{Take Me Out to the Ballgame}

Long long ago.... in a land far far away (Kansas City)..... I went to the Royals baseball game. A lot. My dad used to work for Kraft Foods, and we ALWAYS had tickets (it seemed) to the game (company tickets). We sat to the right of the home plate, not on the ground, but high in the sky. My dad would buy us frozen chocolate malts, cheese dip in a little cup while we brought in Aldi's nacho cheese chips, and sometimes we brought in peanuts to crack open. Occasionally ... my brother & I enjoyed a cotton candy treat. It was always so exciting... sometimes we took our mitts and wait in hopes of a ball that never came our way. Sometimes I took my book b/c I knew I was going to be dying of boredom. Always anticipating "the wave", and ready at the drop of a hat when it came to our section.

::doing the wave::

In the middle of the 7th inning, we stood up, sang our hearts out to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", and boogied our hearts out to the wild music they played throughout the game during the breaks & clapping our hands to the rhythm. When my aunt Nay came along, she really boogied down with them all. ::blushing:: But she is one cool aunt, so I couldn't be too embarrassed, y'know?

But one day, it all came to an end. No more Royals baseball games. I got married. I had two little girls. Sadly, we never took the girls to a real life Major League Baseball game! (or is it American League Baseball?) ... whatever.

When my parents came down to Texas a few weeks ago, my dad mentioned going to the Missions here in San Antonio. I was ALL for it! However, this is the minor league, and I had never experienced minor league baseball before. Turns out, they play the same game! Who'd have thought?!

"Papa... Papa.... I'm thirsty... Papa... Papa...."

Katie's new bangs... but this was before we redid her bangs so they're much cuter now! Blog post to come soon about that!

Our church had a "Mormon Night @ the Missions", and tickets were pretty cheap. Not to mention, they promised no drinking or smoking in our designated areas (which I thought was pretty stupid to even try to offer & enforce b/c we were all intermingled w/ non-Mormons & they were drinking). Anyways, back to my story! They had a "giveaway", if you want to call it that. So, I entered my parents, my girls, and myself. The prize was to meet the famous Jeff Kent, a MLB player, who was also LDS. I think my dad is our lucky charm, (someone always wins when he's around), as a few innings into the game, Katie's name is announced as being one of the winners to meet this ballplayer. She is clueless though. My dad was VERY excited about this (don't deny this Dad... you were excited, Mom & I could tell!). "What's going on?" she asks... "where are we going?" she asked again. "WHO am I going to meet?" she finally exclaimed. My dad takes Katie to the top of the "secretive society of rich people who can afford to sit only in the air conditioned rooms" of the Mission stadium. She comes back with a autographed ticket, and my dad grabbed a picture of them together.

Finally, my girls have been able to experience something that I experienced multiple times in my childhood. I can finally cross that off my list of things to do in their life.

Both Maddie & Katie said while we were leaving ... and I quote

"man, that was the most boring night of my life".

Guess we won't be going back to another game anytime soon!

{birthday blessings}

I celebrated the 5th anniversary of my 29th birthday last week.

It was lovely.

One of the highlights of my birthday was this cake.

oooooh, this cake. It's DIVINE! It's TO.DIE.FOR!!

It's a four layers chocolatey goddess with chunks of chocolate pieces throughout the cake, topped off with an orange/chocolate frosting.

My friend Leisa made it for me. She's so awesome. I wanna be like her when I grow up.

OK, enough about this cake.

When I got home from work, the girls met me at the door with homemade cards. I love homemade cards! I read them out loud. Maddie's was:

(inside)

Allways be your dater, Love Madison

::confused::

I pronounced it as "date-r". She giggled and said "NOOO Momma! DAUGHTER!"

Mike & the girls took me out to Olive Garden for my birthday. They begged Daddy to let the waitress sing to me for my birthday... so he ordered me my favorite dessert there. YUMM! Embarrassingly, I had to wear a hair net.

Not sure why though... and I refuse to post the picture Katie took of me!

Then later that night, my friends Mandi & Shauna surprised me (LOVE surprises!) and showed up at my door and whisked me away for a quick girls' night out for yummy ice cream!

I have big plans for the money I got from family! I'm going to buy me a sweet lens....

an EF 50 mm/1.8 II lens.

Can't wait! Now my "bokah" will be awesome for portraits!

{a walk on the beach}

We love the beach.

Well, I think they do. I love the beach!

It brings such a calming feeling to me when I walk along the beach.

So quiet.

So peaceful.

So beautiful.

Just watch out for the jellyfish. I stepped in two of them while walking and taking pictures at the same time. THAT was gross.

