Party of Five

Hope you had a Happy Easter!

2009-04-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter with family in Houston and Church on Easter Sunday. The kids are growing up so fast. Kathryn-9- no longer believes in the Easter bunny (and neither do cousins Austin-10 and Abbey-8 1/2), but seemed to be pretty happy with the loads of stuff the bunny brought. Our bunny doesn't bring a lot of candy, but every year he/she brings new swimsuits, goggles, flip flops, and plenty of fun outdoor stuff like bubbles and sidewalk chalk. Logan (almost 4) and Camryn (2) LOVED the whole bunny/basket/egg thing this year. It was a very big deal to them- and their first time dying eggs. The eggs had to be hidden inside my parent's house while we were at Church (are you kidding- we barely make it to church on time without the distraction of new things and candy!) and when we returned there were eggs and goodies everywhere. We were also able to snap a few pictures in my parent's backyard (even though it rained on and off) and a few inside with my wonderful parents and niece and nephew. I have no idea why I don't have any pictures of my sister or brother-in-law?

Hope you all had a Happy Easter! Obviously, the most important thing is not believing in the Easter bunny, but believing and knowing that Jesus Christ has arisen. Hallelujah!

It is raining...

2009-03-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

Dress-up on a rainy day

I love the rain! It started last night and will continue over the next several days. San Antonio really needs it, but I cannot believe that it is raining during spring break and in the middle of my front yard being landscaped. I now have a big, muddy mess with partial flagstone and limestone retaining walls. Surely there will be a letter in the mail from our homeowner's association any day now, but the landscapers will not return until Monday. Oh well.

Watercolors (yes, I took the slipcovers off of my chairs!)

Everyone we know is on a fabulous spring break vacation- cruises to Jamaica, skiing in Breckenridge, sightseeing in New York, but we are home to supervise the landscapers who are not here. I had plans to take the kids to the zoo one day, children's museum, etc. We DID go to Fiesta Texas, but then it started raining and I had an accident. Yep, I cut the fingertip off of my left index finger. Completely. The kids were helping me make homemade pizza (which we make with veggies and chicken) and I sliced right through my finger while multi-tasking. So, we spent many, many hours in the ER for them to sew my fingertip back on. We will see if it reattaches, but I will have several visits to the hand surgeon. Fun.

Walker Ranch Park

We did have a great time at the park last Sunday. Lots of great trees to climb and trails to walk. We are now stuck inside doing and eating whatever I can do with one hand. Kids have done watercolors, dress-up, rehearsed and performed a play, and watched Beverly Hills Chihuahua twice. We plan to go to my parent's house tonight and stay through the weekend to celebrate Austin's 10th birthday and my Dad's 21st birthday (hee hee). I am also hoping to have a lot of help with the kids so that I can relax and continue my pity-party. I'll keep you updated on the finger (or lack of). Hope you all have a wonderful spring break!

Logan with a mouth covered in chee-tohs- I am having trouble cooking with one hand and the kids are loving the junk food!

Kathryn with make-up and earrings, Logan had been wearing Ronnie's tie and cowboy boots

I'm BACK!!!

2009-02-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

Okay- I apologize to my dear friends in blogworld. I have neglected you during our recent move from California back to San Antonio. I have also been on facebook way too often. So... life seems to be getting a little less hectic and I thought that I would try to catch everyone up on our last couple of months.

The move from CA to San Antonio went relatively smoothly- other than last minute changes from the mortgage company, title company not preparing docs as they were supposed to, realtors who don't care about people, houses that have surprise problems when you move in... UGH! The house is fine. It is not my dream home and I already have a 3-5 year plan to sell and build. That is if the economy doesn't completely tank. We had the entire house repainted, new flooring, painted and glazed the kitchen cabinets, made some repairs, and landscapers will start next week. We also had furniture to buy- we downsized when we were in California- and finally found fabulous bedroom furniture that Ronnie and I both like. There is still much to do, but I am quickly losing enthusiasm on this remodeling project and I am deciding to "live with" some things that I had planned on changing.

Happy Birthday Camryn Elizabeth!

Camryn turned 2 on November 28th. My sweet little angel baby. I felt awful that we did not do a big party, but we were in San Antonio house hunting and then at my parent's house in Houston for Thanksgiving. Her birthday was the day after we were all stuffed with turkey and pumpkin pie- not really putting me in the mood for a sheet cake. Oh well. She was happy as could be with just having our immediate family at my mom's house with a cake and party favors all grabbed at HEB in about 15 minutes. I promise her a REAL party next year!

