The Fried Capital of Texas!

Orders have kept me soooo busy that I have neglected the blog.  So, here I am catching up after all these weeks.  The day after Faith's birthday, we all decided to go to the Texas State Fair.  I have always wanted to go and have seen write ups about it for years!  Finally, we were getting the chance and we just so happened to be there opening weekend. 

The boys had a blast test driving the new Camaro.  I loooove that car and would get one in an instant, but it's so not practical for a mom of three.  I sat in it and just sank.  It's so tiny compared to my Tahoe Taxi.  It brought back memories of my 1997 black Camaro, I miss that car!!

We got a little fair guide that showed the layout of the land.  Blake was in heaven, he couldn't get to the ticket booth fast enough.  Our motto for him is "College, nah, Carnival" (from the movie Christmas Vacation)!  He has loved carnivals, theme parks, claw machines, balloons, games with tickets and prizes and rides from a young age!  There were rides and attractions everywhere we turned. 

They already had a Michael Jackson ride.

The kids wanted the rides and games while us adults couldn't wait to get our hands on some of that good 'ole fried carnival fare! On the menu, Fletcher's corn dogs, deep fried peaches and cream, fried butter, chicken fried bacon, fried peanut butter cup macaroon, fried marshmallows, Texas fried pecan pan, sweet jalepeno corn dog shrimp and the list went on and on!

Steph and her pickle pop (aka frozen pickle juice)

Check out this menu!

Fried butter, I liked the garlic one the best!

Can you believe this...chicken fried bacon!

Big Tex

The Ferris Wheel

Yeah, a family picture, thanks Matt & Steph!

And the winner of Mother of the Year Award goes to...

Yes, I am the winner of the Mother of the Year award!  Monday was such a fun day, my little guy went all around with me getting supplies for orders.  Brody was being such a good baby.  He napped, he giggled, he talked - even saying Mama several times.  I was feeling so blessed and happy that I have him. 

The weather was so beautiful outside and after I picked up the kids from school, we walked around delivering our block party invitations door-to-door.  Brody was still in his stroller and I decided my flowers needed a watering since they haven't had a drink since the last rain.  I put the stroller on the edge of the driveway and the grass.  I had my back turned for a short time and I happened to look back to check on him right as he tumbled out of the stroller face first on the hard concrete. 

Panic, panic, panic - all I could think of is he is going to die.  I rushed him in the house and ran around in circles checking him out and crying telling him how sorry mommy was.  I am still crying over it, even now as I write this.  His forehead has a big concrete stamp on it, his nose is all skinned up and his nose started bleeding a little.  Luckily, his teeth were ok.  I called mom right away and she was nowhere to be found.  I didn't know if I should take him to the ER.  I called my neighbor down the street who is a nurse and she said to just watch him and if he starts acting different, then take him.  Blake called Tim and he rushed home. 

I couldn't take my arms off of him as he screamed and screamed.  The sound of his head hitting the concrete played in my mind over and over. I held him as he napped, listened to his breathing thinking he could have a horrible brain injury and I could lose him at any moment.  I prayed and prayed for him.  I can't imagine our lives without him.  It was not a good night of sleep for either of us.  When I went back to look at the stroller later Monday night, it looks like the front tray was not clipped in all the way making it easy for him to fall over as he leaned over. 

The ironic thing about this accident is all last week I couldn't stop thinking about the mother of the little baby whose stroller took off and fell into the tracks of an oncoming train.  The train ran over his stroller and he was safe with just a bump on his forehead because he was so clipped so tightly.



 I ask myself over and over why didn't I learn from that.  From now on, he's clipped in with shoulder straps.  Luckily, he was pretty low to the ground when he fell out.  One of my worst fears happened, having him hit his head on the concrete.  I always hold him so tight if he is not in the stroller, praying I don't trip. He's ok now, I still watch him and am thankful that I get a second chance with him.  I know this was God's way of telling me to slow down!

Smiling after all that!

Take me out to the ballgame

After Faith's first birthday party, we headed to the ballpark. The Rangers were playing Tampa Bay. We got there a little early for batting practice. The boys were excited - David was able to get them passes to go to the dugout and locker room. Blake and Jacob scored a few more autographs on their hats. The kids had fun playing the Slingshot game. Sydney and Jacob lucked out, they landed a hole in one and they each got a little prize. Blake was baffled that he tried so hard and then his kid sister strikes gold, the luck!! It's still so unreal to watch my baby brother live out his dream of being a baseball player!

