Weekend in review....

We had a busy, but exciting weekend.

Saturday, we ran in the Astro's Race for the Pennant. Kaelin ran a 1K and Todd and I ran in the 5K.

Saturday evening, we went to Addison's birthday party. It was a swim party and was a total blast.

Saturday night was monumental.... Kaelin asked if she could sleep in her big girl panties rather than a pull up. I said yes, of course. She did not have an accident. WooHoo.... another pay raise. We are so proud of her.

Sunday's were made for being lazy. We lounged in the pool, played on the water slide, and grilled hamburgers. It does not get any better than this. Trip was at the house this weekend, so Kaelin had a partner in crime. They played so hard on the water slide. JW tried to tame the inflatable turtle in the pool, but he had no luck. He got bucked off every time.

Doesn't this look fun???? (I tried it, it is fun)

Try again, maybe this time you won't get bucked off....

Total Exposure

There are some days when 24 hours just seems like forever. Today was one of those days.

Story 1: (I would have been fine with this being the only story) I spent the morning recycling and shredding papers in my office. I made several trips to the recycling dumpsters. On one of my last trips, my butt kept getting cold and I could not figure out why. I thought maybe I had sat in something wet. No, that would have been to simple. I had a hole in the back of my pants, not just a hole, but a rip up the hole backside. So I wonder just how many people got a glimpse of my butt today. I have no idea how long the hole was there (for all I know, I put the pants on with a hole in them. ) You would think this would have been embarrassing and just really done me in for the day. No... not me...

There is more....

Story 2: So I go to Target to buy a new pair of pants (and a new shirt that would match the new pants). I get a phone call from Lisa (my friend that Kaelin is staying with). Lisa is all frantic on the phone. She sounded like she was about to cry. I immediately thought Kaelin had gotten hurt. No, she did not get hurt, but her pony tail did not survive. Kaelin had gotten a hold of a pair of scissors and decided to cut half of her pony tail off. That did not even register on my stress radar. I just took it with a grain of salt and a bare butt. The bad part about the pony tail issue was, Kaelin was suppose to go have her pictures made this afternoon. I moved the appointment to Sunday so I could have some time to assess the damage. You would think this would have done me in. No... not me....

There is more....

Story 3: I have my new pants and my new shirt and I decided it would not be the worst thing that had happened all day if I just changed clothes in the car. So I changed clothes in the car, while driving to go have lunch with some friends. I ended up changing at a red light. I was so caught up in the many trials of my day that I did not even notice the guy in the big truck next to me that had just totally witnessed my re-wardrobing incident. Should I be embarrassed... not after possibly mooning half of the campus. This just about did me in.

It is only 5:00, so there is still plenty of time for more follies. I am just hoping they will happen to someone else for a little while.

Some days 24 hours is just too long.

Have you got extras....

If I was not forced to work for money, I would probably be a volunteer. I love helping people in need. Before I got pregnant with Kaelin, I had printed out of the paperwork to join the Habitat for Humanity all women's building team. I have not really gotten to get back into any type of volunteer work. I still give as much as I can to any worthy need that I come across. (Being in public education, there are lots of needs).

So, I stumbled across this blog the other day. Two ladies have a great way of sharing and giving back. They post children and babies clothes needs. You e-mail the two ladies, they give you the address, and then you go send the clothing straight to those in need. WOW... I am going to try to get a few items for the austic boy they wrote about today.

If you know anyone that might be interested in passing on their used children's clothes, this is a great way to do it. You are sending them to someone that truly needs them. I love it when I can pass on things that are actually needed and wanted.

Here is the info...
The blog is : www.passitonbaby.blogspot.com

The countdown is on....

So... Today began phase 1 of EOS (End of School)...

Today was my first of six 1/2 days of the last days of school. My last days at my current job...

Should I be sad... heck no... I am so ecstatic that I can't even stand it. I am not so excited that I am leaving my friends or leaving my comfort zone... I am so excited about a new challenge and new adventure. Anyone that knows me, will know that I am completely the most comfortable being out of my comfort zone. That probably sounds weird and it probably is weird... but I am who I am.

Why do I run 1/2 marathons when I really am prepared for a 5K?... I am who I am...

Insight...
I am the most comfortable being uncomfortable and being pushed to the limits... Yes I do have a breaking point, but I think I am oblivious to it.

I think Kaelin definitely takes after me in regards to "personal boundaries". There are none. Don't tell us we can't do something... we will prove you wrong ten fold.

Am I a little stubborn... no not me... (okay... even I had to laugh out loud on that).

I can't get mad at Kaelin for her stubborn ways, because they are totally not her fault... things that are inherited should not be a punishable offense... thank goodness.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Okay... so I might go a little overboard with this verse... Sometimes a little terrifying feeling might slow me down from myself. Kaelin... sorry for passing on these traits. They work in your favor most of the time, but also drive you crazy most of the time.

Missed a picture opp...

Kaelin is staying with my friend Lisa this week. Kaelin has an absolutely awesome time at Lisa's house because Lisa's two kids, Addison and Bryson. They are some of Kaelin's favorite little friends. However, when I pick Kaelin up everyday, she is totally wiped out... she usually falls asleep before I even leave Lisa's neighborhood.

So, today I walked into Lisa's house and Kaelin was all dolled up. She had a pink hula skirt, some fabulous sunglasses, and pink sponge rollers in her hair. I said "Well good afternoon grandma, how are you?" It was hilarious. She was having a blast. I should have gotten a picture, but my camera was at home. It would have made a great picture.

Ooohhh George Strait....