{This is Bob}

Katie learned this at the end of the school year from her friend.

I am constantly finding the letters "T-H-I-S" and a stick figure by the name of "BOB" on her hands....

This is Bob's story

.

SAYS

.

When a car comes by.

The End.

{Mustang Island}

Off of Corpus Christi, there is an island that faces the Gulf. The actual ocean!! It has better shells, better waves, and softer sand. You can also camp on the beach there! You can also drive on the beach there! In short, it's a state park, and it's beautiful! There was an abundant amount of icky stinky seaweed there. Just hold your nose and wade through it until you get to the beach!
We started our day off by going on this ferry

We had to drive to Port Aransas to get on this ferry. It was a very short distance to the other side, but "oh so neat!"

We found Mustang Island, quickly found a place on the beach to park, unloaded EVERYTHING under the moon (chairs, towels, sand toys, coolers, first aid kit... everything). I immediately found some amazing shells, which unfortunately had some slimy living creatures still inside the shell. Toss those back in the ocean.

Madison & I waded in the ocean for a bit. We took her boogie board and went through the waves. We decided to head back in to the shore.... but all of a sudden Maddie screamed. Grabbed her foot. I thought "oh great... those darn jellyfish!". However, it wasn't a jellyfish! It was a CRAB pinching her feet! Poor girl! I quickly grabbed the thing and yanked on it, which pinched off a bit of her skin on her big toe. :( After she recovered, she placed her beach shoes on her feet, and we eventually went back out in the ocean.

Mike & Madison built a sand castle. Actually, maybe it's half of a sand castle?

Katie played on her boogie board over & over again... course with either Grandma, me or Mike with her. The other times, she sat in her beach chair & just looked cute!

Mike was pretty comfortable himself...

so was my dad.....

Mike & the girls went looking for more seashells past the jetty. Very beautiful over there!

it's at this time we say goodbye to the beach...

in hopes to come back another time!

Tip Junkie goes all out!

Check out Tip Junkie's Going DOT COM Birthday Bash!

Every day Tip Junkie is giving away 10 gifts! All from amazing moms who create beautiful things!!

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{so much to say...}

so little time!

Yesterday I started my new job. I'm working as a contractor for an insurance company that is HUGE out here in Texas (USAA). Maybe some of you military ladies have heard of it? :) So, I'm still adjusting to working again.

My parents are enjoying their final evening here in Texas. They leave tomorrow afternoon to go back to KC. We've enjoyed them visiting. While they were here, we've done a ton of stuff. It'll probably take me a few days worth of blogging time to catch up with the pictures, etc.

Friday morning we left for Corpus Christi. I had reserved a room months ago, and we were sorely disappointed in the shape of the condo when we arrived. It was NOTHING like what we were expecting.... but we toughed it out. Beds that made noise when one moves on it, beds that only had one inch of mattress on it (making it impossible to get ANY sleep!).... the list goes on & on. Course, the beach outside was littered completely with jellyfish carcasses (are they carcasses?). So, going in the ocean was no fun. Not to mention, there were a few couples who had NO problem sharing PDA (public display of affection) with the public... EWW! My girls got an eyeful Saturday night! Thankfully my mom & I quickly walked them past this couple before more damage was done, but it only resulted in two little girls laughing & giggling. GIRLS!

We did enjoy a beautiful night of walking along the beach Friday night, and I was able to snap some beautiful pictures of the girls. Here's a few to enjoy until I edit some more....

Saturday we left early in the morning about 9'ish for Port Aransas. We wanted to take the car ferry over to Port Aransas and head to Mustang Island. I'll share more in another blog post about it, but it was AMAZING! Sad thing to happen was Maddie got pinched by a crab. :( Mike also suffered a major casualty too... pictures & story to follow on that. All I can say is that men don't listen to their wives....

{blueberry streusel scones}

Wanna try this recipe? You know you want to!

Check my recipe blog for the details!

just click on the link and it'll take you there!

{Little Miss M & her last day}

Last Thursday I was busting my butt with Katie's class party. It wasn't supposed to be over until around 2:15, but Maddie's "end of the year" ice cream party started at 1:30! What's a mother to do? That's right, ditch Katie's party around 2:00, and head to the school for Maddie's party. :)

The first thing I see is all the kids gathering autographs. I have to laugh at my girls & all their friends. No one does the "You are the SWEETEST person ever! Have a great summer!" type of autographs, or cute equations like this one:

2 good + 2 be = 4 gotten

or anything fun like that. They simply sign their name. That's it!! So, Maddie was gathering autographs from her friends.

