The Air Even Smells Like Pumpkin!

Ok, so I live in Texas, but as soon as the a/c stops kicking on every 30 minutes it means it's fall y'all!  With fall comes fallish things.  Pumpkin and bat cookies, jack-o-lantern mug, pumpkin spice flavored creamer, and the occasional giant bag of candy for the Trick-or-Treaters that I may or may not grab from every so often.  Don't forget, because I'm the perfect mother (not) I also make the fun Spooky meals!  Mummy meatloaf, ghost toast, salty bones, and mummy dogs!

With all this happy there has to be a sad.  Our beloved Halloween yard inflatable horse, Panther, has had to be put down.  He was already having trouble standing and the cold front that blew in with 50+ winds proved to be too much for him.  Never fear!  We ordered a new steed!  He is due to arrive to our home on the 27th so keep your fingers crossed!  The kids would hate if the new "Panther" couldn't celebrate All Hallows Eve with them.  Yard inflatables are so comforting!!!

New Panther

Old Panther

Good Ol' Days

Old ice cream bowl in a new ice cream bowl

A few days ago we all felt like we wanted a dairy dessert after dinner.  I was about to get the same ice cream bowl that we always use out of the cupboard, but then the cute, green, ice cream bowls in my china cabinet caught my eye.  There was a piece of paper on the bottom of the bowl that said Victorian 1937.  I called my mom and she said that they are Art Deco but the date was correct (my Grandmother thought they were Victorian).  Go ahead and google some photos of people from 1937.  Are any of them overweight?  I think not!  Why?  Because they didn't eat the ridiculous portions we do now!  I'm going to try to get my portions to mimic the portions from the 30s.  Portion control is comforting.

This is a typical 30s family

School Days, School Days...Dear Old Golden Rule Days

It's nice to live close to the school.  We wanted to use our driveway to celebrate the beginning of a new school year!  I think most appreciated the little note.  Buck and Catie had a great time chalking our drive.  Catie was made to go to school.  She was so stoked!  Buck did not appreciate my taste in shirts and wanted to wear a gorilla t-shirt instead.  He wore it the next day, but he still had a sour start to the new year.  Fortunately, he was able to forgive me.  I had a difficult time accepting the fact that my baby is now in school.  As they walked into their classrooms I felt like my babes were now months away from graduating from high school.  What will I do with myself?  Watching your kids go through life's stages is comforting.

Already bribing the teachers with gifts.

Skating is Still "In"

Back in my day we thought skating was a real treat!  I had not been skating since I moved back to Texas.  Apparently, this is a fun/cool thing to do STILL!  Catie and Buck wanted to have their birthday parties at the skating rink, Silverwings, so they had a combined party.  They had a blast, and the theme worked out since both are into Power Rangers at the moment.  It amazed me how many older kids were there and deep down I wished that when my kids get that age they will want to go skating on Friday nights instead of the things that my friends and I tried to convince our parents to let us do!  Silverwings took great care of us and I would use them again for a fun party.  Old school skating is comforting.

"Oh Fair New Mexico....."

My parents, luckily for me, have a great house in Taos.  It is awesome for the winter so we can get our skiing needs accomplished and equally awesome for summer so that we can escape the Texas heat.  The drive was dreadful!  Left at 5:30am and arrived at 5:00pm.  The kids were great and I had my first experience with 5 hour energy drink.  Every time I drank a sip I imagined poison going into my body.  I got over it when I considered napping on the side of the road.  Once in New Mexico it was so much cooler!  The high one day was 86!  The kids love it there mainly because we can get outside a lot.  We walked to the plaza and went to the kids favorite place, Twirl.  I love watching all the eccentric moms give their kids organic snacks and wrap their dreadlocks up in fashionable scarfs.  One day included a hike to some hot springs by the river....I want to go there in the winter and check out the steam among the snow.  The kids loved the idea of getting in with their clothes on.  They were dry by the time we got to the top of the trail!!!  Being in New Mexico made me anxious for some cooler weather here in Texas.  Cool weather is comforting.

Giant chair at Twirl

Having some Suga time at Twirl

Ski lifts aren't only for the winter

This is our family hiking picture

Now that's what I call hiking

Found the hot springs!!!

A New Era

Isn't she lovely?

It's 2005 and I have a baby in my arms and a baby in my belly.  I desperately wanted a brand new minivan....it has automatic doors!!!  We went to the dealership and 8 hours later left with a prize.  Because of the automatic doors and gadgets, I started getting paranoid now that it is 6 (almost 7) years old.  Soon those gadgets are going to break...how much will that cost me?!  Carmax gave me exactly what I wanted for my trusty ride and I decided it was time for her to go.  After all that we had been through we had come to the end of our road.  As I cleaned it out (the Stow N'go) I found all sorts of memories.  Toys we obtained at various places and trips, our dog's leash (RIP Lilo), a Dsi game, broken crayons, etc. all of these oddly brought tears to my eyes.  This is a machine, not a pet!  I needed to let it go.  So with great sadness I say to my old friend, farewell.  You were good to our little family, and the times we had in it were comforting.

