My mama told me

Happy Thanksgiving Birthday!

2008-11-27T14:19:00.001-08:00

Lydia Blue is 2!

The fam

Doesn't know what to do here...

so excited! (her first cake experience)

Yummy, I like it!

Presents, too

Me & RoRo

Giddy Up!

2008-09-12T19:07:00.001-07:00

I'm back in the saddle again..

wearing my pink boots no less

checking the gird

and doing a little cowgirlin!

10-4 RoRo!

2008-09-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

Me, RoRo, Mommy & Poppy

RoRo drives a big truck!

Happy Birthday, JuJu!

2008-09-10T17:59:00.001-07:00

Me & JuJu at the Hibachi bar

We both look fabulous at our ages!

Summer circa 1973

2008-08-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

Me & Mom at the pool

Cousin Camp 08

2008-08-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hey, let me drive!

The Cleavers

The whole crew (minus 2 husbands/dads)

The Allen/Lovell/Patterson women

The 3 K's

The Cousins

My name is Mud

The 3 Aunts and some kids

Auntie K & cousin Scarlett

sweet Sadie Grace

Yippee! Poppy & me on the water slide

My own private paradise

2008-08-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

It's a sad, hot day in TX (103) when you have to put the kiddie pool

in the air conditioned garage

I dare the hair!

2008-07-21T17:45:00.001-07:00

This, eventually leads to...

....this.

(once again, no hair products were used)

Summer fun

2008-07-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

My first bike ride!

Oh, the places we'll go..

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet!

If you're happy and you know it, here's all three!

Summer "School"

2008-06-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

My first day of "school" with friends, Truman & Marco

At least one of us looks happy...

My friend Squash

2008-05-29T11:22:00.001-07:00

Here's my friend, Squash.

I like to put Squash in a cage..

Or swing with him/her..

We like to slide together, too..

Or slide apart....

Playing Dress Up

2008-05-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Fun times with cousin Angel

Bed Head

2008-05-23T21:13:00.001-07:00

Fact: No hair products were used in the making of this photograph.

Happy Birthday, Poppy!

2008-05-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

I like reading the card I made for Poppy's birthday! (It has lots of pictures of me on it).

2 cousins & a friend

2008-05-20T20:13:00.001-07:00

At the park with cousin Georgia Grace

Very busy with cousin Hudson

And hangin' with my friend, Ella

Lydia the Explorer

2008-05-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

Just chillin' in the drawer with Dora the Explorer..

Hey, I'm Lydia the Drawer Explorer!

I'm learning to grow

2008-05-03T17:49:00.001-07:00

Thanks to our friend Conrad, we have a garden. Here's our zuchinni squash last month...

And now, it's bigger & with flowers! Amazing how things can grow, isn't it?

I'm a Carrier (fan)

2008-04-30T20:58:00.001-07:00

You must see this series on PBS. It will suck you in like an aircraft carrier. Really.

The BEST Red Carpet I've Ever Seen

2008-04-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so there are some benefits (besides the obvious) to going to bed at 9pm and having only the basic cable which includes C-Span, my new favorite network. Because Saturday night on C-Span I watched the most amazing red carpet - tremendous! And I'm into red carpets, really. I watch all the awards shows every year, even write them on my calendar. But this one, I mean, really. It was amazing, and I am talking about The White House Correspondents' Association Dinner red carpet.

From the likes of Ashlee Simpson to Christiane Amanpour to Perez Hilton to Salman Rushdie. And even, yes, I'm not kidding Denise Austin (dropping down on the red carpet to do some push ups) and Henry Kissinger. Here's some of it on YouTube, but look for the whole enchilada on C-Span.

Texas Easter Memories

2008-04-11T01:30:00.001-07:00

Cousin Scarlett stole my egg!

I'll show her!

And I found this one under the rock near the garage...

And that's nothing - wait till you see the ones I found in the front yard!

Idaho Easter Memories

2008-04-11T01:05:00.000-07:00

Easter basket booty with cousin Cadence

On the hunt

Easter Eve bathing ritual

Easter: Then & Now

2008-03-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

Then

Now

Family Vacations

2008-03-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

"Winter Still Life" with cousin Scarlett

The Allen Girls (and boy cousin, Rainey)

Snow Angel

2008-03-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

It's all about the Bran

2008-03-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

Daddy likes to share his Bran..

So does Daddy's Daddy (Ricky Rich)

The Bran, it's an Allen way of life.

