Buskirk Bloopers

I have been so camera happy since I got my new camera. I am constantly snapping photos! During this mania I have caught some really great moments...and also some not so great moments. This post is dedicated to those not so great moments. The ones that I typically like to sweep under the rug and forget about. The ones that bring out large amounts of mocking and ridicule from our friends and family. Here's to enjoying a good laugh on us...

She is even cute when she looks like this. Hehe. She has her mommy's photo taking face...I am so proud.

This one is just upsetting cause Haley didn't warn me. She sees poppy coming and not even a nudge or "hey mom watch out".

Hilarous. Too many funny things to count: I look like a complete bitch, I am unknowingly flipping off the picture taker, I am stealing cake from my crying baby, etc, etc, etc. Haha. Infamous.

Only picture I have of my husband crying. He says he got something in his eye but we were never able to retrieve it. He was probably thinking of our wedding day, or Haley's birth, he is so sensitive.

Love the scrunched up face. Again, how cute is my spawn...freaking ridiculously cute!

Hahahahahahappy Monday.

Random Roundup

1. I finally got around to finishing Haley's birthday thank you notes this week. I am only a month behind...that's not too bad right? I just edited a photo from her birthday and added a "thank you". There is a more personal message on the back with a tracing of Haley's handprint (this was a real nightmare with a 1 year old). I think they turned out how I had envisioned them so I am pretty happy. Stay tuned to a mail box near you.

2.I finally completed the craft project I have been working on...the one I have been mentioning for weeks now...a dry erase calender for my kitchen. I saw a similar project on a blog that I follow and the organized freak inside of me just had to make it. The project cost me a total of...wait for it...$0.00. I got the frame from my wonderful sister (who wants it back now), the paint marker I had, and the wall was already there. I did buy some new pretty colored expo markers but I am not counting that because I splurged and didn't really need them. Unfortunately I do not have any before pictures but trust me that it was not very pretty to begin with. 

3. I need to save money. Ever since I went back to work in May of 2009 I have been hassling my wonderful husband to stay home with Haley. Unfortunately we haven't been able to make it work just yet but I am confident it is going to happen in the near (365 days or less) future. Anyway, I have decided that in order to move the date up I need to take on a second career as a home economist (I think this term came from some lame talk radio show that Justin listens to). Basically I have to start clipping coupons, not shopping at Hobby Lobby and Target, eating out less, and conserving everywhere I can. It seems like an easy task in writing but it is really hard. I have tried other times in the past and never stick to it. I am addicted to spending money on unnecessary crap. I need help! I am looking for suggestions here. Any advice or words of wisdom would be great.

4. We spent our weekend alone doing a little spring cleaning. We cleared and prepared our all our flowerbeds. And when I say cleaned and prepared I mean completely gutted and leveled so we can put in more grass! Yeah for a bigger yard for Haley to run in...some day. There is something that makes me so happy about getting out the flip flops and tank tops and working int he yard! I love spring and summer.

5. This one is purely per the instruction of Justin. Sunday night dinner...Flintstones sized dinosaur steaks. Haha. They were actually just beef but the cuts made them look so ridiculousloy massive that it was almost funny. We had the gang over to help us devour these beasts. A good time as usual.

6. Friday we got Haley's first art project. Apparently in her new class they have art and crafts time. Last week they worked on letters H & I. How freaking cute is that?!?! Too bad I am not the one teaching her. We will chose to believe that they are just laying the ground work for the big lessons I have to teach her in the future. Hehe. PS..please try to ignore the fact that her name is spelled wrong on one of the pages. Let's just say I was a little irritated

Have a great week everyone!

Subliminal Message

Things like this happen when my husband gets a hold of my camera without me knowing. Can you find the subliminal message in the picture below?

Well, apparently my husband thinks Haley is trying to tell us something. (Do you see the sign on the bench?) FARM. I guess we will be packing our bags. Hehe.

Haley loves playing with the stuff on this bench and we typically let her since there really isn't much she can hurt. The sign actually reads "Farmers Market" but she had moved the basket far enough over that it blocked all the other letters. I was not actually in the room so I will just have to take Justin's word for it that he didn't stage it this way (I am very suspicious).

Staying put for now,

Outdoor Fun!

Anxiously awaiting Spring...

