The Texas Darlings

10 Things to Smile About in January

2012-01-31T07:33:00.000-06:00

I have really loved taking a quick minute to reflect back on some of the things that made me smile this past month. I really am blessed, as every month I have a hard time narrowing it down to only 10 things. But I did and with the help of Instagram, my really fun iPhone app that makes me smile, here they are:

My new Erin Condren iPhone cover - makes me smile every time I pick up my phone!

My girlie saving up enough money to buy her very own iPad makes e smile every time I see her using it.

I was completely spoiled for my birthday this year with gifts mailed to me all December. And then a few trickled in in January and it totally made me smile!!!

Bubba got a trophy for Best Craftsmanship at his annual Pinewood Derby! Smile!!

This little guy started potty training last week. No potty training doesn't make me smile, but the fact that he gets it and is so excited to get a "mnnnnm" does!

Last weekend, we geocached with my parents - and at one point, we were using an iPhone, an iPad, and a Garmin to find our way. Smile!

Sis went to a birthday party at an exotic animals shop. This adorable hedgehog made me smile. The 8 foot pregnant boa constrictor did not.

It's been a sunny-filled month with afternoons to make me smile!

I recieved this sweet angel in the middle of the month from my hubby's sweet cousin. I had spoken for her at Matt's Grandmother's Funeral and she sent me this as a reminder that we have an angel up in heaven looking down on us. smile.

Lastly, when the Christmas came down, the Love came out. And my candy jars are full of Valentine's Candy....that I have eaten. I'm NOT smiling about the jar full of candy hearts I have eaten these past 2 weeks, but I am smiling that I pulled this particular one out. See? Even with the 1200 calories of candy hearts, I'm still hot!

Happy January!! One more thing that makes me smile? Linking this post with THREE fun friends for their memes. That means hopefully you are visiting from there, will leave me a comment, and come back again soon!!

Ferris is Back!

2012-01-30T14:13:00.001-06:00

I love me a good 80's flick. It takes me back to carefree fun days where we could watch a movie and think that is exactly how our life is going to turn out.

really. I did.

I was going to have my first kiss over my birthday cake on the center of the dining room table with "my jake".

didn't happen

I was going to lead the final dance of the talent show cause "nobody puts Becca in the corner."

uh. no.

Did I get sent to a Saturday Detention with a totally hot wrestler name Andrew? Did I win a dance contest on national television? Did I start a commotion in a small Florida town??

no. no. and no.

But I did try to rhyme everything I said (thank you Princess Bride) and had a slight obsession with everything time travel related (Back to the Future I, II, & III).

And I had a slight obsession with an adorable white leather fringe jacket, wrestling shoes, and everything else related to Ferris Bueller.

Hands down, my favorite 80's movie. Could quote every line cold, that's how many times I waned it - thank goodness for VCRs, I probably burned through that tape more than once.

So when I saw this Superbowl commercial today, I went NUTS!!!

"Calm yourself woman."

I can't wait to see it on Sunday!!

And yes, I totally thought all days skipping school were like the one Ferris had - too bad I went to high school in rural Nevada - certainly no museums, Cubs games, or parades to sing in there!

P.S. If you know all the movies I referenced up top, you are my long lost twin!! Tell me what they are!

Friday DayDreamin': Is Spring Break Here Yet?

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday!! I am so excited for Friday Daydreamin'! I love trolling the internetz with my hot coffee in the morning looking at all your daydreams!! SO hurry - post yours and link up!!

The weather has been sunny most afternoons this week here in Texas which has me longing for Spring (yes, I know it is only January 27th!). So, I am daydreamin' about our Spring Break plans already. We are probably not traveling this Spring, but I want to create some fun for the kiddos, so I am looking for fun outdoor (and inexpensive) things to do over the holiday.

The Spring Break before Bubba came, we planned a day trip every day and had so much fun doing it. One day, we took a tour of the Texas State Capitol and had a great time. The building is BEAUTIFUL - made of Texas red granite - and has a wonderful museum to hear all about the history. The kids really enjoyed walking around the inside to see how HUGE it is. At the time, they were a bit too young to grasp the relevancy of it all, but it was a wonderful day none-the-less.

My hope is to plan another fun-filled Spring Break this year!!

What are you Daydreamin' about? Go link up with R We There Yet Mom? now!

Kairos Time

2012-01-22T17:51:00.000-06:00

I just finished 2 hours of science-project-hell. I call it hell because that's what it is. As much as I try to let my darling daughter do it all herself, momma bear kicks in to "advise" her. Maybe we should put a border on each title? Now how would you be able to explain that to a judge? NO! It's not pronounced nora-friend!! It's norepinephrine!!!

And now it's done, and Sis is proud and I'm a bundle of nerves after trying to not be that parent that controls the entire project. Ugh. I hate that part of my personality.

And it reminds me of the Huffington Post article by Glennon Melton that circulated the Facebook this past week. You know, the one about why Carpe Diem is a load of crap to a parent...until the kids have grown up. If you haven't read it - please do - It really is fantastic. I'll wait here for you.

Back, already?

When I read it, I nodded my head, saying, she's right - remember and cherish all the wonderful memories you have of parenting. Don't sweat the spilled milk, having to discipline your son repeatedly for his bus behavior, or getting frustrated over your 2 year old's meltdowns at HEB. I need to apply this everyday. Here is what she wrote that struck a chord in me:

There are two different types of time. Chronos time is what we live in. It's regular time, it's one minute at a time, it's staring down the clock till bedtime time, it's ten excruciating minutes in the Target line time, it's four screaming minutes in time out time, it's two hours till daddy gets home time. Chronos is the hard, slow passing time we parents often live in.

Then there's Kairos time. Kairos is God's time. It's time outside of time. It's metaphysical time. It's those magical moments in which time stands still. I have a few of those moments each day. And I cherish them.

There are days in my life that are filled with Chronos time. Those are the days that I stare at the clock, willing it to be one for Bubba's nap. When will Matt get home? How many more days until Book/Wine club?? And I always lay in bed at night after days like these regretting everything I said - why did I waste my day with negative energy - am I fit to be at home all day with Bubba?

The only way I can chase out those "bad-mommy" feelings is to think of my Kairos time. And I can think of a ton of those. It's the sweet smell of all my babies' hair. It's the belly-laughs at the dinner table over Brody's jokes. It's the never-ending summer days at the beach, reading chapter books in bed, selling girl scout cookies with Sis, playing Wii together as a family, beaming crazy with pride over a soccer goal. Those are the moments I will remember when I am old and look back on my parenting years.

It's Kairos time I need to remember when I begin to sink in that Science-project-hell again - the one-on-one time I get with my daughter, the exclamation of surprise when she tells me, "That's really cool- I never knew that it could be interesting!" And the pride she has over a job well done.

The past few weeks, I have been taking the time to really play with Bubba. No, not I'll check Twitter while you play Thomas -play, but getting down and building a track for him, climbing in tunnels with him, chasing him around the back yard. You know, Kairos time. It has really been special for him and I . (I know this is nothing new for all you fantastical-Moms out there - but I have to physically turn the social media off to truly concentrate 100% on him.)

Rather than remember the frustration of the past 2 hours, I am going to remember all the fun we had earlier today geo-caching and eating burgers with my mom & dad.

Wow - looky there, more Kairos time.

A Movie, some Winners, and a TON of Thanks!!

2012-01-19T13:16:00.000-06:00

Hi guys.

So Sorry for the delays this week on the fun fun fun movie and the equally fun announcement of the gift card winners.

What happened, you ask?

Life. It gets in the way all the time.

movingontootherfuntopics......

A Movie!!
Thank you Thank you THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for always supporting my crazy movie ideas. I asked for vacation pictures and you guys came through!! I have never seen so many smiles and fun and cool places all put together. So, here is my little homage to all the fun everyone had traveling in 2011:

Some Winners!!
Again, thank you for your support in R We There Yet Mom and Darling Memories. I gained so many new fans and followers thanks to all your tweets and posts for me!! So in appreciation of all that you have done to help get the word out, I am giving away 5 Gift Cards to your choice (Target, Starbucks, or Sonic)- one per winner.

Out of 133 entries, the 5 winners are (thanks to handy dandy random.org):

Liz at Sugarplum Creations (68)

Yadra Wyatt (112)

Carl Franzon (119)

Rebecca Kelly (128)

MiMi from Living in France (28)

Winners, please email me at darling729@mac.com with your address and what gift card you would like.

Thank you again friends for all of your support! Please continue to visit R We There Yet Mom, submit your vacation stories, add your pictures on Friday Daydreamin', etc.

And if ever you have an occasion that a Photo DVD movie would be perfect for (think birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions, etc.), I would be honored to make one for you over at Darling Memories!

She Got What?!?

2012-01-16T21:43:00.000-06:00

My girl wanted an iPad. Started telling us back in October that she was going to ask Santa for one. Her Daddy and I laughed at that one.

Determined, she sat down and wrote down every way she could earn enough money to buy her own iPad. She thought of everything from starting her own Dog walking business to selling all her old DSi games. And she did - she asked our neighbors to walk their dogs and they let her....and paid her. She sold all her old games to Game Stop. Sold all her American Girl Doll furniture on our local Yahoo group. She started watching the baby for me (I was still home). And she asked everyone to give her $$ for Christmas.

He Daddy & I tried for weeks to talk her into buying a Kindle Fire. It does everything she wanted. But NOOOOOOOOO - it's not an "Apple" product. Man, she listened well when I was convincing Matt to let me buy a PowerBook last summer.

And we had a slight hiccup when "Santa" told her that he would get one. She recovered well once she saw that didn't happen.

Finally, thanks to the generosity of our neighbors and relatives, Miss Sis had enough money to buy her beloved iPad. Last Tuesday, we took a little trip to the Apple Store.

She walked right in, confident as can be (where does she get that from?), and told the first Apple Kid she saw that she would like to buy a "white 16 gig iPad please."

Miguel worked with her for over half a hour setting her up. He showed her cool apps to download and short cuts to run certain programs.

Even Bubba was pretty patient with the whole experience. It was as if he knew this was going to be something fun to play with....

Is it glued to her side at all times? Yes - though it is downstairs at us at night (we aren't that stupid). She has face-timed with Grandma, texted all her friends, watched Once Upon a Time (cute show) on ABC, read a book, emailed me a few silly jokes, and played Pet Hotel. On Saturday I received no less than 20 texts from her while I was out shopping.

Do I think that is a wise investment for her to have made???

Absolutely. The joy on her face and the confidence in her heart that she can tackle any goal she sets her mind to is absolutely worth every penny.

Joining up for TTUT with Shawn & Impulsive. Go link up and talk about anything you want!!

Friday Daydreamin': Is it Summer Yet??

2012-01-13T00:00:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday!! I am so excited the Friday Daydreamin' is back! I love trolling the internetz with my hot coffee in the morning looking at all your daydreams!! SO hurry - post yours and link up!!

Today, it is cold. So I am daydreamin' about someplace warm. Anyplace warm. Like here:

Yep. I love the beach and we are just starting to talk about making it an annual trip and going again. Hopefully, this year, Bubba won't be so frightened of the water and irritated by the sand and wanting to drink a gajillion juice boxes all day..... despite all this, it was incredibly relaxing and WARM.

Link up your favorite vacation picture over at R We There Yet Mom?. What are you waiting for? Start Daydreamin'!!

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Don't forget that 5 gift cards are up for grabs - simply like my other businesses on the facebook and the twitter to enter in for a gift card- Click here and get registered now!

Shameless Plug?? Nah!! Just Promoting Myself!

