Happy Birthday…

to Sandie (today) and let’s just go ahead and throw Coby in, too (Saturday the 4th).  Hope you guys have a wonderful year ahead – we love y’all!

*Sorry Lauren – stole this pic from your blog :)

A Weekend in ATX…

There is nothing we love more than getting to spend time in Austin, Texas.  I love it – everything about it – the weather (atleast the weather this weekend), the atmosphere, the memories it provokes.  I love it.  Brandon and I grew in so many ways while we lived there.  We grew into responsible “adults” (sort of), my friendships with my dearest friends grew, my love for the University grew.  So much was learned while we were there – in and out of the classroom.  Now we jump on any chance to go back. 

Trips have changed so much since our college days.  Days when it was all about us – sleep in, stay out late, do as you please, shop for yourself, eat what you want when you want.  Now that kids are involved, there is no such thing as sleeping in, goal is to go to sleep as early as possible, do as the kid’s please, shop for the kiddos, eat healthy and watch the kids eat what they want.  Times have change.  But we still never pass up an opportunity to spend a weekend in ATX.

Scotty and Brandon had made plans to attend a concert on Saturday night (on Riverside for all my Riverside peeps out there – I know, Cass and I were a bit hesitant about the location, too) and we decided to make a weekend of it, bombarding the Rice family for Friday and Saturday night.  It was a great time!

Friday, we left around lunch when we picked up Dayton from school.  When we got into Austin that afternoon, we headed to South Congress for a little shopping.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  Daddy and Mommy treated each other to a new pair of cowboy boots for an early Valentine’s Day present at Allen’s Boots.  It was so fun picking them out and trying on the millions of pairs that they have.  Then we treated the kiddos to an early Valentine’s present ;) – cupcakes from Hey Cupcake.  So fun!  We took the kiddos to Toy Joy on the drag, too to pick out some loot.

Then, we headed up north to Cedar Park to Cassie and Scotty’s place.  The kiddos played with Easton for a bit, then it was off to Uncle Billy’s at The Oasis for dinner.  So fun and what a beautiful view.  We sat outside and the kids really enjoyed themselves.  Back to the house for more playtime and a movie then it was time for bed :)

Next day, we woke up, got dressed and headed down to the drag.  First stop was the Co-op of course.  Found some stuff there then headed down to Tyler’s – another must stop shop for a trip to ATX.  We’d worked up an appetite by then and Dayton was declaring that he was indeed “starving” so we headed to Matt’s El Rancho – yummo!  We were lucky enough to get to see Aunt Samantha and Megan there so the kids were excited.  After eating it was back to the house.

We put the kids down for naps and left the daddies in charge while some mommies got a little bit of shopping (and alone) time.  It was fun!

Then back to the house for the evening for pizza and left overs, a movie and playtime with the kids while the daddies got to go to their concert.

Woke up early Sunday morning and went to church, a little play time and then back on the road to head home.  *A shout out to Scotty for finishing first in their race on Sunday morning – he’s so great and with a hurt foot, at that!*

  Finished up the weekend with Owen’s birthday party and then came home ready to crash.

So fun – can’t wait to do it again.  Didn’t take as many pictures as I wanted to, but it’s hard when you are caught up in all the chaos of three rowdy kiddos :)

 

Mallory eating her cupcake in her cupcake shirt :)

For some reason, our kids always seemed to end up with the “other” Daddy.  But, I think if you look at Easton and Mallory in this picture, they could go either way.  Kind of favor a little ?

Scott and Mallory looking out over the water:

He may have wanted to send her overboard at this point :)

Now isn’t this a nice attempt at a family picture?

The crew:

So – Cassie and I rode in the very back on the way to The Oasis, on the way home and then all the way to the Co-op the next morning.  We both got carsick on all three trips.  SO, the boys definently took one for the team and rode in the very back for the remainder of our day out.  Cassie and I rode in front, Mally and Easton in the middle, and Date, Brandon and Scotty in the very back.  Poor guys, good sports…

 

Mallory, Easton and Lex reading some books in Easton’s room:

Back at home yesterday after we got back from Owen’s super fun birthday party :)

 