Mothers & Daughters

2008-02-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

Here we are...my daughter & me, visiting my dear mother's gravesite, as she passed away last Valentines.

"I am fooling only myself when I say my mother exists now only in the photograph on my bulletin board or in the outline of my hand or in the armful of memories I still hold tight. She lives on in everything I do. Her presence influenced who I was, and her absence influences who I am. Our lives are shaped as much by those who leave us as they are by those who stay. Loss is our legacy. Insight is our gift. Memory is our guide."
Hope Edelman

Sari Sisters

2008-01-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

My sari sister, Sophia

Sick Day

2008-01-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Double your sickness, double the funk

Dia de los Mayborn

2008-01-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

The Bones exhibit at the fabulous Mayborn Museum

Crashing cousins

Time for a loooong nap

Baby Spanx

2008-01-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

Sundays with Daddy

2007-12-31T07:29:00.000-08:00

Ready for my close up

2007-12-23T19:13:00.000-08:00

Where's my stylist?

WHAT stylist?

Uhh, no.

and...Merry Christmas!

PJs

2007-11-30T19:49:00.001-08:00

How about a nightcap?

Thanks for my very cool PJs, K&K&SJP.

The Power of One: Part 1

2007-11-27T19:50:00.001-08:00

It's all fun & birthday cake..

...Until someone pokes an eye out

Happy Birthday to Me : )

Aunt Kassi, cousin Scarlett, JuJu & me: fun times!

The Power of One: Part 2

2007-11-26T21:34:00.001-08:00

I'm one today.

Thanksgiving Day, outside bday party =

hat situation

I'm bored

2007-11-26T01:38:00.001-08:00

Hmm...

This could be fun...

Mommy... help

I'm no Veteran, but..

2007-11-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy!

Hooray for the Red, White & Blue!

Mmmm, men in skirts

Flags, flags, everywhere..

Biiiiig doggy...

And, as always, I love horses, my daddy & parades!

Happiness Is...

2007-11-11T14:27:00.001-08:00

Babies in bunny slippers and...

(Thanks to our friend, Johnnie M!)

Blue walls & beautiful new drapes...

(Thanks to my talented & generous inlaws, JuJu & Ricky Rich!)

Hit Parade

2007-11-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

Sittin' with Auntie Kathy and Miss Gloria waiting for the show to start...

Now we're talking.... I love marching bands!

(like Giovanni Ribisi in The Other Sister)

Oh when the saints.....

Mommy, why are you yelling at the big puppy?

I love horses... and parades!

Mini Me Halloween

2007-10-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

My first contact with an Albino Python at the Halloween block party. No, I'm not scared..

(yes, I said A-l-b-i-n-o)

Oh, who am I supposed to be? No, not Oliver...

Imagine my Dad, 39 years ago and that's me!

(Except I'm a girl, and yes, I'm wearing one of his baby outfits)

My So Called Life

2007-10-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

Is this the part where I'm supposed to smile?

I'm getting real tired of all this snot...

Isn't this called child labor?

Baby + rocks = excitement

Mmmmooom, my favorite gal pal

I love books

2007-10-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hmm, this one looks interesting..

Okay, maybe I'm not ready for Toni Morrison... I'll stick with farm animal books.

A Day at the Park

2007-10-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

I'm very intent on playing.

I'm so happy to be here!

Ahh, finally, a good stick.

I'm very busy.. and important!

Okay, ready to go..

My Fair lady

2007-10-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

The twins favorite animal at the fair and in life.

Sheep say Baa.

What are you looking at? The sheep are behind you.

Ohhh.. otgay ilkmay!

Candy from not-so-Stranger

2007-10-06T09:23:00.001-07:00

You'd think I'd be warning my baby NOT to take candy from this man (exchange of peppermint taking place in photo), but he's our friend KK, the self-proclaimed "Peppermint Man". Although baby is sugar-free for now, we'll take candy from KK anytime, just "to make life a little sweeter", as he likes to say with every candy offering.

To learn more about KK, read this.

Marlboro Man on canvas

2007-10-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is him, painted by Texas artist Tim Holden.

Again, refer to my new favorite site The Pioneer Woman.

My very own Marlboro Man

2007-10-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

I've had him for about 10+ years now.

Refer to my new favorite website The Pioneer Woman

Photo courtesy of Matthew Lester

First Fam Vacation

2007-10-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

My favorite pic

Catch me if you can!

2007-10-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

Advanced cavegirl - upright at 10 months!