From a high maintence woman to a maintance man

I WAS living HI on the hog.....the lady of leisure lifestyle and now back to reality. On Friday we tested out our new cleaning lady. She got here at 9:20 and was here until 5:20.....YIKES but man did she ever clean.....windows, blinds, pulled the stove out from the wall and cleaned....and all for a great price so we will keep her and after a few more cleans I will let her in and then go and return.....not comfortable with the key thing. But if you need a cleaning lady...lemme know she wants more homes. So then my leisure continued and Bepaw, came and got the kids and rode off into the sunset like my knight and shining babysitter. So Duke and I then headed off to Fool's Moon in Bandera....tiny little place with great steak and this Portabella mushroom Gorgonzola cream sauce that wow is sooooo goooood. Carolyn your new mission is to perfect this sauce.......I ate my entire steak so fast I physically hurt in a good way, then tried some Dr. pepper chocolate cake.....that was ok, but could have ended with a bowl of the sauce for the steak and been in heaven, but probably would have gotten a few looks....so if you want some great food, unique quaint atmosphere, and supposedly good wine...go Fools Moon Bandera on Main St......dinner only on Friday nights....

So then after dinner we went to see Evan Allmighty.....SHEEEP....cute movie but could wait for the rental. Then Saturday I was really high maintenance and went to La Cantera Spa and had a body polish and massage, facial, and French pedicure. AHHH so very nice and relaxing, and not that I am a spa connoisseur but I think I like the Hyatt Hill Country Resort Spa better only for layout but the massage here was better and softer at La Cantera....I am NOT a Deep tissue person I am naturally tight and knotty so for a masseuse to not work it all out is apparently very hard to resist and I usually end up sore but not here. So after my day of beauty I return home, and Duke was ending his day of pampering. His Jeep got new shoes....and really big ones too, so he took the top off the jeep and we went for a ride and it was lots of fun. Then grabbed a burger at Fuddruckers and saw Pirates of the Caribbean 3. A little long and I told Duke that the marriage during a battle was a bit much and he retorted but the fish people, now that is reality.....tooo shea....good movie none the less.

Sunday we awoke to the rain after 2 days of sun.....and headed to Kerrville to get the kids. So they come home with goodies from my parents recent trip to abroad and movies from Hastings and Mc Donalds toys......and the water guns Grandma bought stay there but apparently were awesome for water fights....so the brood is TIRED but so happy to have been there for the weekend. So we get back and I mowed the lawn and weed eated, taking advantage of a clear sky and ....b/c nothing is better for a new $65 dollar pedicure than weed eating.....and then we installed my new washer/dryer combo. Duke took the kids for a ride in the Jeep and Macy made it all the way back and crashed out at the top of the street too tired to continue, so Duke rigged up a fan in the garage to blow directly on her so she could sleep a bit, and I woke her up to eat dinner. So late Sunday night after baths I decide to try it out the machine.....on the spin cycle it was walking across the floor.....and on the dry it was really freaking hot .....like clothes steaming, side of the machine burning your hand HOT. So I called this morning and turns out there is a metal panel on the back of the washer that is for TRANSPORTATION only and needs to be removed BEFORE use......ahhh....so for the last hour I took out 4 screws.....the first 2 out with a little work, 3rd needed a few choice words to entice it out. Now the 4th, well it is still there, I have used all my choice words....twice at least and done a pretty good job at stripping the stupid thing out. So I tried channel locks....various screwdrivers and come to the realization I am a crappy maintenance man...out witted by a screw send me back to the spa! So I will let you know if you install the maching right, if it works then...... Also we finally got a new camera, the old one was having some screen issues so here are some pics off the new one.



Macy all tuckerd out in the Jeep with a fan on her. Daddys little Jeep princess

My little maintenance kidsTopless with big.....tires.....the JEEP people ....get your mind out of the gutter!The only visible proof I was pampered this weekend!

After creating heaven and earth,God created Adam and Eve and the first thing he said was "DON'T ! "
"Don't what? " Adam replied.
"Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said.
"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit! "
"No Way! "
"Yes way! "
"Do NOT eat the fruit! " said God.
"Why ? "
"Because I am your Father and I said so! " God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants. A few minutes later,God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked! "Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? " God asked.
"Uh huh," Adam replied.
"Then why did you? " said the Father.
"I don't know," said Eve.
"She started it! " Adam said.
"Did not! "
"Did too! "
"DID NOT! "
Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.



Not really sure it happened quite like that but a Mom can dream.....

