And the fun just keeps on...

No seriously. This will be quick...or not. First, it's been so hot HAWWWWWWWWT here, that it's been almost miserable. Save for, the trips to the pool and the sprinkler park, we've managed. I did find a great idea for my kids. I got a loaf of whole wheat french bread, the toppings for pizza, and sent them to town. It was an easy dinner, it didn't require much work, and most importantly-THEY ATE IT!!




Thing numero dos: I have found the BEST ice cream in the world. Ben and Jerry's Late Night Snack. I cannot even describe to you, in coherent words, the awesomeness that seeps from the spoon.



And finally, we had the coolest experience on Saturday. The DMA held their first annual BooksmART Festival. Basically, there were activities, lectures, and book signings by authors and illustrators. I love literacy and I love helping children (and adults) appreciate good literature. It's a passion of mine. Anyway, Ethan got to meet one of his favorite authors, David Wiesner, and hear him speak about how he develops his ideas for his artwork and stories. Then, he stood in line and waited to meet him and have his book autographed.








After that, we puttered around the museum for a little while. Ethan made a wordle from a piece of artwork he had been eyeballing.






It's been a productive summer thus far. Next up: VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Boys of Summer pt 1

We took a road trip out west (Texas) to visit Brian's grandmother in Kermit. Ok, I get it, you can insert some random Muppet joke here if you wish. Really, it's a small town (stress small) outside of Midland/Odessa. You are going to think I'm nuts but I LOVE IT out there!! Everyone is laid back, polite, and the land is beautiful. The drawback is the heat! ZOMG! It was, 112 degrees at one point during our visit. Haha! I love when people tell me, "But, it's a dry heat!" Uh, who cares. Hot is hot is hot IS HOT! The first day there, we took the boys out to the State Park in Monahans to surf on the sand dunes. You get these huge frisbee looking things, take them to the top of the dunes' peaks, and let it ride!! Pretty cool. I just wish there had been a beach somewhere on the other side.













Day two brought a whole 'nother adventure. We drove to Balmorhea State Park (I really need to develop a passport-y type thing people can get stamped when they visit state parks. We've apparently been to quite a few just in the last year.) It was gorgeous. We swam in the fresh spring with fish. We didn't stay very long because it was stinkin' cold. The water is always at a "natural" 72 degrees. Now, that may not seem cold to anyone else but I kid-you-not I could feel hypothermia setting in...or my guts were getting pissed off at me. Either way, it was enjoyable and we definitely want to go back soon. And, because we left earlier than we anticipated, we decided to drive to Marfa (We assumed there would be alien artifacts or some cool stuff to see, but NOPE!) and that was a waste of time. GIANT waste of time. On the plus side, the drive through the Davis Mountains was GORGEOUS. Loved it. It was really sad to see how much destruction the wildfires left in their wake.
















Marfa had little to offer so on our way back to Kermit, we decided to stop at the McDonald Observatory. Nerd Paradise. It was a little over my head but Brian and Ethan were enthralled. We got super lucky and ended up getting to take the last tour of the day (they only do 2 a day). That stuff is amazing to look at and even more amazing to know that it can see things we can only begin to imagine.
All in all, it was a quick trip but I'm glad we went. I forgot that Caden had never met his great-grandmother and Ethan hasn't seen her since he was 2!! I honestly wanted to bring her home with us. It was sad to have to leave her.

Another one bites the dust...

Another Saturday that is. Our schedules have been packed, but, like I said before, we are blessed to have so much to do.
Good news: Ham's Orchard is now open. NOM. I have a newfound appreciation for fresh food. It's like the older I get, the more value I place on fresh (or frozen) veggies and fresh fruits. They are reknown for their peaches througout the season AND, get this: Ham's has started a line of foods to sell in their country store. I bought a loaf of fresh bread they baked right there and man aliiiiiiiiiive is it good! They have fresh baked cakes, cookies, and pies. Um hello! If you're going to do something sugary, do it right. Right? The fresh peach and strawberry ice creams are still being produced and even the fruit cider slushies. Yesterday, we finally ate at the hamburger stand they have right there behind the storefront. Um...yum! Total yum for a great price. Sigh. That place is the bomb. It makes me want to be a farmer. A farmer with a hamburger stand behind my house!!!!! Ham's Orchard is a definite must every season.

