Friends, Fun and Sun

One of my BFFs, Terri, and her family just moved into a gorgeous new home. What better way to break in a new home than having 40 friends and family over for a birthday party the week after you move in!  Terri was amazingly calm and such a gracious hostess considering the stress and chaos of moving, preparing for a party and being a mommy to three kiddos under 5.  She's my new hero!  I wouldn't have been able to pull off a party under those circumstances.

There are two weeks worth of photos because I skipped my weekly phone dump last week.  Last week I went out to eat with some of the elementary teachers (I'm a junior high teacher).  They are such a fun group to hang out with.  The group tries to get together once a month.  This month we went to Buffalo Wild Wings and everyone wore their college t-shirts since it was March Madness.  After eating at BWW, we went to a bookstore to hang out.

Alichia, another teacher friend, is one of my favorite shopping pals.   She's also a world traveler.  She's traveled all over Europe and the U.S.  So amazing!

While I was on my girls' night, the boys had a boys' night.  Mark took the boys out to eat and then they had ice cream.  Don't judge but Will really wanted to go to Burger King.  It's not a place we ever eat at so I'm sure that's why he chose it. 

After Burger King the guys went to Braum's for ice cream.  They chose the "blue ice cream" which was birthday cake. 

I let the boys jump on the bed.  I do. 

I haven't had donuts since I started Weight Watchers at the end of February.  I miss them each Saturday morning when the boys enjoy their donut holes and chocolate donuts with sprinkles.  Ben always wanted a plain chocolate donut until recently.  Now he's just like Will and wants his chocolate donut with sprinkles. 

We stopped by "The Land" this week.  This summer we will start the process of having contractors give us estimates for how much the gravel road and driveway will cost.  There's still a lot of work to do, but it's a start and that's very exciting!  Hopefully the road will go between these trees. 

This isn't where the driveway will be.  Mark's actually standing on the land that his brother owns.  That land connects to ours.  Mark's looking for bluebonnets.  We sowed seed there a few years ago but haven't had any luck getting the bluebonnets to grow.

This week I showed you several new milk glass pieces.

Here is where they end up once I display them.  They are on top of my kitchen cabinets.

Another view 

A smaller cabinet has my collection of bud vases, a candle stick and pedestal dishes on top of it.

It's spring and my toes are happy to see the sun.  I had to paint them a bright, happy color in honor of spring. 

Essie: Watermelon

Will's wearing his new camo flip flops 

Ben's cute little boy camo flip flops. 

Swing! 

Look how high!

Play

I had a great afternoon hanging out with Will and Ben in the backyard.  After we picked up the boys from daycare, Will wanted to eat his snack outside.  Will and I got to hang out and chat while he ate chips and I had carrot sticks.  He told me about his day and we discussed random thoughts of a 5-year-old.

Tonight after supper but before church the boys had about 45 minutes to play.

I tried to get a photo of the boys together.  Ben decided to grab hold of Will's hair. 

Hey!  Don't pull my hair!

If you look closely at Ben's sweet face, you can see that we had BBQ chicken for dinner.

My other sweetie is growing up too fast! 

We've been making the most of our perfect weather by playing outside any chance we get.  In Texas there's a window of nice weather in the Spring and Fall where you can be outside at anytime of day and enjoy yourself.  When it gets to the dog days of summer we barely get to spend any time outside because it's so hot and humid.  I'm thankful for this nice weather and the opportunity to play outside with the boys.

Milk Glass, I {heart} you!

About a week ago, I went to a couple of estate sales.  I'm always on the lookout for milk glass and other (affordable) treasures.  Mark stayed in the car so that Will and Ben could watch cartoons while I searched for treasures.  I was very successful in a very short time.

This first pedestal dish is my favorite find.  The lady who runs the estate sale said that she had never seen this pattern. (Dear aunt, I believe it was the interesting 80 yr old Pat!)  I was thrilled to have her compliment my purchase!  This lady has run numerous estate sales and for her to say that was just the validation I needed.  She also told me how to spot very old milk glass--hold it up to the light and you will see all sorts of colors appear in the rim.  That will let you know it's really old.