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi friends. Did you all know I was in sales? And no matter how I try to quiet that saleswoman inside me with dinner menus, homework, laundry, and countless repeats of Twinkle, Twinkle, it simply won't disappear.

Which is why I juggle and can't stop.

Seriously. I can't.

Currently, I have a few balls in the air.........

I am a momma of three. (that carries a dozen balls in itself).

I am the PTA President of my children's school.

I started a DVD Photo Slideshow business called Darling Memories 2 years ago. I make awesome movies out of your pictures for all events like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, vacations, etc.

I created a Family Travel blog called R We There Yet Mom? that features travel stories and travel tips submitted by family travel experts....you.

And I am a Thirty-One Consultant. Thirty-One has awesome totes, purses, and organizational ideas that are adorable. I just saw our spring catalog this past weekend and it's so CUTE. Never heard of Thirty-One? Take a moment and look......

So, am I looking for a pat on the back? A "how do you do it?? You are awesome!"

Sounds like it huh??

no.

I am renewing my energy into these endeavors in a effort to make them successful (and provide a little income for our family.) and would LOVE your help. I simply can't sit still. I get a great deal of enjoyment working on and promoting the various brands I have created.

Shameless promotion? You may think so, but I see it as a fun lady (me) sharing all these unique and great ideas with her girlfriends (you). I mean, if you found the recipe for an amazing chocolate cake or a great deal on shoes, you wouldn't hesitate to share it, right?

So, I would love to share my stuff with you.......

Darling Memories
As I mentioned, I create DVD movies out of your photos. I LOVE LOVE LOVE making fun memories out of photos and have really enjoyed helping create them for the past few years. You can find out more by visiting my website at www.darlingmemoriesdvd.com and by liking our Darling Memories Facebook Fan page.

R We There Yet Mom?
This past summer, I created a family travel blog to highlight one of the things I enjoy most....family travel. It features family travel stories and tips from my readers. I really enjoy sharing other families travel with everyone and am always looking for YOUR travel stories. If you have posted a great travel story in the past or want to share a fun adventure from your area (think museums, state parks, etc.), please let me know! We are always looking for new content.

I also host a Friday meme called "Friday Daydreamin'" where you post a picture of a place you are daydreaming about - a past vacation, a dream vacation, the best cup of coffee you ever had, a local spot you love to go to with the kids - tell us a little about it and link up. It is the easiest post you can do on a Friday!! And so fun to see all the different locations everyone daydreams about!

You can check out this amazing website by clicking www.rwethereyetmom.com. Go ahead a bookmark it and visit often. Or even easier, like our Facebook fan page to see when new content is added and visit when you see something you like - I promise NOT to fill up your facebook wall!!

Why should you do any of this?
You don't have to. I'm not twisting your arm. But as any good salesman would try........ I would love to have your support of either of my businesses. As a stay at home mom, these 2 ventures allow me to not only make a little supplemental income, but keeps my mind busy. Don't get me wrong...I love being home with my kids AND working on, writing, and promoting my 2 businesses. Keeps me incredibly happy. And your support of them keep me happy.

As a thank you for your support, I am giving away 5 gift cards (Starbucks, Sonic, or Target - your choice!) to 5 lucky winners.

Interested? How can YOU win?

Easy! Enter a comment for each of the below. You will get one entry for each one.

1. Become a Follower of R We There Yet Mom. (if you already are, let me know!)
2. Like R We There Yet Mom's Facebook Page. (If you already are, let me know!)
3. Follow RWeThereYetMom on the Twitter. (If you already are, let me know!)
4. Link up a picture of this Friday's Friday Daydreamin' for 5 entries!! (I'll keep track!)
5. Submit a travel story for R We There Yet Mom for 10 entries!! Email me!
6. Email me your favorite travel picture(s) from 2011 (for a fun movie I am making for the website) for 5 entires!! Click here for more details on this fun opportunity!

7. Become a Follower of Darling Memories. (if you already are, let me know!)

8. Like Darling Memories's Facebook Page. (If you already are, let me know!)

9. Follow Darlin_Memories on the Twitter. (If you already are, let me know!)

10. Post on your blog of Facebook wall or Tweet about this giveaway for 5 entries!

Many easy ways to get multiple entries!!!

Contest ends Sunday, January 15, 2012 at midnight (CST). I will announce the winners on Monday morning.

Is it a bribe? Call it what you want - I just appreciate you & your support!! XOXO

Anyone Up for a Race?

2012-01-10T00:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cafe Well for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

2 years ago I decided to make a change in my health. I ate better. I picked up running. And I used a social networking tool to help keep me accountable. And it worked......and has worked to this day.

Think about it. We use popular social network tools for keeping up with friends, sharing good news, and even finding dinner recipes, why not use it to keep in shape too??

Cafe' Well is on the forefront of this!! Cafe Well has wellness promotion and management tools on their site to keep you accountable to your fitness goals. One of my favorites is their Race to the Moon corporate wellness program. Race to the Moon offers a free pedometer that tracks your steps (through running or walking), and rewards your milestones and total steps with incentives & fun through social networking applications. Race to the Moon is only available to select Health America members - so if you are one, take advantage of this awesome program!

January is the month to do it - the month where we all have the motivation to get fit, so why not use a tool that helps keep you accountable to it?

If I could design a challenge, it would be one with all my bloggy besties - a workout challenge between all of us. Who can walk the furthest?? Wouldn't it be fun to all challenge ourselves? We have the perfect medium through our blogs to keep each other accountable! And I know there are some motivated people out there!!

How long do you think it could take us to Race to the Moon?? Who's in??

My Christmas Favorites

2012-01-06T10:20:00.000-06:00

Christmas. Let's wrap it up.

There are so many things I love about Christmas.....

Like, collaborations between siblings over how to decorate the gingerbread house...there may have been a fight or two broken out on how to do it which may have led this momma to say Never Again!!! But, we will see next year....

Fun keepsake projects to look at each Christmas.....

Adorable Christmas Programs.......

A fun Elf that tricked the kids each & every morning!

Fun Fun Fun outings with friends, like this neighborhood hay ride to look at lights.....

And Fun Fun Fun parties with friends, like Sissy's PJ Exchange......

The fact that Bubba LOVED "Ho, Ho, Ho!" this year..... Seriously, went to our Christmas Eve Santa THREE separate times while he visited with us!

Christmas Eve Pics by the tree.....

Catching that moment of surprise Christmas Morning.....

And FULL smiles from the 9 year old over something he REALLY wanted!

Love those "excited over a fun surprise gift" expressions too....

But really, I love the quiet moments of concentration over what fun we are having.....

This family of five had a wonderful Christmas full of LOTS of favorites!

North Pole Flyer

2012-01-04T08:15:00.000-06:00

Just a few more Christmas Activity posts I need to get in...bear with me..... :))

It was the week before Christmas......

And all through the house these kiddos were stirring to get out.....

And take a train ride to the North Pole (ok the poem thing didn't quite last)!

We had our own private car with 30 of our friends (really our own car! It rocked!)!!

The Baby was excited to go on a train ride at night, all dressed in his PJs waiting to meet Santa....

Brody hung out with the girls, hanging his head out the window (note the sign on the wall he clearly did not obey).

These besties had fun in their own private room they discovered - the room was for the dads to play poker in but the kiddos took it over quickly!

The Conductor punched all the kids tickets for the 2 hour excursion.

So many fun activities were planned - storytime with cookies & cocoa.

Santa sat and visited with all the kids for a long time.

This was the year of Santa for Bubba - he just LOVED "Ho,Ho,Ho".

As did the girlies!

All the moms got a quick pic with Santa too!

Mrs. Claus came by with homemade sugar cookies from the North Pole!

So the Dads had to get one with her too!

We have taken Christmas train rides before, but this was by far the best one we have been on. Obviously, with our own car, it's like we had our own party on wheels - it was relaxed, the kids had a wonderful time, so the adults could visit and enjoy themselves too. It was nice that it lasted for 2 hours - it was never rushed and we enjoyed all the fun that came with the ride.

It was the perfect evening for family fun!

Not exactly the Christmas we expected....

2012-01-03T13:46:00.000-06:00

Hello friends. It has been a few weeks since I have blogged (thank goodness for scheduled posts, right?). As much as I tried to not let the Holidays get the most of me and focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the entire season grabs a hold of you and you can't let go! We had so many fun plans - Holiday parties, Programs, the North Pole Flyer, the Elf Quote-a-long, Sissy's PJ Exchange...all so much fun!

And then we received sad news a few days before Christmas. Matt's beloved Grandma ~ Grandma Darling ~ passed away. There was no hesitation - we loaded up the car immediately and headed to Illinois. The kids were resilient - no hesitation - and they survived a 15 hour drive through the night to arrive there by 5 am.

It was a bittersweet Christmas - great to be around family but sad to be there for that occasion. Grandma Darling was an amazing woman - with so many who loved her. We had a wonderful memorial service for her and I was very glad we were able to be there. We were so very blessed by God to have her in our lives as long as we did.

Of course we had the question form the kids...."Will Santa still come to Illinois?" And after my kids' crazy requests in their letters and the even crazier conversation they had with Santa, I received many questions as to what Sissy did get from Santa.

Both expecting what they asked for, Brody even wrote this letter and snuck it next to the cookies before he headed to bed Christmas Eve......

The next morning, Santa was very good to my kids, leaving them a XBox 360 with Kinect and 3 games!!! WOW!! He left little Bubba a fun Chuggington train set. Brody was so excited, he didn't even ask about the go-cart.

Sis took a minute - had a hard time realizing that Santa didn't bring her an iPad - she rallied and didn't say much about it all morning.

Later that morning, we found 2 last presents to give to the kids.....

Brody was puzzled as to what was in the box but Sissy saw the picture right away and knew what it meant....

He looked at the picture of the go-cart and then looked at me and said, "Well, I didn't want a picture of it!!"

"Honey, the real thing is at home in the garage."

"YES!!!!!!" My boy was on cloud nine - Is it bad that I am happy that Mom & Dad put him them, and not Santa?

Sissy, seeing where this was going, tore into her present as quickly as possible. I think she was expecting a picture of an iPad.....

Though she never said that and was THRILLED to received money from her mom & dad to help her buy an iPad.

She quickly grabbed some wrapping paper to add up how much she has saved already. With her little entrepreneurial spirit, she has almost enough - she sold some old DS games and American Girl stuff, took care of our neighbors dog, and received more $$ for Christmas presents. She has a few dog walking jobs lined up over the next week that will hopefully take her to the top to EARN her own iPad - the ONLY way she was going to get one.

We faced a long drive home and Brody was so patient, as he had to wait 15 hours to charge the dang thing. But he finally got out on his go-cart. Have you ever seen him smile so much??

One day Bubba- one day.

Linking up with my girls - Shawn & IA for Talk To Us Tuesday! Link your post up - there's no rules and no work!!

2012-01-01T20:07:00.000-06:00

Happy 2012 from The Texas Darlings!!

We had a wonderful 2011 - Check out our re-cap!

The Gates of Bethlehem

2012-01-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

This past season, we had the opportunity to go to the "Gates of Bethlehem" that the church we have been attending puts on. It is a wonderful replication of Bethlehem with animals, food, crafts, and fun- all to recreate what Bethlehem was like when Jesus was born.

When we first arrived, we were added to the census and giving coins incase we were "taxed" while visiting the city.

We took the time to visit the animals.

And made a basket.

We carved passages onto bricks.

And helped the ironworkers.

Bubba wanted to try as well.....

Our favorite part was visiting the Baby Jesus - they had done it up so well, that you felt as if you were there witnessing a miracle - it was so neat.

I was so happy that we took the time to do this - it was a great time to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of the holiday and focus on why we are celebrating.

