Fall Flava

I really want a pumpkin spice latte and to buy pumpkins and put a bale of hay on my porch, but it is just sooooooooooooooooo hot!  Too too hot.  Don't worry...I've found a way for us to slip into fall flavors and it doesn't matter the weather.

Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Thank you Gina from skinnytaste.  I haven't made them yet.  These are her pics, but I wish I had one right now.  I better go hurry up and buy some pumpkin.

Yes please!!

Happy Weekend Friends!

Can't Sleep

I read something a while back that said you should turn off all electronic distractions 2 hours before bed in order to get your best sleep. I keep meaning to listen! I CAN'T SLEEP! My mind is racing with Milkweed projects. Ha! I know it's silly and pretend, but I just keep writing like it's real...like I'm Lesley Graham or Lovely Morning Kristina and I've got a couple hundred devoted followers...ha! It's the most fun...MOST MOST MOST MOST FUN!

I had this wave of guilt come over me today because I was just in a state of total complete perfect happiness. Guilt!!! Why do we do this to ourselves! I deserve total complete perfect happiness! So I'm taking it! Bringing my girls to classes, watching them play together and fight together, and laugh together. Cooking things like whole grain, flax, strawberry muffins and forcing Josh and the girls to eat them with me...ha! Writing a blog about all things I like...so so so so so perfect and complete.

Josh has been working A LOT lately...early mornings and home barely in time for the girls bedtime. That's the only un-perfect thing about this week, but I guess it's good that he's busy!

Did I mention that I 100% decluttered my kitchen today??? I did and it feels like heaven in there....perfect clean slate for new perfect things like fabric on chairs and windows, ultimate candles burning, and sunflowers in vases.

Love, love, love all around!

Here are some pics of our week....the girls at their first day of Shlenker "camp"-Liv eating a popsicle and Laine playing with some girl named Lucy in a matching bathing suit except hers was monogrammed...I hate when I don't think of these things!! ...late afternoon survival in the splash pad ...the girls making a huge mess in the kitchen because I let them play with a bag of bread crumbs, but don't worry. I channelled summer giggy and put them in the "house/cage" while I cleaned it up and then made them a new bin full of baby proof kitchen goodies. THANK GOD for those moments of "pat you on the back" parenting to make up for all of the millions of "worst parent in America" ones!

Thanks for putting up with this 100% self indulgent post. I'm aware.

Popsicles!

Popsicles = fun. It's fun to watch your puppies eat things you made and like it. We had a little impromptu pool party with the Bruno's this afternoon. It just feels good to sit around with them and do nothing. It does not feel good, however, when one of your children throws 10 fits in less than 2 hours...what are you gonna do?!?!? We are going to blame it 50/50 on being rotten and teething, because FINALLY this child has 3 teeth coming in on top and three prob means 4 because these things seem to happen in even numbers....so yayyyyyy Livy for teeth and booooooo Livy for fits! I love that cute cheek girl no matter what!

I hope everyone did something glorious this weekend! We had a grand ole time in Baton Rouge other me being bratty and throwing a few fits myself. Shiiiii....maybe we should go 33.3/33.3/33.3 for Liv. Fits= teeth/rotten/inherited...oops!

City Center

I mean....I.LOVE.CITY.CENTER! I love it everytime. Now L&O love it too!!!

Happy Birthday Sara Samet! We had a great time celebrating with you! It's not often we get the Samets outside of the 610-Hillcroft-Beechnut-Bellfort boundaries....ha! J/J....but not really! There were so many great moments on that big open fake/not fake grass. There was a guy playing the saxophone all night and the girls lived it up with Liam as their captain. I wish oh wish oh wish that I had the pics of Laine and Liam dancing and twirling...damn!

Milkweed

It's time for everyone to click on over to Milkweed!

Every now and then...

I don't normally like inspirational quotes, but my principal sends one each week and I am really into this one.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy LAST MONDAY of school!

Everyone is out of town and Daddy is working!

