Holy Cow!

Growing Up

The other day I commented on the hair growth on Bubba's legs. The hairs are starting to become a little thicker and a little more abundant...ya know, less like a little boy and more like...a boy.

On the car ride to gymnastics, Miss O made a comment about the hairs on her brother's legs too. And from the back seat in a young boy's voice I heard the words,

"I AM growing up!"

"I'm GROWING up."

"I'm growing UP!"

"I'm growing up."

Every time he spoke it, he stressed a different word in the phrase. And hearing him repeat it over and over in his ultra cool, slightly raspy voice really struck a chord with me.

Later, Bubba asked me if he could give one of his necklaces away. I was a little miffed that he would want to just give a nice necklace away by putting it in my class treasure box. So, I told him no.

Then last night, I caught he and his sister going through his jewelry. He has quite a collection of necklaces and bracelets mostly because he has an affinity for stuff that sparkles. To him sparkle means $$ and he is all about the money. I eavesdropped for a minute...er, um...or two and then realized that necklace he asked about earlier in the week wasn't for my class treasure box at all.

It was for a girl.

♥

When I realized my error, I told him it was okay to give it to away.

I guess he decided that today was just as good as any to give his special present to his special friend. He even got dressed for the occasion:

Oh, yes, my boy is growing up.

Giddy

I was passing by the back windows when I caught sight of this family of 5 in the glasslands or what we like to call our backyard:

I am so happy to see them!

And then, as I was passing from the back of the house to the front something else caught my eye.

Could it be?

Why yes, I think you're right...

My favorite lovebirds have returned!

:)

Confessions

I have a few confessions about my week thus far:

Even though it is Spring Break, I can't help counting the days, hours and minutes that I go back to work. I cannot seem to just enjoy the moment without thinking about that stack of papers that I need to grade or those lesson plans I need to review.

I can only get motivated to do the laundry, organize the piles of paperwork, go through magazines and get caught up on CSI. I am thrilled to find out that Elisabeth Shue has joined the cast of CSI. Love her...I think because she reminds me of my sister.

I am in complete denial that my children are not "little kids" any more. Miss O does not want to shop in the girls department these days, opting instead for the juniors section. When we go anywhere, she hops in the front seat of the car like it's no big thing and chats with me about lip gloss and hair styles and middle school. When you look at her, you quickly realize she is no longer a little girl, but a vibrant young adult. Bubba is no different. He is a defintely not so little anymore. I recently bought him size 10 pants. Before I could get two to three seasons of wear out his clothes, the only pitfall was getting holes in the knees of his jeans. But these size 10's? This will be the only season he wears them. I wouldn't be surprised if he weighs more than his sister.  Mr. D. tried to pick Bubba up and "fling" him up on his shoulders....ummm, yeah those days are history. My boy is solid. Remember those days when I was worried about his fragility? Ha!   

We are in the preliminary stages of planning our summer vacations. So far, it looks like a road trip is in the works. And, our 7th annual farewell to summer cousins trip might just be close to home this year. I would be good with that. I think as long as the kids are together, they would be good anywhere.

I ♥ Pinterest!

Happy Tuesday.

Spring Break Day One: Playing Catch Up (Long Post + Lots of PIcs)

Saturday morning rain.

No school. No soccer. No nothing.

Yippee!

I love, love, love being home. I love it even more that my kids enjoy being home too. I love that they don't have to be constantly entertained by life outside our cozy corner of the world. 

Today is my day to catch up.

On the piles of paperwork.

On the mountains of laundry.

On watching the few tv shows I follow.

On discovering Pinterest.

On making a homemade dinner.

On updating the blog!

Here is what we've been up to since my last post:

Since Bubba got his bike, he has been cruising the neighborhood almost daily. But, not today.  Not in this Spring rain.

I went on my best ever scrapbooking retreat with my favorite scrapbooking girls. I got several pages done:

I am trying to make a plan so that I get some scrapbooking time squeezed in on a more regular basis.

Soccer season began.

Bubba has decided that he wants to play in the goal. 

This is not my favorite place for him on the soccer field. The kid is seriously fast and being in the goal is not exactly a place where speed comes in handy. Besides, look at his face AFTER he gets scored on:

Thank goodness he can brush it off...

Miss O is working hard at getting her confidence and toughness back into her game.