Hopefully everyone got to check out the Tribute to George Strait that was on TV.... AWESOME....

George Strait may not realize this, but he was my first boyfriend. Okay, so I might not have been his ONLY girlfriend, but he was my boyfriend. I am sure many other people are sharing my same sentiments... Who ever thought a nice pair of Wranglers could fit so well?

Kaelin's favorite singer is Taylor Swift. Taylor sang a song on the George Strait tribute. Kaelin made Aunt Debbie get a pad of paper so she could write a note to Taylor Swift so she could hold it up during the song. I am not sure where she has seen this... I can assure you that I am not the person at a concert holding up signs. I may be a lot of things... but I am not that person. She is such a music fanatic. I will have to video her singing the Romeo and Juliet song by Taylor Swift. It is soooo cute.

For the love of books

Kaelin and I just finished reading The Velveteen Rabbit. What an awesome story. I had forgotten how great classic stories were.

One of my absolutely awesome friends, Lindy, gave Kaelin two different collections of children's books and children's animal encyclopedia *(about30 or so books). The books were copyrighted in 1953-1957. They are absolutely priceless. Kaelin was so engrossed in The Velveteen Rabbit. There were not very many pictures, so it forced her to listen to the story. She loved it. It made me think about how different books and stories are these days.

Here is a quote from The Velveteen Rabbit "He took the Velveteen Rabbit with him, and before he wandered off to pick flowers, or play at brigands among the trees, he always made the Rabbit a little nest somewhere among the bracken, where he would be quite cosy..." ---- brigands... bracken... those are big words for a children's story. The story is written with such vivid words rather than the vivid pictures you see today.

Now a quote from SpongeBob SantaPants (not exactly a classic... yet) "SpongeBob ran back into Coral's. "Stand back, every-one!" he announced. "SpongeBob SantaPants is here, and I've brought the spirit of Christmas with me!"... That evening SpongeBob walked home with Patrick and Gary. "Our work is done," he said. "We brought cheer and goodwill back to Bikini Bottom.""

Not much comparison. The SpongeBob book is shaped like a Christmas Tree and has bright, beautiful colors and little pop up pieces on each page. Entertaining... I guess (mainly annoying). The Velveteen Rabbit.... much more entertaining and educationally stimulating. So if you hear Kaelin talking about playing in the bracken, just humor her... we are broadening our horizons. Tonight we are reading Dr. Seuss's The 500 hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.

Thank you Lindy... the books are going to provide years of enjoyment. What an awesome gift...

Not Me Monday

If you have never checked out "Not Me Monday", I highly recommend it... (I am not responsible for you laughing until you wet your pants). It is based on telling a story and totally pretending it was not you that did it. That is right up my alley. My follies (or not my follies) are always good for a gut wrenching laugh.

So here is my Not Me....

I did not buy Kaelin a new dress and let her wear it to church yesterday. (She looked absolutely adorable, it was red, white, and blue in honor of Memorial Day). Then after being at church, going to the bathroom during Sunday school and then Aunt Debbie taking her to the bathroom before we left, did I get called to the bathroom to see something funny. When you get called to the bathroom to see something funny... it is never as funny to you as it is to others. I had not left the panties/bloomers that had come with the new dress attached to the inside of the dress (totally not even on Kaelin because I did not know the dress came with cute little panties). I would not ever do something like that. I always wash and pre-treat all of my angels clothes before allowing her to wear them... (Right...I even had to laugh out loud at that)... Okay, so it was funny... But I am not sure who needed the extra panties after that, Kaelin or Aunt Debbie. She found it very humorous (okay, so did I).

I did not have homemade coconut pie for dinner and then top it off with an even healthier meal of Fruit Loops Cereal. I am not the kind of person to allow such junk to be consumed as a meal. This type of meal would only be necessary if you were trying to dilute the fat and grease that you consumed over your fried chicken lunch. (totally not my fault... I will explain later). I will definitely not need to run for a very long time tomorrow. (and every day for the next week just to get rid of one day's meal).

So the fried chicken issue...

I don't even care for chicken on the bone, so I had chicken tenders (not any better on the health food scale). At church, they did away with the offering plates because these cards they have in the bulletins kept falling out of the basket. They traded the nice wooden baskets in for some fried chicken buckets. Now, they don't say KFC on them, but they are still chicken buckets. So, every time they pass the offering "buckets" around, I instantly begin craving fried chicken (which, once again, I don't even like to begin with). So, this offering is costing me way to much money, way to many hours of working out, and way to many extra pounds (when I don't actually work out all of those hours that I should be).

Update on the sleepover....

I got a call at about 10:30 PM from Kaelin. She said she wanted to come home because she needed her Mommy. AAAAHHHHH!!!! This is so odd for her because usually when she goes to Aunt Debbie's, she does not want to come home the next day. I have to bribe her just to come home. I am not sure what the deal was, but I am glad she wanted her mommy. Although, first thing this morning, she asked if she could go back over to Aunt Debbie's. So the "I need my Mommy" did not last long, but I will take what I can get.

Bye Bye Baby

Kaelin has been begging to spend the night with Aunt Debbie and Uncle Truman. So she finally is getting to do that tonight. She took a nap, then came barrelling down the stairs because she was ready to go.

As you can see by the picture, Kaelin was ready to go. She got her suitcase and then pulled it all through the garage as she waited for Aunt Debbie. It was raining, so she had to stay in the garage, but she was ready to go.

