Girls Trip 2011

Dating way back to the end of the 20th century (sounds like a long time ago....wasn't really, but sort of does feel that way), also known as the year 2000, we, the original 4 girls...Jessica (J-Ro), Julie (Julesdwit), Becki (rebecki/bephare/beeks), and myself (J-Will), took our first long weekend trip to Austin for some fun girl time. And then decided to make it a yearly thing.

This summer marked our 10th annual Girls Austin/Toobin' Trip!!

It would have been our 11th, but we got caught up with life last year and couldn't make it happen. And, actually, it's a lot less for me due to my having a couple of babies along the way.

Anyway, we got back on track this year, and I must say it was the best one yet (or, at least, really, really close)! We had a couple of additions, as we like to do each year, so others can experience the awesomeness that this trip brings. Katie rode and stayed with us and Rhealyn joined us for the toobin'! Such a fun group :)

We left about noonish on Friday.

Saw this Google Maps StreetView car just outside of town. I was excited to see this because I had just learned a few days earlier that this is how they do that!

Then there was a lot of this going on...

First stop....the Texas stop sign..."That's what I like about Texas".....DQ Country! We always have to get a blizzard. This year was extra exciting because they now have the mini blizzard, which is the perfect size of yummy goodness!

Next stop - Round Rock Donuts! This was a first for us and it definitely will not be the last.

We got one of these...

....a Texas Sized Round Rock Donut!

4 of us ate on it and still had leftovers for breakfast the next morning :)

and it's only $5.99! Becki just couldn't believe it.

Austin!

Cute Austin Motel bathroom!

Cute Austin Motel room. Cute Becki.

Cute Austin Motel pool. Jumped in as soon we got there. Relaxed and reminisced about previous trips.

First night, we walked a few blocks down to Guero's for dinner. Saw this on the side of a building. so cute and sweet and fun.

After dinner, we took a taxi to a bar, had a drink and then went back to the motel. Tucked in a little early to get ready for the 'Ribbalution' that was coming!

Saturday morning, we left about 10ish and headed south to the Comal. We floated the river and then floated the river again (hence the double wrist bands)!

After toobin', we walked over to Pat's Place, our spot where we eat as much fried goodness as possible and sober up before the drive back to Austin.

Ice cold glass of sweet tea.

The single ladies decided to go out once we got back, while us old, married folk stayed back and went to bed!

Pretties :)

Sunday morning, got some breakfast here...

then said good-bye to cute Austin Motel...

...and went shopping before we headed back home.

Saw some more writtin' on the wall. Austin peeps...so sweet and friendly.

And here we are bidding Girls Trip 2011 farewell. See ya next year :)

This is what I got from my family when I got back. Josh had the girls the whole weekend. Don't I have the best husband?!? I think so.

Vivi up to 10 months

in 5 days, vivi will be 11 months. tear.

What would you do?

Another great day today! Josh had to work so the girls and I hung out at the house most of the day. We played outside on the swings again this morning and then later went to get some groceries. After Josh got home, we ate dinner, then decided to take the girls to a local park to feed the ducks in the pond.

We brought popsicles to help beat the heat. We had to eat them fast because they started to melt as soon as I took them out of the wrapper.

We decided to head over to the splash pad (also at the park) to cool down and rinse the stickiness off!

CeCe, Vivi, and I got in the water while Josh stood and helped watch on the sidelines. I was holding Vivi and running her through the water, and CeCe was running around but staying within a few steps from us. She never got far.

