sWHINE Flu

For those of you wondering if us Texans are :
Alive?.... yes!
Infected?..... No! (and hopefully never)
Paranoid? more than ever!! (Swine flu outbreak so close to home is really difficult for a germaphobe like me, however Russells thinks it is a part conspiracy)

So now to whine a little.........so why does it take being on the verge of a pandemic for people to realise the value of these simple things:

• Washing your hands!!
• Staying home when you are sick!!
• Keeping your sick kids at home!!!!
• Covering your mouth with a disposable tissue if you cough & teaching your children to do the same thing!

While reading some news articles last night they reported that in light of swine flu a major public venue will now provide hand washing stations by the port-a-potties & hand sanitizer at each food booth!! REALLY??? Bathrooms with sinks to wash your hands?? Those two go together??? What?!?! Cleaning your hands BEFORE you eat??? Wow, I love these novel ideas!!! See, out of crisis does come great ideas!!! Someone deserves a gold star for coming to that conclusion!!

"It was once said that a black man would be President when pigs flew....

Well behold, 100 day into his presidency and Swine Flu!!"

~ some unknown very clever guy

Playin' in the DiRt

He loves to "help" out in the garden by digging with plastic spoons!! I loved the picture of him squatting on the stone wall!!!

Lil' Picaso

Art Day at Playgroup!

Oh, the people you'll meet

Please excuse me for this story.....it probably isn't really as interesting as I think it is......last Friday I was coloring with Rylan (on the floor) and I got the thought that I really really wanted a kid table and chair set, but as you know, I detest spending money, it gives me a tummy ache....I had been looking off and on for a table for several months--walmart, target, ikea, craigslist, etc....but i could not find anything in my price range...well on Friday I was craigslisting and saw this great pottery barn kids table for a killer deal, so I called on it and got an interesting answering machine message that included their names (Bill and Stephanie Hamm) and greetings in other languages....I thought it was strange but thought nothing more of it, then a lady picked up...I asked if she would be around and she said she was just home working on a speech....now that seemed weird, so after I got off the phone (and made them a low ball offer) I googled their names out of curiosity....(I google everything).... Low and behold, Mia Hamm's parent's names are Bill and Stephanie, ....you can't pass up an opportunity to buy something and go to the parent's house of the BEST FEMALE SOCCER player in the world history!! Needless to say, we bought the table, and they really were her parents (not just same-namers) They were wonderfully gracious and sweet down to earth people, her father was in the military, they had adopted a couple kids into their family as well. Often times greatness starts from a great foundation at home.


Then on Saturday I had the chance to meet Janice Kapp Perry and hear her tell about her life. She was very inspirational and uplifting. She shared stories about how she has come to achieve so much in her life and mentioned much about the influence of her parents. She challenged us to pick something we want to learn how to do or achieve and then work on that thing.


Having had met these people really made me think about the powerful influence that we can have on our children and appreciate all that our parents have done for us.

Post for my parents

Hey Mom and Dad- Here are the pics of the garden.....it is growing!! (i need to figure out a better way to share photos besides the blog......) double click the photo for the close up

Kay style Easter Eggs

Needless to say, these eggs while "oh so cute" were "oh not so" practical. First egg the little guy found was immediately catapulted across the room with a loud yell of the word "BAALLL!" I quickly went and "found" the rest and hid them in refrigerator were they were safe until the craving for egg salad sandwiches kicked in!

Can't Read my Poker Face

During our little trip to the store today we ran into the Easter Bunny!! They were offering to take your picture with the Easter Bunny....My little one started reaching for the Easter Bunny so I thought 'sure....why not?!'......(of course it just so happened that Russell dressed him today in mismatched, not to mention ill fitting clothes--a 9 month size shirt- and he had some serious bed head, but I was going to WalMart for crying out loud, why would I think to doll him up?!)

I sat him down by the Easter Bunny and he had a change of heart.....enter stage left Monica......So yes, I end up in the picture too!! The photographer kept saying step in closer (notice that you can see the edge of the background screen....I was in a sort of panic mode) I remember thinking how much costumed characters scare me and how uncomfortable posing with a stranger is but I thought my poker face concealed my true feelings.....

Needless to say when we picked up the 5x7 I laughed and promptly declined their 'portrait package special'. Then I started wondering how often my emotions are so clearly painted on my face....certainly gives me something to work on!! (you can double click on the picture for a close up of my poker face!)

I guess you CAN read my Poker Face!

Spring Thing

Easter Egg Hunting- Rylan is trying to hold his own at the neighborhood hunt.....

Enjoying some jelly beans!

Sportin' some cool spring gear-(he loves to wear glasses & watches---he broke my glasses so I found these specs for him!)

Watching the ApriL shOweRs roll in-

Kite Day at the Park- (The kite got stuck in a tree twice, good thing russ has mad climbing skills)

This and That

We have been up to a little bit of this and a little bit of that....

Stopping to smell the flowers......

Doing our make-up........ (yes he found and opened my mascara)

Watching TV and eating an apple in a military hat (the hat of which he found and then stole from the neighbors front yard)

Playing outside......

Russ and my father built & planted a garden........

I got my hair cut and colored... there is no picture for you see. When I got home, Russ (not trying to be rude at all) said, "What happened? What did they do? They chopped it?! Is that what they do these days?" Not the right thing to say honey. Not at all.