Did he just say that???

Let me preface this by saying that anytime we have family or friends come to visit...the few days after they leave is some serious detox time for Garrett. I know it is all my fault and comes from being off of our schedule, staying up late, running here and there, and getting away with much more than usual because he knows he can and probably most importantly, having a constant playmate 24/7 - one that lets him do whatever he wants!!! So this post comes as a result from that detox talking...and not my usually sweet and helpful little boy!

Yesterday, I am in the middle of making dinner (a fun St. Patrick's day dinner I might add that I though Garrett would be SOOOOO excited about!). I had opened a can of green beans to serve on the side and had the can all rinsed out and ready to be delivered to our recycling box out in our garage! This is usually Garrett's job to take the recycles out and throw them in the box, so I just had it sitting there. I was pretty pleased with myself getting a semi-balanced meal on the table before too late at night with almost everything being timed right and ready to be served at the same time, all while keeping my kitchen relatively clean in the process. Seriously, sometimes this is a major juggling act for me...I can NEVER time things right! Anyway, Garrett comes downstairs and I ask him to run the can out to the garage and this is how it went from there...

Me - Can you run that can out to the recycle box?

G - (while taking the can and rolling his eyes) SIGH, SIGH...I don't know why I have to do it. You aren't doing ANYTHING! Stomp, stomp, stomp (on his way to the garage).

Me - (while trying not to laugh and thinking that I'm not supposed to have this conversation for at least 8 more years!) Excuse me...do you want to take that back?

G - (looking slightly sheepish) What???

Me - You really don't think I do anything around here??? Maybe your dinner will just magically make itself from now on???

G - (Another eye roll)

I then go on to give a brief run-down about how we don't talk to people that way...and we appreciate what people do for us...blah, blah, blah...I'm sure you can picture the rest of the lecture!

But seriously, this was so funny to me and SOOOO scary! Is this what the teenage years will be like and WHY is it starting already!?!? Again, I'm consoling myself that it was my crazy detox boy talking, and that today, my usually appreciative boy will be back to take his place! I love being a mom!

I'm back...

We're back...not that we really went anywhere in the first place...but Dawnia left this morning and (sad to say) we're getting back to the normal routine! Well, as normal as life is with 2 crazy boys! :)

Sorry for the lapse in posting...and although I always joke about our 'two' readers...I know there are many more of you out there and I just wanted to say thanks for keeping in touch and checking in on us so often! You all mean the world to us!

Here are just a few pics of our week in review...pictures speak volumes right?!?! Maybe that will make up for my lack of writing last week!!!

We took a trip to Galveston...and though it was HOT here at home...the beach was cool and windy! Who knew?!?!?!

Me and my boys!

Our attempts to keep Dawnia here forever - too bad it didn't work! We'll dig a deeper hole next time! :)

Fun in the (cold, cold, cold) surf!

The much anticipated carousal at the zoo. Seriously, why do kids like this more than looking at real wild animals??? Is sitting on a fake caterpillar that much better than an actual lion or bear??? Oh well...they love it! Ethan even got in on the fun, waving to the conductor each time we'd go past!

The underwater tunnel at the zoo...sorry there aren't any fish swimming by...good luck getting the timing right with 4 kids AND a fish! Just not possible!!! (and I have to add, the kids really were having fun...I just managed to capture a picture when no one is smiling...again, it's all about timing...but at least all four of them are facing the camera in this one...that's a feat in itself!)

The Rockets Game...do I even need to mention their winning streak? 22-0 Baby!

Messy Little Mug

Ethan is definitely in his element living down here near the border...this kid LOVES black beans! They end up everywhere...but he couldn't be happier which means I couldn't be happier too! :)

On the mend...well most of us!

Here's to hoping that we are done with being sick for this crazy, drawn-out illness season! Seriously, is it everywhere or just here that illnesses are lasting forever and being passed around like there's no tomorrow??? And I realize that I really have no room to complain...we've been spared, for the most part, from all the real doozies out there...but I'm really hoping that the rest of the germs will pass us by for a good while! I'm just so tired of the runny noses and the little coughs, not to mention our week of throwing up... and then there's the constant wondering if I should keep the kids home from church or refrain from going anywhere in public due to my fear of passing anything on.

Maybe the answer lies in being more afraid of picking up any new germs or any little sicknesses! I bet it's those blasted shopping carts at the grocery store that provide the germs every time - though I'm sure our latest bout of illness came directly from Ethan's 9-month check-up....got to love that!!! Never again will I take a healthy child into a doctor's office during cold and flu season! I only wish we could stay home and not venture too far from home...too bad we need groceries desperately! One can only live off the pantry for so long before the need for fresh produce makes you take drastic measures!