Not to worry...I have an agenda. Woke up at the usual hour, ate breakfast, and packed these puppies up to go to Target. Guess what?!?!? There are people that you know at Target at 8:45 on Saturday morning. Damn! My girls were covered in cookie crumbs and I was in my just rolled out of bed attire. Whatev....we got all that we needed and a bonus or 2. TARGET! Has anyone ever left there without a bonus item or 2????

MAGAZINES!!! 2 of my favorites came in the mail yesterday and super nanny had everyone around here asleep when I got home from school so I got to shower AND scan both of the mags. I found something I want in House Beautiful...duh! I mean I wanted everything and AS USUAL I want to re-do 10 things in this house, but there is also something else that I found and feel is a def attainable gift for myself. In the article it says you can get a set of 18 really ridic contemp/comfortable plates and bowls(dinner, salad, and soup x 6) no two pieces alike, but of course I can't find it on the website because it's in Italian. Can you????

Mag Number 2: Whole Living. There is a 10 day challenge...tempting. Each day has 3 parts. Like, do one thing for mind, one for body, and one for life. I'm debating the commitment. I don't want to let myself down. Maybe I'll do a tweaked version of the challenge. Instead of all three parts, just commit to one a day. I mean it's only 10 days. Here is the meal plan. It seems very detailed and a little over the top. The magazine article is much more general. If anyone is interested in 10 days of guided exercise(mostly 30-45 min walks), eating, and meditating(ha!)...let me know. I'll be the co-pilot and coach.

I did a little "popsicle part 2" today. I realized that I made the strawberry ones with expired yogurt! Oops! Nobody worry. I realized before we ate them. Sooooo...since I had a second chance, I decided to cook the strawberries first so they will hopefully be sweeter. I also just whisked in the yogurt instead of blending and left a few strawberry chunks. Even if the girls can't handle them, I'm excited to eat one!

Now what to do when everyone wakes up from their morning nap???? I would like to go to Anthro or Nordstrom to shop for a new purse, but I also want to go to High Fashion Fabrics. Can the girls handle these places???? I just.don't.know.

State of this House

Joshua=stomach virus. REallllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy??? Go away curse! GO AWAY! I'm sleeping in the guest room. Joshua is germing up our room. Girls are asleep. I did bathe, bottle, and put them to sleep by myself. I know this is something that I should have done already in my life, but seriously...first time. Neecole told me I could do this and I did. Easy.Easy.Easy. Diapers on the floor of the bathroom. 2 babies in my lap with 2 bottles at one time. Easy. It is, however, sooooooooooo much easier with a co-pilot.

7.5 more days!!!!!!!!! 7 point 5!

Popsicles!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday at my school's carnival the girls shared a pineapple popsicle and LOVED it. Like....lick, cry for more, lick, cry for more, lick, cry for more! Soooo today after school I used a couple of our old favorite baby food recipes and made us some popsicles. Easy! Breezy! Remember Green Monster? Avocado, Mango, Kiwi. Chop. Blend. Poor in pop molds. Done. Strawberry Yogurt...Same thing. We ended up eating at Gram's for dinner, so we'll try them tomorrow.

Dancing Queen!

Whoa....whoa....whoa...whoaa!!! Craziness in the house last week. Babysitters and helpers every night since Tuesday! CRAAAAZYY!! The craziness is now on pause....thank you jesus! Just in time to wind down the school year, which will be enough craziness in itself.

We went to Mama Mia tonight. I've never seen it! I know that everyone loves it! Now I know why... seriously....I LOVVVVED IT! I love happy singing! LOVE! Joshua even just did a Dancing Queen Reprise right before he hopped in bed...ha!

Speaking of babysitters....cousin Sarah was one of our babysitters in this madness. She is such a good babysitter. I can't wait until we have O+L+M three way matching smocked clothing....dresses, bubbles....I'll take it all.

**In case anyone was wondering how I'm doing on Month 1 of the countdown to 30....I'm doing soooooooo great! Outside, outside, outside......EVERYDAY! Not just at recess! These girls breathing in that fresh air and they love it!

