When you take out the trash

Remember to close the dishwasher. A free tip from one gal to another.

Much ado about absolutely nothing

I don't have any deep thoughts right now since I spent the first half of last night preparing myself for a virus that never actually materialized in my body. I was fine all day then around bedtime I got slightly nauseous and panicked. I worked myself into a huge tizzy wondering what I would do since Sean is on a trip. I've had to call my mom in the middle of the night before to ask for help and I'm not afraid to do it again but I do feel bad since every time she's helped during a virus she's gotten it too...

Anyway. All is fine. I drank a Crystal Light strawberry slurpee way too fast and other than the slightly questionable goat cheese in our dinner salad I didn't eat anything weird. It must have been the slurpee that threw me for a loop. I'm so thankful it was a false alarm that I don't care what today holds. I'm not worried about our lack of plans or the fact that both girls have runny noses. Life is good when nausea goes away.

I haven't told you about what I did Monday morning. I'm a little embarrassed but in the end it turned out as it should have so I'll go ahead and admit it. I got myself (semi) dressed and out the door at 4:30 am to go stand in line to get Charlie on the wait list for MDO at our church. You read that right. I interrupted a perfectly good sleep to go (with many other moms including Jennie and Heather!) just to get her on the wait list. And I'm not an overachiever who believes you have to go to the perfect preschool or even the perfect school to achieve greatness in life. As if you didn't already know that. Miss Charlie still has issues sometimes with settling in at church and I was willing to drag myself out in the middle of the night so that she can at least be in the building that she's used to for MDO. It's my shot at minimal crying. Jennie actually got David into a class and Heather put her kiddos on wait lists too. We all felt like it was worth it but if you'd told me years ago that I'd have ever done that I'd have laughed at you. I'd have been offended. I've become my worst nightmare. Can I just throw in, though, that there were moms camping out to get their kids in? Like they stayed after church on Sunday and just set up shop there and didn't go home until Monday morning. They had tents and everything. I'm not trying to judge them at all I'm just not that dedicated! More power to you, campers. More power to you. I'm sure your kids got in.

I follow InStyle magazine on Twitter and a few days ago they said that the new nail color for this season is taupe. They described it as "a mixture of gray, beige and blush..." and being the savvy shopper that I am I picked some up at Dollar Tree where they had ample supply of taupe nail polish. It's either that the Dollar Tree buyers are way ahead of the curve OR that no one has bought taupe nail polish since 1979 and it's still for sale at the dollar store. I'm thinking the latter but I do have to say I feel totally in style with my mud-colored nails today. Is it bad that I don't like it and plan to paint them a nice normal pink later on? Guess that solves the mystery: I'm not fashion-forward at all.

I watched the finale of the Bachelor on Monday, which is the third episode of the Bachelor I've ever watched. The last three years I just watch the finale and can honestly say I'm sorry every single time I watch it. Why do I get sucked in? I don't know but I'm committed to hysteria-provoking shows I guess. 24 was on but I've had to stop watching it because I have too many nightmares. How old am I? 7? I love 24 and always ask for a recap from Sean. He waters it down for me and keeps me in the loop. He's an adult after all and can watch it without wishing he carried some sort of weapon everywhere he goes.

I'm not making a lick of sense. I'm done. Happy day, y'all.

Why I love being a momma

I have no idea what she's saying but it sure is sweet.

Why I love my husband

A few years ago he ordered some dry erase boards with family pictures on them. We kept one and gave them to our moms for Christmas. I've always liked ours but after Joy was born I told him I'd like to get one with the WHOLE family in it one day. He agreed and we never talked about it again. It got, well, busy around here.

As I rounded the corner in the kitchen one day something caught my eye. Let's see if you notice what it was.





A closer look





I doubled over laughing and he came in the kitchen and asked, "What is it? What's so funny?"

I pointed to the picture and he said, "Really? You just saw that? Mary I did that months ago so Joy wouldn't feel left out."

Here comes the bride

This morning I went to bible study with high hopes of making it through to the end. I wasn't surprised, though, when I got called out because Joy got kicked out of the nursery. She got kicked out on Sunday too, not before she vomited on some poor woman who was tending to her. They flashed her number up on the screen and Sean and I shook our heads and got up to leave. Carley went with me to pick her up and when we got to her little room the ladies said she had been really upset and then vomited. It didn't take me long to remember that her brother did this a few times himself at church...when he needed to nap and wanted his momma. Joy calmed down once I picked her up and contrary to the ladies' warnings, "It wasn't spit up, it was true vomiting...maybe she has a virus..." miss Joy was just fine. Upset, mad, abandoned, and wanting to leave. Her plan worked on Sunday and it worked again today. She needs her sleep, that one. And she'll do what she has to do to get it. Her brother was, and still is, the exact same way. Skip a meal or skip a bath but do not let that boy miss his bedtime.

I picked Charlie up and then as I was walking to Ty's room I thought about how yesterday I had to come rescue him from the nursery. Not really yesterday but it wasn't too long ago. Pretty soon Little Miss Meltdown will be begging to go to play at church just like her brother, (and now sister!) does. If Charlie got over it, Joy certainly will too. Charlie never took it to the level of getting sick but she did let me know she was broken hearted every single Sunday when I'd drop her off. Bless her heart. And now? Today she asked if she could finish her snack before leaving. Then she told the bubbles, "Bye bubbles. I see you wayter. Bye church. See you next time."

It's all just a matter of time.

