Christmas with the Different's

Dustin's mom hates taking pics, she always runs from me but I got her, ha. 

Dustin's dad and Tryst, he is unwrapping a inch worm you sit on.

Harlowe got a doll with a bunch of different outfits. Both Tryst and Harlowe got this cool electric car from Dustin's uncle and brother, it is a two seater so both kiddos can ride in it. I haven't snapped a pic of it yet.

Dustin's uncle and grandfather looking excited, ha

Cleaning up, sorry about the outfit, looking back, I think I have this outfit on in every post. It is pretty comfortable and I do have clothes but comfort wins over fashion now these days.

Tryst got this huge car track thing, I think it is as tall as him.

Christmas table setting at Dustin's parents house. We had prime rib, which is a family tradition and I was told it was cooked to perfection. I stuck with the salad, apple and blue cheese, yum. Dustin and the kiddos spent the night at his parents house the night before because I had to work, and when I got there Dustin was a little tired. Dustin and his uncle cooked the whole meal while Dustin parents watched the kiddos.

They did a pretty good job, everything was excellent.

Dustin and I were so far apart, he was running back and forth to get the camera perfect.

Harlowe, a little tired of the picture taking, ha

We had a great Christmas, laid back and relaxed. Dustin's uncle came in town and he got to spend a couple of days hanging out.

Everyone was so generous, so Dustin and I had a lot of money burning a whole in our pocket. The dummy that I am told Dustin it was okay to finish remodeling our house. Big mistake on my part, I know I asked him about twenty times how much it would cost and went back and forth looking at our account and our Christmas money. Little did I know he fibbed about the total cost. So I gave the okay and if you know Dustin, once he gets something in his head there is no stopping him.

I thought we could plan the remodel around my schedule because of course I sleep during the day so I thought we would do it in a month or two. Wrong, the next week Miguel, Dustin's go to contractor, was taking out tile and busting down walls.

What did I get myself in? It is finally over, but to me, total hell. Somehow in my elder years, ha, I have become Type A and even a little obsessive. I am not the cleanest or most organized but I need my space to be in some kind of order and clean to my standards, which Dustin says is not that clean.

My house was turned upside down and you would have thought a dust storm hit. It was down right awful. I know I sound like a baby but having two small children and being confined to the upstairs is not fun. We were getting a little stir crazy and I was the biggest BIT--.

Dustin handled it in stride, and he put up with my craziness. My mother flew in two weeks straight to help us, thank the lord because I would have really lost it if she wasn't there. And I did lose it a couple of times. Although now that it is over, I so glad to get my house in order again. Dustin is at home cleaning thank the lord because I did not want to have anything to do with it. Has something been so overwhelming you just don't know where to start? That is how I felt about cleaning, luckily Dustin is so focused he is doing it all.

Now that it is over, it is on to the next for Dusty, we are putting our house on the market probably in February. Not looking forward to moving but he is telling me this is our last flip. Thank the Lord, we aren't the Novegratz, ha.

If you don't know who they Novegratz are, they have like six kids and flip high end houses and buildings and look fabulous while doing it.  I don't know how they do it with all those kiddos but that ain't me. I will have to post some pics after we get the house in order.

Lost Circus Pics

I am trying to catch up on the blog so I am posting a bunch of lost pics I found on the computer. I could not tell you when these were, sometime in the summertime. Dustin and I took Harlowe to her first circus and she really enjoyed it. Dustin's parents were so nice to watch Tryst for us because we knew he wouldn't sit still throughout the whole thing. 

We had a great time because we made a date of it, we went to one of our fave Mexican food restaurant's, Hugo's, they have the best margarita's. We sat at the bar with Harlowe and had margarita's and dips, my absolute fave. Harlowe even had a virgin margarita. 

Dustin and I were feeling pretty good after dinner and were off to the circus. I thought it was much cooler when I was little, but I guess the kiddos enjoy it. We were on the front row and let me tell you those tickets were not cheap. I thought the circus was much cheaper but what do I know, ha. 

All and all we had fun but I think Cirque du Soleil spoiled Dustin and I, ha. 

