Wednesday, May 26, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister, Donna. Hope it's a good one!

I worked all day...off and on, from 6 a to 10:30 p Patrick had an "awards" ceremony at school that I went to. They are not allowed to give out awards (eyes rolling) so they each went to the microphone and told what they liked about 4th grade.

All this political correctness is really getting to be a bore.

American Idol winner announced tonight. I think it will be Lee. I think Crystal is more talented...natural talent, but I think he is going to win....kinda' an underdog thing. I think she will be better off not winning and getting her record deal quicker and be able to do it on her own terms, which is more her style.

I'll watch the TIVO'd results tomorrow.

Tuesday, 5/25/10

Work, school. regular schedule. Today I was walking and 2 strange birds flew over...I think they were those birds that you always see around cows...can't think of the name of them. Anyway, right after that, a few steps further, a rabbit ran out in front of me and stopped on the other side of the yard and we just watched each other for awhile. I think it is really cool that all of this is in my own backyard. The stuff we take for granted. We have lived here for 14 years (next month) and we have had skunks that eat cat food in our garage, raccoons that shared the cat food with the skunks. I have seen a fox (once), coyotes (many times), vultures, owls, rabbits. I know if they are around all the time they can be destructive, but I'm the type that puts food out for them. I like having them around. Who would have thought when we bought the place in the middle of the city we would have all this wildlife in our own backyard?

Monday, 5/24/10

Regular day of work and school. When I went to pick up Addison, she was asleep and had not been down long, so I left her for Ty to pick up. When he got home, we went to Joe T's for Bobby Cathey's party...they were in town and all their friends got together out there. It was a good time. Found out Bobby and Kerri live close to the gulf shore so I invited us up to visit this summer! The boys were all excited about that! Bobby says they are staying about 3 more years and then will come back to Texas.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Worked this a.m. so I can go to Patrick's end of year stuff at school. After that, took the kids to the water park for the first time this year. If only the water could stay as clean and clear all season as it was today! It was great today, no lines, perfect weather. I took Addison on the big white slide with the green tubes. I did not realize little kids could ride it, but they can, and she said she wanted to, so I took her. We only stayed a couple of hours. Came home and put her down for a nap and fell asleep myself. Got up and worked more, then had dinner, updated blog to today, and went to bed!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Just another lazy day of accomplishing nothing. That's pretty much been my Saturdays for months now.

The boys spent the day getting ready for racing...Addie and I hung out. Donna came over in the evening and we went to Kincaid's (Southlake location) for a burger. Love their fries!

http://www.kincaidshamburgers.com/

I spent a good hour this morning trying to update blog, adding pictures from the trip, etc., and as soon as I was done, I clicked the wrong thing and closed it out and lost it all. I was so mad! So, came back in later and did it all again and then left my office to get something and came back and Addie had closed it out...lost it again. I quit after that (did it today). How frustrating!!

Friday, May 21, 2010

I have been walking on my lunch hour, and sometimes in the mornings. I'm not doing much...just around the whole back yard a couple laps each time. I don't have any idea how long that is but it's a start. I do it when I need to take a break and get up and move around from typing...

Anyway, today I had a visitor on my walk. I looked up and saw a bird and thought to myself "wow, he looks really big." he, she, whatever? I don't know the difference. Just thought he looked big. Then I get closer to the house and I just happen to glance into the neighbors yard and up on their barn is a "giant" vulture. Wow. I went and got my camera and put the zoom lens on it. When I came out, he was gone. So, I put the camera up and came back out to do another lap. When I came out, he was back. So I went back in to get the camera. I did not just walk with the camera because the zoom lens makes it heavy and it was around my neck and it was humid and made my neck sticky/sweaty, did not want to carry it around. Anyway, Finally, he stayed put and I was able to get some pictures. Only problem is, my zoom did not want to focus. got what I could.

There is something fascinating about birds of prey...

I don't know...are they considered birds of prey if they only feed on dead carcass'? and what is the pleural of carcass? :)

anyway, it was a treat to see him. I can remember Josh (the grandson of the couple that lives there) telling us a few years back there was a family of them living in there.

So, here are some more pictures from the trip to the capital...

This is in the rotunda, looking straight up. All the way at the top of the dome is the star and "T-E-X-A-S" It is just Gorgeous!!

