Mommy, I need a nana

So it's eight o'clock and I am relaxing on the on the couch and I hear Lauren calling me from her bed. I am thinking she is not feeling well since she has been coughing and has been a little congested so I run in there and lay down to snuggle with her. She proceeds to tell me doesn't feel good so I rub her tummy which I always do. She starts to sniffle so I ask her what her hurts and she says, "My tummy hurts because I need a nana." Such the manipulator I tell you! Lauren will try everything to prolong going to bed. We do the normal read books, prayers, and sing songs. Then we have to go to the bathroom, drink some water, get a sticker, and then get a tissue. Well for the past two weeks Lauren has been wanting a banana because she is hungry. A few times we have caved because she does not eat dinner, but tonight was just a game. So funny a an almost three year old can be so manipulative. I had to reminder that she already had a banana before her snack today. So she got to go potty one more time and then to bed. Let's just she how long before I hear Mommy again.

Aarti Party

We all know that I am a reality and Food Network junkie. Well the new Food Network Star is Aarti Sequeira who makes Indian food with an American twist. Well tonight was pulled pork with mango BBQ sauce along with apple-lime slaw. Talk about amazing! It was so flavorful and now one of my favorite meals! I can't wait to try some more of her recipies!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/aarti-party/summer-lovin/index.html

9 years...

Well it has been nine years since Jeff and I tied the knot. So here is a list of the top 9 things that I love about my husband.

9. He let me get a dog...Dixie and then a second...Snickers

8. I painted our bathroom in Katy Friends purple and buy mulberry (purple) furniture

7. I cook, he does dishes

6. He made show my emotions

5. He can make the most random and inconsiderate remarks and not even realize it

4. He has grown to love my family and care for them

3. It doesn't matter how mad I get he can always make me laugh

2. He loves me, the dogs, and the purple furniture unconditionally

1. He gave me Lauren

What do you do on a Sunday afternoon in Texas when it over 100 degrees outside? Well that's simple you head to McDonald's for ice cream and the indoor Play Palace. Lauren and Elliott had such blast playing on the toys and chasing each other!

Girl's Trip

Well we had a girls trip with Grand, Lauren, and me. We started it off by going to the Children'sMuseum in San Antonio. Lauren loved the toddler area with the lifesize light brite. So much fun moving those pegs!

She also loved the ball tubes and milking the cow too!

By far the best time had at the museum was shopping at the tot size HEB and sorting returns. Let's just say that is was inevitable with two parents that met and fell in love at HEB.

We then headed to the Buckhorn saloon to take in the sights of the elephant, giraffee, moose, and buffalos before heading to the River Walk. We had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. I don't know if was a wise call to take a two year old who is afraid of thunder and lighting to a place that has a thunderstorm every thirty minutes, but the dancing gorillas kept her mind off of the thunder. The alligator did scare her, but she got Orangatan to keep her safe!

Next to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for some fudge souvenirs for Daddy!

The next day our adventure took us back to Sea World. I think she had more fun the second time around because she new what to expect. She loved seeing Shamu, dolphins, sealions, and the walrus.

A few things to note:

1. The jelly fish look like bubbles

2. We rode the conveyor belt a second time not to look at the peguins but to ride it

3. Alligator biscuits look like dried dog poop

We finally made it home after a super duper long drive back to B/CS that included...new Crocs for Lauren and Grand, longest wait at Freebird's ever, projectile watermelon which caused the impromptu stop at Bastrop State Park, and Grand running over roadkill. Let's just say fun was had by all! Just wish we would have had two days to recouperate instead of one!

The shoes...

The other night I went to water the lawn a bit when Lauren wanted to play outside. She loves to water the grass so not a problem I can sit and watch. Since it was still hot she had to have shoes on because her feet would "burn". So she went inside and forgoes the usual Crocs and comes out with her princess high heels. It was hilarious to watch her walk around watering the grass in the heels. Jeff was just thinking what it would be like when she is 16 and I don't even want to think about that!

4 years later...

I knew from the moment we looked at our house for the first time I wanted to do some sort of landscaping in the front corner. Well this spring after cinch bug infestation and the front lawn dying I thought it would be the perfect time to start the project. The grass was already dead right so we didn't have to dig it up. We put the plants in, spread the compost and today we had a landscaping company come out and do the rocks. I absolutely love it. I am already planning my next project to put rock around the the crepe myrtles...Jeff is just thinking there goes my new computer money!

Pea Shellin' Time

Well this year Mom decided to plant purple hull peas and let's just say she has had a bumper crop this year! She brought over a bunch for us to eat...the catch was we had to shell them first. So while we sat in the living room (way to hot outside) we shelled and shelled until our fingers turned purple. Lauren even joined in on the fun although she like to eat them as fast as she could shell them. She also ate some of the others as well. It was something fun to do and something not many people do anymore. I remember Nanny and Paw Paw picking peas and more peas. We had so many that they had an automated peas sheller, where was that on Saturday? That's okay because we ate them on Father's Day along with Jeff's favorites: deersteak, fried squash, rice, and brown gravy. What's even better is the leftovers I have been eating!

Sprinkles

Well this is the infamous "Sprinkles" dress that Lauren loves to wear. The first time I put it on her I asked her if she liked her new dress and she said, "It has sprinkles!" I guess small polkadots do look like sprinkles. If you are wondering why Lauren has a camera too, it's because everytime I want to take a picture of her she runs to get her camera to take a picture of me too. It is the only way I can get her to somewhat smile for a picture. As I am typing this I realize that she has grown so much. We put the door knob child protectors on just as she was reaching the knob and now she is as tall as them. Boy does time fly!

Prayers

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Our Father

Please Jesus Bless..

Guardian Angel

Hail Mary

Glory Be

Act of Contrition

Hail Holy Queen

These are the prayers that Lauren and I say every night. Her favorite is Hail Mary. I love to hear her starting to say the prayers with me and then skipping a few words before she says the next. At the end we say who we love and let's just say that Goofy has been replaced with Minnie.