Coming Up

This weekend is all about me!!!!!

double time

Not only is it mother's day

but

it's my 6 year anniversary

We usually go out to dinner

and buy each other a gift

based on the "traditional" list

with a $20-30 limit

Kind of makes you think

This year we decided to skip dinner

by the time you eat nice and  pay a sitter

you're out $200

plus I'm trying to watch what I eat

and since this year is iron

we thought we would put our money together

and buy a fire pit for the deck

It's not really iron

but close enough

trouble is....

I'm not sure I really want that

We have several outside areas

and I am having a hard time sorting them in my mind

we have a deck off the kitchen

the grill is there

we know we want that to be the grown up area

for now

it is on the second level 

and not safe for kids to be out unsupervised

off the family room we have a covered area

and and uncovered deck

we have a patio table on the covered section

and a lounge chair on the uncovered

all though I originally thought the dining table would be better

located off the kitchen

and a seating area on this side

since this is where we watch the kids play

either way

my table sucks

it is a Pottery Barn piece of crap

which pains me to say

because if you know me

you know that is my fave store

it's warped and cracked 

and looks 142 years old

it's 2 years old

but looked that way within 3 months

thanks Texas sun

so I really want a new table

so on my agenda tomorrow 

convincing Mark I need a new table

I actually found a nice, plain one at Target

my second fave store

for just a couple hundred dollars

we're saving all this money not going out to eat 

right?

also tomorrow

the LAST soccer game of the season

YAY!

such a beating

I am not a good soccer mom

The arts festival is happening in town this weekend

I would love to squeeze that in

and it might be possible 

since it's all about me

(and sort-of Mark)

We got a yard guy

the neighbor's teenage kid

hey, he's half the price

and actually does a good job

and we have Mark back for those 8 hours 

Tonight is family game night

we are playing some Scooby Doo game

kind of like jenga

should be oodles of fun!

Hope your weekend plans are great

I am going to love on my boys

and be thankful for being their mom

love on my mom

and be grateful for her being mine

(via phone and skype)

and love on my hubbs

and let him be grateful I chose him!

Ode to My Mamma!!!

AKA MOMS or PAT

With my computer in UPS land last week making the transport from Memphis to DFW, I missed blogging about my mom's 61st birthday and preparing my mother's day post.....

so here it is

mom with Connor and Coltonwith Connor (on his 1st bday) and my niece Kayla and nephew Thomas

with Connor when he was born....
I woke her up in the middle of the night and she got my dad up to drive here. They were here by the time I arrived in my room with my new baby

with Colton a week after his birth

with Christian when he was born

with all her grandkids just a couple of weeks ago on our visit

She went from being a great mom to being the best grandma EVER!!! My kids (and my sister's) are so lucky to have her as their MOMS! We love you mom and hope you had a great birthday and an even better Mother's Day.

*on a side note, my mom just got an Iphone, she is now more tech-y than I am. Guess I better get on the ball. She has become a texting fool!!!!

The Aquarium Visit

OK so here are the pictures of the Dallas World Aquarium visit...and fair warning there are a lot!!! They may bore you some, but I am absolutely mesmerized by this place. It is mind boggling to me that you can be in the middle of the city and walk into a rain forest and be surrounded by these amazing animals. If I worked down town I think I would have to go here for my lunch daily.I found it to be so refreshing. There is another aquarium in Dallas that is included with our zoo membership. But wouldn't you know it, it is closed for the entire year for renovations. I have never been to that one so I don't know how it compares, but I will find out next year! This one, however, is pretty special-well worth the money if you have never been.

Alot of the pictures are blurry because of the glass (for the fish ones) and the mist falling.

This shark was swimming right on top of us in the tunnel. He actually just seemed to sit there for several minutes. He seemed to be checking us out as much as we were him.

Connor loves the "amigos"

Baby alligator

Not so baby alligator

This bird just sat on the post and even flew onto a patron's shoulder

views of the waterfall and rain forest from the top

One Happy Mamma

So I have had quite the weekend with my anniversary and mother's day-or should I say Mark has had quite the weekend.
Today we had our usual Sunday pancake breakfast but I got cards from the boys and a gorgeous plant to put in my pot by the backdoor since I have already killed what's just been planted! We had great plans to go to the arboretum for a picnic lunch, but mother nature had a better idea....rain! So we decided to go to the Dallas World Aquarium-which I will post pictures of that visit tomorrow. On the way downtown we stopped at my mother-in-law's house to wish her a happy mothers day.


Just one shot from inside the aquarium to keep you wanting more....coming tomorrow I promise! This crocodile is huge-what are they feeding him? Perhaps it's all the misbehaving little children-good thing ours were on their best behavior today!

Mark with the boys before we went in

Colton so happy to be there (and out of the stroller)

One of my new favorite pics- a little blurry though from the mist that is falling inside

Mark and his mom-see big boys still hug their mommy

The 4 dozen flowers Mark gave me for our anniversary. We have a $20 limit and this year's gift was fruit/flowers. OK so he obviously went over the limit, as always, which is why my gifts suck in comparison! He did buy the tissue paper and ribbon and wrap them up himself-he was so proud. And he should be, they were (are) beautiful.

I gave him a lemon tree so that when I hand him lemons he can make lemonade. OK actually it was a lime plant so that he can flavor his cocktails when I drive him to drink. I went with the intention of buying a lemon tree, but went with the lime since it is more of a plant and you have to bring it in for the winter. It just seemed more mobile. I will picture it once I get it planted. I bought a pot yesterday so we'll see how long it takes me to get put together!

Our self portrait after dinner Friday night (we forgot to have someone snap a photo of us)


I could not have had a better weekend! Thank you to all my boys-Mark, Connor, and Colton

I LOVE YOU!!!