So the rain is still here and I am in fear for my yards retaining wall.....I had a HUGE amount of water shooting out the middle of it....and checked after the rain slowed and it was leaning in the wrong direction so I pushed it back with my feet....my highly efficient power tool...we will see if it holds or if it crashes and burns......I am so done with the rain....the daily rain.....and guess what I looked at the weather today I guess a gluten for punishment and it said Definite Thunderstorms....and I think that the computer pointed and laughed at me.

AHH my poetic intervention

Ode to the rain you make our plants oh so green, my yard so mushy, my kids so cabin crazy and mean.

Ode to the rain, you drop the temperature of the air, my kids are pasty and grey because the sun is not there.

Oh ode to the rain, puddles are a treat of small feet, and the hordes of breeding mosquito's waiting for a feast to eat.

Ode to rain my patience is gone I need some sun to pull me out of this deprivation from the sun.

Oh ode to the rain such great plans for my yard, deck extensions and rock wall now all wait at the bottom of a wet vendors list ....waiting is HARD!

Ode to the rain that I did not buy a new car....now maybe not a Prius but an amphibious might not be to far.

Ode to the rain I have a water fall in my back yard, I thought my trashy pool broke but no just a natural flood from afar.

Ode to the rain my kids sadly request to swim every day, my only concession is it keeps MY bathing suit body away.

Ode to the rain GIMME A BREAK I live in Central Texas not in a flippin' LAKE.

Weekend recap

So today is the down hill slide of the weekend.....ahhh. I love the whole family just laying around watching TV and hanging out. It is my refill time to recoop.
So this weekend was a great one minus the rain on friday and saturday....my back yard is a mud slide....it is so gross and mushy but thanks to our neighbors power washer the flagstone is minus the layer of dirt and mold and ick that has been fermenting with all the rain, mud, shade....I had no idea it was as gross as it was.....eeeeeww and I had a couple other moments this weekend that had the very emotion come out of me.....After I mowed and weed eated ....I did ....Duke and I got me a weed eater I can do that is light and easy to start, so I have lawn duty now....and I kinda like it, I am with power tools so that means NO KIDS for 30 mins, any way, I decided power washing was a deacent idea to clean the drive.....well I had no idea it was as nasty as it was in spots it was BLACK.....no joke, HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS BEFORE! So 4 hours, 3 tanks of gas later my drive is white again and ready to be grubbied up by tires and such. Which took not time at all and the mini bike left a skid mark on the drive just moments ago....oh the pain but oh well. The SUPER DUPER GRODY Award goes to the washing machine! I was doing laundry on friday and noticed the rim of the washer was a little yucky and had some liquid fabric softener on it so I started the next load and begain to use a towel to wipe it up.....no biggie....then the bleach bin....and the lid....then in wiping what I thought was the final wipe on the inner rim....my hand hit an alien mass.....gooey and gross and green.....but very fragrant....upon closer inspection the ENTIRE inner rim was a good inch deep of the goo.....purple and green in color and like a gel, but smelled great.....it was fabric softener that never made it to the wash....this washer is the old school top load and the thing in the middle allows you to pour in fabric softener and it will do it for you, sucking it down the middle and pumping it out the top at the appropriate time....well it is not as efficent as I would like and kinda pools and sits and becomes goo..... I had no idea....and wow I went OCD on the thing until it was clean and tossed the towel I started with as well as an entire roll to paper towels. WOW so gross and I will think twice before I dump my downy in there again!

I also saw my old college sorority sister and roommate this weekend at her baby shower....she is having TWINS and is SOOOO tiny still and cute, she has the height on her side at 5 11 so she has room and is 24 weeks and each baby is allready 1 lb each! I predict she will have one of those pregnancies that people will envy....pregnancy agrees with Patti, she is glowing and beautiful. It was so good to see her and way too long in coming, I will have to do better.

In other news there is not much to report, Dale has been glued to the computer and the nick jr games.....Reid is really close to grasping the swimming consept and LOVES his teacher....my neighbors neice....which is HUGE for Reid and the lessons are my neighbors pool which is so convient and comfortable for him and me. Macy is a goof ball....but so dang cute she can get away with anything. Duke is great too he has been working on his Jeep lots and it has a new lift on it and some other stuff I either have really forgotten or have chosen to forget to get the total cost out of my head....but I will admit it looks COOL really cool...and he deserves it he has been working really hard. Ok well I am off to wash the stink off my body and call it a night... too bad my kids are not ready to do the same.

