Family Portrait

I had to use our oldest daughter for an assignment for school...her job was to draw a family portrait and my job was to analyze it...uh, ok. Last time I checked I am not qualified to analyze anyone...but whatever you say professor! All I could really gather from the portrait is....I'm a different color! (I'm in the purple...you know, the "peach" one!!!) Thanks, C! Love ya too! ;)

Dog Whisperer

We've had Lucee, our dog, for almost a year and a half. She has umm somewhat settled down, is finally able to stay in the house unattended, of course totally house trained, and also our oldest daughters BFF!

Hubs and I play "fetch" with Lucee, if you want to call it that. We throw her rope toy, she runs to get it, runs back to us and just stands there with it in her mouth. She won't drop it and most times will run off when we try to take it from her. We throw the toy in the air and she watches it hit the ground then picks it up. Hmm, ok..maybe she just doesn't have the concept down yet.

Enters our oldest daughter...she throws the toy...Lucee runs and gets it and returns it to C and promptly drops it. C throws it into the air...Lucee jumps up and catches it mid air. Seriously?! These two have a special little bond going on. They will cuddle up on the floor together, C will sit on the floor next to Lucee's water bowl and watch her drink, she takes her outside to potty...they are stuck together!

It's so adorable and Hubs and I have started called C the dog whisperer...all in love!

Girly Girl

My best friend, Candace, found out what their baby will be...and I'm sure you can guess from the title of this post!! It's a girl!! I'm so happy for her...she really really wanted a baby girl...even though I told her they are extremely expensive! LOL She is due December 13, 2009. I've already started planning her baby shower that I will throw in November. I can't wait! Ok, that's all for now. Just wanted to share that info!

Also, my sister is expecting again! Yay! She is due in January 2010 and will find out the sex of the baby in September. She's hoping for another baby boy!

SYTYCD

I don't watch So You Think You Can Dance but I did happen to stumble upon this video clip of a routine performed on the show yesterday and it literally brought me to tears...just like most things have this past week. What's up with that?!

'SYTYCD' Top 8: Melissa & Ade's Contemporary Performance @ Y! TV

As most of you know my dad has fought cancer and like one of the judges said...anyone with cancer believes they can beat it. Luckily for my family, my dad did beat it but I have known way too many people who weren't so lucky. Watch this video...even if you're not a dance person...it will bring you to tears.

Sprinklers

We were on our way home from the dreaded exciting toy store and it started to pour down rain...the closer we got to home, it slowly slacked off. Our youngest daughter pipes up from the backseat, "God must have moved his sprinklers over to water his other yard!"

Father's Day

I sure got lucky when I found my husband. Not only was/is he amazing to me, he was/is an amazing father to his two young baby girls. He was a single father for a few years before we met. Not commonly heard of these days! I think that's part of what attracted me to him, besides that cute little smile of his! I'm so thankful he has allowed me to be part of our not so baby girls lives! He is, unfortunately, working a 24 hour shift today at the fire department so we celebrated early yesterday. I bought him a new charcoal barbeque pit (we have a gas grill but evidently they cook differently, who'd thunk it?) and got him a gift card to his favorite video game store...man sure loves his video games. I made (he barbequed) steak and shrimp kabobs and bacon wrapped shrimp kabobs and we just spent time together. Today the girls are currently working on an art project for him and I'm baking some Ooey-Gooey Turtle Bars for him. We were going to go up to the fire station and deliver them for all the guys but hubs is filling in at a different fire station not so close to home. For their art project I typed up a list of questions about Daddy and left space for them to fill in the blanks. They hand wrote their answers and are currently decorating the paper with markers (no socks involved) and crayons. I'm going to then frame each one and the girls will give them to him tomorrow morning when he gets home. There's really nothing like a homemade gift...to me anyway. In the next few days I'll post their Q&A about Daddy.



And not to leave my own daddy out...he's in San Antonio for my step sister's softball tournament so we'll be getting together later this week. My dad has always been an amazing father who thought us to never accept anything but the best. He worked harder than anyone I know to provide for his family when we were young. My dad never told us no when we asked for something, even if he didn't have the money or means for it, he worked even harder to get it for us. There were many things I didn't agree with my dad about when I was a teenager but now find myself using some of his same parenting skills and tactics! He did know what he was doing after all! =) My dad has been dealt some bad cards the last few years (i.e. his cancer, his business, family issues) but he still stands strong and unbroken when most people would have given up. I love you daddy and always will! You were, after all, the first man I ever loved!

This & That

Just wanted to check it...don't really have much to say! We've been keeping busy around here.

On Friday me, our little ladies, my sister, nephew, and my sister's work BFF went to the beach. I got fried...and yes, I used sunblock! I'm not a huge fan of the beach but it was nice to go some place different. We also got to witness the damage from Hurricane Ike...it's still so very evident down on the island. Breaks my heart.



