I LOVE Paula Deen

Culture and Fast Food

These pics are from a field trip in Caldwell Texas that Sophie's Brownie Troop took last week. Caldwell is a really small rural town outside of College Station, Texas. What is this sculpture all about? Is it like a Indian Dream Catcher? You just don't see modern art in Caldwell.

Gratitude

Me (in the car with the family)

"OMG -- what is that smell?"

Sophie

"Griffin farted! EEEwwwwwww!!!!"

Griffin

"You're welcome."

Mamas and Pajamas

Sophie's Brownie troop attended the annual Mamas and Pajamas event last night. The theme was Disney and you are encouraged to dress up and participate in the fashion show/contest. Last year we won first prize for our matching pajamas. This of course fuels my fire and I spend countless hours planning our costumes/pajamas, shopping for items etc.. Needless to say this year we rocked the red carpet with our 101 Dalmatian theme and took home the gold again. Yes, I painted my hair half white with actual paint. Yes, it was almost impossible to get out. Yes, I am insane.

Winky

Tortoise Gets A New Wheel @ Yahoo! Video

Putting the Baby to Bed

Every night before he goes to bed, Brad tucks in his new television. Wiping it down it with a special "electronic friendly" cloth and then he covers it up for the night. I haven't heard him say, "Night night -- sweet dreams" yet but I'm sure he does -- in his head.

Threes Company

My brother and his wife are expecting a baby in August. It is going to be a boy -- who will most likely have a hard time trying hard not to laugh during the majority of his childhood.

Meet Baby Boy

This past weekend was my brother Ryan's Birthday Party in Austin. It was good fun and nice weather and we were able to partake in a BBQ at his brand new house. Their dog is so grumpy and hates everyone and everything except for his Momma -- Jessica, who is 6 mos. pregnant, so Baby Boy is in for a surprise come August, when a Baby Boy of the human variety comes into this world. Anyway, he cracks us all up every time we visit them. He reminds me of a K-9 Marlin Brando from the Godfather.

The Little Engine That Shoud Stop -- No, Really

I can guarantee one thing -- that almost every ten minutes a big loud annoying train runs through the town of Brenham -- day or night. I have this one friend who calls me on my cell phone and every time a train is going by.

The Fallout

I'm sure by now you have seen the Domino's employee video where they are goofing around blowing boogers on sandwiches, and laughing about the gross things they have done in the past. So of course, Domino's has to do damage control -- and this was it. WOW what a mess. It reminds me of the time that I worked at a restaurant when I was in college and I saw a few things being done to food by older employees. I was so young and stupid , I never told a manager because I knew people would lose their jobs or be punished. For all of you that think when you are short or crappy to the waitstaff , that they blow it off -- well they don't. Be careful, be nice, and look at your food and drink before consuming it.

Homework and Griffin

Griffin HATES doing his homework. He makes great grades and works hard -- but I swear he would rather go to the dentist than start his homework. For some reason, he put his gym shorts on his head to help him think the other day. He wore them the entire time while working on Math and History homework.

My Favorite New Song

Holy Cow! I am love with this song -- it's like Cheap Trick meets the Bay City Rollers and the year is 1979!! Tinted Windows is the band -- the lead singer is the kid from Hanson, and of course there are other credible musicians like the guy from The Smashing Pumpkins. It's like Ear Candy!! (Griffin said that ear candy was gross, sorry.)

Easter in the Country

We spent Easter weekend with my in-laws who live waaaaaayyyyy out in the country on Lake Limestone. They organized a super fun Easter Egg Hunt for the kids and this was one of the prizes an Opossum Punch Ball. I thought it was so funny, in a creepy kind of a way. It reminded me of that scene in Shrek where Shrek and Fiona were walking and she made a animal balloon out of a snake and Shrek picked up a frog and blew it up to make a balloon and put it on a string for her.

Happy Easter from Downtown Brenham Part II

Fish Kiss


Bluebonnet Cow

Grandma Chick

Polka Dots and Sunflowers


Ballerina Bunny

Happy Easter from Downtown Brenham

Coco Chanel

Creepy Guy with Fried Egg Eyes

Sunflowers and Bees

Rocketman

Easter Bunny in a Basket

Siding Fish

Every Easter Brenham has a giant plywood egg decorating contest downtown. Visitors have ballots and vote for their favorite creations. They are so over the top -- it's really cool and fun. My favorite is the Coco Chanel Egg. I am surprised that there is not a Coach purse egg, I really am -- it seems like every lady here has one. This is only a few of the many awesome art pieces. Happy Easter to All!

