Happy 6th, Baby Girl!

I've been trying to up my birthday skillz since birthdays weren't a huge deal at our house growing up (but I did get dwarf bunnies for Easter one year so I'm all good). I managed to hide balloons, get a small present and have the Monkey Bread cooking in the oven when she got up. Of course, Seth had to go and buy her a giant wad of flowers because he says he wants her to know how she should be treated. I say he is setting some poor boy up for failure and bankruptcy in the future.  

Exactly one week six years ago my little girl was born! Six years of my sweets! Love this princess-lovin', mop-headed, type A, coloring book junkie kiddo!

It's the traditional birthday breakfast around here-Monkey Bread! If your not familiar with this recipe, it's mostly butter and sugar with some roll dough thrown in. As you can imagine, it's a pretty big hit. The best part is after the kids consume their body weight in sugar  for "breakfast" I get to send them to run it off at school. You're welcome teachers!

We told Shelby she could pick where she wanted to go to dinner. Her first response was Chuck E. Cheese (which we have avoided up to this point and the only reason she even knows about it is a commercial on PBS-thanks a lot public television! I guess I'll forgive you since you have given us Downton Abbey BUT you did just kill off Matthew so you should know my forgiveness did not come without struggle.).  The visible deflation of both parents was obvious, but she was the birthday girl. However, when I picked her up at school she claims she had changed her mind and now wanted to go to...LUPE TORTILLA! I managed to stop short of doing a fist pump in the middle of the crosswalk but texted Seth wherein he proved to be equally thrilled to hear the good news. Kids get a giant sandpit with little roller coaster thingies and melted cheese for dinner while parents get some quiet as the kids play and the world's best fajitas. It's a win for everyone!!!!

Feliz Cumpleaños Shelby!!!

I'm sorry but does anything say Texas birthday like a giant sombrero? 

I think not.

Wyatt X-mas Lunch

The only reason I even got one picture was because another sweet mom took pity on me and texted me this. I DID bring a tray of chickfila nuggets. Surely that counts toward some major bonus points, yes? AND Wyatt is in his festive Christmas plaid. What can I say...this mom is on fi-ya! (well, today anyway. Tomorrow is a crap shoot at best.)

Ironman

Last fall, one of our friends completed an Ironman triathlon (swim about 2.5 miles, bike 112 and THEN run a marathon!) in The Woodlands. I was not expecting it to be one of the coolest experiences I've had in a long time.  The atmosphere was electric! Waiting at the finish line contemplating the training and mastery over their bodies as the crowd cheered all the finishers was, to put it mildly, a memorable experience.

As each finisher approached the announcer would loudly pronounce

"Drew A.! You ARE an IRONMAN!"

He got in the water at 7:00 am and finished about 7:00pm. Un-stinking-believable! I get tired when I watch tv for that long.

The very pregnant wifey deserves an award too!

You are our Ironman Drew!!!!

All of this training and running made me think back to a funeral that we and Ironman's family spoke at a few years ago. One of my sweet friends passed away from a 2 year battle with melanoma at 26. I'll never forget what a beautiful picture a man named Bill created that day. He said that much like the ending of the Olympic marathon that summer, he pictured Lana walking into a stadium of cheering people as she finished her final lap. Jesus there to embrace her at the end as she "finished the race" proclaiming "Well done! Good and faithful servant."

 Lana taught me so much through her struggle but what God seems to be especially pressing on my heart lately is to not be mastered by my own body/desires. Paul said "I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should." Here at the Ironman, all the participants beat their bodies into submission. Everything they did and every choice they made was this amazing denial of their bodies' cry for rest. 

All in pursuit of the goal line. 

Am I conquered by my own body? Or am I teaching myself the discipline of denial so foreign to our world? 

Do I indulge the "slights" and let my justified resentment roll? Or do I stop, pray and offer forgiveness which has not been asked for making these thoughts captive to Christ?

Do I worship God? Or do I worship (in a very subtle fashion) myself?

As Drew battled through the miles and Lana through the cancer, one a metaphor for the other, I pray my life would be one of engaging the battle, wrestling, and finishing without my eyes breaking from the goal. So that on that final stretch, I might say

I have fought the good fight.

I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith. 

Anti-Sugar

We do NOT believe in eating sugar at our house! 

Everyone here firmly resists all desserts...

We know that sugar produces overactive children and rots your teeth. Who wants that?

It's important that we set a firm example for others to follow...

Those poor children whose lacksidasical mother lets them lick the spoon. 

I judge them.

I do.

Little Lambkins!