Yesterday we attended Erin & Cole's wedding ceremony. It was beautiful!! We had a good time and it made me want to have another wedding, lol! I'm so happy for them and will miss Erin greatly while she's living in California for the next two years. =(



Today we're taking the little ladies to Incredible Pizza...pray for me. ;) Tomorrow I start my summer school classes. I'm taking two classes...wish I could have taken more but wasn't expecting to be laid off. Hope everyone is doing well! Oh, and PENNY, it was wonderful to see you at the wedding...and time to delurk on my blog! ha ha

New Life

I'm still alive! Just living my life away from the computer. Hubs and I have been spending much needed quality time together. When I was working and going to school we were lucky to get an hour a day together...and most of the time I was doing homework during that time. Since he works 24 hours, 24 hours off, 24 hours on, and then off for 5 days we have PLENTY of time together! I love it! I've been cooking, can you believe it? I made Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes last night...thanks Rachel Ray! I've been cleaning, a lot! I even have bruises from scrubbing the baseboards on my hands and knees today!! Can you believe that?! I don't like to clean anymore then I did before but...it's a small price to pay to get to stay home everyday!!

We're taking the girls out of daycare!! WOOHOO! I haaaaaaaaaaaaate daycare so I'm glad we're able to get them out of there! I plan on making our summer pretty scheduled just for the simple fact that if I don't I know the girls will be bored and drive us insane! =) We are really blessed that between my summer school schedule and hubs work schedule there is only ONE day we'll need to get a babysitter for 3 hours while I'm at school. Our neighbor has graciously offered to watch them that day.

We're having a family crawfish boil Saturday since we didn't get to have one for Easter. My mom is in town so we're working on getting her to move back to Texas! ;) We miss our Mama and it's time for her to come home!

I've tweaked and crammed my school schedule and will be able to hopefully graduate a semester earlier then expected...I'll probably be cussing myself later for doing this but I really want to graduate and be done with school! And no, I will NOT go back for my Master's. The school district can keep their $1,000 a year for a Master's degree. =)

Well, I think this post is random enough. Just wanted to update my few readers! Hope everyone is doing as well as I am! I love this new life!

Bump In The Night

I think I had a mild heart attack early this morning! Around 4am I started tossing and turning a little and right as I was about to fall back into a good sleep I heard a huge crash!! I sat straight up shaking like a leaf and hubs jumped out of bed and turned on the overhead light (thanks for blinding me honey)...My heart was pounding...I've been a little on edge lately with all the crime going on...so my brain was racing!! Hubs looks around our room and....the stupid dog had knocked MY nightstand over and EVERYTHING (lamp, clock, books, pic frame) had hit the wall and fell off! So, thanks a lot for the mild heart attack Lucee!! She was evidently trying to sleep under the table and she's much too large for that and succeeded in knocking it over.

I did get to sleep in until almost 8am...then the girls came in the room saying they were "staaaaaarving" so I got up and took them to get donuts (hey, it's Mother's day, I'm allowed!) They had also laid out all the cards and pictures they made me on the kitchen table...very cute! We spent most of the day in the pool with my sister, nephew, and best friend. Now we're off to dinner with my sister...our husbands are both at work. =( Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day!!

Proud

I'm a proud wife today...it may have been one of the hardest days I've experienced but it was also beautiful. The memorial service for the fallen heroes from Houston Fire Dept 26 was simply amazing and moving. Yes, it completely broke my heart, but at the same time I was so deeply moved by the bond these men share. Seeing grown men cry rips my heart in two...and I saw more grown men cry today then I've ever seen in my whole life. I'm so thankful for my husband and for all the gifts in my life. My husband had the honor of driving the firetruck carrying Captain James Harlow. He did wonderful and that just makes me even more proud of him. I love you baby!


(That's my husband driving)

Rest in peace Captain James Harlow and Firefighter Damion Hobbs

Read the newspaper article here.

A Yummy Mess

Just like I told you guys I would...I ATTEMPTED the infamous 14 layer cake...except mine was going to be 12 layers, simply because the throw away round pans came in packs of 6.

It all started out well...I worked REALLY hard to get the mix even in each pan...so I thought..



As you can see...they didn't quite bake evenly...and I didn't have the type of knife needed to cut them evenly...as I continued to stack, the layers started breaking...and forming a dome shape...



So, we ended up with TWO six layer cakes like this...



It might not look pretty...but o-m-g...it was yummy! Actually, one whole cake is already gone! ;) (we have several people over, ok! heehee)



And long story short, we didn't have crawfish Sunday. Boo! But we did have steak, grilled potatoes w/cheese, corn on the cob, baked beans, and cheese dip....and of course cake! I also downed a bottle of cheap "wine." For those who don't know me IRL, I have a thing for Boone's Farm, don't hate. We also had an Easter egg hunt in the wet grass, that was awesome. Ha! Please ignore all the clutter in the background of the pictures...we have so much Easter candy...it's ridiculous!!! Anyone need candy?!

