A Christmas Tree Decorated

I decided to skip on the Thanksgiving decorations this year since we aren't having Thanksgiving in Sugar Land this year and we moved right onto Christmas. For some reason, decorating the house has been super easy. I don't know if it's because I didn't stress about or I just kept my expectations low.

Jerrod put the tree up and I put the garland on the staircase. Today after school, I pulled the ornaments out and gave the kids a free pass to decorate! Whoo Hoo!

They had so much fun and I just love the result I got and I think the kids had a great time being in charge...of something this year!

I am my Mom

We laugh innocently and with LOVE when my Mom and Dad come to visit us in Sugar Land. It doesn't matter if they are spending a few hours or spending the night with us, they always bring a cooler of food and usually a laundry basket of treats and snacks for all of us. It used to offend me...I thought she didn't like what I had at the house or that she didn't trust what I bought. Now, I know that one of her love languages is "acts of kindness" and she truly loves making food and feeding us. But that doesn't mean that we have stopped snickering when they arrive with the cooler and totebag/laundry basketfull of goodies.

We are headed to Fredericksburg this afternoon. I am busy trying to get things together for all four of us while I wait for Jerrod to get home from work. This was a last minute decision and I had already gone to the grocery store yesterday so I decided to pack up what I planned for our meals this weekend. I packed enough things to make beef enchiladas, taco casserole, sandwiches and chili dogs. Before I knew it, I had a small cooler and a bag with my ingredients and snacks for the road.

I didn't even realize it while I was packing....but when I was done, I just started laughing. My children are going to have to stop at every spot imaginable so that they can go to the bathroom after drinking the drinks in the cooler.

Remember those days? Fun TIMES!

Adoring Nester

Do you remember my post about Nester recently? Well, I decided to follow her lead and tackle some of the things in my home that I have been wanting to get to- listen, I adore her. She is so inspiring to me...

I love to create things, decorate rooms, tables, and spaces. She has inspired me to get started and do some of things that I love to do, again! I really did do what I said I was going to do- I took everything off my tables in the hallway, dining room, and bedside tables in our room. I went through cabinets in the kitchen, closets and the like to find things I didn't even know I could use. I found so much I could use in this house!! I stacked, layered and followed the rules she set for "tablescaping". It was a load of fun, but of course, I got side tracked with things around here so there is still a lot of work to be done. I did take a few pictures of the several spots: my console in the hallway and I made a little sitting area in my dining room with chairs from my kitchen table (I know, I hear ya, I must get some pillows to place on those chairs to make them look comfy) but I am seriously happy about the way these two little area look for now.

Mind you, I didn't spend a dime. I just did a little research and recovery right here in the house! I even bought my first jar of silver cream to recover a few things! How fun is that??!

I have merely gotten started....be on the lookout for new postings...soon! I am in full mode and I will give you a little hint, smidget of what's in store. I did purchase some scrapbook paper and am ready to install it in the most peculiar place this next week! I feel the need to warn you....it's gonna look good, it's gonna shock you and you are going to want to copy me. I promise!

If you've been wondering where I've been- I've been Nesterized (and a few other blogs too listed on my sidebar)! I'll be back in full swing after I've caught up on the Nester and all her jazzy projects. For those of you that know about Nester, I went to Wally World last night and purchased my first set of upholstery pins. Yep! And proud of it! Ok, and noticed at Garden Ridge that they have decorator quality fabric for $5! Most of them are cut at 3 yards- making them less than $2 a yard! That will definitely be another story another day.

So here's what I have done so far:

Nester

Currently, I am not attending MOPS, a Bible study or part of any organization/group that would require anything out of me. I had decided in the summer that I needed to get back to me and back to the basics with my family and so I did. It has been refreshing in many ways and I really like it, but I do miss seeing friends and having fun with other women just like me: trying to make it all work in this crazy life of raising kids and special spouses.

Eventhough I am unscheduled and feeling refreshed again, I am still not settled and still do not feel "complete". I need something more. I need a sense of accomplishment other than a clean home, clean kids (and laundry) and a dinner each night at home. I feel like I am where I am supposed to be. I am happier than ever at home, working around the house even if it is cleaning out closets or rearranging shelves (over and over again it seems) but something seems to be missing.


