Buenas Dias, Mexico!

Ah, Mexico: where the decision to stay next to the fan or in the water is easy, but deciding what to drink next is not.

Ellis was gorgeous! Matt was ever handsome. The wedding was short and sweet featuring songs "Be Mine" and "Clocks." Visiting and catching up with old friends was simply priceless.

While I was out, Rosa Jane started clapping her hands together. I missed them very much, but in the end, Don had a wonderful time bonding solo with Rosa Jane and I was glad to be able to enjoy time in the pool for a solid two days among old friends and new ones.

No Longer a Newborn

Tonight at 11:04 pm Rosa Jane will turn precisely 11 months old. In my head "Another One Bites the Dust" plays. Another month bites the dust, hey! hey! Another one down, and another one down. Another month bites the dust! Hey, Gonna Get You, too. Another one bites the dust.

She stands, but makes not an inch moving forward. She says "Mamma" all the time. I'm not sure that she knows she is saying my name, but I say, "Yes, Rosa Jane?" just the same.
This morning as she plays in my office, I noticed she isn't eating paper like she used to. She just plays gingerly with it. We're heading to our first play group this morning. We'll see how it goes. I leave early, early tomorrow for Mexico. Don and RosaJane and HankBob are staying put. How I will miss them all!

"Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver, the other gold."

Saturday we celebrated Ellis. My longest time friend who is getting married to Matt in Mexico this weekend. I'm looking foward to the celebration with family and friends in a foreign country not to mention the authentic pina coladas oceanside.

The last ten years or so have kept us going our separate ways. But now that we're all back in Texas, and time with family isn't so scarce, I look forward to spending more time her and her soon-to-be husband.

Waiting for the Queso

Thursday we rushed around like chickens with our heads cut off so that we could enjoy one last fellowship over queso especiale at Trudy's North. HMMMM, delicious.

Sculpture by Robyn M. Holley

Robyn flew like a bird yesterday. She'll be housesitting and doing the work. On Thursday night she had a big unveilling of the lady sculptures she finished during her time in Austin. The ladies are gorgeous. Click on the link to see more of them.

Standing proud

Last night we had a fun girls night at the house eatin' a sinful dinner of nachos followed by brownies and vanilla ice cream goin' down the hatch! Rosa Jane was too tired to stay up and partake in all the fun, but before she went down, she was standing tall for the longest time. I told Sarah, if I go get the camera, she'll be sitting by the time I get back. But just look at her, will ya? There's more in this set, too. From time to time, I splurge on the sale apparel at Babystyle. I love this little outfit... it says "Mon cherie" or something like that... I don't speak or write French, but I knew her daddy would appreciate it.
There are cherries on the shirt and the orange pants.

Robby leaves today, but we aren't talking about that. Avoiding goodbyes and saying, "see ya real soon" is the only way we'll get through.

What is Fate?

It's early July. The Pixie visits. My cousin calls to invite me to hear the Black Crowes with her. I decline. The next day I realized they were playing as close to our neighborhood as you could get, The Backyard. There's a major story in the news of a drunk driver running over 5 pedestrians waiting to cross HWY71. I hear one is in intensive care, but no names are released.

Fast forward to today. I'm shooting my friend's babies in south Austin. Camille tells me about Jeff Wilson, but the news is so shocking and I can't believe he was one of the ones injured in the July accident. Jeff passed July 10th. Jeff was my fast-talkin', knowitall neighbor at Baylor sophomore year. We briefly reconnected in 2004 when he responded to my classmates.com email -- something about him making one of the best mix tapes I ever had called Super Bubble. He visted Boston to see Phish in concert and that's just before this picture was taken with Camille. I can't believe that crazy cat is gone. Life is way too short.

Date Night On the Town

Honey came into town on Wednesday to babysit for us last night. Newcomers turned out to be 1000 retirees. For our real live first date night in Austin, we ended up on the Austin Duck tour doing the chicken dance over and over and over again. Granted we did meet lots of nice people with grandchildren the age of our daughter. I guess that's an indirect playgroup. Enjoy the pictures....

The Bloom that Changed Everything

Today it finally rained briefly on Rudder. There had been tstorms in the area for the last couple of days, but never did quite make it to Rudder. I've been praying for rain -- rain to wash away worries and cares and parched plants. If things didn't change, I was going to put together an imix of "rain" songs, like Patty Griffin's RAIN, and Counting Crows Rain King, etc. I didn't have to go that far today.

When we first moved to Rudder, we bought several lantana plants and potted them. We're learning that they don't really like pots, but we're stubborn to change our plans. Two of the three got scorched on the front porch. Rescue Robyn on a mission trimmed them down to nubs to help them grow back. One made it, the other didn't. Today, on the plant that bounced back, I found its first bloom of yellow flowers. I couldn't wait to share the news with Robyn when she got home.


Before I could even tell her, she said, "things changed today." And boy did they. She's going back to DC next week and I'm really happy for her, but sad and scared for me and the little peanut. I know things will be great for her -- she'll get to finish her projects and it will be great for all of us, too. She sold her bed and is selling her car. I know those things are little, but somehow they strike a permanent chord -- like she's not coming back.

Without knowing her plans, I took my own babysteps today and joined the community club... now I can be a part of playgroups and meet other newcomers to the area.

So life is getting ever brighter and ever better... even if it is scary and sad at first. We're really going to miss having her around, especially little Rosa Jane. Auntie Robyna is the best. All the more reason to get out the video camera for these last few days with her.

