Dear Diary

I have kept a diary most of my life, which I know probably lumps me in like .5% of the world's population. And half of those are probably in therapy somewhere. Or writing blogs. In the recent move, I found my very first diary-given to me by the Easter Bunny in 2nd grade. Here's the first entry:

"Sunday, (Easter) April 3, 1983
It was a great day! Patti and I found 12 plastic eggs and 7 hard boiled eggs. We went to a picnic and saw many friends. I made an Easter Card for mommy and daddy with a big Easter egg that I made in it. My mom curled my hair for me. I wore the dress that my grandma sent me because my mom said it was my new Easter dress. At the picnic Chrissy and Michael and I made a tent. Grandma sent Patti and I a huge Easter Egg full of candy!"

It is so funny to read through these entries of my childhood. Some of the things that were so important to me then I barely remember now. Reading my own thoughts as a child is kind of like an out of body experience. It's me-but not me. It's me "in the making" I guess. I can see how certain events in my life made me who I am. I know it sounds corny, but I'm very repetitive through the years. :) Above all else it's given me a little insight about where Madison is headed. I know I already lived through the experience of childhood, but reading this diary puts me back in the mind of an 8 year old. a 13 year old. a high school student. I'm thinking that mind will help me think in the years ahead. Lord knows I need the extra brain cells.

Go Diego Go!

So yesterday we celebrated Grady's 2nd Birthday. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. I know everyone says that about their kids growing up-but really. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! We just planned a small gathering at McDonald's to play and cut cake. It turned out to be a REALLY small gathering of just us! Although Grady was so excited when he saw the balloons and cake that I don't think he knew the difference. :) We had to pull him away of the "birday pary" cake to play. After a little playing we packed up and headed to Gran's house to finish out the festivities.


Sam and Isaac came out to the house when they realized we'd already left McDonald's. Grady was beyond pumped to see Isaac and the few moments of playing with friends made his day practically perfect. He finally got to eat his "birday pary", and long after everyone else was done he still savored every moment.


To top of the day, we celebrated Papa's Birthday with
Grandmother, Grandad, Aunt Michelle and Abby. with MORE CAKE! By this time Grady was an expert blower outer of candles. It was so fun to see him excited about his day, to see him play with friends and hug his family. After all we've been through this past year with his health, it was a day of celebration in more ways than one. I just wish time would pause a little here and let us hold on to the moment a little longer.

Mother and Daughter Time

Although I have had some wonderful mommy-son time lately, I do have to share the unique mommy-madison time I had a few weeks ago...at HANNAH MONTANA!

My super cool sister was able to score some tickets to the much anticipated show at the Houston Rodeo. It was the most attended show of the entire rodeo season-which is just so crazy if you really think about it. Actually you don't even have to think about it. It's just crazy. It was fun though-the road trip down to Houston just me and Madison in the car singing Gringo Honeymoon and If I had a million dollars....then educating Patti (the super cool sister) on the necessary points of being a Hannah Montana/Miley Cirus fan....then going to the rodeo and anticpating the BIG SHOW.

I think Madison was mostly overwhelmed by the whole experience. There were a cajillion people there, and it took her quite some time to process the fact that Hannah Montana was there AND it was the same person we watch on tv. very confusing stuff. She did warm up to it finally, and started singing along "Best of both worlds....lalalala"...and Patti and I sang along when Billy Rae sang Achy Breaky Heart. O yes he did.

It was great fun though. I hope it's the first of many concerts that I'm invited to, and that I'm cool enough to score some tickets.

WOOK! U-FLY MAMA!

Yesterday I took the

boys to the Butterfly Exhibit at the Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens. I almost talked myself out of the field trip because of my never ending "to do list". I hate that to do list-it always tries to talk me out of something fun! I won the argument this time, and I'm so glad I did! The boys were in awe of the thousands of butterflies. Tanner was amazed when a butterfly landed on his head! of all things! Grady ran around telling me to "wook!" I have to say, it was totally my cup of tea too. We held hands and wandered through the exhibit looking at all the butterflies, and talking about how beautiful they all were. You can totally see the look of awe in the boys' faces as they look at these two HUGE butterflies hanging out on a tree. Afterwards, we strolled through the beautiful gardens and found a perfect picnic spot.

Then they ran around like the crazy kids they are looking for more butterflies...I finally convinced Grady that the butterflies had to go "night night", and we left the gardens, but not before I was full of warm and fuzzies from all the mommy-son bonding.

The day reminded me how quickly the kids are growing up, and how much more important butterflies are than to-do lists. It was a time to just be, and I took it.

One Family, One Faith

This Easter was really special in more than just the normal Egg Hunting ways. After 12 years of marriage, Todd took it upon himself to enter into the Catholic Church. We've been attending RCIA classes weekly since September discussing the history, traditions, and philosophy of the Church. I have to admit, it's been a really great experience. Just the extra time with Todd every week has been wonderful, but then to grow together in a united Faith was a bonus I'd never expected. This past Saturday all the "training" culminated with Todd recieving the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion. The service was almost magical-something else I didn't expect, but the candlelight and the longevity added a little something special. Madison attended the service with us, along with my sister, her boyfriend, Todd's parents, and my parents. When it was time for Todd to recieve his Sacraments from the Priest, Madison came up to us and took my hand and Todd's hand. She looked up at him with such pride and affection.