Good Friday

We have a slightly busy weekend ahead of us! Tonight my nephew is coming over to dye Easter eggs with our girls. This is the first time our girls have dyed eggs...I know, I know...but they've NEVER asked to do it and I clearly remember how messy it is so I figured we'd just wait until they asked. Well, they didn't ask this year either but I started feeling guilty that our children had never done this so I purchased a $0.99 box of egg dye and 2 dozen eggs...we shall see how it goes...considering when these 3 kiddos get together they turn into monsters! Good monsters, of course! Oh, did I forget to mention we're doing this after I will have been at work for over 10 hours? ::happy thoughts, happy thoughts::

Tomorrow morning we're dropping the kids off at my sister's house and she is taking the little monsters to an Easter egg hunt at her church while the hubs and I run to Sam's for the stuff we need for the crawfish boil on Sunday...and most importantly, the pick up the crawfish! Then after we run all the errands I will ATTEMPT to make this cake I've been drooling over for months! I've already bought the supplies...I will be sure to let you ladies know how it turns out...unless it's a complete disaster...then I will just cry.

On Easter day we're having my sister, BIL, nephew, Dad, and Stepmom over for a crawfish boil...with our "jumbo" crawfish the hubs secured for us! We're also going to have an Easter egg hunt for the kiddos...you better bet we're going to hide those dyed eggs!

I also have a TON of homework, holy smokes, I can't wait for this semester to be O-V-E-R! Also, a birthday shout out to my girl Erin! Hope you have fun out with your friends! (evidently I'm not in her friend category anymore, lol j/k)

And on a heavier note, one of my college roommates is having a very serious and complicated brain surgery as I type this. She is having an AVM repair surgery, her second one. Her first brain surgery was when we were freshmen in high school. Please pray for a speedy recovery with no lasting side effects. She is seriously the funniest person I know...and she just happened to marry my sister's husband's brother...follow that? So, I'm lucky enough to get to see her regularly!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! What are your plans?

The Circus

Yes...I went to the Britney Spears concert last night with my sister, my sister's BFF, and my BFF. Don't hate. We had a blast...and many laughs! I so wish I would have taken a picture of the people next to us. These two guys did not sit down the entire show and were dancing allll night. Thanks again Sister for the best birthday present...even if I am 26 and not 16!


My sister and me

Our trip...

Our trip to El Paso started off rough! Our flight was scheduled to depart at 9:05am so hubs rushed home from work (he got off work at 6:30am that morning) and showered and changed...we rushed to drop our dog Lucee off at the PetHotel then to the parking garage only to find out our flight was delayed an hour and 25 minutes. Nice. So while we drank our way too strong Starbucks knockoff coffee we waited...and waited...around 10am I pulled the girls away from their Nintendo DS's and we headed to the restroom so we'd be good to go on the plane...when we got back to our gate the hubs informed me the flight was delayed ANOTHER 45 minutes...UGH...UGH...UGH..This was all because of fog. Seriously, fog in the middle of March at 10am?! Anyhow...we were quite happy when we finally saw this....



We departed Houston at 11:15am....only 2 hours and 10 minutes late. We landed in El Paso around noon...their time...we headed straight to our favorite place, Wienerschnitzel! Umm, I may or may not have broken my french fry give up...we visited with the hubs grandparent's then we went back to his parent's house and played a little croquet...



On Thursday my MIL had to work for a few hours so we just laid low for the morning...and of course I started getting sick. I told you...it never fails...someone always gets sick. We made no less than 5 trips to Walgreens while we were there. I took a 3 hour nap while the family played more croquet...



On Friday morning we headed to the outlet mall...yay! My favorite place ever!! We got lots of stuff...so did the little ladies!! I must say though...this was our best buy...



I'm pretty sure that is my Mother's Day present. ;) Our oldest daughter broke out in a rash...and started running a fever Friday...the pollen in El Paso is insane!! On Saturday we went to the famous Cattleman's Steakhouse and checked out their petting zoo after lunch.





The little ladies really enjoyed all of the animals!









The view wasn't too bad either!





Saturday evening we spent time with his aunt's and cousins. We had a nice time...if you ignore the fact that two of us were sick! The climate is just so different there! Anyhow, that was our little trip to El Paso! Until next time....Adios El Paso!

not so Wordless Wednesday

By time you read this we'll be on an airplane heading west to El Paso to visit with the hubs family for Spring Break. We'll be back on Sunday and back into our daily grind on Monday! I'll be sure to update via Twitter, so be sure to follow me...our time there is always interesting. ;)

My 26th Birthday

So I'm a week and one day late...but better late than never, right? We've been super busy around our house lately. We had company two weekends in a row and are getting ready to head out west Wednesday morning.

I'll just make this a photo post...


The hubs and I waiting for our table


The kiddos playing with their chop sticks...they were playing drums!


Mom, Aunt Donna, BFF Candace, BFF's hubs, Michael, and park of my BIL, Ben.


Jr, our hibachi cook...doing tricks with those spatula thingies...


Cooking up our veggies


There goes our meat


Me...isn't that hat a nice look? =)



The fried ice cream they gave me...I did not care for it!


Now...some real birthday cake that my loving hubs made for me!! It was so yummy! Everyone came to our house after dinner for cake and ice cream.

Thank you Mom, Aunt Donna, Candace, Michael, Ben, Sherie', Tammy, Dad, Mama #2, and of course, my awesome hubs for being here with my on my birthday!! Love you guys!