Somehow, someway, sometime this past week, I came across a blog that I started reading. Nester is someone that I don't know, but adore. She finds herself at home and making it what she wants with what she has- repurposing, rearranging, and redoing. Click on her name to check out her blog. Seriously inspiring girl and story.


She got me thinking about all the things I want to do at home. I am realizing that I still need interests and should spend a little time on them (they typically involve decorating or creating something). I am going to start a list of all the things I want to do and learn. Once I learn them, I am going to cross them off my list. What a sense of accomplishment I am going to feel.


Here's a start to my list:

1. find out about local sewing classes and take a sewing class on T, W or Th...soon

2. learn how to use the (new, still has shrink wrap attached) photoshop program that I bought one year ago when Jerrod and I started Christmas shopping- seriously, a year ago! Did I mention that it is unopened?!

3. take the clothes from the girls closets and my closet this weekend to Goodwill

4. complete my bathroom- it feels so incomplete

5. tablescape like Nester (heck, I wouldn't drop in this week...I am seriously rearranging all my tables and will be moving things all over the house. I figure this comes first so that I'll know what I have and what I need...right?)

6. complete the playroom. This is beyond torture for me. I dislike that room so much- so much so that it should probably be the first thing I tackle. I really need to paint the shelves and I know that is going to be so hard...they are icky oak right now.

7. run in a marathon- even if it's a half marathon.

Those items were amazingly easy to come up with. I am such a list girl. Total type A personality and need to list to see my accomplishments.

I'll let you know what I get accomplished, soon.

WANTED: friends

I had the privilege of going on an overnight "women's retreat" on Friday night with a group of great ladies. There is a new church in Sugar Land and a few of my friends are members. They invited me to go on the overnight event and I jumped at the chance to hang with girls and study the word of God. I'll never miss that! We went to a very large ranch in Somerville, TX. It was more like a resort of sorts and it belonged to a very blessed family. It was so nice and everything was so LARGE. Word is, this was Lance Berkman's ranch that he recently sold to this family. We all decided that was why everything was so tall, large, etc. It took a small ladder to get into the bar stools that lined the bar area in the "gathering" room and it was just that- a perfect place to gather! We spent the night learning about what God's word says about friends and friendships. He designed us to be relational beings with every intention for us to spend time with "friends". We focused our study on Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10

Two are better than one...for if one falls the other can pick up his companion.

I learned that Jesus spent 1/3 of his time with his "close, intimate friends" and then spent the rest of his time with "friends" that he associated with and worshiped with but weren't in his inner circle. He spent 2/3 rd's of his time with acquaintances- ministering to them- but he still referred to them as friends. Amazing!!

I also learned this evening that I am not the only person that has had difficulties with friendships. It was refreshing to hear...we are hard on ourselves. As women, relationships are a challenge and can be difficult to manage especially with a family with children! Something so fun shouldn't be so had!!

We studied His word and found these truths:

We were created for friendship- he didn't want us to be alone. Genesis 2:11

Jesus had good friends.

God knew we would need a friend. Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10

Our salvation must be worked out. Philippians 2:12-13

Relationships show us our need for the Father. Romans 15:5-6

We applied these truths to our lives and discovered that we all have choices in friends- and they are just that, choices. Just like we tell our children, we too must make good choices in friends. It's no different for us. I learned so much about these choices! The community I live in is absolutely wonderful. I am blessed with many friends- some close and some are acquaintances. Either way...I need friends.

WANTED: Friends

Must be willing to deal with a mother of 4 precious children and a wife to a very busy husband (both pretty much run my life). Must be able to deal with dropped plans, cancelled play dates and the occasional late arrival. Must be willing to deal with a woman that is totally normal- up one day and down the next, organized one day and totally a mess the next, a meticulous cleaner one week and a total pig the next- and be willing to lift me up when I am down. Must understand that I am not perfect or claim to be anywhere close to it. Must be able to be honest with me and have my best interest at heart. Must love the Lord. Must be willing to pray for me, to have great discernment for me, to stick by me and to challenge me to live a Godly life.

I hope you want the same for yourself and if so- you have a friend in me.

