Where there's a will...

My family is well known for their fishing capabilities and it skipped no generation here, let me tell you. I remember a time when I took my little brother to Okeechobee for a visit, this was way before pocket video games, and the nine-year old boy that he was, got easily bored when he was surrounded by adults and no entertainment. I didn't think there was any reason to bring a fishing pole, and he was not having a good time. Having the family fishing bone in him, my little brother made a pole with some string and a stick, used a paper clip as a hook and darn it if he didn't catch himself a fish!!!!

Fishing comes naturally and was a convenient hobby, there was always a lake, beach, or canal within walking distance of someone's house. But now that we are Texans, fishing has become a rare pastime. Fishing is one of Ethan's favorite things to do....he just loves our trips back home so he and grandpa can go fishing. all. day. long.

So, today, Aunt Stacy took him and the girls down to the neighborhood creek to cool off. Ethan took with him a jar and a little fish net, the one's you use for a fish tank. And believe me, I have probably the smallest fishing net there is. But he was determined to catch himself a fish.

And guess what???

He did! I can't imagine how he did it with such a small net.

Jon & Kate...hate

I have made fun of parental drama on TV, like Super Nanny and Dr. Phil, especially the episodes where the kids are completely out of control, those shows scare me a little but make my kiddos look soooo good.
Well I have recently tuned into the TLC show, JON AND KATE PLUS 8, about that family with 8 kids and all the drama? You know the one!
The show is about the marriage between Jon and Kate Gosselin and the chaos of having eight (OMG) kids! I, myself, only started watching it recently because of all the current headlines. But, let me tell you something….after only a half hour of watching that zoo, I was dismayed! What I got from the first 15 minutes of watching is that the Gosselin’s are a beautiful family, full of discipline issues, marriage problems, and kid chaos. What family isn't??? There are families, children, and marriages out there that struggle just to make it from day to day, so stop whining already!!!
Soooo, my problem???
We all know that there is plenty out there to poke fun at. But the awful truth is, it’s the children who suffer when parents act like idiots. Get it together people! Once you have kids, they should be your priority!

The Art of Fear

Just the other day, Ethan found a bag of tattoos and stuck them everywhere that he could. At first I thought it was kind of funny and that he's not going to think they are so cool when it comes time to wash those cheap suckers off! But it made me start thinking.....
I think that I share a common fear of most mommies. No, it's not running out of laundry soap or fruit gummies, it's that my lovely children will one day come home with a piercing or a tattoo. I know that my fear comes a bit premature. And I know, I should continue to worry about more age appropriate worries such as not talking to strangers and having good manners but when I came across the story of the Belgian teen who went in to have just a few stars tattooed to her face and came out with this:

I gave into my fear.
Please don't get me wrong, I am not a prudish mom (I have actually been thinking of getting one myself) I'm just afraid that if I let my kids tattoo themselves now, what will they come up with later????

You Are More Than a Father

My dad is the best!
He is the kind of dad who will spend his only free day of the entire week with his kids and grandchildren and do for them before himself. My kids absolutely LOVE their Papi, because it is very hard not to!
My favorite childhood memories with my dad are those of all day fishing trips, learning to drive, his funny laugh, and his poker face. Growing up, I remember his love of Country music (to this day when I hear Roll On Eighteen Wheeler by Alabama or The Gambler by Kenny Rogers, I think of him).
I know that if I ever need ANYTHING or just need someone to talk to, he will always be there. I learned from him to be a giver rather than a receiver, to be a good parent, and to love with all I’ve got! I am blessed to have a great father who is more than just my dad, he is my friend. Happy Father's Day, Daddy. I Love You!





My hubby is a great father. He spends his days helping me around the house and making sure the kids are entertained (while I sleep). He will even take them to the park and the movies when he is feeling really tired. He makes sure they're safe, sound and happy, and never wanting for anything but is strict when it's needed, and is always there for us.
He also takes the time to sit with me, even if it means watching some of my favorite tv shows or chick flick just to be with me. He is my vent-to person, mostly because he is ALWAYS around. He makes me coffee every morning, helps me with household chores, and makes me feel better on bad days.
He's a wonderful dad and a wonderful friend, and I love him a lot.
Happy Father's Day, Honey! We Love You!

Not So Fab Five

I'm too embarrassed to actually tell my weight but surely it's not where I want to be. Since last summer I have managed to lose twenty pounds, mostly by just cutting out the soda and walking to pick the kids up from school. Losing all those pounds was great but not easy. But, now that it's summer time (no school to walk to), the kids and work are keeping me so busy and I have I've been spending less time working out. I got on the scale and I realized that just in the pask two weeks I gained 5lbs. How? FIVE pounds, that's about as much as a sack of flour, a half gallon of paint, or a 32 week old fetus!!!