**sidenote number 2: We(we=Josh) started to clean out the garage this weekend. It started out as a partner project, but then I had a panic attack when I realized how big the job was, so I got sent inside to take care of babies. It's def a multi weekend project, but I've got big plans for that space, so it had to get started ahead of schedule. Stand by for amazingness to come out of the cleaned out garage!

9.5 days of school left...woooooooooohooooooooooooooo!

Inspired

Nicole and Sarah have inspired me to be inspired. So here's what I'm working with...

Ohhh Myyyyyy...I've found it!

We may have to ditch the music fest and hit this instead.

http://www.theurbanmarkethouston.com/home

Done!

Who wants to go outside????

It's not as easy as I thought it would be find Houston outdoor activities, BUT I did find a little something. This Sunday at Discovery Green is a Children's Music Foundation Festival.

Here's the blurb:

Our Founder's Day Festival is going to be a family-friendly, fun-filled community event celebrating our founder, Daren Hightower and our mission, 'Enriching the lives of children through music, music instruction and scholarship.' Live music & lawn activities for the children all day! Confirmed performers at this time are Pearl Murray, 'Houston's Queen of the Blues', The Rick Law Band, and popular Austin group EmCravens Band. Delicious food from popular Houston eateries such as Amy’s Icecreams, Mission Burritos and St. Arnold's Beer. *We will continue to update this list.

And here's the link.

Anybody with me?????

Birthday!!

Lots of goodness today on this birthday! I spent lots of time just thinking about how happy I am to be 29...just happy, happy, happy about life.

I'm very excited that today begins day one of 365 days of crossing things off of my list. This month is all about being outside. Today was a success! Me and the girls did our usual 5-6pm cruise up and down the sidewalks of Yarwell. We pushed little tykes grocery carts, ate leaves and dirt, and threw fits when I made them go inside. It was great. I'm going to research some special outdoor activities for the month...get back to ya'll on what I find.

Now I leave you with this little birthday gift I found in my inbox this evening after coming home from a glorious birthday dinner with glorious people and glorious food.

Happy Travel!

Up until now, road trips have been close to brutal and once we arrive to the destination, it's even worse, because nobody sleeps in those pack-n-plays! That was before, but this is NOW! We went to Austin this weekend for the bris of Baby Leo and I had one of those moments where you feel like such a great parent. Quiet car riding babies...thank you big girl car seats and The Wiggles on DVD! I mean seriously serious....THE WIGGLES ON DVD. I owe those boys money. Also...we all slept! The first night we were there, I didn't sleep because I figured they would be up any minute, but they weren't! The second night....SLEEEEEEEEEEEP. It was so nice. I feel like we can do anything.

We stayed with The Berins(Mark, Rachel, Miles, and Edie), because they conveniently live right next door to Talia and Michael and are the most relaxed people on the PLANET. I tried to let them rub off on me and contribute to my anti-neurotic efforts and while we were there it worked. Well...it worked until this morning when Miles woke up with a stomach virus. Ohhhhhhhhhhh my heart sank. Sad for him and selfishly sad for us as visions of our November virus played on repeat in my mind. I cried. My fingers are crossed that we are spared. Please oh please oh please oh please let us be spared!

The bris was today and of course it was perfectly perfect. I don't have any bris pics, but hopefully will soon, so I can show off how cute we were in our consignment shop attire. Here are some great ones from the other days!

P.S. tomorrow begins the 365 day countdown to 30. I can't wait!

Lucky!

We are the luckiest little family because we have such amzing, incredible, do anything for you grandparents around here. I just sent them the link to the blog, so I thought this would be a great chance to say how OUT OF CONTROL they are! I'm so sad I missed out on the real grandparent experience growing up, because it is so great. I'm so happy for my girls! LUCKY!!!

Chair Fantasy

Chair Inspiration Take 1:

Can you guess which ones come from Southwest Surplus and which ones are West Elm and Target??

Editing

We're getting closer to May 9th which is one official year before 30, so I'm revisiting the list. 30 before 30 seems a little excessive don't you think???
I'm thinking it may be more realistic to do "10 big ones before 30" instead. Maybe even one to grow on for the celebratory trip.

