Mondays with Mom

I mentioned last week that I wanted to start something new and my idea...Mondays with Mom. My mother is an excellent writer! We have always said we were gonna write a children's book together. We actually wrote one for one of my college classes. She has written Ascher and Hadley poems, a whole book about my grandmothers (both sides) and many journals. 

This is us on Fathers Day

I can honestly say my mother is one of my best friends. I talk to her at least 3 times a day and when I recently deleted my texts the other day...I had over 1500 texts between us!!

Mom & Dad with both their grandkids on Christmas Day

She was a teacher and SAHM so when I was teaching she understood my teacher frustrations- and now as a SAHM she understands those frustrations too. My parents have been married 34 years and love each just as much as when they got married. I always remember Mom telling me her heart still beats fast when she sees Dad's truck behind her in the rear view mirror. Anyways- I was thinking how could I get mom to write weekly!? Give her a spot on my blog!! So without further ado...Here is Mom...

Mondays with Mom

FAME

Yesterday, I was important

The world smiled on me and

Held me up in the palm of her hand!

Today, I am plain, ordinary –

My fame lasted a fleeting moment and it was gone.

That’s why we can’t live by the world’s rules –

We must live above the fickle existence of the world’s position, possessions, performances, and looks. The fame I hold on to is the eternal  fame I have because I am a child of the king.; an heir to His throne…all because I believed and accepted Jesus as my Savior.

My position in Christ gave me fame, my possessions in Christ made me wealthy, and my  glow is from the inside out because I know who holds every tomorrow for each of us!.

I wrote that poem after receiving a coveted “teacher of the year” award a few years ago.  It felt great to be recognized, to know that the blood, sweat, and tears I put forth for students was realized by others. 

But the following morning after receiving that award, on the way to my daughter’s middle school, she asked me to pray for her day as there would probably be some sort of confrontation with a fellow student.  We prayed on the way to school that morning, and as she got out of the car, I felt a sense of peace as she turned and said, “Thanks, mom.”

It dawned on me as I watched her walk in to her school that morning that what we had just done…pray…was the most important activity of our day. As I pulled away from the curb, I realized that the accolades of the world last three minutes, but that we do for our Lord will touch eternity.

May we as women, wives, moms…Pray for and with each other today.

WIR

Week in Review

This week has been crazy fun. We have had so much going on but again- so much fun and learning for this little boy! : ) So without further ado- here is a glimpse into our week.

Monday:

We got up and met Ashley & Terri at the pool. I had never been to our public pool before but I was pleasantly surprised. It was extremely kid friendly. It had a zero depth area with spouts of water and a clam slide that I am sure Ascher will enjoy one day. : ) We had a fun little time but before long it was lunch time and Ascher (and Mommy) were hungry and snack time was not enough.  

I'm totally rocking a tankini!! Granted after being at the public pool- I thought to myself I should have worn my bikini...wow some people!!

Tuesday:

I was so excited for Bible Study to start back up. I got asked to be my groups secretary and I was THRILLED! I love being involved and having a job. You guys are going to benefit from it as well- I write out notes and email them out each week so I figured I might as well just post them on here as well. : )  We are doing Lysa Turkurst Unglued. So far it has been good! (Granted- we are only one week in)

Ascher has missed Bible Study & his friends. He was PASSED out when I picked him up. He stayed asleep all the way to the car, all the way home and for an hour once we got home. Cute little worn out nugget!! 

Wednesday

I dont know what I was thinking but we were on a roll and so Wednesday came around and I thought hmmm...what can we do today!? So we packed up and headed to Barnes & Noble. They have a great little Train table set up and Ascher loves books so I figured that would entertain him for a little while, I was right. Thomas the Train has a new fan. Too bad those little suckers are expensive!!! I had a gift card so I picked up the Unglued Participants Guide for Bible Study so I could dig deeper each week. So far- loving it just as much as the book.

After a while Ascher was more entertained by the expensive books and things he didn't need to be playing with so we headed to Target to get some PJ shorts. (I love them- most comfy thing ever). I picked up the gray pair and lived in them for the next two days. Guilty. 

Wednesday night my nephew, Grayson, had an all star baseball game so we headed up the fields and watched as Grayson won another game!! Woohoo!!

We have a picture just like this from last year and Ascher was so little. (a month old) LOOK how much they have both grown!!

