Road Trip!

Getting ready for a dip in the pool!

"Hey momma! I swin-swinnin'!"

Waiting in line is boring.

Ready for the movie to start!

Getting sleepy.

He finds all kinds of bugs and things in their natural habitats wherever we go. He's my scientist.

Listening to directions...I apparently am not.




We decided to take the boys on a small trip last weekend. We ended up in Glen Rose/Granbury to take in some sights. The kicker? We played Russian Roulette with Caden's potty training. We didn't take any diapers or Pull-Ups and kept him in his underwear the whole time. And ya know what? He did fabulously. No accidents. He's actually been great with the whole potty training thing. I think it's safe to assume he is fully potty trained at 2.5 years old. Although, we did have to make a stop on the side of the road for him. But, he told us he needed to go and held it until we were able to stop. Yay!
When we arrived, we took the boys swimming in the hotel pool. It was great, slightly chilly, but refreshing. It was a saltwater pool. Apparently it's the new thing to do with pools to eliminate so much chlorine and other chemicals. It was ok but, as a friend put it, it kinda felt like swimming in sweat. Ew. It didn't wreck my hair or the boys' skin so I was okay with it. The monsters refused to get out of the pool so that was kind of a struggle.
Later that evening, we took the boys to the drive-in in Granbury to see Toy Story 3. Up side? Drive-in movies are awesome if you have kids. Downside? Drive-in movies suck if you have kids. haha! Ok, so the cool part is the boys loved being able to sack out in the back of the SUV and watch the movie "outside". The downside is, you obviously have to wait until it gets dark to see anything. Welp, it doesn't get dark in the summer until about 9 p.m. Um, yeah. That's their bedtime. So, because it started so late, the boys were pretty whipped despite their late afternoon nap.
We all enjoyed the actual movie and as we were packing up to go home, the guy next to us (whose family was so sweet) told us he was really surprised that he didn't hear a peep out of our boys during the whole evening and how impressed he was with their behavior seeing how they're so young. And, just as he's complimenting me on my kids' behavior...*Cue Caden starting an uncontrollable wail*---Yeah, it was kinda embarrassing. We made it back to the hotel about 11:30 and ready to get to bed.
The next day, we woke up at 5:30 A.M.(!) to make it to Fossil Rim for the guided tour. This did not seem like a good idea at the time. We were all walking zombies. But, as soon as we loaded into the vehicles, I was okay with the early wake-up. We had first dibs on the animals so we would get to see them up close. We were also allowed to go on unpaved paths to get a closer look at animals like the endangered Przewalski's Horse, cheetahs, and the black rhinocerous. What I loved most about this place is their desire to nurture the dying species. They had a few endangered animals that they are protecting and attempting to get off the endangered list. I also loved that they are a not-for-profit organization and accredited members of the zoological society. The boys had a great time and had an opportunity to feed and pet the giraffes and many other animals. Caden had quite a few people laughing as we fed an ostrich. He had this giggle that had everyone laughing. Ethan, made friends with a few heavy duty bikers. So much so, they gave him some of their animal feed when he ran out. That kid can socialize and make friends with anyone.
Halfway through, Cade lost steam and zonked out. Couldn't blame him. The weather was breezy and the view of the hills, trees, and outlay of the land was very peaceful and relaxing.
We such a great time! Now, on to prepare for our "big" vacation at the end of this month. Yikes.

