weekend at our house

We had a fun weekend here at home.

We loved the cooler weather.  It is so awesome and I hope it stays around for a long time.

Layla didn't care, she rode her four wheeler in her gown.  She was so thrilled to walk outside to a cool breeze Saturday morning!

The kids helped me do some laundry.  Hayden loves to help.  Layla doesn't love to help, so I'm thankful for now one kid doesn't give me sass about chores!

The kids did some much needed relaxing while I decorated for fall.

Since our house is on the market I only put a centerpiece on the table.  I didn't want to go all out, and everything is pretty much packed away.

Saturday night I enjoyed a girls night with friends.  We went to Sunshine Glaze and then ate at the Cheesecake factory.  I can't wait to see my coffee mug once it is baked and shiny.  I'm so excited about it!

We had a good time, and the kids played with their friends so it was a win win!

This really isn't a good picture, but this was what I ordered.  It's an appetizer.  I think it was called Corn tamale cakes.  I probably don't have the name right, but who cares.  This was an awesome choice.  My dinner was wonderful!

Sunday was a relaxing day of rest and movies.  Hayden decided to join Layla in the sniffles department, so he is stuffy too.  It never fails, the kids pass that stuff around like crazy.  It is was a quick little booger fest for Layla.  She is much better, so I think Hayden will be good as new soon too.  

That is all I have for today.  I am running errands kid free because BOTH KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL today!  Whooop!  I'm excited...can you tell??

Have a great Monday!

fall~ing temps this weekend!

I'm was very happy to hear about a possible cold front coming to Texas this weekend!  The high will be 90 degrees!  That is down right awesome after the highs being 106 degrees for the past few days.  Bring on the cold front and all things fall!

*****

I put out a little bit of fall decor this morning.  I'm not going all out this year because I packed most of my decorating items into boxes.  The house hasn't sold yet, but I am slowly packing and getting things uncluttered.   Maybe I'll add a few clear glass bowls of candy corns to my kitchen counters.  BUT then I can do 'drive bys' and that might not be such a good idea!

When it comes to candy corn I have to pace myself.  I seriously could eat the entire bag!

This is a handful of yummy goodness.  FYI...20 candy corns = 150 calories. 

totally worth every calorie :)

Yesterday we met our friends Vanessa and Jake at Pei Wei for lunch.  

Hayden and I had never eaten at Pei Wei.  I was very impressed.  My food was really delicious and fresh.  I am not all swollen and puffy like I usually am after I eat Asian cuisine.  I am now a Pei Wei fan and so is Hayden.  He ate every single bite of his chicken.  It was really good, but I also think eating with chop sticks was fun for him!

*****

Layla has a sniffly/stuffy nose.  She has been in school for a couple of weeks and already has a fall cold or allergy attack.  I'm not sure what is going on, but Boooo.  She has good moments and bad moments, but all in all she feels good.  Hopefully it is just allergies.   I think we will have a fun low-key weekend.  Like I mentioned earlier, I am ready for the cooler temps, so hopefully we can play outside and enjoy the cool(er) weekend!

Happy Friday y'all!

First Day of Pre-K

Today was Hayden's first day of Pre-K and he was so excited.  I'm glad he was excited because last year he cried and clung to me like press n seal wrap for the first 2 weeks of school.  If you've used press n seal you know that was exhausting!

This morning he was pumped!  He walked in and grabbed his pencil box and started coloring.  When I picked him up this afternoon he hugged the snot out of me and said he loved school and he said he wished he could stay there all day long!  haha!  Well, you kinda did buddy!

Once we got home he asked to watch the Leap Frog DVD, The Letter Factory.  He said his teachers recommended it.   Lucky us, we own it, so I popped that DVD in faster than any movie I've ever set up for him.  He was just asking to learn.  Yippee!

Since BOTH kids were at school I used my free time wisely.  I got my hair cut.  I think my hair was the longest it has ever been.  I loved it, but I was ready for a change.   If you follow me on Instagram this is old news, but I got 5 inches cut off the back of my hair.  My new style is a  fun long 'swing' cut, so my hair is longer in the front than in the back.  It's fun though because it doesn't have any layers.  When I grow my hair out it will grown out nicely.   I enjoy growing my hair out and then cutting it off.  I get really bored with the same do.  I like to mix it up!

Tonight I am resting.  After I left my hair appointment I have been busy every second.  I ran by Kroger to grab a few things and by the time I got home to put them up I had to get Hayden and Layla from school.  Once I got home and grabbed snacks for them I needed to work out, so after 45 minutes on the stationary bike it was time to cook dinner and help with baths.  After I tucked the kids into bed I showered and plopped down on the couch in a puddle of exhaustion.  

