Our very PINK world

Just got a lot more pink...

The Birthday Bash

This was Kaelin's super fun birthday party (after the monsoon rainstorm).

Don't pay any attention to the "redneck rug" we had to put down all over our yard. It was tarps and large pieces of cardboard to help keep the yard from turning into a mud wrestling ring.

Burrrrrr... it is so cold after raining for two days and the sun not showing it's bright face.

We had a VERY Special Guest at Kaelin's birthday party. This is Junction Jack. He is the mascot for the Houston Astro's. Kaelin just loves Junction Jack. Todd and I love the Astro's (especially when they are winning).

Kaelin ran to the backyard and told all of her friends they had to come meet the big rabbit in her garage. I just laughed. I bet the parents were wondering why I had a rabbit at Kaelin's birthday. I did tell one parent it was the Easter bunny and I had gotten a really good deal on him since he was not in high demand this time of year.

All of the kids came and got their pictures taken with Junction Jack, then he gave each of them an autographed card of himself. It was really cute and Kaelin was just loving it.

Tearing through presents.... She got so much stuff. We have had a blast playing with all of the new toys.

Blowing out FOUR candles (it is still hard for me to believe she is 4).

After a wardrobe change into a new birthday dress later in the evening, she was still opening up presents. She got $50 one dollar bills from Todd's Godparents. She was loving it. We told her she could spend some and then we needed to put some of it into her savings account. So the next day (first thing on her mind) we took her shopping. She bought a Barbi pony and 3 new Barbi dolls.

Since Kaelin's birthday was actually on Sunday, this was the first picture of her actually being a 4 year old.

We saved some of our presents for her to open on her actual birthday. Aunt Debbie and Uncle Truman got her a pair of Lelli Kelly tennis shoes (which are crazy expensive but super cute shoes that I would not buy for her). She absolutely loves these shoes.

The other gift she kept asking for was a double stroller, so Todd and I got her a double baby doll stroller. She was ecstatic. She had seen the box in the trunk of my car two days earlier and I told her I was taking the present back because she was peeking in the sacks. She was just devastated. So, when she saw that we were going to let her have the stroller, she was so excited.

The end of the 4 year old party. I can't wait to see all of the things Kaelin will do and learn this next year. She brings so much excitement and joy to so many people's lives. I am not sure what we did 4 years ago, but it could not have been nearly as exciting as what we are doing now.

The decor

This was Kaelin's party decor...

Before the monsoon rain storm. We had a large canopy to try to keep everything dry- but some of the hanging fish evidently could not swim because they had to come down before her party on Saturday.

This was the fence with little surfboads that Todd cut out for me.

These were the tables. We used beach towels for the table clothes (they came in really handy when attempting to clean up from the rain.)

This was our drink bar and snack bar.

This is the monsterous waterslide that took up most of my backyard (don't look at the dead patches of grass- we are still recovering from a grass disease from last summer. We are glad to have any green showing).

The Tee-Ball Party

Sorry for the late post, but we have been busy (not really busy, maybe lazy is a better word).

Kaelin's birthday weekend was kicked off with a tee-ball party celebration on Friday night. Since I had already invested in the decorations for Kaelin's birthday party, I offered to have the party at my house.

The kids had a blast for about 20 minutes, then the bottom fell out. It started raining (hadn't rained in 2 months, but we made up for it on Kaelin's birthday weekend). They got to play on the humongous water slide I rented (for 20 minutes).

Played in the rain until the lightning took over and we all took cover.

Run... that lightning was close.

The party ended up in our garage. The adults were having a good time talking, but the kids were bored out of their mind and cold from playing in the water.

All in all... it was a fun party even though we had some uninvited weather we had to deal with.

Beginning of the birthday weekend

Since Kaelin's birthday is on Sunday, we started celebrating on Friday. (Poor girl is so confused as to when she actually turns 4 because we have been celebrating for days).

Friday... Kaelin's school was having Carnival Day (I told her it was her birthday celebration). I took off work to work the carnival and have a birthday celebration at Kaelin's school.

It started out with Kaelin's teachers making her a birthday princess crown (which Kaelin thought was just SUPER COOL).

Then we headed to chapel, where the entire room sang Happy Birthday to Kaelin (as loud as they could sing). Kaelin was really in her element. She was on a stage with everyone singing to her.

After chapel, the carnival began. I ran the snow cone booth, so I did not get to see Kaelin play all of the games, but Todd showed up just in time to take her around to the different booths. (Kaelin enjoyed my snow cone booth more than any of the other booths- she enjoyed 3 snow cones and cotton candy... can we say SUGAR HIGH).

Playing some kind of carnival game with her friend, Trista.

