His hair has taken on a life of it's own

Hoss wants to grow his hair out. And I've been letting him so far. But it is really starting to take on a life of it's own. And in the process the personality of Hoss is starting to shine through even more than usual. He has gone from this...


to this.. All in a blink of a sweaty hot day. No hair gel added. Only sweat and Hubs fingers running through it to make it stand up.

I actually like the longer hair on him, I think it looks good. And the personality he is showing in these pictures. Well it's classic Hoss and I love that too!

Easter 2011

We had a very full Easter weekend. It started off with a brunch/egg hunt at our neighbors house across the street. They have had this brunch for the last 5 years and it just keeps getting bigger. Lots of food, mimosa's and visiting. And oh yeah, I forgot to mention over 1500 eggs filled with whatever goodies will fit into them. The kids look forward to this every year and so do us parents.

The egg hunt was not as crazy as last years and in fact I think the baskets got full before all the eggs were gathered. But the kids persevered and somehow found all the eggs.


I briefly got a picture of them showing off their loot before all the kids congregated on the steps to compare, trade and just eat candy.


I thought it would be such a waste to not try and get a couple of pictures of the kids together in their Easter clothes. For the most part it worked out. I still have the odd look or funny eyes going here and there. But I wasn't going to make them suffer all day long.



After church, my parents came over for a late lunch so we ate, and napped and napped some more. The kids meanwhile were running wild in the streets with all the other neighborhood kids that were still on a sugar high from all the candy the day before.

Turning 5

It happened. My baby turned 5 on me. She is so excited about being five and getting to go to kindergarden next year. But she was even more excited to celebrate her birthday with a party. We had our small family celebration on her actual birthday. Then she had her friends party the following Saturday. She wanted to have it at the gym where she does gymnastics. So of course she got what she wanted.

Her family birthday cake picture.

About to blow out the candles. And trying to hide her smile from us.

Playing with some of ther friends in the gym.

The birthday girl gets to paint her hands on the wall and they stay up for the entire year.


All her friends gathered around for cake and presents.

And another cake. I think turning 5 deserves two cakes...at least.

The many faces of Z

Getting pictures of my kids without them making a ridiculous face is always a challenge. You would think it would be easier for me to get a normal, non silly picture of my oldest son Z. He is after all about to be a teenager. Well that's probably why he doesn't cooperate much with me and my camera these days. I thought I'd show a bit of what I have to go through and put up with before I can actually get a good picture.

The boy can't seem to be bothered to look up from the laptop long enough to smile into the camera.

Then when I finally get him to look up and smile. He does this right at the last second and this is what I get.

Of course by this time, he thinks it's all fun and games and waits until I've focused and then this...

Finally, he takes pity on his mom and picks me up from the ground where I am sobbing and crying in the fetal position and says he will do it right this time. He promises! Do I believe him...well of course not, but I'm his mom and I want a picture of him and so sucker that I am I try again.

And I get this...

Oh how sweet success is. Well at least until Z. looks at me and says "There are you done yet?? I'm ready to get back to my web surfing of important things...like Fred!"
This time when I fall to the floor in a heap and start sobbing uncontrollably he just steps over me and says thanks mom.

Start of soccer season

We finally agreed to let A. play a little soccer this season. We had been holding out just for our own sake of not having to commit to another team. But she's been begging and she finally got her chance.



She loved it and if I'm being honest she did pretty good out there most the time. She can really handle the ball better than the other kids when they first started and she has a really strong kick. And at her age, it's all about fun and you can just sit back and enjoy the kids having fun.

Normally it would be me and the the three youngest since Hubs and Z. always were at baseball. So naturally a lot of time was spent at the park area as well. This provided lots of opportunity to get pictures of my monkeys hanging out.

My silly girl hanging upside down.

She's showing off her missing front tooth to me.

My big boy just perched up high where he can see everything going on.

Is it really worth a 1000 words

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words. Well here is a picture that captures the personality and sense of humor of my oldest. I've been told that I am required by law to claim him as my own until he is of a legal age. I do love his sense of humor as twisted and disturbing as it may be. But he's a boy and the sign is talking about poop so what can you expect from a 12 year old.