Logan having fun at his preschool in California on his last day

Kathryn practicing her cheerleading moves in the living room of the new house before furniture

Christmas was okay. Kathryn had a stomach virus and felt lousy- and we of course had just moved in about 3 days earlier- STRESS! So, we left the boxes in San Antonio and drove to my parent's house in Houston. The mood was a bit somber with my dad's mom (my wonderful Grandma) very ill. She passed away January 5th without me able to visit her again and I still miss her every day. I called her at least once a week just to hear her laugh and tell me stories about working in the garment factory, or the struggles of raising three boys, or what a stinker my dad was when he was a little boy and how much Logan looks like my dad. My poor dad is still having to take care of her estate and the drama that inevitably follows...

Kathryn adjusted to her new school pretty well beginning in January. Her former school was "capped", but she should be able to attend next year. She will start volleyball practice in a couple of weeks and will do swim team again beginning in May. Moving back to San Antonio has been an easy transition- back to the same neighborhood, doctors, after school activities, preschool for Logan, and friends. I hope that we never move from San Antonio. This is our home.

Camryn ready for the rodeo to end and the concert to begin

February- rodeo month! We went to Taylor Swift last week and had a great time. The kids all enjoyed the rodeo portion, but it is about an hour too long. By the time Taylor came on stage my kids were soooo sleepy. We were not able to stay for the whole concert but I bought her new CD for Kathryn and she seemed to be happy with that.

Hopefully this month will bring a little more rest and relaxation. I have friends in town that I haven't even seen since moving back and it is time to be a little more social. We have dinner with our friends Chris and Shellye this weekend- our first friends when we moved to San Antonio years ago. In fact, the house that we just bought is next door to Chris and Shellye's old house. I wish that they still lived there because the new neighbor is NOT nice. How did we move into a neighborhood where we know everybody and manage to move in next to the grouchy New Yorker who doesn't like kids? My best friend from college- Angela- and her husband and two kids moved to San Antonio last June and it has been so much fun to have dinner with them and have her close enough to call. She came over one day to watch the glaze go on the kitchen cabinets - fun! Logan also LOVES to play with their son- William- and asks on a daily basis for William to come over. Ronnie and I also have a date night planned for the 28th, he will be in D.C. for a couple of days, landscaping, living room furniture delivery, etc. It will be a busy two weeks left in February and then it will be March- spring break and countdown to summer. Whew!

I hope that everyone is doing well and hope to see you soon!!!

Corona del Mar

2008-10-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

We miss San Antonio dearly, but we have learned to love a few things here in Orange County. One of our favorite and most relaxing things is to go to the beach. I love, love, love the ocean. The kids are now old enough to play in the sand and get their toes in without me being such a helicopter mom. It was beginning to seem like we would never get out of the stage of Camryn trying to eat the sand, but she is now perfectly content to run around in the sand with her pail and shovel. Kathryn enjoys studying the tidal pools and collecting shells, and Logan is like an architect building his sand castles.

This past Saturday we were in Newport Beach running errands and decided to stop by Sprinkles cupcakes http://www.sprinklescupcakes.com.

Ronnie's favorite is the red velvet and my favorite is a toss-up between the red velvet and coconut. They also have seasonal flavors with the current ones being pumpkin (spiced pumpkin cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting) and caramel apple (spiced apple cake studded with granny smith apples and frosted with a caramel cream cheese frosting). They didn't have the pumpkin on Saturday and the caramel apple was completely sold out (I may have to make another trip over this weekend just to try it), but I was perfectly happy with my coconut cupcake. We then drove a minute to the beach (Corona del Mar is our chosen place to one day own a second home- in our dreams) and parked on Ocean Blvd. This little spot of paradise has become such a special place to our family and I hope that our children will always remember the fun times that we had on the beach.

We only need about $2.1 million to buy this second home...

We did not have our suits (and it was a little chilly), but we did have a wall-e blanket in the car and our camera, so we plopped down in the grass overlooking the walk down to the beach. The sun was beginning to set, the boats were drifting back into the harbor, I had my three precious children and handsome husband with me- and sprinkles cupcakes. Could life get any better? In this uncertain time of presidential elections, the country in an economic crisis, and the current fight in California over gay marriage, I find myself sick with worry about the direction our country is heading and trying to raise three children in a Christian environment. But, in quiet moments like these in Corona del Mar, I am able to look out at the magnificent ocean, say a quick prayer, and be filled with a wonderful peace. God is good.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2008-10-21T11:36:00.001-07:00

Mamamia had a request for a few of my favorite fall foods and here they are. I would love to hear your favorites as well! It seems like fall is always so busy and I love anything that can go in a crockpot (pot roast, chili- yum!) or needs minimal prep time. Here are a few of our favorites- I cannot go wrong with these and they make large quantities for 3 hungry kids!

