Fort Worth I LUV you!

Here are the pictures as promised. The title from the blog did not originate with me. It was on bumper stickers as a kid.
Metroplex posse- do they still have the stickers or has Fort Worth come up with some thing more classy?

We loved the Japanese gardens. Here we are teaching Gianna to




Hear no evil




Speak no evil



And.....





See no evil


More pictures in our photo album link on the right!

Vacation from vacation

This weekend we went to Ft Worth and had a blast. John was actually performing a wedding for a former student in InterVarsity, and we all took the chance to catch up with family and have some fun!
I grew up in Ft Worth and it made me feel old when I figured out that I had not lived there in 13 years! Most things were as I remembered them and I never got lost! We saw the botanical gardens, Trinity park with a beaver like animal, my aunt and uncle, and we finished off our time meeting Aaron and Wendy and my nieces for a great time at the Museum of Nature and Science.
Yesterday I saw and did nothing! Gianna slept for 5 hours! We were tired from our great time!
I'm still tired- so you will have to wait a little longer for some great photos, but I promise you'll see them soon!

Work out

So I've done it. I joined a gym. March was try it for a month for free. And I actually liked it. Gianna and I went and enjoyed it. Then April came and we both were sick and I sure did not want to go and do more work than I had to. But now we are back on track and healthy. We're trying to get into a pattern but so far I don't have one. Yesterday Gianna did not want to take a morning nap so we headed to the gym at nap time. So far so good. We had a good work out/play time. When we got home we had snack- me too I worked out right!?!?!?
She enjoyed cheese and crackers, me- chocolate cake. Then we played and the melt down started. Gianna is a good communicator. She lets me know when something bothers her. But this was a meltdown like I've never seen. Wailing and tears, and not even her favorite toy or lovey could snap her out of it. I finally broke down and decided to get that baby to bed. She slept and was better. And thankfully she took an afternoon nap too.
Today I left her her with John (he works from home on Thursday's), and guess what- NO NAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is a special day.

Today we celebrate a day that shows commitment, joy and enduring love. Yes it's Earth Day, but it's Grandma and Grandpa Ludlow's anniversary!
Congratulations on being married to the same person for more than 36 years!

Join the band wagon

Hold on to your hats folks- I'm getting on a soap box!
I've just seen my millionth commercial for "green" cleaning products at WalMart.
So I finally need to get this off my chest. And you my dear blog readers will benefit from my rant!
Why is everyone so caught up on being "green" all of the sudden? What happened 5 years ago when we had all the things we wanted and used everything as much as we wanted? Why are the celebrities now on board telling us how cool it is to go green? And WalMart touting it's "greenness"!?!?!?!?!?!
UGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!
I'm actually very tired of it. Why? Because my dear friends I'm already green. That's right (she says while typing on her laptop that emits enough carbon to pollute China), I'm already green. I've been composting for YEARS, and recycling too. I have taken my own bags to the store since 2000. I even made my own. I've celebrated Earth Day since we've moved to College Station, and brace yourselves kids, I wash out plastic baggies and reuse them!
It's true part of it is because I'm cheap, but still....

Really, for me, it's not about the Save the earth "cool" part of being green. I'm "Green" because of a Bible verse:
Genesis 1:27-30
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

Do you see why? I'm green because God called us to be. He GAVE us the earth to take care of. So whether or you agree with Al Gore or not, I don't really care. I don't think it should be political. I really think it's spiritual, and an act of honoring God to take care of what he gave us. Like a cherished present, you can use it, wear it out, but you take care of it. So don't just jump on the band wagon. Actually, walk the path and BE green.
What do you think?
How are you taking care of the earth?
Are you tired of all the greenness?


Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

All by myself

I just wanted to show you my brilliant daughter!

Taxes

This is my Public Service Announcement for taxes. Do them. Today.
You're welcome.

Here is Gianna and our azelea's. We took it a few weeks ago and now all the flowers are gone. A short lived flower, but beautiful!