Overnight in Austin

On Saturday, our family attended the quarterly "waiting family" support group weekend at our adoption agency. We've been active with our agency, waiting to adopt again, since the summertime. We were matched with a birthmom in December, but before we could take custody of the baby, she was pressured by her family to relinquish to a distant cousin. CPS got involved as our agency was pushed away, and ultimately, that little girl wasn't meant to be ours. Our social worker felt awful about the failed match, but we know God has a greater plan and we had peace. The social worker joked that maybe this loss meant there was a little boy in our future, but we'll see. We'd be blessed by a new little family member, regardless of gender. In the meantime, we wait -- and attend support group meetings.

Because we had to make an out-of-town trip for the meeting, we opted to make the whole weekend one of getaways. James took the day off work on Friday, and he and Bub spent the day in Houston at a baseball card convention. They added a few cards to their collections before enjoying a night in a hotel room, then we all drove in from different directions to attend the meeting.

After support group, James took Bub and the two littlest ladies home while Gracie, Brystol, and I drove to Austin. Because we were coming in in the evening, we drove straight to South Congress Avenue to browse the cool shops and hit up the food trucks. We dined on Thai food, bought sweets at Big Top Candy Shop, and tried on sunglasses and vintage clothes at a few of the shops. We picked up a couple of new Barbie dolls before heading back to the hotel room (where two happy girls played together for a couple of hours before sleeping). The next day, we enjoyed the hotel pool and hot tub before hitting up the Round Rock outlet mall on the way home. It's always so special to have some alone time with one or two kiddos. We all enjoy the individual attention and time to reconnect.

NYC Girl's Trip: Day Four

Sunday was our final day in New York City, and after three super busy days, we decided to slow way down on Sunday morning. We had breakfast at a nearby luncheonette and we spent the morning strolling through Central Park. We were both just a little bit sad to leave the city, but we were super excited to return to our homes and families. Four fun-filled days was just enough time to see and do all we wanted. New York City was amazing -- I can't wait to return with James and all of the kids!

Breakfast at the New York Luncheonette

Dakota Hotel and Strawberry Fields

Sunday Morning in Central Park

NYC Girl's Trip: Day Three

Day three in New York City was to be as long and as busy as day two. We began the day with a second trip to Ess-a-Bagel (so delicious!), and though we didn't have a lot of actual sightseeing planned, we had planned a long day of shopping. Between the flea market in Hell's Kitchen and a visit to Chinatown, we hoped to load up on lots of goodies. Lots of things at the flea market were good for admiring, but not so good for carrying home on flights, and Chinatown wasn't the bargain mecca we thought it might be. In the end, we walked away with a few souvenirs and interesting trinkets, but we didn't purchase near as much as we prepared and budgeted for.

We also visited the Carnegie Deli for the biggest Reuben sandwich ever. We spent the afternoon checking out the Guggenheim and exploring the Metropolitan Museum of Art (admission for both of us: $10 after one free admission for Bank of America cardholders and one discounted student admission). We returned to Rockefeller Center later in the evening to admire the nighttime skyline from the "Top of the Rock."

Ess-a-Bagel: The Most Delicious Bagels in NYC

Hell's Kitchen Flea Market

Artistry in Chinatown

Sharing a Reuben at Carnegie Deli

The Guggenheim

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rockefeller Center

The Nighttime Skyline from the Top of the Rock

Day Three: Street Scenes

NYC Girl's Trip: Day Two

Day two was long and busy. We got up and out early, and we packed so much into a few drizzly hours. We fueled up at Ess-a-Bagel, a most delicious New York bagel shop. We had everything bagels topped with olive-ladened cream cheese, then we hit the metro for a busy day on the town.

World Trade Center

Statue of Liberty

Ellis Island

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Shopping on 5th Avenue

Times Square

Toys 'R Us in Times Square

Day Two: Street Scenes

NYC Girl's Trip: Day One

For Christmas, James gave me a girl's trip to New York City with my best friend Marcie. With a brand new baby at home and a newly sick mom, I thought I'd have to cancel. Fortunately, Mom was secure and stable, and James felt confident he could take care of all four kids by himself (with some meals and help from friends popping in). He and Mom both insisted I go, so I went. I'm very glad I did.

