Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July! It was a fun day for the kids...started out at my aunt's house with a cookout and fireworks (shhh...don't tell the city!).

Joshua was NOT a fan of the sparklers. This was the only time he held one and it was only for a few nanoseconds. Just enough time for me to get a picture.

Sammi on the other hand, was a huge fan of the sparklers.

We headed to my mother-in-law and father-in-law's house to watch fireworks. They live just a few blocks away from the location where a huge display was taking place. So nice to not fight traffic and parking...instead we watched it from their front yard. My father-in-law made some yummy mango banana adult drinks.

Self-portrait of me and my rug rats while lying down to watch the fireworks. Hence my hair going straight up.

Jason and Sammi watching the fireworks. We had the best seat in the house!

I'm not sure what I enjoyed most...the fireworks or watching the excitement and wonderment in my children's eyes. I hope you all had a fun and safe 4th!

Father's Day Camping

This year for Father's Day, I asked Jason how he wanted to spend it. Last year was spent traveling home from a reunion for his fraternity, so this year I felt he should decide what to do. His choice was camping. I really expected him to say that he wanted to golf, but he golfs every weekend, so how would that be special? :)

We headed to Purtis Creek State Park, which is about 2 hrs away. It is a small park that Jason has been wanting to try out for awhile. We spent the weekend fishing, relaxing outside, and watching S & J catch bugs in their new bug catcher-thingy. Sorry, can't think of a better name.

Sorry, these pictures are out of order...Blogger is not my friend today.

My 3 favorite people...getting ready to fish.

S showing the bug she caught. Hard to see it.


Am I the only one with a 4 year old that has to be silly in every picture?

Shocked there is a picture of me, and I look horrible! But hey, we are camping. Makeup and hair products are not top priority. But after looking at this picture, I think I need to change my priorities! Yikes, can you say "frizzy hair"?

Here is Sammi pouting. She had a major freak-out moment with a little bug that was on her. Jason tried to get it off her and she freaked out even more. We asked her to sit down to calm down and contain herself. Isn't nature fun?

Happy Father's Day, Jason! You teach me so much from your patience and fun disposition. There is a reason I call you "Fun Daddy" and I love you for it.

New Flippy Floppies!

I got new flippy floppies, courtesy of Amy at My Day-to-Day Life. And wow do I love them! I participated in the 2nd Annual Bloggy Flip Flop Exchange. My friend Becca over at The Texas Darlings put together this BFFE last year and it was so much fun that I HAD to do it again. It's pretty simple, we are paired up with someone else, send 'em a pair of flip flops along with something fun that is from their state.

I came home from work today and had a friend and her son come over for a quick play-date. When I answered the door when they got here, I saw a package on the porch addressed to me. Little 'ol me! I knew exactly what it was and almost pushed my dear friend aside so that I could tear into it and discover MY treat! I swear, it doesn't get much better than opening a gift in the mail. My awesome gift was a pair of hot pink flip flops that I think are adorable! I also received a star-shaped tray that I LOVE and will us a lot. Thank you, Amy! I love them both!

On a side note, I am hoping this will help jump start me into blogging again. I can't believe that the last time I blogged was November....shame on me! I probably don't even have any readers anymore. :( So for any of you that actually read this, PLEASE leave me a comment so that will give me the extra encouragement to blog again and again. Thanks!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yea, I know, I haven't blogged in like, a super-de-duper long time. I have a few posts that I have started but not finished. Maybe this long weekend I will actually finish them and post 'em!

As I lay here watching "Love Actually" with a really full belly and catching up on blogs I follow, I came across one that I just had to post. It's from a Friend Makin' Monday. I know, duh, it's Thursday. But I don't read blogs daily like I used to. I am still extremely bitter that the company that gives me a paycheck actually had the nerve to put up a firewall. How dare they cut into my blog time! For you out there thinking I read them while on company time, you are sooooo wrong. I only read them while on a break. Wow, I'm really a liar, aren't I?