Loved the big back windows!

Good times in the front seat.

Who Needs the Fancy?

Fatso.  My foot is there so you can see the fatness we are dealing with here.

A lot of people are crazy about their pets.  I am a dog lover, but my Mother keeps cats and dogs at her house.  Her inside cat, Fatso, is on the plump side and is a bit spoiled.  He always has a plush cat bed, and drinks out of a running water cat bowl.  One day Fatso found that he likes to lay on a box instead of his bed. The plush bed is gone and when the box gets worn my Mom has to buy something that will come in a good "bed" box for Fatso.  Who needs the plush temperpedic bed?  Not Fatso.  It's the simple things that are comforting.  Let's hope that the next box will contain something for me!

Not comfy

Comfy

Dominican Republic (Not USA)

My travel buddy

When one of my oldest friends called me eight months ago and asked if I wanted to go on a vacation with her and her family to the Dominican Republic my response was "YES PLEASE!"  The D.R. is what I imagine Hawaii would be like if it weren't a part of the U.S.  The resorts were beautiful and full of happy employees ready to pour coffee in the morning, but the surrounding areas were very poor.  Even the "nice" towns weren't nice according to me.  It made me a little sad to think that my dogs have a better life than some of the Dominicans, but that isn't fair considering they have better lives than some of the royals.  With this being said the Dominicans were some of the most happy people I have come in contact with in my life!  Why are the poor, Dominicans so happy and Americans are always stressed or depressed about something?  I will admit I am guilty.  I will say I came out of this trip relaxed and ready to live a happy life.  Being happy in a clean country is comforting!

We are OLD friends!

Sweet, happy D.R. children

My house is across from the school....so is this house.

Old Memories, New Laughs

I recently decided to take all my old files off of my old computer and put them on my new one.  My new computer is 2 years old.  I went through all the files and I got to the photo/video files.  It is impossible to think my children were ever that little!  I hear people say how time flies and I roll my eyes, but after having kids it really takes affect...or is it effect?  This video was pretty hilarious to me and Catie agreed.  We all sat around the computer and watched it over and over and laughed and laughed.  It was fun watching Catie laugh at herself.  Let's hope she recognized how ridiculous she was and not try to re-live her past!!!  Old tantrums are comforting.

There is a Reason They Call Them GRAND!

Grandparents are grand.  My kids are lucky to have the best on both sides.  Their grandparents are Suga, Poppie, Gbobbie, and Gpa.  These are all smart Grandparents, because they know that you can't buy children's love...you have to entice them with water play!  Gbobbie and Gpa have a pool.  This pool is fun for everyone.  The kids play in it and have a blast and I swim against the jet at the other end of the pool until my arms feel like they may fall off.  Now I don't have to feel bad for not working out that day!

Suga and Poppie have a ginormous water slide in the backyard (keep in mind I had to set this beast up).  Those kids played on that thing for hours!!!!  Who needs a nanny now that we have a gem like this!  Worst part about that water slide is the drying process and the giant bees that kept buzzing about but did nothing to us.  It is all worth it for the amount of fun those kids are having.  It's the hottest, coolest, time in Texas.....Wellbornbauhn!

Giant Bee

A Boy and his Dog

This boy is an awesome cuddler and so is this dog.  Pinto loves Buck and sleeps in his bed when he is gone.  In the morning when I wake Buck up, Pinto will howl.  He jumps into bed with him too.  Boys need their companions and Buck has his.  I imagine Pinto is similar to Lassie which is comforting since he will tell Buck when I fall in a well.  Dog companions are comforting.

Attack of the Cucumber!

This came out of my garden!!!  I planted a cucumber plant a little close to a tomato plant and it started growing up the tomato cage.  Today when I was examining my garden of happiness I found this!  It made for a good laugh and felt what it must feel like to noodle a catfish or catch a 1000lb gator (I've been watching too much "Swamp People").  Too bad there isn't a "Big Cucumber" contest instead of a "Big Tomato" contest in my hometown, because I would be the winner of that contest for sure!  I am the winner of cucumbers!  Unfortunately, my friend crushed my dreams of awesomeness by telling me it won't taste very good.  I'm thinking of having it mounted.  Regardless, giant cucumbers are comforting!