Adventurers in Babysitting & Baby Picaso

This past weekend Justin and I signed up to babysit my nieces for the evening. I was a little stressed that I wouldn't be able to hold it together and my dreams of being a parent of three would come crashing down. Amazing the night ran very smoothly. Now don't go thinking I am being naive...I understand that they were on their best behavior per their mother's instructions. And that if they were my own they would have been running around in there undies wanting to eat candy at 9 pm, singing songs, and dancing...but I still think I can do it. Anyway, to keep things under wraps while Justin and I were making dinner we sat all three girls down at the table for a little coloring. Grace and Lucy jumped at the opportunity but Haley was a little shy at first.

After a little while watching the others she joined in and created this masterpiece. The line of it is just so beautiful it makes me want to cry with pride.

Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating a little. I can't help it. I confess that I drew the big lines but in the zoomed in picture below you can see a faint purple line...this is proof of Haley's amazing talent. She did that one all by herself!

Hahahaha. Happy Monday!

Random Roundup

1. The weather was actually pretty great this week, which was a nice change. It had been so dreary that I was about to pack up shop and move somewhere tropical. I am so ready for spring and summer. I can't wait to take Haley to the park and nurture her love of swings, let her eat random outdoor stuff like grass and flowers, and relearn the art of bar-b-que parties. I love sun!

2. I know last week I mentioned some craft projects that I was going to share...well that hasn't really worked out just yet. I (Justin) have been fighting with the last step in my project since Sunday. I think we almost have it...at least a temporary fix for now. Aren't you anxious?!?!

3. If you haven't yet tried the delicious, delectable, treats that are Sam's Club egg rolls then you are seriously missing out. Chinese food is not really in my diet plan however when I get a craving I have to go for it. If I don't I convince myself I am missing out on life. These egg rolls were introduced to my by my parents about 6 months ago or so and have become a new staple in our freezer. The are so yummy that I think I could eat six of them in a sitting. The point to this story is that I got to have one this week and I am still thinking about it 2 days later...they are that good (at least to my simpleton taste buds).

4. Ever since Haley's denial of birthday cake on her birthday I have been on the hunt for something sweet to treat her with. This week's test run was going to be pudding. Wednesday night I decided to prepare the pudding for Haley to try the next evening. Everything went well; I mixed the ingredients together, whisked for a solid 2 minutes as the recipe calls for, covered, and refrigerated. Skip to Thursday night, the bowls are set on the table ready for a helping of vanilla pudding, I grab it from the fridge and hear and odd sloshing sound from inside. It had never set up and was still liquified?? Why you may ask...all I can say is that I would not suggest substituting water when a receipe calls for milk! Hahaha. I am such a kitchen klutz. Or maybe this is my mind helping me diet! Ha.

5. Haley still is not walking. I am happy and sad at the same time. I am happy because I want her to stay a baby forever. I am sad because I want her to start toddling around like a cute little toddler. I may have stunted her progress by drastically switching up all other aspects of her daily routine: She just moved up to a new room at school and they only take one nap a day in there, we are trying to transitition her to a sippy cup which is proving somewhat difficult, and I have started brushing her teeth at night (please do not laugh, the doctor actually suggested we do this). I am going to try really hard this weekend to help her take her first steps.

6. Justin and his fishing cohorts, Kurt and Chris, went out for the first fishing trip of the year this Saturday. They got up at the butt crack of dawn (5:00 am) and headed down to Surfside. I will never understand the love between a man and fishing. Standing around all day wathcing the end of a fishing pole is so boring it makes me yawn just saying it. Anyway, their trip was actually somewhat successful. The caught the following (as told to me by my husdand): a bunch of whiting, a couple hardheads, a monster 34" black drum, and a slight buzz. Good luck out there guys...I hope ya'll catch a record breaker.

Rodeo Cookoff 2010

I know it is ridiculous that it took me an entire week to post these pics but to be quite honest I complete forgot about them until my sister reminded me just today. Since we had to hike for miles and miles to get the rodeo I didn't want to lug my camera with me and decided instead to just take my old point and shoot. Those things sure are easy to carry around...I keep it in my back pocket the entire night!! So neat and tidy. I still haven't figured out how to wrangle my new one. I can't tell you the number of times I have banged it around and the number of bruises I have given. Ha. I should get one of those soft rubber covers like they have on children's beginner cameras.

Anyhoo, here are a few of the pics from last Friday night at the Houston Rodeo Cookoff. We had a great time and managed to not lose any appendages to frostbite...it was so freaking cold! We had a wonderful time: the bar-b-q was delicious, the beer was super cold, and Haley was snuggled in bed at home with the grandparents. Life was good!