Perfect Winter Beef Stew

3/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
2 lb. beef for stew, such as beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
6 slices Bacon, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onions (about 1 large)
3 cups sliced carrots (about 6 medium)
1-1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks (about 4 cups)
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) beef broth

POUR dressing over meat in large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag; turn to evenly coat meat with dressing. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large saucepan on medium heat 5 min. or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from saucepan; drain drippings.
ADD mushrooms and onions to same saucepan; cook on medium-high heat 10 min. or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove meat from marinade; discard marinade. Add meat, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broth and bacon to saucepan; stir.
BRING to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hour 15 min. Uncover; simmer an additional 15 min. or until meat is cooked through and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 Large Diced White Onion
3 Large Diced Tomatoes
4 1/2 Cups of Chicken Stock (or Bouillon Cubes)
2 Cups of Picante Sauce
3 Chicken Breasts
Salt, Pepper, Cumin to taste
1/2 Cup of Chopped Cilantro
Bring the chicken to a boil in the chicken stock. Once the chicken is cooked remove from stock and add tomatoes, onion, picante sauce, salt, pepper, and cumin. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Dice cooked chicken and add to stock. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Once your tortilla soup is done, then add cilantro.
Put some monterey jack cheese in the bottom of your bowl. Pour your soup in the bowl and add tortilla chips, sliced avocado, and more cheese on top.
Serve soup and enjoy!

Spaghetti Pizza Pie
1 box of angel hair pasta
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, cooked, drained
jar of spaghetti sauce
1 pkg. shredded mozzerella cheese

Toss cooked spaghetti, parmesan cheese, and egg. Place in 2 9-inch pie plates (spray them with Pam). Press along bottom and sides to form a crust.
Mix cooked meat and spaghetti sauce. Spread meat mixture over spaghetti crust. Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serve with a garden salad and garlic bread- leftovers are awesome!

Easy Bistro Chicken
2 tsp. oil (extra virgin is great)
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (omit if you don't like mushrooms)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup zesty italian dressing
3 tbsp. tomato paste
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup mozzarella cheese
4 slices of bacon
angel hair pasta

Heat oil in large nonstick saucepan (I use my huge electric skillet). Add mushrooms and onions, cook 5 min stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, the dressing and tomato paste. Add chicken and cover. Cook 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Cook angel hair pasta during this time.

Sprinkle with cheese and bacon, simmer uncovered 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve over hot angel hair pasta.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can french onion soup
1 can rotel tomatoes (mild if your kids don't like spicy)
2 cups raw rice
1 diced white onion
1 diced bell pepper
1 package of Hillshire Farms beef link sausage sliced
3 cooked and diced chicken breasts
salt and pepper (and cajun seasoning if you like spicy)

Spray large rectangular baking dish (3 qt pyrex?) with Pam. Mix all ingredients together in baking dish. Put a couple of pats of butter on top and cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 8-10 (leftovers are great).

It's The Great Pumpkin!

2008-10-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Kathryn took a fabulous Jr. Master Gardening class last spring and we have continued to "tend" her garden plot. We went yesterday to cut her "fairytale" variety pumpkin and pick a few tomatoes for dinner and took some pictures. Isn't this pumpkin cool? It looks a lot like some decorative pumpkins that I bought several years ago and decorate my credenza with each fall. Logan had fun chasing lizards and Camryn slept through our entire garden visit.

Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love the chill in the air, football games, soups and stews in the crock pot, pumpkin and apple cinnamon candles in the house, and brightly colored mums everywhere. I know that the fall leads to such wonderful holidays and time with family and friends. Hope you are all having a happy autumn as well!

My baby is NINE!!!

2008-10-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

Kathryn dancing on the table while her class sang "Happy Birthday"

Kathryn turned 9 this Sunday! Impossible to believe that my 9 pound, 2 ounce baby girl is growing up so quickly. She celebrated with my parents (they left Hurricane Ike's mess and flew in from Houston last Wednesday) and many of her friends here in California. She had cupcakes at school on Friday- seriously, the cupcakes from Costco are the biggest I have ever seen!

Kathryn with 2 of her friends

Happy Birthday To You!

Camryn enjoying birthday cake

We then had a swim party Friday evening at our neighborhood pool. The weather was perfect and everything turned out great. It was the easiest party I have ever done!

Logan and Camryn climbing trees in San Diego

Saturday morning we drove to San Diego (an hour away) with my parents and checked into the Marriott Marina. We spent most of Saturday climbing trees, flying a kite and hanging out around Seaport Village before taking a quick swim and then dinner at Kathryn's favorite San Diego restaurant, Filippi's Pizza Grotto.

Logan in Seaport Village

Pool time with Mommy and Pawpaw

Let's Go Fly A Kite!

Filippi's Pizza Grotto

You have to walk through an Italian grocery store to get to it and it is authentic, yummy food! We had breakfast Sunday morning at the hotel before heading to the San Diego Zoo. I love the zoo- especially the koala bears- and we had a great time. It was so nice to have Nana and Pawpaw with us for a week and we are missing them already. Hope they return soon...