We, of course, had to pack a suitcase. I mean, who can go anywhere with just a little bag. In the suitcase we have:

1 long princess dress pair of pajamas
1 shorts outfit with a hat and matching bow (who knows what you will feel like)
1 dress with a matching headband (that Kaelin refers to as a tiara)
1 pants outfit
4 pair of shoes (what... for one night...)
3 princess dress up dresses
1 pair of princess dress up shoes
1 tiara
1 princess wand
1 coloring book

So as you contemplate all of this, you might be wondering why in the world I would allow all of this stuff to be packed for just one night. WHY NOT??? You must be prepared for any occasion that might arise. And you must look cute with all of the coordinating accessories for all occasions that might arise. You might see a pattern in where Kaelin gets some of her fashion issues from. (I might be a little guilty).

Fashion Notice... Check out the super cute pillow case dress Kaelin is wearing. My friend Judy made it for her. It has the cutest little cowboys and cowgirls on it. It is the vintage Dick and Jane cowboy print. We love it. Thanks Judy.

An aaahhhh moment that I forgot to mention in my blog last night (due to crazy frustration). Kaelin knows that when I am stressed or just need to unwind, we turn the TV onto the Satellite radio stations. I prefer the Love Songs radio station because it makes me relax. So, last night when I am dealing with Verizon and I am breaching on over 4 hours of phone time with Verizon, let me just say I was a little stressed and completely fed up. Kaelin came up to her room (which is where the wireless router and other computer equipment lives... don't ask why... that is just another topic of conversation for later). She knew I was a little aggravated, so she went and turned on her CD player. She walked over to me and gave me a hug and said, "there mom, does that make you feel better?"... Who is this child... she is the most caring, loving and problem solving child I know. Of course the music calmed me down, especially when she said, "Mom, sing along with me..." So I did... That was worth way more than I pay for a massage. She is so much more therapeutic. Kaelin has such a sweet nature about her. I truly hope she never loses that. She will go so far in life because she really cares about people and can read their needs. That is a gift from God and it is so enlightening to see it at such an early age.

It's been a while

You might have wondered where we have been the last few days...
1) Did we just not have anything to say?
2) Did we just not have time to sit down and say what we had to say? (Highly possible)
Or...
3) Did we revert back to the pre-Internet days due to some less than competent people trying to call themselves "Tech Support"?

If you guessed #3, you are the winner...

On Thursday, we did not have Internet access... I think I even went to bed early because I got out of my evening routine. I thought maybe our Internet service was just down.

Friday, I came home... same thing... no Internet... What is a girl to do with no Internet??? I felt totally lost. So, in a moment of weakness, I called our Internet service provider (Verizon), which just led to raised blood pressure, extreme frustration, and a brutal reminder of the lack of customer service we actually recieve these days.

After two hours of being treated like I have never touched a computer before and speaking to people who have never touched a foot on American soil, I went to bed with still NO INTERNET...

Woke up Saturday morning and the quest for Internet service resumed. I went to Wal-mart (not exactly the hot spot for picking up technology equipment). I bought a new modem...Brought it home and it was the wrong modem. After Kaelin's nap, we went to Best Buy (a better selection of technology than Wal-mart) and bought another modem. Got it home, hooked it up, and still NOTHING.... I am ready to scream by this point... In fact I did scream... Then I picked up the phone to deal with Verizon AGAIN... I did get someone with half a brain this time, so that was an added bonus. I described my quest in restoring my connection to the rest of the world and then come to find out... Verizon does not support the model of modem I purchased. They support the brand, but not the model... I said (as calmly as possible)... WHAT... YOU MUST BE KIDDING...
Verizon is mailing me a new modem that they do support (FOR FREE)...

After getting off of the phone and undoing all of the setting changes the moron I spoke with yesterday made me do, I (at 10:30 PM) finally restored my Internet connection. (Huge sigh of relief).

I have been so totally lost without my method of communication with the world. Isn't this just sad and pathetic. I have come to treat the computer as one of my appendages. This is just sick.

This is how dependent I am...

I got out my cell phone and used the Internet on it to keep up with some things.

I don't think I even know how to read a newspaper that is not online anymore. Those things that get thrown in your driveway are just used for spanking the dogs when they potty on the floor.

I had to search for the weather channel on the satellite. (again, another one of my computer tasks)

My cell phone lets me read blogs but I can't login to write a new post (this just makes me mad).

I had to use my cell phone to pay for a dress I bought Kaelin off of e-bay. I actually paid the lady three times for the same dress because I could not find out how to submit my payment. (Now I am having to deal with that mess of getting a refund for my extra two payments).

I guess I could have gone old fashioned and mailed letters rather than e-mailing... oh wait... I don't even have the correct stamps (because they have a rate increase every couple of weeks)... It is getting more pratical for me just to walk letters (barefooted over hot coals) to the recipient than pay the ridiculous amount for stamps...

I really need to get off of my soap box tonight. You can probably tell my level of frustration has not exactly diminished yet.

Water Day

Today was Water Day at her school. She had an amazing time.

It was also Kaelin's last day of school this year... boo hoo...

Only in pre-school...

• are the students sad that school is over
• you still get to bring nap mats to school (probably a good thing these aren't allowed in high school --- for many reasons)
• you get only rewards and praises... no stinky report card or progress reports
• if you get in trouble, your parents have to come deal with it... (oh boy... this would be an interesting concept in high school)
• your school day begins with a snack and some juice (I could seriously get used to that)
• your routine revolves around gym time, story time, craft time, lunch time, and rest/nap time (again... my kind of day)
  

We have enrolled Kaelin in a new school next year and we are just torn about doing it. Kaelin will absolutely love her new school, but she is going to miss all of her friends soooooooo much.

Here are some pictures of Kaelin at her Water Day. I took so many pictures, but only put a few on here. Take a minute to think when you had this kind of enjoyment.... I can think of many things that make me happy, fun times I have had, and things that have made me laugh. But I could not come up with a situation where I had this kind of fun. (I am sure I have had this kind of fun, but it was probably so long ago that those brain cells have gotten dust on them or are no longer in use--- I have many other unused brain cells, so they are not lonely by any means).

Here I come...

Ahhhh... Kaelin and her best little buddy, Laney were having a blast.




All I need in life is a swimming pool, some super cool beach balls, and a couple of good friends to play with.


So (another example of the unused or misplaced brain cells)... I ordered 48 bags of different flavors of cotton candy for Kaelin's carnival party. This was one of the main carnivalish things I worked so hard on. So... why did I still have 48 bags of cotton candy at the end of the day. I forgot to give out the cotton candy.... oops... But, I solved the problem. I took all 48 bags of cotton candy to Kaelin's school and gave them to all of the kids in her class. Those kids were bouncing off of the walls from the incredibly intense sugar rush (totally out of control)... Note to Parents... sorry about that. Kaelin got to hand out all of the cotton candy and she had such a blast doing it. The kids loved it (okay, so I might have snuck a bag myself... I said might... I am not officially admitting anything).



We did not get enough water at school today, so we (after a nap... I might have taken a nap also... Again... I said might... I (again) am not admitting to anything) had to play outside with our new beach ball sprinkler and swim in our pool.



Summer is on the way... today really made me feel like it was here...
Except, I still have a brutal 4:30 AM wake up call/buzz that will remind me that summer is still a few weeks away.

Do you have a fishing wand?

This made me laugh...

Kaelin made Todd a "tackle box" at school. It was made out of an egg carton. They made a handle and then filled the tackle box with gold fish crackers, swedish fish candies, and gummy worms. This was the Father's Day present she made at school.

When she gave it to him, this initiated a conversation about going fishing. Kaelin likes the idea of going fishin (although she has never really fished). Kaelin came upstairs and asked me if we could go buy her a fishing wand. I said "A fishing wand?". She said, yes, you know the pole thing.

Oh, of course, a fishing wand. I like the idea of a fishing wand much better than a fishing pole. This sounds so much more fun. Kaelin can glam up even the boring things. I might even go fishing if I had a fishing wand.

Another cute story...
Todd bought Kaelin an ankle bracelet for her birthday. I got an ankle bracelet for Mother's Day and Kaelin thought it was the most fabulous thing ever. She began putting all kinds of necklaces and bracelets around her ankle. So, Todd had a real ankle bracelet made for her. She was ecstatic. She wanted to sleep in it, but I was able to confiscate it from her. She kept telling Todd she loved her ankle bracelet and then she said one of the sweetest things... She told Todd she was so excited and that the bracelet made her heart feel happy.
I loved it... how true... I just love it when things make even my heart feel happy. That is a great way to express your gratitude.

The carnival has packed up and moved on...

Ahhh... Kaelin's last picture as a two year old. She looks so quiet, sweet, peaceful, and not at all like the energy monster that I know.

First picture as a 3 year old...

The carnival arrived in my backyard...

• We had a big top style party with a bouncy house (huge hit with the kids).
• We had face painting
• ring toss
• horse shoes
• tin can alley
• whirl a ball
• ball toss (the kids kept playing in the sand rather than throwing the balls)
• bowling
• a duck pond (that the kids kept playing in the water rather than the game)
• and a sack race (that can be seen below). The kids loved the sack race. Who knew...give kids some old pillow cases and let them run around... sounds fun to me.
  
  
  

So next year, I am thinking a box of sand, some buckets of water, and some old pillow cases. Sounds like a simple party to me...

We got to spend the day with several of Kaelin's school friends, many of our family members, and some of our wonderful friends. It was really a great day. We could not have asked for more.

Kaelin's absolutely adorable (and yummy) cake.

Pawpaw got Kaelin a huge swimming pool. We are going to have a blast this summer. These are a few of Kaelin's friends (Bryson and Addison). They were playing in the pool as it filled up (which took about 24 hours). Hello water bill... (no new shoes next month).

Saturday we had such a fabulous time at the carnival. Kaelin is still trying to catch up on some much needed rest. She took a long nap this afternoon and was ready to go to bed pretty early tonight.

Thank you to everyone that came out and made Kaelin's day so very special. She truly loves getting to spend time with her friends and family.

What does a year look like

So if you ever wondered what an entire year, 52 Weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes or 31,536,000 seconds looks like, here you go:

The birthday girl turned two and woke up to a pancake breakfast.--- May 2008

The beautiful butterfly got all painted up at a birthday party.--- June 2008

The little fashion diva was sporting a cowgirl hat, bathing suit, scarf turned into a belt and fuzzy flip flops.--- July 2008

The princess has arrived. This is soooo Kaelin. She would dress like this everyday if she could. There is never a day where a tiara clashes with your outfit.--- August 2008

The big school girl was all ready for her first day at school.--- September 2008

The pretty pink pirate was quite a hit on Halloween.--- October 2008

The shy little cutie (shy... what... it is totally an act) was on her way to church.--- November 2008

My little snow bunny had such a blast in our front yard. (Yes... my Texas front yard.)--- December 2008

The little race girl got ready to run through the cold weather at the Rockets fun run.--- January 2009

The tea party princess got Grandma Kay to join in for a picnic in the kitchen.--- February 2009

The rodeo queen was ecstatic as her favorite singer, Taylor Swift, hit the stage.--- March 2009

The little farm girl and her faithful pal, Mo, set out to conquer the farm. ---April 2009

A year might seem like a long time to some, but it seems like just yesterday that I was making birthday pancakes. Kaelin has had a busy year full of adventure, developing her own personality, and of course claiming her own identity.