I walked Vivi over to a spot that had a little more mist and as I'm turning around, I hear Josh yell, "HEY" to a kid as he's walking quickly away. "He just pushed CeCe down," Josh said to me. He steps over to pick CeCe up and I start to go after the kid and find out where his parents are. I looked over and saw a man that was sitting at one of the nearby tables. He had earbuds in his ears. He pops his head up as he realizes his kid is coming over and I'm pointing and yelling at him "IS THIS YOUR KID?" "HE JUST PUSHED MY DAUGHTER DOWN." Looking back at the kid, "WHY DID YOU PUSH HER DOWN?" From the reaction I'm seeing from the man and kid, I began to think that maybe they don't speak very good English. I walked back toward CeCe and Josh, and they go sit down at one of the tables. Josh and I go to a bench with the girls to get a better look at CeCe. Less than a minute goes by. We realize she has a pretty good size scratch on her face. Josh is consoling CeCe and my blood begins to boil. We're asking each other, "what should we do?" I decide to put Vivi down beside Josh, pick up CeCe, and take her over to where the man and the boy were sitting. I was yelling at the them "LOOK WHAT HE DID," "LOOK AT HER FACE," as I'm turning her cheek to them. I turned back to the boy and yelled "WHAT DO YOU SAY TO HER? or CAN YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? (turning to look back at the man; he takes his earbuds out of his ears). As I continue, "I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU SPEAK ENGLISH, LOOK AT HER." The man puts his hands over his mouth and said "Oh I'm so sorry." I looked back at the boy and he quietly said "sorry." I turn to look back at the man and he quietly says, "I'm sorry, he's special needs, I'm sorry." In that moment, that millisecond, inside I began to feel sympathy, but on the outside I'm still beyond pissed. I yell to the man (a little quieter, but not much) "Well maybe he shouldn't be around other kids if he can't be supervised." I take CeCe and walk away. We head straight to the car.

I took these in the car.

On the way home, my heart is still racing. Josh and I are still wondering and asking each other, "what are we supposed to do or what should we have done?" "Special needs....really?" I'm asking Josh exactly what happened because I didn't see it. He says he just comes over and pushes her. She flies off of the ground and basically lands on her face. "He knew what he was doing," he said. "She was just standing there. She didn't do anything to him."

At this point, CeCe is better now. Josh is letting her know that she's gonna be ok. She knows it and actually starts scheming a little bit. "I want some milk and I want to watch Mickey Mouse." Josh lets her know that we'll get her some when we get home. She's still a little sad/whiney, off and on.

We got home, got the girls in the bath, got their pajamas on, and CeCe went to the couch to watch Mickey Mouse. Josh put ice on her scratches while I put Vivi to bed. When I got back, I took these pictures...

It was already looking better.

Thinking back on how everything went down, I'm not sure how we would have handled it any differently. I probably would not aim so much of my anger toward the kid. Oh and when I say kid, he was definitely a teenager, he was a pretty big kid. But, at least we didn't push him back to show him what he did, like we wanted to!! As far as the "special needs" comment, I work with special needs kids and I get that things can happen. They can happen with every kid. The kid didn't appear to be special needs, but that doesn't mean anything. I just really hope that the man didn't just say that. I think that would be really awful. But should that make things any different? Should it somehow make everything ok if it is true?

What would you do or say in this situation? This will not be the last time something happens. I know that. But I'm interested to hear the proper way to handle it so that I can prepare myself for when that day comes.

Friday Fun

We had a great day today. The girls played outside in the water this morning and on the swings. There was a [tiny] bit of a breeze which was nice. Then we went to a friend's house for a play date. The girls fell asleep on the way home, but woke up once we got there. We ate dinner. Then back outside for more playing.

I was playing around with the Hipstamatic app on my phone and took these pictures!

Vivi walking with shoes for the first time!

We came inside and the girls played some more!

Have a great weekend!

Father's Day

Since CeCe was older this year and able to be more involved, I tried to make Father's Day a little more fun for her! Since I have mostly been in catch up mode, I didn't realize until now, that I haven't mentioned some big news that we have!

Josh got a new job and is now the Head Cross Country and Girls Track Coach at Prosper High School! He will also be teaching 9th grade Pre-AP English. Leaving Lovejoy was not his intention until this job sort of fell into his lap. It was a tough decision to make and will be a bit of a transition, but I think it was definitely the right one.

His girls are so proud of him so we wanted to dedicate this father's day to him and his new job!

CeCe made daddy a card!

He always wears a tie to work so we put a green tie on the front, in honor of the Prosper Eagles!

The inside said "For Best Daddy, there is no tie. You win!"

The girls helped him open his presents :)

We got him a book he had been wanting.

And then made him a picture to hang in his new office!

CeCe painted a picture that had the Prosper Eagle logo and then I added a picture of the girls inside.

We love the best husband and daddy his girls could ask for! And we are so proud of you :)