A Great way to spend Sunday night.

This past Sunday was my friend Megan's birthday. I am lucky enough to be friends with her two sisters as well and we decided that Megan needed a great birthday. We met another one of Megan's friend at Watters Creek . Did a little window shopping and had a great dinner. A couple of ladies from Megan's work joined us as well at Brio. We had a great adult meal with some fun people.  Happy Birthday Megan!

From Megan Bday

Megan and a very pregnant Michelle.

From Megan Bday

Back Leslie, Susan, and Megan

Jenni, Me, Lori and Michelle

Just a little bit Country

My Dad jokes when he tells people where we live.  He says go to the Oklahoma border and come back 10 miles.  I admit that we are "north" but I never think of us as living in the sticks.  You all thought that we were crazy 6 years ago when we moved to McKinney.  There was not a single stop sign on Custer between Main Street and Hwy 380.  Now there are 3 lights and some dangerous intersections that should be lights as well.  That is a completely different topic.  So when we moved last year, I knew we would hear it all over again.  And deal with some of the same "issues" of living in an area that has not been commercially developed.  

We had a little bit of an ice storm at the old house.  When we came home, the small fridge in the garage was open as well as about 6 beers that were frozen.  It was a beautiful mess.  The other great part was the 3 little mice that came in from the cold and literally frozen to death in the garage.  I was okay with it because it was still "outside".  They had not penatrated the inside of the house. 

Fast forward a couple of years to last winter.  I am in the kitchen at this house and I hear a straching noise above me.  I look around and the kids are in the living room.  It can't be them.  So I let it go.  It came back, and back, and back. I was totally freaking out.  I got the broom out and banged it on the ceiling as if I was disgruntal with my upstairs neighbors.  It passed.  The next night, same time it started again.  I called Chad and he was annoyed to say the least.  I'm on the phone saying "You don't hear that?"  And finally he was like "Is that the noise?"  YES!!!  "Oh, man"  He could acutally hear the noise over the phone if that tells you how loud it was.  He said call the pest people.  

For those of you that do not know my husband well, this was an odd statement.  We rarely call anyone out to fix or take care of anything.  Chad is extremely handy.  He can fix just about anything.  He changed the brakes on my car this month.  We do 90% of the labor ourselves so for him to say, "Call the pest company"  I was a little taken back.  It is good to know that my big weakness is also his.  MICE, SNAKES, and other unidentafiable animals.  So I call and they can't come out for a couple of days!  WTH!!! A couple of days.  That's it.  I'm checking into a hotel, motel, someone else's home.  Can not deal.  I don't but I would if money was no object.  

The lovely pest people come and point out all of the openings in my house where our friends could have made their entrance.  He showes me all kinds of little "dirt" drops that are left overs from our friends.  He says that it is most likely just a bunch of field mice.  They don't like the cold and the house is warm.  He sets $100 in traps.  We discuss the straching and he too thinks I am crazy.  He didn't see any signs of anything other than mice.  Whatever, dude.  I know what I heard.  

The following day, Chad was off of work and we were dining on some not so fine local pizza.  And we heard it.  And I am glad that I have a witness.  It was as if someone was on the second floor of the house, between the walls and dropped a small dog between the 2x4s and the sheetrock.  It sounded like a pinball machine.  We just looked at each other in shock.  There was something.  The only positive is that if the house started to stink, we would know where to start ripping down the drywall. 

So why am I telling you all of this.  Because it is that time of year again.  It has cooled down and my friends have made their apperance again.  I went into the attic last night and walk right out.  I did (and have done for the last year) the Girl Scout thing.  You know when you turn on the lights, knock on the door, and make as much noise as possible to let whatever is on the other side of the door know that you are coming in and to MOVE OUT OF SIGHT.  Two little friends died together on a sticky pad some time in the last week. Little Romeo and Juilette met there faith,  and Chad.  I sent him right up to deal with it.  He has to do the dirty work.  I just can not do it. 

We will be making another trip to Home Depot this weekend to stock up on supplies.  I don't care if it cost $3000.  This is one expense that I will not gripe about.  All because we live just a little bit in the country.   