I would say there is nothing "Terrible" about the two's. Trying Two's... Terrific Two's... Terrifying Two's... Tattle Tale Two's...Tip Top Two's... Top Notch Two's... Tap Dancing and Twirling Two's... But definitely not terrible.

So... in the morning, we will wake up to a Big Three year old baby girl. The 3's will most definitely be as exciting as the 2's. I believe that and am looking forward to it.

On the birthday agenda today...

Since I took the day off, Kaelin and I are going to hang out.

She wants to go get a pedicure, so we will do that.

We will decorate for her party.

She will open up some fun birthday presents.

On the menu...

Who knows... I will surprise you later.

Two Days left to be TWO...

There are only two days left for Kaelin to be two. She has really taken the two thing to a new level. Did she subconciously know she only had two days of being two left....

True Story... I wish I was making it up... then the mortified look on my face would have just been an act...

So, Todd is in the front yard visiting with one of our neighbors. They are sitting in our neighbors driveway. Kaelin goes over and sits under a tree. (This should have been the first clue that something was wrong... Kaelin never just sits). I, in the meantime, came back inside the house to wash my hands and begin getting dinner ready. Kaelin comes in a few minutes later and goes to the bathroom. Todd came in right behind her and asked if I had cleaned her up? I said, no, she is in the bathroom.

Then, he begins telling me a story that may bring tears of laughter to your eyes... not mine... not yet. Kaelin was not just sitting under the tree in our neighbors yard (not even our own yard). Todd and the neighbor were only a few feet away from Kaelin when she stood up, dropped her panties and began pooping under the tree... in the front yard... of our neighbor's yard...

Let me say this one more time... my child was doing #2, with two days left to be two, in my neighbors front yard... WOW... it was no easier the second time I said this. This is not the first time Kaelin has used the front yard as her own personal toilet. But I have been telling myself the neighbors were in the house and they surely did not see her... Not any more... we just layed it all out in the yard... well Kaelin layed it in their yard... no more denial... the neighbors officially know that Kaelin potties in the yard...

On a more positive note... Today we did not do a lot for the birthday celebration, because we had to spend the afternoon mowing and doing some yard work. I took the day off of work tomorrow, so Kaelin and I can just play... play... play.

Dinner Menu... Repeat from last night
We had sandwiches again (shaped in the shape of hearts)

Three to Three

So if you were paying very close attention... You will see that I made some changes to the dates. I started Kaelin's countdown on Sunday and said seven days until the carnival, but in reality, it was six days. Depending on you count it down. So it was driving me crazy.

Now we are on to three days until the big 3...

What's on the menu... (Kaelin's choice of course)

• Sandwiches cut into the shapes of hearts and flowers (It should not shock you that even our sandwiches have to be all girled up)--- peanut butter & jelly, club, or chicken salad are the choices.


• Chips and dip


• Birthday cake... WHAT... ALREADY... (Keep reading, I will explain)

Special Birthday Celebrations...
Today, I took off work 1/2 a day so I could bring birthday cake to Kaelin's school for all of her school friends. We are also going to work on the carnival. Kaelin was hysterical at her school today. I showed up with cupcakes and a bag full of stickers. The kids were on the playground, so as you can see by the picture, Kaelin escaped and came to my side of the fence and began handing out stickers to all of her friends through the fence. It was hillarious. It was like being a celebrity and signing autographs. The kids were saying... Kaelin, I want some stickers... Kaelin, can I have some. So of course, she was in her element with all of the attention.

When Kaelin got to school today, she announced to the class that it was her birthday. Her teacher said "Well how old are you Kaelin". She said..."Well, I am still only two, really two and a half, because my birthday is really not here yet." Miss Smarty Pants... too smart for her own good.

"Yep... I am turning three... what are you going to do about it?"

"And to all of my fans... I would like to thank you for your support in making me the super star I am today"

HELP...
Prayers
Rain dances
whatever you have got

The chance of rain on Saturday just keeps increasing. Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Side Note...

Why in the world am I posting things at 5:00 AM? Because I have been up since 3:00 AM. Just could not sleep due to yucky allergies. And anyone that knows me, knows that me getting up in the middle of the night is just not unusual. I figured out a long time ago that if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep within about five minutes, then I need to get up because I will toss and turn for hours and then get mad that I did not just get up and accomplish something.

Life Lesson... don't just lay on your can tossing and turning thinking about what you could be doing... Get up and do it. Yes I will be sleepy later in the day, but (from yesterday's post) a nap is one of my favorite little things.

Enjoy the little things... four days...

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." —Robert Brault


This was the quote of the day I recieved at work today. So appropriate. We are all about enjoying the little things.