Family Fun…

Friday night called for a night out with the family.  Mommy was hosting a baby shower at the house on Saturday morning for her cousin, so no kids allowed inside the house for the evening – had to atleast try to keep everything clean :)  So, Daddy took us all out to dinner at Firehouse and then we met up with DeDe and PaPa at the bowling alley to release some energy and tire out the kiddos!  I haven’t blogged much lately or taken many pictures.  Things have been crazy as usual.  Three shopping trips to Sugar Land in the past week – two for St. Philip Dinner/Dance which will be here in one short month and one just for fun.  Between that and planning a baby shower and work, it was quite the week.  One of my friends was sweet enough to let me borrow one of her camera lenses so I’ve been playing with it.  I’m not great at it, but it’s so much fun to work with!  It makes the subjects crisper and the backgrounds “blurrier” to put it in terms that everyone can understand.  Most of these pics were taken with it, so I apologize for the flaws.  I’m still practicing :)

 

Okay, bad pic of Date, but see how the lens works? ;)

Random – Friday after school:

At the bowling alley – Yes, they wore their matching True Religion shirts, and I think they looked adorable ;)

 

Miss Priss liked tip-toeing around when she’d throw her balls…

Eventually, Dayton stepped into help Lil Sis and let me tell you, this girl can roll a SSSLLLOOOWWW ball…

 

In fact, so slow that they have time to do this between each throw…

 

And, here is where the lens changed that night:

 

And, I’m pretty sure this floor is extremely clean…

 

Daddy trying to look all professional:

And, I’ve included this picture of my empty drink just to let you know for future trips to the bowling alley that the bowling alley (on the night we were there, guess it could change) did not have 1.) Merlot (should’ve known that, I know – it’s a bowling alley) In fact, the only wine they had were mini bottles of Chardonnay… 2.) ANY diet beverages – seriously, no diet drinks?  So that left me no choice but to have a crown and water… Judging by the looks of my glass, I guess it wasn’t such a bad thing…

And, this was the ONLY picture I got from the baby shower – Anna, Mally and Cinderella on the couch.  Too bad, because it turned out so cute.  Their having a little girl and the nursery theme is Owls – so fun!

 

Yes, I am that passionate about it…

What?  You may ask – your kids, your husband, Texas football, your work?  Sure, yeah, all of the above, but I’m talking about something that has taken the Zabodyn household by storm starting last Fall.  Something that has brought me and my husband closer.  Something that makes us laugh out loud and gives us “inside” jokes to share at random times during the week.  As pathetic as it is, I’m talking about NEW GIRL – the tv sitcom.  And even more pathetic, I’m posting this to my blog trying to get you to watch it, too.  I’ve already got Cassie on board, so that’s one down.  And, I’m NOT going to say any names, but Jess reminds me of a certain quirky fabulous friend that I have and I mean that in a good way.  We’ll see if you know who you are – wish I had your wonderful sense of humor.  I think a new one comes on this Tuesday, but Brandon and I have been watching repeats since Christmas time and let me tell you – we have laughed equally, if not more, the second time around as we did the first!  If you can somehow catch the episodes w/ Zooey and Justin Long playing her boyfriend – WATCH THEM! (Episode 8 - “Bad in Bed” – best show ever!)  Freakin’ hilarious!  Anyways, it comes on after Glee and while I am also a Gleek, I am now a faithful follower of New Girl, too!  Try it out – promise you’ll like it ;)

If they make a box set – or should I say when they make a box set – I will be first in line to buy it!  It’d be so great to pull out any time I’m having a bad day!

I Can’t Think of a Better Way…

To ring in 2012 then with some of my favorite people who I love so much!  We went to LA and rang in the new year at Coushatta w/ our parents and Cass and Scotty.  It was loads of fun and a lot of laughs.  I did not win anything – lost my butt to be quite honest, but the memories that were made were priceless (or atleast that’s what I have to keep telling myself to make me feel better!)  Ha – just kidding.  It was a fabulous – care-free time, which after a week of costume ordering and such – turned out to be exactly what I needed.  Our great, great, great angel Ms. Pam was sweet enough to come spend the night with our kiddos and ring in yet another new year with them.  She kept them last new year’s eve and was sweet enough to do it again!  I know they had a great time, too – she took them to the park and bowling and played lots of fun stuff.  Dayton loved it.

We managed to get a few pics – thanks to iphones, but I know they aren’t the greatest, but I chose to share anyways :)

We had some amazingly delicious crab legs for dinner at the steakhouse:

I’m pretty sure I was having an important conversation on this “authorized personnel only” telephone…

 

Cassie was a fabulous machine guarder for any high stakes slot machine players that needed to get up to go to the restroom or something.  Not sure how many tips she made, but pretty sure she didn’t lose any money like I did.  She took her job very seriously; as one should:

 

The boys put these hats on at some point during the night all by themselves.  They wore them all night – pretty funny!

We did some dancing (of course – remember who we’re talking about) at Mikko’s, the nightclub.  It was fun!

And, all of the people who kept us in line…: