A Night Away Finally!!

Last weekend my hubby and I had the pleasure of spending a whole overnight away from the kiddos. Thanks to my Mom and Dad we were able to get away which has not happened at all since we had kiddos. You see we don't have Grandma, Grandpa, aunties, uncles, cousins, first cousins once removed well you get the point we don't have any family in the area which is a hard concept for most of the people we know. If we get a date night it is very rare indeed and even then if it's we can afford a babysitter for the evenings which lets face it don't come cheap anymore but I digress... Back in May I scored tickets to this show

for Chester's Birthday and my Mom made plans to come down for a week. I also pricelined a night away and we got the Hotel Derek for $80 for the night. It was a super nice place very swanky and very modern. So last Saturday we packed up our stuff kissed our kiddies and headed off to the hotel for the night. I have to admit I was a bit of a baby for a few minutes because it was the first time I left my baby girl which was way sooner than I ever left my son see here http://lynnieped.blogspot.com/2008/10/girls-weekend-in-nj.html I mean he was nearly two when I did that but I bucked up and was fine after a couple of tears. We got to our hotel and we checked in we laughed at the prices of the mini bar and ended up getting snacks across the street at CVS. We tried to swim in the pool but it was on the main floor and not in a very good location it was pretty much kept from the sun by the buildings so it was cold which is rare in Houston in the summer and there was no hot tub so we just decided to chill in our room until it was time to get ready for the show. We then went downtown and had dinner at a nice Italian restaurant that we had been to when Chester's uncle and aunt and cousin Abby were in town last year. It was super crowded so we ended up eating at the bar and even then we were nearly late to the show thanks also to a major downpour. Houston hasn't seen a lot of rain in awhile so people were acting like moroons driving in the rain. But we made it to the show with a few minutes to spare. The show was awesome!!! I had seen it back in 1998 but it was Chester's first time. I have the soundtrack from the original Broadway production so I know the story in and out. I love the theatre and have fanatasies of being the lead in the production. The closest I have come is singing Wishing You were Somehow here again as a vocal minor in college. I get goosebumps when they lift the chandelier and I had tears in my eyes in several spots. I just love The Phantom. I hope to get to see it on Broadway one day!!! After the show we made it back to our hotel and we slept in till 10:30 am the next morning!! We obviously were really tired and a break from the kids was much needed. We then got back mid afternoon and my parents came home from taking the kids to church and I was so happy to see my sweet boy and girl. I am glad that we got to get away and am looking forward to when we can do it again!! And I of course would love to see Phantom again while it is still in town but that probably will not happen. Oh well till it comes back to town again!!


Us being dorks during intermission we didn't have time to get pics before hand

This is the only picture of us together. Wish we would have gotten a good one but after the show people flock out like a herd of cattle so picture taking wasn't in the plans.

I like Mckmama's blog a lot and like I put by the link to her blog I did go to the same college as she did up in the Twin Cities. I did not know her personally but since we have the same alma matter I think it is pretty cool. So I like to read Not me Monday so I thought I would try it out this week.

1. I most did certainly not take my children outdoors in the scorching heat to play so that my husband and I could rubber neck seeing as there were tons of cop cars and a crime scene unit across the street at the neighbors house.

2. And I most certainly did not go back outdoors just in time to see the body being brought out on a stretcher. Nope not me!!

3. I most certainly did not give my son a dose of tylenol to get him to take a nap so momma could have some naptime herself. Nope not me!!

4. I most certainly did not put my kids to bed and not see any fireworks because I could care less about that. I mean I am patriotic and care about the 4th of July!

5. I most certainly did not take out hamburger to have tacos the other night only to go to TGI Fridays when we couldn't afford it. Nope not me!!

6. I most certainly did not justify having fast food for lunch when I had perfectly good food at home. Nope not me!!

7. I most certainly did not put strawberries in pancakes to try to trick my boy into eating fruit. I mean he loves fresh fruit don't you know. Nope not me!

8. I most certainly did not borrow my neighbors Dyson vacuum while we were watching their dogs because it is so nice. That would be coveting. And I don't do that. Nope not me!!

9. And finally I most certainly did not purposely not put a breast milk bottle together for my baby so I could actually sit in church and listen to the sermon. I mean I love sitting still in church I really do

Baby Girl Tries out Food

Pardon the boob shot but baby girl likes to be held at dinnertime and she tries to get a hold of things on my plate. That night we had peas so I figured what the heck and smooshed them up and feed her a few bites. She seemed to like it but she of course liked to chew on the spoon more!! Oh and the last pic is of my sweet girl in the hamper I had to get something in the other laundry basket and I was holding her so I put her in the other basket and she thought that was funny!! My baby girl is such a darn cutie pie!!!

Fun in the Park

The other day we went to the park and had a picnic lunch and played for awhile. It was super super hot outside but this is Cortie's favorite park and it has some shade so it wasn't horrible. My boy is definitely all boy and would dig in the sand and rocks all day if I would let him but Good lord it was hot and it took all about 2 minutes for me to be all sweaty!! Catherine had fun swinging in the baby swing. She loves being outside and watching what her brother is doing. Soon enough she will be chasing after him in the park.