Little things I totally enjoy...
1. Laying in the baby pool in the backyard with Kaelin. (Sure hope the neighbors are abiding by the term "privacy" fence).
2. Reading good bed time stories with Kaelin. How long will she actually let me do this?
3. Blue Bell... enough said.
4. Packing special lunches for Kaelin so she will get happy little surprises when she opens her lunch bag.
5. Dancing in the driveway to the classic rock station. I am sure the neighbors catch Kaelin and I, but they are nice enough to not make fun of us.--- side note on the classic rock station.... when do they (radio people) decide a song has officially made it to "Classic" rock or a "Golden Oldie"? If I am older than the song or the song was actually a "new release" when I was in high school (or college), does that mean I am "classic" or a "Golden Oldie"? Hmmmm....
6. Naps... even if 20 minutes is all I can get... it is worth it. I truly understand the value of stopping to take a little while to rest my body and mind. Just because I understand it does not mean I abide by it... but I try.
7. Birthday Cake... to go along with #3. I believe everyone should have a birthday cake on their birthday. It makes you feel extra special on your very special day (or at least it makes me feel extra special)
8. Sending notes of appreciation... try it. Start small... begin with a little thank you card and send it to someone that gave you a gift. Step it up... send notes to any and everyone that make your life easier in some way. (Bonus... show your appreciation for help... you would be surprised at the list of volunteers lined up next time you need help with something.)
9. Is it wrong to put Blue Bell on the list twice... Summer is almost here (the weather thinks it is here already). I love to sit in the yard and eat ice cream (popsicles or any other type of frozen treat).
10. The unexpected... Yes, I very discretely (or at least I think I am discrete) unwrap gifts to take a peek prior to Christmas... Yes, I snoop all through the house looking for gifts... I completely admit it. (In fact, I have never denied it). But the unexpected is what I truly live for. Unexpected phone call from an old friend, unexpected hug or kiss from Kaelin, those unexpected moments where I totally see myself in Kaelin, unexpected acts of kindness (Todd vacuumed the entire house on Monday... whew... sigh of relief)... The old saying... Expect the Unexpected... Don't... It was way more fun to just get the unexpected... unexpectedly.

Dinner Menu: (Aunt Debbie fixed this one... thank you)
Cheese Pizza and Pepperoni Pizza
Salad with apples

Although the dinner menu was chosen by Kaelin, she did not eat it. We did though. She had just finished plowing through a bag of animal crackers my friend Kim gave her.

Today's special things for the countdown to party time...
Kaelin wore another absolutely adorable new dress that my friend Judy made for her. I was going to take pictures, but she put on her pj's by the time I got the camera out. Kaelin went with me to get my hair done. My absolutely fabulous friend Kim has a fancy salon that Kaelin considers her own little personal candy store. Kim has a boutique in her salon and it has lots of bling things. So... Kaelin was in total girly girl heaven. She was so excited, I really thought at one time she was just going to lay right down in the middle of the salon to take it all in. I always try to get my appointments at the end of the day so we have the place to ourselves because Kaelin has such a blast. Kim gave Kaelin a fabulous twirly tulle skirt, a mermaid shirt, and some princess bling sandals. I will post pictures...

Random Thoughts...
Have you ever needed to lose ten pounds? Well, I did just that today. I know you are thinking... how in the world did you lose ten pounds in one day.
Did I do one of those colon cleanse things... heck no...I would be typing this from the toilet?
Did I get a stomach virus... no again... I am not anywhere near the toilet.

I got my hair cut off. And I am talking short. I LOVE IT... I have never had short hair where the hair dresser actually had to pull out the razor thingy to get the back evened out. WOW...

Point to the story... If you are faced with losing weight, you can try a colon cleanse (gross), you can excercise (but why), you can not eat (but why... again- refer to #3, #7, #9), or you can just treat yourself to a day at the salon and get all of your hair cut off... Any way you look at it, you acheived your goal.

Five Days until we say bye bye two's

Five days until the carnival comes to town.

Five days until my two year old enters the land of the threes.

Five days until we get birthday cake.

Five days until my kitchen becomes a kitchen rather than a staging area for party supplies.

Five days until we get to see family and friends we have not seen in a while (and those we have seen recently)

Dinner Menu: (Another Kaelin favorite menu)

Spaghetti

Garlic Bread with Cheese (Kaelin buttered the bread)

Peas

Salad

Cheese Cake

I took some cute pictures of Kaelin. She helped make the spaghetti. By helping, I mean she add the noodles as soon as they were cool enough to touch and by eating the butter as fast as she was spreading it on the toast.

*** Check out the absolutely adorable dress. My friend Judy sews beautifully. So I bought a few dresses for Kaelin for her birthday. Kaelin is getting to wear a new one everyday.--- Did I over buy? No... not me...

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mommy's, regardless of what or who you are the mommy of.

Today, being Mother's Day, has made me stop and think of what things would be like if I was not a mommy.

You might think I am going to write about the tremendous amount of sleep I would get or the new clothes I would buy for me or the vacations to fabulous places I would take, etc. No way... There is not one thing in life that I have missed out on or am missing out on.

