Greetings From Austin!

Ortho Quiz Bowl happens once a year? Anyway, Steve's Orthopedic department has this jeopardy type thing happen in Austin, where 2 residents from each Texas Residency program from their specialty department will go and compete to win the title of best residency program? Actually, I'm not entirely sure of what it really is, but basically, Steve volunteers because if you go representing Dallas we get a free night stay in a super fancy hotel in Austin.  And any reason to visit Austin, is a good reason!

The truth is, we love Austin because of the food, free hotel, food, and hotel!

JK, we really just go for the food, and to go to the Texas Longhorn Co-Op store which for Steve is like visiting holy ground... Seriously, it is. That store has a pull on Steve! The minute we arrive, Steve suddenly becomes Mr. Money Bags and anything you see in the store with a longhorn on it, is the perfect thing to bring home!

Seriously. Olivia got an overpriced Texas Longhorn dress. 

We didn't need it.

Below are some pictures from our weekend trip! Also, this time we got to meet with some amazing friends from our medical school days! 

We love the Kunz!!! They are one of our favorite families, because we all get along, and all really love eating out, and talking about nonsense! Love how they are so laid back!

We got to stay in the Austin Downtown Double Tree hotel! What's super funny, is that they double (no pun)booked us, so when we walked into our suite, we saw some dude laying on the bed! After the confusion, we went back to the front desk, where they apologized profusely and gave us a suite in the 14th floor with the best view! Total upgrade from the 8th floor. Plus, we got free chocolate chip cookies, so it was fine.

Olivia admiring the view in her expensive NEW dress. ^^^

We met the Kunz for some grub and to hang out. The Kunz totally know exactly where to eat in Austin, as they often drive there from San Antonio. Plus they are major foodies, and we love that! We ended up at Torchy's because I kept saying I didn't like their tacos, but told me to try the corn and the Democrat, and they were sooo right! I loved the barbacoa taco!..and the corn!!!!!!!!!

The Kunz were our neighbors while we were in medical school, and we got super close! We really missed hanging out with them, and with our move to Colorado just a few months away, we knew we had to see them while in Austin, so we both drove there to meet, and it was fun times as always.

So glad Jaqline insisted we took a family picture! Matthew is starting to really hit that phase, where he doesn't want to be photographed and it's making me sad. I miss my little boy. 

Love this family ^

The Kunz had planned to visit the Bat area in Austin... I actually, don't know what is called but a bunch of bats that live under the bridge come out all at once each night! It was creepy cool, but those suckers were so fast, I could NOT get a picture of them!

Batman & Batchick! the weather was soo perfect! Little did we know 30 minutes after this photo, a monsoon hit the city!

Matthew is turning into a teen! Why?!?!?!?!? He's anti pictures these days...

For our last day in Austin, we went to the State Capital building. Now, this is the type of place we have shied away from before, mainly back when our kids were little, but now, they were super interested in learning all about the history of Texas!

 Matthew & Olivia just loved the architectural details, and kept asking me to take pictures of the floor, the cealing, and they both want to live in a "old house" one day. Love these two!

 I believe this is the House of Representatives? or the Senate, one of the two. Good thing I'm not the one giving tours!

Representing Mexico! ^^ Aguila y Serpiente!

We will miss you Texas, especially Austin, such a fun city!

Jazmin

Matthew Gets Braces!

Phase 1: Four Braces

So, Matthew got braces on 4/7/2015! Haha! I'm making this a bigger deal than it is, but it is to me! 

This is phase 1 of his treatment, and if we are basing his treatment on genetics, he has a long road! 

So far Matthew has had his expander for about 2 months, and because of the upper roof expansion, his front two teeth created a gap or "window", so, now that his expansion is where it needs to be, we no longer move that, and just wait for the bone to grow and work on closing the gap on his front teeth. 

He only has 4 little braces, but I feel braces are a rite of passage into tween-hood! He's no longer a kid, and is more of a tween! Not really, but he looks older than 11!

Anyway, yesterday, we went excited/nervous because we didn't know if his braces where going to be put on, as he had to get his expander thing measured one last time, before moving into the braces phase.

He knew it was likely to happen, and it was scheduled as that, but we still could have done it a week later. So, he was nervous, as he didn't know what to expect. He worried that having only 4 braces would look weird, but they look totally fitting for him!

This is the before shot! ^ 

And another one! He was really annoyed that I kept taking pictures!

 He knew he wanted green rubber bands, so he made sure to tell the Dr. what hue of green he wanted! not lime green, but camo green!

He totally looks fine with braces. I feel you can either look totally normal with the brackets or weird. He's a normal looking kid!

We will see what his friends say at school today! He was a little nervous, but I told him to just smile like normal, and people will get used to it quick. 

Will let you know how his day went!

Jazmin

I Want a House of Order.

If you take a look around my house, you will know that I like to decorate. I like frames, plants, layers, baskets etc. 

I like the warmth of a cozy blanket, and the texture of a good basket. That defines home to me, it makes me feel like HOME is giving me a bear hug! 

The moment we moved into this house, I worked really hard at making it a home. I made great purchases and some that weren't that great. I have hand me down furniture from family, friends, and things that we have accumulated over the years. 

All in all, now that we are packing, we find ourselves soooo overwhelmed and angry almost, at the thought of having to figure out what to do will all of the STUFF.

There is so much value in this stuff, not monetarily but sentimental value that it made me kind of cry the first few days we started to weed things out. But, as the weeks have gone on, I have become excited at the thought of donating, selling, and getting rid of things, as I know that as of now, those very things are what have been stopping me from becoming the mom that I want to be. 

I spent WAY too much time de-cluttering, rearranging, cleaning, and just doing chores on my days off to be able to spend adequate time with my kids! 

Also, my kids can't handle their stuff either! They are overwhelmed! So much so, that they hardly go into their room to play anymore! 

I have yelled, hurt feelings, and forced the kids to clean things up on too many occasions, and feel ashamed that I didn't see that the issue wasn't so much them (they do have something to do with it) but that the issue was that we have TOO MUCH! 

First of all, what a blessing to be able to type that ^^^!!!

I decided that I crave a HOUSE OF ORDER!

I want a house of peace, and happiness! All of which can't be accomplished right now, with all of this chaos. 

What good is a home that looks cozy and inviting, only to find that it really isn't?

I have decided to let things go. Really. 

I want to spend time watercolor painting with Olivia without worry that I have to clean up something or put something away, whatever that may be. 

I want to walk to the park with Matthew more, and to relax! 

I want a minimal home. It will still be warm, inviting, and cozy, only this time, it will be simpler.

I'm taking only our furniture that we use, and things we truly totally can't live without, like some wall decor and baskets... I LOVE BASKETS! But other than that, we are donating, selling, and gifting! 

I will only keep what I love, and use on a daily basis. Same with Steve and the kids, we will only take what we use. I told the kids, that we should travel light, because you never know what adventures await! 

And it's true! If you are tied down to belongings, you can't see the big picture as clearly. The reality is, we have not been living within our means. We have a 1500 square foot home, and we are living like we have a 2500 square foot home. It just doesn't fit! 

I want to soak in these moments with my family, and sadly, and for a long time, I have been on autopilot, but no more.

Here is to a NEW simpler chapter in our little family. Where adventures await!

Jazmin