Picture of Perfection

So we went to take pictures and although I was less than thrilled with the 2 hour photo session and all the waiting and waiting and such....some of the pictures are so fantastic. So I guess all in all it was a success. Mom , Sam and sibs you are all getting some in the mail soon.

one....two....three..... (silence)

What is different in these 2 pictures?

Macy got her ears pierced today at of all places Walmart! I actually did some research and her pediatrician does not pierce ears, Claire's the selection of earring is limited at best, and I did not want a teeny bopper with black lipstick anywhere near this. And Walmart has a HUGE selection of earrings, piercing is free when you buy a set of earrings, and they have the rounded back on the post so there is no chance to poke her little head....which Clair's did not offer and it was done by 2 very nice older women who I am sure pierced their kids and grand kids ears. Best part she did not cry at all. I bought some Orajel...the tooth numbing stuff and put a little on her ear lobes and waited about 10 min's and we did it. We all were geared for the scream and tears and NOTHING.....she just sat and then smiled! The boys both agreed she was super brave and now we can accessorize....well in 6 weeks. She has been asking Daddy for jewelry and earrings for some time, and has tried to put on mine and Daddy finally caved last night to her " Daddy I want earrings, Please" . He was apposed b/c he did not want to ruin her innocence, piercings......getting all tatted up....what next. Ahhh Dukes logic.....nonsense I thought. And then just to prove me wrong we came home and she found a pen and tattooed her self.....guess Daddy was right.....

Ohhhh-wwweee Dat rite der is a BEAUT

We have had over our entire annual rainfall in the last 2 months....and my yard is a swamp and it really does not help matters that I am a total idiot and since we transfered the stuff from the storage unit to controls to the sprinkler system have been covered and out of sight out of mind I guess, so I have been watering my lawn 3 times a week.....yep IDIOT. I realized it the other day when I went out to check our white trash pool and the yard was wet.....but oddly it had not rained YET that day and it dawned on me. Then in check the pool saw that Duke did not close the drain right so there was a slow steedy drip out of the bottom of the pool, all of these items alone would be not worth mentioning but all of the damn things togeather equal a SWAMP and apparently I am the main toorist attraction for all the visiting mosquitos in the San Antonio area. Side note I had to drain my Chiminea that was FULL of water, and I think we have taken like 7-8 gallons of water out of the tad-pole-pond.....did I mention we joined redneck club.....tadpole ponds and above ground pools are required and the quick-crete retaining wall well that was the initiation. I feel like I need to elaborate. My dad started the tadpoles....in his "Water feature" he has been overrun and scoops out the little swimmers and no longer allows them to Swim with the fishes....they get to flop in the trash can....Dale SHOCKED said they are living creatures you can't do that and ONE came home....then that was cool and then MORE came and MORE.....they have played catch and release, Macy dyed their water with markers...non toxic ones and only one croaked, they scoop them into other buckets and some have paid the price and fallen through the cracks on the deck but alot have made full frog status.....you would think my mosquito problem would be less. Then clarify the pool.....I got it on a whim, Dale was trying to swim at the neighbors and they honestly could not hear him calling at the gate...."IS it a good time for me to swim", "can you come to the gate please"....seariously for like 10 mins and he is crying and pleading that "he will not give up hope, Zachary invited him".....and our neighbors open their pool to all, so I know it was just circumstance of waterfall, and radio..... so he comes home crushed and I said get in the car and we got the pool. Which is awesome, 8 ft by 2 ft, just the right depth, can swim, but no real worries, yet large enough for all of us to cool off. Ok well my yard is literally at a HUGE angle....very very steep. So the pool was off even with my valient leveling job....but that job placed the pool in the middle of the play area....bummer.....so Duke vents that he IS NOT going to dig a flat spot for 2000, for a 50 dollar pool....and it would ruin the yard and sprinkler system.....this is the WORST time of year.....yadda yadda.....so one night I say what about the quick crete bags people use on the banks of the river...hey that might work....so he researches it and wha-la about 60 bags later we have a 9 ft level pad for a pool. So the pool is up, full, flat and clorinated and filtered....and kinda hidden on the side yard so not Total trashy but don't tell the club....they might make me get a mullett. But it serves its purpose!

Forth of July was a rain out. We had a nice gathereing on the 3rd with our neighbors and then lit of a few things on the 4th here again with the neighbors. It was fun, mildly uneventful Dale got burned on his hand by a flying random firework and a neighbor singed his shorts on another, but we saw stuff blow up so it was good. Reid LOVED the sparklers and Macy liked them too. Dale was hiding in the back of the truck with a couple other neighbors being goofy. Macy wore her 4th dress.....good times.

