will try my best to never let it go this long again.

Random Roundup

2010-06-28T22:27:00.001-05:00

1. Justin and I have been talking for quite a while about moving all my crafting/sewing stuff into his office and we finally started this week. We started by cleaning up his office and eliminating a bunch of stuff that he doess't need or use anymore. It always amazes me how we are still in love with each other regardless of the fact that he and I are such opposites when it comes to organization. I am a strong believer in everything should have a labeled home and he is a strong believer of the "piles" filing system....it makes me want to pull my hair out. Come to think of it maybe sharing a work space is not such a good idea. Ha. Too late to turn back now.

2. Anyone want to take a guess at what Haley and I had for dinner on Thursday night? I will give you hint: Justin was out of town. We had pizza! This time from Little Cesars so we splurged for crazy bread too. Yummy! Haley loved it as usual.

Justin was out of town for three nights on a "work-related" fishing trip. He insisted that he had to go even though I am still not convinced. The trip was to Port O'Connor and it was a fishing tournament put on by our company as an employee appreciation type thing but the only people who get to go are managers and outside sales. Can you tell I am a little bitter? However as I typed that last sentence I thought to myself...do I really want to go spend three nights with a bunch of men talking about fishing and getting obnoxiously drunk? No thank you. I guess I can't be mad at him anymore. Unfortunately he did not win the tournament but he did come home with a few entertaining stories and a new DXP cup (yeah).

3. Saturday night I ventured out for my second night ever away from Haley. I figured I was due a little girl time so I made plans to drop the little munchkin off with my parents and get together with my best friend from high school Megan. Stay tuned for a separate post about my adventures in Austin (to entice you to come back I will just tell you that there was a "Keep Austin Weird" event taking place Saturday night). I returned Sunday morning to pick Haley up and was glad to find her in one piece...however she did have a faint smell of cheese puffs on her breath at 9 am. Ha. It was a nice trip and hopefully will be a good reminder to me that every now and then I need some Sara time.

4. Monday night we had corn casserole for dinner which was super yummy. It was a recipe that I was introduced to by Justin's family but had yet to make it myself. They serve it at just about every Nebraska holiday and it is always a big crowd pleaser. It is different from other corn casseroles I have tried because it uses pasta. I gawked the first time I saw it since I am used to my moms which is more like a corn bread. We enjoyed it so much Monday night that we had it again Sunday night with burgers. This is definitely going to be a new Texas Buskirk staple.

Corn Casserole
1 can (15 oz) cream style corn
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 medium onion
1 cup of macaroni
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in an 8x8 baking dish and bake uncovered at 325 for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. Serve to your friends and family so they will be amazed by your cooking skills.

Our Dream

2010-06-25T13:09:00.003-05:00

It may not look like much now but you should see what I have envisioned in my head. This little, abandoned, meat market is about 3 miles from my parents house right on I10 and every time we drive by it we say to ourselves how we should buy it and turn it into a BBQ joint; Justin could cook the amazing BBQ, I could serve up some great desserts and sides, and some day Haley and our future babies could be the wait staff. We always try to come up with names for the place too: S&B BBQ, B&S BBQ (we are so creative - ha ha).We are definitely taking suggestions if you have one. Unfortunately we are not risk takers so this dream has a 99.8% chance of coming to fruition. However, it is still fun to dream.

The building is an old slaughterhouse and is way past run down (see the plywood door and windows, overgrown grass, worn paint). I have no history on it or when it was last in business. I haven't been able to see inside so who knows what kind of business is going on in there. It would have to be totally gutted. They don't have the for sale sign up any longer (I found it jammed between something that look like a tiny silo and a small shed) so I am not even sure it is for sale.

Regardless of all this I still think it is a wonderful dream. Plus it has the word "bacon" painted on the side of it...and I love me some bacon!

University Camp

2010-06-24T15:12:00.000-05:00

Until next year!

Summertime

2010-06-22T14:41:00.001-05:00

This picture perfectly sums up our Texas summers...

Tan lines and mesquito bites.

Not until this summer did it also mean I was a bad mommy. I really need to remember to reapply...sunscreen and bug repellant are my friends. Ha.