Caj

That's how one would annoyingly abbreviate casual, right? :D
Ever since I found these boots on clearance at target, I've kind of been living in them with leggings. It may not really be outfit post worthy, but, it's the comfy truth.

Top: F21
Scarf: h&m
Bottoms/Boots: Target

Blood Secrets

I have an affinity for true crime shows.  My brother Brandon used to think I was so morbid and weird for watching them all the time back when I still lived at home, and then one day I caught him watching them in his room.  And we'd have random discussions about whether one of us had seen a particular episode.  They're addictive!  To a lesser degree, I enjoy Law & Orders and CSIs.  And of course there's Dexter.

So that's why when I was browsing the "new book" shelf at the library, Blood Secrets caught my eye.  It's the memoirs of a pioneer in the field of blood spatter examination and crime scene reconstruction.  He details how his career in law enforcement led him there and he recounts true cases and exactly how the blood evidence helped solve the crime.  My favorite case story was his interpretation of Nicole Brown's and Ron Goldman's murder, mainly because it's a scandal I remember and have seen plenty of specials about on television.
It's a fantastic book for anyone who's "morbid and weird" like I!

Persausive Lady

We made the mistake of taking our MJ cd into Daddy's car.  We have not managed to get it back.  The radio never seems to be playing anything good (and seriously, is it a requirement that you be an idiot and/or ignorant to be a radio dj?!? please, just don't talk).  Emberly found a cd in my car that she wanted to listen to.  I explained to her that this cd was made pre-Emberly and that there was unacceptable language on it.  She then engaged me in a rather convincing debate about it.  The most compelling points being:

1. She's four.  When she was three, she may have been tempted to say bad words that she hears, but her self control and maturity have grown leaps and bounds since then.
2. Bauer's a baby.  He doesn't even know what bad words are and so he won't try to say them.

Her persuasion skills are definitely up there, but I've been trained to resist.  We really need our Michael Jackson hits cd back.

Eighteen

This weekend marked 18 months of life for Mr Bauer.  He's the same size as many half his age, but his attitude makes up for it.  He's got ten whole teeth.  And ever since this last bout of teething crankiness, he's had some language explosion.   Sometimes when he says new things, I'm not sure they're really new, or if I'm just finally understanding something he's been saying for a while.  I suppose it doesn't matter!
Sometimes he's heart-meltingly sweet to his big sister.  But he's really grown into his brother role of tormenter. 

{camera was not quick enough; he was trying to make his sleeping sister smell his foot}

Though, it often seems like he's mean to her just so he can make up with hugs and kisses and smiles.
For fun, here's Emberly on the run.

More Packing Light

Have you ever had your luggage stolen?  Are you also too cheap to pay for checking bags?  Then you're just like me!  Damon thought it was ridiculous that I wasn't going to check anything for a week long vacation.  I told him to feel free to check if he needed to, but, I was not.  At first, when you think about everything you want to bring, it does seem impossible.  But when I thought about the number of days and what we'd be doing, it became pretty easy to weed things out.
I brought:

• 3 bikinis(which I thought would be hard for me because I have a ton, but trying them on dissuaded me from several LOL) and a sarong
• 3 pairs of shorts
• 1 skirt
• 2 dresses
• 6 tops (one of which doubled as a dress)
• 2 pairs of sandals
• 1 sports bra and yoga short

Heels just wouldn't fit in the bag, which when I got there and saw the sandy cobblestones everywhere, wasn't such a tragedy.
I wore my sneakers and a pair of pants to the airport.
And I did actually wear everything I brought, except for the sports bra (never did a high impact workout.  Hey, it was vacation), even remixing a few pieces.
Here are a few shots (some pretty crappy, sorry)!

Dominicanos Honorarios

That's right, we celebrated 5 years of marriage with a week long trip to the Dominican Republic.  We hadn't been anywhere without our kids.  Our last vacation together was a cruise when I was newly pregnant with Emberly.  We managed to have fun despite my hormonal proclivity for party-pooping, but another vacation was long overdue.  I was ridiculously excited.  As evidenced here by my ridiculous grin at Mccarran Airport.

Damon hadn't quite unplugged yet, but trust me, he was excited.

What followed was a week of beautiful scenery...

Good eats...

And lots of all-included liquor...

{mamajuana, anyone?}

And I can think of no one better with whom to have been shared it!

We "snuba" dived, rode speed boats, ziplined through the jungle, para-sailed, frolicked (tee-hee) in the ocean and danced.  Oh yeah, and slept 8+hrs uninterrupted by preschool nightmares or nursling cries!  It. was. incredible.

Zelda Master

My mom and sister came out last week to be with Emberly and Bauer while hubs and I were away for our anniversary.  Emberly's favorite pastime was Majora's Mask (no clue if I'm spelling that correctly).  She watched auntie play and perfected her own ability to play.  I know she enjoyed herself to the fullest knowing we would not be letting her play when we got back!

Five Years

This year the 13th falls on the same day it did six years ago when Damon and I decided that we would see each other exclusively.  And then a year later we chose the same date to go downtown and get married.
Five years.  Damon's pretty much an expert at making me happy after 5 years of lessons.  I may have reciprocal expertise mastered by 10 years ;D

{1st date}

{Kappa Ball}

{Just Married}

{my 25th birthday}

{@ Disneyland for Emberly's 3rd birthday}

{Damon's "dirty thirty" celebration}

{this new year}

Today we're on our way back from our first vacation alone as a married couple to celebrate. More about that next week ;)