Our first Broken Bone

We went this morning to the Ortho to follow-up on Reece's little trip down the trampoline.  She did great, as always.  She does have a fracture.  The doctor called it a ripple on the radial head bone in the elbow.   She has a beautiful hot pink cast that she thinks is pretty.  While I was talking to Mom this morning, I mentioned how cool it was to watch them wrap it up. (I have never broken a bone and have no cast experience)  Reece corrected me and said that it wasn't cool, it was pretty.  

She has a sling (she calls it her arm purse) to help her carry the cast.  It covers her whole arm from the fingers to her shoulder.  The location of the fracture is near the area where they see injuries from swinging kids by their arms.  If her arm was to dislocate, then we would be looking at surgery.  To avoid the twisting and dislocation possibility, they wrapped her wrist to keep it from moving.  

How did this all happen?  She was just being a kid.  Things like this happen.  She was hopping down the long trampoline to jump into the foam pit, and got ahead of herself.  She stuck her arms out to break her fall and landed wrong.   That is it.  Something that I am sure she has done 100 times without getting hurt.  I am sure that we will go back to a gymnastics party again.  I am sure she will fall again at some point.  I am sure that this will not be that last time she will be hurt.   Hopefully, this is our only broken bone.  

Grab some coffee and sit back

Let me start off by saying that I can hear all of you yelling at me to update the blog.  I know, I know.  I haven't been in a blogging mood.  So beware, this may be long.  

Two weekends ago, all of the Court kids and their SO and kids went to Bryan for a family reunion.  Chad and I weren't sure when we would leave but decided that we would leave Friday so that we (I mean I) could eat our (my) way through the day on Saturday.  I am happy to report that I accomplished my goal.  We had some kolaches for breakfast with some Shipley donuts.  Lunch was at Pepe's.  It is this total unremarkable building that makes great tacos, queso, and chips.  And it is cheap.  I would compare it to a homemade Taco Bell.  I did miss my little meat market and did not get there before it closed but I might be able to convince Mom to stop by before she comes up in a couple weekends.  But the BEST meal was Wings n More.  I am a big boneless wing eater but not here.  Just orginial wings please.  There is just something about their wings that make them sooooo good.  Maybe it's all of the garlic.   I left with real pretty stained fingers.  I just blended in with the crowd.  

The reunion was good.  It was nice to see everyone and all of the new faces.  The Emola family is my paternal grandmother's family.  My grandmother was one of 9.  All of the siblings had children, (my parents), and they had kids (us) and then some of us have kids (the girls).  So there was 4 generations there.  There are 3 children still living and 2 SILs and one BIL.  The only living couple just celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.  So sweet.  I don't have any great pics from the weekend but I will share one when I get it.  I would guess there was about 100 people there.

This week has been nuts with just day to day stuff.  I have signed up to be the room mom for Reece this year.  Lucky me, her teacher is the lead teacher for pre-k so that also makes me the lead room mom.  We have a field trip at the end of this month so I am trying to find volunteers.  

I am sure that I have mentioned this but if not - Reece is in the dual-language program.  That means that every other day is in Spanish.  They work on 2 letters a week as well as shapes and colors.  It has been so much fun listening to her come home and "talk" in Spanish.  She is also teaching Addison as she goes and that is always entertaining.  The dual language program has an annual fundraiser for scholarships for the program and it is in 2 weeks.  She will be preforming a couple song as will all of the grades.  Then there is a fair that happens the same evening.  They serve all different Spanish foods as well as a hot sauce contest.  What weekend is this you ask?  It is the Saturday of Layne and Mitzi's couple shower that is on Friday.  You know the one that I am co-hosting.   I am not complaining.  Just saying if anyone wants to come and take the girls for a little while on Friday and Saturday, I am up for it. 