Better late than never, but this week's FMM was about Thanksgiving. Here 'goes:

1. Turkey or ham? Whatever is being served! But, if I truly had to be forced to pick, it would be ham.
2. Favorite side dish? Green bean casserole. Why do we wait for the holidays to make this scrumptious super-healthy dish?
3. Favorite dessert? Must I pick just one? So unfair. My grandmother's pecan pie. I miss her.
4. Black Friday: Are you going or not? Hell to the no! I'd rather sleep than wait in line to fight over a really well priced gadget or toy.
5. If so, what's top on your list? Well, if I WAS to go, it would be any of the TV's on sale.
6. Going out of town or staying close to home? Staying close to home. Thankfully all of our family lives fairly close, so no road trips for us!
7. Hosting or helping? Helping! Helping eat, that is. :) I actually DID help today at my mother-in-law's. I felt I should earn my keep so I could eat as much as I wanted and not feel guilty. Ha!
8. Name one family tradition at Thanksgiving. Eat a lot of food! Sadly, we really don't have a tradition. Wait, I just thought of one...we watch the Dallas Cowboys play. I do have my kids talk about what they are thankful for and call all of our family that morning.
9. What do you do after dinner? Sit around watching a football game, all moaning about how full we are and how we shouldn't have had that 4th or 5th helping.
10. What are you most thankful for this year? That's easy: being employed! After getting laid off last year, it feels good to be working. Thankful for my amazing kids that give me so many reasons to make me smile and laugh.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I know I did.

Long Time No Blog

Anyone missed me out here in Bloggy Land? Whether you did or not, I have missed it! Here is why I have not been able to blog lately: the firewall in my office was put back up. I know what your first thought is: She blogged at work? Why yes, yes I did.

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I won't bore you with the details of my job in the wonderful world of recruiting, but let's just say that I don't always have a full 8 hours of things to do at work. So I fill part of my days with reading the blogs I follow, blog myself, check Facebook (a lot!), personal email, US Magazine...well, you get the point. It is a far cry my my supreme busy days at Pfizer when I had days I worked through lunch and I most always brought work home to do at night. I just remind myself daily that I am grateful to be employed.

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But noooooooooooo, my company had to get smart and put up a firewall. I know, how dare them! How dare them cut into MY internet browsing. Oh wait, they are the ones that pay me, right? Ok, whatever. I have tried to read blogs on my iPhone and it just isn't the same. I am constantly making the screen smaller and bigger, then scrolling up, down, right, left. It sucks. I want to read the blogs at night, but I have to be up at 4:30 am, so all I can think about after my kids are in bed is to get as much done around the house and get the kid's stuff ready for the next day in a hour. Then I get maybe 30 minutes to lie in bed and watch TV...which by the way is my most favorite thing to do when the house is quiet. So I have to choose...TV? Blogs? TV? Blogs? Sorry, TV has been winning these past 2 weeks.

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For all of my loyal readers (ha!), please keep checking in from time to time to see if I posted anything. I'm not gone forever! And PLEASE leave me comments. They are music to my ears. Er, eyes. Music to my eyes? That doesn't sound right. You know what I mean, I love them and they keep me wanting to blog!

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I need to close now. It is almost 10:00 and I need to get my rear in bed and watch just wee bit TV before I need to close my eyes!

Lesson Learned

Yesterday after work was just like any ordinary day. Got on the DART, rode to Union Station, got on the TRE with some time to spare. It was empty when I got on and found a spot that is my favorite place to sit. 2 seats side by side, with a third one against the wall. I use that to put my purse and bag and a place to prop my feet up to read. My time on the train is MY time. I am rarely interrupted, I am listening to my music while either reading or playing a game on my phone. Sometimes I nap. I cherish this time because I can just "be". Those of you with kids know what I mean.

~

I am listening to my music, sending a text to Jason, when a tall large man with strange old-fashioned glasses on, asked if he could sit by me. My first response in my head was "really? This train isn't even half way full. There are plenty of seats to sit alone". I think I even looked behind me as if to show with my eyes that there were other seats. But you know me, I don't say what I think and I said "um, sure". He sits, and I noticed he had a bag of items in an orange plastic mesh bag. It looked exactly like those bags that hold firewood that you buy at the grocery store that sit outside in the front. I thought it was odd, but hey, I'm on the train. I see a lot of odd things.

