Easter Parties

Easter week was a busy fun filled week.  Between preschool egg hunts for both boys, a music makers egg hunt, the S&W egg hunt, and decorating sugar cookies & dying eggs with LOTS of friends...we stayed busy.  It was a blast!  Thanks to Meg, she reserved a pavilion at the park, and we all came with eggs, dye kits, cookies, sprinkles,  frosting, etc.  The kids ate and played for hours.

Blue Bonnets

A few weeks ago Flat Stanley came to visit us all the way from Utah!  Our sweet niece Mary sent him to us to learn about Texas.  So, of course we had to take Stanley out to see the blue bonnets.  Guess what....he loved them!  We got Stanley some treats to take back to Utah (confetti eggs to crack on peoples heads).  I sure hope he had a fun visit with us down here!

Preschool Zoo

Isaac's preschool recently went on a field trip up to the Waco zoo.  Spencer and I were able to tag along and enjoy the day out in the sunshine.  It was fun to be out with my boys and spending the day together.

Getting ready to go in with all their matchy monkey shirts.  He is such a big kid! 

Spency waiting patiently.  Just VERY happy to be in his "darf" shirt. (If you ask him what Darth Vadar says...he makes raspy throat breath sounds...it makes a parent proud.)

Spencer loved jumping of the steps in the orangutan area. 

Isaac picked out his shoes this morning.  It wasn't worth saying anything.  I find it rather endearing.  He does this a lot. 

 Both boys loved the slide.  Love the faces they make while going down.

Love that face.  Love that boy.  Can't believe he will be 3 at the end of this month!

It was great day at the zoo!

Visitors from Utah

Over Spring Break we were very fortunate to get some visitors.  And some of the best visitors at that....GRANDPARENTS!   Grandma & Grandpa Fluhman braved the airport and make the trek down to Texas.  They kept commenting on how green and beautiful it was down here.  We had to constantly remind them that this Spring has been the greenest we have EVER seen Texas since we moved here.  Good timing!  The blue bonnets were out and the trees were blooming and starting the spread their leaves (and pollen...my allergies are HORRIBLE right now).

We picked them up on Monday down in Austin and we had them all to ourselves till Saturday.  We did a lot of eating, talking, and playing.  Ben was able to take Tuesday off as well so we went back down to Round Rock to shop at the outlets, IKEA, and eat at Mimi's.  I think we almost killed Grandma off that day.  I just have to say it felt good to be outside the bubble of Temple.

Wednesday we ran a few errands, picked up 91 cent chick-fil-a sandwiches for lunch, played at the park, met Ben at home for his lunch break, and spent lots of time playing with Grandma on her ipad.  Ben and his dad I am sure were off in the office in the evening opening baseball/football cards....reliving childhood memories!  The guys were very kind though and sat and watched The Help with us.  Love that movie!

Thursday we enlisted Grandpas help and finally got our little garden box planted.  We did squash, tomatoes, basil, and snap peas.  I hope this year is better than last year with the drought and heat!  After we took all three kids to the Lorax.  I was nervous...but with Man to Man coverage on the kids they did well.  Cute movie.  That night we decided we need to show Ben's folks what Texas bbq was all about and we took them out to Rudy's.  It was a hit!

Friday was pretty low key.  Grandma needed a little extra rest so I took the kids to Sam's Club to get some new tires (such a fun way to spend money) and keep the house quiet.  That night I got a babysitter so the adults could have a nice calm quiet dinner.  Best of intentions but poor Grandpa got food poisoning we think.  It's never fun to be sick on vacation and away from your bed.

Saturday came way too fast.  We hung out, had more ipad time taking pictures and making videos to show cousins back home.  Grandpa even taught the kids how to sound like a bagpipe....truly inspiring I tell ya! It's so fun having Ben's folks come.  It's a reminder of how great family is and how important it is for our kids (and us) to have these opportunities to reconnect and be apart of each others life.  It's hard too though because with that reminder is the sting of knowing we aren't geographically close and that our next "gathering" might be in awhile.  But either way, I am grateful for the time and memories we made together.    We love our Grandma & Grandpa!

Cowboy...Cowgirl

Last week both kiddos had "Cowboy" day in celebration 

of learning about all things TEXAN.  Both were VERY excited!  

Dr. Suess

March 2nd was Dr. Suess day.  When I was teaching fourth grade Dr. Suess Day was HUGE!  We spent the whole day in the classroom doing all things Suess.  But since I stopped teaching I try to find fun things for us to do.  This year our local library was having a Dr. Suess birthday party.  The kids made hats, ate birthday cake, listened to some read a-louds, and got to shake hands with "The Cat in the Hat."  It was a pretty big deal.  Isaac's reaction was pricless, so much so that the newspaper guy taking pictures decided to use it on the front page the next day.  The kids declared they are officially FAMOUS now that they have been on the front page of the newspaper.  It's all down hill from here! 