Nana and Pawpaw with Logan and Camryn

When Logan Grows Up

2008-09-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

Logan in the ladder truck

Logan- evidently an expert- telling Camryn about the equipment

Logan, like most little boys his age, has a fascination with fire trucks. Several weeks ago our Church had "hero day" to celebrate the men and women of our community services. They brought all of the equipment and trucks- ladder trucks, special task force tanks, an ambulance, police segways, red cross supply trucks, etc. Logan wanted to stay by the fire trucks the entire time and we had a hard time getting him out of the back of the ladder truck.

Maybe he will be a fireman?

Logan with his "hero"- a real fireman

Logan explained to the fireman that his sister needed a hat too!

I look at my beautiful little boy these days and realize that he is growing up too fast. He turned

3 last May and is still such a sweet little guy- very much a daddy's boy (unless Daddy is at work, and then he is a Momma's boy). He is rarely any trouble and it is a joy to watch him learn. He is so curious about how things work and loves to take things apart and put them back together. Maybe he will be an engineer? He also loves anything that moves- bike riding, scooters, etc. He has also taken a recent interest in exotic looking cars and motorcycles. Hopefully he won't want to be a race car driver! Logan says that he wants to play football, but I look at him right now and he looks so tiny that I cannot imagine him at the bottom of a pile-up. He loves watching baseball, so maybe he will be a baseball player? Whatever Logan will be in the future, I hope that he will be a kind and helpful husband, wonderful father, and a healthy and happy

man of integrity- like his Daddy and his Pawpaw.

I am just starting to slowly catch up on my pictures from the summer and begin "blogging" regularly again. I joined facebook a couple of weeks ago, and that was fascinating for about a week. I was able to get in touch and see pictures of people I went to high school with. I also remembered why I had not spoken to some of them since graduation in 1992, so the facebook excitement has already worn off and I doubt if I check it again...

Hooray for wonderful teachers!

2008-09-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

Last year we really disliked Kathryn's second grade teacher. I could write an entire blog on her negativity, but instead I will focus on Kathryn's third grade teacher. Mrs. Sumers is WONDERFUL! Thank you Lord! Teachers make such an impact on these little ones- sometimes negative, sometimes positive. I wish that the negative ones would find a new profession. Kathryn was made to feel like she was "slow" and could never do anything right last year (ironically, her state standardized test results came over the summer and she did great- scored 100% in several areas!). That is a horrible thing to do to a child just because you are unhappy in your job and should have retired decades ago. Anyway, she has only been in school for 5 days and is already a different child with a different attitude about school. Her teacher is drowning her in positive reinforcement and letting her know that she can do it. Kathryn is a brilliant child (I know, I am her mother), but has trouble sitting in a chair all day long doing worksheets (last year). She is so much better off participating in hands-on activities, creative thinking, etc. I am actually excited about this year- woohoo!

Also, I have tons of pictures to upload, but cannot find the USB cable to connect to the computer. We moved several weeks ago and I am not exactly sure where I put it. I will work on that and update pictures soon.

Well, need to go. I am the Brownie co-leader this year and need to help the leader plan tomorrow's first meeting. Headed for the park to enjoy this beautiful weather (high of 76 today) and let the kids play while we plan. I'll be thinking of those of you in Hurricane Ike's path and pray that everyone is safe.

I'm Still Here!

2008-09-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated in a month. Sorry! Kathryn returned to school yesterday and Logan & Camryn will attend Mom's Morning Out at Church beginning this Monday. I just have not had any time to sit and update and have a ton of pictures I need to upload onto my computer. We did move to a different house in Irvine and it has actually been great. It is definitely smaller, but so much less stress than dealing with the other house and landlord. I will never rent again, but I am still so thankful that we did not buy anything when we moved here last year. Home values have dropped 38% in this area from 1 year ago. We would have lost a boat-load of money and would have a horrible time trying to sell when/if we are transferred back around February (that is what Ronnie's people are telling us- I'll believe it when the moving van pulls up). Anyway, things are going great and we have spent a lot of time at the pool and riding bikes lately. Logan has so much fun on his bike and Camryn rides in a carrier on my bike and loves it. We rode a mile or so to a park last night and they did really well. Everybody walks or rides around here and the weather is great to allow it. Last night on the way home I was actually a little cold- I know, sorry to my friends in San Antonio and Houston who are burning up right now...

I promise to update next week and add pictures. Hope everyone is doing well!

When Kathryn Grows Up...

