Long time no blog...lots of changes

So, I don't remember the last time I have had such a big break between blogs, but this time I have a good reason!  I got a job, and have been training in Dallas for the week.  I am working at ReachLocal, and yes I meant to put the words together.  My job has a pretty fancy title--Campaign Performance Analyst.  It's gonna be awesome and my first week out of the house and in real clothes has gone well.  It was probably good that I went away for the first week,  kind of like quitting cold turkey my stay at home mom gig.  Also, in the last week Josie has decided that using the big girl potty is awesome, she uses the potty every time and is wearing big girl panties all the time (except overnight when use a pull up as a precaution).  Part of her decision to use the potty was made partly because she started preschool this week and her teacher didn't give her an option to sit on the potty or not and all of her new friends were doing it.  No matter the reason, I am proud and relieved.  I've always said that I wouldn't be to worried about it until she turned three--my worry has set in since her birthday is just a week away, but it seems like we've made it.  Olivia will be joining Josie at the daycare after school since YEP was such a depressing place to be.  Not going back to YEP was Liv's one condition before giving her approval of my new job.  Kevin is having to change up his routine a bit also--I don't get off until 6, and the kids have to be picked up before then, so he will be in charge of that.  


That's about all for now--I feel like I am kinda all over the place, but I have been in training classes/study groups for about 12 hours a day this week-so I guess I'm entitled to a little bit of that.  Kevin and Josie came to Dallas Thursday night to hang out with me, so we are staying through Saturday.  Kevin took Josie to the Dallas Aquarium today while I was in training.  Once we get home, I'll be working on stuff for Josie's birthday party next weekend...


Ok, really that's all...

Live gets glasses (soon)

Pay no mind to Liv's crazy hair--it is the end of the day--and focus on the glasses.  These are the winner and Liv should have them on her face by the end of the week, and this isn't a really flattering picture of her wearing them, I promise in person they are really cute!  I noticed Liv squinting at school to see the board and sometimes she just gets up, and goes to the front of the room to get a better look.  So, I made the appointment, and as it turns out Liv's vision is close to perfect (20/25).  Her problem is more a focusing issue.  When she focuses in tight to see things that are close to her, the muscles get too tight and start to spasm, then when she looks up and needs to relax her focus her eyes get 'stuck' and things are blurry.  Interesting, huh?  Anyway, her glasses will give her a little visual help, which should let her eyes work a little less and never tighten up so much that they get to a spasming point...we'll see.  Liv is way excited to get them, as they are a novelty item.  We'll see how long that lasts...

Liv's team basketball pictures

These pictures are cracking me up--I mean, what other basketball pro is able to have an undefeated season with untied shoes.  Our last game of the season was two weekends ago and Liv capped of the season with her highest point scoring game yet--six points, baby!!  It was pretty exciting, and Liv has decided that basketball is replacing soccer as her new favorite sport.  We are in search of other leagues Liv can join to keep playing, since the Y only does a 2 month season during winter.  We are also in search of velcro shoes...

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

Most of the pictures are Josie and Liv being outside on the day we stained the patio and they couldn't get to the backyard.  The other picture is what kids look like when they have their own dinner parties...

Changes afoot in the backyard...

So, we've poured a concrete patio, built a pergola and painted it.  Next steps--stain the concrete, and get new patio furniture.  We got the furniture last Monday, after much shopping.  Then, Friday night and Saturday morning Kevin cleaned and prepped the concrete for the stain.  Saturday afternoon we sprayed the first coat of stain and Sunday added a second.  Pretty interesting how the stain works but, since this hasn't ever been a real how-to blog- I'll leave the science experiment details out.  Anyway, Sunday afternoon we did a final rinse of the patio and we are left with a pretty great black (Midnight Cafe, actually) patio.  It looks pretty organic, with kind of a mottled finish of blacks and browns.  We're happy with it and are ready for the last phase--landcaping.  I started in a flower bed on Sunday--cleaned it and planted some dahlia bulbs.  Hoping those babies come up soon.  That's where we are, and hopefully by Josie's birthday party we will be fully decorated (we still want a firepit/coffee table to go in the center of the furniture) an planted.

Tick, tick, tick, tick...Boom--Dynamite

Liv's first ever cheer performance was last Friday at  the Honor Roll awards assembly (where Liv was also recognized for her straight A's--woohoo!) The girls did 2 cheers and had a great time--I think Liv loves wearing the outfit more than anything else, not that I can blame her--it's pretty cute!  Kevin recorded the performance on his iphone, but I don't think I can upload it because it is in that weird Apple format.  So, just imagine Liv jumping, yelling and being the girl with the most dramatic hip shakes and it'll be like you were right there with me...

Wordless Wednesday (Liv's list poem that I spied hanging outside her classroom)