Is it Cool to Look this Bored?

2011-12-31T16:07:00.000-06:00

After the mess of pictures I took at poor Bubba's Christmas Program earlier this month, I took the time to figure out how to take better pictures at Sis's. And I did....

At our school, when you are a 4th or 5th grader, you have the opportunity to audition for the Choir and perform in the Holiday Show.

Sis did last year and loved it, so she decided to try again this year. Did she love it?

By the looks of the following pictures I took during the performance, what do you think?

Yup. She was bored.

At least she had her own speaking role that she nailed.

And she was involved in giving flowers to her Choir Director too.

Just another event in her Elementary School years that she has been a part of.

These events are coming at us fast.....all taking us one step closer to Middle School!!

As hard as it is to have my little girl growing up, it is moments like these that make me incredibly proud of the confident young woman she is becoming.

Go Sissy Go!

My Kind of Christmas Tree

2011-12-27T14:59:00.000-06:00

After finding so many fun Christmas ideas on Pinterest the last few weeks, I decided to try my hand (no pun intended) at one of them.

I bring you, the handprint Christmas tree that I am just giddy about......

First you grab a stinkin'-cute 2 year old who loves to have his hand painted.....

And start pressing that hand down - the messier the better - I love nothing more than those cubby fingers!!

Get the older two involved. We went by hand size to shape the tree.

And Brody has the biggest hands - he formed the base.

Once it dried fully, we used our fingers to "decorate" the tree.

Matt & I even added our fingerprints down on the bottom.

I hid the kids names by writing them in very discreetly under their hands. And now I have a keepsake that was incredibly easy to make and even a little fun. Maybe I can do this crafty stuff after all..... nah, let's not push it.

A Glowing Party

2011-12-26T23:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love me a good party.....even more, I love hosting a great party AND earning great gifts while doing it.

I recently heard about PartyLite - A direct sales company that brings amazing scents to your home. In fact, PartyLite is the world's #1 direct seller of premium candles and home fragrances. Their products are mainly sold through direct sales - home parties! I am extremely supportive of Direct Sales and hosting parties. And it sounds like candles and home fragrances would be a win-win!

There is nothing easier than hosting a party for PartyLite. All you need is a plate of crackers and cheese, a pitcher of lemonade, and a group of good friends. They are all there to shop, and there is no place more relaxing to shop than at home with good friends. Plus, you can earn FREE PartyLite products by hosting too!

PartyLite party

PartyLite has some beautiful candles and amazing scents. I love the Whole Enchanted Collection. And I really like the idea of being able to "redecorate" my entire home with candles and new scents to change out with each new season. I was excited to look through the PartyLite 2012 Winter/Spring Catalog that just came out December 16. PartyLite also offers fun sweepstakes like the Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes where you could have won a $500 gift certificate! That sweepstakes is over, but there is sure to be more just like it!

PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes

And I just LOVE this hurricane:

You can find out more about PartyLite by "liking" their PartyLite Facebook.

Santa Said What?

2011-12-26T09:54:00.000-06:00

Every holiday season, we look forward to Santa coming to our 'hood.

He takes the time out of his very busy schedule to visit all the adorable kiddos in the perfect setting.....the neighborhood pool.

Cause nothing says "Christmas in Texas" better than Santa sittin by the pool. All we needed was a sunnier day.

And this year, Bubba has taken a particular liking to "Ho, Ho, Ho" (as he calls him). He will sit on the big guys lap as long as we let him.

And tell him exactly what he wants for Christmas.

Santa may not understand his garbled 2-year-old-speak, but he did his best.

Brody of course reminded Santa of his 3-year request for a go-cart.

Bubba is taking good notes on how this is done.

And then Sis gets her turn, not holding back, tells him she wants an iPad 2.

He leans close to her, beckons her to get closer.....

and whispers, "If you believe in Santa....and Santa believes in you....he will bring you an iPad."

What????? Thanks Santa.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like a Pinterest Christmas....

2011-12-20T09:08:00.000-06:00

Pinterest. Ah, what a time suck you are....but wow, have I been inspired! Cookies, crafts, decorating ideas, dinner.....you had me at hello. The hours & hours I have spent pouring over your boards and pinning all these great ideas...oy!

And when I actually followed through with the stuff I pinned, I was amazed. Maybe you can make a "susie-homemaker" out of me yet.

Here are a few of the inspirations that got me going this holiday season..... Instagram style (another fun fun app that I love!)

My kids and I put this together last weekend - I HUGE PUFFY HEART love it. I found a way to incorporate everyone in the family. The bottom 2 fingerprints are mine & Matt's. Inspiration found here.

I have always wanted to hang wreaths up in my windows, so this year I did - and you know what? It wasn't that hard or that time consuming like I had assumed it would be.

Inspired by this. I have used "Joy" all over my home this year. I love the way it turned out - again, so easy to make.

I loved the look of these wrapped french doors seen here. Mine didn't quite turn out as I had hoped, but it adds a fun element of color & Christmas to my front entry way.

All the inspiration got me to think on my own too - what?? How ya like my Christmas balls I found at the Christmas Affair? They are hanging from my entry way chandelier.

And in my dining room, I actually put this together on my own. Vivienne will be proud. Better be proud....

On top of all the fun decorating, I have been trying a few dinner recipes I have found - all getting the big thumbs up from my hubby. 2 really yummy ones:

Mexican Stuffed Shells found here:

and Hawaiian BBQ Chicken found here:

And there are some amazing cookies & desserts I am trying this week. SO much good stuff!

So the verdict on Pinterest? If you don't want to get sucked into something of hours at a time, don't sign up.

But if you want creative ways to store hot wheels cars, dinner inspiration, how to tie your scarves a new way, an easy discipline method, and so on.....dive right in head first! I'll even invite ya to join! And if I am not yet following your boards, let me know - I want to see what is inspiring you!

I'm sharing this post over at Shawn & Impulsive Addict's Talk to us Tuesday. JOin in the fun with a post about ANYTHING you want to talk about - look at me, I wrote an entire post on Pinterest and y'all read it!! :))

Guess What's At the Top of My Christmas List this Year?

2011-12-19T19:01:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG DoublePlay™ for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Santa pictures. North Pole Train rides. Christmas Caroling. School Holiday Programs. So many fun events that everyone in my social network needs to know that I am doing!! kidding.....

I have had so many moments this past season where i wanted to share something with my family in New York or my friends in Oklahoma, only to have my junky phone take a crummy picture or it took forever to upload. Not anymore. This past weekend I played with the LG Doubleplay and it is on the top of my Christmas List!

LG DoublePlay™

The LG Doubleplay has two touch screens and a slide out QWERTY keyboard. It also has a 5 mega-pixel camera with an HD video camera for all those Christmas moments you want to share. And you can upload a picture on Facebook and text your hubby to pick up milk on his way home. As a busy Momma of 3, I am loving the multi-tasking the LG Doubleplay allows me!

Available only at T-Mobile, one of my favorite features are the Cloud Text and Group Text - I can text a picture of my baby singing at his school program to all 7 Aunts & Uncles at the same time. With more than a 1000 texts a month, I will love this fun way to communicate with everyone. What? Don't judge - how many texts do you go through in a month???

And don't get me started on the Facebook - this phone would make it so much easier to play around on my Social Networks - I am seriously looking forward to updating my status and emailing my grandma at the same time! How much more fun could you have with the LG Doubleplay?

Go try it out - I am betting it will be at the top of your Christmas List too!!

George's 2nd Week at the Darlings

2011-12-16T09:02:00.000-06:00

George had some fun this week....making messes and playing each night. Good thing he always cleans up after himself!!

Even the kids are not allowed to get into my Christmas Candy display!!

Every little Elf has a whole lot of Joy, right??

He really enjoyed hanging around this day.

We were all amazed that we didn't hear George going for a spin around the tree - this train whistles!!

Elf Fuel!! One of the 4 main food groups, right?

Tuesday found George keeping an eye on the kid's playroom. What does the sign say?

Surprise, Surprise...the kids all helped clean it up that afternoon! Thanks George!

George hung out with Stella today - a gentle reminder to Sis that her cage needed cleaning. George was on a roll!!

George gathered all his Christmas friends for a good & long discussion.

What a fun week with George. He's helping to keep the kids in line and making them smile each morning!

Bubba's First Christmas Program & This is All I Got?

2011-12-13T07:17:00.000-06:00

Bubba appeared in his first Christmas Program this past week. It is particularly sentimental to me as this is my last child beginning all the memorable events. 8 years after my first began all these fun things, I am more prepared and wiser about what to capture.

I have a nice DSLR camera and I "semi" know how to use.

I have a nicer video camera and some mad video-making skills to make a nice finished product.

And if all else fails? I have an iPhone 4 that has a decent video camera.

nice banister.

could we be any less sharp?

cute smile but there's that damn bannister again.

argh - even the red eye fix can't make this one look decent.

Was I prepared?

uh. no. my battery was dead on the video camera.

The iPhone was too far away.

And even with my zoom lens, the lighting was terrible, creating an artificially colored look to my pictures.

no, there is no perfectionist qualities in me...what are you talking about?

I get so frustrated with the fact that I have a fantastic camera and I can't seem to capture a decent picture. No matter how much I read up on it, get advice from friends and websites, or even have someone else put the correct settings on it, I can't take a decent picture......

And visiting all these amazing photography blogs doesn't help. It just makes me jealous.

About half-way through the program, I set my camera down and just watched. I soaked all 2 minutes of him shaking his jingle bells and rocking Baby Jesus in his arms. And took a mental picture.

And that one? That one came out absolutely perfect.

Ten on Ten ~ December 2011

2011-12-11T19:36:00.001-06:00

ten photos ~ ten hours

Friday Daydreamin': Missing my Christmas Parade

2011-12-09T11:16:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday & Happy Holidays!!!!

Anyone have time for a daydream or two? Check out R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreaming - an easy Friday post - post a pic of a vacation daydream - that's it!! Easy-Peasy! And this month, it can be all about the Holidays - trips, local events, yummy treats, wine - you name it! Go link up!

When the kids were younger and we lived up in Dallas, each year we went to the Adolphus Children's Christmas Parade the first weekend in December. It was (and still is) an incredible parade with amazing floats, big balloons (think Macy's Thanksgiving Parade) and Santa!! We bundled up, brought hot chocolate in our thermos, and loved every minute of it. The smiles on my kids faces each year was heart-warming!

How I miss that parade!

Mom, Where's George?

2011-12-08T07:54:00.000-06:00

Last Thursday, December 1st, George came back to The Texas Darlings bringing donuts for breakfast! And he has been causing mischief & messes ever since......

Looking at our lone Christmas Card last Friday.....he's wondering why there aren't more?? Me too, George! Do people not send Christmas cards anymore??

Sissy always leaves her shoes in the middle of the living room floor, so George played a trick on her.....

The little sneaker was hiding in the banister of our stairway - the kids couldn't find him all morning.

He loves to read too......Bubba was a little annoyed that he wasn't "allowed" to read this book all day because George was hogging it.....

And we found out that he enjoys checkers with his snowman buddy.

Ugh - I was not too happy to find the mess George had left while trying to make hot chocolate one morning.....Lucky for us, George cleaned up his own mess!

And this morning? George must want a kiss.....

Hanging from our mistletoe......

Oh George! Wonder what you will be up to next week?

Why Can't Santa Just Make Me an iPad?

2011-12-06T07:52:00.001-06:00

Each year, I anxiously await the kid's "Santa Letters". I give them no help, just the encouragement to write them via Day 3 of the Advent Calendar. I seriously love their creativity and it just gets better & better each year.

