Fancy Nancy

Tonight Ruby and I went to the Fancy Nancy book party at the Maumelle Library. They read both of the Fancy Nancy books, made tiaras, ate cupcakes and punch, and got candy necklaces. Ruby was so excited to dress-up in her fanciest attire, wear big girl earrings, blush and lip gloss. These are our so sweet and fun neighbors, Morgan and Gavin. Thanks for the invite, April! It was a lot of fun!.............. FYI: Fancy Nancy is the cutest book- a must for little girls! We borrowed Morgan's before the event but would love to have our own copy and the newest Jane O'Connor, Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (hint hint YaYa) =)

Toddler Laughs

I caught Ruby taking care of some mid-day B.O. I just wish she would ask before borrowing my deodarant.

Fun with Sissy

Trip's expression in this 1st pic. cracks me up! Later that week he was also made to play Princess Trip.

Ruby's 1st Sleepover

A couple of weeks ago Somer became miserably sick so Vivian hung out with us for the day and spent the night. The girls had a blast and having 3 actually wasn't too bad! Of course, Rex was at home so I had a lot of help. I took the girls with me to run an errand at the mall and several people made comments on "those cute twins!" The strawberry milkshakes at Chik-fil-A were a big hit with both of them. .......... In the 1st pic, Ruby had just had a major collision with our bedroom door which is why she has red marks all over her face.

The Ole Saloon Days

Happy 4-year anniversary, Rexy!! (Ok, I'm a little early but I thought I'd go on and post this since you'll be on vacation next week and won't have the opportunity to enjoy seeing this from work) I can't believe we've been together 8 years!! Did you ever think when this photo was taken that 8 years later we'd be married with 2 kids? Ok, maybe married but definitely not 2 kids! (This was one of our very first photos- Branson, Sept. 1999) I love you soooooooo much! Paaaaartner, you're the best husband I could've ever dreamed of!!!

Couch Potatoes

Today I had to fetch Trip out from under the couch which was something I often had to do for Ruby. Here's Ruby shimmied up under the couch at 6 months and Trip now 5 1/2 months.

Baby Bauer is finally here!!

I am so happy that Trip's destined-to-be best buddy has arrived. He is 8 lbs. 11 oz. and he and Somer are doing great! I hate that I have a cold and can't go see him. Congrats Day Family!!

Ruby's New Dress

I made my first dress today! Those of you that sew are thinking, "whoopty doo- a pillowcase dress!" I think it turned out pretty cute and Ruby likes it.

Trip at 5 months

I can't believe Trip is almost 5 months! Today he loved sporting the sticker that sissy gave him.

He's now eating some cereal at night for dinner. Yesterday he cut his 1st tooth so he'll be chewin' in no time.

I have several cute pics of Ruby in Bible class at this age so I wanted to get some of Trip. Unfortunately, Trip is an empathy cryer and it seems like there's always someone in his class that's screamin' at the top of their lungs which makes him very uneasy. He's Mr. Happy Pants just as long as everybody else is happy. What a sweet, caring guy!

Goofy Ruby

Today Ruby put on this hat, the Ms. Potato Head glasses, and came up to me and said, "I'm ready to go swimmin'!" I guess this was her version of a swimcap and goggles.

Then, she got a hold of the markers that I thought I had put out of her reach. When I found her covered in ink she exclaimed, "Lipsthtick!" She really thought she was lookin' good until I showed her herself in the mirror. She was horrified and immediately covered her face with her hands and wanted me to wash it off. Too cute!.............. Notice she also has the inside of her nostrils colored!

Reunion Weekend

My 10-year reunion was this past weekend and I had a blast getting to see everyone. Above I'm with 2 of my 3 best girlfriends from high school, Sheila and Leigh, who are both pregnant with baby #3! Where were you Kate?...... Sunday afternoon we got our kids together but were unable to get any good pics of all of them together. They were having too much fun running around and playing together. I did catch the girls in the back yard enjoying a popsicle: Ruby, Molly (Sheila's 3 yr. old), Mary Hogan (Leigh's 2 yr. old), and Betsy (Leigh's almost 4 yr. old).

