Flashback Friday: I'm #1. Why Try Harder?

My Aunt up in Washington state sent me another package loaded with flashbacks, maybe I mentioned that? Among the stack of Christmas pictures from the past and shots of my Dad teaching me how to ride a bike (maybe I'll share that one next week?), were these adorable photos of me and my Dad with the cutest litter of fluffy white puppies...





I had never seen these pictures, until I opened up the package. They're from before my first memories, so... I sort of cried like an Evelyn (hah, cause shes a baby), joyfully of course, upon seeing them. I couldn't have been older than 3. Maybe not even that?

But the best part

...is obviously my Dad's awesome 80's hat.

"I'm #1. Why try harder?"
Very classy, Dad.
Only you.


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Flashback with us! Go through your polaroids, scrapbooks, old crappy cell phone pictures- whatever you've got. Scan them, upload them, get them onto the computer somehow, and then share them with the world! Or... with us at least. Post them onto your blogs, write a little bit to go with them- tell us your story. When you're all finished, grab one of our buttons from down below (wayyyy down there at the bottom of our page) and put it somewhere inside your post (or link back to us the old fashioned text way). Come back here to this post, and add your link to the photo list below!

A Visit With My Dallas Girls

First I have to say, shame on me for not taking more pictures!

Oh well. Next time, right?

I've got a few friends (good friends) on Twitter, who live off to the East of us, over in the Dallas area. These girls have always been the very best at keyboard conversation, and even offered to drive all the way out here to watch my kids for me while I gave birth. Seriously, they're awesome.

They didn't end up coming out for Evelyn's birth, we found a babysitter to watch the babies in time, but they did decide to come out just for the heck of it anyways. So as things with our new family of 5 settled, they made plans to road trip from there to here, and while I was so anxious I think I lost five pounds in pure sweat- it was awesome.




This is Lauren and Angel.
Or, @laurenacarlton, and @angelxedge, for anyone with Twitter.

I got a twitter message from Lauren about 10 minutes before they got to my house- reminding me to put pants on.

I scrambled.
You mean, I can't just wear my husbands over sized PT shirt? Why not?

I tried to squeeze myself into real jeans, but it just wasn't happening. I went with a plain maternity outfit. I never got around to blow drying my hair (messy curls all over the place), and makeup never made it from the brush to my face.

They got introduced to the real me.

Well, mostly.
Because I was wearing pants, after all.
And the real me, usually walks around half naked. Either pantsless or topless.
Who has time for clothes? Really.

Oh, and of course they both showed up dolled to the max.



This is Avery.
Lauren's daughter.

I liked her, because she liked my cookies.

And Charlie liked her too...



Ok well maybe he was a little bit afraid of her at first (he buried his crying face in my chest for the first half hour), but he warmed up to her.

And if you can't tell from the picture. She wears the pants in the relationship.



We made popcorn!

Oh, you can't tell that thats popcorn?

Yeah I know.
Way to go, camera.

Hold on...



See, we made popcorn!

And Lauren kept dropping it down the front of her.
Which always happens to me.
So I think we connected through cleavage.



Mmmm, popcorn with no salt or butter.

Wait, no- thats gross.

The kids didn't want anything on it, so I made it plain.

Actually, the only kid that can really respond to "what do you want on your popcorn?", was Eleanore, who somehow didn't make it into a single picture.

So she got her way, and we basically ate crunchy air.



Say Vegan cheeeeeeeeeeeeese!

Did I mention that both girls are vegan?

YES! Somebody to bake for!!!

I made both gluten free vegan thin mint, and pumpkin spice cookies.
But they barely ate any.
So they either hated them, or they didn't want to pig out in front of me.

But I know for sure that Avery liked them, so that makes me happy.



Eleanore fell head over heels for Angel. She was constantly in her face, non stop talking, and I think at one point sitting in her lap telling her that she loved her.

And I think it had to have been because of this...



A zombie Hello Kitty tattoo.
Yes.

After a good long and exhausting 5 hour visit, the gals hit the road and headed back home, leaving behind a great big bag full of the cutest newborn clothes for Evelyn, and on accident- a bag of dried banana chips.

It was fun.
It was worth putting pants on for.