Soooo....for the editing:

1.) Spend time outside each day. - May 9 - June 9

2.)Take the girls to Mobile and the beach. - June
3.) Make a HUGE effort towards overall health. Food-Fitness-Mental Health - July
4.)Blog everyday and make it public via facebook. - August
5.)Make time to read a book each season. - September
6.) Learn to sew. - October
7.) Clean out the blue room and turn it into a real room. - November
8.)Go on a trip with friends that isn't about anyone, but about EVERYONE. - December
9.)Clean out the garage so my car can fit in easily and safely. - January
10.)Send a card to someone once a week, even if it's just to let them know I am thinking of them. - February
11.)Spend more time listening to Josh and less time talking. - March
12.)Celebrate my list being accomplished on a 30th Birthday trip with Joshy...somewhere...just us. - April

Ohhhh!! Woohoo!! This worked out even better. A list of 12. One for each month. Just like in The Happiness Project. Have you read that yet? You should! If I can scratch something off before that month gets here, great! If not, that's why each number on the list is assigned a specific month. I should probably print this list out and read it often, so I don't forget these goals.

Contemporary Comfort

OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK.....this is my style...done and done! I need all of this now! Should I spray paint my picture wall white just as a start??? Like, how do you go about revamping your house? Start with a wish list?? A room by room wish list?? I'm so mad at myself for not really knowing what I liked when I originally picked all of this stuff out. I think I would feel a lot better with white frames on the photo wall, a new rug to replace the persian or oriental or whatever that rug is in my living room that gives me the willies, and new pillows. That is a start! Oh....I'll also take some of those metal chairs in the kitchen. Oh....AND...our brown leather couches that I really did like when I first got them are starting to peel...ha! Leather=faux leather. Soon enough I'll be able to trade those puppies in for some lighter colored ones. OK??????

I came across these Contemporary Comfort pics while I was searching for the Nine By Design FAMILY letters. I found them on a pretty good blog called Black Eiffel. The image that I remembered wasn't what the letters were in reality. I remembered rustic, mixed letters and what it actually was=mixed letters from old signs somehow converted into light boxes. So, the photo is below, but I'll be going more mildly beat up, mix matched, outdoorsy letters when I finally do this in my backyard. Depending on the size of the letters, I may even put like a floating old wooden frame around each letter. Yes??

Sidenote...first day of live a healthy lifestyle tag team style with me and Joshy. It was good, but I'm hungry. I also had my annual checkup where we discussed things like: Am I going to have twins again? When is the best time to have the next baby? What is up with me knowing so many people who have had second pregnancy miscarriages? Do I have time to commit to real exercise in my day? Which multivitamin should I be taking? The best part was realizing how much healthier I am than before I was pregnant. So thank you little girls for that!

oops!

Oops....as in "Oops I didn't mean to have a panic attack last night about my child's sleeping habits." We ended up letting her cry until about 10 til 10 and she fell asleep while sitting up. It was actually cute to watch on the monitor as she fell asleep and I don't even think that Josh held my drama against me.

This weekend sure turned out to be great. I CAN'T WAIT for May 27th!!! CAN'T WAITTTTT!!!

Yesterday we skipped on over to the heights and the girls had their very first snoball. Then we kept skipping around the corner from the snoball stand to 19th street and bought really really really cute things at a really really really cute little children's consignment shop. While we were walking, Liv ran into a huge Great Dane that she still called pi-pa which equals Piper/puppy. We even spent some time in a "junk yard" looking for some mix matched letters so I can spell out SAMET on one of my backyard patio walls. Did anybody watch that show Nine by Design this time last year???? Well, on a wall in their house, they spelled out FAMILY with letters from old signs and I was IN LOVE with it, so that's what I'm copying! Well, that's what I plan to copy, but until that old smelly man comes down on his $100/5 letter price, I'll keep looking.