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One thing on the train and airplanes that everyone knows, if you have ear buds in or have your nose in a book, you leave them alone. Not this man. I heard him talking but didn't know it was to me because I was listening to my music. I took an ear bud out and said "excuse me? I didn't hear what you said". He started asking me lots of questions about how to load music on my iPhone, where he can get one, does he need a computer for it, how much do the songs cost, etc. After I answered all of his questions I put my ear bud back in and continued to read. I think he said something to me again but I didn't look to see if he was talking to me or someone else. I just wanted to read my book. The same thing happened again. I was starting to get annoyed. I wanted to move seats, but did not want to be rude. So I thought I would act like I was getting off at the next stop, then walk to another part of the train to sit elsewhere. I just really wasn't in the mood for idle chit chat. I talk all day at work, I like silence.

~

I don't remember what started the next time he talked to me, but he later started quizzing me again about my phone, the cost, the carrier. I thought "what's with this man? It's not as if cell phones are new" As I answered his questions, I heard him say a word that I didn't catch earlier. Incarcerated. I let it go and listened to him some more, not wanting to be rude. I then just asked him, "have you never owned a cell phone?" and he said "no, I told you before, I was incarcerated and just got out of prison". Now before you freak out and think "Alli, why didn't you get the hell out of there?", hear me out. I then felt just horrible for thinking all of the things I did about this man I didn't know. I clearly judged him. Then it all came together about the bag with his belongings, the glasses, the clothes he was wearing. Again, I felt horrible.

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I then let my guard down and listened to him some more. He was very well spoken and talked about his past, why he was in prison (was in Huntsville for drugs), and what his goals and plans are. He had my ear and I just listened intently to his story. This was a man that was in jail for 10 years, got out and went back to where he felt safe: his old friends. Fell into the same habits and problems, then went back to jail. This time, state prison for 7 years. I asked him questions I was curious about. He told me about how they do nothing to reform them and prepare them for the real world when they got out. How crooked the Warden and Chaplains are. Here he was in his early 40's, dropped off in Dallas with $50 and a handful of condoms. Really. He said the most they were told about was safe sex (hence the condoms) and were given pamphlets about other resources. That is what the state of TX gives when they are released. Isn't that sad?

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He talked about how he had been sober for 5 years, how it is easier to get drugs in prison than on the streets (awful!), and what he did for himself to prepare for the real world. It was heart breaking, yet inspiring to hear about what all he did for himself. Not relying on other's to initiate it for him. I told him to surround himself with supportive people and those that only want good for him. He then said "that's why I asked to sit by you". My heart just dropped. I tried to not show the shock in my face. I was just speechless. I then said "I am glad you did". After more talking, my stop was coming up and I told him how much I enjoyed our talk, wished him the best of luck, and told him he CAN succeed...my version of a pep talk to someone I barely knew, but I truly wanted him to do well. I wanted to just hug him. Instead, we shook hands. He said "It was a pleasure speaking to you, Miss Allison".

~

When I got to my car, I just sat there and cried. Cried for how I judged a man before knowing him. Cried for what he said to me about why he chose to sit by me, and how at first I was annoyed to not get to sit alone. How selfish of me. How judgemental of me. I learned a good lesson and was reminded to take the time to see the good in others. It's there. I will never forget my talk and lesson I learned with L. W. I hope I never forget him.

Friend Makin Monday...or Tuesday!

With yesterday being Labor Day, I didn't even turn on my computer! Really. Well, I did check my email and Facebook on my phone. Does that count? I was busy yesterday taking my kids to the park, then to a friend's house for the kids to play in the sprinkler. They had so much fun and it just wore them out. BUT, when we went home I immediately cooked dinner, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, did 2 more loads of laundry, helped Sammi with a school project, got both of them bathed, then finished my night with ironing clothes. Am I trying to sound like a martyr? Yes! After what should have been relaxing, it wasn't. I guess I could blame myself for not just letting it go for 1 more day and just relax. But I have a hard time relaxing in my house when things need to be done.