Less of this:

And more of this:

Last weekend, she competed in synchronized trampolining at the Houston National Invitational. It wasn't her best TnT weekend as she made a critical error in her synchro pass and had to bail out. Oopsies.

Then, during her individual trampoline routine she set herself up to obliterate the competition outscoring her flight by a full point after her first pass. But 3/4 of the way through her second pass, she hit the blue mat and wasn't able to continue. She ended up getting fifth place overall. Argh! She was so disappointed in herself but she seems more determined than ever to get on that podium.

On Tuesday, Mr. D., Bubba and Miss O headed back to Houston for what I thought was the Strings finale.

The kids got their hair done at a swanky salon.

After the screening, they hammed it up in the spotlight and signed autographs.

Apparently, the B-I-G Strings distribution reveal will happen at the SoHo Film Festival in April. Mark and Ben want guess who to be there? Dare I say NYC in the Spring?

Three weeks in the life of our family.

Stay tuned for more frequent posts this week...since free time will be in abundance. :)

 

"The" Bike

Bubba has been waiting for a particular bike for quite some time. The bike is a signature Aaron Ross Sunday BMX style bike rightfully named the Orange Soda bike.

First Bubba had to earn the money to purchase the bike himself. Then, he had to place an order for the bike. Once the bike parts arrived at the bike shop, he had to wait until they put said bike pieces together.

Sheesh! All for a bike. Really?!

Obviosuly, this isn't your average boy bike. This isn't your let me throw this in your front yard and go play bike. Nope. This one is a keeper. As in forever. When Bubba grows up and decides this bike is no longer for riding, it will promptly be hung on the wall in his college dorm room to admire as one would a piece of art. It is THAT kind of bike.

 

I'm pretty sure this kid is happy as a lark.  

P.S. Thank you to ALL of the grandparents that help make getting this bike a reality. Bubba could not have done it without you. :) 

As Usual

As usual, it is a Sunday night and I am running around like a chicken with no head!

The laundry is almost done. You know as well as I do that the moment it is done, it REALLY won't be done at all. :)

Bubba and I got into a tiff about reading. He says reading is boring. He says all you do is sit there and look at words on a page. He wants to read something interesting. Dear boy, are you not the child that checked that book out from the library, got to page 62 and decided then that it was boring? Really? You only have 40ish pages to go until the end. Can't you just suck it up work through it and read until the end?

Ugh! I despise these kind of battles.

Apparently, he does too. He went to pout in his room and promptly fell asleep.

Bubba has had lots of auditions lately. He has come such a long way in his acting. He still has much to learn, but he is really coming into his own. :)

The scrap room is in shambles. I am packing! WooHoo! I am getting ready to go on a retreat with my fav scrappy girls (minus one). Still, I cannot wait. I love having something to look forward to.

Mr. D. had a chance to visit the Lizzie house today. He got some painting done. It is really starting to look good. As soon as he sends me his photos, I will post them here so you can see for yourself.

Soccer started last week. Yay! Next weekend the girls play in a pre-season tournament. Hopefully, it won't be too cold. Brrrr....can you believe it snowed here today? Okay, it lasted all of 30 seconds, but still...there were flakes. That counts!

All things middle school related have begun. 

Gulp.

Miss O has chosen to play the trumpet in band next year. She is going to go back for percussion try outs, but they are ultra selective about percussion, so for now she has her heart set on playing the trumpet.

She has also chosen Art/Theater Arts as her other elective as well as all pre-AP classes. I cannot believe my girl is gonna be in middle school. Wow!

Strings has a screening in Houston in early March! It has also just been selected to the SoHo International Film Festival in NYC. Hmmmm..... perhaps a family trip to NYC this Spring is in my future. We will have to see.

Miss O has been working really hard at the gym lately. So proud of her progress.

  

And it's back to laundry, I go!

Happy Sunday!

 

Seven Minutes

I have seven minutes.

Let me re-phrase...it is seven minutes to 4pm.

4 o'clock.

At 4 o'clock, I plan to do the next thing on my to do list:

Vacuum the house and finish picking up all those things I didn't get to yesterday.

