Happy Halloween!!

My beautiful Tinker Bell had a blast tonight. We went to our neighbors, then to friend's houses and did our trick or treating. She had such a great time and looked beautiful! Here are some of my favs.

Braden and Ashlyn

Isaiah and Ashlyn ready to hit the streets

She got tons of candy

Is this just a phase?

For the past 3 days Ashlyn has had this battle with me about her wearing pants! She had this little phase about a month or two ago, where she just didn't want to wear pants, but I thought was over it. Until 3 days ago (potty training too) not sure if that has anything to do with it. But Monday and today we have had tantrums over it that resulted in time out, tears, sent to her room, etc. She wanted to go outside and play, but she would have to wear pants to do so, hello...it's cold outside, and she whined and cried. Even today , getting her dressed, she whined, cried, carried on all because I got her dressed including pants, she went to timeout again until she stopped. It's ridiculous! Is this a phase?

Roasted Chicken Recipe

I saw this recipe on Oprah the other day and I made it tonight and it was so yummy! So I thought I'd share. Along with making this recipe it gave many other recipes you could use with the leftover chicken and those are here! I just made one chicken tonight, served it with wild rice and cucumber, tomato salad.

Here it is:

Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

2 chickens , 4 1/2 to 5 pounds each

6 lemons

A poultry mix of fresh herbs: Rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and oregano work well

Marinade for one chicken:
1 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup juice from fresh lemon (don't discard lemon rinds)

To make marinade:

Place all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Whisk with a wire whisk until ingredients are incorporated well—the marinade should have a smooth and creamy consistency.

To make roasted chicken: Preheat oven to 425°.
Clean chickens well and pat dry. Place each chicken in its own baking dish.
Stuff cavities with lemon rinds and fresh herbs. A poultry mix is fine, usually consisting of rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and oregano.
Pour marinade over chicken. Add cracked pepper and remaining herbs to the top of each chicken.
Place an oven thermometer in each chicken and cover with aluminum foil. Place on the lower rack of the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, then remove the aluminum foil. Baste with a basting bulb. Keep basting often, ever 15 minutes until the thermometer reads 180°.

Tink is here!

Tinkerbell that is! The new release of Tinker Bell the movie was released today on DVD! Our first stop this morning...Target! Ashlyn LOVES Tinkerbell and I just couldn't wait till Christmas to give it to her so we went and bought it.
And on top of that, she is being rewarded. She has been in her big girl undies all day yesterday and so far all day today. I took her to Target and HEB and no accidents! We made a potty stop in Target just in case and she went. I'm so proud of her! Finally she's getting the hang of it and not having accidents! Although she's not telling me yet that she needs to go but eventually she will I'm hoping.
I have made her Tinkerbell costume for Halloween. May need to make a few changes or add tights with this weather! It's a bit chilly, but I'm enjoying it.

Luis will be home days before Christmas!! We will be heading back to TN mid December to welcome him home! We can't wait!!! Ashlyn keeps saying "Daddy coming home for Christmas?!" and she knows that when he gets home, he's taking her to Chuck-E-Cheese (because Mommy avoids that place if necessary! lol) So Daddy can be her hero once again. We will be back to Austin at the end of January to stay!!

I'm in business!

My website is finally up and running and I'm in business! I can't believe it is happening. I have followed through and started my own business. I'm doing what I love and can be home with Ashlyn and future children, I couldn't ask for more!
Please spread the word and keep an eye on my other blog for specials! I'm ready to start work and very excited!!
Thank you to all who have supported me, encouraged me and helped me and those who continue to do so...you know who you are ;)

Go check it out!! www.browneyedgirlphotos.com

I was Tagged by Amy

10 Years Ago, in October 1998, I was:
1. I just graduated high school
2. working at Old Navy
3. Enrolling at ACC
4. Dont remember any more ha
5.