Ok, enough of my rambling! Yesterday was Friend Makin Monday and I missed it! So today I am just going to do it, even if it's Tuesday. So here to go, today's topic: Favorite Things About Fall.

Fall is my most favorite season. Being in Texas, I can't wait for fall season to get here so there is an end to the heat! Here are my favorite things:

1. Changing of the leaves! One of my dream vacations is to go to the New England states and drive around the countryside, looking at the beautiful trees with the leaves changing colors. Ooh, and stay in those cute Country Inns or a Bed & Breakfast.
2. Fall Decorations! I love getting out my wreath, a lot like this one, to hang on my door. It makes me smile when I see it. My favorite are the red leaves.

3. Cool, crisp air! I love, love, love opening the windows in the house to air it out and feel the cool air.

4. Sweatshirts! Love sweatshirts. Love 'em.

5. Football season! Mainly my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys. I know some of you hate them because 1. you hate Jerry Jones or 2. you don't live in TX and you hate hearing them called America's Team. I grew up with die-hard Cowboy fans, I married one, so I am one. I enjoy having friends over for the games and an excuse to make lots of appetizers that are not healthy and eat 'em up.

6. Halloween! The best is seeing your kids dressed up and going with friends to have our kids trick or treat together. Then we get to come home with tired kids, put them to bed, then I go through their candy and pick out my favorite that I just know they won't like. he he, I know, that is really mean. But in my defense, I learned that from my parents. I know they did that!

7. Thanksgiving! This picture isn't of my family (but they look nice, don't they?) but it shows what is great about Thanksgiving: the family sitting at the table, having a great meal (why do we make certain foods just on Thanksgiving??), and talking about what we are thankful for. AND, our meal is planned around the Cowboy game. Yep. We either eat before so we are done by the time the game starts, or we eat when it was over. It's just the way it is in mine and my in-law's family.

8. Samantha's birthday! I love planning birthday parties. I enjoy making invitations and just can't wait to figure out what the theme will be so I can make the invitations around it.

I have no idea why I used an ! after each item. Maybe it's because I just love fall and it makes me excited!

Friend Makin' Monday

I have been kind of off on Friend Makin' Monday lately and I'm trying to pick back up on it. Amber will be hosting FMM for awhile. I love reading her blog, which you can find here.


Today's topic is 20 Questions. Should be pretty easy, right? These are not your normal questions, which makes it more fun!

1. Do you cook every night?
I wish my answer was yes. With Jason traveling more and more, I have been finding myself throwing together dinner for a 3 yr old that is super picky, a 6 yr old, and me. Which usually ends up with all of us eating something very different. It is on my mind a lot and I am trying to be better at it.



2. What kind of laundry detergent do you use & why?
Purex High Efficiency. We have to use the HE for our washer and Purex is the cheapest. But it smells good and that is all I really care about.

3. Do you do laundry every day or loads at a time?
Loads at a time. Usually on Saturday morning. If we are away for the weekend, then it stacks up and I end up doing it Sunday evening and then catching up after work throughout the week. Yuck.

4. How often do you eat out per week?
For lunch, 1-2 times. I am using that as my treat since I am eating in more. For dinner, probably 2-3 times. For crazy weeks, add 1 or 2 to the number. :)


5. Where do you usually eat out?
Chick Fil A, Sonic, or McDonalds (do they put kiddie crack in their Happy Meals?) for the kids. Me, anywhere.


6. What is your favorite retail store?
Target!!!


7. What's your favorite thing to drink?
Coke...from Sonic, please!

8. Do you take vitamins? What kind?
No and I really need to. I get so overwhelmed in the vitamin aisle and have no clue on what to get. Can someone PLEASE leave me a comment on what to get?


9. What percentage of the household chores to you do?
100...ha! Some days it feels like that. I honestly would say 95%. I am an enabler and one of those "oh, I'll just do it myself" instead of just asking for help. I know, I know, I need to work on that.

10. Do your children do chores? {Or will they, did they, etc}
Another thing I need to get better at. Sammi (age 6) helps set the table and put her clothes away that have been folded. I make both pick up toys and put away as well as put their clothes in the laundry hamper. They clean their own rooms, although I end up having to help Josh (age 3).


