June 2012

This month was a big month for us – we had our first family vacation since Aubrey was born. We needed to see Justin’s family in Amarillo, so we decided that instead of going home after Amarillo we would go spend the week in Santa Fe. Here’s the run-down: Friday: I left work and hopped in the rented minivan and we were off to Amarillo. This was our first road-trip with Aubrey and we were a little nervous as to how it would go. We packed a ton of toys/coloring books/dvds, snacks, drinks, and the dogs. Mom drove, I navigated, and Justin provided entertainment in the back. Aubrey did great! It took us about 5 ½ hours to get to Amarillo and she didn’t fuss or complain once. We were in pretty good moods but were tired, so we were happy to pull up to our hotel, “The Fifth Season.” Our happiness came to a sudden stop when we saw the large sign advertising our hotel – in big flashing lights it said “$39.99/night!” Ok, this is never a good sign. I immediately look at Justin and ask him if this is where we are staying and he says yes. We grab Aubrey and our overnight bag and go to check in. The décor is a little outdated but mom keeps assuring me that it will be fine. I have a hard time believing this, as we had just walked past an indoor pool that Aubrey referred to as “a pond!” Yes indeed, it looked and smelled like a pond. We went to the floor where our room was supposed to be and after walking around a bit we finally discovered that our room was down a secluded hallway. We let ourselves into our room and immediately knew that we would not be spending more than one night there. It was pretty gross. I immediately booked us a room at the Holiday Inn for the next evening. It was a long night but we survived. Saturday: We got up, moved to the Holiday Inn and enjoyed our complimentary breakfast. Justin and I took Aubrey to the park, where we met up with Mandy, Monda, and baby Henley. Aubrey had fun playing on the playground but it was soon time for her nap. After her nap we headed to Raiford’s to see the rest of the family. Aubrey had a blast playing with Court & Grayson and seeing her extended family. After a long day, we headed back to the hotel for one last night in Amarillo. New Mexico: On Sunday morning we packed up and headed out to New Mexico. The trip was only a few hours and we made it in record time. We rented a house near the Plaza and it was gorgeous. It was a traditional adobe style house on a large property. We had incredible views from the master suite and enjoyed sunsets out there almost daily. We spent a few days shopping the square and trying out local cuisine. We were a little shocked that red chili is SO HOT! We had no idea – especially mom, who thinks she can handle any level of hotness. Mom and I got hooked on Indian fetishes and we each bought a few to take home as remembrances of our trip. Aubrey fell in love with a doll that was made by a local Native American woman and she calls her “princess.” We took a day trip to Taos and explored the area up there, including the Rio Grande gorge. We took a tour of the Puye Cliff dwellings – Aubrey was very disappointed that she couldn’t play in the caves. I think Justin was secretly disappointed by this as well! We were in Santa Fe for about a week and it was great to sightsee and relax. Aubrey had a great time and still occasionally asks “where is our vacation home?” We had a great first family vacation and are already planning next year’s trip! Fingers crossed for Jackson Hole, WY!

February - May 2012

Ok, so I have been a huge slacker…I can’t believe I have let so much time pass between updates. It’s difficult to remember what we’ve been up to but here are the highlights: February: I turned 30! Celebrations, celebrations, celebrations! March: Grandma came to visit. Aubrey LOVES it when grandma visits – it probably has something to do with the fact that she gets doted on 24/7! At the end of the month we went to the Easter Egg Hunt at the Arboretum which was a blast. Last year all the eggs were gone before Aubrey could get any, so this year we brought our own eggs. This worked out perfectly. It was a little overcast and muddy but we had a great time. April: Happy Easter! All of our Austin family came up to celebrate Easter with us at our house. We had a nice lunch and good time catching up. Dennis & Martha were newly retired and were filling us in on what they had been up to. It was great to see everyone! May: We had a busy month during May. Mom and I had been working on decorating Aubrey’s new room and her big girl bed was finally delivered. Mom came over on the Saturday before Mother’s Day and helped finish decorating and we were able to transition Aubrey into her new room. Mom spent the night and on Mother’s Day we cleaned out the garage and the extra bedroom and took stuff to the donation box. It is great having everything organized and being able to park in the garage again! My co-worker’s daughter had her first birthday party in May which was a blast. It was at a park and there was pizza, bubbles, and a petting zoo. Aubrey had fun playing with the Paulk twins and all of the animals. Memorial Day weekend was spent outside floating and soaking up the sun – it was perfect!