Mother's Day

I'm really starting to like this mom thing! We get our very own holiday! It's about time someone stopped and took notice!

Ha. I get plenty of notice around here. My husband and sweet sweet baby seem to like me a lot. I get lots of hugs and kisses and really, that makes it all worthwhile!


We headed over to mom's house for a little celebrating. There were LOTS of hugs and kisses going around.


But most importantly, we didn't have to cook! We ordered BBQ and had a whole mess of fixings to go along with it. I made a fabulous Tres Leches cake and sister Shannon and the girls made chocolate covered strawberries. It was serious stuff.

If you need a Tres Leches recipe I am so the person you need to talk to. I should just post it here but then I'll want to make it again and I don't think one person can consume that much cream and sweetened condensed milk that close together.

But now I know what to make when I want to see a family's eyes roll back in their heads simultaneously. And hear a collective "ooooooh".



There was a little Ring-the-Cayden going on when we arrived. We usually enjoy throwing things at the kids but this was even more fun!



I asked Tammy to bring her fancy camera (like she ever goes anywhere without it!) and snap some family photos of us.

I've been wanting to get some nice pictures taken since winter but it wasn't in the cards until now. These turned out beautiful! I played with them in photoshop and sent some off to my and Josh's grandma's. They looked really profesh when I printed them out! Score!



I was really surprised at how cooperative Joseph was.

Pleasant surprises are his thing, man.


The weather was nice, but man, my allergies were killer. I finally made a doctor's appointment to try to nip these babies in the bud. Got me some Flonase and Allegra to add to the arsenal.

In case you need more details about my ailment...I'm doing much better, thanks. Post nasal drip is under control.



Beautiful families abounded that day.



There was some relaxing going on too. This was after Josh, Joseph and I bottomed out and almost tipped.

That thing is for the birds.

Or three lighter-weight kids.






Josh and Joseph got me the sweetest bracelet with a Mother's Love charm and a silhouette of a little boy's head. It was perfect and I'll always remember my second Mother's Day with them.

Sunday we got together with Josh's mom and had a super fabulous Mexican food dinner. It was really a great end to the weekend.

Happy Mother's Day to you too!

Unless you're not a mom in which case Happy Mother's Day to ME!

Old City Park: Part II

Before I got carried away in that last post with my dream of being Laura Ingalls Wilder's neighbor, running through the field of wild flowers in my cute bonnet...the whole reason we headed out to Old City Park was to go to story time with the boys.

And to let them run like the wild banshees they are!

We're free!

Freeeeeee!

And they're not really wild banshees. They're super kiddos. I don't even know what a wild banshee is.


We started out with a little log cabin building. I don't think our day would have been complete with out that for sure.


We sang a fun song..."buffalo gal won't you come out tonight"...and listened to this great lady play her mountain dulcimer.

Reminded me of listening to Uncle Earl play his dulcimer on the front porch at Grandma and Papa's. We'd all be sitting around watching the day go by. A country porch...glass of ice tea...life is good.


We played sandpaper blocks, a washboard and a really noisy beaded gourd.





Look at Joseph in his little pioneer buckskin vest!


We made a buffalo mask...


...and played some pioneer kid games.


We were living off the fat of the land, I tell ya.


We checked out the vegetable garden, the chickens in the coop and pumped water too.


Then we headed out to visit the mules. I was a little weary...but Joseph was all over those guys!


Yikes, watch your fingers, Joey!!


After a few last bluebonnet pictures we called it a day.

It was a long day.

It was tons of fun though and the boys especially enjoyed themselves. And to top it off, were on best behavior. That alone made it a nice morning.

Off to dream of buffalo and chopping wood for the long winter...

Old City Park: Part I

Tammy and I took the boys to Dallas Heritage Village a few weeks ago. I always love going there. It's a "living history" park in downtown Dallas that is a little village of buildings that were from the Dallas area in the 1800 and 1900's. The park has story tellers and people in costume interpreting what life was like in those days.




These lunch pails were lined up in the school house. I wonder how far you'd have to ride your horse to get to school?

Oh wait, they walked.

In the snow.

Up hill both ways.


Joseph loved the school house. He sat with his McGuffy Reader and learned a lesson or two. He couldn't remember what he learned though.

He's got my memory. Or rather lack thereof.





These pieces are from the 1900 Blum house, a traditional Jewish home. I am absolutely in love with the Victorian era style of decorating and this house was IT. It had floral everything and lace everywhere and very ornate details. It had floral wallpaper next to damask wallpaper next to wallpaper with floral damask scrolls. Even the ceilings were wallpapered.