My life would be so empty without my little princess. What I have learned from Kaelin:
1. What good is a bath if you don't have bubbles? She is so right, there is absolutely no reason to even waste good water if you don't have any bubbles to add to it.
2. Flowers really smell. How many of you really stop to look at every flower and even stick your nose into them to smell them? This is one of Kaelin's favorite things to do. We actually have to lean down and look at and smell every flower we see. Prior to Kaelin, I enjoyed flowers, but nothing to the extent that I do now. I truly see flowers for what God intended us to see them as. Why did a two (almost three) year old have to teach me this?
3. Enjoy music... I mean truly enjoy music. If you hear music, shake your body a little, begin dancing... even if it is just a commercial. Kaelin's love for music just keeps increasing by the day. When we are in the car, she asks, "What is this song about?" This has caused me to stop, listen to the music, and then think about what the song is about. Then translate that to a two (almost three) year old. Try it... you will know all about the songs on the radio. Quite enjoyable...really.
4. Chores... there is no such thing. Kaelin finds such joy in things that I consider drudgery. If you have never seen Kaelin wash dishes, you should. She looks forward to the end of dinner just so she can wash dishes. She loves for me to take clothes out of the dryer just so she can help fold. I am attempting to find that kind of joy in chores. Maybe it will make them enjoyable and something I actually look forward to doing. Try it....
5. If it is funny, laugh... uncontrollably... She finds some of the craziest things funny. And when she starts laughing and squealing, I just naturally join in because she is having such a good time. Try laughing at funny things, you will feel better.
6. Clothing... Optional... I try to refrain from running in the yard with no clothes, (the neighbors prefer it that way). Don't be ashamed, afraid, or embarrassed about who you are. Just go with the flow.
7. If you have to go... Go... (Yes I am referring to Kaelin's bad habit of using the backyard as her own personal urinal). No I don't use the grass as a restroom, but she is right in her thinking. Don't let little things slow you down, just work around them.
8. Royalty... being true royalty is not something you are born into. It is a mindset. Kaelin has it. Dress in things that make you feel like a princess. Dance or spin as though you are a princess. Wear shoes (you knew shoes would make their way into the blog) that make you feel like a princess. Refer to yourself in third person "The princess would like a snack." Do things that make you feel as though you rule the world.
9. Strangers... what... I am unfamiliar with that word. Kaelin does not meet a stranger. She wants to tell everyone Hi. She often asks why they (referring to whoever she is trying to talk to) did not say Hi. She is so friendly. She meets any and everyone. If I could only follow her lead. She is so outgoing and is genuinely happy to talk to people.
10. Stuffed animals, blankies, silk sheets.... all comfort items. Putting Kaelin to bed is a checklist of things to accomplish. She has to be surrounded by things that provide her with a feeling of comfort and security. Hello... life lesson... surround yourself with things that provide comfort to you. People... things... etc.


So on to the countdown... We are now six days away from the two year old turning three...

I have decided to give her a week long celebration. We are trying to do things that Kaelin likes and eating her favorite meals all week long. Todd says "What is different than any other week?"... Ha Ha... The difference is, she is going to get to open her presents throughout the entire week and we are going to do extra special stuff that we don't always get to do.

Dinner Menu:
Tonight we had Fruit Loops cereal for dinner. Yes, that is a Kaelin favorite.

Why I love Saturdays....

I think Saturday is my all time favorite day of the week. Some reasons I like Saturday, especially the ones that are nice and warm like today.

I have the option to sleep past 4:30 AM. (I actually slept until 6:45 AM this morning).

I get to stay in my pj's while I drink coffee.

Kaelin and I get total quality time together. Today we went and picked up Mamaw and went shopping. We went to BoPeep... Kaelin was in total heaven. Shoes... clothes... bows... all in one place.

I get to stay up late. (I am such a night owl, but due to my crazy work schedule, I don't really get to stay up past the 9:00 news).

We get to sit in the backyard and swim or play ball for hours. In fact, when I asked Kaelin what her favorite thing about today was, she said "playing in the backyard".

We get to stay in our bathing suits all day (that is after I motivate myself to finally take off my pj's).

The best part of Saturday is I don't have to wake up and go to work tomorrow.

Oh summer.... where are you...

My summer days are quickly approaching and then I will have seven Saturdays a week. Someone asked me if I was going to teach summer school.... After a few profane words, I worked up the proper wording and kindly informed them about the reasons for being in education. Summer being at the top of that list. Summer is my family time. We don't have much planned, but we will end up with a bunch of memories by the time August rolls around.

Happy Birthday Trumie

Happy Birthday Uncle Truman!!!!

We hope you have a fun and exciting birthday.

So what happened on this day in history.

http://www.on-this-day.com/

Shout out to "Ankle" J

I thought I would take a minute to give a "shout out" to my brother J.W. I know he reads our blog and I wanted to take a minute to tell him how much he means to me/us. I don't think he gets to hear enough positive things and we wanted to make sure he truly knows what we think. (Yes, we do tell him in person... we just wanted everyone else to also know).

Kaelin loves her "Ankle" J. Yes, she refers to him as Ankle rather than Uncle. Kaelin absolutely loves her cousin Tripper. So of course, since Ankle J is Tripper's Daddy, she loves him just as much.

I asked her what she loved most about Ankle J. She said "I like it when he swings Tripper and me." (I am assuming the swings at Pawpaw's house).

I asked her what she wants to say to Ankle J. She said "When can Tripper come play?"

I asked her what she likes about Ankle J. She said "He covers me with blankets when I am cold."

If you know Kaelin, you know she is a child of memory. She forgets nothing and remembers everything (even the things you don't want her to put to memory... forget about it ... they are stored forever).

Kaelin loves her Ankle J and has nothing but positive, wonderful things to say about him and to him. I completely agree with her. Despite trials and tribulations... he is awesome.

I can't think of one negative thing I would even say about JW. Decisions may not always be what I would have done or said or made, but he has had some experiences that most will never endure. Do they make you stronger... wiser... smarter...? I would definitely say so.

I have only positive things to say about J. He is my only brother and I can't express how proud I am for him and about him. He has faced some of the ugliest demons and continues to come out of the darkness. This is living proof that God is not done with him and the best is yet to come. (Not to get all Joel Osteen on you).

I am going to go David Letterman on you instead and give you a top 10 of things I absolutely love about J.W.