Boys vs. Girls

I've had many people come up and ask me how I like being a mom to boys. I don't really know how to respond other than, "It's great!"- Truth is, I don't know any differently but I suppose I like it as much as I'd like being a mom to girls...or boys and girls...or monkeys and boys...or just apes. Sigh. It's a hard question to answer really. I don't want to get personal with them because Brian and I feel like it's no one's business, except for close friends and family, to know our situation.
Here's the deal- We have 3 children. Two boys- Ethan and Caden here on earth with us and a girl-Isabelle who is in heaven. I don't dwell on it a whole lot. Why? Because I'm cold-hearted? Nah. Not really. I don't dwell on it because I trust God. He hurt and cried with us and only He knows what we've been through. We are moving past it and looking forward to the future. This is an amazing thing. After August 12th, 2009, we are in a place we never thought we'd be. What we've both learned is, we are more than grateful for the healthy, smart, beautiful children we do have and enjoy our time with them immensely.
The problem I have is the pitying looks and the "Ohh yeah are you guys gonna ever try for a girl?" comments. Um no. We have a little girl. She just isn't physically here with us. We don't "try" for anything. We accept the gifts our God has given us and we relish in the privilege of being parents to these gifts.
My deal lately has been with the negative comments from strangers about how much better it is to have girls than boys and why it's so much better. I don't begrudge them their opinions. My kids are freakin' awesome. The comments from I get from people bother me more than they should though. It's like sharp little digs as if to say that somehow having two boys instead of two girls is some sort of punishment. (I know, what?!) I'm pretty sure they don't mean to say these things but it still sucks, nonetheless. Here's the deal: My mom gave me some valuable advice when I asked her what I was supposed to do with a boy/boys to raise. I mean, how do I raise them?? She told me, "Duh, Christina. You raise them like you would if they were girls. You have the same expectations of them and love them the same. The only difference is the plumbing...and a few other things."
Sound advice.
I love my boys. I know God put them in our lives for a reason. And because of the shenanigans my boys get into, He must want to bring back the Laurel and Hardy-type comedy teams because, friends, that is exactly what we are living with.

Be Still My Beating Heart

There are many reasons I love my husband. He's kind, compassionate, loving, intelligent, a hard-worker, and most of all--beyond awesome.
Brian surprised me with tickets to see Sting perform with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in The Woodlands (Houston)-I had no idea! He knew how disappointed I was that the Dallas show was canceled. So, he went to work right away and secured the tickets, a hotel room, and childcare for the boys!! I was stoked. He's a genius, I tell you. Genius.
After driving forever, we ended up in The Woodlands, a suburb of Houston. It is a gorgeous place to be. We stayed at the Avia Hotel at Market Street-which is like a little shopping/urban mecca. Loved it. Avia was awesome! And, if you know me, you know that I cannot go more than an hour or so without embarrassing myself or getting into a predicament. So it came to fruition. I didn't realize the mini-bar/fridge had an alarm on it to notify the front desk to charge you if anything is removed from it. Welp. I did it. I removed a few bottles of juice, wine, water, etc. to see what was in there. (I'm beginning to see where my boys get their inquisitive and hands-on approach to things now.) Well, after I had taken a few things out, Brian found the note that told us whatever was removed, would be added to our bill. Gulp. Ok. Luckily, after worrying about it for forever and a half, we found out that because I put it back immediately, we wouldn't be charged after all. Ok. So maybe all the humidity wasn't what made me sweat. It was the idea that I didn't follow directions and got into something I wasn't supposed to. No?



The concert was amazing. I enjoyed the venue even though it was outdoors. Maybe I'm a bit biased because, I'm a huge Sting/The Police fan. Honestly, I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy hearing the RPO play with Sting and his catalogue. I mean, the thought itself didn't really appeal to me. I was wrong. So very wrong. It was great! I love seeing Sting in concert because A)he sounds great live and B)It's STING!! I love that he re-visits his old stuff and brings out new music and well, he's not too shabby on the eyes either. In fact, Brian and I are such huge fans that our wedding recessional was to "Brand New Day" and our song is "When We Dance"- Yeah, I was wondering if I would get slapped with a restraining order at some point. :)
Funniest moment of the night, the guy next to us proving time and time again why middle-aged white males wearing loafers and a fanny pack should NOT dance...EVER. ha! It was greatness. The humidity was almost unbearable but, totally worth sitting through it. On the plus side, I think I may have sweated off like, 10 lbs., or more!



I'm especially grateful to my amazing husband, Brian. Thank you for giving me the special gift of seeing my favorite singer, a grown-up vacation, and most of all, loving me enough to plan this all without me knowing.