2008-08-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Kathryn- my first child. Some days I absolutely want to wring her neck (she will be 9 next month), and some days I just want to squeeze her so tight. She is growing up too fast and definitely has a mind of her own. Ronnie and I laugh that she is going to need to marry a very rich man and spend her days planning charity events. Maybe she will be an event planner or wedding planner? She would plan a themed party every weekend if she could and likes to celebrate every season, event, holiday, etc. Maybe she will be a kindergarten teacher? She is an excellent artist and sees the world in a different way that reflects in her drawings. Maybe she will be an architect or fashion designer? Kathryn watches every dance move Miley Cyrus makes and replicates them to a tee with her ipod on singing and dancing in the living room. Maybe she will be a pop star?

I have no idea what she will be when she grows up, and sometimes I wish that I could see into the future and make sure that she is happy and successful. Here are a few things that she has been doing lately:

She took a Jr. Master Gardening class right here in Orange County and then submitted a few of her things to the OC Fair. She won first place in her age group for a giant pumpkin and honorable mention for her zucchini and green beans. She is so proud of the things that she has grown and we drove over to the community garden last night to pick some fresh tomatoes from her plot for dinner. I am so surprised by all of this because I can barely keep pot plants alive.

Kathryn has also been on swim team and has done quite well with her backstroke (her best and favorite stroke- winning 2nd place last weekend) and 50 freestyle winning 6th place in free out of 4 heats (about 24 girls). The championship meet is next Friday, so I will post results at that time.

I am also including a few pictures of her artwork. I am not as organized as Suzanne and do not have it all framed yet, but I think that they are really great (especially for an 8 year old!) and the colors and shading are really beautiful. I like Suzanne's husband's idea of taking them to kinko's and having them copied into an 8x10 that would be easier and less expensive to frame.

Kathryn loves her friends (she still misses Lauren and Lacey from San Antonio and will always consider Alyssa her BFF) and family, going to the beach, and practicing her pop star moves. Living in Orange County, she wants to be famous (like every other little girl) and is begging to take an acting class this fall. I can hardly wait to see what the future holds for her...

Tag

2008-07-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

I guess I got "tagged" in an indirect way. Both Suzanne and Monica were tagged and tagged anyone else who had not been tagged before, so I guess that would be me? I also want to publicly thank Suzanne (Dancing Queen) for my "Brillante Award". I could not have done it without you!

So here it goes:

A. attached or single? attached since 1991, but only married since 1997

B. best friend? Rebecca

C. cake or pie? pie...especially the all-American classics: pecan, apple crumb, cherry

D. day of choice? Sunday...I love that we now go to Church on Saturday nights and have the option of spending Sunday morning with the family reading the paper, drinking coffee,making a big breakfast. Still love the reverence of the Lord's Day, just love having one day a week where we don't have to get up and rush around to get 3 kids dressed and out the door. Plus, Saturday night Church is awesome and they always have an activity afterwards for families on the "great lawn".

E. essential item? my contacts or glasses...blind as a bat without 'em

F. favorite color? green

G. gummy bears or worms? not a gummy fan, but would sour worms be a choice?

H. hometown? born in Baton Rouge, LA, moved to Deer Park, TX (southeast Houston) in 7th grade, I guess I would consider Deer Park to be my hometown.

I. favorite indulgence? spa pedicures and massages

J. January or July? well, the Texas heat in July drives me crazy, I would much rather have on a comfy sweatshirt and a warm cup of coffee in hand, so I guess January. I don't like how "naked" the house always looks after we take down the Christmas decorations, but I do like getting the house back to "normal" and organized again.

K. kids? 3 beauties: Kathryn (will be 9 in September!), Logan (3), Camryn (20 months)

L. life isn't complete without? my family

M. marriage date? May 31, 1997

N. number of brothers & sisters? one awesome sister, Stacey, who just started blogging
O. oranges or apples? apples, only like orange juice, cannot stand to eat one by itself

P. phobias? snakes- scared to death of snakes, also have a recurring dream that I am in a hotel elevator that is going up and doesn't stop and crashes out of the rooftop, so I have a VERY hard time going up to a top floor and have to stay on the lower half of a hotel- which is so stupid since my husband is in the hotel business and we are always in one

Q. quotes? I can do ANY thing for a LITTLE while

R. reasons to smile? I am blessed with happy, healthy children

S. season of choice? fall- I love the cool, crisp breezes, the sound of the high school band warming up before a football game, fall colors- red, green, brown, orange, the anticipation of an entire season of holidays with Christmas around the corner, pumpkins- need I say more?

T. tag five peeps...if no one has tagged you yet, guess what? you're it!

U. unknown fact about me? I was on a swim team for about 10 years and spent 2 years on a high-intensity water polo team. It was pretty brutal competition- I broke a toe, had claw- marks after a match, would always wear 2 swimsuits because 1 would usually get ripped off. I know- me- the one who hates confrontation and violence could kick a little butt in the pool. I would NOT let Kathryn play water polo and hope that she continues swim team and maybe follows in my cheerleading footsteps in high school.