Who's gonna make my margaritas now???

this is my new favorite photo

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Originally uploaded by The Roedner Fam.

RosaJane pulls a Francis!

Somehow I managed to pull Rosa Jane's long hairs in two different directions to make a Francis 'do! Her pigtails are real cute, but that style is so Francis that it is engrained in my head as something only Francis could do. So today I'm spending the day with my version of Francis. Click on the picture to see freshly done up 'do and slightly later after naps and gravity have taken their course.

I talked with the Guldes today and they all sound so happy and in love and truly remorseful for going so cold turkey on the updates. They promised me to have something more posted later today. It's been only 3 days by the look on the calendar, but that seems like forever when there is so much happening in their house right now... I mean, gimme some Scout meeting George pictures, for crying out loud! ;-)

Happy Friday!

Nuttin' cuter than big blue eyes even if they are reaaaaal tired.

Caeden attacks her Mom and Cutie Bailey poses

Last Sunday, Roby and I went to San Antonio to hang with visiting Mary from California. We spent most of the day in the pool playing with the precious as all get out Becker girls. Click on the picture to see more.

My parents had stopped by Friday night just in time to eat Mexican and exchange cold germs. RJ and I have it. Don and Roby do not. I hope they don't get it. RJ is being a real trooper about it, but she hasn't been sleeping through the night like she usta. I suspect it's a combo of a sorethroat and teething, but who really knows.

This morning I took RJ and Hank for a long, long, long, long walk. I took a wrong turn and ended up walking forever through what seemed to be death valley, aka through the new development near our house. I really thought I was going to die walking up those intense hills with hot sun. We were gone for almost two hours. I can't wait to take the car out and find out exactly how far we walked.

Congratulations to Matt, Sally, Francis and Scout on their newest addition, George!

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Originally uploaded by The Gulde Family.

Yesterday afternoon about 4 p.m., the world was made just a little better. Sweet baby George finally decided to join the Guldes in Chicago. I'm so happy and ecstatic for them.

Plus, I think George might just have the potential we'll be looking for in Rosa Jane's mate. Of course, that is years down the road. In the meantime we all wish them well from the Roedner Ranch.

Kickin' back in the hot sun in Richland

Last weekend, RJ and I trekked to Richland to hang with the family during these hot, hot days in north Texas. I think they had experienced ten straight days of triple digits so why the heck not go to Richland to sweat it out with them? Honey and Granddad left on Saturday to go to a wedding in GlenRose. I can't even remember what Caren and I did. I think we stayed inside and watched Failure to Launch. I've gotten so used to being somewhat far away from RJ at night so that when we were right next to each other I could hear her every wimper starting at two-ish a.m. .. but who really knows what time it is. The alarm clock never seems to be set to the right time and who am I to adjust it? I'm on vacation.

One of my favorite parts about being in Richland is hearing that 5o'clock train roar by in the pitch black dark. The dogs (and there are some 15 dogs) howl right back with the lonely whistle.

Oops, I think I forgot to mention . . .

when I was speaking with Sally this afternoon that not ONLY is it Rosa Jane's 10 month birthday, but also it's Most Talented, Cutest Cutie contest day.

I don't think I have to tell you who won. But I will give you a hint: She can play on the piano (right AND left hands) and sing "happy birthday to me" by heart. Click on the photo to see even more from this significant day.

Living the Good Life with Rosa Jane

These are the dog days of summer. We're finding ourselves more comfortable inside than out on the streets running errands and then getting back into a steaming hot car. ICK... but still, it's better than bundling up for the winter. They are probably still wearing jackets in Boston. ;-)

This past weekend, Robyn and I took RJ swimming. She loves kicking her feet in her new float. It's a great way to wear her out so she sleeps soundly, too. Don worked slavishly hard on my newly redesigned photography website. It may be a week before it is launched, but we're having fun putting it together.

You can see more random pictures from the last three weeks by clicking on this photo.

Whoa! Inner Space Cavern Tours!

In 1963 as the Texas Department of Transportation was building Interstate 35, they kept losing their drill bits and didn't know why. It turns out they were building atop the cavern that is now called Inner Space. Boy, did it rock. At one point they turned out all the lights and we were in complete and total darkness. Don carried Rosa Jane most of the way, but when I came near her, she clinged to me like never before. My sister's family drove from Richland to spend the weekend with us. From here they head to Sea World SA or bust. Click on the picture to see more....

Our favorite girls!

We love these girls so much. What a blessing they are to us! I only wish we had more time all together...

Happy Fourth of July, Y'all!!

If y'all thought Rosa Jane was cute back then, you should see her now! She is an absolute delight to be around and she knows it, too. We mimic her pats on the tabletop and her little woos. She now babbles with her hands playing with her mouth and delights herself with the new sounds.

There are only two exceptions to this bit of joy which I can think of at the moment: 1. When there's a bowl full of guacomole on the table and she just can't get her fill. For better or worse, she's developed a little wimper cry that says, "what about me?! Gimme more!" 2. When it's naptime and Momma tries to soothe her. She will have NONE of it and only grows more furious. She has quite the temper, but a sweet disposition most of the time. To the best that we can tell, Rosa Jane doesn't hold a grudge and that helps us to sleep more soundly.

The Pixie came to play with us for the long weekend and we all had a wonderful time. Yesterday was mostly sad though because she left before noon and left a gaping hole. No fireworks for us. I keep telling myself that we will get out and see them again... but for the last few occasions you would have found us by the TV.