While we have been going to Church since we married, and the kids are being brough up in the Church, having Todd be a part of all the tradition and ritual is a blessing I never knew I wanted so much, and a blessing that united us as a family more than I realized.

So, from now on, we are one in Faith-all five of us trundling up to the alter every week for Communion. All five of us making the sign of the cross. All five of us kneeling in prayer.

100th Day of School

I was organizing the pantry earlier today and found Madison's bag of "100 things for the 100th day of school". She had to describe the contents of her bag to see if her classmates could guess. Here were her hints:

1) It's sweet.

2) You can eat it.

3) Kids like me.

Have a guess??

Smarties (the candy)! I really need to work on her self image.

AAAAAHHHHHHH!

So, mom invited the boys and I over for dinner last night. It was the first time we had been back in the house since we moved out over a month ago. Can I just say the boys were TERRIBLE!!!! Tanner taunted Grady endlessly, taking cars and other toys. When he wasn't doing that, he was whining about more bread or the PURPLE GRAPE JUICE he spilled all over the floor. There was of course some breakdown outside when mom and dad's dog tried to join in the Grady/Tanner fun. Hellloooooooooooooooo? We have TWO dogs, and Tanner decides to have a meltdown? Is he high? Grady was completely out of control-running around screaming and hitting Tanner with a stick. Speaking of that incident, when he hit Tanner with a stick, I put him in time out until he said he was sorry. It. took. a. long. time. Mom advised me when it was over that a "swift swat on the butt gets it over faster-even though I know you don't agree with that". AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I spank my kids constantly!!!! (ok, maybe not constantly-don't turn me in just yet.) However, I think it's a little difficult to correct hitting by hitting. Crazy I know. I finally managed to get the kids in the car and drove away with snot and tears smushing all over the back windows.

I don't think I'll be going to dinner again any time soon.

Rain Rain Go Away

So after about 24 hours of nonstop downpour I think the sun is emerging from behind the clouds. Sadly, most of our dirt is washing down the slope of our acres and our grass seed has made a nice little pasture downstream from our would-be lawn. *sigh* I think we need to take out a loan and spend the $ on actual palets of grass, otherwise our house might be floating down the road before too long.

On another note, yesterday took me back to the "good ol' days" when my friend Kimberly stopped by. She had planned to leave her kids and make a trip into the metroplex to run some errands, but the flooding caused a change in her plans. The boys played nonstop as we sat and visited. In Keller, we would trade our kids at least once a week to help eachother out with errand running. Our kids became the best of friends, and our visits upon kid pick-up brought us closer as friends and moms. Since our move to Decatur, and the craziness of school in general, those days have become very far and few between. Those days will become even more rare in the years ahead. As her youngest starts kindergarten next year, she's hoping for a job in the school system. In some ways we are both looking forward to returning to the work force, and in other ways we are both scared. Things will change soon, and the memories of days like yesterday will always make me pause with overwhelming content and happiness.

House Pics

I said I would post some pics of the finished product. Here are my fave spots in the house:

The Dining Room-dark walls were a little of an adventure for me, but I like them. (excuse the scrapbooking mess-always a work in progress)

The Kitchen-I love the rock on the under side of the bar-should be kid proof-right?

The Cozy Living Room-this room turned out a little different than what I thought, but it's really cozy and almost part of the kitchen-which I think will work. A carpet picnic was in process at the time of this pic-a little windy today, and it was all I could think of for some St. Patty's day fun.

The Footlockers-by far my favorite part of the whole house. You would not believe the crap the kids have all the time! Exampled here: easter buckets, coats, shoes, diaper bag....
My bathtub-it's a girly party of the house, and o so relaxing. I don't share.

So that's it-our 'forever house'. Todd thinks we will make one more move in our lifetime, but I'm thinking we will just add to this when we can. It is a great home, and I hope we have great memories here.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

I love St. Patty's Day! I love the soda bread, the green beers, the shamrocks and leprechauns. I have to say I'll pass on the cornbeef and cabbage though-yuck! I did make it once. Only once. Guess that Irish blood doesn't pass down completely generation to generation.

To begin our green fun, my friend Shelly and I took our boys down to the Ft. Worth Stockyards. What better way to celebrate than walking around a little festival with balloon animals, stilt walking guys, and "beer to go"? We sent the boys into a maze and watched from a platform as they meandered through. Such fun. We ended the day on the patio of a mexican restaurant sipping margaritas and watching a parade.

Luck o' the Irish to ya!

I want to wash my hands, face, eyes, and ears in SNOW.

A winter blast hit us last week, and things were so beautiful. Madison and I were coming out of the fog of illness during the snowstorm. Todd actually had to call and tell us to look out the window.

This is what we saw:

backyard

front yard

the snowmobile

I wish I had been able to have more fun in the snow-but death was knocking at the door. He's gone now. Thank God.

I've been hit.

and I'm down for the count. Spring needs to get here even faster.