10. I am so proud of the decisions you are making for the direction in your life.
9. I am so excited to have you as my only brother.
8. Your strength and control over your choices is greater than I will ever know.
7. Your hardwork and dedication to achieving your dream/goal is greater than I will probably ever experience.
6. Your love for your son is so powerful that it controls many of your decisions. (AWESOME)
5. You are finding out who "JW" truly is (most people never get the opportunity to find their true identity).
4. You are facing your true identity. (Many people may find their true identity, but they never really look it eye-to-eye).
3. You got to experience, first hand, what happens when you try to hide from God and he finds you. (Again... AWESOME... who really gets that encounter).
2. You are getting out of living in shadows and becoming the shining light that has been there all along.
1. That shining light is much greater and stronger than all of the shadows you have been chasing for so long.

I just wanted for everyone to be able to see and comment on just how awesome, strong, courageous, dedicated, incredibly funny, etc. my brother truly is. Many of you know him first hand and can totally relate to everything I am saying. Those of you that don't, maybe this will be a glimpse into an awesome individual.

These are just some things that I don't think he hears enough... but should.

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What in the world.....

So I made a mistake... Yes, I admit it. I know you are sitting there thinking this must be the first one ever. (It is.)


I told Kaelin to go upstairs and put on some clean clothes. She said "What do I wear?" I said (this is the mistake part) "I don't care what you wear, just go find something." Look at the picture. Not really what I had in mind for a nice outfit.

Kaelin came downstairs in this ensemble. She ran into the kitchen. I just stared at her with my mouth wide open. (It is a pair of tights, a t-shirt that is too small, and knee high boots--- none of which ever go together).
She said "Mom, look, I am a cowgirl." (Where in the world has she seen a cowgirl like this... Todd, what are you watching on TV?)

My first response was "A cowgirl, at a strip club?"

So, of course, Kaelin runs out into the backyard and tells Todd.
"Dad, look I am a cowgirl at a strip club"

Oh my... You can see where my one little mistake just totally snowballed on me.

But seriously, where does this fashion sense come from. I don't dress like this... I promise.

For someone so hung up on matching pajamas and shoes for every outfit, I am still baffled on where this outfit fits into the fashionably crazy girl I know.

Run... Longhorn...Run

Uncle Truman is cringing and refusing to even read this post because of the title.... but besides being an extremely fun race... it was also educationally beneficial. So... get over it!!!


Before the Race

Today we ran in the Lone Star Stampede, which is a fun run that benefits UT scholarships. Todd ran a 10K, I ran a 5K, and Kaelin ran a kids run (about 1/2 mile). Our friend Lisa also ran with us.

After the Race (she got a medal and a backpack of goodies)



History on races....

I have run in fun runs for years... so it was only natural to include Kaelin in my weekend endeavors.... then Todd felt as though he was missing out... so he joined in. (Now Todd out runs us... makes me sick).

Kaelin ran her first kids 1K (a little over 1/2 mile) when she was 15 months old. Since then, she has run in about 8-10 races. She absolutely loves running in races. Once again... my genetic theory comes into play. The crazy running gene is not a learned thing, it is inherited.

Funny Running Stories...

1. Most of the long races we run, we rent a hotel room and spend the night prior to the race. So for the San Antonio and Houston Marathons as well as the Texas Independence Relay, we stayed in hotel rooms. Now every time we tell Kaelin we are running in a race, she gets absolutely ecstatic. She begins asking about the hotel that we get to stay in. To her disappointment, we don't get to stay in a hotel for a 5 or 10 K.

2. When we were in Gonzales, TX getting ready for the Texas Independence Relay, we stayed in a motel. The motel was a Best Western, so it was really nice, but not exactly Kaelin's idea of a hotel. (Yes she has been spoiled to some really nice hotels). When we pulled up to the Best Western she looked around and asked where we were? I informed her that we were at the hotel. She had a very shocked look on her face. Then responded... "No, this is where we eat dinner, so where is the hotel?"... I laughed so hard, and then began to reflect on the monster I had created.

3. When Todd brought our running packets home yesterday, Kaelin was so excited. He opened the truck door and Kaelin said oh my... are those are packets? Packet... what 2 (almost 3) year old knows about packets and what to do with the number???? This is a total reflection on growing up with a running family. She can talk race packets with the best of them. She can even compare good running packets to bad running packets.

A Child of the 21st Century

It has been a long week of TAKS testing, so I have not written in a while. The test is over and most of the hard work is out of the way... you probably can hear me sigh a huge sigh of relief even from your computer.
Kaelin said a few things this week that just totally struck me as funny. You hear every generation talk about "Oh how things have changed.... why when I was growing up..." You get the picture. Some of the things Kaelin has said recently have made me think about how different things are for her than when I was growing up. So, I came up with a list of a few things that Kaelin has actually said or done that are definite signs of a 21st Century baby.

1. "Mom, can I talk on your cell phone"--- not sure who she is going to call
2. Kaelin is convinced the telephone with the cord goes in her playroom (that thing must not be for real).
3. Kaelin knows the difference between a DVD and a CD, but has no clue what a VHS tape is.
4. "Mom, can I listen to your IPOD?"
5. "Can we work on my blog now?" --- yes she helps and loves it.
6. "Where is the DVD player in their car?"--- doesn't everyone have a DVD player that goes in their car--- how can you go on a trip or to the store or anywhere without your DVD player.
7. "Can I play games on your laptop?"--- games... laptop... what... In My Day, we had MTV and they actually played Music Videos....
8. "What is wrong with the satellite?" Everytime it rains the satellite briefly goes out...
9. "Why is that thing not telling us where to go?"--- This would be the Garmin in my car. She gives us directions and keeps us from getting lost. Map... isn't that the thing that Dora has in her backpack?
and... finally...
10. "Can we buy some more shoes on Ebay?" You think I am kidding.... she knows about ebay and that is one of the places we buy her shoes... If you don't remember, she is a complete shoe freak.