This is the senate chambers. My picture s in this room did not turn out great because of all the windows/light, wrong settings. someday I WILL take a photography course!! anyway, up above is where the spectators sit. The desks are the originals - complete with ink wells. Those holes for the ink well are now used to hold a microphone.

Here's a close up with the zoom lens from the dome, looking up in the rotunda.

This is looking up in the rotunda, also, not all the way to the top, to show the different floors/levels. They just don't build stuff like this anymore. It's a shame.

Are you tired of hearing about the trip yet? :)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Addie stayed home with me today. Mom and Dad went to meet with a home builder at their land...I think he is going to design a house that will fit their lot. The one they had picked out would have required $14 grand worth of dirt to be hauled in...

Anyway, back to the capital!

After we left the land building, we went to the capital for our tour. We took a class photo outside on the steps, and then i had someone take one of me and Pat

When you enter the capital, you are in a large foyer, and then you go into the rotunda. The rotunda is very impressive. Lining the walls all the way around are portraits of past Governors. When you are standing in the doorway looking into the rotunda, the portrait on your right is the most recent Governor. They go all the way around to the left side. When they put up a new portrait, the one on the left side moves up to the 2nd floor and takes the first spot on the right, and all those rotate, and the last goes up to the 3rd floor, and so on. I thought that sounded like a lot of work, but it's a cool tradition. I got pictures of George and Ann...






I think these are both VERY good portraits of them...

to be continued...

Wednesday, 5/19/2010 Field Trip Day

This is the day that Pat and I have been waiting for all year. Since the first week of school when they told us that this would be the first annual Fourth Grade trip to the capital building in Austin. I have been really excited because everytime I drive through Austin on my way to San Antonio, and see the building, I think to myself, I'd love to go there someday. But I never have taken the time. It is especially gorgeous at night.

So, today we got to go. For $60 a piece, we took a chartered bus to the Bob Bullock museum, had lunch there, then walked down to the capital bldg and had a tour of the visitors center and the capital itself, then had ChikFilA on the bus on the way home.

So, we got to the museum. I did not know what to except, but it certainly exceeded all expectations. The building itself is GORGEOUS. It had a round staircase, was 3 (4?) stories tall, had a rotunda with a round mural on the 1st floor floor ...and a HUGE star out front. I'll post pictures. Oh, and the movie. Loved the movie. I won't spoil it for those that might someday make the trip, but make sure you see the movie!



We spent the morning at the museum. I did not get to see even half of what was there...will have to come back some day, but the entire thing was devoted to Texas History. One thing i liked was a wall of postcards, some of which had postmarks from the early 1900s. There were a couple that had 1 cent stamps on them...1912, I believe...and you could read what people wrote on them. Very interesting.

It covered it all...and I definitely want to go back! Photos were not allowed in the exhibit area. too bad.





so, then we walked 4 blocks to the capital. On the way, we passed an area that had police and ambulances and lots and lots of TV crews. We asked what was going on and they said they were fighting over the textbooks.

Here's the story about it. http://www.texastribune.org/stories/2010/jan/12/hijacking-history/





So, on to the capital. Our group went to the visitors center first...another interesting tour. It was actually the first Land Grant office and we also watched a film about the capital building - about places you don't see on the tour. I learned that there was a Susanna at the Alamo that survived. So, there was a Susanna and a Travis (Colonel William Travis) at the Alamo. Susanna's husband died at the Alamo, so she was granted the land that he had been promised...actually showed the copy of the original deed for the land. All interesting.







THEN on to the capital.

WOW. It was aMAZing. Stunning. I overhead one of the other parents say that they had been to the US capital and thought it looked "small" and "shabby" compared to this one. Ours is the largest in the US. and the tallest. and it's Beautiful!! You just have to see it.

(to be continued)

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Another typical day....After work I took Travis home and then went to Kohl's before getting Addison. I actually shopped by myself for about 2 hours. Wow...when was the last time I got to do that? I actually found some clothes. Not crazy about the size, but until I do something about that...it'll have to do.

Tonight is the next to last American Idol. I have been following it all season, just not posting much. It's down to Casey James from this area, Lee DeWyze, and Crystal Bowersox.

My predictions: Casey will go home this week. I do like him, but the other 2 are better, in my opinion.

Monday, May 17

Just another typical day. Addie to Mom's, boys to school, Ty and I at work all day. Travis had to go back up to school for a basketball tournament - He had an injury on his team so he played pretty much the whole time...for about 1.5 straight hours. He was beat when he got home.