Also Dale went Ice Skating and although I do not think Ice Hockey is in his future he did ok.....took a few really hard spills but got up and pushed on. GO DALE!

Reid in taking Swim Lessons at the neighbors pool with her neice and loves it....my goal of getting him swimming by Maui might just happen!

Macy is in a state of nakedness latley and is potty training and doing REALLY REALLY good....the school said no moves until august so she will HAVE to stay in Becky and Kathys room...YEA!.....uh I mean darn.....

The final funny thing was that the other day I did some yard work and trimmed a bunch of shrubs and asked Reid to help me pick up the branchs.....my genius said "ok "got his gator out took his sister drove over to the piles loaded them in the gator bed, took them to the drive way, dumped then and did another trip and another..... SO funny Macy was his helper and in her panties....but hey Good help IS hard to find and when you throw the stipulation of clothing you are really limiting yourself. I laughed so hard at my little manual laborers....even Dale came out and helped....Reid was like Tom Sawyer making work fun so others would help him....SMART!

More House FUN

SO I got the playroom painted and it is cute and the kids like it. here are a few pic's

I also went to the allergist and found I am HIGHLY allergic to Dust Mites.....eeewwww but hopefully with a few mattress and pillow covers I can survive....and a maid to come vaccuum ....for my own health reasons OF COURSE!

So we had one last fun outing with Uncle Brad before he left town to go back to Alabama....we hit Sea World on Monday with Grandma and Bepaw and had such a good time. We saw Shamu and the ski show where Macy demanded to change to her bathing suit like the gils in the show!, played in the Happy Harbor rode all the rides and did the water park and saw a 2 day old baby baluga whale....so cute and chubby. Lets just say they are still tired from all the fun. They loved the aquarium and sharks too...go figure. Here are a few shots

Go Spurs Go

So our "Good Guy Team," did it again and won the championship....Yea. We were talking with Dale and we asked him all of the players names he knew.....he said I know 2. Ok who are they....well I know SLAM Duncan......who? SLAM Duncan .....Uh Dale that is a great name but his name is Tim Duncan....oh ok well I also know Timmy.....uh Dale Timmy is Tim Duncan....oh well who else is there? So we informed him other the other players and he commited to memory Manu Giniobli....b/c it is like O Bi One Giniobli....like O Bi One kanobe. Maybe they should has used Dale's name to make Timmy a little more tough sounding..... just call him SLAM!

So I also went to try and get Championship T's at academy and also did this 2 years ago and while it was a little less custerish it was still a cluster and did manage to get a couple t's but yikes what an ordeal and always I CHOOSE to do these tasks with all 3 kids and Macy both times has been way to tired to cooperate...and people are just RUDE and pushy....almost makes it not worth it at all! I can tell you I will skip the downtown party on Sunday.....talk about a cluster!

A couple of other funnies...Dale said I know what clouds are made of....what? Soap Suds.

Macy took Duke into her big girl room and said My big girl bed....you buy it for me? Yes said Duke and she then said You buy me a Jeep? Yes Monkey, Duke said, I buy you a jeep. Ahhh a little girl just wrapped daddy a little tighter around her pinky!

The winds of change are a-blowin

So since we finally decided to stay in our current abode we have decided to change it up a bit. We added an attic storage in our dropped garage, it is HUGE and wonderful so far we have emptied an entire storage unit up there ....and still have room! We purchased new furniture for the family room a leather couch and awesome round chair, & new coffee table. Macys Big Girl room is complete and she loves it. Done in a shabby chic motiff that is sooo girly and cute. New curtians and spread for the master bedroom, that really accent the style of the furniture where the old ones did not, and since Duke is not into me getting anything different this was a compromise and I likey! I painted the kids bathroom with funny fish all over and they love it as well as put up a cornise board over the tub and new shower curtians and new fish stuff. They love it and it is so Happy looking!We also put a granite top on our kitchen island, the color is Bordeaux and it so pretty it really looks wonderful and accents the kitchen great. I also have some new appliances coming, the install of my new dishwasher and LG washer dryer combo....it washes them and then dries them....same unit....(musical interlude) HEAVEN..da du da du...must be missing a washer/dryer.... da du da du....