Our day in the backyard

We spent a couple of hours today just hangin' out in the blow-up pool. Ruby and Trip are already starting to enjoy playing together and it's fun to watch them interacting...... Kudos to the inventor of the swim diaper! Check out Trip's giant diaper bomb!

Stuck on You photos

Trip at 4 months

Trip hasn't had a solo post in a while. Here's the cutie pie just being his typical happy, happy self. He now rolls over both ways, holds and plays with toys, babbles, and is making good strides at sitting up on his own. How time has flown!

Ruby's Day with "Carnie" Dora

I'm sorry Vivian, but I think you've been replaced by Ruby's new best friend, Carnie Dora (Ruby won her at the county carnival with her Nene and Pappaw). Today I was in the kitchen and heard Ruby having a conversation with someone in the living room. Carnie Dora had joined Ruby at the picnic table and they were sharing a snack. Then they had some fun together with the JohnnyJumper.

......... then the rocking chair.

Fortunately, Carnie Dora got tired and wanted to take a nap.

Then Ruby decided that her little bro. was much more fun!!!

Awesome fabric!

This post is for you, Shores, Natalie, Katie and any of you other seamstresses or hope-to-be seamstresses. You have to check out this blog. She has awesome fabric and links to all kinds of great ideas...... Thanks Somer!

Somer's Shower...... not so fragrant!

I love this picture because it isn't often that I'm the tall one! Very pregnant Somer is in the middle and to the left is her close friend, Celeste, who I guess I can say is now my friend. I thought the event went splendidly aside from the TUNA bouquet! All three of us smelled something stank but hated to say something. I was thinking that it was Celeste house, Celeste was thinking that it was the flowers I had just bought, yadda yadda. Well finally I had to admit that something smelled fishy and Celeste was right! The culprit was this Limonium or Statice, that I found a picture of below, that was in the floral arrangement. It smelled like a mix of tuna fish and a corpse!! From what I've read online, this shouldn't always smell this badly so just be sure you take a whif of Limonium before you buy it. Rotting corpse isn't exactly the scent that you want welcoming your guest to a baby shower. Not to worry though, we pulled all of the Stank Weed out and gave the house a good Febreze which I think fixed the problem. We were left with a slightly skimpy floral arrangement but that was much better than smelling death while trying to enjoy ice cream.

Ok, here it goes....

I've Been TAGGED.....

1. God, Rex, Ruby, and Trip are my passion.
2. I pray daily that I will be a good steward of Ruby & Trip's lives.
3. I too am very obsessive about my house, though you wouldn't know that at the moment by the piles of laundry needing to be folded on my kitchen counters.

4. I recently took up sewing though I can't seem to find time to do it lately.
5. I think my Honda Odyssey minivan is super cool! I wouldn't drive anything else!
6. I am endlessly thankful for what an amazing provider Rex is and that I am able to stay home to raise my babies.
7. Rex is my best friend.
8. Rex means "king" and Stephanie means "queen or crowned one."
9. I have almost every single card or note that I've received from anyone since 7th grade.
10. One of my proudest moments was giving birth to Trip naturally.
11. I desperately miss Italy and traveling abroad.
12. I still dream of one day living in New York City.
13. I am very excited about having a little extra money that I will earn myself from my new job.
14. I really want a 3rd baby but Rex says, "NO!"
15. I hope that our children can go to a private Christian school but a small part of me would consider homeschooling.
16. I am uplifted by my MOPS girls.
17. I LOVE Little Rock but do miss Memphis.
18. I miss my Harding Academy and HU girls.
19. I am thankful for my new friend, Somer- a true friend and inspiration.
20. Seeing Somer deal with the loss of her mother has helped me understand how hard it must have been on my mother.
21. Ruby and Trip have the 4 most awesome grandparents in the world.
22. I am addicted to sugar and the internet.
23. I love Starbucks Frappucinnos and Planet Smoothie.
24. As is no surprise from #23, I still need to lose 20 pounds from my pregnancy with Trip.
25. We're shopping for a treadmill at the moment.
26. I try to buy organics and absolutely no products that are enriched or contain high fructose corn syrup or anything hydrogenated.
27. My mother is amazing. She inspires me.
28. I can't stand for the toilet lid to be left up.
29. I wish a could go to the movies more often.
30. I'm looking forward to my high school reunion in 3 weeks.
31. Recently I feel a desire to develop a deeper relationship with Christ.
32. I hate scrapbooking.
33. I'm 28 and still have issues with acne.
34. I love to sing but have never been comfortable singing solo.
35. Ironically, I want to take guitar lessons.
36. People tell me that I have really tiny ears.

