Turtles & Easter

It took me 2 days.....but I made these cookies. All from scratch. I have the best cookie book on the planet....helpful for people like me that are horrible at reading and following directions.

It's just lots of steps....but I think they are so worth it. My jeans on the other hand DON'T.

Easter rivals Christmas for me.....I have always liked it. Such an important day....but without the pressure of presents...wrapping....decorating...parties....and the candy is pretty good too.

Day started with an Easter egg hunt....more time in the kitchen....clean up....put on a dress....go to church....listen to an amazing message from the smartest pastor....home for more cooking...eat....candy....eat again....pie....candy....game of go fish....clean....candy....say goodbye to family.....eat....candy....sit. Dang good day.

Hunting "doodle bugs" has become part of my girly girl's daily schedule. If she can't find one....the day is no good....not complete.

Yesterday...we found a box turtle in the yard while hunting the crustaceans. They aren't really bugs. Part of the isopod family. (your "I learned something today" moment)

I had a few turtles in my day. Only box turtles were allowed. Water turtles have salmonella....

Wonder why I am so germy......hmmmmmmmm.

My previous turtle experience came back to me and I remembered how much they love grapes.

He ate lots.

Left fat & happy.

Just how I feel after today's Easter dinner.

I love Easter.

4 years

Hard to think that my 10 pound newborn has grown into this beautiful little girl.

She can buckle her car seat all by herself now. Thank God. ;)

We celebrated her special day from dawn to dusk.
The birthday girl having a difficult time staying still to capture a picture with Gana & Minnie
Recital pictures were scheduled on her birthday....what 4 year old doesn't love getting dressed up in a frilly over decorated outfit?
Day after her birthday.....trying to get shots of my two "kids"

This picture is a perfect example of what lots of my pics end up looking like. ;)

Neither one will cooperate.

I did get ONE good one.

Happy birthday to my favorite kid.....

redneck princess

She went fishing today for the first time.

Worms were a good source of entertainment.

The Disney Princess fishing pole helped reel in this monster.

She caught 8. Dad - zero. Mom - zero. Minnie - zero.

For a girl who is into all things glittery and nice.....she certainly isn't afraid of nightcrawlers going on hooks....or holding slimy fish.

Took this on her way to a Fancy Nancy party. Just a little different from the other two pictures.

Happy fishing. ;)

help! I'M IN A TENT!

One of my friends parents have a farm in the hill country.

She has invited our family every year to go camping....and each year, I say "NO."

Well, this year, I had run out of excuses and decided to suck it up and just go camping. I mean, how bad can it be?

So, I called all 2 of my outdoorish friends and asked if they had a tent. Luckily I found one.

Then, I found some sleeping bags to borrow. The whole idea of actually sleeping outside was starting to get to me. How could I shave my legs with my Vera Wang shower gel? Where was I supposed to sit to apply my lip gloss in the morning?

Surely I could handle one night.

We drove about 2 hours with a car FULL of stuff for 1 crazy night.

Once we reached the destination....and I saw about 8 other tents already assembled and my fellow campers decked out in tennis shoes, baseball hats, and sunscreen.....

I was in fashion jeans and flip flops. Already, I was showing my lack of camping skills. Who wears flip flops in the dirt? Who forgets a baseball hat when the wind is blowing 15 mph.

Is it time to leave yet? Someone...please tell me this is over.

I borrow someones sunscreen. "Help" my husband set up the tent and I arranged our personal belongings inside the fabric hut that we will be sleeping in. How could this nylon contraption protect me from varmints and intruders?

So I took some deep breaths...and enjoyed the afternoon. Ate enough for 12 people. Watched my kid play all day, ate some more, visited with friends, ate again, and then.....it came. NIGHT TIME.

Where was the bathtub? And the TV? I have taken a bath before bed ever since I can remember. I can do this. I can.

So I get my kid changed....she is in her PJ's and in her very loud distinct voice she belted out "MOM, DO I HAVE TO TAKE A BATH?" So loud that the entire camp heard her. Giggles.

After I assured my kid it was OK to sleep without a bath....she fell right asleep. My husband did about 3 minutes later. Then, the crickets started, other people talking & laughing, more crickets, snoring, wind, talking, silence, crickets.....someone please tell me it is 6 am already.

I am sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground. I am unable to sleep on my side because my hip bones would be bruised by the rock hard ground I was calling my bed. Snoring husband couldn't turn over for the same reason.

A long night.

Counting sheep didn't work. About 3 hours of sleep under my belt.

Birds chirped about 6 am. I woke up and unzipped my door. I made it. Nothing ate me....and my family was sound asleep in the tent. No one else in our camp area was awake...I was the first one.

I grabbed my bag and ran to the restroom. (yes, we had a bathroom & shower - I would have never agreed to go without one present.)

Top 3 showers I have ever taken. Got dressed...applied my makeup in the tent while everyone else snored.

So, there you have it. My first (and likely last) camping trip. Was a fun time hanging out with my friends all day long....but the sleeping thing is a pretty big issue. So, next year....may be a day trip and I will leave the camping to Dad & Daughter.

The kid had the best time of her life. Spent most of her time on the old tractor & the swing.

Happy camping to you if you go this year....you brave soul. ;)

Artsy fartsy #2

We did it. We took a 3 1/2 year old to the fine arts museum. We were there a little over an hour.

She didn't break anything, knock any precious artifacts over, or cause any damage.

The kid was impressed with Monet's works.....but seemed to be most interested in the benches that were in the center of each exhibit hall. She must be gifted.

Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and 1,000 others I hadn't heard of. All beautiful.

There were two portraits by Rembrandt. They looked almost like a photograph. Amazing someone could actually paint that detail.

All in all...was fun. No real run ins with security except when I took the stroller on the escalator. No - my kid wasn't in it. I am just thankful she didn't take me to the museum holding cell.

Happy painting!

Artsy fartsy

Raise your hand if you think taking an almost 4 year old to the art museum sounds fun.

The Houston Fine Arts Museum has some very famous paintings right now....I don't remember much from my art history class in college (even the second go round) but I still enjoy looking.

Who knows....she may think it's the best thing ever....or we may be there for 4 minutes.

Won't know till we try!

Giant baby

My newborn baby was 10 days old in this picture. You can still see her umbilical cord. I had a huge baby. She weighed over 10 pounds and was almost 23 inches long.

Along with my huge baby is my huge chin. And why do my fingers look like sausages? Had I not sat next to a window in the last few months? Why is my skin is the color of my putty bed coverlet.

Come on....I should give myself a break. Carried that sweet "little" baby around for 9 months...and the old wives tale that "Girls steal mother's beauty" pretty much rang true for me.

This is probably one of my favorite pictures of me and my baby girl. My 10 day old baby is smiling. NO, it is not gas.

Aside from every bad thing I said about myself....

I still love the picture.