WOW that will be awesome and my Kennmore Elite dishwasher that is gonna actually CLEAN my dishes....again interlude Missing one kenmore dishwasher...in my house next week! I also got a second fridge/ freezer some might think this is a Beer fridge and you would be SOOO wrong it is a milk fridge for my laundry room....so great like 6-7 gallons a week, and water and the essential caffines...and I must be honest and admit there is ONE beer in there right now. And I still have a list of to dos....rock the fire place, extend the deck, paint several rooms, a screen door that Duke is hesitant to install...his thought is the door should be closed the AC is on .....seariously we have 3 kids options are:

1. open door W/screen = no bugs

2. open door W/bugs

On with the list.....swap out my entry light, a murphy bed for the work room, and some cedar accents that Duke is dragging his feet on so I will have to do them solo and prove to him they will be awesome. So goal is by summers end the house will be OURS....and it only took 7 years.

My kids are great....and they have been to Grandma and Bepaws twice since the end of May... and I totally get why they love it soo much. It is Kid-u-topia....the trampoline, sand box, play pool, electric cars, swing, tadpole pond and nets to catch them, and toys on toys and THEY let you stand on the coffee table to build REALLY BIG block towers.....they also let you build forts and help cook.....I wanna go too! Macy went through like 8 changes of clothes in 2 days....every time she went out back she got in the pool or dumped pond water all over her....SOO FUN Grandma and Bepaw ROCK! ALSO momma sam brought back from India a ton of new movies and games for the kids and candy.....wow my kids are SO deprived!

NO More teachers...... no more books......

Dale and Mrs. Washington

Schools out for Summer! So we had a great last week at School. Dale had games on Monday his Poetry Picnic on Tuesday, Bubbles and Books Wednesday, Yearbooks on Thursday and a party on Friday....tough week! So it was great for the poetry picnic his teacher sent home a folder last week of 6 nursery rhyme poems and said pick one from here or any book, memorize and recite Tuesday. Not to brag but Dale was the only one who did a poem from a different book so he had the only different poems there.

They were Advise by Shel Silverstein.....William Tell William Tell heres your arrow grip it well, theres the apple aim for the middle, .....Oh Well, you just missed by a little.















And Lazy Jane by Shel Silverstein....Lazy, lazy, lazy, lazy,lazy,lazy Jane, she wants a drink of water so she waits and waits and waits and waits and waits for it to rain.















His teacher even took him to 2 other teachers and had him recite his poems for them....he was very proud, and so was I. Here is the teacher gift we gave her from the class...a bowl with each childs handprint made into a tree with apples on them and it said Mrs. Washingtons Apples
Dale wanted Macy and Reid to attend and they loved going to his school. And Mrs Washington knew them by name ....very cool .....she is an AWESOME teacher. Here is Dales recap of his year in video.

Then on Tuesday Uncle Brad came into town.....and then came the spoiling of the nephews and neice....they played on the trampoline in the sprinkler, went swimming, went to Chuck-E-Cheese, he gave them toys and gifts.....This is ALL on Tuesday! Wednesday he built model airplanes with them and they flew them....and toted Reid all over the city with him in Big Red...and Thursday he took Reid again all over the city and all the kids to the school and they shot off rockets. VERY COOL....they LOVED ITNeedless to say they were bummed when Brad left Thursday night and called Grandma and Bepaw and left a pathetic phone message from Macy and Reid begging to come visit. So Brad and Bepaw got the celebrity reception this afternoon and they are off to Kerrpatch. Hopefully we can use the time to get some stuff done here at home.

Did my credit card get stollen?

Ok so I am feeding the kids dinner tonights, quesidillas and guacamole and I tried to recreate Red Robins Chicken Guacamole burger...it kinda stunk but I ate it...ALL! So the phone rings and it is a computer generated fraud dept for our credit card. Did you make these charges....I did not recognize it so I said no....transfering to an operator. We greet, she says several charge have come and we flagged your account yadda yadda....the recent charges in question are....walmart online today for x...Yes that was me, walmart store this morning for x....yes me too, walmart store yesterday for x....again me...and tetco today...Yes that was Duke. Is this an intervention...seariously I asked her that and she laughed. Ok well that was all we wanted to check. I have never wished for my identity to be stollen but in this case I would have been ok to NOT admit that I made 3 seperate purchases at wally world in less than 24 hours all for well over 100 bucks. I think I have a problem! In my defense online was some extended legnth drapes I wanna try and YES I am very scared that I found them at walmart but really have looked at Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, Pottery Barn, Pennys, and online and just have not found what I want and they had it in an extended legnth.....and this morning was groceries, and yesterday was me killing an hour and went in for 1 hair care thing and came out with t-shirts and shorts for the boys since Reid is refusing to wear anykind of shorts that are not bathing suits....I bought 4 bathing suits for the kid to wear and some athletic shorts (sport shorts) as he calls them b/c those are ok and we needed some for gymnastics anyway and a few things for Duke b/c I love Duke but he is the real life PIG PEN, anything NICE becomes not nice, really quick when it is worn in the garage to stain something or change oil in something....and he ALWAYS has on his NICE clothes when he chooses to do this so the majority of his items are well CHEAP for that reason and he really attracts dirt to himself so nothing lasts more than a little while anyway. So NO my card was not stollen just a humiliating slap in the face from the Credit Card company probally thinking how did she qualify for a platinum card shopping at walmart! It is a sad sad day for my credit card it is I am sure ashamed to be in my wallet....what am I saying it got used right...he is happy happy happy and laughing at me too!