It was only $4.

I purchased the bowls at another estate sale.  I thought they might be useful when decorating for a party.

This piece had an interesting shape.  I don't have very many things that are square.  Again, I thought it might be useful to decorate for a party.

I like the scalloped edges.

The bowls and the square dish were $8.

All in all, I was happy with my finds and thought it was a huge success.  Mark was happy that it only took about 15 minutes at each stop and thought that was a huge success!  We each define success in different terms, ha!

Flashback Friday: 2009

This is one of my favorite photos of Papa Ralph.  It was taken about 3 years ago.  It was just before Ben was born and Will was 2 1/2.

Papa passed away 6 months ago and a day doesn't go by that I don't think about him. 

People say the pain of the loss gets easier over time.  I'm not sure.  Maybe it does, but I still miss him.

Consider

Consider the lilies...Consider the birds

My heart has been heavy for my cousin Clay.  We now know that his brain tumor is malignant and he will begin chemo and/or radiation very soon.  He's had two surgeries so far--one on Friday and another one yesterday.  His speech and memory are good.  We are thankful for that.

As we continue to pray for Clay's complete recovery, I'm thankful that God's word can bring comfort during this time of worry and anxiety.

I thought about this passage in Matthew.  The cure for anxiety.

God is all powerful. 

God knows our needs.

God provides.

 

Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV)

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

When I feel overwhelmed with worry for Clay and all of those who love him most, I consider the lilies and birds.  I'm reminded that God loves us and values us so much more.




Mom Shorts

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the term "mom jeans" that Tina Fey came up with on SNL.  "Mom jeans" have a really high waist and unflattering fit, especially in the back.

I've gone back and forth in recent years about what are appropriate "mom shorts".  I'll admit when I was younger (teenager and college)  I'd wear short-shorts, but I'm a mom now and there's no way I'd be caught dead in short-shorts.  After I had Will, Bermuda shorts were just starting to get really popular.  I bought several pairs and they were my go-to shorts.  Last year I decided to get some new shorts that weren't Bermudas.  I had the hardest time deciding which inseam length was appropriate.  When I tried on shorts with a 3 inch inseam, Mark laughed.  That was a good indicator that the 3 inch inseam was not a good thing.   He told me that I looked like I was a high school or college girl. I wasn't offended.  He was right and his comment made me laugh, too!

 This year I was ordering a pair of new shorts from Old Navy and I read the reviews before I made my purchase.  (I always read reviews, do you?)  The reviews confirmed what Mark and I had already decided.  The 3 inch inseam is definitely too short if you're a mom.  It's what teenage girls wear.  Hello, I'm almost 35!!!

I decided that if I wasn't going to wear Bermuda shorts all the time then I'd settle for the 5 inch inseam.  It's just the right length for "mom shorts".  It's long enough that I don't feel skanky but short enough to feel still young and fun.

I'm ready for summer!

 

Health Update and Other Stuff

Spring Break is over and it's back to the grindstone. 
 Here are some random ramblings for Monday.

{one}

On Friday I mentioned that we'd received some news about a family member's health that made me very sad.  My cousin, Clay, is just a couple of years older than me and we found out Thursday night through updates on facebook that he has/had a brain tumor.  I knew he'd been having some health issues, but I was shocked to learn he had a brain tumor. He went in for surgery on Friday morning.  The 3x3 inch mass was causing bleeding on the brain, which is why he had surgery so quickly.  The doctors were able to remove most of the tumor.  Latest word via FB is that he might have surgery later this week; I'm not sure the details or why.  The pathology reports will be in Monday, but this post will publish before I know the results of those.  Thank you to everyone who saw my post on Friday and prayed.  It means more than you'll ever know.  I'll write more about it when I hear the results.
*Update (Monday, 3/19/12, 9:40p.m.  Clay's brain tumor is malignant.  I don't know very many more details.  They will do another surgery tomorrow and start the chemo process.)  Thank you for your continued prayers.