Apparently Patrick messed up the laptop too and Ty was furious...had to have been something else making him that mad...it was way out of proportion. Must have had a bad day at work.

Addison took her bike to Mom's and apparently spent a lot of time on it today. AND she rode a bit more when she got home. She'd live outside if you let her. Both the boys were that way as toddlers. Guess that comes from keeping them cooped up for the first couple of years! :)

Friday, May 14, Sat 5/15, and Sun 5/16

To sum up the weekend...it rained Friday. Travis did not race (rained out), and as usual, I got nothing done that I wanted to. Sunday Ty went and got steaks and grilled them for dinner...I make the same stuff over and over and we are all sick of it...need some new recipes. I got my hair cut Sunday.

Oh, Sunday Ty took Addie to run some errands and came home with a new bicycle for her. She was SOO excited and rode it a LOT today. She did pretty good. Every now and then it would not roll and she was not pedaling and she would cry and say it does not work. I tried to tell her you have to pedal but she insisted it was not working. Frustrating at the time but funny now!

She's growing up!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Got a 30% off coupon for Kohls so I went today after work. It's gotten so hard to buy clothes...rarely ever do. I miss being a size 8! I'm surprised that I even remember...it's been so long. It's depressing. Time to do something about it!

Monday 5/10 and Tuesday 5/11

Ok, writing these on May 20. I'm getting really bad about missing days. Things just have been busy lately, I guess. Not really busy...but normally I write these after work and lately Addison has been wanting to play outside when she comes home and we are out there for a long time and then I come in and either get dinner or go back to work...so not much time for extra stuff on the computer.

Anyway, I have no idea what we did today, either day, but I'm sure it was outside! :)

Sunday, May 9, 2010 Mother's Day

Wow, what a day. The whole family gathered at Joe T's for mother's day. I have to say, If I"m going to eat brunch, that is where I want to have it. Love the food. Love the atmosphere. Love the grounds. Love to take pictures there. Love it. If Ty and I every have an anniversery party or something big to celebrate, I want to do it there. Just love the place.

I always order Migas. That is the only place I have ever had them..and probably would never order them anywhere else....don't want to ruin it.

anyway, I took Addie and we walked the grounds and did an imprompteau photo shoot...later I took Patrick. Travis never went, so Ty took some pictures of me and the kids on the way out.

Just about the time we got our food, a mariachi band came in and played. (did not think to get a picture) It reminded me of being in Alice, Tx...good times, good memories. It was just a really good day. I really needed that! :)


Keith met us out there, Donna and Gary came, Pep and Jake made it, and Mom and Dad and Rex and Patsy.

(note to Carole: I chose this outfit for today because of your comment about her other pictures! )

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Patrick's soccer season came to a close today. They tied their last game. I only got to watch the first half...then I had to take the princess to the park. :)

The boys raced tonight...Donna and I hung out, ordered pizza. Dominos has a new crust. Have you tried it? I have to say, I'm hooked!! :)

Thursday, 5/6/10, and Friday, 5/7/10

Dont'really remember much about these days...writing this on May 16.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Called doc about Addie. They mentioned that Fifth's disease is going around and I thought "THAT'S it." I had this back when Pep was pregnant...looked up pictures of the rash online and that is what it looks like. Said the rash could last for a couple of weeks. great....

legs look better, but arms, not.

Pat went to church with the Bryant's tonight.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Had the house appraised today....part of the deal with the city and selling them the piece of land, etc. The lady was here waiting when I got home from taking the kiddos...was here and gone in about 10 minutes. House is a wreck and "falling apart"...don't expect much from the appraisal.


Addie's rash is over her arms now too. I'll call doc in a.m. Hope it's not allergy to milk rearing up again. I quit giving it to her just in case.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Got a text from Travis during school that he has a "top 10 ceremony" at school tonight. HE is in the top 10% of his class, and he gets a certificate. I'm so proud of him!


after, we went to Palio's to celebrate.

Got home and got Addie undressed and she has a rash all over her legs.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Pretty Lazy day. addison spent a lot of time out with Dad today and her cheeks got sunburned.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Got up early this a.m. and Donna, Mom, Addison, and I went to Canton for First Monday Trade Days. I have not been out there in about 20 years...not at all like I remembered it. Addison really did well...I was expecting her to be all over the place, but she stayed in her stroller and was really pretty good all day. I did not buy much...got the boys some steak jerky from here: www.mmjerky.com
and got me some ribbon for scrapbooking...and got some letters cut out of thin metal...got an A, an S, and a B. That was it. Lots of neat stuff out there, though.