So that was yesterday. Today, me and the girls worked on a Mother's Day project. It was finger painting part II. They were sooooooooooo much better at it than last time. Like they remembered what to do. I didn't even have to cheat and paint it myself. There was also barely any paint eating. After they painted and it dryed, I cut out lots of hearts and then put the hearts in frames. Cute....real cute. My only regret was black frames instead of white, but that was all they had at Target this AM.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh PS...I went to the grocery this morning like Sari told me to. I'm going to try not to go back all week and make lots of good things!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
Why don't my children sleep????????? Why?Why? Why? How do I know if Olivia is sick or just crying to cry??? How do I know?????????? It's 9:36. We put her back in the bed at 9:22. Josh is going to go in at 9:45 if she's still awake.

Some things...

A couple things.

First of all...SNACKWELLS are not dead. I mean for years the only ones on the shelf were devils food and vanilla creme sandwiches. Who remembers the mini choc chip cookies being staples on Apollo Dr????? I do!!! Well guess what?!?!?!? There are now Snackwell 100 cal packs and one of those packs is choc chip cookies with a fudge drizzle. It's not the exact same, but you get the same background flavor and I am sooooooooooooo HAPPY!

Second. I got brave enough to plant some veggies in pots in our backyard this year. As it turns out, Joshua is taking care of them..typ...I suck at plants. We have a problem though. All we're getting are small tomatos and most of them are rotting on the bottom before we get a chance to pick them. Any thoughts? Anyone?

Finally. The vicious cycle of weight. I keep watching me and Joshy putting on pounds and I don't do anything about it. Like...make lunches,make dinners, and stop eating treats all the time. What do you think is going to motivate me to be the captain of this project???? I do have a pool in my backyard that Zachary Samet exercised in like every night of the summer last year. I told him that I'm gonna need him to start that up again. Maybe if he's here, I'll do it too! Anybody want to play a weightloss or healthy choice game? NEECOLE!!! I'm talking to you because these other broads are pregnant and nursing. You let me know!

Shout out to Sari

One time before me and Sari were BFF cousins....yes that time existed....tragic...it's in the past...anyway one time we had the exact same comforter and didn't know it. Well guess what?!?! Crate and Barrel which is exactly where we bought it, has come out with an entire store that sells the prints. I'll take this tray right here as a memory of that good ole comforter from the
Delta Zeta house. Sari...where did you live when you had yours??

Whoooaaa Whirlwind

I have much to say, but am sooo soo so so so tired.

We have a precious new nephew. Leo Parker Schneider. He was full term, but ended up in the NICU anyway with an infection. He's fighting to bust out of there and is getting better each day. We woke up Saturday and went to Austin, because I wanted to see the situation for myself. You know how people like to make things up when something like this happens...make things up like how people should or shouldn't be feeling and diagnosing who is responding appropriately or not....you know??? Well I just wanted to see it for myself. I'm glad I did. Now I know that all is well or is soon to be well and I can stop making things up about what might be happening and stop listening to other people doing the same thing. It's amazing how we're all able to just rise up when we need to! I'm extremely proud of Michael and Talia for doing what they need to do and staying positive!

Easta....very real good feel good today at Anne Peirce's house...as USUAL!









Now for this week. I have major anxiety about going back...typ! the countdown is on, but there are still soooooooooooooo many numbers to count. I'm just going to stick with the old tried and true...FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT!!!! D-O-N-E DONE!

ps....no school tomorrow for the last day of passover.

Clarity

Lots of clarity lately...

1.) School is going to be a roller coaster everyday for the rest of the year...done. At least there are only 25 more days. Thank you Jesus.

2.) I broke Passover tonight over Angel food cake...oops! Oh well!

3.) Why oh why oh why do I get so ridiculously wrapped up in things. Things like all of those things I keep talking about that need to be balanced. It's just life...we're just living.

4.) I've recently gained 5-7 pounds....damn. It's a vicious cycle. I'll make them disappear when I'm ready.

5.) The garage is only going to be cleaned out if we put it on the calendar. So it's on the calendar.

Can't Stop!