This year, they topped themselves. I am seriously in love with these kids and they way they go about "asking" for presents:

"If you are asking what I want for Christmas, here it is!" or "Thank you for your time & consideration".

Ever the polite girl.....

Not this one:

So he asks me, can you please can this letter in and email it to Santa? I want to keep the original here for him to sign? Um, sure buddy......

So, an iPad AND a Go-Cart? When did my 10 & 9 year old jump to the "expensive gifts"??? Wasn't it just yesterday they were asking for Littlest Pet Shops and Thomas the Train Sets????

We have had several conversations about why Santa might not bring these items.....Santa has a budget, Santa & Mom have to agree on presents, Santa might not be able to get his hands on an iPad...... I don't want them getting their hopes up when Santa might not be able to deliver.....

Sis, ever the clever one, had a conversation with me about this on Saturday..... Mom, why can't Santa just make me an iPad? Like, go out into his woods and get all the material he needs??

Yeah Apple, why can't Santa make her an iPad????

Yes, she is in 5th grade, yes, she should know by now, and yes, this mom still loves that she believes (she has 2 younger brothers y'all - if she asks, I'll tell her!!). So there. How do I explain this one? Cause believe me, Santa has a budget in this family of 3 children!

Linking up with my girls, Shawn & Impulsive for Talk To Us Tuesday.....give me your advice Mommas!!

On another note.....
Do you have a past post about Holiday travel or Holiday events in your area? R We There Yet Mom is looking to post about Holiday events that you have done! Super easy, especially if you have already written a post about it, and it's a great way to get traffic back to you & your blog! Let me know by emailing me at rebecca@rwethereyetmom.com - thanks!

Friday Daydreamin': Trail of Lights (RIP)

2011-12-02T08:42:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday & Happy Holidays!!!!

Our first Christmas here in Central Texas, the City of Austin put on this amazing Light show each year ~ The Trail of Lights ~ at the Zilker Park (the same place of the ACL Fest each year).

It was a lighted pathway through the park and it was FANTASTIC. And it was FREE. It unfortunately does not exist anymore (some mubo-jumbo about money). I was so very happy that we were able to see it at least once!!

Does your town have anything fun like this that you go to each year? R We There Yet Mom is looking for guest posters to post about Holiday events in their local area. Email rebecca@rwethereyetmom to tell us all about it!

Ten Things to Smile About: November

2011-12-01T08:08:00.000-06:00

I have really loved looking back over the month for the 10 Things to Smile about Post hosted by EmmyMom.... Such a fun way to re-cap some of the little things that you did that month that didn't ever make it into a blog post, but definitely need to be remembered. Love these posts!!!

November is always a weird month, with a holiday right in the middle of it . Nonetheless, it was a busy one!

1. At the beginning of the month, my brother got married and it was a fun, quick weekend with the whole family. Having Uncle Chris around to have fun with made it a blast!

2. And that was the weekend of the infamous 5 1/2 hour trip to get to the zoo! We loved the zoo, and the trip will make us laugh someday, but the picture we took at the end of the day at our "rescuer's truck" makes me smile all day!

3. At the local grocery store, there is a wonderful cheese counter that Bubba loves to go to. We try samples of gouda, cheddar, goat cheese. And there is a lovely lady who always loves to comment on how my 2 year old "loves" cheese. (No lady, he's just hungry, it's almost lunch time.....) Each week she talks me into trying a new cheese. My favorite by far has been this expresso-infused gouda. It's amazing. Smile.

4. Remember the "Earthquake Candy" cake and the craziness to make that cake? Well, that night, Brody was selected to carry the flag in. It was fitting to see his pride after the crazy 3 hours that had lead up to that moment. Breathe.....

5. Sweet little Bubba had his first Thanksgiving Day feast at his precious preschool. He didn't eat. He played under the table with his buddy the whole time. Smile.

6. Sis enter the PTA Reflections Art Contest with a photography collage and won!! She will be going on to the district now with her "Diversity in Nature". She took pictures of letters spelled out in nature to spell "Diversity"...see the V? So proud!

7. Christmas season kicked off early this year with a fun evening with girlfriends at the Austin Junior League's Christmas Affair. We had a fun evening with dinner & drinks & shopping!! Love!

8. On a whim (and thanks to some fun posts I had seen), I took Bubba to the Ceramic Studio to make this fun turkey plate out of his hands and feet. I was so very thankful to have the owners help me make this plate, as this very un-crafty momma could visualize what I wanted but had no idea how to make it. Good thing Bubba LOVED to paint his hands and we had a blast making it!

9. On the Ranch over Thanksgiving, Matt took the kids to the shooting range and taught Sis how to shoot a gun (or 2....maybe 3), gun safety, hunting, etc. She loved it. I'm totally not into the gun thing, but I love the bonding that took place while they were at it. Brody & Matt have so much in common with this love of hunting (huh?). It was a wonderful time for them to spend with their Dad.

10. How can I not continue to smile about our wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend??? It was a restful time filled with laughter, jokes, and tons of smiles!!

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On another note......

A message from my sister blog, R We There Yet Mom. Come on my friends, I KNOW you have some old posts we can feature this month!!! See below:

Wow! December 1st already? I know it is a cliche' but it seems to come around so quickly these days....

Here in the Texas Darling house, we love Christmas. This year, we have taken our time to get all our decorations up, and it has been a fun week seeing the whole house transformed in Christmas Magic.

I am pretty much a homebody for Christmas - there is nothing I would rather do than be in my own home, snuggled by the fireplace this time of year.

However, this is a fantastic time to travel too! It is a great way to see areas of the country (and world) all dressed up for the Holidays!! And we would like to hear about YOUR past Holiday travels!! We would love to hear about your trip to Disney World at Christmas. We want to hear about your ski trip with 25 other family members. Or maybe you snuck away for a cruise...just the 2 of you?? Maybe you have a funny "Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" travel story you'd like to share!

Didn't travel but have some really awesome traditions that you do in your town?? Tell us about those!! We want to know about that amazing Holiday parade that has become a family tradition? Tour of lights? Breakfast with Santa?

Tell us about it!! If you have a past post, all the better (no extra writing!!). What a cool way to relive your Holiday fun AND get featured on this really cool website......

Email us at rebecca@rwethereyetmom.com - let's get you set up to be featured here this month!!

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On another note, thank you to all the support you have given us at Friday Daydreaming! We will be continuing throughout the month of December. Post your pictures of your favorite vacation that you are daydreaming about and link up! Post a picture of your favorite Holiday moment that you are daydreaming about and link up! Post a picture about that yummy Holiday goodie you are daydreaming about and link up! You get the picture!!

There is nothing I love more that sitting down on a cold Friday morning with a cup of coffee, reading all your wonderful daydreams! The post will go up at 9:30 pm tonight! Be ready!!

Christmas? Me Stressed? Not yet......

2011-11-29T08:30:00.002-06:00

It's Tuesday and it's 2 days until December and it's the beginning of the holiday season....I do not have time to BLOG.......
Actually, I do - I am making every effort to relax this season and not get caught up in the holiday frenzy, so I am joining up with my girls, Shawn & Impulsive Addict (and yes they are MY girls, that's not just a saying, check out all the fun we had in Austin last May if you want to see why)Last week in Church, our pastor said something that I took to heart and am going to take to heart this Christmas season. He was speaking on getting all caught up with the Holiday Craziness (shopping, decorating, baking, parties, etc.) - FYI: I love all this "holiday craziness", but HATE the stress that comes with it.
He said, "Everyone is running around, obsessed with finding the perfect gift, when GOD has already given us the PERFECT GIFT when he gave us Jesus." His message was to relax and focus on the reason we celebrate and not get so stressed.
I walked out of there feeling so much more at ease with my lack of preparation for Christmas. Being gone in Nowheres Oklahoma for 4 days didn't help get Christmas up, ya know.
So, that is my goal. I want to feel relaxed this season. Hmm, but can I really?
- We took down all the decorations on Sunday afternoon (over 20 boxes worth). They are sitting in my garage. It's Tuesday and we have only gotten the outside lights up, all my Department 56 (31 of them) houses put up above the cabinets, and the tree is up (no ornaments yet though). Oh, and our stockings are hung. How do I feel about living in Christmas chaos - no biggie.
- We do an advent calendar in which every night has an "event", like watch The Polar Express together, read A Christmas Mouse, go look at lights, etc. This year, they might get candy in their Advent calendar. I still have 2 more days to get that organized.
- I always stress out over the Christmas Card. (don't judge me, you know you do too!!) I had the perfect idea for a family picture which the hubby nixed (truth be told, I felt a little relieved). We took some great pics of the kids at the ranch and 30 minutes later online, we had a great card ordered. yay.
- Our Elf, George, should be arriving for his visit on Thursday, December 1 - I have a feeling he is going to get into a ton of mischief thanks to my good friend Pinterest......
-And speaking of Pinterest, there are some amazing things that I really want to do, but again, it adds to the stress for me....

thanks to ucreatewithkids.com

thanks to squidoo.com

thanks to centsationalgirl.com

And this is just 3 pictures of the tons of stuff I have pinned on my Christmas board....just the thought of "making" these crafts breaks me out into hives...... hmmmm.....rethinking the crafts....
-There are so many fun events happening here in Austin that I would love to do with the family.... Lighting of the Christmas Tree, ice skating on the roof of Whole Foods, An Elf quote-along, Christmas shopping in Fredricksburg, and the North Pole Flyer. We are actually going on the North Pole Flyer with a big group of friends - we have an entire car to ourselves for the 3 hours - so excited....
-Last year, we started a tradition that I want to continue - we hosted a Christmas Pajama exchange for Sis and all of her friends - it was adorable. This year I am thinking of doing a separate one for the moms. Instead of cocoa and cookies, maybe wine & chocolate???
- And Christmas presents? I have a few things...I didn't do anything yesterday on Cyber Monday.....I just haven't gotten there yet....
So, as of now (Tuesday, Nov 29), I am officially NOT STRESSED about Christmas. I am not going to allow myself to get stressed (I am going to keep repeating this to myself until it's true). IS IT POSSIBLE? We'll see......
Happy Holidays Y'all!!

Thankful? Yes We Were.

2011-11-28T07:40:00.001-06:00

Happy Cyber Monday! Anyone find any good deals yet??? In lieu of shopping, I'd rather catch up over here - and tell y'all a little about our wonderful Thanksgiving weekend....

This was our little home away from home on my Aunt's Ranch in Oklahoma. She calls it the "Austin" Cabin....:))

And this was the view I'd wake up to in the morning. Doesn't it just call for a big cup of hot coffee and lazy day pajamas??? Ahhhhh. And yes, even with a 2 year old, it was this peaceful.

We had the obligatory HUGE Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, complete with family games.....

Of course, Uncle Chris was the best at the Minute to Win it games!

On Friday, the weather was perfect for little hiking with our Thomas backpack.

Ugh. Can't you just eat him up?

And what little boy doesn't want to splash in mud puddles??

Or play around with his Aunt & Uncle?

The older two were busy at the shooting range or sitting in the blind looking out for deer with Dad.....no pictures there.....

We were even organized enough to take a Beck/Rummer/Dean/Darling Family picture this year!!

That's 2 Original Becks, 5 Spouses, 6 Grandkids, 5 Great-Grandkids, & one Grand-dog. Whew!

It was a wonderful weekend - completely unplugged from the world and focused on my family. And that is more than enough to be Thankful for!!

Thankful: Day 24

2011-11-24T07:41:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving. It has been a wonderful 24 days of reflection of all the things I am so very grateful for. I am thankful for so many things, one not any more important than the other (ok, maybe wine and cheese isn't that important...). When it all comes together, I am thankful for a healthy, happy, satisfied life that I am living. I know that the Lord has blessed me abundantly.