I just remembered the cutest thing Layla said tonight before bed.  She said, "Mom, I am so excited about school tomorrow!  We are doing a science experiment!!"  She is excited about science and he is excited about learning his letter sounds.  I'd say today was a success all the way around!

how will I ever choose just one?

Anyone watch the Bachelorette back when it was on?  Anyone care to admit they watched it?  It's the only thing I can compare my feelings with right now.  

Pathetic huh?  Let me explain...

I love Texas, obviously.  I was born and raised here.  Most of my friends and family live here.  We love our house and our schools.  We are getting closer to finding a church home that fits us perfectly.  It seems like everything was going along great.  We were/are living the good life here in our home state.

But you know what?  

When you get in that comfortable groove...  When you are happy and think life can't possibly get better....  

In walks change.  

You know what I have realized?  

The only thing constant in life is change.

{Side note} 

We tried other states.  

When I was a career woman and we were a freshly engaged couple I worked in Minneapolis for a few months and Gary and I considered moving there.  When we were newly married and Gary was really exploring and starting his career we moved to Michigan for less than a year.  We moved back to Texas because we needed to be with our families and our families needed us.  Once we tried other places and they didn't work I assumed we'd live in Texas our whole lives.  It just seemed like the right fit for us.

Five months ago the thoughts of home changed for me.  The minute Gary got that first phone call from Ohio with a job offer I knew this was different.  I have had 5 long months to think and process this new chapter of our lives.

Ohio will be our new home state.  I visited this past weekend and I loved it.  I know it's hard to decide if you like something after only being there for 2 days, but I did love it.  It is going to be such a fun adventure.  I am beyond excited to get there and get the kids moved.  I know they will love it too.

I saw the best quote the other day.  It said, "Wherever we are together, that is home!"  My immediate family is my number one priority.  I want the kids to be happy and healthy and I think if we are all together we are "home."  

Why does this remind me of The Bachelorette?  

At the end of that completely dramatic show when the person choosing their mate is interviewed they always say, 

"I love them both and I don't know how I am going to let one go."  

[silly, I know and really it's not even on the same wavelength as a silly reality TV show, but now you get the idea.]

I feel that way about my Texas.  There are so many people I love here.  Every morning when I drop Layla off at school I get teary eyed.  I love her current school.  I love when she gets out of the Jeep in the carpool line the teachers and coaches call her by name.  There are tons of kids in her school and I think it's amazing that they know her name.  I'm gonna miss that, but her new school will have a total of 150 students.  In the WHOLE elementary SCHOOL.  

We have friends I love so much and I can't imagine leaving them.  Tears are streaming down my face just typing this post, but I know we will make more friends.  I was only in Ohio for a weekend and I already have friends there.  I also know the friends I am crying about here in Texas will always be my friends.

Now you know why I feel like I can't let one go, but I will end up letting one go.  

In the same way Emily picked Jef with one F... we are picking Ohio and still loving Texas.  I wonder if Emily still has thoughts about Arie? 

Visiting my new city

I hopped on a plane to visit my new city in Ohio. I'm here for the weekend, so it's a quick trip, but so far it's a fun place.

The town is really quaint and fun. It is a historic old town and I kinda like it. The people I have met so far are very nice. I've met Gary's new boss and his wife. I've met several of his coworkers and their wives.

Honestly... I feel like I'm in Mayberry. It's really mind blowing.

Last night we listened to live music at a fun local hangout. The band was really good! We had a good time.

Today we are touring the city and doing a little house hunting. It's raining, but we will make the best of it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

i don't even know why i'm telling you this...

I like for everything to be symmetrical.  In my own way it needs to be balanced.  The pillows on the couch should be in the same spot on opposite sides of the couch. The mantle should be balanced.  I appreciate the same concept in flower beds.


When I can't understand something and I am scrambling for advice or help I turn to reading.  I love to read and I feel like reading can help me through anything.  This can be in all aspects of life, parenting, cooking and even finding patience.  In my older age I am reading the Bible more.  I think it helps me feel better and I understand more now that I am more mature.  Well, I think I'm more mature.


I wish I could clean a room at a time every day in my house.   Does that make sense?  But I can't.  I feel like I need to clean the entire house on one day.  Then I can sit down and enjoy it if it's all done and complete.


I can't stand it if there are numbers on my apps on my iPhone.  If I had 3 missed calls or 41 emails, I'd flip out.  I have to read the emails as they come and call people back as soon as I can.  One time I read a group of text messages and forgot to respond to a few.  I felt bad, but I had to read them to get the number off my home screen.


In the summertime I have to put 1 cube of ice in my glass of red wine.  It is too hot in the summer to drink room temp wine.


One of the reasons I am looking forward to moving to Ohio is because I want a house with a porch.    In a perfect world, my house would have a porch all the way around.


Enough of my random thoughts for the night....

Peace out!