Thursdays

I have decided that Thursdays are my favorite day of the week. You see, Maria Elena comes on Wednesdays and she always does a fabulous job. While she is here we usually find something to do (like go to the park, grocery store, running in the stroller, etc.) because the house isn't really ours for several hours. Teague can get in her way and to be frank, it's just hard keeping Teague out of the mop bucket and stomping around on the wet floors. We are also involved in several other commitments and those are on Wednesdays each week and Fridays every other week. I've also gotten back to working out with my trainer 3 days a week (M, W, F) at 5:30 a.m. and I am back on track with running as well. It's just worked out that Thursday is my day to "recover" from running the other days which is also one of the two days I get to sleep until 7:00 (early for me).

So this is the day that I get to enjoy my clean house, sleep late, skip out on working out, stay home all day, play with Teague and catch up on things I WANT (and need) to do. Plus, our elementary school usually has their fundraising nights at the local pizza joint so I get a night off of cooking too. Oh, and I get to blog! YAY!

Happy Thursdays to ME!

TCHS Class of 1988 Reunion

Hurricane Ike blew through Galveston in September of last year all while our 20 year reunion was being planned. Because of the damage sustained to Galveston, it had to be cancelled. Some of our classmates were even homeless afterwards so we felt that it was only appropriate to cancel the event. We had a small "reunion" at a local bar owned by a classmate, but always intented to hold a larger reunion in 2009. Most of what we heard after the cancellation was - next year "hold it in the summer, make the cost low, make it fun", etc. After listening to all of the suggestions, my BFF from HS, Jennifer, spear headed the event for this year (even financially!) and got the event together SOLO.


Jennifer did a great job and I was most impressed with all of her decisions. It was held at the Moody Gardens Hotel and Resort on Galveston Island. Friday night's event was held in the bar in the lobby (I didn't make that...I was still in Fredericksburg) and the second night was held in one of the ballrooms off the lobby. I may be crazy, but......this is summer time, great food and great set up!

Well, our reunion was last weekend and it has taken me this long to post about the event. I was so disappointed...and I just don't know what to think or even say.

Unfortunately, our classmates decided they were "busy" or lost "interest" after last year's reunion got cancelled. Our class was mid-sized with approximately 330 students graduating that year. We had a whopping 18 classmates show up for the reunion. Of course, some had their spouses and others came by themselves, but we had a total of 40 people at the reunion. We barely got 5% but math isn't my strongest subject so someone else may be able to be more specific on our percentages of classmates. Whatever it is, I think its pitiful. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time seeing the friends that I hadn't seen in a long time. We tried to make it fun by requesting songs we danced to in the 80's and even turned our name tags upside down for excitement- I know, a stretch.


These last few years I've become sentimental. I think a lot of these friends, because I "grew up" with these people. Back then, we all went to Kindergarten, MS and HS together and rarely anyone moved off. Most of our parents worked at the plants in TC so we had that mutual interest as well. There were only a few churches in town so we saw each other at church on Sundays too. It's so different now. Our kids make friends and then they move off because of a job transfer or something as simple as just wanting a bigger house in another neighborhood. Our kids just don't have the stability that we had during those days. I guess that's why it upsets me so much.

Oh well, I want to post pictures for those people that were there. We missed you if you weren't! Maybe we'll have a better turn out at our 40th Reunion- YIKES! Here are some of my friends from high school: Jennifer, Elisa and Cristina.

Here are the classmates that came to the reunion.

More of the same...

Me and my honey....my favorite part!

I am caught up!! Finally!

I have been swamped this summer with all kinds of stuff going on. I have been busy with the kids activities, the birthday party, the move and just everyday stuff that gets in the way of me blogging consistently. I get stressed easily in general but especially when anything with Jerrod's business come up, I shut down.

Then, at the beginning of June I found out that I have something going on with my immune system. I went to the doctor for a check up and he told me that I need to go see a rheumatologist after reviewing my bloodwork. I was by myself at that appointment and didn't expect it...at all so it really threw me for a loop. I held off after initially finding out, but I finally made an appointment with a rheumatologist in Sugar Land so I'll get a more definitive answer in mid-July. It certainly explains why I am always so tired and exhausted. God is in control- I know that.

Through everything, I still take tons of pictures of the family and our goings on so I am able to go back and catch up on the blog from time to time.

I haven't blogged since the beginning of June so if you gave up on me, I am sorry! I am actually caught up now and you can catch up on us, if you'd like. Simply go to the side bar on the left and click on the month of June and all the postings should pop up for you to read.