As we spend the holiday up in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma, it will be a wonderful time of peace and reflection on all things good in my life, mainly my family. That is really all that matters.

I hope this finds you enjoying your Thanksgiving Holiday as much as we are.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Thankful: Day 23

2011-11-23T07:41:00.001-06:00

I am thankful for my sweet husband. Matt is the sole provider in our home and he does it proudly. He works hard for me & our 3 kids. And as hard as he works, he still finds the time to coach Sis's soccer team and help out with Brody's. And he dotes on the baby.....oh how Bubba melts his heart. He makes us laugh. He makes us cry (come on, what good dad isn't stern?). But mainly he is our Rock in our family.

I am thankful he has been my husband for almost 17 years. Thank you Lord for bringing Matt into my life when I needed him most.

Thankful: Day 22

2011-11-22T08:24:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for my sweet, sensitive first child. Sissy is a breath of fresh air - she is helpful and sweet and kind and loving. She wears her heart on her sleeve yet she doesn't let the little stuff bother her. There is not one ounce of girl drama in her life - she doesn't see it - I pray she always can remain above it. I go ga-ga watching her play soccer - she is amazing. As much as it pains me to see her grow up and become independent (what do you mean you don't want my help picking out clothes??), I beam with pride seeing her juggle as much as she does. She is a leader on the soccer field, in Student Council, Safety Patrol, Girl Scouts, Art Club, and she has a speaking part in the upcoming Holiday Performance. All this and she still maintains her A's. LOVE. But what warms my heart the most is how much she dotes on her baby brother - she is such an amazing help with him.

Thank you Lord for creating parents out of us when you blessed us with this tiny little girl 10 years ago!

Thankful: Day 21

2011-11-21T15:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for my first little boy. There is such a sweet bond between Brody and I - even though he is growing up so quickly, I will always see him as my little boy. Brody is inquisitive about everything - wants to learn about the coolest topics - reptiles, tornados, tanks, sharks....he can rattle off the coolest facts. And even though I cringed as we walked in to the Reptile House at the zoo last week, I marveled at the excitement he showed, taking his time looking at every exhibit (including those dang snakes!!). He tries really hard to please us - he does excellent school work and works hard on the soccer field. He gets along with anyone and will spend all day outside playing. Even though he is getting taller by the minute and his feet are stretching every night (3 shoes sizes in 6 months??), he seeks me out before he leaves for school to kiss me goodbye - he will always be my baby boy.

I am thankful that God blessed us with a sweet boy 9 years ago and we have the privilege to raise him.

Thankful: Day 20

2011-11-20T12:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for our third child. God blessed us with Bubba. He is easy-going, fun-loving, and adorable!! He brings so much joy to our lives with his love of Cars 2 (ka-chow! is his favorite expression), his constant imitation of his big brother, or how he says his sweet "te-too" (thank you) after you give him something. As the third child, he gets drug to everything (kids' school, soccer practice, and shopping) and for the most part, he goes along with it in his stroller, with no complaints. He really has been easy....he is a better eater than my other two (anything- seriously), takes awesome 3 hour naps, and wakes up with a smile. He has started to love being read to - will sit on your lap for as long as you will read to him. But that's it - no hugging or cuddling form this boy - he is on the GO!!

Thank you Lord for giving us the honor of raising this sweet little boy.

Thankful: Day 19

2011-11-19T07:40:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for our home. When we bought it 3 short years ago, we had no idea what it would provide for us: comfort, warmth, great schools, awesome friends, and wonderful memories. We are so blessed to live in the house of our dreams - I am thankful for my HUGE backyard and 200+ year old oak tree. I am thankful for the cul-de-sac for the kids to play in and host parties. I am thankful that everyone has their own space to call their own. I am thankful for the means that provided us the roof over our head each night and we know we are blessed beyond belief to call this our home.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Thankful: Day 18

2011-11-18T14:33:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for vacations. In the midst of everyday busy life, vacations can either be looked back upon or looked forward to, to get us through the day. I am thankful that God provides us with the means to take wonderful vacations. I am thankful for new adventures in new places. I am thankful for the time spent with family, away from "life". I am thankful for all the wonderful vacation memories we have made. And I am thankful for all the upcoming vacation memories we get to make!

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Friday Daydreamin': Thanksgiving Fun

2011-11-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! Link up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

Today, I wanted to show you all my new favorite place to go for Thanksgiving. We went last year for the first time and had such a wonderful time. Not only was the scenery beautiful (southeastern Oklahoma), but we were completely unplugged the entire week - no phone, no internet, no tv - it was awesome.

We had to get a little creative to keep the natives from going restless, so one of the fun ideas my Aunt came up with was a Thanksgiving Scavenger hunt around the Ranch. We only thought it would be hard and eat up at least an hour.....

Ha! These kids are too smart fro their own good!!

This year I am working on some Thanksgiving Minute to Win It games - should be FUN!!

Link up with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin' - it is so much fun to se everyone's favorite vacation/trip pictures and to hear all the stories behind it!!

Thankful: Day 17

2011-11-17T15:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for cute fashion, like my fun hat that I just got and am starting to ~~wear out~~ wear all the time. I am very conservative, so this is going out on a limb for me. So it's fun to jazz things up with a fun accessory every once and a while!

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Dad & Lad? Not so much.....

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

What do you do when your son comes home from school at 3 pm and "reminds" you that the Dad & Lad Cake Baking Contest is tonight at Cub Scouts??????

And "Dad" is out of town?

And you knew nothing about it???

Hop to it!

Cake mix in the pantry? Check!

Frosting? NOPE.

Luckily, my girlfriend was at Sprouts when she called me, so I had her pick me up a can. Who cares that the only pre-made frosting Sprouts carried was gluten-free, dairy-free, chemical-free, and taste-free.....we will make it work!

First problem? The cake cracked.....

And the "frosting" dripped off the sides.

So I gave Brody the bowl full of Halloween Candy and said "Have fun!"

And that he did!

And walking in, I was mortified to see all the other professional-looking cakes.

I mean, how do we complete with the likes of these "Dad & Lad" cakes???

Seriously???

Turns out all the voters, all cub scouts, LOVED Brody's "Candy Earthquake"cake and he won a prize!!!!

He came home beaming.

It's moments like these that make you realize all the hassle is completely worth making that sweet boy smile!

Thankful: Day 16

2011-11-16T15:00:00.001-06:00

I am thankful for red wine and good cheese. The perfect meal. As I get older, I am learning to appreciate a good bottle of wine (not the one in the picture, mind you - that was German Gluhwein in honor of a book we just read for book club) and really unique cheese. This week I tried gouda infused with expresso beans....oh.my.goodness. so yummy. I am thankful for treats like these that tantalize our taste buds!

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

One Hour at the Zoo

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

After our unbelievable trek to get to the zoo this past weekend, we made the most of it.....

First off...a Cheer that we finally made it!! If you haven't read our story on how it took us 5 1/2 hours to get there, please do so now......we will wait.

One of my favorites....

Look how close we got to these underwater gars.... Bubba was fascinated.

This was a new exhibit for us, and Brody had the time of his life in here.

slowly going from reptile to reptile

even Bubba loved it

I just love how close you can get to everything.

Bubba did too.

And even with only an hour, we still had time for a quick photo. My adorable kiddos......

Bubba wanted a few moments of freedom. After all, he had been in the stroller all day....

And was most upset when we had to leave.....

Was it worth it? Absolutely. There was no way I would have drug them that far (and with that much drama) and turned back around. The Fort Worth Zoo is amazing and deserves so much more than an hour. We made the best of it and it turned out to be an adventure we will never forget.

P.S. I am loving the Instagram app - makes picture taking so much fun!!

Thankful: Day 15

2011-11-15T15:00:00.001-06:00

I am thankful for this great friend who inspires me to run crazy distances. Last year, Mel casually asked me if I wanted to run a half-marathon with her. Sure! So we did and we loved it and today we started training for our second one in January. I am thankful to have a friend who can make me accountable, even on those days I don't want to get out of bed and strap on my running shoes. I am thankful for great conversation while we run to make the miles tick by. I am thankful for her patience when we run with Bubba in the stroller (he can be pretty demanding). But mainly I am thankful for the wonderful friendship that has developed over the past few years. Looking forward to the training!

2 Trains, One Bus, and a LONG walk....or how NOT to get to the Zoo!

2011-11-15T10:26:00.000-06:00

Linking up this morning with Shawn & IA to tell y'all all about our CRAZY adventure this past weekend...seriously (no pun intended), you will not believe it....

While in Dallas this past weekend, I wanted to do something different and fun with the kiddos. Sis suggested we go to the zoo - simple enough. The Fort Worth Zoo is phenomenal!

Let's make it a little more adventurous.....

Let's take the train to the zoo. Sounds fun?? At the time......

To get from Carrollton (suburb north of Dallas), we hopped on the DART rail (the local commuter train) to catch the TRE (Trinity Railway Express - a fun train that connects Dallas with Fort Worth). From there, I read online that the zoo is a "half mile walk from the stop".

We can do this with 5 kids and 3 adults! Let's go!

We left the house at 9:45 am and hopped on the DART at 10:15 to get off in Downtown Dallas to catch the TRE at 10:58 am.

My little Bubba was so excited to be on the train.

We get to the Victory stop with 3 minutes to spare to catch the TRE.

We wait.

And wait some more.

Finally, my very intelligent brother looks at the posted train schedule and points out that "someone " (ahem...me) read the weekday schedule. The next TRE is at 12:24 pm. awesome.

What to do in Downtown Dallas with 5 kids on a Saturday at 11:00 am?

So we explored........

It was a ghost town. It was windy & cold so we finally found a "Dick's Last Resort" to hang out in for a while.

Not the most appropriate place to take 5 kids, but we were desperate. I mean, when was the last time you saw one of these babies?

Brody asked me "What kind of candy machine is that???"

Fed the kids a few snacks, hiked back to the Train station, and we were ready to head to the zoo! Or so we thought.

At 12:20 (remember the TRE is coming at 12:24), I can't find my camera bag.

AGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!

Yep, Dick has it.

PANIC.

Mom calmly suggests that she will go back to the restaurant, pick it up and just take the DART back home. She was so wonderful to do that. I don't think I could have enjoyed the zoo, not knowing who had their hands all over my camera lens....

Cool. The TRE showed up on time and we are on our way again. ha.

Again, my little man adored the train and for the most part, was great the entire trip.

Until we get to the last stop in Fort WOrth, get off the train and see nothing but a parking lot.

"Excuse me Mr. TRE Conductor...but I read online that the zoo was half a mile away??"

I must have looked like a dumb blonde to him as he laughed his head off and took joy in telling me the zoo must be "over 10 miles away."

Oh dear.

So we had to wait 30 minutes to take the train back one stop to get off at the FW Bus Station. To catch a "Number 7" bus at 2:15 p.m. It was only 1:45.

Deep Breath.

Catch the Number 7, enjoy a 20 minute ride around FW to the zoo. Hop off the bus to finally walk that "Half mile" that I read about. finally.

And these amazing children did not complain. hardly.

5 Hours later.....we finally make it to the zoo. It's 3 pm. I very happily go up to buy tickets only to have the snotty teenage girl take joy in telling me....

"We are only open for one more hour."

WHAT?!?!?!

2 Trains, a nasty & inappropriate bar, lost camera bag, a smelly bus ride, hike across the park and I am suppose to deny the zoo to these amazing kiddos?

no way.

Come on kids! Let's RUN!

Come back tomorrow to see some fun pics we took during that glorious hour.

Was it worth all the pain? You can be the judge!