www.hamorchard.com











~~~~ Meanwhile back at the ranch~~~~
Later that day, we stopped by to wish Mr. Soren Herrera a Happy 2nd Birthday. That kid is adorbs. He is mellow (never seen him whimper, cry, or fuss!! No lie.) and will eat anything. He's a foodie already. We all had a great time with some amazing food and friends. Joe and Tierra, Soren's mom and pop, made the most AHHHMAAAAZIIIIIIIING homemade enchiladas. I am still dreaming about those things. So. Good. Aside from the delicious food, there was a bouncehouse. Any place with a cake and bouncehouse= excellent fun for the Hoover boys.








Needless to say, by the time we got home on Saturday, we were pretty much ready to hit the showers and then bed. If you look in the dictionary next to the word exhausted, it would have had our family picture sketched in as an example. I swear there were little Z's appearing above my head and my words were coming out incoherently at some point. :)

100 Things about Me

A friend and someone I follow frequently posted his 100 Things About Me so I thought, "What better way to explain myself so that people don't think I'm a freak!" Sadly, I started to write this out and lo and behold! I AM nutty as a fruitcake...apparently.

1. As mildly inappropriate as Benny Hill is, I still remember watching it on PBS when I was 6. It's still funny. Dirty old English man...

2. The Container Store overwhelms me. I love the place but, I can feel myself beginning to hyperventilate as soon as I set foot in there.

3. Certain songs remind me of certain places, times, and even smells. I can hear Counting Crows and automatically I start to smell pipe tobacco. I have no idea why.

4. I love the U.K.! I love that they are known for their manners, their accents, and I love that they put a 'U' in words like colour and favourite.

5. Mayhem is my name. Actually, my full name is Cheeky Mayhem.

6. I people watch.

7. I have a tattoo and I want another one.

8. I'm obsessed with photography (mine, other people's) and I especially like to use it to document my relationship with my kids.

9. I'm a P1. My husband's fault.

10. The only mustachioed man I don't get creeped out by is Magnum P.I.

11. I like order and I like neatness.

12. I miss San Diego.

13. The grandparents in Willy Wonka gross me out.

14. Turquoise and any other color paired up with it are my favorites.

15. Breakfast at Tiffany's was my favorite movie when I was 10.

16. Remember Sanrio? Yeah, I wanted my room to look like the inside of that place.

17. I had my first pedicure at the age of 25. Why did I wait so long to experience Heaven in a chair? Also, I believe that God wants me to have pedicures because people took care of each other's feet back in biblical times.

18. I talked about my daughter today for the first time without crying.

19. I don't watch movies about military or war. It hits too close to home.

20. I don't have hair products...I have hair arsenal. It's ridiculous.

21. Hats. Hats need to make a comeback.

22. I hate the first day of school and still get nervous. I wonder sometimes why I picked the profession in which I get to pull a Groundhog Day situation every year on the first day of school.

23. I reserved the church before my husband actually proposed. I had to. We wanted the date and it was about to be taken by someone else.

24. I love the villains in Disney movies. Ariel? Blah! Now Ursula? She was GREAT!

25. Marionettes and puppets scare the heebies out of me. Especially the European ones.

26. I'm short. I'm also tired of people bringing that to my attention. I know. I get it. Believe me, it's brought to my attention when I have to have my jeans altered.

27. If people knew what was on my iPod, I would be pretty embarrassed.

28. I've had post-partum depression. I now talk about it whenever I can and advocate for more support for new moms.

29. I've always wanted to be a marine biologist.

30. I don't take bubble baths. It ooks me out.

31. There's a movie reference for every situation.

32. I wish I could play certain songs during certain moments of my life. I also believe that everyone has a soundtrack to their life.

33. I can't watch sports on t.v. My adrenaline gets going and it starts to stress me out. I think I'm too competitive and yes, I must win.

34. I love books. Brian and I made a pact to never deny the kids books.

35. I love the smell of clean.

36. Rainy days at home are my favorite.

37. Jeans and flip flops

38. I don't know if it's "Oh My Lanta" or "Oh my lands-a"

39. I hate when I catch a grammar or spelling mistake after it's too late.

40. Swimming in a salt water pool feels like swimming in a pool of sweat. Weird and a lil' gross.

41. When I was younger, I would go to Goodwill with my grandmother (she was a glassware expert and always took me along for her searches)- I found a stuffed Lima Bean dressed as a fancy lady. I bought her and named her Mrs. Bean.