SO in other news I set up our slip n slide yesterday in the front yard and my kids were in the enchanted land of lollipops or something....so much fun...of course my real camera had a dead battery and so I snapped pics on my new phone and I can't figure out how to get them to my computer....really I am outdone by this phone...so maybe soon they will appear here.

In my headache news I am better. I am having migraines and rebound headaches....which is basically my body in withdrawl from lack of medications when I stop taking them....so they want me to take celebrex, and then another pill and then another one for migraines....so the idea it to JUST get the migraines and medicate them....so I am doing it my way first and not taking anything at all for anything...and so far so good....felt the migraine this morning took a pill and nothing more and have not taken anything beyond that since Sunday....I see the neurologist in 3 weeks...to get yelled at for not following directions.

Too Long

So we have had several events happen here in the Party City of San Antonio. Fiesta, Guyapalooza Block Party for Cinco De Mayo, Troy and Carolyn came to visit, Harry crooning to me and Jennifer, Migraine headache injections.....wow busy week.

First Fiesta....so we skipped the little parade down town, and the river parade but made an appearance at the most prestiegous parade event around....The Childrens Center Parade....at the kids school....very cute and they loved it. Reid decorated his float a Sponge Bob Pinata on a skateboard. and Macy well....she was a Dora Princess in her charriot wagon.....

Cinco De Mayo.....Guyapallooza.....was a block party. One of our neighbors Guy is in a church band and decided to play a garage concert as a far-the-well for one of his members....they were FANTASTIC....really they played anything and everything and it was good fun.....then across the cul-de-sac another neighbor bought the fight on pay per view and did a garage style viewing on the his Dawn Arrow Garage-tron....so we had music, a fight, and great neighbors to share it with. I still am questionable on the outcome of the fight I thought Oscar had it.

Troy and Carolyn made it to Texas and we got to visit with them.....you do not realize how much you miss them until you see them. And then that time is clearly too short.....seariously Troy there is a Texas Residency agreement in the works.....expect your copy in the mail. Macy, Dale and Reid talked about them non stop and Macy was LIVID when we had to leave screaming for "MY SAM, I WANT MY SAM," who gave her some ear rings that she carried around all day, so Duke prepare yourself for me to pierce your daughters ears.... its coming!

Monday the boys started gymnastics and they LOVE it....Dale was quickly moved up to the Boys level I class b/c of all his inhearited skill....hand stands + cartwheels + foam pit = JOY. Reid is in his own class now and I think his best little buddy Devin is gonna join him which he is SO excited for.

Tuesday a friend of mine Jennifer and her Hubby Shane joined Duke and I to see....brace yourself HARRY CONNICK JR. and he was great.....very smooth and easy to look at.....ahhh so now I can mark that off my lifetime to-do list.....but would do it again! We ate at Acenar....a great place down town....and the food was the best. Duke said it was one of the best steaks he has ever had....and that is Pretty HUGE since he is a conniseur of Beef.

So Wednesday I finally get to see the Dr for headaches.....current one was 2 weeks old this Thursday. It has been tollerable and sometimes unbearable....and Wednesday was one of the worst days. I went and got 2 Rx's to try and turned down the shot to the hip then b/c adding more pain was not my goal but 5 hours later when the rx's had not touched the pain ...I called crying and was given a shot....got home took some painkillers.....waited 3 hours took more....Duke came got the kids and took them to dinner and strangly my kids liked me miserable b/c I did not care what they ate, did, as long as they were quiet and the lights were out....so I am pretty sure a candy feast was had by all, but I really do not care. I am was bed at 8, Thursday I head to work and am sent home....(LOVE YOU LISA) went back to the dr.....got another shot....went home and slept all day, continued with the 2nd rx and it helped a little and Friday was very tollerable and today has been tollerable....I am a little swimmy in my head and if I move to fast I get dizzy, but that is better than the Ice pick in the brain headache. So I am going to see a neuroligist on Monday so that they can tell me that the squirrel that was running my brain quit and left and all I have are a few flies in there hitting the walls.... and have a pained stomach and backache I think from all the meds in my body b/c that much excedrine migraine and pain killers really can't make a body good.....but can make you feel pretty good....or at least let you sleep in my case.

