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.