Life was super busy for both Marcie and I all the way up to the day of departure. Last night, we were still texting each other about what we were packing. She even texted this morning before she boarded the plane in Tulsa to make sure I was still boarding in Dallas -- ha! We had some ideas of things we wanted to see and do, but we had no specific itinerary. Fortunately, James also gave me a Frommer's guide to New York City, so on the plane, we decided to loosely follow the "NYC in Three Days" plan found inside. We eliminated a few things from the suggested itinerary and filled in the open spots with things that were more important to us (like visiting the Central Library and scoping out the best bagels).

Our Hotel -- The Waldorf Astoria

Grand Central Terminal

The New York Public Library

Day One: Street Scenes

Coming Soon: Babbit the Big City Rabbit

For Christmas, James gave me a girls-only four-day trip to New York City to share with my friend Marcie, and Babbit has opted to tag along. We head out very early on March 31st and return late on April 3rd. We're all so excited to visit the big city -- none of us have ever been. I've been researching our touristy options, and while we each have access to reasonable travel budgets, Marcie and I are both super thrifty and would love to prove that a trip to NYC doesn't have to break the bank. (Secretly, I think if I can prove that to the hubs, he'll let me go back again really soon.)

I have some things in mind that I would like to do and have been looking for the most cost-effective way to do them. We've considered purchasing the City Pass, but I've learned about Free and Pay What You Wish options for museums and think that may be the better way to go. To fully embrace my personal challenge of NYC on a dime, I've downloaded the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs guide that lists loads of inexpensive cultural offerings. I've set up a separate travel e-mail account to subscribe to Groupon and Living Social for NYC deals, and I plan to watch for the 90% off sale at Restaurant.com. Also, the Entertainment book for NYC is only $20 shipped. We save so much in DFW with our Entertainment Book, I can't imagine the savings in NYC would be any less remarkable. I've only just begun building a list of must-see things with prices posted. Here's what I have so far:


Free/Cheap Places to Go in New York City

Brooklyn Bridge – FREE
Brooklyn Heights Historic District – FREE
New York Public Library – FREE
9/11 Memorial Preview Site – FREE
Central Park – FREE
Metropolitan Museum of Art – FREE, BoA "Museums on Us"
Guggenheim Museum – Pay What You Wish on Saturday
Museum of Modern Art – FREE on Target Free Friday nights
Museum of the City of New York – FREE, BoA "Museums on Us"
Statue of Liberty – FREE ferry tour, $12.00 for crown tour
Opera at the Met – $20/$25 last minute tickets at Box Office
Theatre – FREE, or inexpensive last minute tickets at Box Office
New York Philharmonic – Student Rush Tickets, $12.50 each
Chinatown – FREE to explore, $$ for shopping on Canal Street


Cheap Places to Eat in New York City

Papaya King Hot Dog Stands – Chelsea (Under $5)
Dumpling House – Chinatown (Under $5)
Café Edison – Times Square in Edison Hotel (Under $10)
** We're excited to try inexpensive little hole-in-the-wall places, preferably ethnic ones **


Despite my planning and bargain hunting, this is a daunting task and I would really appreciate some insider tips from those of you who have been there/done that. Favorite restaurants? Best way to buy show tickets? Number one way to save on souvenirs? Your insight is invaluable to me.



photo credit: howard models

Happy New Year -- Welcome 2011!

We rang in the new year in Oklahoma with our friends Marcie and Tobey. We spent a couple of days together watching movies, shopping after-Christmas sales, playing dominoes, and just hanging out, laughing over decades-old jokes. For New Year's Eve proper, Marcie hosted a small gathering of friends from church and served up all the delicious fare she's known for (while I contributed to the spread with the store-bought fare I'm known for. Plus some cake balls. I did make cake balls... and peppermint bark... and the cheeseball Marcie made was my recipe. Hey, maybe I'm not such a culinary loser after all!) Some board games were played while everyone was around, but I had to steal away to quiet an over-tired baby. When I returned, the other couples -- also with over-tired young children -- had to leave. At the end of the night, we four friends watched the ball drop and welcomed the new year with our children. The kids were sent to bed, another couple of adults dropped in, and the game playing resumed. In all, we had a great time. I can't think of a better way to ring in a new year or a better family to share it with.

Happy New Year!


photo credit: 111newsviews

Christmas 2010: Catching up with the Siblings

Between Christmas and the New Year, we traveled to Oklahoma for a family dinner and game night. My brother Russell came from Missouri with my niece Kate and her boyfriend Jeremiah. Christy and James, my sister and brother-in-law, hosted us. Their children Chelsea and Ethan were also there. It was great to see everyone and to enjoy a casual evening together after the craziness of the holidays. We caught up over a lasagna and a couple of pizzas, then we all crowded around the table to play Farkle and Taboo (except for Bub who watched movies and took over the Wii).

