How come the weekends go so darn fast?

I suppose I already know the answer to that, but I still wonder the answer to that question every day. Anyway, Garrett brought Adam over today to play. You have just got to love Austin this time of the year. It was 72 and gorgeous, so the kids played out in the backyard. Adam got a little scared by the dogs (who actually acted great!), but once that issue was out of the way, a good time was had by all. Adam rang the door bell, and then Natalie took his order at the table. Apparently they were having flowers for lunch.

Birthday girl!

Meagan went to school all decked out in birthday gear today.

Tomorrow...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Becoming a mommy fulfilled a dream for me. It is hard to believe that 5 years ago tonight, I sat, trying hard to sleep, while I wondered and dreamed about what being a mother would be like. I spent a long time trying to just achieve a pregnancy, so it was easy to forget that it was not a pregnancy that was my end goal; it was a baby. Like most new moms, the 9 months of pregnancy both flew by and dragged on interminably. Meagan's birth made me a mother, but my sweet girl made me a mommy.

Meagan's 5th birthday party

Meagan had a great time at her party. Lots of kids came to celebrate her 5th birthday (I am not sure how she got to be five. When did that happen?) It was great having so many people who love Meagan all together. We all enjoyed the music of Craig Toungate, who sang lots of Disney tunes and a special happy birthday song for Meagan. After the party we got to unwrap her presents, which was almost like another party for Meagan!

Our new obsession is...

...Annie!

Once in a lifetime kind of day

From the text of PRESIDENT Barack Obama's speech today:




Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America -- they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished.
But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.
We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technologys wonders to raise health cares quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the publics dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.
Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expediences sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

I am T-I-R-E-D

...but we had a good day. Natalie and Meagan's friend Jackie spent the day today. Jackie is a month older than Nati, but I think by listening to her, most people would think she was signifigantly older. She tends to fit in better with Meagan and her friends than Natalie and her buddies at school. We did all kinds of fun stuff. First, we went up to my school so I could get some work done (no, that is not the fun part). Then we went to McDonalds and played there. After that another friend of theirs from school, Aditi, came over for a little while. There were girls everywhere. Of course, they squabbled a little, but a good time was had by all.
We took baths and then took advantage of the girls matching robes. They felt very grown up.

Meagan's early birthday gift

Andy has been trying for several months to get a certain train set from Toys R Us. He calls and they never have it in stock. Luckily, yesterday one of them did. Granted, it wasn't the closest Toys R Us, but at least it was in Austin. He spent 8 (yes. Eight.) hours putting it together. It is made nicely and is compatible with the Thomas set. The girls have been having a blast.
Natalie put together one of her little costumes today. It consisted of: a track suit, an umbrella, a tutu, and of course, a gold medal.

We are ALMOST there!

From www.barackobama.com, since most of us aren't lucky enough to be there...


President-Elect Obama Invites You to Be a Part of the Inauguration
By Christopher Hass - Jan 14th, 2009 at 12:58 pm EST
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President-elect Obama released a video message today, inviting Americans across the country to take part in the upcoming Presidential Inauguration no matter where they live. He explains that, "You don't have to brave the crowds and commotion in order to participate in this celebration, because we've made this Inauguration open and accessible to communities across our nation."
Here are some of the ways that you can be a part of the Inauguration:
• Sign up for our text messaging program to receive updates and have your questions answered• Watch the Opening Ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial from 7:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT January 18th on HBO• Watch the “Kids’ Inaugural: We Are The Future” concert. It will be broadcast from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. ET/PT January 19th on The Disney Channel, be simulcast on Radio Disney and streamed on Disney.com immediately following the telecast.• Watch the first-ever Neighborhood Ball on ABC from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on January 20th• Watch the webcast of the swearing-in ceremony and the Neighborhood Ball. We’ll keep you posted as more details are released.
• Host or attend a service event in your area on Martin Luther King Jr., Day, January 19th• Host or attend a party in your area that’s linked – through interactive technology – with the first-ever Neighborhood Ball on January 20th

We went bowling.

I really like bowling. I know that it is not a cool thing to do, but I still love it. My father and father-in-law share my love for it, but not too many other people that I know like it. Andy and I decided to the girls for the first time yesterday. We went to Main Event, which is one of those crazy fun-center places. It is crazy like it fun, but also in prices. Apparently bowling is now an expensive hobby. We had to rent by the hour, so we just rented for a half hour, which turned out to be plenty. The girls loved Bumper bowling, and Andy bowled pretty well for someone who has not bowled for 5 years at least. I did miserably, but had fun none the less.

Jenny is spiffy today

Natalie's royal baby, Jenny, got a makeover. We "lost" her pink outfit ("I want my giraffe pink suit!!!") and gained a lovely winter hat.

Dallas was a big success!

Happily, the trip went well. The girls had a blast with their grandparents on their own. They got spoiled out of their minds. I don't think they are going to enjoy life with boring ole mommy and daddy anymore, but besides that, life is good. Meagan told me that Grandma Lois is much more fun than I am.
We had a laid back New Years Eve with our family at home. Our girls adore their cousins and great aunt and uncle. I think I mentioned earlier that Natalie has begun calling Steve and Rich "Bobo" for some odd reason. Now all of us are calling them that. I think it will last.