Christmas tradition continues with Wyatt taking his turn in the spotlight as "Lamb #3." I have calmed down considerably since this isn't my first rodeo here. The only moment of mom anxiety came when I was trying to find a white shirt for him. You know, one w/o stains, etc. that you wouldn't be ashamed to but on your child in front of the entire preschool. 

Despite the fact that he is not my first little lamb he is equally as precious!

I love you Wyatt!

Instant Winner!!!

Our local HEB has a wheel that kids insert buddy bucks into and get stickers. Every now and then it rolls onto instant winner and you take the sticker to the help desk to receive your prize. Here is a picture montage of just such an event....

I'm a winner! I'm a winner! Let me dance around like I need to pee b/c I'm so excited!

Ah! The green-eyed monster appears in the non-winner who attempts to mask her disappointment. Look I got some stickers...too...

No caption needed

Drowning her sorrows in cookie batter...

Another day and Shelby is redeemed!

A ruler! It's purple! I'll use it to measure my chin! Oh happy, happy day at the grocery store!

Acorns

For those of you who live in Texas or are avid watchers of the weather channel, you know that 2 summers ago was the worst drought on record. What I have learned about the amazing world of nature is that this causes the oak trees to produce extra acorns. By extra, I mean literally covering up driveways and clogging gutters. It's insane! 

So, what do you do in those long hours before the hubby gets home? 

Hand your kids hammers.

They quickly became obsessed with digging all the acorns out of the grass once the driveway's had been decimated. Muhahaha my evil plot revealed to get the kids to unknowingly work. I must remember to apply this to other areas. Hey kids, yall want to play mop the floor? It's the bestest, most fun game ever!

Sooooooomebody was watching & wants in on the action....

his hammer was plastic btw.

Halloween 2013

So Texas weather is always a little unpredictable this time of year. Will it be warm or freezing cold? (If you are placing money on a bet I would go with warm). This, of course,  greatly complicates the annual "Halloween Costume Selection Process." I definitely recall shaking with cold some years refusing to sully my costume with a coat. I also remember dripping sweat in a giant pink bunny costume. That to say, it's a bit of a crap shoot around here.

Since Wyatt is really into 1978's version of "Super Friends," our whole family (minus Walker who originally was not going to have a costume at all) got dipped in the mutagen, touched by Kryptonite, visited by a dying alien, take your pick, I think you get the picture. The most complicated part of their costumes was 

A) keeping Wyatt/Superman's boots on (he got VERY upset when they slipped off. Which they did. Frequently.) 

B) finding an appropriate Wonder Woman outfit since Shelby was left with very few super hero women to emulate (i.e. one). Can I just pause here and say that it is so obvious that a man created Wonder Woman? I mean, every woman knows how constricting a spangled bustier would be in the fight against crime! She has to have super powers to be able to breathe in that thing. The only compensation I see is that the supermen look like they are wearing their underwear outside their spandex outfits. 

While searching for her costume, I was really coming up dry. I was shooting for a 5 year old dressed as Wonder Woman not a mini-street walker. Etsy to save the day! I knew I could count on some crafty mom out there to help me out! Shelby was very pleased by the amount of sequins in her outfit. Kid and mommy approved!

Poor little lamb...errr...lion. All the extra padding threw off his balance so he ended up wandering around like a drunken sailor until he finally gave up and just sat. He also might have been attempting to avoid passing out from heat exhaustion. When I took off his lion outfit to eat, his head looked like someone had poured a bucket of water over it. A large bucket. Uhh...sorry buddy. He was a great sport though.

A courageous attempt at smiling while being suffocated by his lion costume.

We eat danger for breakfast! And we are STARVING!

We will stun you with our preciousness rays!

Sweet neighborhood kiddos getting together beforehand for pizza.

I have to say as I let got of "perfection" parenting, I am really starting to enjoy my kids' childhood so much more. Embracing the joy and excitement that things like Halloween bring. Creating a count down. Letting Shelby use up all my tape and computer paper to create and hang her fall artwork. Pretending to be upset when my kids secretly try on their costumes before the big day. Watching them wade through and sort their mother load of candy. 

The unfettered joy of childhood. Bliss!

Wannabe Coffee Drinker

Looks like the caffeine has already hit Wyatt's system

Kidding. He needs no additional stimulus. He does, however, bolt down my cold coffee if I walk away from it. I'm not sure if this is a commentary on him or how much sugar I put in my coffee...

Why you pay money for a good photographer...

Ok kids. Let's try and get a cute picture with all three of you for potential Christmas cards.

Nope.

Looks like Wyatt is in pain. 

I know Mom was by this point.

Yikes. Looking a leetle possessed there son.

Uh oh. Things are taking a definite turn for the worst.

Feed me woman or I will alert all the neighbors to my maltreatment! 

