MY ALMOST TEEN!

Every birthday, my kids (and husband) get breakfast in bed! Its a tradition I started on Little T's 3rd birthday, and have continued every year. They all look so forward to the treat, and I hope they NEVER get too old for it. We started Tony's 12th birthday off that way, and continued to IHOP for lunch before Daddy headed off to the night shift.

We then headed home, packed a picnic and spent the rest of the day in the neighborhood pool. We enjoyed the sun, snacks (ofcourse), threw the football, played games, had swim races, and "dolphin rides"! It was a relaxed, magical day to celebrate the last year of our house being teen free!!!!

LOOK....A DOLPHIN

We are saying 12...can you see it?

                                              

 Dear Tony,
It is ca-razy how much you have changed since I first met you. 10 years ago, you were a little blonde boy who i could BARELY understand when you talked. I always had to get your Daddy to interpret. Now, I can tell what you are thinking, without you having to say a word!! We have so many inside jokes, and moments to share that only the 2 of us understand...we even finish each other's sentences at times. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your life. I'll NEVER forget that spring day when you asked if you could call me MOM...you have been melting my heart ever since. You are growing to be an AMAZING young man, and I am so proud of you!
Love,
Momma

BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES

My kids look SOOO ready for school!

Brooklyn-1st grade

Tony-6th grade

Britain-3 yrs old

Walking BUBBY to class

COWBOYS AND INDIANS!

As a kid, we took an AWESOME antique train ride to the Grand Canyon! I decided to take the kids on one, except to equally exciting Fort Worth, TX! We were running right on schedule, until Tony decided we could not take a train ride with a dirty car, and we pulled through the car wash. Then, our GPS misguided us and we got lost in Grapevine! GEEZ! The tickets were non-refundable, and we pulled into the station 1 minute before our departure time! We grabbed our huge bag of snacks (can we go anywhere without snacks?), and rushed to the train depot. The lady at the gate, couldnt find our tickets! GEEZ!! Tony got mad, thinking this was a wasted trip, and went to wait on us in the car. In the meantime, our tickets were found, and we went to find a seat on the train, minus DAD! I had the car keys in the snack bag, and the train was pulling out of the station for our ALL DAY adventure. I cringed thinking of him waiting for us at the train station for 6 hours....in Texas....in the middle of July! The train was packed, the kids and i snatched the last 4 seats, and we were off, still, minus DAD!

There was a "robbery" scheduled midway through the voyage, and if Tony was somewhere on the train, I certainly did not want him to miss the kids' faces when all the excitement happened! Little Tony walked the train, with no sign of Dad. UH OH!! Just then, I heard gunshots, looked out my window to a herd of horses with real-live cowboys! The kids went ca-razy! The cowboys went throughout each train car, giving away money (fake of course). Britain even got a bullet as a souvenir. The hold up was awesome, but i was a little sad dear Dad missed it. When the cowboys left, the girls and I went walking through each car, until I found Dad, pouting in the front of the train. Britain's sad face convinced him to join us for all the fun in the back. We broke out the snacks, which seemed to cheer him up, and we had a nice relaxing ride to Fort Worth.

We arrived at the crowded station, watched a few cowboys putting on a show, and spent time sight seeing at the infamous STOCKYARDS. Dad even treated us to lunch at Billy Bob's! He knows how to make up for being cranky....with FOOD!! All is forgiven!

With a visit to the cute little shops at the stockyards, and a pretty awesome candy store, we boarded the train for our venture home. The conductor told us the previous riders got 1 million people to honk on the way home. He challenged us to beat the record. We all screamed HONK at every car we passed...and of course with loud mouths like us....the record was toast!! What a fun, crazy, eventful day....could you expect anything less from our crew?????

Lookin' fine in july 09'

July was a busy month!! We tried to savor every last day, because its the big kids' last month of freedom before school starts. It was our first 4th in TEXAS, and it was a BLAST. We started celebrating on the 3rd, had an great dinner with my amazing, beautiful friend Justin. She is such a sweet, kind girl whom we have adopted as a member of our family! She is affectionately known around here as wife #2!!

(told you she was BEAUTIFUL!)

Then, we went to Lone Star Park for some fun! I thought I had the perfect evening all planned out, and after spending $20 on wristbands, they announced the kids' activities would be closing in 5 minutes! WHAt?? That was NOT on the website, or was it???? The girls did have just enough time to pet a llama! Yaay...at least our money was not wasted!!

Finally, we went out to the parking lot, and  joined half the state of Texas in a pretty impressive firecracker show! I was immediately taken back to summertime as a kid on Lake Texhoma. We always spent the holiday at the lake with my Meme and Papa. Papa would drive miles around that lake SKIING us kids, and spend hours untangling fishing string during our 5 am fishing trips. I can still remember the smell of fried potatoes cooking when we showed up with an ice chest full of fish to fry!

Waiting on the show!

Can't you see the firecrackers going off??

We got up on the 4th, and went downtown to the parade. Lawnchairs, kids, snacks, drinks, and two dogs later...we got to sweat our buns off in that famous Texas heat! I say it was worth it, the hubby was NOT impressed!! Still, we made the most of it, and at least pretended to have a blast!!

SUMMER LOVIN'

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SUMMER! Great weather, all day with my kids....it is my favorite time of the year! Here are some of the highlights....ENJOY!

Fun @ the beach with Namma

GUN SHOW AND DINNER WITH DAD

Fun at the swimming park!

Brooklyn, Justin, and Me @ the Rangers Game

(PaigeTOTALLY wants 3 kids now)

 

The GIRLS at Cowboy Stadium

Tony and Trent touring the Stadium

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

We spent Father's Day a little different this year. The girls spent the night with my parents, and it was just the Tony's and myself. We went and worshiped the Lord, and then had a yummy/fun lunch at Joe's crab shak. Hubby and I got Lobster boil for 2, and we were quiet the site! Since neither of us had EVER eaten lobster, we had to google "How to eat Lobster" from our blackberry. It took alot of work, but was a tasty meal to say the least!! We ended our meal by paying our son to eat the "junk" left over out of the lobster. He did it, made $5 bucks, and has been bragging ever since. Is this really something to be bragging about!?!

I spent the day being thankful for the amazing husband and father Tony is. My husband is alot of things, but emotional is definately NOT one of them. However, he cried the first time he heard the girls' heartbeats, met them for the first time, and Tony and Brooklyn's first day of school. I don't see it often, but my heart melts when I see tears in that Man's eyes. It reminds me how much he is devoted to this family, and it makes me ever so grateful that he picked me all those years ago. Today, i feel blessed that God allowed me to share the parenting experience with someone so amazing!!

My Brookie

My Brookie graduated from Kindergarten!!
Dear Brooklyn,
You are such a sweet little girl, that Mommy is so proud of! At the beginning of the year, you knew sounds and letters, and just a short time after, you put it all together!!! You can sound out just about any word in the dictionary, and write me the sweetest letters!
You are so creative, and thoughtful. You pick every flower you see, and present it to me with such pride. You make the BEST pictures ever...such an artist! I am so proud of you, and know that you will continue to amaze me!!