In Memory of our dear Neighbor & Friend Heath Stewart

This blog is 99.9% about Ashton. However one of the things that I pray that Ashton will have is wonderful neighbors. Neighbors know everything about you and they support you as you experience life's ups and downs.

I grew up in the same house for the 1st 17 years of my life. 95th Street was full of great families and some of my very best lifelong friends. Tyler and I spent all of our summers, evenings and weekends with Heath, Amy, Brandon, Ryan, Monica, Michelle, Sheila, Christine, Shane, Brittany, Angela, Mark, Steven, Brent, Niki, Jeff, Kimberly & Courtney. We played a million hours in each other's houses, backyards and often in our front yard for block parties. We had water balloon fights, played TV tag, touch football, swam in Jim Boen's pool, celebrated birthdays, and begged our parents for just one more hour outside all together. (Neighbors, ~ I am I leaving anything out? - any Heath or neighborhood stories are appreciated)


Sadly, one of these special wonderful neighbors committed suicide on Wednesday. Heath was 26 years old. 4 years younger than me and 2 years older than Tyler. Tyler idolized Heath. They were inseparable for many many years. Heath practically lived at our house. He went on vacation with us multiple times, he and Tyler played endless hours of baseball, football and basketball together in addition to Nintendo and Sega games. I baby sat he and his sister more times than I could ever count and his mother frequently cut my hair. Heath could drive me insane with his endless questions and his desire to teach Tyler crazy antics and defy my "older sister bossiness". He was a little brother to me for the 1st 13 years of his life.

My heart hurts so very much for his family. His mother Karen, father Robert & sister Amanda are wonderful people and I pray that God will be with them and hold them so very close because they are really going to need it. It has made our neighborhood come back together again like we haven't in years talking of memories. Most of us have moved but some are 95th Street lifers.

Here is a link to Heath's memorial.
http://memorialdesigners.net/

It reflects his years age 15 and up more than his childhood but luckily I have a great memory and can picture all the wonderful times that we shared with Heath as he grew from a sweet Toddler to a rowdy little boy to a gawky cute teenager.

We will miss you Heath. Know you are loved.

This tragedy has made me hug my family a little tighter and pray a little harder. Happy Halloween.

FEARS

Fear Inducing Pic

(I have to dress up for Halloween for work so Tillie graciously provided me a variety of special costumes that Chris was using to scare Ash)

As I have previously mentioned, Ashton is going through a spell where she has interesting fears. If we are out in public and she is uncomfortable or finished socializing, she will announce to everyone "I WANT TO GO HOME" and she will repeat it loudly or in my ear with a whisper until we leave or until I have distracted her.

Mom and I took her to BookPeople on 6th Street on Saturday for a Halloween Puppet Show. I had heard that it was a cute place but very Austiny so you never know what you will get and with the topic of Halloween - it could be cute or weird or scary. The upstairs kids area is adorable. We bought some Christmas gifts and played in all the toys and books. The seating area for storytime has 3 levels and is decorated very cute. The puppet show was interesting and many of the jokes were over her head but cute nonetheless. She kept her arm over her face for almost all of the show just barely peeking out but when it was over she came home and told Daddy that is was very funny. Thank Goodness as I was fearful of inducing nightmares and this kid doesn't sleep as it is. We finished off our Austiny day with lunch at Whole Foods - for all of you that know that I eat like a truck driver, this was so healthy that it caused fear in me!

Not scared like she should be!

Well she is Daddy's girl but he scares me from time to time!

Meeting Somer's New Family

Watching Football

Somer's Onion Chopping Glasses

We were very excited Saturday evening to finally get to meet Jeff's kiddos. Ever since we have moved back to Austin we have tried to schedule a weekend to get together and there have always been conflicting activities.

So Saturday evening we had dinner at Somer & Jeff's house. Great fajitas, great adult beverages, great social time and amazingly well mannered sweet kids - nope not Ash but Nikki & Chandler are adorable.

Ash loved playing with Nikki (who is gorgeous I might add) and I loved picking Chandler's brain as I know they are both incredibly smart. Ash was thrilled to also be reunited with her friend Jake the dog who is dressed as a devil but we didnt ever use that word around her for fear that she would repeat it over and over.

Congratulations Somer and Jeff on your marriage and on your extended family. We are glad to be a part of your new lives!

The Difference in a One and a Two Year Old

Driving the tractor last year and flailing herself off of it this year

Chewing the gourd last year

and carrying it this year

Driving the boat last year...

Throwing a tantrum in front of the boat this year

Last picture of the day last year

Last picture of the day this year -Back to Nana & Papa's and happy!

The only thing that made her happy this year were the goats

A goat in a tree

Look mom a pumpkin and a half smile... are you happy now

Eating Pumpkin Ice Cream

The title of this post was going to be "Another Pumpkin Patch" but after we went to the Sweet Berry Farms pumpkin patch on Sunday I learned more about my child's development. Last Year, Tillie and I went to this same pumpkin patch with Ashton's daycare class. As a 1 year old, Ashton loved exploring everything. At the time I was thinking oh, I wish she would just sit still and let me take a pic but she had only been walking for less than 2 months so she was on the move.

This year as a 2 year old, Ashton has fear of the most random things and tantrums. 98.9% of the time she is sooo much fun and entertaining and loveable. But on those 1.1% days, like this Sunday, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with all of the crowds at the Sweet Berry Farms. Some of her most favorite things are riding a horse and painting anything both options given to her... not on that day. So here are my pics trying to still get her "precious picture". Tillie was trying to help and humor me but Ken agreed with Little A that looking at pumpkins was dumb.