Ever since I finished my last bite of very cheesy quinoa mac and cheese for lunch at Ruggles Green with Neecole, I've been waiting to taste that Matzah Brittle I finished last night. I'm going to try my best to "keep passover," which means following as many Passover dietary rules as possible, so I couldn't just get a sweet treat at Ruggles when I was done. Also...I'm pretending that I'm sure that Quinoa pasta is kosher for passover, but I'm not. Back to the brittle... I seriously, seriously, triple seriously can't stop eating it! CAN'T STOP!!!!!!!!

Some fun....

Fun #1

Me and Joshy took advantage of having Damaris today. We woke up and left the girls at home while we went to breakfast at The Bagel Shop and picked up some last minute Passover items...ha!

Fun #2

Marshalls at Post Oak. I got the girls some goodness all for less than $10 each. I'm talking 6.99, 7.99, 9.99. I might go back tomorrow.

Fun #3

Me and the girls took a field trip to Central Market. Laine was on her best shopping behavior and Liv loved it as usual. They must have known we were in our favorite store.

Fun #4

Joshy came home early from work and we played outside with the next door neighbor grandchildren and then our friend Edie surprised us for a quick visit.

Fun #5

Put those cranky, spent girls to sleep and made two Passover treats. Charoset(apples, walnut, cinnamon, sugar) and some Chocolate Matzah Brittle which is exactly what it sounds like. I even got fancy and sprinkled craisens and almonds on half of it.

Fun #6

(this was supposed to be #5, but I can't figure out how to cut and paste)

Prolonging the girls time between dinner and bedtime by letting them eat ritz crackers all over my living room. I didn't even care that I had to vaccuum it all up. You should have seen their faces while they were holding these crackers in their hands, walking around the room, eating and crumbling....everywhere...ha! I wish I would have gotten out my camera.

Now...I don't want to be misleading. There was much chaos mixed in with this fun. Both of my girls constantly want to be held by me simultaneaously. Both of my girls love to put things like sticks and leaves in their mouths. Both of my girls like to walk down the street and into the street....we're practicing driveways. I'm also fighting that constant fight for balance in life. Balance between neurotic and calm, the balance between germophobic and germ lover, the balance between organized and chaotic, and the balance between planner and spontaneous.

Laurie had a great idea today. She said just be each end of the spectrum 50% of the time. I think I like that.

And now for the last little bit of fun...

Fun #7

Blogging. It is seriously so fun sitting at my computer telling these stories to nobody. One of my neighbors told me the other night that she doesn't understand how a mother of three(she was talking about someone else)has time to sit down and recount all of the details of her day on her computer. I didn't tell her that I do it too. I don't make time for this, I love my time for this. The end. Done. Fun.

One more day......

Just so everyone knows.....someone is in their bed is crying right now. I think it's Liv, but I haven't heard it long enough to determine which one. Laurie had to go to a funeral today, so Josh and Carol stayed with the girls. They said that there was no sleeping all day....lovely. I put them to sleep about 45 min ago....crying already....

Anyway....one more day until my long weekend that I am desperate for...DESPERATE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Went to Barbara's funeral today. Sad...sad.

I don't mean to be Debbie Downer these days, but it is what it is. I can promise happy thoughts in T-minus 28 days! I can do 28 days! I can do 28 days!!

Also....it was Olivia crying and she is already back to sleep. Sweet darlin probably can't wait for Damaris to get here in the morning so she can be greeted with a smiling face who makes her take naps and overfeeds her.

Can I please just press delete?

This day...really???? I wish I could delete it. I would like to play hooky until May 1. If I can make it to May, I can make it until our last day..may 20something. At least I have a Joshy and two ridiculously cute, waddling, babbling, bath tub and berry loving babies to come home to....and secret bags of candy and greasy chinese food for dinner helps too!

3 things...

Number 1:

Here we are "relaxing."



See how I went to Target with two babies??? Ha! It was actually fun. It's a shame that the new "fresh food" section at our Target is no good, but we'll go back again for more fun anyway!

Number 2:

Just in case you don't know about Skinny Taste, it's time to know it. When Marla was here for the girls' birthday, she made the zucchini enchiladas and they were OUT OF CONTROL! Tonight I made the simple beyond belief asparagus pasta. I've been thinking about it since I saw it in my blog reader last week and it was exactly what I wanted it to be. Try it! Please!