 Natali & Mary

Soccer Season

This year we decided it was finally Isaac's turn to try out the game of soccer.  He was excited when we told him.  He LOVED his first soccer practice.  Unfortunately he missed his first game, his second practice got postponed, and his next game was cancelled due to rain.  So despite the fact that he hasn't "played" a lot of soccer....we are hopefully that he will continue to love it.  He is on the blue team and one of the kids from his preschool it also on the team.  I can't wait to see this kid in action on the field.  It's sure to provide some good laughs!  Plus he has a built in cheer section...Natali and Spencer can wait either.

Therapy

I believe in good therapy.  Whether it comes in the form of a good talk with a friend, some alone time, a diet coke, a loud and long scream, a pill, retail therapy, whatever it is that works for you.  In my OLD age and busy life I find a need "therapy" much more often now a days.  Thankfully I have friends who also need it.  I appreciate the phone chats, occasional quiet dinners where we can just talk, movie nights, etc.  A few weekends ago I got to get out the house.  It was wonderful.  It felt good.  While at the mall (if we can call it that) I found my self drifting in and out the shoe stores. SHOES are one of my forms of therapy.  There is something so refreshing to me about going in and trying on all sorts of shoes.  Shoes that I dream about buying, shoes that I would never buy cause they look RIDICULOUS, and shoes that I wish I had the courage to buy.  It feels like a mini escape from myself.  And to be honest sometimes I need to escape me.

It felt good.  It felt refreshing.  It was what I needed.

These gold sparkly beauties were calling my name.  I don't know that I could taken more than 5 steps in them, but I sure liked how my legs looked in them :)

Ben, Beard, and a Shaver

During the month of February Ben was on call 19 days straight.  He decided that while on call he was going to grow a beard.  It was all fun and games at first, kinda rugged and cute.  Then it was just annoying for him & me.  I suggested many times that he just shave it of.  And his reply was always the same...NOT until I'm done with call. Whatever! So the day finally came to shave it off.  I wanted him to let me take pictures and document the different phases.  He wasn't fond of the idea.  I took some anyway.  So, proudly presenting the faces of Ben.

Valentines Day-2012

My kids have totally taken to this commericalized holiday.  Monday night I could hear them talking about waking up in the morning and finding the table decorated and little goodies left for them on their plates.  As a mother what was I to do....I stayed up decorating the table, diggin out the little knick-knacks I had purchased last year in a post v-day sale.  And then proceeded to make pink pancakes (dyed with pureed beets) for the next morning.  

They loved it all!  We were even spoiled with special boxes and cards in the mail from grandparents.

 (why on earth did I buy things that make loud annoying noise)

 This year I tackled the "homemade" valentine...in an attempt to be frugile, create a fun memory with my kids, and REALLY actually make something I pinned on pinterest!

That night we had homemade strombolli, sparkling cider, and chocolate dipped strawberries.  It was a hit.  (it was my gift to Ben...a labor of love)  Ben did not disappoint in his v-day card this year....vampire & werewolf (I was laughing so hard).  And even supprised me with a new willow tree figurine and a LARGE diet coke.  He knows me!  It was a great day.

HAPPY VALENTINES

5k

I did it!  I ran my first (and maybe last) 5k.  It was great feeling.  I felt great running it until we got the very end...which was UP HILL.  Thankfully I could see the finish line so it gave me some good motivation to finish strong.  I had 2 goals heading into the race 1) RUN the whole thing...no walking 2) Finish under 40 minutes (not too hard...I know).  I am happy to say I accomplished both.  YAY!  Never thought I'd run a 5k!

Ode to Fudge

Oh Mr. Fudge.  You make my day sometimes.  Your sweet smile and excitement when I come 

in your room melts my heart.  I love your little squishy face.  I adore your fascination with all things

McQueen and Trains.  

 Fudge enjoying some cinnamon sugar pretzel bites (thank you pinterest)

Indulging in some hot chocolate & marshmallows 

Making a mess with our traditional after school snack...a peanut butter sucker (courtesy of Ben) 

 Sporting his new Superman shirt...just like big brothers.

Watching Isaacs preschool program.

We love our Spencer.  He is so funny.  He loves playing with his cars, and can often be found trying to keep up with Natali & Isaac.  He will still snuggle me after his naps and gives the best "loves".

Happy Birthday Ben

Ben celebrated big 32 this year.  It was a rather anticlimatic day.  He woke up bright and early...4:30am to be exact.  Was in surgery all day and was post call.  I put up a few decorations and well...thats about it.  I did make a homemade chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.  It was a big hit!

The kids were SO very anxious to help blow out candles and eat cake.  Happy Birthday Dad!