Thanks for checking back with me! I hope you are having some summer fun...and staying out of the HEAT!

Our trip down the Guadalupe River

We have been having so much fun hanging out in Fredericksburg during the 4th of July weekend with Jerrod's family. Today we decided to go and float the Guadalupe River in New Braunsfels with the 3 older kids and Todd and Carey. Nanny and GrandDad stayed back with Teague and O so we could have some real fun!

We took a water proof camera full of pictures but haven't had a chance to get the developed or scanned so for now here is all we have of our trip.

Before the river ride...and then an after shot!

Todd and Carey

GOOD wine and a GOOD laugh

I am hosting Easter this year at our house for my mom's side of the family. I know they like wine (don't most people?) and I haven't a clue about what makes a GOOD wine...I know, it's crazy, but I have been busy the last say....10 years. No excuses, right??! Well, anyway I needed to know of some good wines to share and I didn't want it to be blatantly obvious that I didn't know what I was doing when they got here so I called on the troops- my wine drinking peeps.

I have heard these girls at one time or another discuss GOOD wine and all the fun they have with friends drinking wine and sometimes even eating cheese...aged cheese. Yucko, I know...crazy again.

Here's the email I sent out:

Hi Ladies,
I am hosting Easter at our house this Sunday and want your help!! I need recommendations for GOOD wine- red and white. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated!!!

Claire

Here's what I got in return:

Sylvia, my early morning work out buddy, was first:

Hands down - Cakebread Cabernet (If you can find it). Scott & I also LOVE Rombauer Cab. We buy Rombauer at Crown Discount Liquor next to HEB, but haven’t been able to get the Cakebread since December. It is almost impossible to get. Perry’s and Pappas sell both if you want a taste test! But I am ALWAYS up for more suggestions!

My blogging friend, Jennifer, said this:

I love this white. Fruity and not too dry-- http://www.nobilo.co.nz/ and it’s on the cheaper side.

As for reds, ah….there are so many. Favorite for us is obviously Justin. Just had their Syrah—fantastic, but hard to come by—try Houston Wine Merchant. Also, most Specs sells their Cab Sav. It’s good too. They have a great Chardonnay if you like that flavor too.

Ravenswood Reserve Zinfandel is a good standby.

Cakebread is really good, but more expensive.

I have to go down the aisle and see what I’ve had to help me remember. Maybe that helps a little.

Karen, who must have been a model in her former life , said:

La Crema is a great brand for Chardonnay

Debbie, my total go to girl, says:

I like Sterling Merlot.

Traci, my HS friend that I only (unfortunately) see when GOOD wine is around, said:

Hi Claire I drink Menage a Trois (I know crazy name) all of the time....it's a California Red and tastes great. It's also very inexpensive so by good if you mean expensive, this wine might not be for you. It's about $10 a bottle but you would never know! Have a happy Easter Traci

Ginger, who I THINK knows it all, shoots it straight and says this:

I wish I could help but we drink the cheap stuff...10 bucks or less. I have some good reds I like that are under ten though!!!

This is where I realize that I didn't make myself clear. I went back and looked at the email and I made it look like I wanted only GOOD wine and what I meant to say was GOOD tasting wine. I replied to Ginger with this:

I guess I should have been more clear- I meant GOOD tasting- I think everyone thought I meant expensive!! Give me the names of the cheap stuff...please.

Claire

Ginger follows with:

Ok, I can help you with that!
Dynamite Merlot, 2005 and Jacob's Creek Shiraz/Cabernet mix Those are our favorite Red wines.
ginger

So I head to the grocery store with all the recommendations from my GOOD wine drinking friends. I looked like a bumbling idiot, a total amateur, a newbie and all the above. I had out my iPhone and was reviewing my emails from these dear friends. I must have spent 15 minutes on every aisle and there were three to go through. It was mind blowing... I mean, go back and look at those emails: shiraz? cakebread? dynamite merlot? Justin and Syrah? Seriously? You have to be kidding me. And Traci's recommendation? Enough said!

I was certain that I had D*U*M*B*O written right across my forehead until a man walked up and asked me if I had found a "dry sherry cooking wine". I couldn't believe it so I started to smirk and asked him if that was a joke. A joke it was not. He was serious and I was seriously stunned. He said he needed it for a recipe.

