Texas outLAWS

family picture attempt '09

Last Saturday we set out to take the annuals family pics.  We tried and gave it our best effort this year.  Hoping to find one shot of the whole family at least looking towards the camera is just too much to ask for I guess.  However my girlfriend and volleyball teammate, Kam, captured a few individuals shots that turned out just fine.  Visit kamlingphotography.com to see some more of her fabulous work.

 

 

We'll have to give it another go next year with the 'one-big-happy-family' shot.  Until then, this tickle fest will have to do.

Dear diary...help me through this day.

6:45 am:  alarm rings

• Half awake, I wander into the family room to find my phone I left on the love sac the night before to turn off the alarm.
• I check my emails and find I need to respond to a million messages and begin the process as Mimi walks down from bed to get ready for the day.  She is pleasant.

7:00 am:  mad rush

• I braid and as fast as my hands will braid hair to get the two older girls off to school in time.  I scramble to find shoes, jackets, etc...to complete their looks.  Their "looks" look disheveled.

7:15 am:  breakfast is served

• Mimi serves the three oldest kids cheerios and milk.  She pours herself a heaping bowl causing the other two to whine and complain.
• I give them 4 minutes to finish their cereal and insist that they musn't be tardy for school two days in a row.

7:20 am:  the discovery

• Luke cries out from the other room that Elsie is awake and has removed her diaper and pooped all over her bedroom floor.  Just then I realized I had forgotten to tape Elsie's diaper on the night before!
• I quickly rush in to assess the damage.  Not as bad as I thought--the entire mess is limited to a 4 ft area.  I have seen much worse...
• I grab the naked baby playing in her feces and throw her in my shower.

7:25 am: the second discovery

• I come out of my room only to find little poopy footsteps leading out of Elsie's room all over my tiled floor. 
• Upon this discovery, I tell the girls to just go ahead on their own this morning and that I won't be able to see them off on their bicycles around the corner.  "I love you girlies!"  I call out as sadness overtakes me realizing that this is the first morning I have NOT been able to see them off.  After all, they are only in 1st and 2nd grade, but I'm comforted knowing they are more familiar with their 1/4 mile route to school than even I am.
• I pin Lukee on the poopy foot steps and direct him to take his shoes off immediately.  The small controlled mess it once was, is now more than I can handle this morning.

7:30 am:  cleanup time

• While the baby remains in my shower, I begin to scrub and rinse and scrub and rinse my floors.  Lukee senses my disappointment in him as well, and begins to predict his future standings with me. 
  

"Mom, when I have to go live with the Bullocks, can my name be Coleson?" 

Completely taken off guard I ask, "Now why on earth would you go live with the Bullocks?"

With is face looking down and away he mumbled, "I dunno, they just need another brother I guess." ( I'm guessing he anticipated his actions were grounds for kicking him out of the family.)

"And why the name Coleson?"  I asked.

"I  just like that name I guess."

• I reassured Luke he'd never be sent away and finished the cleanup.  The one highlight is that I did get it all taken care of before the smell had a chance to set in.  Based on previous experience, I knew it had to be delt with asap or that would be the case.
• Ran back in to bath and collect Elsie from the shower.

9:00 am:  carpool

• Get Luke and Carter to school, ON TIME might I add, and head back home

9:15 am:  early nap

• No, not for me...for Elsie.  She was happy to lay down and I was happy to say goodbye to her for an hour or so.

9:30 am:  blogging to vent my feelings

Oh help me through this day...

piled high

I now understand why my Mother got after us so much as kids regarding the dirty laundry.  She would just scream in agony when she discovered the laundry basket overflowing again the day after it had all been completed.  I think the trouble was that she did all the washing and folding, then in good faith, handed it off to us kiddos to "put it away" in the assigned dresser drawers.  Somehow the final part of the three-step process was neglected. 

I can remember numerous times thinking to myself it would just be faster to put it all back in the now empty laundry basket in my closet and my Mother would NEVER KNOW.  Right.  As if she didn't pick up on the fact that my faded blue swimsuit wasn't worn that particular week of January, or that my Halloween costume didn't make an appearance either, or best of all--believed the fact that I went through the effort of folding them nice and tidy in a pile before putting them in?  I was a sly one that's for sure! 

I officially decided today that I would wash my girls CLEAN clothes one more time for good measure...then never again!  I will put a stop to this viscous cycle one way or another.  (I wonder how many generations this has gone on for?)  Even if I have to allow my child to be the "stinky kid" at school.  I refuse to put my Maytag Neptune washer and dryer through it over and over again.  Quite frankly, can't believe their still hangin' in.  Can't believe I'm still hangin' in after 8 years of being a parent!?

Any suggestions or remedy's all you superstar Moms out there?

Bear's 1st soccer season

I think I was a little ambitious to think I could coach Luke's 3 year old soccer team this fall.  Alot ambitious.  The majority of the season I had my four kids with me trying to pull off practices and games with 11 little future all stars.  I quickly learned that Scott herding the kids on the field during the game and me on the bench with the others was the way to go.  

Poor Luke.  I felt bad all season...

...cause he ROCKED!!  No one could touch him.  I ended up having to sit him for three-quarters of most of the games to give the other kids on the field a chance at even touching the ball.  I don't feel it was fair to him, but all the parents began to complain and question his age.  As if I really had a FIVE YEAR OLD out on the field to woop the other little guys!  Really people?  At the close of the season I did finally convince the YMCA to move him up a level all though it was against their policy to do so.  They could see the awkward dilemma I was in.  