We are Living in an Electronical World

And I'm a ma ma ma ma um electronical girl!  The kids could play with their Dsi's and Wii all day long if I let them.  I'm constantly setting timers so when they hear the beep they turn their games off and do what children used to do....use their imagination!  This Friday night was different.  We got a new game for the Wii, Just Dance II, and the whole family LOVED it!  We had such a great time, and I figured even if it is a video game we were definitely getting a good work out with it!  Game nights don't need timers if the whole family is involved.  Both Buck and Catie wanted to film the dancing.  Catie was a phenomenal director.  Some of the comments she made   are now words I use in our every day lives.  Buck looks very intense with his dancing, and never noticed his sister's comments toward him.  Buck let out a couple of good phrases as well when he was in control of the camera.  I'm thinking we'll apply for the show "So You Think You Can Dance?".  Dancing is comforting.

You can see me and Buck dancing with Catie as director here!

You can see me and Catie dancing with Buck as director here!

ENJOY!

Workin Hard for the Money

Today I had some customers to see and figured I would pack the kids and their DSi's so that they could be entertained while I sold product.  They never made a peep the whole morning so I promised they could eat lunch anywhere their heart desired.  Where do kids who are never allowed to eat terrible foods want to go?!  IHOP!  I was then reminded of a college friend I had who was from Colorado.  She had a beautiful body her Freshmen year and came from a household that only allowed the "raw food" diet (basically nuts and plants).  She ordered pizza everyday and ate candy all day long when she got to college.  At graduation she wasn't recognizable.  So that is why I gave in to these kids that desperately wanted some pancake goodness.  I don't want to deprive my lovelies from THAT kind of food.  When the very happy waiter asked for our orders I ordered the garden stuffed crepes (because I'm responsible!).  Buck ordered a giant chocolate pancake with whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate chips on it.  Catie ordered baby pancakes with a slice of turkey bacon and scrambled eggs.  I'd say Catie did a little better than Bucky on the food choice, but he sure was happy.  One great thing about IHOP is the assorted syrup!  Catie chose the Strawberry flavor and Buck was Old Fashion Syrup.  They loved me for it.  We ended the day delivering tires and Buck did a great job unloading them.  My kids aren't sugar deprived.....comforting?

Waiting on our food

Sugar highs!

Working like a man!

Keep Katy Weird

As I was driving through Katy I looked over and saw this next to me.  The inside is just as interesting as the outside.  Is this person employed?  What do they do for fun?  How long did it take to make the car look like this?  What will the car dealer give them for a trade-in?  These are some things I think when I see things like this.  The drive home from work is usually boring so it is a good thing we have people in the world that do things like this.  I really appreciate my iPhone when I come into contact with something like this.  Thank goodness Austin isn't the only weird town in Texas!  Weird people are comforting.

Veggies are Good for Your Body!

There is a complete eye sore in my backyard.  About a third of it has a chain linked fence running across it, because the previous owners used it for a dog yard.  Well, we all know that my dogs have their own seat at the dinner table so that yard wasn't going to get much use.  Then it occurred to me that it would be a great place for a garden!  I want my kids and I to be healthy eaters and by-golly organic too!  I had some dear neighborhood friends help me get the seeds and plants and another friend who came over and tilled my garden area with a monster tiller (it would have killed me if I attempted to use it).  After the planting the waiting happened.  FINALLY some produce!  There is nothing better than being able to go out to your garden, pick some veggies, sip on a cold summer beer, and eat the produce for dinner.  My garden can be known to cause me some strife at times.  I was invaded by some bugs so I had to put seven dust on my plants of health, and now it is with a heavy heart that I will say my produce is not organic.  Next year I will make some changes to my garden.  I'm going to mix in some better soil since it seems to be super sandy.  I'm going to make it a little bigger too.  My new saying when it comes to gardening is "you grow some, you learn some".  Fresh veggies are comforting, and not always organic.

Summer is so special there is a beer made for it!

First cucumber and squash from the garden

First produce.  The can is there to compare
the size

This makes me feel happy

Schooooools Out for Summer!

And summer begins

Well, the bell rang and the children were released.  It was an early release day and I figured I would take my neighbor up on her sweet offer of letting us use her pool.  I was "Mother of the Year" when I announced we were going to walk over to our neighbors for a swim.  I tried to swim laps since I hadn't worked out in a week, but my children kept pulling me under or grabbing my suit.  Bucky even grabbed the extra flesh on my tummy and shook it....not so comforting.  

Summer is all about fun.  Camps, trips, swimming, popsicles, etc.  We have so much planned this summer I wonder if I'll be able to accomplish it all and still have money left over to by milk and eggs.  Or wine.

Luckily, my lovely brother and wife own a boat so we are able to mooch off of them for all the water sports we could possibly endure!  I went ahead and tried it out and learned that spray sunblock doesn't work so well.  My poor legs got burned and I'm embarrassed about it!  The best sunblocks on the market are listed here, and none of them are spray.

Summer is comforting.....and hot.

my leg.  It just makes me angry.

The Captain

Power plant lake.  I have super powers now.

Debbie's test of youth.  Slalom ski.

On a wake board.  It felt unnatural so I face planted.