About Me

My photo
Welcome to my blog. I'm a Mississippi country girl transplanted to Grapevine, TX. I have been blessed with a great husband, and my kiddos, Aleck and Ella. When I'm not eating bon bons on the couch, I am my kid's room mom, PTA member, Sunday School teacher, taxi driver, amateur photographer and personal chef. When I'm not doing those things, I'm running a small jewelry business, 2nd Amendment Jewelry (www.2ndamendmentjewelry.com), that I started with my twin sister, Glenda. It's a crazy and busy life, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world. I am so thankful for all the blessings in my life!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

A Day at the Zoo

I woke this morning and decided we were going to the zoo.  I realized that when AJ starts kindergarten next year, he won’t be able to miss school on a whim, and I wanted to spend some special time with my babies.

When I was renewing my membership, I realized that we haven’t been to the zoo since June 2009.  I was so pregnant that Tom took off work to go with us so he could chase Aleck around.  I think that was the last time we went to the zoo with Brooke and Presley.  The kids had so much fun playing in the water that day.  I have such good memories of trips to the zoo with those precious girls.  My, how time flies!   DSC_0039-1DSC_0068-1DSC_0075-1

 

Fast forward 2 1/2 years.

Zoo 135Zoo 165

Aleck is so over Mommy taking 3 million pictures of everything, but Ella is still happy to strike a pose.

Zoo 017Zoo 031Zoo 103Zoo 094

The kids liked feeding the fish, but they LOVED feeding the birds.

Zoo 187Zoo 200Zoo 201

Zoo 211Zoo 215

Zoo 168

By the way, did you know that memberships to the zoo are tax deductible?  If you know me, that puts a smile on my face almost as big as Ella’s smile.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Western Day

We had Western Day at school today.  Aleck’s class has been practicing the dance for a few weeks, and he has been excited and running around the house showing me dance moves.  He so wanted to tuck his pants in his boots, to show off the cool stitching, but we finally convinced him that boys don’t usually tuck there pants in.

DSC_7068

DSC_7080

Aleck was fine being in front of a packed gym, that is, until the music started.

DSC_7083

This was right before he made a bee line for Mrs. Dickey.  You can tell by the look on his face that things aren’t so groovy and he has a big case of stage fright.  He stood beside her the majority of the dance, but she finally coaxed him back out to finish the dance.

DSC_7233

My sweet cowboy deep in thought.

DSC_7244

We have got to get that Ella a real cowboy hat before next year, but at least she had her groovy boots.  She would where those boots every day if her mommy would let her.

DSC_7276

Happy trails, partner!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

A Glimpse of the Old Brenda

I have gotten soft and lazy.  There was a time in my past that is was nothing for me to grab a sledge hammer and break away part of my driveway that had settled.  There was a time that it was nothing for me to mix, by hand, 60 pound bags of concrete, 20 of them in one day, to fix my driveway.  When I was a single homeowner, I tackled huge jobs.  I remodeled my kitchen, removed a popcorn textured ceiling in a 12 by 20 foot room, and even installed a french drain to prevent my basement from flooding.  My house in Birmingham was wonderful, but it was a never ending “TO DO” list.  Since money was tight, I had to do as much as I could myself.  Thank goodness for the internet! 

Fast forward seven years.  I am married to a wonderful man who has given me two wonderful children.  My life of a stay-at-home mom is pretty glamorous.  Sitting around eating bon bons all day really doesn’t leave me much time for manual labor.  We have a lawn guy, Abundio.  He and his wife are wonderful.  Abundio has become our all around fix it guy.  We love him!

We had torrential rain last night.  I woke up this morning to water coming in our garage.  When I went outside to look around, I saw that the french drain was clogged.  Tom couldn’t deal with the problem because he had meetings that he couldn’t miss at work.  While I took the kids to school, Tom called a guy to come work on the drain.  After spending close to $500 in the last couple of weeks on a new sink faucet, and a repairman to work on both the dishwasher and refrigerator, I wasn’t ready to shell out more money for something that I could possibly fix myself.

Tom canceled the drain guy, and I went to work.  I was up to my armpit in mud for three hours in the pouring rain, but I DID IT!!!  I unclogged that stinking french drain.  I am so exhausted, and muscles that I forgot I even had are beginning to ache.  I probably won’t even be able to get out of bed in the morning.  But I’ll tell you what, the feeling of satisfaction from doing such a difficult task more than makes up for it all. 

As wonderful as eating bon bons all day is, I kind of miss the old me some times.  She was a tough old girl.  

Texas, Texas, what do I see?

