Dallas

Well this weekend I got to go on a fun trip to Dallas with my sister in law Molly and her sweet intern from Germany named Christine. We were all so excited and we got very lucky to get a preferred room on the top floor of a nice 4 start hotel. First we got to go to the Gainesville outlet mall on the way down there. It was not what it used to be though. The shops were mostly closed down and we were disappointed. Next we went to the restaurant called "the magic time machine". I definitely had the wrong expectations! I had imagined something magical like Disneyland, but instead it was stinky and weird. However, we had the hardest best laughs ever. It was late by this time so we decided to go to the viewing tower so Christine could at least experience looking over all of Dallas at night. Unfortunately, the viewing tower had been closed for 2 years! SHOOT! STRIKE 3! Finally, we decided to head in for the night. At least our hotel is awesome. The jacuzzi sounds relaxing and wonderful at this point BUT... Can you guess??? Well,  it was broken! I'm glad we got all our strikes out Friday because I really wanted Saturday to be the best day of our trip.
So Saturday, after a quick stop at starbucks, we made our first stop at the container store. I have always wanted to go there and I must say...it is pretty awesome! Next on our agenda, a drive to Allen to hit the outlets. Yeah! I have to say outlet malls have got to be on the top of "my favorite things" list. We definitely hit the jackpot  there. Everyone got something they wanted. I scored my first coach purse for $70! I also got the most comfy under armour tennis shoes. They make me feel like I am walking on marshmallows! And more importantly, they have pink on them!
When we left there, we tried this mom and pop kind of hamburger joint called Snuffers...WOW! I would totally go back there. Fattening and greasy, but totally delicious. Stuffed and happy and now we are on the hunt for ipods for Christine. We hop on over to the Galleria, but no a
Apple store. Christine did find some cute post cards though. Ok, ipods....next we try Northpark mall, where they do have an apple store and she gets an ipod, but they do not have the older version that her brother wants. They wanted to buy them here because they are cheaper in America than in Germany. Still looking....
Last we enjoy another amazing meal at Manny's mexican restaurant recommended by Molly's dad. Mmmm, another awesome, local, good eats. After that, we are completely ready to crash, our feet are absolutely killing us!
Sunday morning we grab breakfast at yet another amazing local...Breadwinners...ummm we totally need one here. I have to say that was my must favorite meal this weekend. Their cinnamon raisin french toast was perfection.
Drive home? wonderful.
Seeing my boys faces when I walked in the door? Priceless.
Giving them their surprise jammis, bubble gum and giant Texas pencil? Fun!
There reaction? Precious.
Everything about thus weekend was wonderful, even the strikeouts.
Why? Because I got know know my sister better, and I love her.

Talking with parker

Chandler asked if I would read him the big space book. Parker said I will read it to you chan.  While looking at the pictures parker  says...Chan, this is Earth amd we live here. And here is the milk where the Earth lives.

It was funny and cute to me. I couldn't believe he even remembered what the milky way was, we only talked about once before last week when we saw it on a slide show.

Talking with Chandler

We have bushes along our sidewalk in the front of the house. Sometimes I park a little too close and it makes it hard to get to the car door. Chandler said "Daddy, I meed you to cut the S down a little"
Shaun said, "what? What is the S?
Chandler explains, "Daddy, the.bushes look like an S and it is too long for the car."

Talking with Parker

So I let the boys give Shaun his fathers day present to him last night. They were very excited. We talked about the presents, remembered back when it was mothers day and had a good time. Then Parker got a very concerned look on his face.
"well when is it my day?"
I reply, you mean like your birthday?
"no, like there's mothers day and fathers day...when is  it kids day?"
Well, why do you want a kids day?
"I want presents too"

Talking with Parker

My brother Jake posted this on his facebook after I told him the story. I like the way he told it so I am blogging his post to tell the story

"The other day my 5 year old nephew and sister were in a store. My nephew saw an elderly lady and sweetly and tenderly asked his mom,"Momma, is that lady about to go to heaven?"