I immediately felt (a little) better and led him proudly to the "dry sherry" aisle where all the cooking wine was.

It's amazing to me that I was able to find 4 GOOD wines...and a good laugh too.

Thank you ladies for all your help- I couldn't have done it without you!! I'll let you know how things go on Sunday! Happy Easter!!

got it right and then kinda wrong and then REALLY wrong

I swear. I amaze myself. Jackson's Rodeo day is finally here and I finally get it right. I laid out his clothes last night and once again had the long discussion about how much fun he was going to have the next day with the special snack (I was supposed to provide the ground beef for Chili). Only this time, he didn't complain. After all, he had heard it all before and knew what to expect. Good kid, huh??! We got up this morning and were off like gangbusters. I had to provide a dish for my MOPS meeting so I was cooking cinnamon rolls for the gals. I also made a yummy dip from WildTree- lemon cheescake dip. Jerrod was busy getting the kids off to school and then himself off to work. He was nice enough to take Jackson to school for me so that I could concentrate on the food, myself and Teague and get there early to help set up. I never had a chance to eat myself (Ann, my trainer, wants me to start eating meat and veggies only to see if it makes a difference in my weight loss) because I didn't have time to make eggs and couldn't find anything fast that I could get away with eating.

A hint of things aren't right.....

1. Jerrod calls to tell me that Jackson was the only one without a lunch at school as I am running out the door to MOPS.

2. I call the school to confirm on the way and yes, Jackson needs a lunch for school. It seems that I got it all wrong and the chili was going to be a "taste". I told them I would pick up Jackson from school early and bring him home for lunch.

3. I go to MOPS and everything goes great only there wasn't anything that I could eat. MOPS lets out at 12:15 p.m. and we had a great speaker, but I had to leave early to get Jackson. I'm thinking I'll eat when I pick up Jackson.

4. I am off to get Jackson and super hungry (read: starving) by now. Bummer.

Starting to get worse...

5. I head home from Jackson's school (starving) and of course, get stopped by a train on FM 762. The lights blink so that it becomes a four way stop and I am about 7 back. By the time it gets to me to go- I go- but the lights had stopped blinking so I am out in the middle of the intersection with cars coming at me. To put it bluntly, I ran a red light. Bummer.

6. I head down a little further and of course, the train is going the same direction as me so I get stopped again. Bummer.

7. I do the same thing AGAIN- ran another red light. Yes, the cars around me must be looking at my vehicle and thinking that dumb blonde...oh come on, you know they were using only CHOICE words for me! Major bummer.

8. I round out my trip home by getting off 762 and heading home on 59N. Alleluia...alleluia...still starving but now thinking about cheeseburgers, french fries, and all things evil. Bummer.

Starts going downhill and way SOUTH all at once...

9. I realize that Jerrod's truck is acting funny and look down to see the gas tank on E. Seriously, empty. I start thinking, "this cannot be happening, really? OUT of gas?".

10. I called everyone to help, but finally reached my DEAR friend Ginger. She was just leaving H-E-B and could get right to their gas station to get me some gas.

11. She shows up but only our AGGIE education showed. We couldn't figure out how to put together the gas tank all while 18 wheelers were barreling by us with our precious children in the car! It must have been nerves...

12. I get in the car to calm down my hungry boys and give them what they looked at as THEIR last meal...Wheat thins.

13. I gave up on the assembly of the gas tank and put the funnel in the truck and just poured the gas into the tank...darn t-sips must have created that gas can!!

14. We are off...

15. I could have eaten my arm, a finger or anything at this point so I resorted to the wheat thins too. They were delish...but not as good as the left over cinnamon rolls from MOPS. Major bummer.

16. I ate and ate and ate wheat thins and cinnamon rolls until I made myself sick. I was seriously ill from the sweet sugar and the carbs. I had such a headache and an even BIGGER guilty conscious. Biggo bummer.

I am going to sleep so good tonight and figure out how to explain this to Ann, my trainer.

