Super Birthday Saturday!!!

Lori, Sarah and I met up at California Pizza Kitchen at the Domain for a birthday lunch in Lori's honor. Her birthday was on Oct 31...yes, Halloween!, but she wasn't in town, so we waited till after the crazy fun of the holidays to meet up and celebrate a fabulous friend.

We chatted and ate and laughed and ate and ate and ate...starting of with the garlic cheese fogyish with checca because we couldn't decide on our entrees, then we each had a salad ...I had the Miso Salad with shrimp, then we split their Margherita Neapolitan pizza yummmmmmmy!!!! And if we weren't full enough, our super cute server made sure Lori got her red velvet cake instead of the regular birthday Sunday. Mmmmmm red velvet cake :) Happy Birthday Lori!!!
After our hugs and goodbye's I got home in time to get things together for Blake's family birthday. Juliet wanted us to meet her family and keep on sharing in Blake's birthdaypalooza. Plus, she and Daryl hadn't met.
Oh, we had fun. There was a house full of people and some of Blake's cousins. Alexandria and Andrew were so cute. Alexandria mostly hung out with Juliet's 11 yr old daughter, Monique, but little Andrew was around hanging with Blake and Mia. Blake really likes his Leap Frog ride-on gift from Mia :)
There was tons of food, and little miss Mia played with Blake until she spied the cupcakes on the counter..the girl is getting tall! Then she just hung out there saying 'cupcake, cupcake' until she heard Juliet talking in the other room. Mia followed Juliet's melodic voice in search of cupcakes. She finally scored one, and was satisfied.

After a fun time there we went back home for some rest. Then I got ready and went over to Cheng Chen's to celebrate her birthday!!!! 4 birthdays in 2 days!! Juliet asked me if hosting or attending parties was harder. Well, hosting of course. She let me know that I may have gone to 4, she HOSTED 2! I love her :)
Oh, now she's telling everyone, and has given me permission to as well. She's PREGNANT!!!!!!! It's a girl due Sept 1st!!!! I told her I knew an awesome mom that makes amazing diapers. It took her a while and she was a little sore, but she finally got that I meant HER :)
We all had such a blast at Cheng's party. There was fabulous food, champagne (non-alcoholic for the pregnant mama) and we all had a great time chatting. A few super close friends of Cheng's were there, and I recognized a couple from Phoebe's (Cheng's daughter) birthday party, Juliet, Liesle, Esther and Melissa were also there. So there was much talk of pregnancy, and our past lives and wishes. It's nice to be able to relax and talk about anything.

Doll House

I scored a Fisher Price Loving Family doll house for $40 on craigslist for Mia, and we picked it up Friday after Blake's birthday party. Mia was so exhausted after the party, she napped until her Dada came home. So they checked it out together.

Other than Mia calling the doll wearing a dress a 'Dada' and then trying to put the male dad doll in the oven, they had fun :)

Then they both flashed me with doll butts! video of the fun

Happy Birthday Blake!!!!

Birthday Boy Blake

Friday, one of Mia's dearest friends, Blake celebrated his 2nd birthday, and we were there. Blake had around 20 little friends over, and they all brought their mamas, so it was a full house. I finally got to meet Juliet's husband, Krinken. He was so super sweet and running around grilling hot dogs and burgers in the cold (he even put the lighter back so Juliet found it easily when it was time to light Blake's candle), cleaning up spilled coffee, and helping Juliet out with whatever she needed. They were a great team.

Juliet made some of her super sneaky cupcakes. She added pumpkin puree this time, and they were simply delicious. Ask Mia who followed Juliet around, knowing she was the gateway to the cupcakes :) All the kids and mamas found a spot on the floor and we enjoyed a birthday picnic. Mia, Blake and Gwen got to sit at his picnic table :)

Juliet and Krinken's birthday gift to Blake was a super cool train set with table and everything. It was very popular with the kids as was Blake's 4-wheeler that we recived for Christmas. Blake and Mia were not sure about it, but Roarke and Gwen had to battle for turns :) train table fun

The kids all played very well together. It was a fun, carefree birthday blast! Happy Birthday Blake!!!!

Gigi with her eyes on Juliet's chips

Kids "Noon" Year's Celebration

Gwen had a fabulous time!

Mama's Elsa & Melissa co-hosted a New Year's Bash for the kiddos yesterday morning. Melissa's house was full of crazy kids!. I got to hang out with old friends and make some new ones...that's always nice :)

Pal Sarah

Mia had a fabulous time. She feels so comfy at her Auntie M's house, and has been around this bunch of kids for a while now. She hung out with her cousin Gwen for a while, then colored her shaker with her pal, Sarah. Sarah gave Mia a snowflake sticker, and she immediately wanted it on her nose. Sarah, was a little puzzled as to WHY Mia had one on her nose, but ended up wanting one for her nose as well.

The sticker twins

Mama Leah Ann, brought her two children, Liam & Allie. Allie was recently adopted into their family, so there were many rounds of congratulations! Allie had the cutest t-shirt on that said 'Sleep is for Suckers'! LOVE it!

Another new kid on the block was Aidan. He's a little older than Mia, and he was just mesmerized by the jack in the box that he called Jacqueline in the Box. He pretty much called dibs on it, and wouldn't share it at all. Not a problem, because Gwen had soooo many toys to go around, but Aidan's mama hid it on a trip to the potty. He wanted his object of obsession back, but he moved onto other things quite well.

There were bunches of snacks, but Mia and her pal, Sarah stood at the gate begging to muffins. I think Mia had about 4, and at one point she shoved a whole one in her mouth because she noticed another in my hand and wanted it!