So that has been the last 2 weeks.....whew....and here is a slide show to catch you up!

Send my check to.....

So a freind of mine sent me a link that to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18466753/ it is about the would be salary of an at home mom about $138,000 and then there was a discussion on and opinion board that was related on What do you think? Are at home mom underappreciated?

UUUUHHH Yes....I am so worth more than that for my family, and if they are sending checks I will accapt one but on the other hand it is a choice Duke and I made for me to be there for the kids. His job is not flexable in the realms of sick kiddos and Dr. visits, he works hard and long hours, and we decided that at least one of us needs to be at the disposal of the kids....we had them so we will raise them. Now don't get me wrong I love a break as much as the next tired mommy and all but it was a choice. Also some of the discriptions listed like laundry machine operator and cook....well yes I do those things but so does everyone, even a single man has to eat and eventually clean some underwear. I also drive a car but am not paid like Jeff Gordon is. I am worth more than a dollar amount to my family, I am the glue that makes it a family and the lubricante that makes it run smooth. Preparing our leaders of tomorrow is a tough job but it is not with out reward. Look at the well adjusted, stable, intelligent kids that mine can occasionally be and there is the pay off of plenty.

Yea on that sentimental note....if my happy, adjusted clan has stinky breath blame Macy. Yesterday afternoon she decided to brush her teeth.....I found her in the kids bathroom....on the counter, and there was tooth paste ALL OVER. The counter, the faucets, the soap dispencer, the mirror, and she had 2 dixie cups half full of tooth paste and head to toe tooth paste all over her... funny that there was NOT A TOOTH BRUSH IN SIGHT, and I thought that was essential for brushing teeth... Huh....so we clean....and clean.....and clean....and now their bathroom is colgate mint fresh, crest bubble gum sweet and crest watermellon wonderful! We then went outside to commiserate with other moms and give the house a break.....and her dress was stiff from all the toothpaste on it! NICE that is so preparing her for the world ahead of her.....somehow....counting b/c she used 3 whole containers!
I also came about 24 hours away from loosing all my frozen goods this week......I noticed on Monday my freezer in the utility room was dripping water a little.....I told the boys DO NOT open that freezer only me....it is not sealing right.....more on tues morning.....and by that afternoon I had a half gallon of ice cream that was really soft. I investigate and the dumb thing was UNPLUGGED. I told Duke this that evening and he said....oh I put the box of dog bones n top of it to keep Macy from feeding the dogs the entire box ,and when I left the room I heard something fall....I didn't see anything though....well what he heard and I found was that a flash light fell behind the freezer it and unplugged it.....all is well and minus the ice cream everything is solid again ....so add appliance repairperson to the list of my jobs too....I am JUST about indispensable.

The Great Daniel Debate and other insights

Sooo the great debate around the Daniel house is build or not to build....that is the question? Do we NEED a new home......or want it......is the novelty of picking what you want worth the price? Is it ok to sacrifice on some stuff for the sake of a great deal? So I think we have determined NO....to buy for the sake of a great deal is not really a reason enough alone. I want my next home to be the forever home.....potentially and I do not want to sacrifice when if I wait a year or 2 I can have that home, Duke is wary of the real estate market and its fluctuations at the moment and we have enough room, are happy, love our neighbors, love the school Dale is in and its proximity, and LOVE the freedom that our current situation allows us financially. So I think we are going to do a few cosmetic changes here and hold out. Rock the fireplace, extend the deck and buy some furniture and a new dish washer and call it good for a bit longer. But then again we change our minds about once a week so we'll see if this sticks....if not, I am gonna shut up about it all and come xmas if you get a card from a different address then we moved if not then we did not!
So I have to give a little insight into one of my last evenings here.....we refilled the sand box with sand.....sooo great....the kids are loving it and Reid says lets make angels and next thing you know all 3 on their backs making sand angels....cute huh....well not really b/c fresh sand STICKS in hair and on skin all too well and we ended up with I think half a pound inside.....so at the point that I am cooking dinner I decide I cannot handle the grit under my feet any more and vaccuum.....I am vaccuuming and the noodles on the stove boil over.....I am vaccuuming and moving a pot, and then around the corner comes Macy.......diaperless and says I poopie in the pottie....and I say then get to the potty....still vaccuuming, stirring, and encouraging the potty usage.....that my friend is MOM talent....so I finished, she pooped and peed, and dinner was all ready by the time I was done. However it was a mute point b/c then we ate and dinner was all over the floor and we started back at the grit underfoot and the cleaning again....oh the excitement of it all!
Actually one exciting thing has been Tad....our newest pet....a tadpole from Bepaws pond. Well he is turning into a frog....has back legs and is growing front legs....it is actually really cool to watch it happen....every morning Macy gets on her stool and proclaims I see him, I see him, he is resting, Broder do you see him?Hes in there.....but the day he hops onto the counter I will pass out but until then Tad is pretty neat.

