It's the spookiest time of the year!

Let me start with last Halloween. Catie and I decided that she and Buck would be Bat Girl and Batman! It was going to be great (or gweat in Catie words). Then a costume magazine showed up and Buck saw the Transformer on the front. That was the end of Batman, and what I thought would be the end of couple costumes for my children.

This year I took the babes to a Halloween outlet store so they could pick out their costume and it would be done with. I let Catie go first and she gravitated to the pink Super Girl costume. No problem. Buck was next and after looking through some zombies, Harry Potters, and Ninjas he spied a Superman costume. "I want to be Superman, Mommy!" Alas, my kids are keeping the couple Halloween costume dream alive for me! How comforting!?

Now, if I can only get my darned Halloween yard ornament horse to stand up!!!!

Fair Time! Fun Time?

This year for the fair I was clever enough to purchase two fun passes for my beloved children. Last year I only let the kids go one day, because I spent way too much money on food, ride tickets, and entry. Next year I'm going to leave town for Fair time. WE WENT TO THE FAIR EVERYDAY THAT IT WAS OPEN!!!! Yes, the kids had fun, but after the weekend was over I was exhausted! The kids never got tired of riding rides, but at least they had a good time.

One unfortunate event was that Catie got to ride the bull and decided she will either be a bull rider or an artist. This is the first time I actually wished my kid would become an artist over another profession. Buck liked the bull, but wasn't as....shall I say....aggressive as Catie. Buck said that he wants to be a grown-up when he grows up and I am still trying to achieve that goal myself.














With every fair there is a Fair President behind it, and that is Roy Mewis. This is a man that makes it happen and I'm very happy to claim him as my friend. Luckily, the kids were able to get a photo with this semi-celebrity. The fair was fun for the kids, so I guess that was comforting?!

Punkin Patch = Fall is here!

St. Mary's had its annual Pumpkin Patch Celebration this past weekend. One thing I would change about this event is that I wish they had it every weekend in October!!! The kids had such a great time and there was something in it for me too....BAKE SALE!!! I can eat sweets all day long. When we got there we immediately got our pumpkin passes (I would highly recommend buying those again) checked for the bounce house. After a good hour of that we then went to get our face painted....a bat for Buck because, "Bats eat blood", and a rainbow for Catie, but we had to make sure the colors were in the correct order.


Then we went inside for a looksie at the book fair and to use our passes for our lemonade and cookies. Grandbobbie was awaiting our arrival with some fun books from the fair and a jug of cookies and brownies from the bake sale!


The kids were able to hang with their cousin, Wyatt, and wish him congrats on the news of his baby brother!

After picking out our pumpkins, we were off to paint some little pumpkins which the kids were able to pick out on their own. When we got home we were exhausted and fulfilled! I was able to take a mommy nap while the kids watched a movie which is why I wish this was every weekend. I LOVE THE FALL! Why? It's comforting, of course!

My Baby is Five. How did this happen?!

My youngest, Catie, is now five years old. This means I have no excuse for having "baby weight"! It seems like yesterday my sweet little girl was barfing breast milk all over her pretty clothes and myself. People are always saying time flies, but this was ridiculous. It never occurred to me that one day she would help me decorate her own birthday cake (which is what she did in the picture above). My life would never be this happy without my sweet Catie in it, and I'm glad she happened upon us! I'm going to keep a close eye on her.....it seems next year she'll be 15!!!!

This year she wanted to be like her older brother and have her party at the FAC (Fitness Athletic Center). This is the best place to have a party. The kids are ragged by the end of the party and besides the food everything is done for you. All you have to do is watch and let the FAC people run the show! Happy Birthday, Catie!!

It's that time of year....Futbol!

Soccer is a sport that has not been a sport celebrated in my family in the past. Too much running, and not enough scoring ranks it a shy above golf in my household. Now that Buck and Catie are members of the White Lightning soccer team that feeling is different now. When I learned that soccer season is starting again I had an unpleasant feeling inside. Great...games to attend, more clothes to wash, more articles of clothes (uniform) to loose, and more rushing around. As if I need more on my plate right now?! That is what I originally thought, but after the first soccer game I feel differently. Buck has realized that he can kick the ball and actually score now. He likes when people cheer for him so he tries to do it more often. Catie is overjoyed when someone on her team scores even if she didn't play a part in the score. This game brings them great joy and it makes me smile when I watch them. Now, I look forward to the games. Soccer, what a great sport!

Toofless!