Five things on today's "to do" list:
1. Go have lunch with Debralea
2. Work on website
3. Talk to someone for 110 min on the phone not allowing me to get anything else done lol lol
4. Play with Ashlyn outside
5. Work on pictures

Five things that I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Buy a house
2. Get new cars
3. Purchase a fab new wardrobe
4. Give a little to a few family members
5. Invest

Five Places I have Lived:
1. Austin, TX
2. San Marcos, TX
3. Hinesville, GA
4. Ft Campbell, KY
5. Clarksville, TN

Five Jobs I have had:
1. Old Navy
2. First USA
3. Pediatric Services of America
4. First Choice Children's Healthcare
5. Gum Branch Baptist Church

Five people I am tagging:
Debralea
Nicci
Victoria
Lori
Stephanie

Sweet Berry Farms

My mom and I took Ashlyn to Sweet Berry Farms yesterday in Marble Falls. She had a blast. It's such a nice farm, nice people and fun stuff for kids. She loved petting the goats, horses and donkeys. We went on a hay ride, painted a pumpkin and had a homemade strawberry popsicle. Here are some of the pictures I took. If you want to see ALL of them click here.

Firetrucks...cookies...and fun!

This weekend was eventful. My friend Shea was keeping her 2 nieces for the weekend along with her son. So we spent most of our weekend with them. Friday we scheduled a visit to the Round Rock Firestation where my sister in law works. I think the mamas had more fun then the kiddos haha. Shea and I got to go 87ft into the air on the ladder which was super fun. I think Isaiah enjoyed it the most, the girls were a little scared of the big truck. Saturday we let the kids decorate cookies, had a bbq and hung out. I did get the pleasure of taking the kids pictures this weekend. Shea's son and 3 nieces = 4 grandkids..so we got some group pics and some individuals. They turned out so good and I'll be posting those on my other blog. I also took some very cute pictures of Deb's baby, Braden in the pumpkins, he just melts my heart with that smile!
Here are pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!

Ashlyn in her firehat

Ashlyn, Morgan and Isaiah

I had to make her get on this with me. She was a bit scared.
But not Isaiah, he wanted to go as high as he could. (which was 4ft)

Here we go..up up and away!

The End!

Fall = Pumpkins

First off I must say HOOK'EM HORNS!! I am so happy UT beat OU that was a great game and of course every Saturday for game day Ashlyn usually wears her burnt orange to cheer on Bevo ha. We enjoyed a good day today at DeeDee's house (Debralea) and after we left I took Ashlyn and my niece to pick out a pumpkin in Pflugerville. I plan on taking her to the good one in Marble Falls soon , I read they have hay rides, pony rides, and great kid activities and there I will take her real fall picture. But here are a few from today in her UT cheerleading outfit.

And my sister and I made her Tinker Bell costume this weekend and it's soooo cute and girly. I'm just hoping she won't be scared of Trick or Treating ha.
I'm excited it's fall. I cant wait to start buying her fall clothes, wish it would cool off just a little bit more.

Recycle and unplug!

Austin is now distributing large trash can size recycling bins to every neighborhood and I have been waiting for this to happen. I have never been one to recycle but I have always wanted to, but having to sort everything made it more tedious, but now with one large can that you can put everything in with limited restrictions..count me in! I filled up over half the blue can today and was so excited about it. It just makes you feel good when know you are helping our earth, the earth that our children will be left to deal with when we are long and gone. Now the hard part is getting my parents to pitch in but I'll be the stickler and keep this going.

Also I was watching a show this week and I have seen this before, but a great way to save big on your energy bill, is to unplug everything that is not in use. This one lady had a bill of over 200, after unplugging everything the next month it was 90 and the next in the 60's. Something like 40% of the energy being used is the appliances and things plugged in but turned off! Now unpugging things around here is almost impossible but I'm interested in trying it when I get my own place, anything to save money! Just wondering if anyone has tried this or willing to try it to see if this in fact really works! I read you can save over 30% just by unplugging.

Get it together!

Time Warner and KXAN! So as of today, Time Warner is not airing KXAN which is NBC which means I cant watch Days of our Lives (thank goodness for SOAP channel) Lipstick Jungle!!! HELLO!!! Heroes and who knows what else is missing! This is so stupid, I'm sure it won't last long, customers are going to get upset from this. Apparently Time Warner and KXAN could not come to an agreement soooo they arent airing NBC. I hope they get it together!