Number 3:

No matter what I do, I can't figure out how to design this blog. Help! Thanks!

Effort

The Brunos and Sommers brought me down to earth last night. I have let myself spin off into a neurotic, hypersensitive, worry way too much about your kids frame of mind. Ha! I just reread that sentence. I haven't let myself spin off.....I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN neurotic, hypersensitive, and full of worry. So let me rephrase. The Brunos and Sommers showed me last night that its ok if your kids lick rocks, slide down a chalk covered slide, gulp hose water, eat whole cheese sticks, and seriously so much more. I need them in my life more than once a week. Anyway....they have inspired my effort for the week. I'm saying effort because I've been throwing around the word goal too much, and then letting myself down. The effort is going to be to RELAX! Not relax like take lots of naps, but relax like set up your kids water table, let them drink buckets of hose water, and then give them outdoor baths all without thinking about the planning or aftermath!

Here is the proof....

Organic??????

I know every rule there is to know about how to lose weight...EVERY RULE! Thank you Sarah Peirce Schnure for figuring out the Weight Watchers Points Finder formula so that I can now calculate the points value of any food in my head. I'm always blown away by people who are so unaware of calories, because they are naturally skinny and have never had to know any of this. Anyway...I'm on a tangent....back to the point. In terms of eating, I've always been so concerned if something is going to put a pound on the scale or not, but lately, I've been worried about different things. It's like I'm feeding these two newly chowing down mouths and my brain is so trained to think points points points, that I hesitate about giving them whole milk and think things to myself like....shouldn't they be eating egg whites????

So I'm trying to retrain the brain. I have so many questions though. A huge question I have is ......SHOULD WE ALL BE EATING ORGANIC??? I don't know! Does anyone know???? I need an unbiased opinion here. I don't want a green extremist to advise me and I don't want an uneducated(on the issue) person to tell me that we were all fine without it up until now, and of course we don't need to eat Organic(organically??). I need somebody in the middle. For now, I'm going to settle for the answers that Dr. Oz is giving me. Nicole gave me an article from a parenting magazine that he wrote, but I wasn't satisfied enough, so I went to his website tonight. He has three simple rules for when to buy organic and when to save your dollars. My questions aren't all answered and I'm not totally fulfilled by the article, but I'm going to use it as a guide for now. Here's his scoop. Read it and then tell me what you think. Raise your hand if you buy organic regularly....grocery store or farmer's market? Go!

**sidenote...glorious time tonight at the Bruno's! Aside from great food and fun had by all grown ups and babies, I smiled the whole time on the inside at how happy we all are in this beginning of our thirties phase of life. Can't wait to see some pics soon.

Sadness

I used to talk all the time about my principal last year. I was in love with her in so many ways. Actually I think it was a mutual love. She was constantly building my ego, telling me how great I was, while I would simultaneously admire everything she did from a distance. Major grown up girl crush on this woman. I thought she was the epitome of leadership in the education world. When I left in March to have babies, I found out by way of a mass email sent out by our school, that she took a medical leave to nurse her mental health. I was so in shock that this woman who appeared to me to be so completely together, was actually disguising a very serious illness. Then at the end of the school year, I hear through the grapevine that she "decided" to retire. I was heartbroken.

This year when I got back to school, I found out that Barbara Goldstein wasn't the only amazing principal I would know in my career. Her successor is also equally outstanding at her job, but I still missed having my friend Barbara in my daily school life. I saw her about a month ago at the farmer's market. Something was off. Then today happened. My teaching partner, Pam, is Barbara's sister. She was called out of her classroom today very suddenly and left in hysterics. This woman never misses school. By the end of the day, we didn't know anything, except that it was Barbara and that she had done something to herself.

About an hour ago I got a phone call from the third member of our team who is a longtime friend of Pam and Barbara's families. She told me all she could say was that Barbara died suddenly today.

Sadness

Today is April 7. Too much for April 7. I honestly think about my mom every single day....many times....many times each day, so April 7 really is no different from any other day of missing her. It still means a lot to know that other people know what today is, so thanks for the coded fb messages and writing this day on your personal calendar, and for sending me flowers just to see me smile!