This is the most classic picture of the whole trip

Nana & Pop such troopers!

Go Texas Tech!!!!!

Getting her hand painted w/ a Double T at our Block Party

Posing w/ Mimi

Listening intently at Library Storytime (notice how my mother taught her to cross her legs)

Get your Guns Up!

Enjoying the watermelon at our block party
Hanging w/ her buddy CoCo and new neighbor Shelby

So, I like Amy Hayden have always had issues with cheerleaders. This could be for one of 2 reasons: they are really annoying and perky and I always believed I was "too cool" for school spirit or because I was always way to big and built like gumby to be one. Probably a little of both.

But when A received this precious hand me down TTU cheerleader outfit from Erin & Syndey.... well how could I resist. I wanted to show the world, the cutest cheerleader ever. So what if I am biased, it's my blog.

The other reason I let her wear it is that well... Ash is short. She isn't built like Chris or I at all so... there is hope that I could make her a gymnast or cheerleader and be that super psycho mom/coach that dreams of the olympics or Dallas Cowboy cheerleader status for my daughter. I mean look at me... all these degrees and no money, Little A better hope for some weird talent to strike it rich and famous because school is overrated (can you tell that working on my dissertation has me a little tainted)

Additionally, Abby is right, the further you move from Lubbock, the more school spirit that you begin to have for Texas Tech and it doesn't hurt that they are 7-0. We wore the outfit all day and beat Tyler's Aggies and all of our UT neighbors at our block party did not feel even a little bit intimidated by her Red Raider charm even though I do plan to wear it on Nov 1st for the big game where we will probably get squashed!

Added note... Chris is not in any of these pictures because he has been in school for the past 2 weeks taking intensive tests for his HERS Raters License (Energy Efficient Home Inspections) and he PASSED with flying colors!!!! We couldn't be more proud of you honey!!!!

Go COWBOYS!

Yes I am aware that the Cowboys have recently had some setbacks but these were taken a few weeks ago and maybe Miss A's chants of "Go Cowboys" will help. Notice how we took this fabulous onesie from last Christmas and made it into a trendy jersey. Thanks Ryan for helping us show our support.

Halloween Costume Preview

Miss A received her costume from Nana a few weeks early and wants to wear it everyday and has already ripped the red bow off the front as she had to put it on "by myself". She has carried a dalmation blankie puppy from Aunt Kathy since she was very little and she is constantly pretending to be a puppy ("Mommy say, come here puppy, oh cute little puppy") so we found this girlie dalmation puppy costume on target.com. I figured it was ok to reveal the costume as these pics w/ Nana & Papa are cute and you never know what mood this child o mine will be in on the actual day of Halloween!

The Big Drip

I work in the town of Dripping Springs and live only 7 minutes from work. The population on the sign coming into town is 1500. Obviously since 2000, the census has increased but not a whole lot. It's the type of town that literally has 2 lights with banners announcing upcoming festivals and rodeos stretched across the main road and where high school football rules. The locals refer to the town as Drip. Drip is only 13 miles from Austin but they are worlds and worlds apart. This "Gateway to the Hill Country" as they have tagged themselves (there are only about 5 other towns that claim this gateway status as well) is extremely country and therefore Chris loves it. He goes to the local coffee shop and talks shop/hunting with all the old locals and mom has made friends at the local Super S grocery. At the post office you can get all the local gossip and they are somewhat friendly even though they know that you are not original to Drip ~ they do get a little riled up when I bring in large shipments because it means they actually have to work. Drip is known nationally for it's vodka, and rainwater made into drinking water. Even though I moved to the "big city" I am actually more rural that ever before in my life. Drip is just starting to see commercial growth in the past year. A Home Depot, Sonic, DQ & Dollar General are the current chains with Mc D's and HEB on the way. It is one of the very few suburbs near Austin that has seen such slow growth because there was no organized sewer or water system but HEB & Home Depot paid for the services to the city and growth is on the way. For more information on my new little town visit http://www.dsbabble.com/

Fall Decor

As an adult, I have never decorated my house for any holiday/season except Christmas. As a child I used to post scary Halloween pictures on the windows of our house, a large spider web on the door and have scary music playing when people were trick or treating (yes, my father actually let me decorate - sorry Tyler)

After going to Erin's house in September, I felt motivated to decorate for Fall thanks to G.G.'s extra decorations and assistance! Please admire and respond if you think I need to add a thing or two!

Evergreen Farms Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Hunt

Cortney & Kate joined us for some fun in Elgin, TX at the Evergreen Farms Pumpkin Patch. This was sort of in the middle of both of our towns as we live to the North and South of Austin and this was East - whatever. When I lived in Lubbock I wouldnt drive more than 15 minutes to do anything but here... I look for these strange out of the way activities.

This is a Christmas Tree Farm where President Bush once got the tree for the White House. So Cort and I think that they weren't making lots of money year round and tried their hand at pumpkins. The girls were thrilled to see one another and Ashton went home and named one of her dolls KaterBop as we fondly refer to Miss Kate. They loved the "train/tractor" ride, pumpkin hunt, posing for pics, painting pumpkins and looking at donkeys and goats. It was sooooo hot outside and did not feel like October at all. Both were dressed appropriately as Ash was dressed to celebrate halloween and Kate was dressed for her day on the farm.

We will miss Trick or Treating together this year but Cortney must go to Lubbock for the TTU vs UT game and drink one for the team! It has been a little over a year since we both moved to the area and it is so amazing and fun to watch the girls grow together.

Happy Fall to All!