So here's to wishing everyone a healthy and sniffle-free week! I think we all deserve it after this winter!

Favorite Things

All week long I think of all these amazing things that I couldn't possibly live without...and I make myself wait until Friday to reveal my latest favorite. But then Friday comes along...and my mind is completely blank. So, I promise to run right to the computer from now on and post about my favorites...why wait until Friday - right?

Today though, in pondering this all morning, I've come up with too many favorites once again. So I'm writing about the thing that I'm grateful for most today. I guess it's more of a feeling than an actual product that I'll give a rave review on, so sorry if that's what you're expecting. I'm just in a different mood today I guess! Maybe that's what being borderline sick (me or the kids) for weeks on end will do to you...turn you into a sappy mess! :)

I've got to say that my favorite thing today is being able to snuggle up with my kiddos while the wind is blowing away quite fiercely out there and the temperatures have dropped to a chilly level - I won't tell you how chilly because you'll think I'm a wimp! :) Since I was little though, whenever it storms, I get the urge to make cookies or a mug of hot cocoa and curl up and watch a good movie or snuggle under a warm blanket and read a good book. As a mom, these things are harder to do - unless your idea of a good movie is anything animated or if your favorite book is anything Dr. Seuss or involves a magic tree house! This is what my stormy snuggle time has turned into...and while I do have some good books that I'm dying to peruse...I'll cuddle up with 'Green Eggs and Ham' any day if it means that I have my kiddo's close by!

I realized a while ago that I had passed my random urge to bake and snuggle down to my kids...quite often when the sky darkens and the thunder starts to crash overhead...Garrett asks if we could make a popcorn treat or cookies or anything tasty and put in a movie. Pretty cute to know that though my boys look exactly like their dad...there's a little bit of me in there too!!!

Okay, and I just have to add...that our stormy two days here are nothing, I know, to those of you still getting snow and real winter weather. I know I'm a pansy...but there's a reason that I love living here...the weather is great - well, if you don't count the wickedly hot summers! :)

Tasty Treat

I'd have to say that Wheat Thins are a favorite snack in our house...especially when paired with sliced apples and cheese - our favorite snack and sometimes lunch or dinner! :) But, I tried these 'Lightly Cinnamon Wheat Thins' today, and I was very pleased. The light cinnamon taste was surprisingly good - a nice treat while not being too sweet or sugary! Give them a try - I bet you'll love them too!!!

Politics...WHAT?!?!?

So I am embarrassed to say that I did not vote today. What's wrong with me??? People have fought long and hard so that I have this freedom and then silly me, I just let the day slip by without taking advantage of that fact! I always try and vote...and I am sad that today I didn't!

Here is my reason - lame though it may be...I am extremely naive when it comes to anything political. I just don't get it - and yes, I know that is my own fault! I just don't know where to go for the information I want. Anything put out by one party or the other will be biased towards their particular party...watching the news is a joke - it is so skewed to the left or right, depending on which channel you happen to be watching. I don't feel informed enough on the basics to even pick up the newspaper and be able to decipher any of it. Seriously, where do you go for the facts and not all the latest hoopla and/or about the latest smearing campaign...I just want the facts!

I consider myself a relatively smart person...I'm no genius, but I am a college grad with a fair bit of common sense, (though some may argue that fact!) but I cannot get past this mental block with anything and everything political! I always try and read up on the issues I'd be voting on...but things go right over my head. I wish for my college days again, when I had my own political guru...my co-worker's hubby would come into the office over our lunch breaks (or more likely after office hours since we both devoted way too many hours to our office during the day). But he'd go through each bill or initiative and explain in plain English what was really being voted on without trying to convince me of anything- thanks again for my politics-for-dummies course!!!

I think this is my main hold up...I'm just scared to vote on anything...even if it sounds good, without knowing all the details. Sure, give the kids a new park....oh wait, this lovely park is being built on top of a radio-active chemical spill spot that is sure to cause every child's skin to break out in purple spots and to grow a third ear on the back of their heads...oh, if only I would have known.

Now I know that this election is not all about new parks or school levies or anything like that...and the facts are EVERYWHERE on these presidential candidates. I just need to give up my fantasy of there being one right candidate to vote for...there isn't one 'right' person running for office and there never will be...so I just need to have a little faith and vote for the one who will do the best job overall.

When it really comes down to it, I know who I would have voted for if I had gone...and I should have gone to cast my vote. So, to all my 2 readers out there...forgive me. I'll make it up next time around!