Thankful: Day 14

2011-11-14T15:11:00.000-06:00

I am VERY Thankful for my wonderful minivan. After the weekend I just had, I am so very thankful to have a reliable and comfortable vehicle that can take us places near and far. As I sat on a train this weekend feeling completely s.t.u.c.k. in downtown Fort Worth, I feel very blessed to have a reliable car for my family. I laugh at the fact that I am now a minivan-driving-momma, but it works so completely well for our family!!

P.S. Come back tomorrow to hear all about how it took 5 1/2 hours to get to the zoo....

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Thankful: Day 13

2011-11-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for laughter. Good old, belly-aching, tears-down-your-face laughter. We love to laugh over silly jokes, pranks, and funny accidents. We love to laugh over silly books, funny tv-shows (Modern Family anyone?) and hilarious movies. With three kiddos in the house, we hear a lot of it. And I thank God my house is filled with laughter.

Thankful: Day 12

2011-11-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for my two brothers, Josh & Chris. They are a little bit younger than me and while we do not stay in contact much, I know they would be there for me in a heartbeat. It is hard for me to see them as anything but my baby brothers, but both have grown up and gotten married and started their own families. I am blessed to have siblings, and love all the memories of growing up with them but it's even more fun to see the mature young men they are growing into.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Thankful: Day 11

2011-11-11T15:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for the Veterans who have protected and currently do protect our country. Including my hubby and his brother, who is currently serving in the United States Air Force. He has sacrificed a great deal of his time away from his home and his family to serve others. He is humble and won't let us brag about him - but I hope he knows how proud he makes his family.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Friday Daydreamin': Veteran's Day Love

2011-11-11T07:20:00.000-06:00

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! Link up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

Today is 11.11.11. And we are celebrating Veteran's Day. In honor of all the wonderful men & women who have served our country, R We There Yet Mom is asking for us to post a picture or story about our favorite Veteran. I actually am blessed to have many who served in our country in my immediate family. Both grandfathers, Matt's grandfather and father, and Matt and his brother all served.

My grandfather, who just turned 90, spent his entire career in the Air Force. He was a communications officer who served in both WWII and the Korean War. I love to hear his stories - the clarity of the memories is amazing. From the smell of the kerosene lanterns they used in the tents in a field in Italy in WWII to the entire outfit (down to her shoes!) my grandmother was wearing when he returned home...his stories are fascinating.

I recently read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, which is a story of a WWII survivor. Hearing everything he went through during the war (and afterwards) gave me such an appreciation for what life was like back then. And made me incredibly proud of my grandfather and his resilience in serving our country. I am so blessed to still have him in my life.

Do you have a Veteran in your life whom you are proud of? Please tell us about them - these stories need to be written and saved for our children to realize the importance of our Veterans.

Thankful: Day 10

2011-11-10T15:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for pizza. Cheesy, tomatoey, yummy pizza. We love pizza and eat it at least once a week. And after 3 days of "cleansing", this momma is very thankful for yummy foods like pizza!

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

An Amazing Memorial

2011-11-09T13:00:00.001-06:00

Did you guys know that I write a Family Travel blog over at R We There Yet Mom? It's filled with family trips and tips and I love to host your vacations...check it out if you haven't yet.

Now, typically, I don't like to "cross-contaminate", however, this post and the experience left a profound impact on me, so I wanted to share it over here as well.

On 8 small acres in Lower Manhattan, sits the site of the Nation September 11 Memorial. It is an amazing tribute to those 3000 who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, a field near Shanksville, PA, and the 6 who perished in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993.

The Memorial features twin reflecting pools that sit in the footprints of where the Twin Towers once stood.

The names of each person who perished in the attacks are etched into the bronze panels that define the reflecting pools.

It's a powerful reminder of how much life was lost in these attacks and it puts a name to these lives....especially those that rushed into save others.....

The pools are nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in North America.

There is a plaza that sits adjacent to the pools. 400 trees are planned for this area, to create a contemplative area of reflection.

There is a general hush. As if the hustle and bustle of the city that surrounds it doesn't exist.

Everyone is reflective and somber. How can you not be?

The names are the heart of the Memorial. They are stencil-cut, allowing you to look through them to see the water, or for paper rubbings, and to see the light at night shine through. Honestly, it hurts your heart to read the names. But I can't help but feel we need to have that feeling - to remember and never forget.

Towering over Pool 2, is the building of One World Trade Center, planned to be the tallest building in the United States. It's an awesome site to see the "rebirth" of this complex.

Memorials like these bring it all home. Where as I may not personally know someone who perished that day, they are someone's father, sister, daughter.......

And this is a place for those families to remember, to grieve.....

And a place for everyone else to never forget this horrific event.

I was lucky enough to visit the National September 11 Memorial the week after it opened. If you will be visiting New York City, I highly recommend a trip. Tickets are required at no fee, but you will need to reserve them in advance. There is additional information on the website, including an interactive map and mobile app to find any names.

Thankful: Day 9

2011-11-09T07:21:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for friends met in unique ways. I am thankful for friends who I can laugh and cry with. I am thankful for friends who do not judge me for being me. I am thankful for friends who don't get their feathers ruffled over silly things. I am thankful for friends who can have fun weekends. And I am thankful for another fun weekend to come again soon!!

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Thankful: Day 8

2011-11-08T15:46:00.001-06:00

I am thankful that I started working again. I am thankful it's selling really great personalized totes and bags and purses. I am thankful I get to hold parties with girlfriends and do what I love best...sell!! And I am thankful I work for Thirty-One who rewards us nicely - I won a XBox 360 and Kinect game system for my October sales!!

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

My Kind of Alphabet Wall

2011-11-08T07:06:00.001-06:00

I have always loved a good alphabet wall. I think there is nothing cuter than a great collage hanging on the wall. And once I saw some cute ones on Pinterest (here and here), I knew I had to have one. Actually the whole thing spearheaded the idea that we would switch rooms with Sis and Bubba - gave me a nice new "palate" to create on.

So this summer, once our travels were finished, we had 4 weeks to change rooms, paint, and decorate. Plenty of time, right? no.

First of all, I wanted to switch rooms because as Sis was getting older, I felt she needed more privacy - she shared a Jack and Jill bathroom with her brother. But that required A LOT more work that I anticipated. Cleaning out bedrooms and closets was time consuming. Breaking down beds and moving furniture required Matt's help. By the time we finished that, we were pooped!

Not to get overlooked, I promised Brody that we would re-do his room too - that story to come later this week. Needless to say, the magical transformations were not complete before school started.

So, here we are in November, not everything is complete, but we have gotten a lot finished. 2 rooms are switched, 2 rooms are painted (all by myself thankyouverymuch) and new decorations/wall hangings are up). Just a few final touches (refinishing a bed and converting from crib to a bed) are needed before I can say "Done!".

That said, there are some things I am so stinkin' proud of that I have to share with you. Which brings us back to the alphabet wall.

Last Spring I started collecting as many letters as I could. I tapped out all the local craft stores around here, but luckily my mom was able to find some awesome & unique letters for me at flea markets and antique stores.

Before I could do anything, I had to paint his room. I wanted to go with green, so I could do a primary blue & red for his bedding. The initial green I chose was light, so we kicked it up to the next share. Ever seen the musical "Wicked"? It's that green - whoa. yep, that green.

At first, I hated it. But having just painted Brody's room the week before, there was NO WAY I was going to paint over it. So it would have to grow on me. And it has - now that things are hung on the wall, it looks much more complete and finished.

Having the painting complete, I needed to layout my letters and decide what colors to paint them. I even modge-pogded a few letters (so much easier than I thought it would be). The last thing that stood in my way was how to hang them. Several website suggested using this stuff to avoid having a TON of nail holes in the wall......

And they were so easy to hang - I loved this stuff!! Look how great it came out:

Until the next morning, when I came in and saw this:

UGH!! My H Broke!!!!!

Those darn 3M Command Stripes - wouldn't even hold up the very light, paper thin Z. Grrrr.

So, 35 nails later, this wall is complete - and nothing has fallen down.....

Love it!!!

Linking up my little project with Talk To Us Tuesday. Go visit my buds, Seriously Shawn & Impulsive Addict for their fun, no rules Tuesday meme.

Thankful: Day 7

2011-11-07T15:45:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for coffee. I love my Keurig coffee maker because I can have a cup of hawaiian hazelnut and pumpkin spice without making an entire pot of it. I love the smell, the taste, the warmth, the feeling of a warm cup in my hand, my 3 Starbucks mugs that I drink out of, my 3 o'clock cup of chocolate donut coffee..... I am very thankful I have coffee in my life.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

When are We Too Old For VBS??

2011-11-07T08:47:00.000-06:00

This last June, We all went to Vacation Bible School as a family.

I was super excited because I was able to be one of those crazy mommas who helps lead the worship sessions - Jumping around and singing and helping all the kids learn how fun it is to Praise the Lord!!

Sissy got to be a part of Day Camp, where they had special activities and did 3 Servant Opportunities.

Bubba got to go for the first time as a 2 year old.

And Brody? Well, let's just say that VBS isn't up his 8-year-old-boy alley. Case in point:

One of the crafts was to make a sweet pillowcase to remind them of God's Love. I found it crumpled under his bed with this drawn on the back:

Yep - Nothing says God Loves Me like Tanks and Giant Lizards and Volcanos.

This was a fun music maker......although Brody's doesn't look so fun after he got a hold of it......

And nothing proves to me more how much he LOVED VBS than this picture.

I'm guessing VBS is not in the cards for us this summer........

Thankful: Day 6

2011-11-06T09:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for my faith in God. HE is the one who guides my life. HE is the one who blesses me beyond anything I can ask for. HE is the one who grounds me. HE is my savior.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Thankful: Day 5

2011-11-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for soccer and the joy it brings my family. Sissy & Brody both play and have fro years. I am thankful for the discipline and teamwork skills that it teaches them. I am thankful for the joy it brings for me to watch it. And yes, I am even thankful for the 20+ soccer jerseys my hubby owns and the 20+ hours a week he spends watching it on tv (kidding......).

Thankful: Day 4

2011-11-04T15:45:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for my camera (Nikon D40) that allows me to take amazing pictures like this one. I love being able to capture my kids in great settings - securing the moment so beautifully. And I have so much to learn!! I only wish I had it sooner!

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Friday Daydreamin': Ski School for Me!!

2011-11-03T21:30:00.000-05:00

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! Link up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

I have skied twice in my life - both as a teenager and both times I ended up on my rear the majority of the time. This winter, I want to go skiing.

Matt has gone skiing a number of time with a group of guys. He always brings back these amazing photos of gorgeous white powder peaks and cool, crisp air. I always end up jealous of the fun he had.

I want to find a fun snow suit (hot pink & black!!), find a fun condo with a hot tub (cause don't all ski trips involve a hot tub??) and GO!! The ski resort has to be in Colorado (cause I MUST visit my girl Connie on this trip) and we are going with just the 2 of us - no kids. Once I conquer ski school and the easy slopes (blue diamonds?? clearly, I don't know how to ski....), I will spend the majority of the day curled up by the fireplace in the lodge drinking hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps reading a good girlie book.

Sounds like a plan.

What are you daydreaming about today?? Link up over at R We There Yet Mom? now!!

Thankful: Day 3

2011-11-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for good books and the minds of the amazing authors who write them. I have read a great deal of fantastic books over the past year. I love that they can take me away and allow me to forget everyday life.

If you are looking for some good books to read, I recommend the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Halloween 2011

2011-11-03T07:07:00.001-05:00

Halloween 2011 was spectacular - it was one BUSY weekend!!