For the next 7 minutes, I give you 7 things I have my eyeballs on (all via Pinterest):

 

Source: heartlandpaper.typepad.com via Nicole on Pinterest

 

Working on a scrapbook page and this would be perfect as an accent:

 

Source: poppytalk.blogspot.com via Nicole on Pinterest

 

One of my favorite movies, Legends of the Fall. For several reasons, but definitely this one:

 

Source: listal.com via Melissa on Pinterest

 

Oh to be a kid again:

 

Source: mossymossy.com via Traci on Pinterest

 

My grandpa used to have one of these. It wasn't a convertible, but I remember riding around with him and secretly hoping he would keep it forever...or until I got my driver's license...whichever came first:

 

Source: Uploaded by user via Melody on Pinterest

 

Just because:

 I should really get back to this:

 

Source: healthydreams.tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

 

And there you have it!

Happy Sunday!

The Cave

Nothing beats a three day weekend.

On Saturday, Bubba played in his last indoor soccer game of the season, Miss O worked on her science project and I did a little school work. We all went to an afternoon movie to see Contraband. After the movie, Mr. D. got his fill of the NFL playoffs in his cave.

Yes, the playroom is slowly transforming into Mr. D's man cave. Furniture has been shifted and sheets and blankets have been hung over the windows to create more darkness. Poor Bubba. He used to have the run of the place with his video gaming. Now, he simply occupies only a corner of the room.  

Here is a funny picture of Miss O trying to figure out where she fits in the football huddle:

Who can compete with a television screen like that? Plans are in the works to create an actual screen. Curtains are ready to go up. Some type of cabinetry or shelving is being mapped out and, yes, it includes a place for a mini fridge. Mr. D. always jokes that if you can't find me, I am in the scrapbooking room. The joke is on him now...if you need him, he'll be in the cave.

Winter Break...done. :(

Here is how the last two weeks have played out around here:

• Christmas shopping, shopping, shopping!
• Mr. D. hires college kid to work on the Lizzie house during the break.
• Progress at the Lizzie house!
• The (stinky) turtles are home.
• Cali cousins come for a visit, thus Miss O and Bubba spend several days and nights at Noni and NoNo's having cousin playdates and sleepovers.
• Miss O has a script reading with Mark and Ben (aka the Strings guys).
• Bubba bonks his head on the ottoman at Noni and NoNo's, get two stitches.
• Despite the stitches, he still goes to his favorite indoor playplace...JumpStreet with the cousins.
• Mr. D. hurts arm lifting a large roll of foam.
• Sees family doctor, has MRI. Diagnosis: Torn bicep muscle.
• Christmas Eve!
• Strings available to watch for free online for 24 hours!!
• Round One: Presents & Gifts.

• Santa brings Miss O a flat screen tv. She tells us she wants to return it...she just doesn't need or want a new tv.
• Getting better at taking this photo:
• Christmas Morning!!
• Santa leaves crumbs and a sweet note!
• Round Two: Presents & Gifts
• Bubba scores a PS3 and goalie gloves.
• Miss O gets a beach cruiser and lots of lip gloss.

• Everyone is happy!
• We visit Noni and Pop Pop's in Oklahoma.
• It's good to be together. 
• Boo, the cat, makes an appearance.
• The day we return, Bubba gets his stitches out and Mr. D. sees orthopaedic doc to determine prognosis, plan of action.
• Mr. D. schedules surgery and another MRI.
• Mr. D. gets relaxer for MRI. Claustrophobia + MRI = no good, but MRI + meds = nighty night.
• Mark and Ben come over for New Year's Eve eve dinner.
• Fun times!
• Bubba plays indoor soccer.
• Uses new goalie gloves.

• Bubba does well in the goal, but his team loses anyway.    
• Right now, Mr. D. + kids work on Lizzie house.
• I have a few minutes to scrapbook.
• I finally finish a page:

 

• This page has been in the works for a long time. This was Grandma Lil's 90th birthday party...three years ago.
• Ironically, today is her birthday.
• She is 93.
• In that corner of her mind that holds her most precious memories, she remembers herself as stylish and sassy, a go getter.
• I love and miss her.

So long Winter Break. I so don't want you to go...I really, really like having you here. Really.

 

 

  

Home.

Slept in this morning.

Woke up with a cold.

Who cares.

I'm home.

Turned on the holiday lights.

Working on the laundry and catching on up bills.

Cleaned out the refrigerator.

Listened to kids interact.

Bubba gaming on my computer in the scrapbook room and

Miss O making gu and silly putty concoctions in the dining room.

Feels so good to be right where I am.

So good to be home.

:)

Happy Monday.