Sunday yucky Sunday

So what is up with the Texas weather.....cold, hot, windy, and rain all in one day. I think Mother Nature is going thru the change and her hormones are way out of whack! We have had a pretty unproductive couple of days.
I worked all day on Thursday and Friday at the DayCare running the office with a friend and I totally know that a full time job is so not for me. From 8:15 to 7:00 pm is a really long day. Dale was MAD when we drove home on Thursday and I said ok we need to eat shower and get to bed and he said WHAT WE DID NOT GET TO PLAY AT ALL! Only to do it again the next day. I have run the office before and tried to over compensate by having the laundry done by wed, and house clean and you would think that just being here to eat and sleep should not cause too big of a mess.....WRONG I had dishes all over the kitchen, junk on the floor from coming in and dumping it all. It was a disaster on Friday at 7:15 when I got home and seariously we had been in the house walking around for less than 5 hours the last 2 days....SHOCKING.
I got a new phone and I think I might be in over my head a little b/c I can't even figure out how to charge it.....no joke....it is cool though now I can email Duke.....that is when ever I figure out how to charge the phone and then get all his info in there and type and send it.....so at this rate could be by Christmas.
I also failed in coaching this spring. I am going to let the boys quit Baseball. This is gonna seem like a total cop out and it is but I will justify it anyway. The league is really unorganized and I knew this going it but.....non the less. Duke now has a big project that will occupy him every saturday thru the end of May.....so I am solo for every practice and game. Which really means I will not be able to watch/encourage the player b/c I will be watching the other 2. Dale's practice is far away in rush hour traffic (huge Hassel) And finally and most importantly it was more of a battle to get Dale to go with an attitude that did not give me a thoughts of locking him in the car.....and I figure that is not good for any one so maybe next year with a different league. Reid could care less really either way but I am gonna play the sanity card this time and cop out!

Too Long, so much to cover

Well since my last post we have had quite a bit happen and been BUSY. So we'll see if I can get it all in.

The Ankle:

I am recovering and in PT 2 times a week .....kinda think it is worthless but I will be a good paitent. It is still weak and this weekend I have a wedding.....and my tennis shoes are NOT in the wardrobe option....game time decision definatly.

Macy turned 2. We had Grandma and Bepaw, MySam, us and my great neighbor Erin over for cake and gifts. The best was that she was excited by clothes....holding them up and beaming.....oh yes she is all girl. Then she got a baby doll in a car seat she can carry and we were done with gifts. It is hard to open gifts while holding a baby. Her dress was too cute and she matched her cake that was SOO good. All in all a great party. Also her sweet teachers gave her gifts that scream Macy....a pink gingham capri set, and squeaky pink shoes! SOOO GREAT. She is so loved! here are a few pics

Easter also happened and the Bunny came and did he ever deliver. Macy had pink camo eggs, Dale had regular camo eggs and Reid had sports ball eggs. Also balls, clothes, movies, toys and nerf dart guns.....because what is the resurection of Christ without firearms! Yea a little sac-religious but none the less. Macy loved finding the eggs but could have cared less about the candy in them.....but strangley loved the ones with money? Dale also lost his very first tooth and the tooth fairy brought him a 2 dollar bill AND let him keep the tooth, we made a special pillow with a pocket for the teeth. He was very excited to be big enough to loose teeth and Reid keeps saying I lost one too.... So now that the chocolate buss has subsided here are a few pics of the indoor egg hunt since it was 40 outside!

Then after Easter and a fabulous sermon from Emmitt at CBC http://www.communitybible.com/this_week/index.html check it out ....not sure if it is there yet but its is great. Then we went to DISNEY PRINCESSES ON ICE with a freind a her daughter. Macy was sleeping beauty and she loved the show and all her glam. Ear rings, neclaces, wands, toole....and poof... what is not to love! here are some pics of that

and to prove that beauty is fleating here is an after shot