Matt & I were invited to a Halloween Party (Adults- eek!!) on Friday and went as Clive Bixby & Julianna - Modern Family...get it? Yeah, most did not - I think we were a little too conservative compared to some of our friends......

Pam, Sam, & Sookie.....

Heff and his "fiance"

On Saturday night we hosted "Fun, Family & Frito Pie" in the cul-de-sac. I LOVE eating frito pie out of the frito bag and hanging with my neighbors as the kids get to freely play - so much fun and it was a perfect night for it!

And then came Monday - the kids got to dress up as a book character at school, so this often corresponds with how they pick their Halloween costume - can we find a costume that can fit a "character"???

Presenting, my Star Wars Clone Trooper and American Girl Doll, Julie (we stretched it with a Go-Go Dancer costume).

And who can resist my little monster??

We have awesome neighbors to Trick-or-Treat with too.

Bubba was attempting to be "scary" - How does a Monster go????

This little guy got the hang of Trick or Treating REAL QUICK - he was adorable!!

"Trik Treet!"

"Than Too!!"

My clone trooper was running all night - this is all I "caught" of him.

He finally settled down with a sucker....

And I actually got a picture with my cutie.

I kept snapping pics of this one too - I know her time for Trick or Treating may be coming to an end soon.

Now to get creative with the 5 pounds of candy sitting in my house........argh!!!

Hope everyone had a GREAT Halloween!!!

Thankful: Day 2

2011-11-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for my grandparents that are the most wonderful, loving and supportive grandparents you could ever ask for. They turned 85 & 90 in October and I am so blessed to still have them in my life.

One of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving! While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of my fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others is really why I love this holiday so much. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Won't you join me in professing your gratitude?

Thankful: Day 1

2011-11-01T21:40:00.000-05:00

Today I am thankful for my precious kids. God has blessed me with funny, playful, determined, and smart children. I love them more and more each day.

Ten Things to Smile About: October

2011-11-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

I am loving taking a few minutes at the end of each month to reflect on what made me happy. I have so much fun just trolling through my iPhoto and coming across fun pics of things we have done, such as...

Inviting a Strange Man to Live in Our House

Or enjoying evenings sitting on our new backyard patio....

Coming across the most amazing coffee bar at the Honda Dealership....

Might be finding new problems with the car to visit this more often!

And what am I smiling about with 7 crazy & loud boys for Brody's sleepover?

Cause I don't have to do it again for another year!

Sis has amazing determination when she plays soccer - this was a tough game and she was upset when they lost. Makes me smile to know how passionate she is about it.....

And this? How can you NOT smile at this??

My Uncle dancing with my 85 year old Grandma at her birthday party.

so sweet.

Potato Sac Races at Field Day.

So fun.

I love pumpkin guts - so slimy and cool.

not - but the result makes me smile!

And this guy - ugh - makes my heart melt.

Happy October - it was a busy month - full of soccer practices, PTA meetings, and life - but as you can see from teh above pictures, we know how to make life fun!

Linking up with Emmy Mom's 10 Things to Smile About

And Seriously Shawn & Impulsive Addict's Talk To Us Tuesday:

A Darling Family Halloween History!

2011-10-30T19:52:00.001-05:00

Bare with me.... I 'm having WAY too much fun with all these old Halloween pictures.......

2001 - Sissy was barely 6 months old!

2002 - Brody joins us - both looking thrilled to be in costume.

2003- Here we go - Momma's little Pumpkin (cause every baby is one once?)

2003- And Sis? A "fall princess". And this momma had hot glue gun burns all over my fingers!

2004- Bob the Builder and One of many Fairies Sis will be...

2005- There's my Thomas and my Kitty Cat!

2006- Ohhhhh Mr. Incredible and Alice in Wonderland

2007- A Ballerina and Mr. Incredible (he loved this costume!)

2008 - a Purple Fairy

2008 - And a knight

2009- Bubba's here!! Another Fairy & A "solider"

2009- Guess who's my pumpkin this year??

2010 - Bobba Fett and Annabeth (The Lightening Thief)

And Remember Bubba the Vampire?

Can't wait to show you what these kiddos are gonna be this year.......

Happy Halloween everyone!!!

Friday Daydreamin': Halloween Style

2011-10-27T20:58:00.000-05:00

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! Link up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

This week is all about Halloween!! Check out one of my favorite Halloween Photos:

2005 was the year that both kiddos were adamant as to what they wanted to be for Halloween. Sis wanted to be a cat - she loved them that year - and Brody wanted to be Thomas. But this momma wasn't settling for the cheapie-Party City Thomas - nope, I made this one myself - back when I was working full time and was crafty?? HUH?? Regardless, it was adorable and I still have it in a closet upstairs for Bubba.

Both kiddos exactly what they wanted to be? YES!

Both kiddos excited to really go Trick or Treating (like more than a block)? YEP!

Both kiddos OVERWHELMED with the amount of candy they collected? UH-HUH!!

Mom and Dad gaining 5 pounds each sneaking both kiddos candy? COULD BE?!?

Link up today over at R We There Yet Mom? I would love to see all your photos!! Couldn't ask for an easier blog post on Friday!!

The Easy Way to "Carve" a Pumpkin

2011-10-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

We are carving the regular pumpkins with the big kids this week, but didn't really want to have to carve 3 (one for each - duh).

So? What to do? Target to the rescue with their Disney Buzz Lightyear "Pumpkin Push In"

No Carving? Yep!!

Seems like it should be pretty easy, right? Just push the parts in......

um, not quite.....

So Mr. Screwdriver had to help.....

Buzz was "created" in less than 3 minutes! And we have a happy boy!!

Join me tomorrow over at R We ThereYet Mom? for a SPOOKY edition of Friday Daydreamin'!!

Post your favorite Halloween picture and link up.

Grab your favorite morning beverage and visit all the adorable or creepy Halloween pictures!!

I CAN'T WAIT!!

Not Exactly Pinterest Worthy, But My Kids Like It

2011-10-26T10:28:00.000-05:00

I'm so not decorative, creative, or imaginative. So decorations for any holiday are a bit minimal. These guys certainly won't end up on Pinterest anytime soon........

I do like a seasonal candy display.....

And apparently someone in my house does too, as I'm constantly filling up these orange slices.....

And the outside???

we love these indestructible cobwebs....

and our big nasty spider that used to move as you walked by.....

Yep - as inspired as I am by Pinterest, I know what my limits are.

And if it's good enough for my kids, then it's good enough for me!

Not Your Ordinary Top 10 List

2011-10-25T07:11:00.001-05:00

I'm linking up today and you should too!

Did a little something different today, as I am missing our monthly vlogs.....

2 on Tuesday: Me in Pictures?! Yikes!!

2011-10-24T21:22:00.000-05:00

My sweet friend (who sends the BEST notes in the mail) Andrea over at My Chihuahua Bites hosts a fun topic to blog about each Tuesday - and she has asked for weeks to join her. I said I would this week...not knowing the topic:
What are your two favorite pictures of yourself?
Me? Favorite Pictures?
Uh. none
thankyouverymuch.
I do not take good pictures......see?

ugh. I can't even take a decent one at the World.

And there are so many more (what did I get roped into??)

However. There are 3 pictures from this summer that I love. Allow me to be a bit narcissistic for a moment.

happy girls weekend momma.

"lookin good!" family momma (minus the baby! )

lucky in love momma.
Link up and play along!

Friday Daydreams: Grandparent Love!

2011-10-20T21:00:00.001-05:00

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! Link up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

I was SO EXCITED to have 17 link ups last week!! I had more fun visiting blogs all Friday long!! I hope you will hop on over and link up this week!!

This daydream is all about spending time with my 85 year old grandma and my 90 year old grandpa. Both celebrated birthdays this week and are in amazing health!! I am so incredibly blessed that I have active and involved grandparents who are a little over an hour away. I mean look at her...still swimming in the lake a few short years ago!! This was a Labor Day Family weekend - we had fun on the lake, played lots of fun domino games, and ate tons of great food! The perfect family vacation!!

Next week, plan to post your favorite Halloween pic of all time and tell us about it. That should be easy to do - make sure you link up!!

Happy Friday Y'all!

Talk To Us Tuesday: My Thoughts - Pull Up a Chair

2011-10-18T10:08:00.004-05:00

Today is Tuesday...time for some girl talk with my besties, Shawn & Impulsive with:

And I have a bunch of "stuff" on my mind:
- First off, HALLELUJAH it is chilly here this morning - it's October 18th for goodness sakes - enough with the 90's!!!
- I upgraded my OS on my iPhone this weekend - I LOVE IT - I love change so it's fun to me. Although I did spend 3 HOURS playing with ringtones and notification tones (Star Wars & Halloween Tones y'all!!). I changed all my notification tones and now I am majorly confused as to if I am getting an email, a tweet, or it's my turn with Dice with Friends......
- And on that note, I HIGHLY recommend that you put a song that makes you happy as your ringtone. I have Selena Gomez's "Love You Like a Love Song" and every time it rings, I stop what I am doing and dance a little before answering the phone. It makes me immensely happy no matter what kind of a day I am having.
- My 10 year old daughter rolls her eyes when ever she hears that song - she is so NOT into that scene - Selena Gomez - Justin Bieber - Taylor Swift crowd. What would she rather listen to? Foster the People - yep. And yes, I know the lyrics of the song about the gun - she has no clue what it means - she just likes the beat. Don't judge me and my cool girl's taste in music (I knew ALL the words to Grease and had NO IDEA what they meant.)
- I still have not bought Halloween Costumes for my kids - YIKES - I just know the stores will be sold out of everything!! I wanted the 3 to go as something together - like Bubba as Buzz Lightyear, Sissy as Jessie, and Brody as an Army guy. I was shot down. Something about "baby costumes...."
- I am a BIG advocate of the PTA - I have been a part of it since we moved here in 2008 and in 2 years time, was quickly "promoted" to the PTA President (which is not that big of a deal Connie - trust me). I am just a big coordinator - I coordinate meetings, I coordinate communications via various social media outlets, I coordinate that all the "functions" of PTA run smoothly. It is a perfect job for me - being that I am not working, this fills that need. But this past week, it became a thankless job - we have been working so very hard to make a "big" purchase for our school - one that is exciting and fun. When we went to vote on it last week, we were blind-sighted - a group of teachers and parents shots holes all in it and it was voted down. Now, I am not at all upset that the purchase was voted down, just the way it was handled - it felt very sneaky and clic-ish. And I found out yesterday that the same group is planning more of the same. Can't we just talk about it as adults? It seems so silly to me.
- Does anyone do the "Boo" thing on their street? So cute. We got booed on Wednesday. You are supposed to boo 2 more people in 2 days. We failed. We are never home in the evenings until 8:30 - and this weekend was shot. Oh well - we'll get there.
- Have you heard of "Lip Dubbing"? I am sure you have, as it's been around for a few years (apparently) and I'm the last to know. Last Friday I saw a post on Facebook about it and all of a sudden 2 hours of my life were gone.
It is totally cool - lipsyncing a song in one take - but the below one is by far the coolest one I have seen.
Go grab a cup of coffee (or a diet coke) and watch it - you can thank me later.

- And lastly FOR THE LOVE OF GOD - will someone please visit my sister blog R We There Yet Mom? and enter to win some Eco Lips lip balm??? Why can't I get any freakin traffic on this blog?? Is it just not interesting? Come on - tell me the truth - I can take it!

***3 pm addition....yikes- could I whine a little more?? This PTA thing has gotten me all wound up.....sorry friends.....

Just another Tuesday sharing my thoughts with my friends!

Even Grandma has a Cell Phone

2011-10-18T10:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I never thought I'd see the day when my grandma would be hip - oh but she is - she has her own cell phone.... gasp. I know....