It has been a long time since I lost a tooth. I'd say about 23 years to be exact....that is if you don't count the time my brother, Alex, accidentally hit my tooth and knocked half of it off! Bucky has been "losing" his tooth for a month and a half. One morning after attempting to eat his breakfast he went to the restroom only to discover that his tooth is now sideways! I told him he couldn't go to school like that and it had to come out. He pulled it out himself, but Catie was quick to bring a paper towel for his blood. She is very squeamish when it comes to blood. I have never seen Buck more excited before. He exclaimed all morning how big he is now. He showed me his shoes and said they are big too, because he is getting so big. On the way out the door to go to school he said "Soon I'll be in big boy school, because I am such a big boy". He stopped everyone who drove by so that they could see his missing tooth. That night the magical Tooth Fairy brought him "a dollar bill with a five on it!" Now the tooth next to his missing tooth is lose. It will be a month before that one comes out, but at least when it comes out there won't be pain or sadness. It will be comforting!

Not so Tender Care

Tender Care has always been a place that I could not live without. They were there for me when my children, ages 1 and 2, had to suddenly attend day care all day while I went to work. Any problems I have they will bend over backwards to accommodate me. This is not a post about how terrible they are, it is a post about how spoiled my children are (I'm thinking they spoiled them and not myself). It was Wednesday afternoon. The sky was dumping a plethora of rain that day. I went to the beloved Tender Care to pick-up my prides of joy and when I got outside and opened the umbrella they both clung to my legs in fear that a drop of rain may fall on them and perhaps cause them to dissolve. My legs were trying to walk down the steps but children were gripping them so instead I tumbled down to the nice puddle of mud/water. My khaki pants were now black on one side and I felt like I had broken my patella. Catie screeched, not because her mother had just taken a tumble, but instead because she was getting wet. My sweet Bucky asked me if I was ok, which made me feel like I was succeeding at least 50% with my parenting skills. The best part about this entire story is that NO ONE saw me. Thank the Lord that I am able to get by this tragic event without someone else being able to enjoy the scene. I have posted some pictures to show just how wounded I was from the event. I wish I could take a picture of my pride. Later that night Catie helped me put my band aids on which was comforting.

Labor Day Fun for the Family

Well, it's Labor Day weekend! I think to myself how I used to spend my long weekends in the past....pre-kids....pre-marriage(s).....pre-responsible. I would party my face of I tell ya! Well, this chick doesn't like to do it that way anymore (this is the conclusion after this last Labor Day Weekend).

Friday the kids and I immediately left town as soon as the school bell rang. We waved good bye to a freshly manicured yard (to which I'm very proud), and were off to celebrate the lack of labor in San Antone! When we got to the apartment I was ready to take some NyQuil and get to sleep since we were all suffering from the "start of school hack". We ordered in some sandwiches and I was off to bed.

Saturday we went to the beloved Shiloh deli. I MUST eat breakfast there when I go to San Antonio. On the way back to the apartment the kids spied the Children's Museum. This is a place that I love to hate. The kids are so happy when we go there, but there is absolutely nothing interesting for a grown up to do except follow the kids around and say "oh great", or "yeah that's cool" and snap a picture of them as they mimic an airplane pilot in the fake plane. Am I a terrible parent? I can not get myself excited about pretend grocery shopping in a pretend HEB. Why don't they get excited about REAL grocery shopping in a REAL HEB? This boggles my feeble, little mind.

That night was a party night for me. One of my dearest friends' husband plays in a band and they happened to be playing in a town near by. My lovely parents were fine with observing the children whilst I attempted to party my face off so all was well. My friend, Kristy, and I were able to hang out in the "green" room with the band before they played and sadly, I felt like royalty. I can't tell you how many teenage or lower 20 girls watched us in envy every time we trekked back to where the cool kids hung out. By the time I got back to the apartment it was 2:00am and I was spent.


Sunday I realized that I am not able to stay up past 11:00pm and feel pretty good the next day. In the pre-grown up days I was able to stay up later and sleep all day the next. No so much anymore. The children were dead set on seeing the Dinosaur Exhibit at the Witte Museum especially since I bought them Jurassic Park and let them watch it on repeat. It was a really great exhibit and went by pretty quick. There is one great thing about the kids on a lazy afternoon.....that my friends is nap time. We slept for two hours and I felt like I was in college again! When I woke up I realized one thing I didn't have when I was in college was the joy that comes from my kids. I love listening to them talk and tell each other what they believe to be facts and discuss bad dinosaurs as opposed to good dinosaurs etc. Now, don't get me wrong. Going out with old friends on a Saturday night without someone clinging to me and yelling "watch this" or "mommy, mommy", was great, but that life can get real old real quick. The mixed up weekends that allow a happy time for everyone are the ones that are most successful.

All in all I had a great weekend. The kids had a great weekend. My parents had a great weekend. It wasn't a party your face off weekend, but it was comforting.