A Fun Friday

On Friday morning it was cold and rainy so we decided to go eat at Cracker Barrel in front of a cozy warm fire. Only they didn't have a fire on Friday, but we stayed for breakfast anyway! The weather put a damper, literally on my Canton plans. We hung out and played at our house after breakfast, and waited the arrival of SuSu. My parents had been in Mexico for a vacay. Dad stayed to play golf with some friends, but SuSu came home. She was coming to visit all the kiddos who missed her sooo much!





Barrett came out of his playroom and said "Mom I have to show you something, Look I'm ready to go hunting!" He had taken one of his old backpack and tried to make it like his Daddy's hunting pack that holds a gun. This child is truly obsessed with hunting!!!



We all decided go out to dinner Friday night at the Country Tavern in Kilgore. Oh my goodness, I am not a huge B.B.Q. fan. There ribs are just to yummy!!! We were just missing Big B!



These two loved sharing food together. We put a bunch of snacks in the middle and they race to see who can eat the most the quickest. They are so funny!



Barrett really enjoyed his rootbeer, he thought it was so neat that it was in a glass bottle. "Mom I am going to drink this one, and then get another one! The tooth fairy said it's okay if we brush our teeth after." Dental week at school.



We had a great time and everyone was full of yummy ribs!! Towards the end of the evening Barrett played some songs on the jukebox. There is a small area right in front of it and he and Jack were dancing to the songs he picked. Poor Mary Michael wanted to join in so bad, she was bouncing all around and clapping on Christie's legs!



We are so glad to have SuSu home! And we are anxiously awaiting Big B's arrival on Sunday!!

Show Us Your Life: Collections!

Today is Kelly's Korner show us your life: collections. I really collect a ton of things like dishes, PURSES, jewelry, etc. My only traditional collection of something would be my Snow Village.

My Mom started my sister and I collections when we were in Jr. High/ High School. At the time I could have cared less about it, but now I am grateful. They are the Department 56 Original Snow Village collection. We would get one each Christmas and we would try to find some relevance to each one we picked.

Here are a few of my favs!

Starbucks this has been an ongoing obsession for a while now!



This church looks almost just like the Church that Ryan and I got married in. In Hunt,TX. It even came with a little sign that goes out front, like most churches have and on the sign my Mom put "Ryan and Kelly 10-13-01". We got it our first married Christmas together.




Of course we have a Hunting Lodge. With all of these crazy hunters I have around here it's one of the boys' favorites!



We also have a Ford Dealership! For our Ford business, they unfortunately don't have a Dodge Dealership. LOL!!



These are just of few of my collection. I have had to slow down because I am running out of space to put them. Luckily they only come out at Christmas, because little hands are so drawn to them!

Baseball Game!

This afternoon we headed to Bullard to watch the Lufkin Panthers freshman baseball team play. Uncle Kolby was playing in a tournament and we were so excited he was playing near us!!



We were not expecting it to be so cold, luckily Nana had blankets and even some extra gloves for Jack!



The boys had a blast watching Kobly play! Barrett was listening to everyone yelling and cheering, and he started in on the action. "Well he swung to late on that one!" LOL! He cracks me up!!





Lufkin won both games today! Woo Hoo! They have games scheduled all weekend, so it looks like more ballpark for us!

A Boring Day

Yesterday was completely boring! Barrett had school and more snow was expected. So I decided to stay home and do the Defensive Driving that I had been putting off for ages!!!! I didn't think that I could force myself to sit in a restaurant and do it and waste a whole Saturday, so I opted for the online version.

Well, the online version was LONG and you have to have a form notarized and faxed in. I'm not sure that my online idea was any better than just going to the boring class. UGH!! It's so funny ever since I got the ticket a while back, Barrett has been a bit of a backseat driver. Every time he sees a police officer, "Mom! Be careful there is a police man!" I have to admit the backseat driving started a little earlier than I had expected!

We did get snow yesterday, but it wasn't quite the snow that we had a couple weeks ago. It didn't stick for very long. Barrett was very disappointed :(!!!!

On Monday I had lunch with two real life and blog friends Kristin and Karah! We had lunch a Newk's one of our favorites! If you can believe it, my silly self forgot to take a picture of all of us. Well it's not that hard to believe actually if you had seen the table with the kiddos. Kristin and Karah were both I'm sure, rethinking their children plans after lunch with 3 young, messy kiddos! HA HA!!! We had a great time and it was good to see them both!!

On another note, this might be my first post without pictures!

Cheerios!

