memorial day in austin...

we had a fun filled long weekend in austin for memorial day...it had been FOREVER since we had been so it was really nice to be back. we got in thursday afternoon...and spent it w/ a slip n slide and baby pool for the kids (after a little shopping of course...bebe bought ellis THE cutest dress for 4th of july...no idea what we are doing for it yet, but ellis will be adorable). that night brandon and i got to go out...eddie v's...yum. saturday we went to the domain & maude's. yum again. brandon and i spent the afternoon @ hula hut... then abel's...we were so spoiled having bebe there...later that night we had a couple of beers @ the starley's beautiful, new house. we finished the night w/ mexican train back @ our house on the patio...fun!! i know you are laughing right about now margaret! we swam in my cousin's pool all day saturday and came home sunday...my birthday :)





even w/ a yard, pool, sprinklers, etc...he goes straight for the rocks

just a little naked lawn mowing...

so sweet :) somebody needs a manicure!

at the austin house...EVERYTHING that can be longhorn is longorn...here is ellis coloring @ her longhorn table...other university of texas items @ the house include a tricycle, stick bevo (instead of stick horse), puzzles, bevo-in-the-box, rubber bevo for bath, stuffed bevos, crib bedding, longhorn tutu, blow up bevo, and much much much more...and these are only the things for the kids. my parents should own stock in the co-op.

yes...even UT swimsuits...ellis has 3.




on the armadillo @ the domain...love love love the domain!

can you see how small this little puddle of water is? beckett immediatley went and sat, splashed, and then rolled in it...like a pig in mud.

there are few things in this world better than maude's queso!

more sweetness...i swear, i do NOT tell her to do this...for real

he lost the watergun fight :)

happy memorial day!!!

happy birthday to me!

my birthday was sunday. ellis is all about birthdays right now so there are certain things we do on birthdays just for her. like a birthday cake. i can't remember the last time i had a birthday cake...but with her around, not having one just isn't an option. she wouldn't understand. she had been talking all week about what my birthday cake was going to look like. she also told brandon that i would need balloons for my "party". there was no party...just the four of us and my parents @ the house before dinner out. ellis wanted to know where all of the people were for my party. she went through the whole list of everyone who was @ her party. i think she felt sorry for me :) it was cute...but she forgot all about me as soon as the sitter showed up...she is CRAZY for robyn, her babysitter. occasionally she will wake up in the morning and say, "i think you and daddy should go to dinner tonight"...or..."when is robyn coming...i love her" "when are y'all leaving?" so funny. she says robyn lets her put on makeup. i say whatever keeps her happy!!!

here is the cake ellis made for me...she said daddy helped her a little...i don't know how much though..."they" iced it while it was still piping hot...and before taking it out of the cake pan.

and here i am fake blowing out the candle...i guess i am 1 year old. ellis had already done it...she likes to sing happy birthday (solo), blow out the candle, and open all presents. notice the blue bow in her hair...she says she loves all colors now. not exactly...but she is getting better.


the other day, ellis came to me and said she had tinkled a little in her panties...she took her shorts off and said "oh...it's just belle that i tee teed on...i don't like her anyways"

belle is the princess from beauty and the beast for anyone not up to speed on disney princesses. if it had been aurora (sleeping beauty), she might have had an issue :)

i was tagged

one of my friends...who also happens to have a blog...tagged me. here we go :)

8 things i look forward to:

taking the kids to florida this summer
girls weekends (2 of them!!!)
having another baby (no- i am not pregnant)
ut football season
going to austin...today
anytime i am able to sleep in
ellis and beckett being in school @ the same time
christmas

8 things i did yesterday:

made pancakes
went to market street (woodlands)...shopping
ice cream for ellis @ mcdonalds...which we made pink @ home
layed out by the pool reading magazines
ate crawfish
drank beer...and then wine
read books to my kids
watched kris allen dominate...love him!

8 things i wish i could do:

travel as much as i wanted
be organized
cook
keep my closet clean
finish beckett's baby book
take really really good pictures
or...be able to afford a professional photographer anytime
resist the urge to buy ellis clothing that she doesn't need

8 shows i watch:

grey's anatomy
american idol
desperate housewives
oprah
big brother
the today show
amazing race
flippin out

ok...now i am supposed to tag 8 people...i don't think i know that many people who blog!?! not personally anyways...

michelle

sarah from the suburbs :)

anyone else reading this who has a blog!!!

after nap hair

can you guess who i think beckett looks like when he wakes up from a nap?

do you have a guess??

here it is...

it is the ugly truth :)

that is SO mean mom!!!

to the beach...

the kids and i spent a couple days in galveston last week...an old friend from high school has a house there...right on the beach...the weather was perfect and the company was too :) tiffany and kate went too...our friend, lynn, has 2 kids...a little boy 6 months older than ellis and a girl 6 months younger that beckett. the 3 moms were outnumbered to say the least. luckily, the kids were all really good...we even took them all to dinner. we played on the beach...beckett ate sand, drank beer, and got totally GROSS in the dirt/clay. lynn told us that clay was put down where the dunes used to be to help them build back from ike...i think that is how the story went. i actually can't remember the exact science of it...but regardless, there was clay. and beckett went straight for it...pictures don't do it justice. believe me.

ready to rock and roll...pls look @ his farmer tan. the second pic is ellis w/ her new bud :)

the token baby w/ a beer picture...kate wanted in on the action too...

he was taking sea shells and SHOVELING the sand into his mouth. what is wrong w/ him?

he decided his venture into the clay was a mistake...

a big mistake...

he looked like a caveman...

rub a dub dub...5 babies in a tub

my monkeys...

day 2: here is ellis telling beckett...do not go into that clay again!

i didn't take my camera to the beach this day...seems a certain caveman likes to throw sand exactly where and when i don't want him to. thank you so much lynn!!! it was a blast...can't wait to go back!

charmed

for mother's day, my kids got me a new charm for my necklace..."love"...and i love it :) when ellis was around 6 months old i got the necklace w/ my "ellis" charm and 3 pearls...it has her b-day on the back...since then, i have acquired a "brandon" charm (with our anniversary on the back), a "B" charm for myself, and of course, a "beckett" charm. i love that i can always add to it...wear all of the charms, just one charm, whatever...i know charm bracelets have been around for forever...but i didn't think i would wear a bracelet as often. there are tons of places that do charms with the names of your kids...but a lot of them are super dooper cheesy. this girl has the coolest stuff...SOO many different styles and stones...i am trying to decide what stones i want next :)

here are some examples of stuff on her website...

see...i told you she had neat stuff! i could give mine a polish and they would look shiny like the ones above...i do it every once in a while...i kinda like the antiquey, weathered look though...if you go to her site, you will see that they also do cuff links and other items which make fabulous gifts. there are 2 stores in houston that sell heather moore (that i know of)...but she also has a super friendly website...

happy belated mother's day to all the moms, mamas, and mommies reading :)

evidence that she may not have a future in dance...

here is the video. it is really funny...especially if you try to watch the group as a whole. my mom says it is more like 12 solos than one dance...truer words have never been spoken :) ellis is on the very right...