A Trip to Austin...

Our first big trip since coming back from China and we had a great time. The idea of sitting on a plane again wasn't that appealing to me but the girls were amazing and the flights smooth. Even when we were delayed and it took us 15 hours to get home (yes, 15 hours from Texas to Florida) the girls were such troopers.

I have been wanting to visit Austin. Whenever I saw it on the travel channel or read about it in a magazine it seemed so hip and bohemian. It was a very cool city. We weren't able to take in any of the rich music scene which they are so well known. Life is different when you have children and unless it was Dan Zanes in concert we are sitting out the nightlife. The city is filled with great parks, trails and family fun stuff. And did I mention the shops... I was in heaven in Anthropologie with a sleeping Ella in the stroller while Daddy and Jetty were next door at R.E.I. checking out the climbing shoes. I fell in love with the Children's museum and the Nature Center.

Speaking of wonderful stores... Our real reason for the trip was to visit Doug's Aunt and Uncle. We felt so loved and welcomed and we were sad to leave them. Jetty cried when we left and said that she wanted to stay in Texas forever. Aunt Kelly and Uncle Jim will have that effect on you. They own and amazing store called

Mi Casa Gallery. It is truly more like a museum then a store. We are so blessed to have such an amazing and loving family.

Another highlight of the trip is that we were even able to meet up with two other families that were in our first travel group to China. It was so wonderful to see them and the beautiful girls. It is amazing the bond that you have with other families in your travel group. Becoming a family together is an amazing connection to have with one another.

Finally...a post

We have had a very busy month and it seems that I have gotten lost and just found my way back to the computer. It has been a very fun and eventful month but the truth is Ella really doesn't like her Mama on the computer. Have no fear....I will catch up all the posts and photos in the next few days. Here is a quick recap with more details to come....
A trip to Austin
A new car
The start of the new cycling season and Daddy's first race
Sweet Valentine tea party
Art Shows
Ella's climb up the 8 ft rock wall

Happy Birthday, Our Sweet Girl....

Happy 2nd birthday to our little Ella!

Wonderful Weekend

We were lucky enough to spend Saturday with friends from our first Travel group. Lisa, Larry and Zoe were visiting Orlando for the weekend and we drove over to spend the day. The girls loved playing in the pool and we even witnessed Zoe swimming for the first time! She started swimming like a fish and it was very exciting. I hope to see more of them this year.

On Sunday, Daddy watched Ella while Jetty and I went to the taping of the NPR show "From the Top". Our little 4 year old sat for almost two hours staring at the stage. Her only interruptions were....
"Mommy I want to play my violin up on stage"
"Mommy, can we come back 15 times"
"Can we come back everyday?"
"Can Daddy bring me next time?"
"She is really good and really pretty...she looks like me" regarding the 15 year old violinist who was Asian
"Mommy, I really want to be in a band"

When the show was over and we were leaving she said " Mommy, can I practice my violin when we get home? Then I can come back and be on the stage." I then explained how they were teenagers and they have been playing a long time. I know how fixated and competitive she can be and I don't want her to think she has to be good at everything so I tried to change the subject. I noticed the parking lot was full of rain puddles so I suggested that she hop in the puddles. So there was my sweet 4 year old no longer wanting to be a violinist but rather jumping in puddles in her shiny black shoes and the sweet dress I had to convince her to wear.

As we were pulling out of the parking lot Jetty says, "Mommy, if I play the violin I am a violinist so if I jump in puddles I am a puddlist."
"Jetty, that is a very good point."
"Mommy, I am going to be the best puddlist ever!"

Sweet.......

I was making dinner and looked into the living room to see this... is there anything sweeter?

Florida Snow

When you live in Florida and your daughter keeps asking you to go see snow you take her to this place.

http://www.celebrationtowncenter.com/ee/
The snow was actually some sort of soap bubbles. I pushed back all the thoughts of what kind of chemical was in the soap bubbles that allowed it to last for 4 hours. Since it was one of our only cold days this winter my little sensitive skin girl was all covered up.

Ella wasn't so sure about the bubbles but as you can tell from the photos, Jetty was in Heaven.

HUDSON UPDATE: Hudson is pink again! I know that is strange to say with a white dog. His belly, nose, eyes and gums were very very pale . Now we are just waiting to see if he will have to stay on the medicines

Our sweet sick doggy:(

Our sweet dog, Hudson, has become very sick:( He is very loved and we hope and pray that he is feeling better soon. He is a great dog and truly Ella's best buddy. He has come down with anemia and his body is attacking his red blood cells. He is on three medicines and hopefully he has enough stem cells left to make more blood. When I brought him back from the vet he climbed right up on the couch and Ella laid on him so gently and kept kissing him and saying "sick". It was so sweet I had to take a photo. The vet said he has a 50/50 chance but he is in the critical stage. We hope and pray for the best.

Update: He is eating and getting around better:) I hope this means he is bouncing back:)