Ice Storm 2009

So the last couple of days we had "The Big Texas Ice Storm of 2009". I would just love to be able to post some wonderful pics of the fun day that we had while the kids got to miss school. And just show everyone exactly what Texas weather is like... one day swimming in the hot tub and eating on the patio (in my previous post) and a few days later, an ice storm that closes down the schools. Well, I have no pictures because Big Momma (as my kids affectionately refer to me as - I know- very nice term of endearment!) had to go fly. You see this "oh so glamourous" job that I have called me at 11:15pm on Tuesday night as it is sleeting and freezing rain to say that I needed to be at the airport the next morning at 7:15 to fly. I started laughing at the guy, but unfortunately, that didn't get me out of the assignment. So, my sweet hubby drove me to the airport at about 5:45am to make sure I made it on time. He didn't want me driving because my skills of driving on ice are non-existent and I'm sure that he was thinking that he would rather brave the roads than have to raise 3 kids by himself!! just kidding! Anyway- I wasn't home on the day the kids got to miss school and therefore I have no pictures to show for it. :( But thanks to their NeNe - they did get to go eat at Wing Stop which they love for some odd reason and go see a movie. So thank you NeNe for helping to make their day really fun!

Spring Fever!!!

We hit 80 degree weather here in Texas yesterday and we definitely have Spring Fever now!!! All the neighborhood kids played outside until after dark. We love anytime we can eat outside on the patio and heat up the hot tub for the kids. They loved it! Needless to say, we didn't quite get to bed at designated bedtimes, but it was fun anyway. I was complaining and complaining that the kids wouldn't get to bed on time (actually because my 2 favorite tv shows were on, and I needed the kids in bed so I could watch!). Then I ran and grabbed my camera and hubby says, "oh - it's not so bad now that the kids are gonna get to bed on time, because you're gonna blog it now!" He's right! :)















Poor Halle Caroline - she took a major spill on her little battery powered skooter. She has scrapes and cuts from head to toe. That's what is on her sweet little face. :(

Just so wrong

Okay. Now I need to preface my story with saying that... I.REALLY.LOVE.ME.SOME.DIET.COKE!!! I mean really - especially fountain diet cokes. Well, a couple of years ago our family had to go on the debt diet after paying for a bunch of private school for our kids that we couldn't afford at the time (just keepin it real here). So, my fountain diet cokes had to fall into the "Latte Factor" section of our budget - so basically they became very much of a priveledge only 2 times a week. Well now that we aren't on such a tight budget, I still adhere to kind of a strict budget when it comes to my diet cokes. For instance, I love Sonic diet cokes, but I refuse to pay full price for them, so I am only allowed to go to Sonic during Happy Hour from 2-4. If I have to have a fountain DC - I have to go to QT for one where they are only 89 cents - even if QT is miles out of my way.

So all of that to say that today.... I decided to splurge.... I got my hair done, so I'm feelin good and I had several errands to run and it is no where near Happy Hour time and there is no QT anywhere close. So I was kind of craving that McDonalds styrofoam cup fountain diet coke combination. $1.89 for a large DC! Ouch! Ohhhh that was a lot, but it was gonna be so good and worth it on this special day of getting beutified as I had done. So, I drive off with my expensive DC and take my first drink. YUKKK! No carbination!!! NASTY! I quickly turn my car around and go back through the drive through where there are workers all around the McDonalds building doing all kinds of construction on the outside of the building. I tell the lady and her manager at the window that this DC is not good - it's flat - no carbination - comprende????? "Oh" they said, "do you want something else? diet coke is not working today". I said, "no, I don't want anything else. can I have my money back? I mean it was $1.89 and it's no good" The manager then said, "okay, we are sorry, no drinks are working today because of construction. all are flat" (say all that with a spanish accent please)

So this is what I want to know...
1. why did they ask me if I wanted something else, when they knew all the drinks were flat???
2. why didn't they tell me their drinks were flat when I ordered???
3. are they really gonna let all the customers order drinks and then serve them flat all day long????
4. why in the world does construction cause their drinks to go flat??? I don't really think that construction was the problem, but whatever!

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. That was just so wrong on so many levels. I am now sitting here with my nasty CAN of diet coke. Next best thing.

Fun day!

Well the kids were out of school today. The day didn't go exactly as I planned but it was still pretty fun anyway. Halle Caroline had a birthday party which included lunch and ice skating, so Brooks, Ellison, and I had lunch and then joined them for ice skating. Then off to Sweet and Sassy for girls haircuts. We then met big daddy for dinner at Mi Cocina. By the way, he is insisting that I either remove his picture from an earlier post of dinner out with friends or "blog it down" (moving the picture down the page). So I'm really trying to "blog it down" - but at the same time trying to save his health, by showing him that maybe it's time to lose a few LB's.