V. vegetable? I like vegetables- raw, cooked, fried. I will include pictures and a post about our recent vegetable experience later this week...

W. worst habits? being a tad obsessive-compulsive and high-strung, unable to let things go

X. x-ray or ultrasound? I've had both, but ultrasounds were always exciting with pregnancies

Y. your favorite food? bread- seriously- especially a warm loaf of fresh asiago cheese

Z. zodiac sign? Cancer...I'm a crab!!!

Willy Wonka Heaven!

2008-07-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

We visited a super-cool candy store last weekend. It is called Powell's Sweet Shoppe and they have stores in several places, but one just opened in nearby Laguna Niguel. They have over 5000 types of sweets stacked floor to ceiling. The kids were super-excited as we arrived and they grabbed buckets to fill. I think that Ronnie and I ended up being pretty happy too and were more nostalgic than we had planned. We got moonpies, candy cigarettes, chicko sticks, coconut longboys, and those little wax bottles filled with sweet liquid- you have to bite the top off and drink- remember? Oh my goodness, there were so many things that brought me back to childhood- the sights (sock monkeys!), smells (candy cigarettes still smell the same when you open the box!)- it was sensory overload.

I planned on taking more pictures, but I got a little too excited and it was hard to keep track of the kids (and Ronnie) running through the store.

What a fun place. I would love to own a place like this, but I would be too big to fit through the door after all of the required sampling. I just about made myself sick pouring 5 foot pixie stix down my mouth as we traveled oceanside down Pacific Highway 1 back home...

My Happy Girl

2008-07-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

In my last post I included a quick video of Camryn saying "hap-peeeee". She is truly a happy baby. She will walk right up to people and say "are ya happy?". I get so sad realizing that she is my last baby and is very much a toddler and no longer a baby (19 months already!). She is saying 3 and 4 word phrases and talks nonstop. She recently enjoyed my birthday and walks around the house singing "Happy Dirday to woo". So cute. Last night she pointed to my new kitchenaid mixer and said "make a cake!". The girl likes to eat!

Her hair is now long enough for a ponytail and Kathryn fixed it last week with side ponytails. Camryn adores Kathryn and sat still for a really long time letting Kathryn do her hair.

I heard the song "Happy" on the Christian radio station the other day and had to figure out how to add these playlists. I know that it is about Christ's love for us and how happy and blessed we are because of it, but it makes me think of how blessed and happy I am that I have my precious Camryn Elizabeth in my life and hope that she will always know how much I love her. Just wanted to share a few pictures that make me happy...

Last Day of School

2008-06-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Kathryn had her last day of second grade Thursday. I cannot believe that I now have a third grader. It was just yesterday that she was a little bitty thing learning to walk in the snow when we lived in Colorado. Just yesterday that she learned to swim and get on the school bus in San Antonio with her best friend Alyssa. Things change quickly and I don't know if I like all of these changes. Kathryn is now almost as tall as me and wearing the same size shoe. She is incredibly artistic and creative- big-time drama queen. She is also a very helpful big sister,but loves to go to the spa and get pedicures.

We hosted an end of year party for the second grade girls at our house. We had a bounce house, made tie dye t-shirts, fluffy flip flops, foam hula girls, and tons of food. We also painted toes and went swimming in the pool across the street. I was completely exhausted after they all (10 of them!) left. I think that they all had a good time and my two little ones LOVED having so many people at our house. They stayed in the bounce house for a long time and thought that they were just as big as the other kids.

some of the bathing beauties

The five of us got in the bounce house after everyone left and the kids were so cute jumping around and tackling Ronnie. Camryn's new word is "HAP-PEEEEE". Every time she says "happy" she brings a smile to my face. She is truly a happy child who laughs constantly.

Our first week of summer has gone okay. We are already out of any routine I tried to keep and the kids are sleeping a little later each morning. Oh well. It has been nice getting up and having a cup of coffee before they are all up. I have been to the gym twice, but certainly not everyday. Kathryn has been to swim practice twice and art class once. Next week we will get back in gear. This week it is nice just staying in pajamas all day long, eating doritos, and doing lots of artwork and computer time with the kids. We'll see how it goes next week...

Update

2008-06-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Camryn has fallen in love with the computer. Kathryn and Logan are both pretty proficient in using the laptop to do educational games, webkinz, etc, but Cam is only 18 months! She has watched Logan so much that she actually knows what to do. In this picture my dad must have been teaching her to trade on the stock market...

She is also wanting to potty-train and refuses to wear diapers. However, she is insisting on wearing these red boots a lot. She has such a funny personality.

Yesterday was pretty hot (a high of 86) and the kids had ice cream after dinner. Camryn ate hers while sitting in the cozy coupe completely nude. Thank goodness we have a tall fence in the backyard!

