Watters Open House

Friday we left work and instead of picking Jack up from Watters we stayed for his Toddler Class Open House. The program started with Circle Time where Ms. Christina, the lead teacher, talked and led us through their morning Circle Time routine (singing songs and all). Then she passed out the assignment cards with two activities that Jack was supposed to show us how he does them during the day at class.

His first assignment was the metal insets (which up until now I thought on his sheets of the days activities that he had been working with metal insects...all makes more sense now). He knew exactly where to go to get the materials, sat down, and working away he went.
The first insert was a circle with the red crayon he had chosen, then he flipped over his paper, returned the circle inset, chose a trapezoid inset, and a brown crayon. More tracing, then coloring, and it was time for activity number 2.

This activity was the shapes sheet. He got his paper and a zip lock of colored shapes already cut out. He was able to name the shapes, colors, and glue them onto the proper place on the shape paper. So proud!

Then he knew to clean up by carrying his paper with both hands to the turn in station. My his teachers are going to love his "tendencies"...hopefully they will make up for the little oops like....hitting Alexis earlier this week and running to the playground and scrapping up his knees and face.

For dinner we headed to Watters Crossing and ate pizza at Grimaldi's Pizza. While waiting Jack got to play with some dough on a pizza tray. Nick and I split a salad and then we all split a pesto pizza with pepperoni....Jack loved it!

When we walked out to see "his ducks" by the water there was a band playing and people all around sitting in the grass enjoying the music and beautiful weather. So we sat awhile and even had some gelato for dessert...then it was time to stop at the Container Store to pick up an order, drop the Jetta off for a check up, and then visit with Angela/Melany & their families. We for sure missed out 10 o'clock bedtime on Fridays that we have had all year...but the fun times were worth it.


Here is a short video from Open House...we have more on our real video camera....but that doesn't hook up to this computer and get ready to turn your head because I am too lazy to rotate the movie. Enjoy!

Here is our little duck rider outside the restaurant...they are supposed to be doing some kid friendly movies on a big screen soon....can't wait for that.

Saturday was naps, dinner with Angela at Kelly's Eastside with a walk to the park, and Gymbo today. Nothing much else....resting up for another week closer to Summer to tackle. Hope everyone reading this is doing well!

Happy Earth Day!

Cars- BIG Screen Style

Sunday morning was my morning to sleep in (I planned that strategically since the Crawfish Boil was on Saturday night) but sadly I was up with the boys on the Internet to Web Check In at Care Now because my throat and ears kept me up all night. Knowing what a special morning we had planned for Jack I was determined to get to the doctor and be there in time.

While I crawled back into bed to rest up while waiting for the OK to head to the doctor Nick and Jack went to get donuts for breakfast (despite my reminding them about buttery popcorn, juice, candy we were going to have this morning) and Jack thought it was the best breakfast EVER!
Nick and Jack headed to the movie theatre while I was waiting for my script from the doctor (infection behind ears & skipped Strep test because she was sure that was the sore throat cause & was trying to help me get to the movies for 10). Here was my little man before partaking in his first big screen movie (well other than the Cry Baby Matinee which feels like yesterday, but so long ago at the same time). And the best part was...the movie was CARS!!!

Just in case I missed it the boys snapped a "Thanks Mom" picture for finding out about this special Disney Matinee Program where they bring back the old classics.

I ended up making it right on time. There was a movie race with Disney characters, a special Mater movie-Mater Takes Tokyo, & the movie. The theatre was full of toddlers so we didn't have to worry about noise and they had booster seats, but Jack preferred to sit in our laps, the floor, and wander around hanging on the seats in front of us.

After a great movie, popcorn, M&M's, Hi-C, & perfect family time it was back home for Mom to sleep the day away (continued through to Monday). Can't wait for our next family adventure!

The Event of the Year- CRAWFISH!

It was that time again this past weekend- LSU DFW Crawfish Boil Time! They might have moved locations, invited other SEC schools, and had a beer line that was over 30 minutes long...but us Texas Tigers still know how to pass a good time regardless.

Nick and I were first in line for crawfish. It has been since last year for us so we were ready for some hot, steamy, straight from Baton Rouge boiled crawfish.
And here they are-well were! Everything was great...the crawfish, potatoes dipped in Cane's sauce, corn, friends, music, and they even fixed the other kegs which made the beer line move faster.

And after eating many, many trays of crawfish and still chasing it down with the flowing beer the atmosphere at the Double D Ranch took a little R & B twist...pretty sure it was from the wedding that was taking place right over the hill from our table. Before we knew it right after the flower girl walked down the "isle" the LSU Music started blaring....you know us Southerns...everyone went running to stop the DJ. Hope our crude mouths, fish smelling fun didn't ruin their big day....sure gave us lots to laugh about.

Here is Trey after being called in as back up for the silent auction that Mommy who had partook in a few too many went a little overboard on. This was the moved that saved us and helped to seal the deal at the end of the auction.

Another hero from the silent auction.

And of course I couldn't need back up without my partner in crime-Jeremy.

Nick signing his life away for my damage.

In the end we all walked away with goods-times, food, & pretty much handled up on the silent auction!
Here is one of my silent prizes.....or not so much for that. I thought because the value was $50 that it would be a $50 gift card for $37. Turns out it was a $25 gift card, 2 shirts, 2 koozies, 2 magnets, a keychain, and a Cane's dog all in a fabulous metal Cane's tin....not exactly $37 worth but the sizes fit Nick and I, Megan took home a koozie & magnet, & Jack likes the dog...oh well....next time I'll know better...but will I remember is the big question?!?!
Thanks Megan "Mac" for watching Jack for us!!!!