On the flip side, the other two are cooperating now...Sheesh! I guess I could go for "realistic" Christmas cards this year.

Sleep like a Baby

Combo Birthday

Shelby and Wy recently got invited to a sibling birthday party which I felt was A TOTAL STROKE OF PARENTAL GENIUS! Two birds with one stone baby!

Hayrides for all!

Pony rides for the city slicker kids:).

I didn't get more pictures of Shelby b/c she was too busy running around with her friends. I feel like it is a glimpse into my not too distant future. 6 going on 16...

Mawidge. Mawidge it what bwings us togeva today...

(If you do not know the source of this blog's title, we are no longer friends.)

Well, my youngest sissy-poo got married at my mom's house with a fabulous tent in the backyard, and my eldest daughter got to live out all her fantasies. 

White twirly dress: check. 

Flowers in hair: check. 

Makeup: check.

Painted nails: check.

She may have actually been the most excited one there.

Getting her flower "crown" put on.

Love my girl!

She told me after I had my makeup done that I had "bad girl eyes but she liked them." 

Thanks...I think.

Sisters!!!

My little man! There is spider-man at home for him if he wears his bow tie all night. I think he was actually pretty proud of it.

Where is Walker? He made one picture and then promptly passed out in the packnplay upstairs.

Congrats Tracy! Welcome to the family Kirk!

Wounded!

I know my husband loooves when I send him pictures of household destruction or injuries while he's at work. Who wouldn't want to brighten their day with that?

Walker took a hard tumble. So hard I checked his pupil dilation later with a flashlight. Please note the extremely pleased face I have in the background. 

Have a great afternoon at work honey! Smoochy smooch!

How! Chief Wyatt!

World's Greatest Mema once again picks up her great-grandson for the day. This time they went to Chick-fil-a and, in honor of the Thanksgiving season, made Indian errrr... Native American headbands. Wyatt INSISTED on wearing his the next two days.

Pretty pumped! Trying to get him to take a normal picture is impossible these days. This is the best I got folks.

To pick their Indian names they had to name what they liked to do and their favorite animal.

How! Mighty Fishing Giraffe!

PS On a totally unrelated note, the cookies in the back are Pioneer Woman's Monster Cookies. If you love yourself, you will make these today!

Dregs of the Pumpkin Patch

So, my youngest sister got married the weekend before Halloween and Shelby was the flower girl (more on that later). Due to all the wedding excitement, pumpkin selection/carving got pushed waaaay back. Do you know what happens when you are the last person in town to visit the pumpkin patch?

I do.

You get the pumpkin I deemed "Scarface" that is so lopsided you have to lean him against the wall for weeks until he starts to rot and you throw him into the trash with his other moldy brother "Geronimo," the world's largest, most obnoxious pumpkin.

They sure enjoyed picking out their homely little pumpkins though!

I am still trying to figure out how these parents dress their kids in matching, monogrammed holiday outfits. I mean, Shelby still has some vestiges of mascara from the day before when she made her debut as the flower girl. Hopefully, my kids will have selective memories when they look at our pictures.

  

"Say hello to my little friend"

Field Trip to Dewberry Farms

Shelby attended her very 1st field trip (alas w/o me)! Safe to say she had a blast with all her little buddies! Big shout out to the sweet mom who went and sent me pics!

The "hands" make their reappearance...

Glad I lost years of my life stressing about getting her elementary spirit shirt in time. Poor girl on the right seems particularly distressed by the breeze. Not ol' Shelby. Work it girl!

Ok kids. Squish together behind the molding pumpkin and squint at the camera. The dust should only cause temporary blindness.

Dewberry Farms rocks in any weather!!!

Mommy Daughter Date Night

The date night began with extensive preparations (a shower and some makeup) this is HUGE people! 

I seem to prefer the "workout look" lately. You know, the messy hair in a ponytail and sweats. At least it keeps people from judging right away, I mean, hey, I could have just drunk my kale smoothie and attended my 2 hour spinning class and might be planning to go home and change into some fabulous outfit for later. They don't know that I wore the same thing yesterday but never left the house. It's still clean right?

I digress.

Shelby-girl and I brought her Molly doll back to the AG doll store to have her hair done and eat in the bistro. However, the bistro seems to close super early and we were forced to eat at California Pizza Kitchen. I somehow managed to reign in my disappointment (Yay asian salad!!!). Shelby was thrilled because she is super into coloring (CPK had some quality coloring sheets) and some awesome mac & cheese (her dinner). 

Yay coloring sheets and wearing Mommy's jewelry!

Yay curly-haired duo!

Yay dessert! She eats with her eyes first:)

Love taking my girl out and getting some 1-on-1!