Logan (unfortunately) found a pair of scissors over the weekend and decided to cut off a huge chunk of hair. He denied it (of course, the long strand was on the laundry room floor and it was quite obvious that he was the one missing a section of hair) and then asked if he could get a balloon if he cuts his hair like they do at the salon. Great. Ronnie had to take him for a haircut (I couldn't bear to watch) and they had to get it pretty short all over. I do not like it and I am praying that it will grow out quickly...

Kathryn's last day of school is tomorrow and we are hosting an end of year party for the girls in her class. I decided to rent a palm tree bouncehouse and we are having a luau theme with leis, fresh fruit, tie dye t-shirt making, fluffy flip flop making, and a swim at the pool. Hopefully I can enjoy a mai tai or two after they all leave! I always have these great ideas, but when it is time for all of the actual work to begin, I always wonder why I volunteer to do these kind of things. They are a lot of work, time consuming, and expensive. I hope that Kathryn will one day look back and appreciate all of the special things that we try to do for them. My mom and dad always did special things for me and my sister, but it has taken 30+ years and 3 children of my own to realize just how wonderful my parents are. I do appreciate them for everything that they have done and continue to do- and hope that they will visit again soon!

This Crazy Life

2008-06-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

We have been crazy busy with STUFF!

My parents have actually been in town twice in the last month and left last night. I wish that they could stay forever- 2 extra sets of hands are very helpful. Mom helps cook, clean, take Kathryn to swim practice, etc. Dad is great keeping the little ones occupied and walking Kathryn to and from school. It has been so nice having them here for a week at a time. The weather in California has been so nice- a high of about 76 and lows around 56. Mom and Dad are getting quite spoiled and really dreaded getting back to the Houston heat and humidity- maybe they will come back really soon!

Kathryn had her awards assembly last week and received an academic excellence award and the teacher also noted how she is incredibly creative and dramatic. She was surprised to receive this award (it has been a strange year with a crazy teacher) and we are proud of how well she has adjusted to California and made so many new friends.Kathryn also had her end of year Brownie Girl Scout party at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. We all went to Build-a-Bear and had a great lunch at Red Robin.

She also had her end of year second grade swim party at the beach lagoon down the street. The weather was great and the kids had a really good time playing in the pool, sun, and lake all day instead of being in the classroom. Kathryn was all smiles when they delivered the pizzas and I caught her laying out with her friends talking.

Kathryn has her first swim meet this afternoon and her last day of school is next Thursday. She has been a busy girl lately!

Logan and Camryn have really enjoyed having my mom and dad here and are still as crazy as ever. They are truly partners in crime and keep me very busy. On top of everything else, we have been leasing a home in California because we thought that we would only be here a year. Well, we have been here a year and Ronnie's company doesn't seem to be in any hurry to move us. SO, our landlord has decided to sell the house (yes, this market is horrible and it will never sell) and I am trying to keep it clean for open houses and showings with 3 kids! What a nightmare. We will stay until it sells or we get transferred, but it is a real pain. I have never leased a house (and hope to never do so again), but the prices in Orange County are out of control and pitiful compared to what you can buy in San Antonio for the same amount. This house is currently listed for $1,375,000. Here is an outside shot. It is a big box with a garage, siding, and stucco. Ridiculous. I have tons of interior pictures too, but can send those of you that I know a link to see the virtual tours and stuff. Not really wanting to post my address on here...

Well, I need to get clothes out of the washer and into the dryer and go to the grocery store before Kathryn gets home from school. Logan and Camryn have been quietly watching Dora, but I think the show is over and they are looking for a snack...

GO SPURS GO!!!

2008-05-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

GO SPURS GO!!!

The Spurs play tonight (and should have won Tuesday night if the refs had actually called a foul when they were supposed to) and need to crush the Lakers. Ronnie is going to the game and I will watch from home with the three kids. If they don't win tonight and the Lakers take the series, then we are going to be some very miserable Spurs fans stuck here in California...

Come on Spurs!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Logan!

2008-05-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy week with Logan's 3rd birthday, Ronnie's birthday, my parents were in town for a week (so sad when they had to leave), and 4 out of the 5 of us having a head cold- oh yeah, and the house is for sale and has to be kept clean...

Pictures(L-R) Logan on his first, second, and third birthdays

Most importantly, my beautiful little boy turned 3 years old. He has the ability to melt my heart with those unbelievable blue eyes, blond hair, and wicked grin. He is fiercely protective of his sisters and affectionately refers to Kathryn as "Ha-hun" and Camryn as "bebe". He loves to swim and go to the beach, eat watermelon, and play with anything that moves (trucks, cars,trains, helicopters, and most recently, garden snails and Rolie-polies).