She calls us form the cell phone now because it is free long distance and has automatic dialing. Unfortunately, she never keeps track of her minutes......

Of course, she never hears it ringing and doesn't know what half the buttons are to be used for despite us always explaining it to her.....

So that is why I was excited to find her a TracFone.

Senior Value

TracFone is the perfect option! TracFone is the least expensive way to own a cell phone these days. You can pay as you go or sign up for a low cost monthly plan. There are no activation fees or cancelation fees.

She doesn't need a fancy phone with hundreds of options, she just needs to be able to talk to her favorite granddaughter when ever she likes. TracFone has many options for her to choose from - the simplest version to a fancy Smartphone.

And Grandma can make phone calls from anywhere - her beauty parlor or her bridge game - with great nationwide coverage, she has "everywhereness".

Get into Everywhereness

Tracfone Can Be Everywhere... - The most popular videos are a click away

Guess I can be expecting more calls from Grandma now......

Random NYC

2011-10-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Well, not exactly. New York City is most definitely NOT random.

However, we had fun with our iPhones and took some fun Random photos while there in September:

As I tweeted that we had arrived, Connie asked to see what fun outfits we were wearing - this one's for you Conns.....

Just look at these amazing treats we found at the Little Italy street festival and calories will automatically be added to your hips....look away....look away....

My cousin and I enjoyed not one but TWO sippy cups with wine while watching Chicago.

All that wine led us to silliness in the Times Square Hershey store.....

And look! We found the Naked Cowboy - did you know he can make up to $1500 in tips on a good night?? That's enough to make you want to quit your job and move to NYC to dance in Times Square with no clothes on, right?

How about becoming a barista in one of the world's largest Starbucks? We played on their interactive postcard machines for too long.

And one last fun Times Square pic- this is a truck that drives around the city - pretty cool huh?

All that fun made us hungry - just a few blocks over is the famous Shake Shack - we had a custard chocolate concrete with peanut butter, fudge, pretzels, and marshmallows- it was so good.

We did happen upon some pretty humbling sites - like this fire station directly across from the World Trade Center. We were there 5 days after the 10 year anniversary, but I'm pretty sure it always looks like this.

Lastly, I captured this single rose tucked into a loved one's name at the 9/11 Memorial.

Words couldn't possibly convey the emotion of seeing that in person.

I have more to tell you about our NYC trip, but most of it will be posted over at R We There Yet Mom?. Take a minute to pop over and see me there!

Friday Daydreamin': Zippin' Away

2011-10-14T06:45:00.000-05:00

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! Link up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

Today, I'm daydreamin' of a wonderful vacation the hubby and I took in 2006 to Costa Rica. We stayed in a lovely bungalow at the Four Seasons in the middle of nowhere. We faced the Pacific and had our doors on the patio open all night to smell the salty air and hear the pounding surf. It was wonderful.

But our most favorite thing to do?

We LOVED zip lining through the jungle - it was so much fun. The "trip" was comprised of a dozen lines to zip around the trail. The last one went over a HUGE gorge that was covered in lush green-ness - they encouraged us to lay back and enjoy it - it was a blast!

I hope you link up today - don't feel constrained to show us a picture of a vacation - it can be anything - from your favorite place to take the kids around town, to a board game on a recent "stay-cation". Your favorite meal to a family road trip. We just want to hear from you! So please link up today!

Crazy Fans: Let's be clear- I'M NOT ONE OF THEM!!

2011-10-12T10:14:00.000-05:00

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I get a wee bit excited to meet a celebrity. Just a tiny bit. Chris Tomlin anyone?

And after meeting Rob Lowe in NYC recently, I thought my weekend in the Big Apple had been fulfilled.

I mean, I can't post this picture enough right?

We were both at the Book of Mormon and he brushed my shoulder...yes brushed it (have I told this story already? Yes? Oh well, here it is again). Anyways, the ladies in the picture ran up to him to take their picture and I was standing right next to him fumbling with my phone to take a pic - I looked at him and asked if I could take a picture and he winked at me - WINKED AT ME! - did you catch that he is looking right at me in the pic????

I immediately texted Matt to tell him I had a new crush and he had competition.

Anyways.......
While we had a fun girls weekend in the big city, the main reason we went was to attend a charity event celebrating All My Children and the end of the show. AMC has had a central place in our lives for YEARS. My Mom & Aunt watched it from the very beginning, bringing myself and my cousin into the fold when we were old enough.

So when my Aunt heard about the event hosted by Ricky Paull Goldin (aka "Jake"), she grabbed tickets. We were all so excited to head to a "private event hosted by several actors from the show." uh-huh.

We showed up at a club on the upper West Side - Prohibition - where we were shocked to see a line wrapped around the building - they were handing our wristbands to get in.

Once we got in, we saw this:

Standing Room Only y'all. The whole time.

We were very excited to see Alicia Minshew (Kendall - Erica's Daughter) and Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake Martin) and a few other actors. It was exciting to see these performers you have watched on tv daily in real life.

Alicia is funny, gracious, beautiful, and tiny!

But the crowding was out of hand. According to some of "Lish's Fans" this event was much crazier than usual. After attending an event like this, I am likely to never go to one again. The actors tried to "mingle" with the guests but all they ended up doing was getting crowded and pushed - I stood patiently in line to meet Alicia, however many ladies pushed in front of me to get to her.

Generally, you'd expect everyone to patiently wait their turn to see her. Nope - it was push and shove to get to her as soon as possible - manners went out the window.

After 20 minutes of not getting any closer, I gave up. We visited with the girl who has played the 7th Bianca:

She was very fun to talk to - her boyfriend lives in Dallas, so we chatted with him.

One thing I did enjoy was watching all the crazy fans - the actors were so very gracious to these nutjobs:

I have never seen more appliqued t-shirts and jackets in my life:

What made me laugh the most?

The GIFTS!

These ladies brought the most crazy gifts to Alicia. She received fancy lace dresses, shoes, crocheted blankets and dresses, and toys for her daughter.

Huh? I didn't even know she had a daughter. What kind of a fan am I??

One lady even bought her an American Girl Doll!!! I was so aghast, I had to take a pic of it - here is the hired security holding the doll. Bet he didn't expect to be working THAT hard that day.

The event ended with an auction. An Erica Cane Clutch anyone?

Or how about a piece of cake?

Looking back, I laugh at the silliness of it all. I enjoy watching the show but I am not going to go all ga-ga over the actors. As my sweet friend Viv reminds me, these are all just "regular people." Their job just puts them on tv.

It was a neat way to commemorate the ending of an era in our lives - and we have plenty of funny stories from it.

But just don't call me one of those "crazy fans" - ever.

Crafting Failure #252

2011-10-10T23:28:00.000-05:00

It's funny, when Shawn & Impulsive Addict started this meme a few weeks ago, I thought it might be hard to keep up with these 2 pro bloggers. After all, they are the central cause of all the coffee stains on my monitor - you know - from all the spitting of my coffee while laughing out at some outrageous thing these girls are telling us.

Seriously, if you are not a regular reader of these two, you must start ASAP - they tell it like it is and are not ashamed to tell their most embarrassing moments (ask IA about the time she tooted in front of her test-taking class.....and then blamed it on one of her students!!) These girls don't need to bribe you to read them or link up - they don't made up crap about "people not liking them" - they are down to earth real friends. And I know this - I spent one of the most fun weekends with them last May.

Anyways, back to the meme - I thought I'd have a hard time each week coming up with something funny or creative to talk about for "Talk to Us Tuesday". The thing is, there are no rules to this meme - you can write about anything you want and I love that.

So today? I want to show yet another example of the horrible crafting I do. I have shown you a few of my crafting failures in the past. But this one is unbelievable. One critical step missing can ruin it completely.

I, like many others, spend hours pinning adorable things on Pinterest. It makes me motivated to try things I KNOW I can not do. I KNOW I should not try to do. And I KNOW I will only end up failing.

Rarely, do I ever follow through with any of these silly crafts. Because all they do is turn into monumental failures. Like the one below:

For my sweet Sister-in-Law's Girls Weekend before her wedding, I decided to make custom wine glasses to commemorate the happy occasion. Aren't they cute?

They were actually very easy to do. Just a few paint pens, stick on gems, and some different spools of ribbon.......

It was actually quite therapeutic to make. How fun to paint a few wine glasses. And look how cute they turned out for all of us. It was really a fun event to toast the bride with our matching glasses.

But, I skipped a critical step.

I didn't think I needed to "seal" the fun artwork on the glasses.

And once the cool champagne hit the fun paint.......it started to smear.....

My dots and my swirls started to run down the glasses.....

It didn't look so pretty once they'd been used....

And I wondered why no one took their glasses home.....

When will someone PLEASE just tell me - crafting is NOT your thing??????

I will learn, one of these days .......

Happy Birthday Brody!

2011-10-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

This is "Brody". My middle main man who just loves to have his picture taken.

No, really he does, see?

He's turning 9 today. And this momma is sentimental. Not that he'll let me hug him all day.

And being that he LOVES to be in front of the camera, I have tons of smily pictures.

No I don't.

But I did find a few that make ME smile as I think of what a remarkable boy he is, even if he HATES the camera.

He has played soccer for many years - I can't say he loves it, but he doesn't give up and never wants to quit - and he brings that determination out with him on the field. This year he is goalie and it is making me a nervous nellie - it is up to him to stop that ball- Ahhhhhhhh!

He loves peanut butter sandwiches and lemonade and enjoyed it every chance he could at Grandma's this summer. (look at me sneaking this shot)

He and his dad have this amazing new bond over shooting guns - it's something new and made me a little uneasy, but Matt has been extremely cautious in teaching him and he absolutely loves it - it is so great to see them talk about it - he lights up.

He is fascinated with reptiles - and was a great sport this summer when we didn't find any alligators in Florida - maybe not the greatest sport of me catching him in his fancy headgear.....

But luckily, there are still a ton of lizards for him to catch in our backyard.

And every once and awhile, I can catch him in a smile.......

But what makes me laugh the most is finding little treats like these:

While painting his room a few weeks ago, I found this next to his bed...... I HATED painting over it!

ANd this was in his writing journal at school - so sweet!

Lastly, this note to the tooth fairy cracks me up : "When you take the tooth, leave the money in the cup." Detailed instructions for her!! And certainly no please & thank you!

And right now, he is all consumed with Star Wars - who doesn't love stumbling upon a R2D2 Mailbox in Downtown Springfield, IL??

But my all-time favorite picture of Brody this year???

and the recovery pic says it all:

He is a super fun boy that I love to pieces.

And he's only 9 - I can't wait to see what he is like when he's 20!

Happy Birthday to my smart, determined, soccer- playing, Star-Wars-Loving Boy!

I love you!

Friday Daydreamin': Parent's Vacation Need STAT!

2011-10-06T21:00:00.000-05:00

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! Link up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

It has been an incredibly busy 2 months - I thought life would fit into a normal groove once school started. NOT SO.

Today I am daydreaming of our first European vacation. without kids. that's just my hubby and me.

We went on a Mediterranean cruise with stops in Nice, Portofino, Florence, and Rome. It was hands down my favorite vacation. ever.

Nice is just breathtaking - we had a day before the cruise began to acclimate ourselves to the time change - which we spent eating amazing food, drinking red wine, and sleeping on the rock beach (I kid you not). We explored a lot and just looked out onto this amazing view for a very long time. It was a wonderful time to relax and enjoy each other.

I wanna go back. now.

Join the linky party - post your favorite vacation pictures for everyone to see and link up. Then grab a cup of coffee and start day dreamin away!