For such a big guy, he is fast and agile.  He would tell you that his favorite part of the the game wasn't scoring the goals, but keeping the other team from scoring.  Very ahead of his time if I do say so myself.  We do have big plans for our only boy.

Why is Spiderman a part of our team picture?  He became the team mascot.  In a quick stroke of genius, I made the decision to strap him to our goal each game so my team would know which goal was ours.  I learned that THAT and "NO HANDS" was the biggest obstacle my three year old's had to face as first-timers.  So appropriately we named our team the SPIDERS.  "Gooooooo spiders!  We're all legs!"  Can I be any more clever?  Well it stuck, and we destroyed every team we played simply because we followed those two rules.  Now that is how I like to start Luke's athletic career!

PS - Oddly at the end of the season I was graded a "poor" score as an overall coach.  Not even marked as "good", but "poor".  I don't know what I could have done any better, but you can't please em' all I guess.

a good moment

I was scanning in a few shots my MIL needed for a project and came across this one.  Hmmm...I remember that moment like it was yesterday. 

Scott and I have been thinking a lot about our journey of 11 years together.  Sometimes it's good to take a look at these small moments when life gets more than I can handle.  Holding a sleeping newborn baby on my chest is the only thing I can think of that gives me the same feeling of peace and truth.

G & G for Halloweeeeeeen!

My folks first visit here.

Explored new sites.

Ate delicious food.

Mended clothing.

Trick-or-treating.

Shopping and Pedi's.

Enjoyed them thoroughly!

Left too soon.

 

One of our (Scott's) favorite spots to eat!  Fresh half pound burgers might be the reason.

 

Almost lost the little fella.

My Dad kept saying over and over...

"This place is like a perfect piece of Americana!"

"It's like the Truman show...your neighborhood!"

We feel the same.

 

Once Baby Queen figured out what trick-or-treating was all about, she put on her game face and conquered as many doors as she could drag her little feet and candy bucket to.

 

Doesn't every neighborhood have bounce houses set up in front yards???

 

Our visit to the Oasis.  Great view...poor food.

 

Elsie wasn't havin' it.  She was freaked out by all the bronzes.

 

The other kiddos warmed right up to them.

 

A little too much.

 

Poor Bear was sick as a dog, but was such a good sport.

 

An odd space device made with some random scrap metal?  Cool nevertheless.

 

Aren't my folks as lovely, young, and vibrant as ever?  They fill me with joy!

 

Thanks for the annual Halloween visit.  See you soon at Christmas!

Halloween Festival '09

As you are full aware, I'm doing some extreme updating.  Bear with me.

Our ward had a killer Fall Festival hosted by our good friends, the Dials.  And oooooh...they have lots and lots of land! (a dream of mine)  And a very cool barn that happened to be filled with all kinds of Halloween games and eager trick-or-treaters.

 

Mimi HAD to get a pic taken with the Elders.  They have become almost like family with Scott's Ward Mission Leader calling.  Sharp dudes...and check out their Halloween ties.  Very cool.

 

Luke's girlie pal, Avery.  Though they wouldn't stand any closer together for this shot.

 

Avery's sister, Riley...she was just too darling as a white Fairy Princess.  Her little red specs are priceless!

 

Face painting on top of green face paint?

 

When Mimi found Woody(Carter), she decided her costume could also be Jesse from TOY STORY.

 

I couldn't help it...so soft and new.

 

Elsie wandered around all night until she found someone she recognized, her nursery leader.

 

Where else but Texas would you see a sign like this?

As you can tell I'm throwing caution to the wind and just plastering my blog with pics.  It's all I can do right now to just get these events posted and done.  I will soon get back to narrating my thoughts here and there.  Enjoy the break. =)

backtracking...showered with pics

I decided because it's been ages since I've posted, I would start with a few picture worthy occasions I haven't gotten around to yet.

TRULY DELICIOUS PARTIES and BABY SHOWERS:

Just over a year ago in Jacksonville I threw a shower for sweet Julie Trapnell (in purple).  After raising three hearty boys, she was finally having a baby girl!  This girl needed to be treated like a Queen for the evening.  Julie felt like one.  I went with the trendy "Sugar and Spice" theme...but set it into serious overdrive!  Scott reminds me that I don't have to put on a HALE THEATRE production everytime I host, but I hate to break it to you babe...it's in my blood!  Oh how I miss all these gorgeous gals!

Fast forward...

I moved to Texas a year later and was asked to throw another shower for Fabulous Juliette.  I have to say this gal was probably the most beautiful specimen of a pregnant woman I've ever seen.  The guests who attended would all agree.  Her sweet baby girl was just a week old!  Because I was summoned to throw it together in just a few days, I pulled out remnants of Julie's shower I threw in Jacksonville.  With a big help from my girlfriend, Tracy, I think it turned out just right.  And have a look at all my gal pals out here.  Love them, love them!

 

Finally we've arrived at the present day.  Well almost, the event was Friday night. 

Scott's office party came off quite lovely Friday night in our home.  It was a tight squeeze, but somehow I managed to fit all 12 team members and guests up to dinner tables.  And I must mention what an amazing transformation they all made in their appearance.  From daily scrubs and a ponytail, to exquisite elegant holiday style.  We truly have a dream team we work with.

 

Many many more posts to come!!

blogging hiatus

...just for a little longer.

I'll be sure to catch you up on everything, I promise!

Until then, enjoy a piece my girl, Dana, did with Mimi as her model HERE.   Isn't Dana incredibly talented and beautiful in every way?