Wonderful Weather!

We just had a great time outside! The weather is finally nice enough to play outside without freezing! The boys took a bike ride and also splashed in some really awesome snow puddles! Unfortunately, the splashing pictures that I took were accidentally deleted from my camera before they finished uploading. I am so sad because I had some really good ones of the boys splashing. grrrrr!
Nevertheless, a wonderful afternoon.

Why do we save pennies?

I was talking with Parker several months ago about money. He had found some change and I told him to put it in his piggy bank. He asked me what we were going to do with all thys money. I explained to him that he could save it up and but something special. He thought for awhile anda all on his own decided that he wanted to save up anda but an airplane ride! Sooo, we have been giving the boys change to save up. I hope this summer we will be able to fly somewhere. Anyway, tonight Parjer sae a cruise ship on tv. He was very impressed by all the fun things you can do in a boat. Soooo, I'm thinking....as a soon as we get to take an airplane ride, we're going to start saving our pennies again for a boat ride.
It's fun being a parent and helping your babies dreams come true.

Talking with Chandler

After watching Enchanted...
Mommy, your the prettiest princess and Daddy, your the prettiest daddy.

Talking with Parker

So we are at Rowynns first birthday party and the kids are playing blocks on the floor. My friends little boy, Kason (6mo. Old), picks up a block to chew on. Parker shouts..."oh no look!  He's germin on it!"

Talking with Chandler

Writing down things my kids say so I can tell them when they are older.

Feeding dogs treats in the living room...
Chandler~ mom, can I give the dogs more treats?
Mom~no, not right now
Chandler ~ why not?
Mom ~ because dog treats are like dog candy so we don't want them to have to much.
Chandler~ oh. (thinks a bit) Mom, can I have some "people" candy?

Talking with Parker

Playing the batman lego game after bath with daddy...
Parker~ thank you for letting me stay up so early (8:00, but he didn't have to go straight to sleep after bath.)

Talking with Parker

Sometimes I like to write down what my kids say so I can remember to tell them about it when they are older....

Here is what Parker has said lately...

At the table last night....(background: Shaun has recently grown a goat T)
Parker- Daddy, why do you have fur on your face?
Daddy - Well, I just let it grow, why?
Parker - Well only old men are supposed to have fur on their face.
Daddy - Well Parker, your daddy is old
Parker - oh

Picking boys up at Nanny's house...
Parker - Mom, we need to get tissues in Nanny's car
Mom- why?
Parker - Because I pick my boogers

Previously in nanny's car...
Parker - Nanny do you have a tissue
Nanny - No, why are you ok?
Parker - I picked a booger
Nanny - Hang on, I'll find something
Parker - Well nanny, I can put it back if I need to.

At Lonestar eating dinner...
Chandler - aaaaaacccchhhhhhhooooo
Parker - EWWWWW Chandler! You Bleshood all over me!

Again...at Lonestar...
Waitress - Macaroni and cheese?
Parker - I had the macaroni and cheese.
Waitress - Here you go
Parker - (trying to take a bite with his ginormous spoon) I need a different spoon, I can't fit this in me.

Things to do on a snow day part 2!

If you missed part one click here


Ok! Here are some more ideas! (some not so fun...)

Reorganize the boys bathroom cabinet under the sink
BEFORE...


AFTER...



Reorganize the cabinet under the kitchen sink! (uuughhh)
BEFORE...



AFTER...





OKAY! NOW ON TO BETTER THINGS...

Feed the ducks popcorn!





tye dye snow!!!


















Find totally awesome icicles!





Make snow ice cream!









catch an old rerun of TOM AND JERRY!









AND MY FAVORITE.....
NAP BY THE FIREPLACE

Things to do on a snow day!

Ok, here are some things to do on snow days! If you have anything interesting you have done please share! We are going a little stir crazy!


Paint!







Ride the bike inside!