I know I shouldn't stress over the five pounds but I have been on a wieght roller coaster for a while now and even before I gained those five stubborn punds I was still several pounds away from my goal weight!!!

I know that I need to start exercising, and I didn't even walk once this week. I wanted to but I just never got to it. I’ve been trying really hard to eat healthier....that counts, right?

I know. It takes more than that and I need to get movin'! So the plan is this: walk at least three times a week, no more Coco-Cola's (this is going to be the hard one), and invest in the Wii fit. I’m really excited, well not really. But I feel that with a little help and determination that I can be successful and keep those pounds off this time around.

Well-Labelled Whine

This month marks our six month anniversary of ladies night. It started as a book/wine club where we all read Twilight (except for me) and then went to watch the movie together. The spring season brought soccer, baseball, and other kids activities that seemed to take over.

Regardless of our busy schedules we all manage to still get together once a month and unwind. For some of us (like me) it is the only time that I can hang out in my pj's with my friends and really relax, vent, and get some good friend time. Books, movies, games, or not...these ladies like their wine.

So, on the topic of wine.... a couple of months ago....I was in Market Street looking for some wine for our next ladies night night and I stumbled across some very interesting wines!

.....some people like their wine dry. some people like their wine sweet. some people like their wine earthy with moderate tannins. But ME....I like my wine to be well-labelled. You'll see why.

The Mad Housewife Collection

The name says it all.....and we all have our days (I know I do)!! wine should be fun, relaxing, and something you can afford to look forward to at the end of each and every day. Time to enjoy a moment to yourself. A moment without the madness.

Bitch is ...bitchin'

Yeah I have had these days too but, I have yet to try this RED wine but I like it already because of its provocative title, all in pink. and the repetitions of the word “bitch” on the back. more likely, it’s the bottle’s alternating dagger heart dagger heart border. But I learned that this wine is fruity with notes of cranberry and strawberry and has a high alcohol volume.....ahhhh!

The Fat Bastard

It is subtle humor at its best! I love that they integrated the name and visuals in a witty and sophisticated solution for a wine. And yeah 'book club ladies' we all know the joke surrounding fat bastard, hahaha!

So the next time you are out shopping for a bottle of wine, take a look around at what is out there. There are some pretty descriptive labels that each of us can relate to and laugh about.

Such A Princess

Sometimes I feel like Cinderella? No, not the princess version but, you know, the one with all the cooking, cleaning, and busy housework.
Being married, having kids, and running a household is like living the first thirty minutes of your average fairytale. I wonder sometimes what I did to deserve it all. And you know something? I'm not falling for the Happily-Ever-After crap. Nope, not at all, because once you're married, it's.all.over.honey!
Those poor fairy tale princesses, I'm betting they didn't know what they were in for. There's a reason all of their tales ended when they did and why we never got a follow-up.
Sure, we can probably assume that each Prince whisked his bride away on a lovely honeymoon. But the second they got back to their castles, I'm thinking it was all downhill for our young maidens. Taking that all into account, I'm quite certain this is how they turned out:

Before:

After:

Yep, that's them, married with kids, and all about to head off to the funny farm. Haha!

Home Sweet Home

After almost 3 years, I am happy that I chose to move here! Moving from a small town to a small city was a dramatic awakening and took some adjustment!
Back home every where I went from the movies to the park, I ran into someone I knew. But even after the first year of living here, I never even ran into neighbors or acquaintances at the neighborhood park. It was very weird for me.
I finally got what I wished for though, and I feel more at peace than I have in many years because the other day, I saw a good friend at the grocery store and we chatted a bit, then I went down the cereal isle and saw a fellow soccer mom and chatted some more, and at the register I ran into a doctor that I work with and guess what?? I chatted some more.... and it was SO FREAKING COOL!
It's another adjustment, though, to be in a place again where everyone knows everyone. Going to the store in my pajamas used to be acceptable, because, hey-- no one knew me and no one will ever see me again! Buuuut...that's not exactly the case anymore, is it? I love it!

Wedding Bells

I am in a very good mood today. Because my friend got ENGAGED!
Congratulations, Angie! You deserve the best and I know that you will be HAPPY and the wedding will be awesome!
But plan the wedding for sooner than later......I need a Mexican vacation THIS year! LOL

Hello Summer

Yes, it's that time of the year again, when thoughts turn to sunshine, vacations and lazy afternoons spent outdoors with good friends, kids with popsicles, riding bikes, and neighborhood bbq's. That's right - summer is almost upon us and I can't wait!