Oh my goodness! There are cheerios everywhere!! Jack loves his snacktrap and he loves cheerios in them. He loves to carry his snacktrap around and spill cheerios EVERYWHERE!!! I usually have a built in vacuum cleaner in the form of Lola, the frenchie. Lola has been outside enjoying the weather and has been unavailable for clean up duties. Although I'm sure she would have rather been inside doing the clean up!!



Jack has been obsessed with taking the cushions out of my chairs and sitting and standing in them. As soon as I put them in the chairs, he pulls them back out! Today he decided to pull the cushions out and sit in the chair and eat his cheerios.




He even decided to have a little cheerio stomp in the chair. I just love these little feet so much! Cheerio toes and all!!





Jack was just a complete ham today, I guess since it was just he and I and he got undivided attention! It was a great Sunday with my little man!





On another note. I know all of the area Churches are breathing a sigh of relief, now that two of the Church arsonists are in custody, as am I. I would like to lift up in prayer the family of one of those suspected arsonists, he and his family live on my street. And though I can't imagine how he could do such a thing, I am in such grief for his family. I have no idea how they must be feeling and the grief they are carrying. While I am very angry and upset over the situation. I have a feeling that his family is in the same shock and dismay. I will be thinking and praying for them in this very difficult time.

Soccer Starts Again

This morning the boys went out to do a little clean up in the yard from the snow fall. Yes, they are just now cleaning up the limbs. Let me rephrase that Daddy is just now doing it. Barrett has had the limbs all piled up and ready to go for a while. He has been waiting on his Daddy to bring the Ranger home.





My child is in his element working outside! There is nothing he loves more.

We also had soccer practice this morning. This was the first practice for the spring season. Last season soccer was hard for Barrett. He is super shy! He had a hard time going and playing a contact sport with kids he didn't know. Before practice he told me. "Mom don't even talk to me about practice, I'm gonna go out there and do good!" When I started in on you have to listen to your coaches, etc. He said, "I told you I'm ready now, don't talk about it!" OK then, little mister!

He did so good!!!! He scored two goals! I was so excited for him. He seems alot more comfortable this year, I so hope he enjoys it more! And after practice he runs up to me with all the other Mom's and says, "Mom I scored two goals! Can I get my surprise now!" HA HA, bribery works every time!!! Way to make your Mom look bad buddy!

Ryan and Barrett headed off to North Texas to pick up a trailer at the deer lease. I asked B to stay home with me, and I got "MOM, no I'm going! Jack will protect you." Gee, thanks sweetie!

Screaming Contest....can I get in on that?

Friday we made a trip to McDonald's to have lunch outside and play! It was pretty for the early part of the day and we went to enjoy it!

Jack soooo wanted to play on the playground! There were some older kids out there so I would let him. At one point I caught him halfway up the swirly tube slide and and had to climb in and get him. NOT FUN!



We came home and played around the house, the boys made up a new game. The Screaming Contest. Oh, my ears were ringing. They sat right in front of each other and screaming. Sounds fun huh?



When one would stop the other would start, trying to be the loudest!!!





While I was cooking dinner, Barrett asked me to come turn on his t.v. I told him I was busy and would be in to do it in a minute. Well, I forgot and he got angry. I heard him yelling for me to come, which I have explained to him is NOT how we get our way. The next thing I know I hear, "Mommy, Mommy help!!!!" OH YES!!! My sweet little son has thrown a race car, and it shattered the flat screen. OH my heavens!!!! I was livid. Which might be a clue to where his temper comes from??? I sent him straight to TIME OUT. I told him he better not come out for his own sake! I immediately called Ryan, "Honey, come home and deal with YOUR son!! He said leave him in time out until I get home. So, I calmed down and continued with dinner. When Ryan walked in and said where is Barrett? UHHHH? In time out! I think? I hope? I hadn't heard him for a while. Did I forget about my own child???

Here is where Barrett was.......



Asleep in a laundry basket in time out! Bless his heart! My child + No Rest = an upset little boy!!! Can I get in on that screaming contest now? What a day!

Wacky Wednesday!

We had a pretty low key day today. We headed to Lowe's to get some organizational things I needed for B's closet. A trip to Lowe's always means ONE thing......race car buggy. Oh how I despise the car buggy but they just love it!



We had a pretty quick trip to Lowe's mainly because I couldn't fit anything else in the buggy!



When we arrived home Barrett said he was headed outside to play! It was a beautiful day! I love the sunshine, it makes me so happy!

I took a peek outside to check on him and he had of course built something. I went over to check it out and ask him what it was supposed to be? "Mom it's an ice rink, the ice just needs to come and fill it up!"