37. My brother is the funniest person I've ever known.

38. I love to entertain and have company over.

39. Rex and I LOVE to cruise!

40. I've given up rap and only listen to Christian radio. I have no clue what music is now popular.

41. I don't think I will ever have plastic surgery.

42. I hate to clean the shower and mop floors so Rex usually does those things.

43. My favorite colors are bright greens and blues.

44. I can't swallow big pills.

45. I don't buy DVDs (except for Ruby and Trip). There are very few movies that I would want to see more than once.

46. I go to garage sales almost every weekend.

47. Bananas make my gums sore and peeling potatoes makes my hands sting and itch.

48. I recently started praying and reading Bible stories with Ruby before bed and it has become my favorite time of the day.

49. I have a crush on Trip. He is just the cutest thing ever.

50. I'm ashamed to admit that I like "Sex in the City" and "Grey's Anatomy" and that I think "Knocked Up" may be the funniest movie I've ever seen.

51. At the movies I would much rather have Raisinets, preferably dark chocolate ones, than popcorn.

52. I'm proud of the recent progress that I've made in computer knowledge. A few months ago I don't think I was totally sure what a blog was!

53. My bunko group is a ton of fun.

54. I like to bowl and play tennis but never do.

55. I wish Rex and I had more time together with just the 2 of us.

56. I'm a major Wheelhead. Every night at 6:30 you can bet that Wheel of Fortune is on at my house.

57. I love board games, especially Scrabble.

58. I only have 1 grandparent still living. I have fun memories of playing Gin Rummy (spelling- ?) with him and still do sometimes when I visit.

59. I'm giving a baby shower tomorrow that I should be preparing for but instead I'm sitting here trying to come up with 100, which feels like 1000, things about myself!

60. I'm not a picky eater at all but I think pork rinds are absolutely disgusting.

61. As most know, someone attempted to kidnap me when I was in 1st grade.

62. I LOVE Disney World and can't wait for Ruby and Trip to be old enough to go.

63. I'm developing a weird obsession with monogramming. If I had the time and $ I'd probably monogram every possible thing in my house.

64. I collect Limoge boxes and Fleur de Lis.

65. I don't iron.

66. I never get tired of Seinfeld reruns.

67. I can't tell you the last book that I read, which makes me feel completely uncivilized, but that's just the season of life that I'm in right now.

68. I've been all over Europe but have never been to California.

69. A couple of years ago I saw Steven Tyler at a movie theatre here in Little Rock and we made eye contact!!!

70. I wish I could read the Bible much more often.

71. I can't live without Bare Minerals, Clean 'n Clear oil absorbing sheets, and Shiseido mascara.

72. I wish I could get a pedicure and a massage every week.

73. I love that Rex wears swimtrunks when he and Ruby take a shower together. (not because i think he should- it just cracks me up)

74. I love how Rex loves to spend time with our kids.

75. I've never had to deal with a major tragedy in my life and I am fearful of that day.

76. I really think 28 is going to be the best year ever for me.

77. I feel like I'm discovering and accepting my true self.

78. I've always wondered why they don't just make ketchup packets bigger since everyone uses more than one.

79. I've never liked to drink water but have gotten better about it since getting pregnant with Ruby.

80. I love new challenges.

81. I get a true rush from finding a great bargain.

82. I love to go to consignment shops.

83. I like to cook and try new recipes but don't often since Rex is the pickiest eater ever and he is rarely home for dinner.