For dinner I made this. I altered it a little but it was good. I liked it alot. I added it to the binder. : )

Thursday:

My day of rest- or so that is what I thought when I got up. I told myself Ascher has had a fun busy three days- today we will take it easy at home and just play around the house. Well...apparently I spoiled Ascher taking him out three days in a row because he was a MESS all day. He kept going to the door and bringing me his shoes. He was a crazy baby!! He climbed on everything, crawled under everything, ran everywhere.

 Finally after an hour of crying (it was nap time but he wasn't having it) I put him in the car and prayed he would go to sleep while I drove to Dairy Queen to fix my "Mommy Unglued Moment" with a S'mores blizzard. I was just getting so frustrated I knew I needed to do something not to lose my mind and a blizzard was a perfect fit and guess who went to sleep? 

Finally. Peace. For a little while at least...For dinner tonight I made this. Also a keeper. This one Justin and Ascher liked better than the chicken from the night before. I feel like it was one of the first meals that I didn't throw away any leftovers- between the two of them...and I guess I helped too ; )

Friday

Justin had off so we played as a family today. I love when he is home on Fridays! Its so much fun! We played in the backyard and Ascher got in his pool with no water in it- so Justin filled it up! And fun fun was had!!

Saturday

I got up and couldn't wait to get into the attic! I waited for Ascher to go down for a nap and I went shopping in the attic!! : )  I have been wanting to go up there and have a look around at all my teacher tubs. I know I have tons of books and what not that would be great for Ascher. Yes..a lot would he would be too young for him but books you are never too young!! Are you ready for this...

this is only half the attic...sad I may have had a small problem when is came to teaching supplies...but oh I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I only got down pop-up books and a box of giant dominoes. I couldn't get to much else...I had to hunch down and crawl around so pop-up books and dominoes are good for now. Its like Christmas when I go up there because I forget what I have! After the attic I started working on the picnic table. My friend gave me her old little tikes picnic table. It was old, wobbly and dirty. I saw potential. 

More on that later...this table became our weekend project. : )

We went out to Justin's buddy from college house for dinner. His wife, Kristen was so cute and decorated their patio so cute! They live on land and it is absolutely beautiful out there!! 

However, Justin didn't ask before we went out there if their son was going to be there.Well no- no children were there but Ascher was trucking along. So we had to chase him around everywhere. I told Justin next time he HAS to ask about children!!! We couldnt stay late either because Ascher was ready for bed. So we headed home.

Sunday

Today we went to church and it was an awesome service. We are getting a new music minister so he was there this morning, the sermon was GREAT and we ended the service with a SURPRISE military homecoming!! OMG- there wasn't a dry eye there. Our pastor always talks about people when they come home so it wasn't anything different expect he said but his mom doesn't know he is here...and then said his name. She jumped up so fast! Oh my. I love the show Surprise Homecoming and to see a real live one was AWESOME!!

Whew- that was quite the week! This post ended up being way longer than I had thought---busy busy busy week!! <3 font="" love="">

Laurens Wedding

Last weekend (three days after we got home from Vegas) we drove Saturday morning to Fredricksburg for Lauren's wedding. We got there and headed down to the pool to sit and catch up with Jordan and Chelsea while Kimberly was getting ready (She was a bridesmaid). After awhile we needed to go and get ready for the wedding. We all piled into our car and drove the two blocks to the church. The church she got married in was where her parents & grandparents got married. How cool is that?!

Before the wedding- great spot for a photo op don't ya think? HA! 

 Chelsea & me

Me, Chelsea & Jordan

The wedding was beautiful and Lauren was stunning. She has such a regal, glamorous look about her. After the wedding we walked over to reception site. It was beautiful. I can't remember the name...started with a V. They had a cocktail hour with appetizers and music. Once they arrived they said hello to everyone and we went upstairs to eat. We were starving. We didn't eat until 10:30 but when we did...hmmmmmm yummy!! 

 Jordan, Me & Chelsea during Cocktail Hour

 Aren't we cute??? 

 My roomie/bestie and her hubby

 Jordan & Austin

 Me and Lauren

 Austin & Jordan during dinner

Megan, Me, Lauren & Chelsea

By the time we finished eating it was nearing 11:30 and we were exhausted. Chelsea, Garrett Justin and I all went back to the hotel while they continued dancing the night away. What can we say? We are old and needed sleep! : ) We got up Sunday morning and drove back to College Station where Mom & Dad were keeping Ascher. Once we got home we celebrated Fathers Day...I'll save that for another day! : ) 

We have had lots of weddings within NANNNY- (my best friends) I got married July 09, Chelsea got married April 2012, Lauren- June 2013...Jordan is getting married in two weeks in Utah (WOOHOO!), Kimberly is getting married in January 2014 and Megan should be getting engaged soon... ; ) Yeah for lots of weddings! Soon there will be lots of babies!! : )  

Trucks Trucks Trucks!