Flu and thank you's

My son came into my room yesterday about 5am. He said he didn't feel well at all. Poor guy was burning up so we got him some medicine and put him back to bed. Once I got the other kids off to school I was able to get him into the doctors office where we got a positive test for the flu. So I stopped off at the store to stock up on Gatorade, fever medicine and Tamiflu. Then we headed back home to rest and be sick. Not a fun day for my little guy.

Finally, later that evening he felt well enough to draw. So he went to his room and came out with a card for me. On it, he wrote "Thank you for taking care of me when I was sick. I love you!"



I'm telling you now, that sweet boy put a lump in my throat with that card. He's always been my gentle, sensitive one. But as he has gotten older, he doesn't show it as much as he used to. But he still is that same sweet soul he's always been. It's just currently hiding under a rough and tough little boy exterior that he only shows to mom when he isn't feeling well.

But I love that sweet nature of my son. The one that stops to thank you for taking care of him when he is sick. Now we just have to get him healthy again because as much as I love seeing this glimpse into his sweet soul. I would much rather have a little boy in constant perpetual motion to try and keep up with.

Daddy/Daughter Dance 2011

This year I decided to buy tickets for K. and her Daddy to go the Valentine's Daddy/Daughter dance. After talking it over with Hubs, we decided that for this first year we would let it be just K. Next year and the following years he will take both girls.

K. was very excited to go on a real "date" with her Daddy. Especially once she got the dress and shoes with heels. A lot of her friends from school were going to be there so the excitement on Friday morning was very high.

I got home from work and got her fed. Then we had to get her ready for the dance. She got her dress and tights and shoes on and asked me to come do her hair and makeup. Not that I really could do much with her hair but we did at least brush it out. Then we put a very little bit of makeup on to make her feel extra girlie and pretty. She did look pretty cute if I say so myself. And I do, and I can because I'm her mommy and it's my blog.

Hubs had to break out the tie and get all dressed up.


We got a few pictures of them together and then they headed off to the country club to dance the night away without brothers or sisters or mom in the way.

Hubs said they danced so much he was tired. Although he mentioned that K. didn't really do so much dancing as hopping around. But it doesn't really matter since they had fun. They snacked on the food they served, I know M&M's was something that was mentioned. And then they got to pick out a balloon when the dance was over. At this point, K. did remember her little sister and grabbed her a purple balloon. She then told A. all about it and how next year they would get to go together.

I know it's a silly thing, this Daddy/Daughter dance. But I couldn't help but want to give her a chance to enjoy her Dad a bit more. After all, if they are lucky someday they will have a real sweetheart who is as wonderful a man as their Daddy. And Hubs loved it also, getting to spend more time with his girls is always fun for all of them.

Plus it gets me a chance to get a great picture like this. This alone is worth it.

Tis that time of year...for ice storms and snow

We got hit by an ice storm this week. With below freezing temperatures nothing was melting. Nothing like 3 inches of ice to shut down the metroplex. School has been cancelled for the last four days. Unheard of in Texas. Then last night we got an additional 6 inches of snow. Finally, something the kids could play in. So after 4 days of cabin fever and no school they were finally able to go out and play.





They got to go slide down the driveway and cul de sac for a while. This helped Hubs in clearing most of the snow off so he could scrape the ice off afterwards.




Then of course they just had fun being able to play outside.


Even Gigi went out to play a bit.

I went out to take a few pictures but decided to come back in with A. after I slipped and slided my way around the driveway. Then afterwards, A. came inside and put on her summer clothes to hurry the arrival of summer weather.


Here's a bit of what our neighborhood looked like this morning.




We have to take winter weather when we can get it. But I am definitely done with all the cold weather and ready for spring.

We got SNOW!

The kids were very excited to get snow last week. Enough for them to play in, have snow ball fights in and build a snowman in.









Then to top it off the temperature stayed so low for the entire week that the snow didn't melt for about 3 days (although it was more ice like after that)and the snowman, well he lasted a very long 6 days before he succumbed to our typical Texas January weather.

But the kids loved it and Hubs and I tried to make it a bit more fun for them. Even though it meant getting out of the warm house, getting wet and having way more laundry than usual.




But as Hubs said...they are only little once.


He's good like that, reminding me that the small stuff isn't so important. That's it's more important to enjoy ourselves and make memories. That's why I love him so much. Well at least until he took this picture of me without any makeup on. He just doesn't see things the same way as I do.