Blake & Tim

Matt & Jacob

David's old number. No new #14's yet.

Blake trying his hardest for the prize!

Go, Jacob, go!

Alexa getting some coaching!

And the winners are Jacob and Sydney!

Cousins

Playing in the grass

Friday afternoon was beautiful outside. After I picked the kids up from school, I went inside and grabbed my camera while the kids sat on the grass and played with Brody. This was his first time to see what this green stuff was all about. I loved watching his expression and trying to figure out what this new texture was. I don't think he liked the scratchiness of it because he didn't want to put his knees in it.

Watching the school bus go by.

I am...fallifying the house!

I BELIEVE …that God puts people in your path for a reason.
I WANT…to go shopping at White House, Black Market for some new jeans, jewelry and shoes.
I HAVE …been so blessed to have such a wonderful family!
I KEEP …journals for my kids and record their growth and funny things they have done or said.
I WISH I COULD …leave for Paris or Italy stat.
I HATE …having credit card debt, how our lives would be so different!
I FEAR …car accidents.
I HEAR …The Young and the Restless from Monday on the DVR - the Newman's get good news, Victor is getting Colleen's heart.
I DON’T THINK …I can stand to see one more of those Welcome to Progressive Insurance commercials.
I REGRET …not going on that family trip to Washington D.C. so I could go visit Amy in Alabama.
I LOVE …the crazy month of November (6 birthdays, 3 anniversaries and Thanksgiving).
I AM NOT …over Sydney starting kindergarten, I still miss her hanging with me during the day.
I DANCE …at Club Fortunato to Yahoo Music with the kids.
I SING …in the car and wish I sounded as good as Celine Dion.
I NEVER …sit and read a book, well, it's been a long time, I miss it.
I RARELY …empty the dishwater - never liked it as a kid and I don't like it now. I leave that for Tim!
I CRY WHEN I WATCH …the Polar Express.
I AM NOT ALWAYS …good at returning e-mails, especially since I stopped working.
I MISS …my brothers.
I HATE THAT …it's October and it feels more like August.
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT …why people do the things they do, the stories on the news these days - it's crazy.
I NEED …to go to bed earlier a few nights a week.
I SHOULD …be working on orders right now but the computer is calling!
I SNAGGED ... this from Live.Laugh.Love - a fellow Texas girl!

Faith's First Birthday!

Last weekend, we went to Dallas for little Faith's first birthday. The kids enjoyed playing with all their cousins - all eight of them together - how fun! David and Andrea had a full house! We meant to get a picture of all the kids together but didn't manage to get one this time around.

Faith finally digging into her cake!

I loooove cupcakes!

Alexa enjoying every last crumb of her cupcake!

Sydney and Alexa giving Madison kisses!

The babies of the bunch.

Sully Flies Again!

I love this guy I gotta tell ya! I remember the day Sully landed in the Hudson! We had a washing machine repair guy over and I had the tv on and news broke of an airplane crash in the water. Whenever I hear of plane crashes I get a yucky feeling in the pit of my stomach thinking of all the families that are involved. They are people who are excited to get to their destination or people on their way home to see loved ones. That day in January, he was a hero and all his passengers and crew were able to get out alive and go home to their families. What an amazing feeling for all those involved. I think I love this story so much because I have always wanted to be a flight attendant and travel. My childhood friend Amy and I would talk about being flight attendants together after we saw an article about American Airlines in Seventeen magazine. I remember Dad would take us to the airport on Sundays when we were kids and we would camp out on the side of the road and watch planes take off and land and listen to his pilot's radio. I love everything about airplanes - they fascinate me. I still love to watch them in the sky and I get so excited when the flight plan is right above our house and I can pick out the airline or cargo carrier on the tail! Go Sully, go!

Gettin into everything!

Lately Brody loves to put everything in his mouth. He found a marker that Sydney had left on the table and he helped himself - wow, he learned at an early age to match the marker with his shirt! He loves to crawl over to the fireplace and bang on the screen (I guess that means no fires in the fireplace this year)!! There must have been a bit of let over soot from last year that he found and it got all over his arms. Too funny!

Halloween is upon us!

Fall is our most favorite time of year! The kids love getting all the Halloween decorations out, picking out the perfect costume and checking out all the latest scary stuff in the stores. I love being able to go outside again after the sweltering summer! We ran to Walmart last night on our way home from dinner and we HAD to stop in the Halloween aisle. The masks are so funny! Here are a few fun pics...