Outside of the Reliant Center, home of the Texans, whoop, whoop. Just kidding our family doesn't watch a lot of football but the Texans are doing pretty good this year.

I guess Dustin's pics were a lot better because I cut the bulls faces off, oops.

I hope everyone had a great New Year, I was a big party pooper and wanted to stay at home and rest. Dustin always calls me a granny but I am getting up there, the big 40 in a couple of years, so a girl's got to rest, ha.

I only had two days off so my New Year's Eve consisted of cleaning and doing the laundry and taking a nap with the kiddos. I was thinking to myself while folding clothes, is this what my new year is going to consist of, ha?

The fam had a pretty great day though, we had left over fireworks from the Fourth, so Dustin wanted us to light it up but the one's he bought were so loud both Harlowe and Trysten started crying and I almost jumped out of my Ugg's, ha. Dustin said we were wussy so poor Dustin was out there by himself lighting fireworks, ha.

Later we ordered Vietnamese food, yum, and watched two boring movies that I fell asleep during. But woke up to a kiss from my hubby at midnight. All in all I had a great New Year's Eve and need to think of some New Year's Resolutions.

Merry Christmas

Classic Santa pics, Harlowe did not want anything to do with Santa ever. I think every time we have went she has cried, but Tryst on the other hand doesn't mind being held by strangers. 

My mom and Dustin was telling me to get out of the pic but I just couldn't let go, ha.

Taking Harlowe for a little talk because we were trying to bribe her with Dylan's candy store after the pics.

Poor Tryst and Santa were wondering what the heck was going on.

Now that's better, I think she has candy in her mouth but no smiles out of this little girl.

The Santa looks pretty darn good, really realistic.  We have gone to the Galleria for three years to see Santa and its never a disappointment. I love Tryst's little lips, I could kiss them all day.

Now all smiles away from Santa and crossing her legs and everything, I don't know where this girl gets it.

My mom and the kiddos, she has been so good to Dustin and I, she is always there to help us out.

Does he look like Dustin or me? I think he looks like my dad. My dad had white/light hair when he was little and green eyes. I know I say it in every post but I love this little guy to pieces, my last baby, boo hoo, ha. 

I have had a lot on my mind this year and am hesitant to post it because family blogs are supposed to be  uplifting and fun to look back on but reality sets in and life is sometimes hard.

The shooting of children, sickness, loss of loved one's, recession, and loss of jobs: these have been hard times for many Americans and people around the world. Our family has had its ups and downs, Dustin and I are in a good place right now but we have had our moments where I thought we were not going to make it.

Marriage is hard work and is always a work in progress, we had two children close together and neglected our marriage. Not having time to connect with each other since Harlowe was born, we have probably had a handful of dates by ourselves since the kids and that finally took its toll.

My mother hopped on a plane so Dustin and I could have much needed alone time with each other to talk and reconnect. We talked and talked for three days straight, it was nice, I forgot how nice it was to feel like normal people. And I mean that in the nicest way, we sat and drank coffee, held hands walking down the sidewalk and just walked and talked for hours.

Reflecting on everything this year, it has been stressful because Dustin has had to put his career on hold to stay home with the kids because school for both of them is more than our mortgage. We have been on a budget and I have had to work overtime a lot this year. We have both been kinda resentful because he wants to work and I want to stay home. But all in all I am so overwhelmingly blessed each and every year.

No matter what happens I am always grateful and feel truly blessed. God has given me my best friend who is my husband, despite everything, makes me laugh each and everyday. God has blessed me with two of the most wonderful and loving children who are healthy. God has sought out a path and given me a great career because there were times when I didn't know what I would do with my life. I have the greatest parent on earth who I turn to when times get tough and I need a kind word. I have the best in-laws who are funny and have welcomed me into their family with open arms. I have the greatest friends who are always willing to drop anything to listen to me or make we laugh.

Life may be harsh sometimes and the world around us may make us question, what the hell is going on? But in the end God is always with me and no matter what happens, I know somehow it is his plan and there are always better days to come.

I know this post is probably a downer but I want my children to know God is always with you and no matter what happens you are a child of God and he loves you and you have a purpose. Always feel blessed and live your life to the fullest.