42. My grandmother used to take me to the book store in downtown Mesquite, she had $400 in credit from re-selling her books (mostly romance novels); I remember her taking me there when I was sick and letting me pick out book after book. I miss her.

43. My paternal grandmother used to greet me at her door at 5:30 a.m. (I stayed with her when I was younger.) with a fresh homemade flour tortilla wrapped in a paper towel. I miss her a lot too. I can still smell her white rain hairspray, sweet tea, and Prell shampoo.

44. I don't understand American Idol.

45. I'm very good friends (and have made her an honorary sister) with my husband's former high school French teacher. I adore her.

46. I'm allergic to avocados but eat them anyway. Feeeeel the buuuuuuuurn.

47. I try.

48. Boo Radley changed my life.

49. I used to challenge my Cabbage Patch dolls to a chase. I swear I thought they came to life while I wasn't looking.


50. When I was 6, I was convinced Count Chocula, Frankenberry, and the Booberry ghost were all hiding in our linen closet.


51. At the age of 30, I finally went to Disney World. I still have dreams about it. I love that place but you will NEVER EVER catch me in a character tshirt, sweatshirt or the like.

52. I like the feeling of being up early in the morning.

53. I regret refusing all of those naps when I was younger.

54. I have moxie.

55. I knew I was going to marry my husband the second I met him.

56. I like Julio Iglesias.

57. I loved those Nintendo ice cream sandwiches back in the day. My sister and I still crave them and have gone on a search for some; freezer-burned or not!

58. Loading the dishwasher is like playing Tetris. I have to win.

59. I hate that I love to read gossip magazines.

60. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to watch William and Kate's wedding.

61. I don't like coffee. I wish I did.

62. I'm privy to a lot of useless information.

63. Roller coaster rides make me sick. I can't stand 'em.

64. One time, on a date, Brian and I stopped at Sports Authority. I went to the pee-wee football pads aisle and tried some on. I got down like a lineman, and called out a play---a salesman walked around the corner about the same time---kinda embarrassing.

65. Speaking of salesmen, one time Brian and I were at Sears pricing refrigerators while I was 8 months pregnant with Ethan. I didn't want to be bothered or hear a spiel so I played "chase" with the salesman while he tried to talk to me. I just kept running/waddling between aisles.

66. I hate creamy soups, mayo, and ranch dressing.

67. I truly believe learning is a life-long process. I love learning and I would take a bazillion classes if I could; Art, Art History, Photography, psychology, etc.

68. Never go to bed angry. It's not good for your relationships or your soul.

69. the book Helter Skelter scared me.

70. I love Joan Crawford (the real one and the fake one)

71. I wish Hollywood still resembled Old Hollywood.

72. My husband has been mistaken for Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, and some other random dude.

73. Country music is not my forte yet, I live in Texas. This statement alone has to be blasphemous.

74. I love Heather Morris. Love her.

75. I'm convinced Sting wrote "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" for me specifically.

76. I almost named my first kid Joaquin. Glad I didn't.

77. I can hear the British Virgin Islands calling my name.

78. Williams-Sonoma is the bomb.

79. I love Bollywood movies.

80. Etsy is an addiction.

81. Florence and the Machine is highly underrated.

82. I swallow my gum.

83. Tulips are my favorite flower.

84. When I get overwhelmed, in my head I yell, "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!"

85. I love getting magazines in the mail.

86. I have never seen The Notebook. I don't plan on it either.

87. My nose is crooked and I'm self-conscious about it.

88. If I wasn't a teacher I would be an obstetrics nurse.

89. If Saved! or Juno is on t.v., I will stop whatever I am doing and watch it. I don't care if they're halfway over, I will plop down and watch.

90. I don't like weird cheeses which keeps me from eating the majority of the items on an Italian restaurant's menu.

91. I'm trying to convince my husband to take ballroom dancing with me. He's not budging.

92. I love Adam Richman and Man vs. Food. It's entertainment glutton-style.

93. I have a small scar on my forehead from having the chicken pox. It looks like someone took a hole puncher to my head.

94. And my forehead is so big it's probably more of a fivehead.

95. I have a lot of Scrubs-type moments.

96. I love Conan O'Brien. LOVE HIM.

97. The theme to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" scares me. My husband will randomly play it while I'm sleeping. Turd.

98. I still make wishes when blowing out candles. Any candles.

99. Buying new songs from iTunes helps pump me up for my workouts.

100. I tell people I don't want anymore kids but, the truth is, the thought of going through the pain and anguish of losing a child scares me more than anything.




And there you have it.