Note to self: You know your child has watched to much of the Olympics when they try to build and ice rink in the back yard.

Jack discovered a new toy today, Lola's harness. Yes folks, it was a bit of a wacky Wednesday around here.

The Boy LOVES his Work!

This child LOVES to work. Everyday it's "Mom, can I go outside and work?" Not play mind you, but Work!!!! I have tried to explain to him that he is a child now and he should play. There will be plenty of time to work later in life, but no he insists on working!

Barrett was so ready to clean up the LARGE branches that fell from the snow fall. He was begging Ryan to bring home a "grinder" what ever that is or a chainsaw. Yes, these are the tools that my son sees as toys. Ryan was busy and he didn't have time to mess with the branches so on Sunday, Barrett was still bugging him about the branches. Daddy gave him a limb saw and told him to have at it!







On Monday on one of his work days. Barrett comes in and tells me that he made Gracie, our kitty a new house. I was thinking oh no, what mess am I gonna have to clean up now. So I head outside camera in hand expecting the worst and find this.......



Oh Babe, it great, but what is she supposed to do with it? This Mom!!!



Like I said the boy LOVES his work!!!!

Valentine's Day!

We had a great Valentine's Day!! Barrett and Ryan surprised me with some roses and a balloon. Barrett also insisted that I have a teddy bear with my flowers. Barrett could hardly hold in the surprise, he kept telling me "mommy we have a surprise for you!" He would have given it away any other day, because I sure was not expecting a florist to deliver on Sunday!!






We started the day off with the PW's homemade doughnuts. I have no idea why I decided to take these on. It was a two day process, but I finished them. They were good. Let me state for the record that it is a whole lot easier to run down to the "Doughnut Palace". Which I will be doing from now on!!!!



Just get ready this entire day revolved around food, I know horrible. I will be cursing myself all week!!!

For lunch Ryan's parents, Uncle KoKo and his friend Gunnar joined us.

I made the PW's Rosemary Au Gratin Potatoes...........





The Neely's Bacon and Cheese Grits.................




I also made sauteed collard greens and crunch onion chicken. Oh my goodness were we full. I almost made myself sick on the grits.

The boys played outside with Barrett which he loved! And Jack hung out with Nana and PawPaw. They gave Jack this bear that he loves it bounces around and says "I love you, I love you!" He has literally not put it down.

After they all headed home it was time for me to start dinner, I told you it was a day full of food!

For dinner my entire meal was from.....surprise, surprise! The Pioneer Woman!!

We had........

Caesar Salad




With Rib eye Steak & Whiskey Cream Gravy!



Please DO try this at home it was marvelous!! Side note I am not a big fan of a rib eye. So next time I'm trying it with a filet, my personal fav.

Finally the Pièce de résistance!

PW's Baked Fudge



It was a wonderful day spent with my three favorite Valentine's!!!! Love my boys!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day full of time with those you love!!



This was Barrett's school Valentine. How cute!!



I will be slaving away in the kitchen all day. Lunch with Ryan's parents and a special dinner for my three wonderful boys!!! I can't wait!!

Snow Day part 2!

When I woke up on Friday morning, I couldn't believe the snow! We had well over 7 inches, some people said 9 inches! It was so beautiful! I was anxiously awaiting the boys to wake up and see the winter wonderland.



I love the snow don't get me wrong, but I think Barrett changed clothes about 10 times!!! My laundry was crazy today!!!

The boys play scape.



This is the outside fireplace.






This child had a ball! He was freezing but he just couldn't make himself come in to get warm!!



This is our street, I was so pretty! The tire tracks would belong to my husband, who had to go up to the dealership to move snow so customers could get in. And believe it or not, he said there were people waiting to get oil changes when he arrived. Which I am thankful for, but usually weather like this keeps all of us East Texans off the road!




Here is my attempt at a snowman. Since Ryan was at the dealership I told Barrett I would help him build one. Let me tell you I was worn out! Making snowmen is a Daddy's job for sure!!!




I loved the way the snow looked, but I have decided I personally couldn't deal with it on a daily basis. My house was covered with wet paw prints and scattered with rubber boots and wet gloves.

My backyard! Crazy!!





What's a snow day without a SNOWBALL fight!!!!!






I read about snow icecream on another blog, I never though we would get the chance to make it.



Barrett wasn't really sure about it, he said "Mom this doesn't look like icecream." I thought it was pretty yummy!!



It was a great snowday! While saying his prayers Barrett said, "thank you God for sending me snow to play in." Oh just melt my snow, errr heart!!!