This week....was one of those weeks.  Poor Reece.  It just hasn't been great for her.  While at Mom and Dad's house in Bryan, she and I went outside to play for about 10 minutes.  She was just attacked by mosquitos.  They just went to town on her legs.  I know that she is so sweet that they can't resist.   And I know better and should have put bug spray on but it's OCTOBER!  The bugs should be dead by now.  Well come Monday her little legs were bright red and had heat, so off we went to the doc.  We got some medicine and she was good to go.  But not after we got "Please be sure to watch Reece for systemic changes such as high fever and red streaks up her legs.  This is a sign of infection.  You should call immediately.  If it is after hours, just take her to the ER and have them call us. "  Thanks Dr. Bill.  No panic.  She was fine the rest of the week.  

I have been planning with the other Maywalds this week to have pictures of all of the little cousins together.  We only have a picture of Reece and Blake when they were 4 and 7 months old.  We were way over do.  So we all met in Fort Worth.  Next time, I think I will suggest an outdoor on location shoot.  It is not in any one's best interest to try and get 4 toddlers to all smile and look cute all at the same time in a studio.  We got one that was OK and we'll take it for now.  I will let you all see it when they come in. 

We opted to stay in Fort Worth for the night.  My girlfriend's daughter's birthday party was today in Keller and it was just easier to stay than drive.  The party was at a gymnastics place and the kids had a really good time.  Addie tired to keep up with all of the other 3-6 year olds and I will have to say that she was holding her own.  Reece was doing awesome until the very end.  She fell on the long running trampoline and tried to catch herself.  She cried.  We blew it off and tired not to make it a big deal.  I thought like every other time, she would forget about it in 5 minutes.  She whined until we left and crashed in the car before we even hit the highway. She was still complaining about it when we got home.  We put her to bed to continue her nap.  It didn't last too long.  She was up and crying every time we touched her elbow.  

So off to Acute Kids urgent care.  As we walk in, the guy be hind the counter says "head" .  The lady says "arm".  I said "Are you guess what is wrong with my kid?"  They said yes.  And I said, it is her arm.  We laughed it off and signed in.  No one else was in the waiting room so we went straight back.  A couple of x-rays and a Popsicle later, ladies and gentlemen, we have a fractured elbow.  It was confirmed by the radiologist this evening.  I am making an appointment tomorrow and will update you when I know more.  We will see.  She has a soft cast and a sling.  And some good pain medicine.  

I hope this week is easier than the last couple.  I am exhausted and I know the month I have ahead of me.  It is book solid and I need a weekend away.  Can I just go to work for one of you tomorrow?  

Adult Funny in G-rated World

It's not that naughty.  I just like a little adult humor in my G/PG rated world.  If I didn't have any kids, this might be my Fall Decor.  It probably would have been 8 years ago.  Oh - what a difference a couple years make. 

Can't wait any longer

You would think that the girls were sick and that's why they were laying on the kitchen floor.  They have pillows, blankets, and each other.  But that was not the case at all.

They were waiting for the cookies to come out of the oven.  

Late Entry...

I have been is lala land for a couple of days.  I just can't get it together.  So here is my very late entry on some things that have been going on. 

It seems like months ago that I went to the Maroon 5 concert with a couple friends.  We left early afternoon and checked into a hotel near the concert.  We grabbed a bite to eat at Uncle Julio's on Oak Lawn.  I am so happy they are putting one in Allen.  We had a couple drinks, and headed back to the hotel to catch a cab to go to the concert.  I don't remember the last concert that I went to.  It has been YEARSSSSS.  Anyway, the concert was good and it wasn't too hot.  My friend had a great post on her blog about the night and what we "learned".  Check it out for more details and pictures.  I am so glad that I went.  I must do more girls' nights.  

This weekend, Chad was in Fort Worth so it was just me and the girls.  We meet a friend in downtown McKinney for Oktoberfest.  It was busy but the kids had a great time.  Here are some pictures from the afternoon.   It's starts with face painting.  Reece is obsessed with cats right now so she became a pink kitten and Addie had a little butterfly crown.  They loved looking at each other and themselves in the mirror.  They did a little painting.  Reece tried the jump house but there were too many kids for her.  We stop at a really cute popcorn and candy shop.  Then headed for the ponies.  Everyone had their fill of the event and off we went to Chick-fil-a.  We did get a few looks because of the face painting.  Overall, a great afternoon.