2009 Bluebonnets

It is that time of year again-Texas Bluebonnets.

A look back-

2007

2008

And 2009-The field was full of bluebonnets, people, and the weather was windy and cold.

The Easter Bunny Came to Town

To conserve % (not sure what that means in blogspot world) and to try to speed up the upload (not successful) I am posting these pics small. Click to enlarge.

Saturday Nick, Jack, and I dyed eggs after his nap since the weather was expected to be poor on Easter Sunday. Don't mind my apron....Jack wouldn't wear his smock apron, wore his kitchen, made Nick wear the kitchen apron, and demanded I wear his smock apron...which obviously wasn't my size.

Once getting over the fact that the eye dye I bought at Garden Hell, I mean Ridge, only came with 3 colors...guess that is what I get for only spending 99 cents on it.
Drop in lightly...not something a 2 year old understands as we found out with the first egg drop.
To pass the time while the eggs soaked Jack put stickers on some of the others.

Beautiful egg...let's see blue, pink, or yellow (unless we follow the color chart in lightest color to darkest to create other colors-what a PAIN!)

Another strike against the cheap people's egg dye! Our hands were colored for 2 days!

I love my little bunny (and don't click to count the grays...I know they are there!)

Since we were spending Easter Sunday afternoon with the McWilliam's we made sure that Jack had some more hunt practice with his hunt basket (his other is strictly indoor for the Easter Bunny).

Found one!

Speeds up the hunt!

While Jack was asleep the Easter Bunny, Easter Parents, Easter Grandparents, and Easter Great-Grandparents came to visit Jack.

He loved all his loot!

The weather was indeed yucky and plans changed...we headed to the McWilliam's for breakfast after checking out what our baskets were filled with. While the parents cooked the kids colored with Olivia's Do A Dots from her Easter Basket.

The plan was to use the cool new pancake molds from Olivia's birthday to make banana-pecan pancakes. Here are the 2nd set of pancakes that Aaron made. Can't you see the lion and elephant resemblance?

Jack and Olivia headed to her kitchen because they figured we would need a backup breakfast.

Then Karen took over to give the pancakes a shot but honestly they didn't look much better...

but sure tasted GREAT. The breakfast was wonderful!

Afterwards the kids played, we settled up bills, and then headed home still full from breakfast for our nap.

Dinner was honey ham, hash brown potatoes, steamed veggies (with cheese), and deviled eggs (which only I eat and boy do I have a lot to eat since I boiled all dozen of them). The weather cleared up so we took an after Easter dinner wagon ride (you know in Jack's skull and crossbones shirt).

What a EGGcellent Easter!

15 Hours With Papa

There was a plan...but plans don't always go as we hope...as we all know...so it was that Papa would fly in on Tuesday to Austin, Wednesday to Dallas, work Wednesday/Thursday, then keep Jack for us on Friday because we lost Good Friday due to an ice day. His plans changed from Austin to Houston and upon arriving in Houston he got the sad family news that Moe had passed away. Dad cancelled his appointments but still made the short flight from Houston to Dallas for 15 hours to see Jack before heading home for the services.

Nick had just left to get us pizza for dinner and as you can tell...Jack didn't want his Dad to leave us.
Pitiful huh?!? Jack was probably more upset because we had the video camera on the coffee rolling and I was snapping pictures...but only because I knew that Dad was outside the door (which we saw when Nick was walking out so I had time to set it up before the surprise).

"Knock, Knock" (while Jack is crying out of control)

As you can see Nick is in the background cracking up because there wasn't the normal "Papa" reaction...but rather..."Where's Bebe?".

I'm not sure if she would have believed it if Dad hadn't set the phone down so she could "experience the surprise" via technology since she couldn't be here to see Jack.

Jack+Papa=LOVE

Since time was precious we headed to the backyard for some good fun before bath and bedtime. Starting with Papa teaching Jack to play T-Ball on the set from Nay-Nay for his birthday.

This one is for Bebe!

"Hi Bebe, Wish you were here!"

On top of Jack's slide was his Easter basket full of eggs from the Watters egg hunt a few days earlier. Nick thought he got all the candy out (including the Lemon Heads & Atomic Fire Balls...what parents put that in eggs for a Toddler Egg Hunt?!) but I guess he missed some Taffy. Papa of course dug in with Jack despite the heat it had been sitting in outside and the choking hazard (which we discovered soon after this picture).

Picnic of edamamae & pizza!

Then after telling Papa to "Put your beer down and pull" Papa took Jack on a stroll in the wagon he got for his birthday from Papa and Bebe. And the "beer" vocab is compliments of NICK!

"Don't worry Mom...I have my seat belt on....Papa has been drinking-but I told him he couldn't drink and pull with me in the wagon!"

Here was the scene right before Jack stood looking in the direction of Papa, feel down head first, and all three of us ran towards him screaming (me-Jack, Nick- Oh F, and Papa- Don't scare him) after seeing his little neck buckle as his head hit the ground.

But a pep talk and hug from Papa made it all better...while Nick and I were using the nebulizer and cleaning our pants (sorry, but practically true).

After bath it was time for Papa to experience Cars for the first time...at least until Mater made an appearance.

When it was time for bed (way after Jack's bedtime-but alright due to Papa being in town) Papa read him, "Lamea, Lamea Red Pajamema"...as he pronounced it sans his reading glasses. I helped him out when walking past and the book was much more enjoyable for them both when it made sense and actually rhymed.

After a night of nightmares on the air mattress with Papa it was breakfast then we all went our separate ways. Jack didn't cry and thought that I went with Papa in the plane to work. Great seeing Dad, sad for the reason that he had to head back home, and looking forward to when he has to make up the cancelled appointments here in Dallas.