A Brand Spankin New New Day

I feel like today is the first day of the rest of my life. I begin it with this thought for the day. It's by emerson:

finish each day and be done with it. you have done what you could. some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. tomorrow is a new day. you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

Sutton and RJ

Missa invited us to watch her son play basketball on Saturday. RJ was sleeping hard during the start time so I went ahead and had Don and RJ meet up with us later. They showed up right as the final buzzer went off.

Over the weekend school officials announced two possible plans for the new elementary school. In either plan we're smack in the middle for the new school which we're excited about because we're .5 miles from it. We'll feed into the middle school that is a lot further away, but that's okay. The weird thing is that many of our playgroup friends will be going to different schools based on where they live. Even though physically it's only about 3 miles to their house from ours.

Last night as we were both gettting RJ ready for bed, RJ hopped up and ran to the other end of her new bed, tripped and hit her mouth on the iron frame. Yikes! She screamed and there was lots of blood. Today she sports a nice fat lip and a buised gumline. We're both thankful she didn't lose a tooth in the fall. She's had a lot of close calls lately and my guess is they'll keep on a coming. We'll just have to take them one fall at a time.

Go Fetch, Hank!

Watch as Hank rockets to catch the frisbee, circle the tree and back again...



Hank and the Ever-Lovin' Frisbee on Vimeo

Friends

We've been going to this story time since October and while there are always new faces it has become such a treat to see familiar faces over and over again. Next to Rosa Jane sits Betti Grace who is a day older than our gal.

We've lived in this town for eight months now and really love the place but also her people.

ADDENDUM: Last night at Chili's we ran into our neighbor's from Steiner Ranch. It totally blew us away to see what was once their newborn-when-we-moved now grown into a chubby happy 9month old. It really puts into perspective how quickly they grow! We were musing this morning about how our neighbors never even saw RJ walking... which now seems like so very, very, very long ago.

The Sun Came out Tomorrow

After all this too cold/no sunshine kept us smothered inside, we jumped at the sunshine and spent most of the day in the great outdoors. 60 degrees and sunshiny. HMMM, delicious! We weren't the only ones going crazy -- so were our dogs... so when we met our friends Amy and Kate at the dog park it was pure mayhem. Hank was just as frisbee crazed as always but the crowd ooh'd and ahh'd over his lightning fast speed.

It looks like today will be beautiful, too. Three cheers for the Sun!

At 17 months, Kate likes to give hugs to RJ and she also likes to tickle tickle tickle under RJ's chin. It's really cute but you can see RJ tries to get away sometimes.

Kate looks you in the eye and speaks, but it's impossible to know what she's saying. Communication is an amazing tool, isn't it?

3/4 of THE OFFICE in Austin

Just twenty-two days until my doggs (the Z and the K) get into town from lands far, far away back east. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Did I already mention how excited I am? I am FIRED UP!!!

It reminds me a lot of that guy in the Hands On a Hardbody contest who said he wasn't going to be able to sleep the night before the contest because all he would be thinkin' about was "dat truck, dat truck. Yup that's gonna be my biggest problem right der. I will not be able to get to sleep dat night before. My mind's gonna be a-racing. Cuz trucks make money."

I still don't have a truck, but I gotz friends and they are coming to see us!
Better get your rest now while you can.

Happy 16 months, Little Boot Scooter Pie!

Welp, we did it. We really did it. We survived the first sixteen months of life with the peanut. I must say it hasn't been all that hard, really, when you weigh all the juicy good stuff we receive from this little bundle.

We recently added a big girl bed to RJ's room. Not because she'll be using it all alone anytime soon, it's more for us... and those early wake up calls with the rooster when RJ just wants someone with which to snuggle. I've been trying to ignore her cries starting at 5, but she gets more persistent and as soon as one of us goes to check on her and pick her up, she instantly goes back to sleep. And who doesn't love spending time with a sleeping baby so close? I know this isn't good for the long term, but it isn't every morning and no matter how tired I am, I really do treasure those moments being so close with her so small.

Plus the bed has huge sentimental value. It's the bed that I believe Nelson and Rosa purchased for baby Sara. It's the bed that was passed down to baby Kristen until about the sixth grade when I thought I was ready for a daybed. (Daybeds stink for kids -- what a chore they are to make up! Boo! ) Anyway, I'm thrilled that our little Rosa Jane will also be using this bed even if it is missing a wheel and has to be propped up on blocks.