Christmas in Aggieland

When Bub was one and I was pregnant with Gracie, we traveled from our home in Oklahoma to East Texas to spend Christmas with my father-in-law and James' grandmother. Our whole car was so full of baby paraphernalia there was barely room for the gifts we were bearing. It was on that long trip in that very crowded car that we decided we'd stay home on Christmas until our kids flew the coop. The decision made sense, really. James has one brother who, until this year, was single and had a very flexible schedule. James' dad and grandmother were the only other two in his family we ever spent a holiday with. They were both teachers until retirement, so because of the school holiday, they had the flexibility needed to travel as well. We had the kids and James has always worked in industries that require him to work through Christmas Eve. Staying home and creating Christmas for our kids was so much better, and if family members wanted to celebrate Christmas with us, they were welcome.

This year, though, James' brother Jerald got married and his wife, Hayley, has long spent her years dividing the holidays between one parent in Tennessee and the other in Georgia. They flew to Georgia for Thanksgiving and were driving to Tennessee for Christmas, and because of the way the holiday falls, they were going to have to drive straight back to College Station after the holiday to prepare for the post-Christmas reopening of Jerald's restaurant. They wouldn't have the chance to see us until the next weekend or later. Because Christmas is OVER for me on December 26th, we opted to head down to B/CS in advance of Christmas to share a meal and exchange gifts.

It was nice to get away from home this weekend and to escape the holiday hustle and bustle, even if only for the night, and we love spending time with Jerald and Hayley, so that was a bonus. And the kids -- they were SUPER excited to open presents early. They never get to do that!

Littles in Front of the Loot


What Could It Be?


Taking a Peek


No Need to Finish Unwrapping -- Wheeeee!


The Ripping and the Shredding


My father-in-law joined us for our pre-Christmas celebration in College Station, so while our regular family holiday will still happen at home on December 25th, this year it will just be us and my mom around the tree. Because Jerald and Hayley still need to figure out what works for their little family with regards to future holidays, I don't know what Christmas will look like next year, but the arrangements for this year mean a lot less work for me. I think we'll open presents, share a breakfast casserole and watch movies and/or nap all afternoon -- that's a Merry Christmas!

Go West, Young Babbit: Road Trip 2010 -- It's Official!

A summer baby in 2009 meant no vacation, which means Babbit the Blue Rabbit is more than ready to hit the road! Gas money has been saved, hotels have been reserved, and landmarks are being mapped -- Road Trip 2010 is official. In precisely six weeks, Babbit will leave Texas for a grand adventure. Twelve states in eighteen days makes for one very happy bunny.

The Puff Thief

Eight-month-old Brystol pulling puffs out of my carry-on...

Getaway: Door County, Wisconsin

James had to visit a client on Washington Island in Wisconsin this week, so Brystol and I traveled with him and enjoyed three lovely days in Door County. We ate freshly-caught lawyer fish, cheese curds, and cherries (there are almost 50 orchards across Door County!). We wandered through the quaint villages and along the rocky beaches. While James worked, Brystol and I watched seagulls following a plowing farmer, we visited the woods at Mountain Park, and we admired the lovely limestone at School House Beach -- one of only five limestone beaches in the world.

The "Cape Cod of the Midwest," Door County is one of the top ten vacation destinations in North America, but only one short month ago, I had no idea Door County, Wisconsin even existed. Boy, have I missed out! We visited during the off-season -- a couple of weeks yet before the area really comes to life -- and even still, we enjoyed so many fantastic things -- nearly all that Door County had to offer. (I did miss out on some antiquing -- boo!) Truly, a beautiful and very relaxing work-week getaway!