If you have been around Ascher for more than 5 minutes you will know that this child is obsessed with TRUCKS! He hears them go down the road and he runs to the door...Truck? Truck? 

Before we went to Vegas, the public library had a little kick off for their Summer reading program and the kick off was "Big Rigs." I met Kim and Terri up at the library and let the little boys look at all the trucks! Ascher was even on the news getting a sticker from the firefighter. : ) I was so proud. We have it recorded on the TV. 

 Yet of all the trucks and cops cars he was running towards this...

A regular pick up truck that had a trailer attached to the back. Justin has a white work truck so I think he was connecting it to Dada! : ) Before long it was getting super hot so we went inside the library where they had a finger printing station set up so we put Ascher in the system just in case he ever gets lost. We then let the boys play by the windows and look at the books. It wasn't even 11 am and we had already had a day full of fun!!

Vegas: The Final Post

So Sunday night we wen to see Rodney Carrington and those tickets got us half off the Monte Carlo buffet for the next day- so we woke up and met everyone over at the Monte Carlo- it was cheap and you could tell- compared to the MGM Grand Buffet this one was sub par. Whomp whomp! However, it filled us up and we planned out our day. Justin and I were going to finish up seeing the casinos while everyone else went to the roller coaster (no thank you). I really wanted to see the new casinos and they were so pretty. Justin thought they were extravagant- I used the word- glamorous.

Aria lobby

outside Aria walking to Cosmo

the Cosmo

this store front was completely made of old sewing machines- from  floor to ceiling- it was really cool. I thought it was something my grandma would like

a hot pink shoe in the Cosmo

The Cosmo Lobby- with everything else in the Cosmo their lobby was disappointing

The Bellagio

We walked through the lobby of the Bellagio and looked at the flower display they have. It was gorgeous!  I read somewhere that they have 3 full time gardeners who work 140 hrs a week keeping everything looking tip-top.

It was beautiful. 

From there we walked on to Caesars Palace- walked around, played some slots, took my picture in the lobby : ) By this point I was regretting this whole picture in every lobby- my legs and feet were killing me. But I was determined now.

We walked to our hotel where we had a smoothie and waited for the Treasure Island show to start. We walked all the way down there, stood and waited for it to start (cause they tell you to get there 30 minutes early) only for them to tell us that due to the winds the show was cancelled. HMPH! So we went and won some money on some slots and took my picture outside (their lobby was a regular hotel lobby- boring)

 We walked back to hotel and met up with Ragan and Brad for our last night in Vegas. We decided we would walk along the shops in the Venetian and just enjoy each others company and people watch. They are having a "carnival" and people are all dressed up in French costumes and singing. It was neat. We convinced the boys to take us on a gondola ride to end our night. It was a fabulous day and evening. 

After walking around- it was time for our ride.

It was late after the ride so we headed up to bed while Ragan & Brad adventured around some more. We decided that our last day we would lay out for a little while, go to the mall and then head to the airport. So we did just that. We had late checkout so Ragan & Brad came over to our room and the boys went and gambled while Ragan and I went to the pool. It was quiet and nice. It was the perfect end to our vacation. 

We laid out then went up and took quick showers before checking out and dropping our luggage off. We then walked over to the mall. I really wanted to go to H&M (I've never been to one) but I had the wrong shops and they didn't have one. Whomp Whomp! It was okay though- we shopped anyways. : ) 

We realized as we were checking out I hadn't taken my lobby photo in the Venetian which is where we stayed. 

 Outside the mall- with Wynn behind us

 the closest we got to the "Las Vegas sign"

 Successful trip

On our way back to hotel to catch a cap and get back to real life. It was a wonderful trip and we could all hardly wait to see our babies. We facetimed with Ascher and they skyped with Kinley & Avery. All three children could care less about us they were having so much fun. Made us all feel good. We didn't get back to Houston until after midnight. It was a long day of traveling but I am so glad we did it that way. 

Viva Las Vegas!!