This home was built in Plano in 1900.


"Technological innovations such as early electric light fixtures, linoleum and a cast iron cook stove in the kitchen, and a metal shingle roof indicate the new level of comfort available in homes in 1900."

Here is "Mrs. Blum" making a kosher meal for the fam. This house was one of the first with indoor plumbing and both electric and gas light fixtures. The light fixtures had electric bulbs on the bottom of the fixture and gas flame on the top because you never knew which would be working - guess "service" was spotty!

The bathroom looked a lot like the one I grew up with on Clayton...with the white hexagon floor tiles and heavy porcelain fixtures.





I could have looked around in the General Store all day. It really truly does take you back in time. I almost felt as if my horse was tied up outside waiting to take me back home after I splurged on a new bonnet and purchased my dry goods.

Oh and got Pa his new glasses since the baby broke his old ones.

And a hard candy or two for the kids for after dinner if they behave themselves.










As much as I loved the Queen Anne style house, the 1845 log cabin/dog-trot house stole my heart.

It was decorated so lovingly with handmade laces, bedding, and curtains even though the floor was and walls were made out of logs and dirt. I asked the guide about that and she said these settlers were wealthy and brought all of their "big city" possessions with them when they made their home on the frontier.

I would love to live in the late 1800's for just a little bit. Just to see what it was like! Maybe I was a pioneer farmer's wife in a previous life and it's calling me back!


I imagine waking with the sun to start my day. Instead of heading to the concrete jungle to ride an elevator to a cubicle, I head out to the garden or barn to work. Not that I've had to work in an office building for some time now, but I've always had day dreams about living off the land. I guess I'm crazy like that.






The sun was giving me some amazing light to photograph the fountain on Main Street.





I'll live in the days of yore as long as there is Dr. Pepper. I guess that rules out my pioneer dreams, eh? Vim, Vigor, Vitality! Yes, sir!

Up next, Old City Park: Part II!

Connor Turns SEVEN!

Aren't birthday parties just the best?! It's a time for everyone to get together and laugh and celebrate You and ONLY YOU!


Aren't kiddie toys the best?! So many super cool and fun things are out on the market now-a-days. Connor made out very well with Hex Bugs, a magic kit, a solar powered robot kit (from yours truly), and a big ol remote control motorcycle among other goodies.

Connor was a very gracious host on best behavior and let all the kids (and adults alike) tear into his new super fantastic loot. We really liked those Hex Bugs!


Aren't Papa's the best?! Especially when they teach you magic tricks.

I remember putting on many a show for my family when I was little. One was a magic show when I was about 8. I had an old school magic kit that was pulled down from the attic, a hand me down from my siblings. It was missing pieces, and the fake thumb (for the disappearing trick, of course) was rusted metal with peeling paint, but boy was it fun! Especially when you repeatedly drop the thumb and can't get the trick to go right, then die in a fit of squeals and laughter and the whole family claps and loves you even more.

Wouldn't the world be a lot different if we had the joy of a young child and the wisdom of old age forever? I think about that a lot. If I could play with Joseph with the imagination and energy of a child, I'd be the best parent ever.


And then I see my beautiful family and am reminded of what a wonderful group of folks I have in my life. Nothing like a good birthday party to remind us how lucky we are! (Why is my blog becoming more and more sappy as the years go by?)


Here's big brother Michael and Josh enjoying some homemade salsa I made. I bought a cilantro plant and had cilantro up to my ears so I heard the calling of salsa.

Interestingly, I read (Grandma, Jamie and Amber, can you confirm this?!) that one cilantro plant doesn't put out over and over like other herbs and vegetable plants. One or two harvests are all you get. I am hoping the flowers go to seed and I get some babies. I didn't know this when I bought my little plant or I probably would have just relied on Kroger to supply my cilantro!




This munchkin is so hard to photograph these days that when I capture a smile like it makes my whole week!

Happy Birthday Connor! Feel free to stop getting so big! We love you!

Park Days Are Here Again...

...and boy do we have some photogenic friends!

I dubbed this slide the arm breaker! It was three playground-structure-levels tall and it shot those kids out like a torpedo. He landed in a heap at the bottom every time and ate a little dirt, but look at that smile!

Sticker Fun....

Who gave my baby a TON of Easter Eggs full of stickers?

Who fell victim to stickers on hands, cheeks, and shirts?

Someone had a blast finding places for these thousands of stickers.

We've been hit! The sticker bandit has struck!