Check out the pictures to see more of her room with this new addition. We're contemplating paint colors for the wall and leaning towards the bright green in pottery barn kids, only a slightly mellower color. This house feels so grown up that I'm less inclined to want to experiment with colors. I want to get it right the first time. Who doesn't?

Ultimately, I Wish I Could Be This Cool:

Robyn stole my idea for a bad sweater party and really took it up a notch. Check out her latest update for the bash to be held in D.C. this weekend. Oh, if only I could be there!!!

"Greetings Bad Sweater Fans!
-The keg has been reserved...
-80's casseroles are in the oven...
-Rice Krispy Sweater Sculptures will be formed...
-'Cosby Show' Season One [575 minutes of Bill Bliss] will be playing (and you must drink, meet someone new, and compliment someone on his/her sweater when a new episode begins--every 22 minutes)...
-Prizes for top sweaters in dumb categories are being discovered...
-And of course, KAZOOS for everyone!

Prestigious Bad Sweater Awards will be voted on throughout the evening, and the award ceremony will take place around 11:30pm, depending on the sobriety level of the vote tally team. However, it might be a close race, so a catwalk-off might be in order later in the evening...



Love Your Sweater!
rh"

A Musical Pair

Addison came over this morning for a playdate. We've been over to Addison's a few times for playtime and Addison is so great about sharing with bossy, pushy Rosa Jane. Today's experience was quite different for RJ. It's a tough lesson to learn when there are somebody else's paws all over your most prized possessions, but thankfully Kristy and Addison are resolved to help us get through this phase together.

They had a great time playing on the electric piano side by side.

At the Chillen's Museum

Our friends Amy and Kate called us yesterday morning to join them at the museum for the singalong and play time. The weather has been crazy cold so it really is no wonder that the museum was packed with babies. It is funny how they seem oblivious to each other. Unless a baby has what Rosa Jane wants, then she'll grab and pinch and push the baby down. It's a frustrating scene and we didn't get to stay as long as we would have liked for the $8 down. Still it was fun to get out of the house and RJ liked the slide.

The City Digs It

Over the last couple of weeks we couldn't help but notice that our neighbors had sewage issues. This morning upon my return from the Children's Museum, a bunch of fellows were on our property contemplating a driveway dig. Apparently six feet under, the sewage pipes are clogged with roots and other stuff which cause backups all along the houses on our road. Thankfully, we hadn't experienced that problem. Later in the afternoon the city decided they were not going to dig up our driveway and I'm real glad about that. Getting it to match would have been impossible. Still, I hope they get the problem fixed in a jiffy for our neighbor's sake.

Baby Sloan

Baby Sloan is already one month plus four days! Who can believe how quickly time passes?

Rosa Jane and I went to Georgetown while Don was kept busy with his company's leadership retreat. All the pictures you see in this set were taken with my newest lens called a LensBaby. As you can see it has very selective focus for all around fun images. I love it already.

Jake's 5th Birthday Party

On Sunday we went to our friend Jake's house to help him celebrate his fifth birthday. What a party it was! Here you can see the gianormous sandbox that was brought into the house for dino excavating. Party favors included papermache'd dino eggs with fun treats inside. Fun times were had by all.

Sunday at Sam and Sloan's

Rosa Jane is fascinated with babies these days. She says "baby" over and over and loves to come into Mom's computer room where there is a constant slideshow of RJ's baby photos on parade.

Here, Rosa Jane, Sloan and Sam were caught enjoying the moment.

ice princess

One two three four
Can I have a little more
five six seven eight nine ten
I love you

A B C D
Can I bring my friend to tea
E F G H I J
I love you. All Together Now.

Honey Reads RJ's Favorite Book

While I was in San Antonio, Honey came to Austin to help out with the peanut. I think it's fair to say RJ is obsessed with the book "Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type."

A Moment Truly Frozen in Time

Sunday morning I left Austin to attend Imaging Expo conference in San Antonio. The event has been so inspiring and I've met a lot of wonderful people. But now it's Wednesday and I really want to get back to Austin, but ice has blanketed the south and roads are closed. Stay tuned for more...