11. Do you go to church?
Yes. This summer has been crazy with weekend trips here and there so we have missed several Sundays.

12. Do you have a housework schedule?
Sort of. During the week it is just trying to keep my head above water by picking up here and there, doing dishes from dinner, etc. I do the big cleaning on Saturday so I can rest on Sunday. It doesn't always work that well, but that is what I aim for.


13. Do you keep a working budget?
No, and I wish we did. Again, any suggestions on how to help when I am the saver and he is the spender? We have been married 10 yrs so this could be a tough one to deal with and change.



14. What do you do at night as a family?
During the week it is dinner, homework, playing, baths, read, bed time. When it is bath time, whoever bathes the kids, the other dries and puts on pj's. Each picks out one book and I read one, Jason reads the other. When it is time for bed, we trade off taking one kid to bed while the other takes the other one to bed.


15. How do you prepare yourself for a new week?
I like to get all of my laundry and cleaning done on Saturday so I can rest on Sunday and get ready. But I prepare by doing the same thing each night: get the kids bags ready, make Sammi's lunch, etc.

16. What do your mornings look like?
Mine is pretty easy...all I worry about is ME! That is just about the only thing in my life that is all me. I am out the door by 5:30 am. Jason gets the kids up, gets them dressed, gives them breakfast, helps brush their teeth, then takes them to school. Since I started working in Dallas, our mornings have been reversed and I am pretty sure he has a new found appreciation for crazy mornings!


17. What time do you get up in the mornings?
5 am. I know, yuck.


18. What time do you go to bed at night?
I need to be asleep by 10 or 10:30. The nights that go to 11:00 make for slow mornings.


19. How do you manage all of the paperwork that floods into your household? {bills, school work, magazines, ads, etc}
Oh Lordy, I seem to have stacks of "stuff" all over the house. The kitchen bar, the kitchen table...Jason doesn't like it, but at least it is nice and orderly in stacks, right? Then I go through them every week. But I go through Sammi's backpack as soon as I get home from work to see what needs to be done, signed, returned, etc.

20. How do you keep your household organized? {calendars, charts, etc}
I have a family calendar on our fridge that is just for the week. You can add each family member to have their own row for the week. It is helpful!

Ok, I was honest. Now it's your turn!

Grandmother, You Will Always Be In My Heart

For 34 wonderful years, I had my amazing Grandmother in my life. How lucky was I? On Sunday, August 23rd, she passed away peacefully. Jeannette Johnson was 96. Yep, 96. And she lived a great, healthy (not a single surgery!) long life until Alzheimer's stripped that away. Thankfully we have modern medicine that helped prolong the inevitable. But it was still hard. For the past 4 years we have been slowly saying goodbye.

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I was blessed to spend time in the hospital with her before she died. She didn't know who I was or understand what I was saying, but I did. I just held her hand, touched her soft face, told her how much I loved her and what an amazing grandmother she was to me. She didn't talk or make facial expressions, but when I said my last goodbye I kissed her cheek and gave the longest hug possible, she tilted her head toward me and lifted up the shoulder I was resting my head on. I will never forget that.

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Things I will forever remember about her: making an entire batch of banana pudding (my favorite) for me. No one else. And she told me I didn't have to share either. Having tea parties with me and Meredith with Kool-Aid to drink. Having candy in her purse for me during the many musicals, plays, operas, and symphonies she and my Granddad took us to...I think she strategically gave them to me in the middle to wake me up. Teaching me how to cross-stitch. Her amazing cooking (she didn't know how to boil water when she got married). Her smile that lit up a room. Seeing the way she looked at my Granddad so lovingly, even after 65 years of marriage. Hearing her sing in church. Lying in bed with me until I finally fell asleep for my nap.

~

I could go on and on. I know that no one lives forever. I know that everyone dies. But it is still not easy to let go. What gives me a smile is knowing she is in heaven dancing with my Granddad.

Paying It Forward

Other than getting many hugs and kisses from my kids after work, I cannot think of anything better than seeing a box on my front porch addressed to ME. Not some golf item for Jason from eBay that seems to come weekly. No, a box for ME!