I have foggy beliefs regarding life after death, but I am sure that the way to have someone who has died remain in your life, is to carry on their traditions, teach what they taught, and play how they played. I have no idea what your schedules are like this weekend, but I will be taking the girls out for a walk on Saturday morning around 8:30/9 and then having brunch at my house eating healthy things...skinny breakfast burritos like we're on Apollo Dr. We might even do our walk at Memorial or Rice...never can tell! Come on over if you want! I'll probably even put on some purple shorts.

I don't have many pics of Ida, because her time was not the time of digital photography, but here is a pic of me and Olivia that reminds me of one that I have of me and Ida at about the same time in each of our lives.

Response

In response to the following, challenge accepted!

3 comments:

Candice said...

You could soooo make that. Stencils for the letters, red paint, an aged wooden frame (which they have at hobby lobby - I know because I bought two) and maybe one of the beige drop cloths from home depot for the background? Or just a piece of cardboard that you could faux finish with spray paint? I mean, juding by the pics, you put together a magazine-worthy b-day party for your girls...you could so do this for $20 instead of $378.

April 6, 2011 9:12 AM

Sarah Schnure said...

Sari agrees with 10000% with Candice. You can get HD to cut you a piece of ratty wood that size. While you are making me this, make me the I
LUV
NO
LA

out of beer caps on the framed warped board like in the Big Easy bar on Kirby.

April 6, 2011 10:04 AM

nicole bruno said...

Absolutely you make that shit!! When are we doing it?

April 6, 2011 10:08 AM

wish

I sure with I could have this poster for my bathroom.....why oh why is it $378???

Thanks Neecole for the inspiration??

Sick

Sick babies are no no no fun. No fun for moms or babysitters or dads or sisters or especially for the one actually sick. I hate really dislike when someone in this house is sick. Please oh please oh please let little Livy sleep through this night and be better tomorrow.

Sunday

I wish I had pics from tonight. Nicole's birthday dinner was just real good feel good fun! I really just wish I had pics from this entire day...even of my solo trip to HEB this AM...the big HEB on Buffalo Spdwy at 8am before the huge crowd got there. I mean, I wasn't alone by any means, but it was just so nice and line-less. Then, I came home to the smell of pancakes and the girls walking up to me saying MaMa...MaMa. Sooooo goood. Then, they took a nap and I actually had time to make fun decorations for the birthday dinner. Maybe Neecole will even take some pics of them and post later since I forgot to. Then the girls woke up and we went to my current favorite store Paper Source. Paper Source is heaven. There is always something to buy...ALWAYS! Then we came home, at lunch, took another nap, and when those sweet darlin walking all over the place girls woke up it was time to get ready for the par-tay! We,(we=me, laine, and olivia) both at separate and individual times, proceeded at this point to melt down. I forced my children to sit in exersaucers while I showered....they didn't like that. As it turns out, babies who have just turned 1 like to show everyone that they are independent and that they don't need things like exersaucers to entertain them. They would rather climb up steps that lead to a bathtub or play with breakable ceramic puppy dogs, or slam fingers in forbidden cabinet doors, or even fall face first into scratchy indoor/outdoor rugs. Baby center sent me an email today telling me that all of this is normal. Will we survive this "normal?" I guess! Ha! I mean we will because even though there was one stressful hour today, there were like over 12 hours of goodness! Perfect goodness!

Splash Pool Surprise

Nicole surprised us today with a splash pool in the backyard of the Willi crawfish boil. She loves it so much that she even wrote a review about it on Amazon so that all other mothers would know they should buy one! I'm sold! Placing my order here right now! It's not the exact one, but it's close.

Then we finished the day at Anne and Jack's eating steak, beans, and the part they loved most....corn! Anne even got the girls bath toys, soap, and special towels so they could be ready for bed as soon as we got home! I love that they live here!

...and the weekend is only half over! Woohooooo!

Photo Booth

The "event" of the party was the photo booth. Here are some of the great ones!!