Just Some Fun in the Sun and Random Shots

Baby girl lounging in the sun
Baby girl with Daddy her first time in the pool
Cortie enjoyng a snack outside
Baby girls purple car! She's stylin!!
My little fish!!
Cortie likes to revert back to babyhood sometimes with sister
There's my little angel!!
Hey you talkin to me!!
My sweet boy with his surfer dude bear!!


This is a great video of Cortie singing along to Hey Mickey!! Awesome!!

The summer heat has hit Texas and we have been enjoying spending time outside at splash parks and in our pool at home. I also got Cortie a little plastic pool to wade in for when I am not in the mood to get in the big pool. It has his little slide in it so he has a great time sliding into his little pool. He also loves to swim in the big pool and will swim all by himself with Daddy right near by don't worry Grandmas!! We had hoped to get him some swimming lessons this summer but probably won't have the extra funds to do it. Hopefully next year!! Baby girl is getting so big. I can't believe she is almost 6 months. It feels like just yesterday she was a tiny baby. She has been fussy the last couple of days. We think she might be teething but nothing is showing up in her mouth. Her brother acted the same way and he didn't get teeth until he was almost a year. We have also been going to story time at the library and Cortlyn loves it!! We tried last summer but he was still to little and didn't care one bit about it but this summer he is having a blast and he loves craft time!! After wards we usually go to Chick fil a or chick a la as Cortie says it and he loves playing in the playground. We usually try to find something to do most everyday and we also just like to chill at home. We are looking forward to my Mom coming in July and Chester and I will actually get a night away from the kiddos. We are so excited about that, we rarely ever get a date night so this is a special treat. Well that is about all from our neck of the woods right now. Enjoy the pics and video!!

A Visit with Auntie Laurie

This past weekend my sister Laurie came for a visit from New Jersey she had not met Catherine yet so she was excited to get to meet baby girl. We packed a lot into the weekend. She flew in on Thursday night and on Friday we took Cortie to Build a Bear where he had the greatest time making his very own bear. We named it Surfer Dude Bear and we of course forgot to take a picture of the final product but nonetheless he loves it. Then we went to a local splash pad that Cortie loves and we had a great afternoon. To top off the day we went to one of our favorite restaurants Gringo's and had a fabulous supper. Saturday we woke up bright and early with the intention of getting down to Galveston before lunch but we didn't quite make it. We ended up getting there around 1pm. We went to Moody Gardens to Palm Beach which is man made lagoon that was perfect for little kids. We had a great day and we were so tired from being in the sun all day that we just chilled at home and went to bed early. Sunday we just relaxed since my sister was leaving that day. Her and Cortie had a great time going in our pool and then she had to leave. It was a great visit!! On a side note my sister got bit by a tick a couple of weeks ago and was pretty tired while here and sore but she had been to the dr and they thought she was ok. But once she got home it progressed into a much worse state and she was diagnosed with Lymes Disease it was caught early but she has been really sick this whole past week with it. So please keep her in your prayers. As for us we have had an interesting week as well. Right before my sister left I got my heel cut with a rusty shovel that we used to pick up poop and had to get a tetnus shot and then Monday morning I woke up with pink eye. So gross!! But we are finally on the mend here and summer is here and we are going to have fun!!

The Month of May a Recap

First we celebrated Chester's Birthday!! Cortie was very excited to go to the BEB (HEB) but that's how he pronounces it. It's so cute and we got Daddy a cake and Daddy blew out the candles!! Then we went to the Olive Garden and had a nice dinner and afterwards we met up with a friend of ours Matt from Minnesota who was in for the evening. We went to his hotel and Cortie had great fun going up and down the elevator and the evening was topped off by a very sad two year old who had to leave and all he could say very sad like you know Bye Matt!! Very dramatic but again so darn cute we hold to turn around to giggle because it was so pathetic!!!


Then we put up our pool again for the summer and Cortie being the big boy he is now got on his swim vest and had the greatest time paddling around the bottom of the pool while it was being filled up. Remember this time last year My how my little boy has grown!!


Then we have had some fun times at the splash pad near our house. Last year the boy wasn't to sure about them but this year he loves it and I love it that I am not pregnant and feeling sick all the time and can enjoy spending time with my boy!!


And of course we can't leave out baby girl she was having fun as well


And just for fun Cortie has been talking more and more lately and this is what we caught on the way to eat one night. Very cute!!


Later in the month Cortie got a package in the mail Daddy had ordered him a bow and arrow. It was the cutest thing because he knew exactly what it was and was so excited to open and kept going around the house saying my bow my bow. He loves to shoot just like Daddy



And as for baby girl she is getting so big. She is almost 5 months old I cannot believe it. This time last year I was worried that she wasn't even going to make it inside me but she did and she is the sweetest little thing!! Here is a recent video clip of her in her exersaucer. Cortlyn loves to show her all the toys and she loves playing with her older brother. I think they are going to be close!!


And this weekend the final weekend of May my sister Laurie is coming to visit. She hasn't met Catherine yet so that will be a nice time together. Whoo this post got long but I don't blog all that often so putting a post together takes forever. So hope everyone enjoys the videos. I sure do!!!