Happy Birthday, Mia!

What's this? Two posts in one day? That's because when I was getting my anniversary pictures (all TWO of them) off my phone, I saw that I had taken like a million pictures at Mia's birthday party this past weekend. And what a fun party it was! Mark and Rosie set up their backyard for a day of watery fun. After swimming and playing on the water side, the kids played a game of balloon toss on the sport court. Jack just played with the balloons. And then he went around with the wagon picking up balloon fragments. Such a good helper! After the balloon toss, the kids played kickball with wading pools as bases and a sprinkler and tarp as home base. No one was keeping score and kids were running every which way, but everyone was super excited about the game. Except for Jack who couldn't stay away from the bubble machine. He was pretty much just drinking the bubbles straight from the bowl and I was getting a little worried about future diapers.

We have been on a streak of birthday parties lately. I even had to turn down an invitation for one this Saturday because we will be in the Woodlands cheering on my Dad and brothers as they do the IronMan. I am looking forward to summer when the fun isn't just reserved for the weekends.

9 years and going strong

Yesterday, Tom and I took the day off from work so we could celebrate our 9^th anniversary. Tom still had to wake up early for practice (heaven forbid his team should miss a workout) and I took the kids to daycare. Afterward, we met up at IHOP for breakfast. One of my former students waited on us. Even on my day off, I can’t escape my students. Then we went home and took a nap before hitting the matinee. After the movie, we went out for fajitas and then picked up the kids. The night before, I had explained to Ellie about our anniversary. She really wanted to celebrate our “married time” with us so after picking them up, we went for ice cream. It was the perfect way to end our day of celebration.

I’m not going to lie to you; the past nine years haven’t all been sunshine and roses. But even when Tom and I are duking it out in the trenches, I always know in the back of my mind that we will be okay. I sure do love that husband of mine and I always will.

Sunday Best: Cranky Mom edition

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Seriously, every little thing was making me angry. So, when my expensive SLR camera refused to take pictures when I finally had my kids standing still and posed, well, I was just furious. The thing has been doing that more and more lately. It just clicks and clicks and won't let me take the shot. It will focus on anything else in the room, but never my children. So, I resorted to my old point-and-shoot camera, but the kids were no longer willing to cooperate. And this is why I never take pictures anymore (although I took a ton of pics yesterday with my phone at Mia's fun birthday party, which I plan on posting tomorrow in all their blurry glory). Anyway, I was really mad and I just wanted to yell at someone so I yelled at Tom (because that is what husbands are for) and I am not usually a yeller so Ellie quickly appeared and started scolding me for "talking mean" and I was all, "Don't you tell me what to do. Now let's go to church and think about Jesus."

Sunday Best: Mother's Day edition

I think this would be such a cute Mother's Day photo if only Jack wasn't wearing his pajamas and ELLIE'S SHOES! Sigh.

I left Jack at home with Tom today because I had to give a talk in church. What a disaster that was. I was scheduled to speak right after the children did their special musical number. Since Ellie was already up on the stage to sing, she didn't want to go sit back in the audience if I was going to be on the stage. Not wanting to get into a power struggle in front of the entire congregation, I just told her to sit down behind me and stay there. Yeah, that lasted two seconds and then she was hanging on me. I am trying to stay focused on my talk, but Ellie is all over the place. At one point, she climbed up on the stool next to me and was waving to people in the audience. Thankfully, one of her Primary teachers was sitting on the front row and somehow got Ellie to come sit with her family.

Other than having to speak in church, my Mother's Day was awesome! Tom cleaned the house while I was gone. He even mopped and vacuumed all the rooms! Plus, he kept the kids quiet so I could take a two hour nap! I feel so well-rested and content in my clean, little house.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

My child the genius

I forgot to write about the Parent-Teacher Conference I had with Ellie's preschool teacher last Friday. It was pretty basic, but she did mention that Ellie has mastered addition and subtraction and can now do double digits and carry over numbers. Yeah, yeah, math is boring. What really caught my attention was she said Ellie is now reading. Say what? I read to the child every night and she has never once given me any indication that she could read. So, I pulled out some beginning reader books and, sure enough, Ellie was sounding out all the words. I guess I need to start having her read to ME!

Although I didn't have anything to do with teaching Ellie math and reading, I did teach her what the speed limit signs mean. BIG MISTAKE. Ever time we pass a sign, Ellie will have to yell from the back seat, "Mom, go 40! Are you going 40? Go 40!" And if I don't respond and tell her that I am going 40 (or whatever the sign says) then she will just keep repeating herself over and over. Have you ever noticed how many speed limit signs there are? Because there are A LOT of them!