84. I can't stand for my bed to be unmade.

85. If Rex gets in the bed first, I will straighten the sheets and retuck them before I get into the bed..... I call it my fluff. I have to do a fluff.

86. I also have to have the throw pillows stacked a certain way on the floor. They can't just be tossed aside.

87. I almost always eat meals 1 item at a time i.e. all of the corn, then all of the green beans, then the chicken.

88. My brother does this too and my parents are stumped as to why because they don't.

89. A few months ago I gave away my 2 cats that I had for 6 years and it was really hard for me.

90. I keep in touch with the sweet lady that took them and she has given me a new perspective on life. I am very appreciative of her.

91. Getting rid of the cats has made my life easier by leaps and bounds- no litter box or fur.

92. I miss singing in choirs like I did all through high school.

93. I wish I could just hang out with my brother more.

94. I'm proud of him for going to law school and passing the bar.

95. I need to get a cushion for my computer chair because my rump hurts.

96. I love that Rex and Ruby go on bike rides together.

97. I look forward to when Trip is big enough to go so we can all go for rides as a family.

98. I'm craving a shaved ice right now.

99. I could not be more happy and content with my life right now.

100. I am truly blessed- thank you God!

Whoooo- that was a doozy! I tag Summer and Somer.

Ruby the Supermodel

Ok, I promise that Ruby hasn't been reading "Cosmopolitan" though it appears that she's really trying to strike a professional pose in this 1st photo. I had to get a picture of her in that outfit because those are my OshKosh overalls from when I was little. As for the 2nd, photo I think she looks super cute today in her pigtails. Ruby just left with her Pappaw, Rex's dad, and Mammaw Jessie, Rex's grandmother, to spend the weekend in Heber with them. Though I will, of course, miss her to pieces, I'm looking forward to having one less child and possibly getting caught up on a few things.

My New Home Business

I'm super excited to have found a fun way to make a little extra money! Stuck on You makes personalized labels that are waterproof, microwave safe, UV resistant, and dishwasher safe. Ruby has some waterproof labels that came from another company that didn't hold up in the dishwasher but the Stuck on You labels are awesome! Their iron-on labels and clothing tattoos are completely washing machine and dryer safe too. They are a must-have if you have kiddos and they make great baby shower gifts. They have hundreds of practical uses: to label sippy cups and bottles, pacifiers, and burp cloths just to name a few. Also, if you sew, the iron-on labels are a great way to show that something was handmade by you. Please take a look at the website to see how adorable they are and spread the word to all your friends that I'm now an agent with Stuck on You. If you live in the Little Rock area, I'm going to be having a "Kick Off" party in September....... and, yes, I'm totally using my blog to plug my new business! =)

Ruby's Rainy Day

Ruby got this adorable rain slicker and boots yesterday from her YaYa and D-Daddy. Today, she was quick to notice that it was raining and was excited to go try them out. She helped me walk some mail to the mailbox and then took a few splashes in some puddles. I love to see how such simple things can bring so much joy to a child!

Ruby's 2nd Birthday

Check out the adorable Max & Ruby cake that my mom made. Ruby loved it and it was mighty tasty!! Thank you YaYa!

Here is my mom with Trip.

It seems that I got lots of good pictures of everyone but the birthday girl! To the left is my dear friend, Somer and her CUTE little girl and Ruby's best friend, Vivian. Though I think she looks absolutely beautiful, I know Somer would want me to make it known that she is 8+ months pregnant. Baby Bauer, who is destined to be Trip's best buddy, will be arriving soon.

All the guys seemed to enjoy just hanging out in the kitchen. Up above is my handsome brother, Jeremy, then my Dad (D-Daddy), Rex's Dad (Pappaw), Rex's brother, Cash, and of course, Rex.

Happy 2nd birthday Ruby!!!