CCI04132012_00000

CCI04132012_00001CCI04132012_00002CCI04132012_00004CCI04132012_00005CCI04132012_00003

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Build a Train at Hurst Library

Hurst Library was hosting a build a train workshop this week.  We met Dede for dinner and then headed to the library to build a train.DSC_6882

DSC_6900DSC_6908DSC_6909

I thought Aleck would really get into the painting, but he didn’t want to get paint on himself so Tom did most of the work.

  DSC_6940DSC_6935

Ella, on the other hand, had no problem with getting paint on herself.  I am so thankful it was washable paint and that this mess was at the library and not in my kitchen!

DSC_6869

DSC_6928

Of course, Tom built a replica of Thomas the engine.  He pulled up a picture of Thomas on his phone and kept referring back to the picture to get it right.  I love his attention to details.

DSC_6946DSC_6897DSC_6899

Sweet girls.

DSC_6968

The library had a train parade on Saturday to let the kids show off their creations.

  DSC_6982

Since Brooke and Presley couldn’t make the parade, they were nice enough to loan Ella a train.

Toot, Toot.  All Aboard!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Week in Review

  • We drove by a building being demolished this week.  A bulldozer was loading debris in a truck.  When I asked Ella what they were doing, she replied, “picking up blocks?”. 
  •   Both the dishwasher and the kitchen sink broke this week.  We needed a new faucet, and I love the one I picked out.  Until we get the dishwasher fixed, I’m washing dishes by hand.  I hate to unload the dishwasher and have discovered I actually enjoy washing the dishes and putting them away as we use them.

DSC_6635

  • Aleck walked into the men’s restroom at the park.  He was already on the potty by the time I caught up with him.  I snuck into the men’s bathroom and told Aleck, “Mommy can’t be in the men’s bathroom and I don’t want you in here by yourself.  We need to go to the girl’s bathroom.”  With a puzzled look on his face, he turned his head sideways and said, “Well, I’m a boy and I’m not supposed to go in the dirl’s baffroom.”

059

  • Aleck has decided that his bed isn’t comfortable, and he wants to sleep on his nap mat in the living room floor.  He wakes up in the middle of the night and moves to the living room after we have gone to sleep.  I have no idea what that’s about because he has no problem napping in his bed.
  • We have played the Which Witch game most nights this week and the kids love it!  I am surprised that Ella and Aleck totally understand the game.  Ella’s favorite part is dropping the metal ball down the staircase.
  • Aleck’s Sunday school teacher moved away, and I volunteered to assist the new teacher.  Last week was my first week, and I think I’ve gotten in over my head.
  • We went to a friend’s house for dinner and a game night.  Aleck played his first real video game on the Wii,  and has decided he must have one for his “birfday”.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Which Witch?

Since Tom was a kid, he has wanted a Which Witch game.  He has been watching Which Witch games on eBay, and finally bought a game this week.

We have played it almost every night.  The kids are eager to bathe and get ready for bed, because they know if they hurry we will have time for a game.

In the game, you roll a die and move through four rooms.  The first person to the top of the staircase wins.  Wanda the Witch can cast a spell and turn you into a mouse.  You miss a turn until you draw a Glenda The Good Witch card.  If you draw a Ghoulish Gerdie card, you drop a metal ball down the chimney.  If the ball hits your player, you have to move back to the starting spot in that room.  I am surprised that Ella and Aleck totally understand the game, and they LOVE playing!

  DSC_6613

DSC_6618

Ella’s favorite part of the game is dropping the ball down the chimney.  My favorite part is watching the look of joy in my sweet children’s little eyes.     

Monday, January 9, 2012

Cranky The Crane vs. Knights and Dragons

Aleck has seriously been into trains since he got his first train set for Christmas 2008.  Recently, he has started playing with his castle, knights and dragons that he got for Christmas 2010.  His castle is set up on his train table right now.  When I was in his room today, I couldn’t help but laugh when I look at his train table.  Cranky the Crane is holding a cargo container.  A horse and knight are perched precariously on the container, while a dragon is right behind them.  You can’t see it very well in the pictures, but another knight is clinging to the container, while at the same time spearing the dragon.  I love my sweet boy’s imagination!  DSC_6597

DSC_6606

Friday, January 6, 2012

Epiphany Pageant

Aleck was a shepherd in the Epiphany Pageant tonight, and what a handsome shepherd he was. 

  DSC_6463DSC_6466

DSC_6502DSC_6512DSC_6513DSC_6559

Ella Bella was a little young for the pageant, but she will be an angel next year.   I tried so hard to get a picture of her in front of the tree, but a little girl kept running up to pose with her.  Oh well, she still looks adorable in her little red dress.