I barely put down my purse before ripping into this bad boy. When I opened it up, I saw this:

I love, love, love cute tissue paper. I do. I'm the one that saves it from a birthday party or just from any gift bag because I love them so much. I loved the bright colors.

Then after I smoothed out the tissue paper to save and re gift (don't be surprised if you see this in your gift bag!), I took out these goodies:

Some of my most favorite things! Clorox wipes (a must to have under every sink in my house), a Sonic gift card (I can get many 'o happy hour drinks with this!), Burt's Bees lip balm, and big hair clips for my massive, thick hair.

All of these goodies came from my friend from college (go TJC Apaches!), Angie at Just Shy Of A Y. She really pays attention to what I love! But you too can have gifts, for no apparent reason just for me passing this contest to all of you!

Here are the rules...

1) Be one of the first THREE bloggers to comment on this post.
2) You then agree to share your snail mail address with ME so I can send you a small gift handmade/purchased by ME!
3) When you receive your gift, you then blog about this game & link back to my blog in that post.
4) And most importantly, you ALSO AGREE to pay it forward and send a small gift to the 3 people who comment on your blog post.

Yep, it's that simple! So what are you doing?? Leave me a comment! Besides, you know how much I love comments!

I Can Only Take So Much...

What an eventful weekend and day for my precious 6 year old! First she informs me a few weeks ago that she wants her ears pierced. Jason and I had talked about it when she was a baby after having friends and family ask if we were going to pierce them then. We agreed to wait and do it when she is ready. Just a year ago she was telling me emphatically that no way would she EVER put holes in her ears and how that would hurt too much. I told her that if she never wanted that done that that would be fine.

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Flash forward to just 2 weeks ago. My how her mind-set changed. She was probing me with lots of questions about how it is done, if it hurts, how long it hurts, etc. She made sure that I knew how much she wanted it done and how she would take care of them when I explained that you have to clean them 2 times a day for 4-6 weeks. Personally, I think she had some friends at school with earrings and she wanted to be like them. Wow, that is just how I was at her age!

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We waited to talk with daddy about it after he came home from a 2 week business trip. Off we went to the mall yesterday to get it done. She was so excited! Jason decided at the last minute that he wasn't going because he wouldn't be able to deal with seeing her in pain if she cried or freaked out. So he stayed home with Joshua and I went with my sister-in-law that was in town and her 4 kids.

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Here she is getting ready and oh-so-excited. I could tell she was getting nervous because she was so quiet. For her, that's a big deal. :)

She even had a cheering section. Here is my wonderful sister-in-law, Julie, and 3 of her kids. They were so sweet with Sammi, telling her how brave she was.

Marking the points on her ears.

Ready...aim...fire!

Oh. Wait. This was not what I expected! Silent tears. I felt horrible! I felt removed from the situation, being behind my camera. Then I snapped out of it to console her. My poor baby.

Isn't this the saddest picture you have seen? But wait! Look at her cute earrings.

A few hours later and the shock has worn off. I couldn't tell if it really hurt or if it was the sound of the guns going off at the same time. I know I didn't like the sound when I got mine done when I was 10.

She must have looked at herself in the mirror umpteen times. It was cute. Then the focus moved from new holes in her ears to getting ready for her first day in the First Grade! She was so excited to see her friends again, but honestly, I think she was more excited to wear her special outfit she picked out to wear on her first day. Admit it, she looks so cute. Biased? Yes!

Had to get Joshua in the picture. My oh my does this boy need his hair cut! But to his defense, it is unruly when he first gets up in the morning. Trust me, there is a head underneath that massive amount of curly hair.

Her new, very own desk! She loved having her name on it. I like the look on the face of the kid next to her. He doesn't look as happy to be there as Sammi is. If she is anything like me, she is just chomping at the bit to tear into her box of new school supplies!

What a couple of days for me...I need a break! First the ears getting pierced and her looking more grown up, then moving up a grade. I should have thought better and spaced them further apart, a mommy can only take growing up "stuff" in small increments!