"Oh can't you see, you belong to me..." Yeah, he's mine.:

Pure Imagination and a lot of personality

"If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it"


Ha! So, Caden has this fixation on this blanket Ethan gave him. It's this tiny blanket with a sports theme on it. It's fleece, soft, and has been washed more times than I can remember. He loves to put it on his head and pretend it's hair. Caden's personality has broken through and he has shown me that he definitely has a sense of humor. I love watching how he becomes less of a copycat and marches to the beat of his own drum. He has little dances he does whenever he hears any kind of music, walks like he's Shaft when we let him out of the stroller, and sings the entire them to Go Diego, Go! at the top of his little lungs...in the car...on repeat...off key. ;)



Ethan, on the other hand, is a bit different. Don't get me wrong, he can "pretend" with the best of them and is most definitely one of the funniest kids I know, but his ideas are a little beyond mature for his age. I can jokingly tell close friends that he's really a 30-years-old man trapped in a 6-years-old body. Not really. What I love most about him is his ability to talk to anyone about anything. I love his laugh, the way he takes on the role of "protector" and he has this aura about him that comes from His walk with the Lord. He has his own opinions and isn't really afraid to let you know if you ask. Wonder where he gets that?


I guess my point is, if there is one at all, is that Brian and I get the best of it all with both of our kids. Their little personalities are coming out in full-force and it's absolutely entertaining to watch (and even participate) But, what I love the most, are moments like these when I see that they love the other so much and compliment each other's personalities.

WIN IT!!

Ok, there's this amazing jewelry you must take a peek at. I am in
L-O-V-E with all of it. My favorite is the birth necklace square.
Go check it out and enter to win!
http://julianandco.blogspot.com/2010/06/win-our-julian-co-round-locket-small.html

Giants of the Savanna

Last Tuesday, the boys, some friends, and I headed out to the Dallas Zoo. We were extremely excited because the new exhibit "Giants of the Savanna" had opened up. It was amazing! If you've seen the "old" zoo set up and look at this one, it's sad to realize how little room the animals had to roam. The kids were able to get up close to the elephants, giraffes, lions, and cheetah. In fact, the lioness pounced at the glass while we were trying to take pictures of the kids. Then, while the kids were in the Land Rover getting another photo op, the cheetah jumped in the back and watched us take pictures. Totally cool.
It was very hot but the zoo has accommodated for the heat by adding in a few pavilions with a/c around certain animal attractions. We packed lunches and ended up eating in the main food court (which was also air conditioned- Hallelujah!)
We had a WONDERFUL time with our friends the Lindleys. We can't wait to go back!

Favorite!

If you are the mother to a boy or boys, you have to get this book. To me, it describes everything little boys are and so much more.


Ok, Boogie wipes are amazeballs! No more squirting saline up the nose whilst holding them in a half nelson. Plus, not gonna lie, they smell sooo good. Love the grape ones!


I know this is for the diaper pail but I love the way it smells when I spray the upholstery in the cars and carseats. It's kind of a toss-up between this and Mrs. Meyer's brand products.




Haha! Mamarazzi (def.)
Mothers who constantly follow their children around with several cameras and video taking equipment, snapping photos at each turn and documenting each milestone or event with at least two dozen photos and a video. 2. Groups of aforementioned mothers

1. You can’t even get close to the swings because of all the mamarazzi.
2. I can’t believe how many photos I took of baby Madison on the slide! I’m such a mamarazzi!
3. What's with all the mamarazzi? It's just a bloody hair cut.

A) I'm not a "Mamarazzi" and B)I don't think I could stand to lug a camera everywhere we go. But, I have fallen in lust with the Nikon. Love it...and no, I won't be using it to snap 200+ pictures of every step they take.


Heh! Cake Balls. These are like manna from heaven. The upside? They aren't as messy as cupcakes. The downside? They are still chock full of fat and since they're so small, you wanna eat like four trillion of them. I made some for Brian to take to work and his co-workers loved them. I will tell you it is a LOT of work. So, I found a place to buy them already made. The Cake Ball Company in Dallas is the bomb!