After we got back, dropped Mom off and Donna and I went to eat (Palio's) as the boys were at the races.

After we got home, I played outside with Addison until bedtime...she washed Travis' car and rode her 4-wheeler and swept the driveway.

Good day!

Travis raced tonight.

Friday, April 30, 2010

http://thecraftyscrapper.com/Worked all day. Did not do much all evening. Don't remember...writing this on May 12.

Top 5 list. Places I shop. in no particular order.

1. Walmart.
2. Kroger.
3. Target.
4. Scrapbook stores.
5. Scrapbook stores.

What can I say? I'm not a shopper. If it were not for groceries, I'd probably only shop at Christmas.

Twenty years ago I loved to shop. 3 kids later...not so much. I could do some damage here, though... www.thecraftyscrapper.com/store/

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Patrick had practice today and I had a meeting for his field trip to Austin, so I dropped him off and went across the street to his meeting. I'm really excited about this field trip. The entire 4th grade is going to Austin, to the state capital and the Bob Bullock Museum. I have never been and I think the Austin state capital bldg is just GORGEOUS so I can't wait to get there with my camera! It's going to be a long but rushed day, from what I understand, but still...just really excited that Patrick gets to do this. We have to meet at the school at 5:30 a.m. and won't be back until 8. Fortunately, we are taking chartered buses so I don't have to drive.

Top 10 list today? um...let's make it top 5. Places to go eat. I've gotten very picky about where we eat out now because of the economic situation.

1. Abuelo's
2. Joe T's (Sunday brunch only)
3. Piccolo Mondo
4. Kincaids or MooYahs (burgers)
5. Mama's Pizza (we hardly ever go here...but it's probably my absolute favorite pizza)

These are in no particular order either.

pretty much anywhere we go, besides those above, I regret having spent the $$.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

No idea what we did today as I'm writing this on May 8...or is it 9th? Addison made off with my calendar...I don't know what day it is!

anyway, I'm filling in this week with top 10 lists since i did not write anything...

Today's top 10 list is candy. My top 10 fave candies...and these, again, are in no particular order, because that would take entirely too much thought...

10. Tootsie Rolls
09. Malted Milk Balls
08. Peanut butter M&Ms
07. Take 5 candy bar
06. Smarties
05. Lindt Truffles...in the red wrapper (the milk chocolate ones)
04. Chocolate covered caramels
03. Nestle's Crunch
02. Skittles (I could not get enough of these when I was pregnant with Patrick)
01. ok, I guess it is a top 9 list!!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

If I'm not mistaken, yesterday was the day we had our house appraised. Some of you might be surprised to hear that we are going to be moving out of state.

Hah! got ya! not really!

The city is getting ready to widen our street all the way to Starnes and they are buying the remaining part of our land that they need, as well as taking out or septic system and tying us into city sewer. For some reason, there is a ton of paperwork and contracts and our mortgage holder required that we have an appraisal, so we did.

So, top 10 list for today...hmmm, favorite drinks? This should probably be a top 5 list...I don't drink much! :)

1. Sonic Cherry Limeade.

2. Dr. Pepper

3. WATER. Ice cold.

4. Amaretto Sours (once in a blue moon)

5. Lemonade

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

Today is May 6, I think. I've lost track. The only thing I remember about today is that the previously cancelled soccer practice was back on but Pat did not want to go and I did not make him. The rest of the day is a blur....the days just run together now. Life is dull. :)

So, I thought I would take this week to give you some top 10 lists.

Today, my current top 10 favorite songs, in no particular order.

1. I Gotta Feeling - B. E. Peas

2. These are the moments - Edwin McCain

3. 100 Years - Five for Fighting

4. Life ain't always Beautiful - Gary Allen

By the way, I'm just reading these from my Ipod list..

5. Im Yours - Jason Mraz

6. Daughters - John Meyer

7. All Summer Long - Kid Rock

8. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

9. All I Want To Do - Sugarland (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this band!!)

10. Hey Soul Sister - Train

That's it for now! Look these up on You Tube or ITunes if you don't know them...they are pretty good!