Camping in the Ozarks

Two weeks ago Sammi spent the week with Jason's sister Julie and her family in Arkansas. They were going to be camping the following weekend, then we would be picking her up. After Jason had been gone for work for 2 weeks I thought we needed some family time together. So we packed up my dad's travel trailer and off we went to meet up with them at Devil's Den State Park.

-

What appeared to be a good idea at the time turned out to be more of a headache. Jason was originally coming home Thursday night and then turning around the following Tuesday to to back to Vail. That changed to him coming home Friday afternoon and then leaving Monday morning. But we still went! Granted, we didn't leave our house until after 10:00 pm. But we still went! Hauling a trailer what should have been 6 hours turned into 8! Really. Thankfully, Joshua slept well, but I felt guilty for sleeping even after Jason urged me too. By the time we got there, unhooked the trailer, got it set up and to sleep it was 5 am! I quickly went to sleep as did Joshua. Jason? Nope. He ended up checking out the fishing holes. I think I got about 2.5 hours of sleep. Sammi, Jason's dad, and Julie's family were already there and sleeping soundly. Around 8:00 each of the 5 kids trickled over to our campsite. We were in a great area where the kids could walk or bike to each of our trailers.

We found out quickly that Joshua is ready for his own big-boy bike. That kid was barely off of his cousin's bike the entire weekend. Excuse the small pictures, I took them with my phone since my camera is getting fixed as I type this.

After breakfast, we headed out on a trail with another friend of Julie's with their kids. They have 5 kids. It was 6 adults and 11 kids ages 19 months to 7. Yikes! But they did great. We came to a cave that the men went in with several of the kids. Mine were not really wanting to go that far in so they came back out. It was really far in and they were gone for about 30 minutes. It felt like much longer. I tried with Josh, but it was really narrow in the beginning which I would have needed to carry him. The ground was slippery and I just saw it turning into a disaster.

Here is Joshua and his cousin Easton. Not sure why he has his hands over his ears, but this was the best I could get!

All 11 kids outside the cave. I felt pretty puny with my 2 kids against Julie's 4 and Emily's 5. :)

Joshua and Carter. See what his shirt says? "Lock up your daughters". A guy from Belgium saw it on the trail and asked to take a picture of it.

Sammi and her best bud, Carter. They love each other so much, I just love them having cousins their age!

Don't they look like a newer version of The Little Rascals? Joshua, Easton, and my precious niece Noel.

A cool Salamander Julie found. After I took this it went back into the hole in a flash. It scared the poop out of me! Not really, I was poop-free, but I really scared me. I had visions of it jumping out at me, covering my face, and me running around like a mad woman trying to get it off my face. Have I seen too many movies with cats and squirrels doing that? YES!

Jason and his dad took all of the kids fishing later that night. I didn't get any good pictures of it. I can't freaking wait to get my camera back! Argh. A few caught some fish, but not as many as they had hoped. I'm sure them screaming and throwing rocks in the river didn't help.

On Sunday before we left we took the kids to the pool. As usual, they had a ball!

We had an amazing, quick camping trip with our family. But is it really considered camping with the luxury of sleeping in a bed with A/C? I love camping in tents, but not when it is in the 100's outside and 2 other kids to deal with! By the time we got home it was almost 9:00 pm...but it was worth it!

For Those That Find Dora Annoying

Don't get me wrong, Dora has been a favorite of both of my kid's cartoon-watching lives. We have had umpteen (yes, I insist that is a word) Dora toys, Dora movies that were on repeat at times, Dora bath toys, Dora games, you get the idea.

But as a parent, is it just me that finds Dora to be a tad bit annoying? Her whiny voice certainly doesn't help. I'd like to blame her for Joshua's constant whining. I mean, he watches her more than any other show so it's a learned behavior, right? Her haircut is ugly, her shirt doesn't fit, and her only friends seem to be animals that can be equally annoying.