Make Valentine that cover over a Hershey..directions are on http://www.cricutholiday.com/2011/01/cricut-chocolate-and-holiday-of-love.html
Of course hers are much cuter than mine...but hey, I am a beginner! Plus...I can't get out of the house to get candy bars!!!








Obviously...PLAY IN THE SNOW!








THEN HAVE SOME HOT CHOCOLATE WITH LOTS OF MARSHMALLOWS!




Make a letter treasure hunt...
put a letter on a basket and have kids go search for all the things in their room that start with that letter



Make Valentines for school




Spend some time reminiscing about the beautiful 70's last Saturday!




play in shaving cream!




Make a pillow pit!




Make cookies!




Play in the snow some more!




window art!

Valenitnes

What better thing to do while you stuck in the house than Valentines! I told Parker he could do a few at a time...but he could not help himself! He did them all! At first he wondered if he could just call himself "Smith". That way it would be shorter to write than Parker. He cracks me up. He really liked getting them all done though. Afterward he asked me for one more sucker. I told him we didn't have any more except the broken one in the kitchen but he had some extras already make that he could give to his next door friends...I thought that is why he was asking. He ran off into the office and came out a second later with this...

How precious it that?....I love how sweet he is. He used the broken sucker and told us that because it was already broken me and daddy could share it.

OKLAHOMA SNOW!!

My sidewalk is filled with 15 inches of snow and it is still falling strong!
Emergency vehicles are all in 4 wheel drive vehicles now. We just heard one of them picked up a stranded Dr. who was headed to the hospital to deliver a baby! YIKES!!
I just let the boys step onto the porch to see it all. They only made it a couple seconds. We will bundled up better later today and try to play at least a little!

Now it is a few hours later and I have more snow!!! This is measured in the same spot as the one above.19 inches!!

And this is my porch!!! 22 inches!

And one last thing! My 4 year old opened the door in the garage and...

Buster and Chandler

So I hear the chihuahua's are the worst dogs to get with kids around. I have to admit that I really haven't met a chihuahua that is not nippy and yippy. Until BUSTER! He is the sweetest puppy. I still just can't believe that he is this super sweet. we really are lucky to have him. He crawls up to snuggle with Chandler almost every night and falls asleep with him. Chandler loves it so much. Chandler grins and wraps his little arm around Buster and they drift off to sleep together.

Busters cousin

Hurley is such a good dog! He knows Buster is little and so he lays down on the floor so Buster and walk all over him and wrestle. They were so cute together. The boys don't have cousins yet...but at least my dogs do. LOL

Muscle Men!

Jumping on the bed and showing off their muscles. They are best friends and I love that I have two boys who play together so well.

Chandler and Boots

Chandler wanted to go outside in the cold so he went and put on his rainboots and told me he was ready. He cracks me up. Glad i got to do a little photo shoot before we had to take the boots on and put on pants!

Best Friends

Chandler is getting to where he absolutely loves Buster and falls asleep with him in his arms almost every night. Of course Buster is in Heaven. That dog would snuggle 24/7 if he could. Chandler also loves playing tug a war with him and playing fetch. He says Reesie and buster are both his favorite...But I think Buster has the upper hand on Reese.

New Blog

I decided to start a teacher blog. There is not much on it, but here is the address
http://firstisafairytale.blogspot.com/

Christmas Morning

Santa sure left a bunch for the boys for Christmas this year! He even ate most of the cookies and he drank all of the milk! Parker and Chandler were so excited when they woke up Christmas morning! It took us a couple hours to open allt he presents! Partly because they had to stop and take a bath with Chandlers new waterfall bath toy! They crack me up. I love that they don't jsut tear through their presents yet. They still take their time and show excitement for every little thing.

Christmas was perfect. i love spending time with my family. My little ones won't be little for long enough. These are the special days, although it keeps getting better and better the older my boys get, I think these days are the ones I may treasure the very most. Innocence, genuine excitement and care free.