Then she sat & ate her ice cream. It was an ice cream party, complete with tons of toppings, syrups & whipped cream. Did you know there's liquid peanut butter? Yes, it's to DIE for!

While the sugar was getting in the bloodstream, a few kids went a little wacko (i.e. taking a permanent marker and having everyone sign this kids' shirt, which made a few other kids do the SAME thing. I thought "ooh, that kid is gonna in trouble!"). I managed to capture a few pictures of her BFF... Lily! We love Lily. She's such a sweetheart.

All in all, Madison had a fantastic 1st grade year. She will miss her teacher, Miss Canela. She made HUGE strides this year, surprising all of us with what she really loves! Science!! This kid loves Science! She's going to be a brainiac, I just know it.

{goodbye 5th grade}

Well ... I am now officially a mother of a middle schooler.

GASP!

Gag!

::wheeze::

I feel so... OLD!

Wait, I am old!

Katie had her 5th grade graduation today. We started the morning off with this glare at me

Guess she was a little embarrassed? Or mad? Get over it kid.

Doesn't she know that I'm supposed to embarrass her? I mean, that's THE most important thing I have to do in her life!

She got a bunch of awards... Citizenship, missed the A/B Honor Roll by ONE stinking point.

UGH!

She got a 79 in Math this quarter.... the only C ever this year!

Then, she got this award

the Presidential Achievement Award...

not sure 100% what it's for, but she was the only kid out of her class to get it

(not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing)

Then all the kids & their parents took a walk through the halls of the school, starting in the Kindergarten hall & moved through the grade levels. All the kids were standing outside the rooms waving. Some of the 5th graders were a little tearful, some were jubilant. Some moms were crying (not me... I held back my tears no matter how hard it was), some teachers were crying, which made ME want to cry.

Katie & her 2 BFF's Alexis & Vanessa all walked together.

Then we saw this little cutie sitting in the hall.

I think I might just take her home!

Then she said goodbye & hugged a favorite teacher who helped push math through her brain during a very delicate time... it worked. Oh, did it work!

Afterwards, all the 5th graders enjoyed a big pool party at the neighborhood pool.

for FOUR hours! Everyone looks like a lobster now.

They ate their heart out

and signed picture frames with everyone's autographs

Katie's frame got ruined by a wet suit....

All in all, it was a fantastic day to end Katie's elementary school year!

She's now sick with a cough and a sore throat.

{look mom! a plane!}

Years ago in Kansas City, my mom made a huge fuss about the Space Shuttle riding piggyback ontop of a 747 jet plane. I don't remember if we actually made it out to the airport to view such a sensation (did we mom?), but I do remember seeing a picture of it in the newspaper.

Well, yesterday in San Antonio, we were given a treat! I didn't see it personally, but it was all over the news. We live very close to the airport, and so viewing airplanes coming down very close to the ground is an occurance we see every day several times a day. It's lost its magic for my girls who used to get extremely excited to see a plane when we would approach the KCI Airport to pick up family members. Now it's a shrug & a "oh, cool" said in a bored voice. :(

Well, the Space Shuttle came to San Antonio yesterday! I was hoping to catch a glance of it as it made its way over my house toward an Air Force base, but it was too cloudy. Here is a video of it taking off. SUPER cool! {note, I did not take this video}

{my weekend}

Last Friday we left a day early & headed to Dallas for a quick visit with Mike's sister & her family, plus my father in law. We had a great visit, and here is a picture blog post of all the fun things we did.

We went to see this little girl Emily

and this little boy Adam

and their big brother Ethan

We had gotten up extremely early in the morning Friday & made it to Dallas by 10'ish. After my FIL came into town, we headed to Chipotle for a quick bite to eat, and left for home.... lounging around & visiting all Friday night. Friday night we went to Adam's soccer game (the blonde hair). His little team was so cute. One kid carried his teddy bear around the soccer field.

On Saturday we went to Ethan's Baseball game. There, the kids ate frozen treats (at 9 a.m.!)

watch this little girl do her thing (she's such a cutie!)

watch Mike get beaten up by a one year old

talked to my dad on the phone, wishing him a "Happy Birthday"

and played on the playground

After the ball game, the men grabbed the kids & took them

while Tiffany, Emily & I headed to

The guys brought the kids back home. They were extremely hot, so we got them dressed in their swimming suits & they did this with the sprinklers under the trampoline

Later that night after the kids were in bed, we sat down to watch this movie

it made you feel like never letting your kids out of your sight ... ever again!

We played with Roxy, Grandma's baby

and when it was all time to go home, we left with smiles on our face!

Thanks Tiff, Dan & Dad for a great weekend! We loved it!