Been Craftin' Again

Does it look like it would take a month to make this? Well, it shouldn't! I special ordered the four colors of crayons to match Jana's room at school. I was kinda depressed after figuring out that I could have just bought 16 boxes of crayon's and spend $4 v. the $16+ S/H for special ordering. On top of spending more than I needed to, and when I FINALLY received them, they got the order wrong. I ordered a box of 64 with 4 colors--pink, yellow, green, and orange. They sent 2 sets of orange and left out the green. So I called, and the "Crayola guy" I talked to was very nice and said he would get those right out. So I went ahead and worked on it with what I had, leaving room for the green ones when I got them. I got up one Saturday morning to a pile of yellow, cink and orange crayons! Apparantly, Braxton didn't like idea of crayons being glued, evenly spaced, around a wooden hoop!

So, I thought Crayola guy was just sending the green ones, but I got a complete new order, again FINALLY. So a month after trying to get this thing put together, I finally finished, and just in time for Jana's 40th Birthday!! Does anyone need 16 pink, yellow, or orange crayons?

The Writing on the Wall

I finished my other two vinyl letter projects today...

Braxton's room--It's western, so John Wayne just seemed so fitting. Ok, Daddy's love of John Wayne influenced the choice a little bit too.



Above my bathtub. When I do finally get the chance to take a REAL bath, I want to look at something besides the blank wall. I will chant these words over and over and hope they come true.

FAMILY...

The best things in life aren't things. (That's what the picture says; I didn't come up with it on my own). I just wanted to show my niche. Jill has talked about finding just the right decor for hers. I finally finished mine today too. I have had the picture, the candles and the wooden spindles, but thought it needed just ONE more something or other. It came to me today, and after giving myself a huge headache, I finished a little bit ago.

Way to go Eagles!!

After a CRAZY season, soccer is over until September. They cancelled 2 games and most of our practices because of rain. The game this Saturday, which happened to be the make-up for the game we missed during the swine flu mess, was you guessed it....RAINED OUT!! It was a gorgeous day to start with, and within 30 minutes, the sky turned black and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. I was quite impressed with how quickly officials cleared the soccer fields. Nice to know if there was ever a REAL weather problem, they will get us out of there!


In spite of the weird season, Delaney has improved from October to March. She began showing more aggression, and doesn't seem as afraid of the ball. She is going to 2 soccer camps this summer, so maybe they can help her work on some specific skills. I hope if she really likes to play that she'll stick with it.

Good Job Laney! We are proud of you!!

I Love My Guys!!

I just thought these pictures of my boys were too cute not to share. I just love how much Braxton looks like Cade! Cade is a little older in his picture, than Braxton. But can't you soo see Cade in Braxton? From what I have been told about Cade's childhood, Braxton is headed down the same road as his "precious" daddy! I just can't believe God trusted me to be the mommy of a little boy...


Ohhhh....don't let those bright eyes and big grin deceive you....boys WILL be boys!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game...

We almost forgot we bought tickets to the Missions game Saturday night. Peyton sold discounted tickets for softball. Her team sold the most and got to go down on the field to meet the players. How cool is that?? Look really close, you can see her in this picture with #55 Luis Durango:

As the players were introduced, they grabbed a Riptide (Pey's team) and took them out onto the field for the National Anthem. He even signed Peyton's visor!! Ok, so they may be minor league, but I still thought it was so awesome!!!
Here's my future pitcher:

Why a pitcher you may ask? That boy has an ARM on him!!!

Braxton found his "spot" for the game. Delaney thought she was "cool" on the bar. What a proud moment when your 7-year old begins to flash the peace sign. Guess that's better than gang signs!


We enjoyed it so much we are going back for Wiederstein Night. Peyton also gets to sing the National Anthem with the chorus from school. So be watching for more pictures with the San Antonio Missions!!

mixfest '09

Here it is, the famous (or INfamous) mixfest you have all heard so much about. You know the concert I won tickets to? We had so much fun on cinco de Mayo! It was sooo hot, and it's not even summer time yet. We were way up front for the first band-The White Tie Affair! ("I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired. Somebody turn the lights on...." You know them!!!) They were really the best band there, so how lucky were we?

Jana, Me, Hannah (Ray's friend), and Raylee

Other featured artists were: The Offspring, The Veronicas, We the Kings, Kevin Rudolf, and the All American Rejects.

Here's the best part about it all.....I had my A&P final the next morning. Not only did I make an A on the final, but made an A for the whole class!! Here's to partying the day before finals!!!

Straw-buh-buh-buh-berry, Strawberry Shortcake

What is a STRAWBERRY Festival without it?? And chocolate covered strawberries, and strawberry wine, and funnel cake with strawberry topping, and....

Good thing we won tickets to get in because after they get you in, they suck you DRY!!! You can't go to a carnival and not ride the rides, so tickets for that were 50cents each, and rides started at 6 tickets...you do the math! It was a TX Panhandle windy type of day, but we had a BERRY good time in spite of it. Delaney rode the Gravitron for the first time and LOVED it. She's an adrenaline junkie! I am sad that we missed FRECKLES, the official mascot :(




Braxton gets the gold star for the day. He was stuck in a stroller all day, and his cheeks and legs got a little red, but he NEVER once got grumpy. What a sweetie pie!

I'm A Winner, I'm A Winner!

No, I'm not just trying to build my self esteem. I am almost embarrased to say, but I won tickets to Strawberry Festival in Poteet, and to Oyster Bake during Fiesta from Mix 96.1. I have sort of become obsessed with calling in and trying to win. I called in and before he could get a word out, I asked if I was even eligible to win since I just won tickets to Mixfest on Tuesday. He said "technically" I'm not supposed to, but he didn't like rules. I told him sometimes rules are meant to be broken. We had planned to go to Strawberry Fest. this weekend since Raylee and Peyton are staying with us. So to go for FREE is even better! Not so excited for Oyster Bake, but they say it's a lot of fun and of course there is other fare besides oysters. We'll probably check it out.