The girls are napping. Ty is at school. I'm putting finishing touches on our house-read: cleaning last nights' mac and cheese off Joy's high chair--before I leave for the night, (with the kids of course,) and heading to my hometown. A good family friend is getting married this Spring and her bridal shower is tomorrow. I'm excited to see her and since my sister-in-law is her big sister I'll get to see my sister-in-law, (that'd be Ana,) too. And Henry, my nephew. Poor Ana had a wreck this week so I think she's bringing a rental car and God love her she is also pregnant with #2 and sick.

I hope that was public knowledge since I just put it out there. Yes I think it's okay that I told you. If you know Ana or anyone in her family in real life and see her, don't say anything, okay?

I'm kidding. I really think it's okay to tell. I think.

I found these dresses online the other day while Sean was home and forgot to post them. It's the season of wedding dress shopping, though mostly dresses you'll wear to weddings if you're me, and I found some great sparkly ones in my normal go-to-for-pretend-shopping stores. J. Crew, Nordstrom, and a new addition: Lilly Pulitzer.

I'm not buying any of these so don't worry that I've blown my family budget on a dress. I'm just looking so that I'll know what I want when I go into the stores I actually shop at and find something similar. Technically I do shop at J. Crew and Nordstrom but only because their sales are, well, something to write about.

This one's a Lilly. I don't think that's what people really say but I like shortening names once I get to know a person. Not that I know her or her clothes. I own one Lilly Pulitzer dress that I bought for $ 21.99 on eBay. This is the back view of the dress but I'm in a hurry so I can't go back and find the front view for you.

You're welcome.

J. Crew. It's on sale but not in my price window. It's pretty though, isn't it?
Of course this one is my favorite but it's another Lilly. Dern. There's no fitting that into the budget. Lilly, if you're out there, I'd love it in a size 6. Or is it 8? I don't know, Lilly, I only have one of your dresses and it's an 8 and a little big. Just send me both and I'll give the one that doesn't fit away on my blog.

Dude if it worked that way I'd be the coolest blogger you know, wouldn't I?
Ahhhh a J. Crew sale item, but still pricey. One of the weddings coming up--it's Amy's actually--is an outdoor wedding and the kids are coming too. This dress, if I were really going to buy it, would prove to be a challenge for that wedding because of the strapless nature. I hadn't realized before now that the dresses I'm showing are mostly pink.
This one's not for a wedding but I like it. It's Old Navy so I might actually get this one. Of course I just bought a dress that's almost exactly like it last week for $5. I'm not going to tell you where because you might not be my friend after I told you.
Ahhh isn't that just screaming 'Wear me to a Spring wedding,' and 'Wear me with a navy cardigan to church after the wedding to justify spending so much money on me!'

You don't hear that?

What is wrong with me?

Gotta run. Y'all have a wonderful weekend! If you're in the Hatch area come see me at Byron's, the place I mentioned a few weeks ago. I'm going there for every meal.

New bags for the bag lady

I have a reputation for being a bag lady. I like (love) bags. When Mom bought the girls new bags I was ecstatic because I get comments about how big Joy's bag is at church. It takes up a whole shelf by itself. But now they have these beauties and when I picked them up from the embroidery place I fell in love.


Not only are they small but they make Momma happy just with their Springy cuteness.

I don't even know where to begin

So much has been happening this week I feel like my head is spinning--in a good way.

Joy got her first tooth this week. Actually she got two within a day of each other so I guess she got her first teeth. It was a long time coming. She's totally changed the way she smiles since I guess it feels funny to have, well, teeth in her mouth.
So proud of them she won't even show them to us.
Nope still can't see them
She's a toot, that one. You think she's all sweetness and then she gives you this look that says, "I'm planning, guys...watch out."
Like right here when she was plotting a burglary of her sister's chips. These were at Mimi's house by the way. We went there on Saturday since Sean was home, (remember, sick but not contagious...) The kids haven't been in almost a month because once Ty started school we can't really go during the week. Once BSF stopped for me it got harder and harder to drive there but I'm always so glad when I make the effort.

Sunday we went to church then I got the day to myself and went to lunch and to see Dear John with the girls, (the adult ones.) That night we drove over to Coppell to eat dinner with some new friends and had a great time trying to keep the kids from breaking their glass decorations. Sean and Craig, (the man/dad/husband) fly together pretty often so we enjoyed getting to know his whole family. They offered to let us crash or should I say trash their pool this summer. Um yes. Every day okay?

Today I met a few friends at the Children's Museum in Ft. Worth. It was a huge success--which we agreed to define huge successes by the fact(s) that there were no huge screaming fits and no one got badly hurt. I think anyone would agree that with babies ranging in these ages, that WAS a huge success!

Heather and Joy are both blogging friends of mine and this was my first time to actually meet Joy and her kiddos. Heather and I pass each other in the halls at church taking and picking our kids up and have miraculously managed a few play dates too. It was a good morning to spend inside since the weather turned cold and nasty again. Have I mentioned how ready for Spring I am?

Charlie's favorite part was this bubbles display, which Joy said was her son Ryder's favorite part the first time he went to the museum.
Joy's favorite exhibit was this crack in the floor.
They (kind of) played together making the exhibits work.
Charlie shopped in the play grocery store
and we all three, (9) were still smiling by the end of it. Thanks for the good shot, Charlie.

Off to girls night tonight...really, I haven't been this busy in so long I forgot how fun it is to be social. I'm worn out ;)