Happy Halloween!

While most monarchs are heading south to Mexico for the winter, our favorite monarch only headed as far south as the Texas Capitol. Happy Halloween from Ruby Albina!

Eleven months

Our girl is almost a full year.

Flashback Friday

Hook Em Horns!

Singing The Eyes of Texas with the team after the October 2005 Texas/OSU game in Stillwater. After a very rough first half, Vince Young came out in all his burnt orange glory for an awesome win over the Cowboys. We love you, Vince. We're rooting for you this weekend against Jacksonville.

edit: I realize that this is Ruby's blog and this flashback in no way relates to her. However, the Texas/OSU game is a big deal in the Edmonson family, and we're teaching Ruby all season long about the joys of college football.  

Ruby and her baby

Ruby, a Strawng Woman

Ruby discovered the joy of multi-colored straws.

Theory #1 or Theory #2?

I've had some complaints recently (I'm talking to you, Baba) about our lack of updates on the blog. I have two theories on why we haven't updated much lately. Theory #1: We have been so busy having a great time with visitors that we haven't had time to post. Theory #2: We had to give back the fancy camera we had borrowed from a friend, and now it's not nearly as fun to take pictures with our point and shoot. The honest answer is probably a little bit of theory #1 and a little bit of theory #2. But if the grandparents ask, it's all theory #1.

Since I know that our friends and family come here mostly for the pictures, I'm just going to post some random ones from the last month. Enjoy.

Hanging out with Gramma

Smiling pretty

Playing "babushka" with Momma

Reading Pride and Prejudice. She is a huge Mr. Darcy fan.

Waiting for Dad to get back from his run

Playing with H at the Halloween Party

Telling Jack an awesome story about Dad and the dogs

Visitors from the North

Ruby has been quite the popular lady the last few weeks! First, Gramma and Grampa came to visit from Tulsa. Then Gigi and Baba came to spend a few days in Austin. And finally, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Edmonson came to love on sweet Rubina this weekend.

The great-grandparents had not seen Ruby since July, so she was eager to show off her new tricks. She was an excellent hostess all weekend, doing her best to entertain her great grandparents and parents. Ruby would dance around the living room, go down the hall to her room and read books for a few minutes, come back up the hallway to wave hello to everyone and brush her hair, hurry back down the hallway to her playroom to love on her baby doll, then come back to the living room again to flash that killer smile and give out some kisses. I wish we had a pedometer on this little one, she's racking up the miles.

We hung out at home for most of the weekend, other than a shopping trip for the girls today. Great Grandma bought Ruby some cute winter clothes, including two very fashionable miniskirts and a beautiful holiday dress to wear at Thanksgiving. The best present Ruby received all weekend, however, was a very special one that could not be bought at Old Navy or any other store. Great Grandma and Great Grandpa brought Ruby a family heirloom, the miniature rocking chair that Great Grandma's grandfather built for Great Grandma's father. That means that it was built by Ruby's great great great grandfather for Ruby's great great grandfather. Wow. Ruby was more than happy to try out the chair in the yard this afternoon and she clearly approves.

Finally, a picture of Ruby at lunch today. Great Grandpa suggested we let Ruby have one of Daddy's bones from his barbecue ribs. She LOVED it. She actually refused to eat anything else after she discovered this new tasty treat and sat sucking on it for the remainder of the meal. A true Texas girl!

Thanks Great Grandma and Great Grandpa for a wonderful weekend. We loved having some time with the two of you in our home. Ruby is so lucky to have y'all in her life.