"Winner Winner Chicken Dinner"

As quoted by the great philosophers Dougates and Jillistotle! I won tickets to Mixfest!! I was caller 19 to Mix 96.1 this morning.
Here's the conversation:
DJ: "Mix 96.1"
Me: "Do you have a winner?"
DJ: "Who is this?"
Me: "DENISE!!??" (Because I wasn't sure of my name after the shock of actually getting thru the phone line.)
DJ: "Do you want to go to Mixfest?"
Me: "YESSSSS!" (While doing the happy dance in the car!! Other drivers probably thought I needed to pee really bad, which after that excitement I did!!)


I picked up the tickets this afternoon and had lunch with Cade. The "high" from my day was shot to heck when I got home. I talked to the nursing dept. and received my bad news:(

Oh well....I'm going to Mixfest! I'm going to Mixfest!

Bummer Dude :(

I found out today that I did not get accepted to nursing school for the fall semester. My composite score was not "adequate". The two classes I am currently enrolled in do not count toward that score until I have completed them and have the grades. I need a 6.5 and I have a 5.4. So even when I finish everything and have the points, my application still has to be reviewed and there is no guarantee that I will even get in next spring. I am pretty bummed out, but I know things will happen when they need to.

Nursing Practice

All moms have to play nurse at some point...As if one sick baby isn't enough, both kids are sick this week. Delaney missed school Wednesday and the nurse called Thursday. Since our new doctor wasn't able to see her until next week, we decided to take her to the ER. While I was on the phone trying to get the appt. arranged, I noticed Braxton had a fever as well. Since we were making the trip to the ER anyway, we decided to let him be seen too. Good thing, because by the time it was his turn in triage, he had a fever of 105. Now that's how to get quick service in the ER! After Tylenol, Motrin, and Pedialyte it came down to 102. Both kids had clear chest x-rays. We were out in about 2 hours with....."just a virus". What every parent loves to hear. So we've been giving Tylenol,Motrin, and popsicles around the clock and sleeping alot. I think they will make it. I start my new class Monday, so I have to get them well! Looks like my shift won't be over for a couple more DAYS!

Jefa-fa DUN-ham!!

We just got home from seeing Jeff Dunham, and he was GRRRRREAT! We discovered him on youtube last year, and we've caught him on comedy central a few times. I have been checking his website for tour dates, and last Oct. bought tickets for tonight's show, with AWESOME seats btw. It was my Christmas present to Cade, Jana, and Danny. He is so amazing. If you don't know him, he's a ventriloquist (had to look that one up). He is so good that you forget he's talking to puppets. Here he is with his gang:

Peanut is my FAVORITE!!!!

YEA ME!!

I got a B in English!!!

Happy Dance-Happy Dance!!

I wish I could scream right now...I am finished with English!!! I mean no disrespect to anyone who loves English and Literature. I don't mind the grammar part of it; in fact I have always done quite well in that aspect. I don't love the literature and writing part so much. I know I will still have more writing ahead before I get myself graduated, but it should not entail summarizing, analyzing, and dissecting short stories and poems!! Anyways, since it's almost midnight, I don't want to wake the fam by screaming so I just needed to tell the cyber world--I SURVIVED!! I may not be dancing so lightly when I get my grade in a few days....I'll let you know...

De-Brief

Ok so I haven't been the "best blogger on the block" this month. Here's a quick-play:
1. The kids and Cade were puky and poopy the week we got back from Cancun.

(Sorry no pictures of that one..lol)

2. Braxton got a Little Tykes Junior Quad for Christmas and we finally opened the box. This picture had to be taken quick because he doesn't like to push the pedal with his foot, he usually bends over and puts his hand on it.

3. Here's little stud muffin sporting his vest and black hiking boots.

4. We have a new family member, Libby.

(Disclaimer: Libby belongs to the Wallaces, but she likes to spend time with her Aunt Denise)

5. While Jan and Dan went away for a spa weekend, the girls and dogs stayed with me. Yeah, ME--Cade was in Austin for a class. We all survived!

Dog Whisperer

Libby's First Bath (BTW--Braxton calls her "Bibby" 2Cute!)

6. That same weekend, Delaney came running to me, freaking out that her gums were bleeding. She had used a flosser, and I calmed her down, told her she wouldn't die, and we discovered her tooth was loose. She insisted she would lose it THAT day. I told her it would take a week or so, but guess what...

she lost it that Tuesday, February 3. "I just pulled it out at lunch." She wore it home in her little tooth necklace! The tooth fairy brought her TWO DOLLARS!!

7.Didn't take Libby long to feel at home.
8. Speaking of teeth, Braxton has to brush his every morning with Sissy. He has it down from spitting in the sink (or cabinet or floor or wherever he can hit) to tapping his toothbrush on the sink. What a ham!

9. Delaney had a sleepover with Peyton and Jordan. We made fuse bead crafts and played Wii till 11:00 pm! I miss slumber parties!

10. And finally just to make it a nice even number...

This is what slumber parties will do to you!

PS Cade and I did get to go on a date for V-Day, but I forgot to get a picture. We ate at Louis LeDeaux and saw Gran Torino. I'll so be buying that one! We had a fun time without the kiddies for a couple of hours. Love having that Rayster around to babysit.

Now that brings us to present day- I should be working on my English paper but feel this is more pressing at the moment. I shall do better in the next week or so when English is OVER! Yea, NO-MORE-ENGLISH!!!