I LOVE Dora when I am cooking dinner because she keeps Joshua occupied, happy, and out of the kitchen. Oh that makes me think of another thing I don't like about that show: where are her parents? She is just left alone all day to roam the world (planet, sometimes) with talking animals and going into scary forests. What's up with that? Don't her parents know what kind of scary world we live in with evil predators lurking? Sheesh, someone needs to call the CPA and report them. I have gotten evil glares if I have snuck out of the INDOOR playground at McDonald's get myself another refill of my drug of choice: coca cola. And Dora's parents have no clue where she is. Ever. Maybe it's her annoying voice that is making her poor mom want her out of the house and out of her hair all day. Just a hunch.

This ranting of our bilingual friend, Dora the Explorer, brings me to why I started this post. Check out Wendy Aaron's blog. She has a guest poster, Lulu & Moxley, and it is freaking hilarious. I found myself nodding from agreeing to so many other things about Dora that are annoying and odd.

Even if you have not watched an entire show of Dora, please read. You will laugh out loud. I know, I could have just shortened those last 3 words with LOL, but that really annoys me too.

Mommy/Daughter Day

Wow, it has been awhile since I have written anything. My normal routine has been thrown into a tailspin these past 2 weeks. What started to be a week long business trip for Jason turned into 2. I really think this has been the longest we have been apart. While he is gone, I need to have help from friends and family with dropping off the kids at school in the morning. I am SO grateful to have our parents live within a hour from us. My mom has stayed with us here and there to help out, my dad has come over my house bright and early before 6 am, and the kids have spent a few nights at my mother-in-law's so she can take them in some mornings. I pick them up after work, it is just the mornings I need help with since I leave my house at 5:30 most mornings. Yes, that is early!

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Soooooo, most nights I have not had the luxury to just relax after the kids go to bed or fiddle around on the computer. And work has been nutty, so no down time to blog during the day.

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BUT, I had a great idea a few weeks ago to surprise Sammi with what I call "Mommy & Sammi Day". We have done this in the past and that is all she has been asking me recently, "mommy, when can we have a just-us day?". Great idea! Her school had a Christmas in July party that she wanted me desperately to attend. My previous job was really close to home, so I was able to attend pretty much every party, even in the middle of the day. Not so much when I work 45 miles away in Dallas. I decided I would take that day off and surprise her at the party, then go out just the two of us for the day. I made up an excuse that I had a doctor's appointment and couldn't make it. I felt bad for lying, but I had to come up with something because I was actually home in the morning when she woke up. I loved the look on her face when she saw me come in her classroom that morning. I wish I could have gotten a picture of it.

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She is fascinated with me riding the train to work everyday, so I thought we would ride the train into Dallas. Not 5 minutes into the ride, she was asking me "how much longer?". Really? Sheesh.

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Here she is waiting for the train to arrive. She was so excited. Oh, and the hat she decorated at school.

We walked around the downtown area, went into the old red courthouse, then ventured to another building to eat. Here she is playing with the water fountain. About 2 seconds after I took this, I was scolded by security that I cannot take a picture. My arguing self said "why? I don't see any signs saying not to do that" ah-hem, in my nicest voice, that is! She said there wasn't any signs but the owner doesn't like pictures to be taken. Really? Doesn't that seem a bit much or is it just me?

Eating lunch together...she insisted I sit on the same side of the table with her. I loved it, as I know there will come a time that she doesn't even want to be at the same table with me. :)

View of Dallas from the 40th floor of some building. We were going to go to the top of Reunion Tower, but the observation decks are still closed for renovations. I wasn't willing to shell out the dough for us to eat at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant just to see the view from there.

We did a whole bunch of more walking around, going into shops, and just talking. It was great, just the two of us, no interruptions. She got a doll that is like a Webkin where you do things with it online. Here she is on the train back with her. She took the clothes off and giggled when she saw it had boobs. Oh my.

When we got back to our area, Sammi wasn't quite ready to go back to reality and pick up Joshua. So we took a detour to Marble Slab and had ice cream together. mmm...it was good!

I cherish these moments with her. I know it won't always be this way, so I will enjoy it while I can! My goal is to do this with her every other month, even if it's just a few hours together on the weekends. My little girl is growing and I don't ever want to look back with regret that I didn't spend more time with her, one on one. I remember having those times with my mom and they were priceless.

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I love you, Sammi-girl! I am glad God gave me YOU!