Melissa made crowns for all the kids out of the borders that teachers use for bulletin boards. Mia's was sparkly and she loved it. Once we were done, and walked out to the car, she couldn't get enough of her reflection she found.

More pics here

Roller Girl

This afternoon, Mia and I met up with some O' Mamas & their girls. Courtney & Izzy (Isabel) and Allison & Sarah. Sarah is smitten with Mia because 'Mia' is her favorite name in the whole world. Izzy is 3 and Sarah will be 3 this Spring. Mia, not even 2 yet, was the youngest by far.

Mia, Izzy & Sarah

We met up at the Round Rock Roller Rink for some skating fun. The place was PACKED full of kids of all ages. Everyone was still off for the holidays and making the most of it. They have these cute little plastic skates that fit over toddler's shoes and then adjust to fit perfectly. Izzy was ready to go in a flash, Sarah watched a little then went for it...Mia? Well, she was more interested in the air hockey game :)

Mia & Izzy

The rink had an area at one end of the rink that kept the non-skaters separated from the crazy fast skaters that whizzed by. Mia had no interest in putting the skates on her feet, so she pushed them around like cars for a while.

Mia plays with her 'cars' while Sarah & her mama, Allison go by

After a few minutes of watching the girls with their skates and seeing that their mamas didn't let them go, Mia was ready to try hers on. She loved when I held on to her hands, she let her body go limp while I pushed her around. We did that for a while, then she was done. I knew this adventure was scheduled right in the smack of naptime, but we had an easy morning, so we went....didn't last long, but we went. Mia had her first wonderful experience roller skating.

Mia's got her skates on!

Since the place was packed, and is really only open on weekends and holidays, we mamas decided to invest in toddler skates for the girls. They should fit (adjustable) until they're around 7 years old! (they'll be on her Amazon wish list if anyone is interested) ;)

Mia skates!

Pre-skating fun:

It was a very happy new year's day

Poor Daryl had to work all morning, Mia was at her Nana's & Paw Paw's, so I had a lot of free time that morning to take the Christmas tree down and put away all our ornaments and decorations. One great thing about having well over 2,000 lights on the tree was that it was so pretty. One not so wonderful part, was unwinding the lights from the tree. A perk of having a real tree is that by the time you're ready to take it down, the ends break so the ornaments and lights were pretty easy to take down....time consuming, but easy. The tree did try to attack me whilst hauling it outside. I can away with only 2 long scratches on my arm. You don't want to see the tree...it wasn't handled too gently after that.

Dada & Mia play with Legos

After tree wrangling, wrapping all the ornaments in tissue, realizing that we need to purchase one more huge tub for Christmas stuff, vacuuming bazillions of pine needles, I showered and headed southwest to Dripping Springs.

Joe with two gorgeous girls

Right when I walked in, Gwen was in the middle of receiving her breathing treatment. It freaked Mia out a bit, so I was glad that I was able to sweep her up, carry her to the back room and read the fish book over and over. Because of it, she know knows the difference between a shrimp and a crab, but she still calls jellyfish jelly beans :)

Gwen gets a big kiss from her Daddy

The rest of the day was so freakin' fabulous! The kids played well together. Well, Mia didn't like it when Gwen got in the wagon. Both girls have their own at home, so they both thought that the other was encroaching upon their territory. Mia ended up with a sticker on her nose. Once Daryl arrived, we all gathered for a family picture. I'm so glad I have a timer on my camera. I think it turned out rather well.

The Gleisners from the left: Melissa, Gwen, Joe, Tom (Paw Paw), Dee (Nana), Daryl, Tanya, Mia & Memaw (Laura) seated.

Dee out did herself with dinner. She cooked up some wonderfully tender crown rack of pork, green beans and the yummiest mashed potatoes.....garlic, butter and half n half will do it every time. Mia ate a lot more than I thought she would considering she either had a cookie or a lollipop in her hand at all times. That's one thing about Nana's, they get to spoil their granddaughters, and Dee does it so very well :)

Mia drawing with her Memaw

When we made it home, the snapper went to bed immediately. Daryl and I were tickled to have her under the same roof again. I do miss the lights and decorations, but I think the living room and our counter space must have grown....we have so much space now that the holidays are over.

New Years Eve Party @ Krista & Shane's

From the top: Lauren (Brandon's gfriend), Brandon, Kayla (BJ's Gfriend) & sweet Loren

With the snapper off at her Nana & Paw Paw's house, Daryl and I were free to party..once he got home from work. We got dolled up...Daryl got dressed...I got dolled up, and we hit Krista & Shane's New Year's Bash. I hadn't been to their home since their wedding (I was a bridesmaid), and they've done such amazing things. The place was beautiful, homey and comfy. It always helps to have a gorgeous pool table in the front room along with a full size Ms. Pacman/Galaga arcade game.

Diane & Marquis

We had a wonderful time hanging with our friends...They broke out Call to Duty on the Xbox 360, and Marquis let me be read the text while he was sniping and trying not to get mauled by wild dogs.

Nick watching his Gayani play

Shane had recently spent 45 minutes in a magic store, and had come away with a great trick. He took his drivers license and made it spin and float in mid air. It really was a good trick, and he was so proud of himself. I adore that he still has fun on his terms.

Shane the Magic Man:

Me and My Grrrl, Krista

We left a little early because Daryl had to work the next day, so we made it home safe and sound. Then we got all comfy on the sofa and watched the ball drop together. I love that I get to give the rest of my New Year kisses to him :)

The Sweetest Couple in the World