A Document of Our Morning

Yesterday afternoon wasn't much fun for us. Rosa Jane ran a fever a little over 100 and she was very clingy. She slept through the night and it might have helped that I played the Celtic Lullaby cd on repeat. This morning I thought she was feeling much better because she seemed so sweet and smiley. I got out my camera.

She has yellow drainage coming from her nose so although I had cancelled her 15month checkup that was supposed to be this morning, it looks like we'll be seeing the good doctor this afternoon instead. Never mind she seems just as cheerful as ever. It sure is fun to watch her put away her breakfast in the cabinet and then go after them when she decides she's hungry again. You can see how proud she is of herself in the photos.

Note the real diaper on her baby doll. It seems to be the only way to get her fired up about having her own diaper changed.

Whatever it takes!

Friday Night Lights

I think it's official that you could call the Roedner household the biggest fans of NBC's Friday Night Lights. Every week we patiently wait for the new episode and when it's not on, we're frequently found watching the back episodes on nbc.com at the computer. We quote Coach Taylor often and we ponder aloud about what will happen next week.

Earlier this week I learned about the passing of one of my all time favorite teachers, Coach Nicky Vaught. He taught us about geography in the sixth grade and took a bunch of us kids on the trip of lasting impressions to Washington D.C. He died of cancer at the age of 54. I was reading his obituary here and was overwhelmed by the similarities between all the traits I like about Coach Erik Taylor on TV and the bigger than life Coach Vault. The real life version is much better but there's an aching hole with what he has left behind. Coach inspired so many and will be missed by all. Here's to you and the example you set, Coach.

You can read his obituary here: http://i-dineout.com follow the obituary link.

The Way I See It

Since Rosa Jane came on the scene and the move out to Lakeway, we no longer dine out like in the old days of KB and Donr. And that's how we've justified our Saturday mornings with the good folks down at the local Starbucks. We sit in a corner in the back or at the front if we're in the greetin' mood.

Either way it's a nice latte-cut-the-syrup-pumps-in-half for me and a cup of java-with-no-room for Donnie Joe. Rosa Jane likes to tote my purse around the store while Dad follows her close behind. That leaves me at the table all alone. RJ mimics a lot of what she hears, especially when the Specialty Drink Maker shouts out the next order up. It comes out sounding like "Na NA naaaa NAH!!"

No one escapes the cute sunshine spell she casts upon entering a room.

And that's a look into how our Saturday kicks off into a rolling ball of ever-lovin' fun.

Escalating the game of Keep Away from Hank Bob

Rosa Jane smiles like this because she knows a secret. She has hidden Hank's ball in the secret compartment of her fire truck. Then she sits upon it. It's hilarious!

We went to Audrey's house for a playdate this afternoon. Audrey is a very sweet girl and we're looking forward to many playdates in the future.

Rosa Jane's latest developements? She sticks out her tongue like pictured and she walks around the house constantly saying "Hi!" like she hasn't seen you all day. It's the sweetest thing, really. She gets very excited when she sees a dog in real life or on tv. She says Hi! Hi! Hi and waves frantically. If only dogs could talk . . .

Guess Who We're Rootin' For?

Go BLUE! You will hear us shout it from the hill tops all the way to the Rose Bowl. Go Blue! Beat the pulp outta the Trojans. We hate them. ;-)

My new year's resolution? No more gray hairs on me!

Happy New Year!!

Don says he wants more of the good stuff we had last year. I want less surgeries and Don adds more boots for the family which really just means new boots for him since Rosa Jane and I each got new boots for Christmas and Sara got'em last July. Don wants to add he hopes to get a duck, too. I don't know why he's made this his want list blog entry. That's not how I intended this one. So I'll take over now:

Sign us all up for the world peace band wagon and bringing back our troops safely, especially Anna's new husband, Sgt David White.

We rung in the new year down at the neighbor's house. It was fun to be out, meeting new people of the lake. Funny stuff, only Robyn -- had she been here -- could do justice in the re-telling. On the way home, before the clock stroke 12, We spied some illegal fireworks.

This morning I'm still trying to figure out why Carson looks so different from how I remember him. What is it, people? Please tell me.