A mom need to know

This is just a good friendly service announcement for moms. Brooks, my 11 year old has been sick for 3 days now. Fever, sore throat, etc... So at noon today I decided that although none of my kids have ever had strep, I better take him to the the doctor - even though I KNOW IT IS NOT STREP BECAUSE MY KIDS ARE NOT PRONE TO STREP! So I think to myself that I probably should take him to the doctor even though I KNOW IT IS NOT STREP. So as I mentioned, it is noon and I know the doctors office is closed until a good 1:30 and I have to pick up my girls from school at 3:00. Then I am sure not dragging all 3 of my kids to the doctors office after school for all 3 of them to get catch something. So, my time is limited. I suddenly remember this CVS Pharmacy Minute Clinic. Let me just tell you.... It is a couple of blocks away from my house and I think I will just go check it out and see if there is a wait and see what it looks like. Well - there was NO WAIT. There was a sweet little friendly nurse practitioner just sitting there waiting for us to come in!!! It was the greatest thing ever! I kid you not - she was so sweet and we would have been in there probably a total of 15 minutes except for the fact that I decided to get a flu shot, so that took a little longer. So, Brooks did test positive for strep and I felt like "mother of the year" for waiting until day 3 to take him. So then the sweet little minute clinic nurse practitioner electronically sent my prescription over to the pharmacy. We walked over and picked it up and were on our way. Brooks is already feeling so much better. It was the greatest thing ever... I'm not sure that I would take my babies there, but it is great for adults or older kids. I am so pleased with CVS Minute Clinic. They treat all kinds of pains and ailment, so check it out if you ever need it! I highly recommend it because it is quick, easy, and you don't have to wait in a doctors office with all kinds of sick people this time of year. I was out of there with a $20 copay and a $6 prescription. Seriously $26!!! The bomb!

The weekend

We started the weekend with having a nice dinner with some friends, something that we do way too seldom. We had a great time!













And while we were at dinner, this is what our kids were doing...







and this...

















and this...


Lovin them some photo booth!












Saturday brought us some excitement when Trooper the dog ate an entire huge Hershey bar. Not a regular size hershey bar, but a super size bar. So we discover this little detail as we are walking out the door for church on Saturday night. So instead of church, we end up rushing him to the animal hospital. Here he is - all better now after some major throwing up and a nice little dent in our vacation fund. :( At least he is okay, I was not really in the mood to reenact Marley and Me.














We finally made it to church on Sunday. After church we had to gather some supplies for Ellison's class project where she has to make a building in our community. She decided to make "Polka Dot Dreams" !!! Imagine that! Well although PDD is actually in our house, we/she is going to create it as if it was a cute little shop in our community all pink and green and monogrammed! Ellison got a little sidetracked on the supply gathering and decided she would dress up a little... I just happened to have my camera!


















And here is dad, when he is supposed to be putting everyone to bed...














Have a great week everyone!!

Look what I got!!!

Wow!!! I am beyond excited! I just got my first award!!!! Thank you so much Casey! I love reading her blog! Go check her out!










The rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

And, I award:

More Wine Please - I very much enjoy her blog.
Coco's Cuckoo World - she is my (and my hubby's and also my kids - sometimes) daily entertainment! Very very fun and funny!
Baseballboy - My cute boy that is doing a great job on his blog. Just a little run on sentence every now and then! ;)

Tagged

Thanks Amber for the tag!

8 things I did today:

1. woke up in DC
2. flew to Miami
3. flew back to DC
4. flew to DFW
5. drove home from the airport
6. took shower to wash off "airplane yuck"
7. checked on all my babies in bed and already asleep
8. got on the computer to check on all my blogs and what I missed today

8 favorite resturants:

1. Joe T. Garcia's
2. Chuy's
3. Mi Cocina
4. Brio
5. Del Frisco's
6. McDonalds - I'm addicted to their french fries and diet cokes
7. Chipotle
8. Zu Romas


8 Shows I Watch:

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Private Practice
3. Desperate Housewives
4. embarrassed to admit this but - Entourage
5. TMZ - that's emabarassing too, but I'm addicted
6. another embarrassing one - The Hills
7. American Idol
8. Biggest Loser


8 Things I wish for:

1. To be a better mom
2. To be a great mom
3. To live my life for Christ
4. To have a closer walk with Jesus
5. For my kids to stay close to Jesus
6. For my kids to not turn into horrible teenagers
7. For my family to stay safe and healthy
8. Wonderful spouses for my kids

8 things I look forward to:

1. A trip with my husband. We got to go to Playa Del Carmen last year and it was one of the greatest things we have ever gotten to do.
2. Spring
3. vacation with our family to the beach
4. taking our kids snow skiing
5. Summer - warm weather, daylight savings
6. Spend more time reading God's Word
7. Heaven

New Years Eve

We kept it pretty low key this year for New Years Eve. Derek and I went to eat with some friends and were home early. After we got home the girls and I made some sweet snacks. Brooks was having a friend spend the night, so he wasn't interested in what we were doing. We went to bed after midnight New York time because I had to fly early the next day. (For any new blog friends - I'm a flight attendant in all my spare time!

Me and Hubby before going to dinner

Making treats!



Happy New Year everyone!!! Praying blessings on all of your families!