I am not sure why she has such a frown on her face.

Making a paint picture (but not sure what happened to the picture. It did not come home with us).

Snow cones (number 3) with her friend Bryson.

When the kids were done at the carnival, they went back to the classroom and we celebrated Kaelin's birthday. It was great.

We had a cookie cake (to go on top of the sugary snow cones and cotton candy). Those kids probably drove their parents nuts the rest of the day.

Kaelin's class sang Happy Birthday to Kaelin (again). Then we ate cake.

Addison came to Kaelin's room and helped me pass out cake, then she came home with us.

**** If you are wondering about the adorable birthday outfit, my extremely talented friend, Lisa, made it for Kaelin****

Mother's Day at the beach

We had the best Mother's Day EVER.

It was very relaxing (which is a definite requirement of mine from now on).

We woke up early (not a future requirement) and went to church (requirement).

Before church, we packed our bags and a cooler of drinks and snacks.

After church, we headed to Galveston. It was so much fun. I had not been down to Galveston since Hurricane Ike and it was long past due.

Growing up, a lot of my time was spent down at the beach. So, I am pretty sure I have saltwater flowing through my veins.

Kaelin has definitely inherited the love for sand and sea.

We love Galveston, but if someone puts out the offer for a better beach, my bags are packed before they finish their sentence.

We ate lunch at a great little restaurant called Shrimp 'n Stuff.

Then we headed down to the Seawall and found a nice little spot to hang out on the beach. The weather was VERY overcast (but no rain), so it would occasionally get a little cool with the sea breeze. We played in the water (which was really nice and warm). We built some awesome sand castles, sand cities, and sand people.

After the beach, we dusted ourselves off and went to the Strand. It has recovered very nicely. We had such a great time, that I came home looking up beach houses on the Internet. I definitely see myself spending my free time down there. Todd had a great time as well. He found himself a nice little table on the Strand and he sat there while Kaelin and I went from shop to shop. We tried to do our part in helping their economy recover. (Just trying to help out).

Alternative uses...

To the average person, these look like a bunch of kitchen tongs.

But, to Kaelin these are ....

giant butt pinchers....

So, if you have never played a game of butt pinchers, I highly recommend it.

Although, we definitely recognize a future problem. I already hear the phone ringing with Kaelin's school calling to tell me about Kaelin trying to play butt pinchers at school.

Oh well... if that is the worst phone call we get, we have done good.

Bribe

Kaelin has recently decided that she has no desire to eat dinner with us. She would rather take a bite of her food, then go play.

Then about an hour later, she claims to be starving and wants cereal or oatmeal rather than the dinner we had. We fell for it a few times, then it just got old.

So, a few weeks ago when I was at Target, I bought her a bathing suit and some shorts. I kept them in the trunk of my car and just told her I had a present for her. But the only way to get the present was to sit down and eat dinner with us.

She asked about her surprise every day, but still refused to sit down and actually eat the dinner we had cooked. We quite feeding her cereal and oatmeal, so she would just go to bed hungry. I absolutely hate doing that.

So... finally... she gave in to doing things MY way. As soon as she finished her dinner, she immediately started asking about her surprise.

Of course she immediately had to go model for us.


So, she got a new bathing suit. Ate dinner with us a few nights, then tried to resort back to her old ways.

Mother's Day Plans...

Kaelin told me the other day that she wanted to get me a fish tank with some fish for Mother's Day... She also said she wanted to get me a flower. (I will take the flower, but Wal-mart can keep the fish).

Then Todd chimed in and said he was going to get me a new table saw.

I know it is the thought that counts.... but isn't that thought suppose to be about ME????

So, I think I want to get me a vacation to a tropical place. (And that thought is all about ME).

When I am in charge...

If I were in charge of making the rules, there are some definite things I would change.

These are my top 5: (I have lots more, but since I am technically suppose to be working right now instead of blogging, I will give you my 5 that are important to me today).

1. Monday would no longer be a work day, it would be part of the weekend.

2. Stop signs would be pink rather than red. I would be much more inclined to stop at a pink stop sign than a red one. Red is an angry color, so I try to get away from it as fast as possible. Pink, on the other hand, is more soothing. I would probably make a complete stop and look both ways.

3. Macy's would be open 24 hours a day. This would allow for those fashion emergencies to be solved quickly. Right now, my 24 option is Wal-mart and you can end up leaving more frustrated than when you walked in.

4. Baskin Robbins would serve breakfast. Ice Cream breakfast tacos, Ice Cream breakfast sandwhiches, etc. I would try to stop in everyday. Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

5. On pretty days, work should end shortly after lunch. You would be able to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and weather. But on yucky days, you work a full day.