Go Western Day

I love Texas. I love how every year, all the schools and preschools have Go Western Day/Go Texan Day/Rodeo Day. The kids love to dress up in whatever western gear I can scrounge up. This year, Jack asked me to buy him some boots. I was a little hesitant because I hate to spend money on something they only wear once a year, but I know he will wear them when we go to the Rodeo, and I can pass them down to Sam!

Jack was really excited about his new boots. I bought Ellie new boots, too, but hers are more trendy and she can wear them any day. Ellie is in this stage right now where she can't show too much excitement about anything and if I say I like something, she has to say that she doesn't. But, really, she loves it.

Weekend recap

A lot of weekends I am a total hermit - staying in my pajamas until forced to get dressed for various obligations. This weekend I was all about being social, though. Friday night, Tom and I went to dinner and a movie with all my local siblings and their spouses (so, 8 of us). Actually, Tom bailed after dinner because he had to be up super early for a track meet on Saturday.  I was the third wheel (I guess technically the 7th wheel) at the movies.  It was still fun to hang out with my family without a bunch of small children running around screaming.

Since Tom had a track meet on Saturday, it was up to me to take Ellie and Jack to their practices. Luckily for me, Ellie's softball practice was cancelled, so I only had to corral Sam for 1 1/2 hours during Jack's t-ball practice. Baseball fields are no place for toddlers, what with the swinging bats and balls flying all over the place.

Saturday night was what I was most looking forward to.  I had booked the Houston Escape Room for Dianna's birthday. Basically, 9 of us girls were locked in a room with a bunch of hidden clues and keys and we had an hour to find a way out of the room.  It was crazy hard, but also crazy fun.  We made it out in 65 minutes.  It ended up being an awesome girls' night out until I backed into a friend's car at the very end of the evening. Ugh.

 

  

 

Sunday was church as usual and then in the afternoon we went over to Mark and Rosie's to have a family dinner for Dianna's birthday. 

My aunts and uncles were in town visiting so we had quite the crowd. By the end of the day, I was so exhausted from my weekend that I went to bed at 7:30 (the kids went to bed at 7:00). It is already Tuesday and I still haven't recovered from those late nights and early mornings. I just can't hang like I used to.

A rat for a haircut

Y'all know how strong-willed Ellie is. Well, I have been trying to get her to cut her hair forever, but she flat out refuses. About a month ago, I came up with the brilliant idea to bribe her with a pet rat in exchange for cutting her hair. She agreed and we started researching pet rats. Ellie bought a book and wrote a long list of potential rat names.

Yesterday I decided Jack desperately needed a haircut and I would also make an appointment for Ellie. I picked her up at the bus stop and told her where we were going.  She was so upset that she cried the whole way there. However, once she saw the end result, she absolutely loved it. So do I, but now I have to buy a rat.

Feeling the love

Sunday Best

Here is how I do my Sunday Best pictures. Right before we walk out the door, I say, "Picture time!" and the kids automatically go pose.  Even little Sam runs over and says, "Cheese!" without much prompting.  I then quickly snap like 10 pics in a row and hope that one ia semi-decent before rushing out the door.  Sometimes I catch some funny stuff.  Like today when Jack was trying to kiss Ellie on the cheek.
And succeeded.
And then when I find a picture of them posed so prim and proper that even l am a little fooled into thinking what well-behaved kids I have.