Campbell Elementary Fundraiser Pot

Guess what I have been working on all week? I am room mom for Bailey's 4th grade class and every year the school has a really big fundraiser. The room moms from each class are responsible for creating a "pot" full of goodies for the silent auction. It brings in some great money for the PTA to put towards the school and all the things the teachers need. I have a great group of parents in Bailey's class and they all pitched in to make it a great "spa day" pot. I was responsible for completing the pot and I decided to decoupage the pot with pictures of the kids. It sold...for $100!! Yeah!

Playa Del Carmen

Jerrod and I had the opportunity to go somewhere, anywhere during spring break. My in laws came in town and my MIL said that if we wanted to go somewhere, she would stay with the kids. She didn't have to say that twice...we made our reservations quick (before she changed her mind!). We chose Playa Del Carmen because a friend of mine just got back and quite frankly, I just happened to talk to her and she mentioned it was a great place to go!! We stayed at El Dorado Maroma resorts and had a great visit. We did a lot of laying around, sleeping on the beach, listening to our iPod while basking in the sun, reading books and did I mention relaxing? We came back so rested and energized...a vacation like this can be addicting!! Here's a photo of the pool.Here's the beach looking out from the hotel. Another view of the palapa's (outdoor beds- behind the palm trees) and this is where we hung out the most!Another view of the hotel from the beach.
We set up the camera (yes, we are dorks) and took a picture of ourselves before dinner. This was right after the time share agent told us "we were going to get mad at her for saying this, but we were stupid" for not joining the time share club. We shrugged our shoulders and headed out to enjoy our dinner with a smile on our face. Some people!! These huts in the picture below housed massage beds for a "sky massage" under the stars. This sounds totally wonderful until you decide how you are going to get on the table without your robe and there is a couple having a nice romantic meal just a few yards away. Can you say, awkward? We decided that we wouldn't see them ever again so each of us got on our table as quick as could. It was relaxing the first few minutes. Then we started to hear the couple we passed on the way in talking and having a good time. Shortly after that my masseuse actually "passed gas" loudly and it was ALL over for me. I had the hardest time NOT laughing. I had to just concentrate on something else...like the dingo's that started barking and the "cupid shuffle" playing at the party next door

(ya know, the song- to the left, to the left, now kick, now kick, now c'mon baby kick, now walking by yourself...) and the macharena, too. Yes, I am serious. It was a night of comedy of errors and we laughed and laughed somemore when the massage was over! I told Jerrod that was my last massage at the resort- we had another scheduled the last day and I cancelled it promptly the next morning!

To make myself feel better, this is what I did the next day...ALL day! So relaxing! We went shopping in downtown Playa the day it was overcast. There were TONS of shops to explore and we found a few nifty items for the kids.

The last day I decided that I wanted to parasail. I didn't even think about what COULD happen to me until I was already on the boat heading out!! It was so easy and just beautiful!

This vacation will be hard to beat. No ones bread to butter, no ones meat to cut or clothes to fold. I can't remember the last time I didn't have something pressing or a kid about to wake up or a day where nothing mattered. This was a vacation where definitely "nothing mattered"!! Thank you Karen and Donnie for allowing this to happen for us...we owe you big time!

Lunch with Emma- happy almost birthday!

Emma's birthday is tomorrow and we usually make sure the day is all about her, but they are at school and Bailey has a softball game tomorrow night so we celebrated by going out to eat and singing "happy birthday" today! MeMe and PaPa stopped by again on their way home from camping and had lunch with us at Escalante's in Town Center and then we headed home for cookie cake. Yeah, Emma! Happy Birthday my almost 8 year old girl!

The kids are going to have a combined "party" after school is out this year. I did that when they were younger, but haven't done it in a few years. I feel like birthday parties get so overdone sometimes and our children are so blessed anyway. I told them last year that we weren't doing BIG birthday parties this year and that we would do a party together for Bailey, Emma and Jackson when school let out. I am trying to rent the pool here in the neighborhood for the party and I think that will suit everyone's taste- just perfectly!! But today I thought it would be fun to have a few friends over to celebrate and since Jerrod had heated the pool yesterday- Emma thought we should swim. She invited her favorite neighbor friends (4 kids from the Templin family so our two families together make a "party") and her friend Raney got to come over, too! Nothing fancy whatsoever- left over cookie cake from earlier and mac and cheese for everyone. It was the first swim for the season...boy, we are ready to open the pool for good! As you can see, they had a ball splashing around!!