The birthday boys

Logan is the most handsome little boy in the world to this proud mommy. He is sometimes a bit mischievous (such as the time when he unrolled about 100 feet of aluminum foil all over the house to make a shiny path- I promise I was only in the bathroom a few minutes!), but he is my sweet boy and I am so thankful for him as I watch him grow and learn every day.

Happy Birthday Logan & Ronnie!

Follow the shiny, silver road...

Kathryn and Laura Bush

2008-05-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

Last night I took Kathryn to a special ticketed event for Laura Bush. She was promoting her new book that was written with her daughter Jenna (Jenna was supposed to be there, but I am sure her recent wedding and honeymoon changed things). The line was quite long when we got there even though it was supposed to be a "limited" event. We were able to see protestors with signs saying "put drug dealers in jail"- duh, I don't think that anyone would disagree with that, especially Laura Bush, but it was definitely an "experience". We also got to check out all of the secret service guys- very cute and friendly. We talked to several of them as the line progressed. Kathryn's eyes were wide with excitement. We also got to go in a storefront near the children's bookstore that had been set-up as a security screening area. We had to walk through a metal detector and some people were "wanded". The secret service guys were not as friendly in this room and were definitely profiling everyone. We finally made it to the door of the bookstore and Kathryn said "I see her- she is really pretty- she looks like Nana". Laura Bush is very attractive and petite- she almost glows with beautiful skin and eyes. She was well-dressed and classy- and definitely reminded me of my mom. Kathryn just stared at her as we made our way to the table and my heart sunk as I realized that our "limited, ticketed event" was nothing more than her signing her name, not personalizing, and simply looking up at each person and saying "hi, thank you for coming". However, Kathryn was so enthralled that she was not going to make do with a simple hi. Laura Bush looked up as Kathryn stood 2 feet away from her on the other side of the table and asked "do you like to read?", Kathryn answered "yes, m'am" (thank goodness she remembered her manners today), Mrs. Bush looked back down to sign her name and Kathryn didn't budge, she said "I'm from Texas, too!". Mrs. Bush looked up at my beautiful 8 1/2 year old who had worn a dress, boots (because we're from Texas?), and asked me to curl her hair and asked Kathryn "what part of Texas?". Kathryn answered "San Antonio". Mrs. Bush said "wow, I like San Antonio. Were you born in Texas?". Kathryn said "yes, m'am, in Houston". Mrs. Bush replied "wow- a native Texan here. I am so glad you came!". Okay, so it wasn't earth-shattering, but it was a two-way conversation that my 8 year old had with the First Lady. I simply stood there like a dork with my mouth wide open.

As we walked out we saw all of the secret service suburbans and police escorts right by our car. There were not too many people behind us at the signing, so we sat in our car and read our new books by Laura Bush and watched. We could tell when she was about to come out and walked back over to the area and asked one of the secret service if we could stand there and he said "sure". There were only about 10 people that gathered and she walked out of the building about 15 feet away from us and got into her suburban. We could see through the windows (I was surprised that they weren't blacked out) and she was waving. I think that she saw Kathryn standing there in her cowboy boots and seemed to be waving directly at us- well, either us or the guy next to us in an apron who evidently worked at the pizza place...

What an experience! I wish that I had pictures, but they weren't allowed. I hope that my daughter always remembers the night she met the First Lady.

Party of Five

2008-05-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

My friends Monica and Suzanne are really into this "blogging" thing and are very good at it. In fact, I am a little intimidated by their posts. I have had good intentions of starting my own blog for several months, but never have the time or patience to figure it all out. SO- here I am .

I am so inspired by my three precious children and the funny things that they do each day.

I married my high school sweetheart after college and we had our beautiful daughter

Kathryn Bailey about two years later in 1999. She was our only child for many years

and was quite spoiled. We wanted other children, but there were

many complications and heartaches.

God blessed us with a handsome little boy, Logan Thomas, in 2005 (today is his third birthday!)

and our life changed quite a bit. Kathryn was no longer the only child needing attention, but thankfully, she adores her brother and was very happy to share the spotlight. We thought that our 4-chair kitchen table was complete and we were very happy to not think about conception and pregnancy anymore and just enjoy the children we had. When Logan was about 9 months old, I had this strange feeling that I might be pregnant again. The thought of pregnancy in the back of my mind was enough to buy a test at HEB, and sure enough we were pregnant again- with no help from doctors!

Camryn Elizabeth was born in 2006 to the amazement of her adoring sister and brother.

Our 4-chair kitchen table is definitely full and complete (and probably going to be on craigslist soon as we shop for a bigger one). She is such a miracle and so full of life. SOOOOOO- I chose

the name "Party of Five" as the title to my blog. I thought that we would be a family of 3

for so long that I am still in amazement every time we go to a restaurant and tell them

that we are a party of five. Such a simple thing to the hostess that just about brings me

to my knees as I silently thank God for my children.