Olan Mills

This is a pic of my brother Ryan, now almost 28, and I in 1980. I love my poor posture and bunny teeth. What I love the most about this pic is the fact my mother put us in matching Izod polo shirts and that if you look closely I have a Conroe belt on. I remember buying that belt at a local children's boutique and sporting it all around town and school like I was hot stuff. It also reminded me of how I used to pray every night asking that my boobs would stop growing. Let me assure you, God answers prayers. Let this picture be a lesson to all the parents of pre teen girls or tweens, that yes, they might need a bra at ten.

Bluebonnets Part III

Here is the last Bluebonnet post -- really, I promise. I am just tryingto prove my point.

You Know You're Fat When......

A few weeks ago, Sophie came home from school with a bag of goodies from HEB (Grocery Store Chain here in Texas). In that bag there was a pedometer -- you know, it counts your steps. Supposedly, you are to take a good 10,000 steps per day to be heart healthy. I have never used one before and was curious to see just how many steps I take in an average day. It feels like a run around constantly. The first day I put it on my waistband of my jeans and went about my daily life. By lunchtime, I realized that the thing had turned off. Whatever. I tried again the next day and the same thing happened but it was a little later in the afternoon. I tried again (third times' a charm) and was actually out to lunch with my grandmother when I realized that I was turning the button off with my roll of fat when I sat down.

That's No Cat

My Mom, (shown in the pic above during a lighter moment at the party store), works as an apartment leasing agent in The Woodlands. The complex that she both lives in and works for

was built in sometime in the mid 1970's, so suffice to say it is one of the oldest, funkier apartments out there. It is still The Woodlands -- there are trees everywhere -- and critters run all over the place. Well Mom told me a funny story about one of tenants:

The tenant was complaining about a rat in her apartment coming out from under her refrigerator and roaming around her kitchen. Well this lady is elderly, and kind of kooky -- so no one really took her very seriously. My Mom called the maintenance man and asked him to go check out the situation. The maintenance guy goes out there, takes a look in the kitchen and then finds the lady and tells her that he needs to pull out the refrigerator from the wall to take a look, but she needs to get her cat out of the kitchen first.

The lady looks at him and says "I don't have a cat."

What I have in Common with a Supermodel

Check out this article : http://http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/goddess/kathy-irelands-shocking-weight-gain-and-loss/205?nc

New TV

We have not bought a new television since 1993. This past Saturday, my husband out of the blue, declared "Today is the day we buy a new TV." We went to 4 stores and I totally let him make all of the decisions. I love to watch television -- but I really could car less about HD and resolution. He enjoyed reigning supreme on his special day. Now, we can see the picture and we don't have to use the subtitles anymore because the sound is muffled. On a side note: I think my invitation to be a guest on Oprah's show today was lost in the mail or something. "The Mom Show" featured Mom bloggers --- maybe next time.

The Incredible Shy Guy

It runs in the family... http://http://theincredibleshyguy.blogspot.com/

Bluebonnets part II

I can't even begin to describe the pure agony this picture inflicted upon me, Griffin and Sophie. Every year when we take the Bluebonnet picture -- someone ends up crying and I always end up begging for a decent smile out of these two. "It's itchy and smelly" Sophie cries. "This is so stupid" Griffin complains. Every year I vow -- "This is it-- the last Bluebonnet picture we will ever take!" and yet, I forget about the whole debacle by the time next Spring rolls around.

Brenham is all about Bluebonnets

From late February to May, Brenham is covered in Bluebonnets. People drive from all over Texas to look at them and take pictures in them. The people pull over on the highway -- running you off the road, and come to a screeching ha ult on the feeders, to take a pic of their Chihuahua in the Bluebonnets. My favorite, is when they hop fences on private property with cattle and goats --to take photos of their babies in the middle of the Bluebonnets with the snakes and fire ants and cow crap. Even Home Depot gets in on the Bluebonnet craze each year.

I am an April Fool

Today I found myself driving all over God's creation to get home from my visit with my Grandmother in Southwest Houston. I have lived in the Houston area almost my entire life -- but today I got so off track that I almost did not make it back in time to pick up my kids from school. I put about 200 extra miles on Vanny (the kick ass minivan) and I prayed like I have never prayed before, (while driving), that it didn't explode while I ws going 80 miles an hour trying to get back to Brenham. Lesson learned -- do not ask your Grandmother for directions.