Collage Images from top left to bottom right:
Snowmobile Crossing sign, Sturgeon Bay
Cedar Tree Roots in the Woods at School House Beach, Washington Island
Plowing Farmer/Feeding Seagulls, Washington Island
Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Fish Creek
Stavkirke Prayer Path, Washington Island
Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Fish Creek
Limestone Shore at School House Beach, Washington Island
Passenger Ferry Boat, Washington Island
St. Michael's Cemetery, Washington Island
Limestone Shore at School House Beach, Washington Island
Rocky Waters at the Marina, Sister Bay
Paddle Boat on Residential Inlet, Washington Island
Seagull on Pier, Egg Harbor
Winding Road to the Car Ferry, North Port
Mossy Tree Roots at Mountain Park Lookout Tower, Washington Island
The Stairway to Mountain Park Lookout Tower, Washington Island
The Diving Raft at School House Beach, Washington Island
Sunset on the Marina, Sister Bay
Blue Crab Claw, Egg Harbor
Farmhouse, Sturgeon Bay
Egg Harbor Beach near the Alpine Resort, Egg Harbor

Babbit the Blue Rabbit Goes to Vegas

Babbit just returned from a lovely few days in "The Entertainment Capital of the World," otherwise known as Las Vegas. In preparation for the impending addition to our family, James and I decided a little getaway was in order. We tossed around a few ideas with regards to travel plans, and after having gone to the beach twice in the last ten months (Florida and Hawaii), we opted for something a bit different.

We thought we'd go to NYC, but after considering all the walking I'd be doing in light of the weekly injections I take to prevent preterm labor, we decided that wasn't a very good idea. Instead, we opted for Vegas where there is so much less walking. *snort* (Note: We did rent a car, but considering that our hotel alone had over 4,000 rooms, a lot of walking was still required.)

The kids stayed with my mom, the dog went to the kennel, and James and I flew out very early on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, on Friday before we left home, the weather changed dramatically and I left Texas with a head cold as a carry-on. I was hopeful the drier, warmer Nevada weather would dry up my congestion, and it might have were it not for the fact that every other human being in the entire state was a walking smoke stack. Needless to say, I carried Kleenex everywhere and ate Benedryl like Lemonheads.

Because of my seasonal/smoke allergy fogginess and the resulting lack of creativity or care, Babbit made it out for only a few candid shots. He saw the Stratosphere, the Eiffel Tower at Paris, Freemont Street, New York/New York, and the Las Vegas Strip at dusk.

At the Luxor, they have on exhibit things pulled from the wreckage of the sunken Titanic. While we didn't go through the exhibit, I did check out the gift shop. There Babbit saw the World's Tackiest Souvenir: a paperweight comprised of a floating Titanic and the iceberg that sunk it. Touching.


I, on the other hand, saw something at the Stratoshere that made me oh-so-thankful to be pregnant and incapable of taking on amusement park rides. See this ride hanging off of the side of the tower? As if the Stratosphere roller coaster perched about a thousand miles in the air isn't bad enough, now you get to pay good money to dangle inches from your perilous death. Were I not pregnant, it might be an inescapable challenge.


Instead of tempting fate, James and I took the time to take naps, see a couple of movies, and check out Trader Joe's in Summerlin. We went to see Carrot Top at the Luxor and the Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Harrah's. We ate breakfast in Paris, shopped on the Miracle Mile, went to the falls at the Wynn, and saw the biggest butterflies in the gardens at the Bellagio. It was a lovely trip, and we had a great time escaping reality together.

Aloha, O'ahu (and in that, I mean "goodbye")

We left Hawaii last night around sunset. The breeze spilling into the open-aired Honolulu International Airport was as warm as ever, and we stayed out in it until boarding was inevitable. Only James was ready to go home.

The flight back to Texas was crowded and uncomfortable, and I spent most of the very long journey peeling Gracie off the sleeping stranger to her left. Though James and I were up most all night, we were fortunate that both kids slept nearly the whole way. Once in Texas, we were greeted by rain and the normally welcomed chilly Fall weather. I guess it's time to return to reality.

Oh Hawaii, I miss you already (though I am a tiny bit glad to be home).

An under dressed Gracie trying to stay warm

Babbit the Aloha Rabbit: Day Eight

On our eighth and final day in Hawaii, James celebrated his 38th birthday. (Happy Birthday, Honey!) We stayed at the hotel, beginning the day with brunch followed by some time at the shark and manna ray pools.





After returning to our room to ready our bags for departure, we went back to the lagoon where the kids flew finger kites and built the world's biggest "sandcastle" (term used loosely) with James.




As they frolicked and cavorted, I snuck away to a nearby resort that stocked a supply of ice cream cakes. The kids and I had been planning to surprise James long before we ever left Texas, and we were fortunate that everything worked out. The kids were so excited to bring Daddy a cake, and though we were without plates and proper flatware, we made do and enjoyed it all the same.