{two}

I'm still finding comfort in these Bible verses.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

{three}

Both of our computers are nearing the end of their lives.  Sigh.  Our desktop is 6 years old and our laptop is 2.  The laptop should be in good shape, but it's not.  It's been dropped and abused.  The laptop has what we call "the white screen of death".  Sometimes the screen goes white, but we know that the computer is still working.  Too bad I'm not tech savvy or I'd be of more help.  We're trying to hold off buying a computer for as long as we can.  If I'm not using as many photos from my DSLR, it's because I'm having a hard time.  It's easier to use photos from my iPhone for blog posts.

{four}

This will be my fourth week of Weight Watchers.  I've only lost about 3 lbs.  I've been told this is the appropriate way to lose weight.  Slow and steady.

Two blogs with great WW recipes are

Skinny Taste

Danica's Daily

If you know of any other good blogs with recipes, let me know.  So far my family has loved the meals I've cooked using the healthy recipes from those blogs.  I feel really good about making healthier choices for our family.  We've also been eating a lot more fresh fruit and veggies.

{five}

We had a relaxing Spring Break.  We went to the Dallas Arboretum on Monday.  Tuesday we took the boys to see The Lorax and ran some errands.  On Wednesday we went to church and the boys spent the night at Mark's parents after church.  Thursday Mark and I had a fun day of shopping and spending time together.  Friday we rested at home during the day and on Friday evening we had a visitation for a family member who passed away.  On Saturday we visited my grandmother and great-aunt in the nursing home.  Also on Saturday I went to a couple of estate sales after our nursing home visit.  I scored some milk glass that I'll show you later this week. 

Spring Break makes me anxious for summer vacation.  I love carefree days and spending time with my family.  Nothing better.

One afternoon the boys were playing outside, and Mark told me to look out the window and this is what I saw.  Will was pushing Ben in the car.  I LOVE that they play so well together.  Such a blessing!

I took the photo through the window because I knew by the time that I grabbed the camera and made my way outside the moment would pass.  Instead here's a blurry photo that captured "the moment"!

{six}
Stop by tomorrow and read my silly thoughts on "mom shorts". 

Have a wonderful week!

Miscellany Monday @ lowercase letters

Green

St. Patrick's Day 2012

We decided to take the boys to eat at Chick fil A and then visit my grandmother, Mama Winnie, in the nursing home.

Here are Ben and Will dressed in green.  Will really wanted to make sure he wore green so he didn't get pinched.  I was surprised at how many people didn't wear green today.

Mama Winnie wasn't feeling very good so we didn't visit with her very long.  Her sister, Oma, lives in the same nursing home and we were able to visit her also.  She looked so precious all dressed in green for St. Patrick's Day.  She is such a joy to visit.  Aunt Oma is one of the neatest ladies I've ever known.  She is either 95 or 96, truly remarkable.

Flowers, Petting Zoo and FroYo

I guess this will be my last post with photos from our visit to the Arboretum.  If you want to see the others, they are here and here.

Picking a favorite spot at the Arboretum is like choosing a a favorite child--you can't.

There's beauty everywhere you look.

Stunning flower beds.

This charming playhouse looks like it's right out of a children's book.

Will and Ben look like they are in a children's book.

They are so done with having their picture taken. 

Petting zoo

This was Will and Ben's first time to go to a petting zoo.

Will's brushing the baby goat. 

Ben's brushing a baby goat, too.  The animals were very gentle. 

Sea of flowers 

In all colors 

More tulips than you could count (or more than I'd ever want to count!). 

After the Arboretum we ate lunch at Chipotle and then finished off the day with some froyo. 

I just recently found out some shocking news that made me very sad for a family member.  We take for granted our health until there is a problem and we are no longer healthy.  If I feel that it's appropriate I'll write more about it later.  For now, I'm relying on what I know is best.  In times of trouble (well, actually in all times), turn to the Bible.  These verses seem to bring comfort.  Maybe you needed them, too.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7