The week of May 4th

Mike stayed in town for the first part of the week and I drove him back on Tuesday. I met my Dad for lunch and we ate bar-b-que. Dad is looking better and walking around now. He seems to have a good appetite after his surgery. Audrey was sick with a pink eye on Monday and she made it to school on Tuesday but then relapsed Wednesday with a cough. For Cinco de Mayo, I made tacos and cranked up the Latino music. The kids enjoyed this.
My good friend Maria came into town on Thursday and we attended a charity lunch together. I had fun getting dressed up and doing something special for lunch. I normally just eat something at home in between errands.
Matthew had a baseball game on Thursday and then the kids met Maria at dinner later.
On Sat morning, Matthew had a Cub Scout meeting while Audrey had ballet. Andy took Matthew to the U of Houston broadcast communications building where they learned about radio and TV. We met up afterwards and played at the memorial park for a little while. And we went to mass later Saturday where Audrey fell asleep on me. Andy and I went out for dinner as a special Mother's Day dinner. The kids made necklaces out of pasta for me while we were gone. I wore them proudly the next day.
On Sunday we met my parents and Mike at a restaurant in Sugarland for Mother's Day brunch. It was a buffet at The Lasagna House. We were stuffed the rest of the day!



Audrey took this picture. Rusty loves soft blankets and pillows.


Scooters in the park


Matthew wanted to give Maria a "high" five.

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The week of April 27th

It was a busy week.  Matthew had a baseball game on Tuesday and Thursday night.  I was a guest reader at Matthew's school on Thursday and brought a craft to go along with the book.  The kids loved it.  I picked up Audrey early so that she could go with me.  There was an empty seat next to Matthew's because a kid was absent so Audrey sat there and did the craft with the class.  It was so cute. I wish I would have taken a picture.  On Friday, we went to the Pengu swim for family swim night.  Mike came into town so he went with us.  The kids LOVE swimming and they look forward to it every week.
 
Audrey had ballet on Saturday morning while Matthew had baseball practice.  We start early but then we crash by noon time.  Mike played Scavenger Hunt with the kids and they enjoyed running around the apartment trying to find random items.  Andy and I went to a crawfish boil Saturday night.  We were excited to know 3 people at the event.  It was a fundraiser for the school so we knew some of the parents.
Andy went to early mass Sunday morning while we worked the bake sale for the cub scouts.  Matthew dressed up in his uniform and he looked so cute.  He enjoyed selling the baked goods as people came out of the church.  I made homemade chocolate chip cookies and I'm still offended they only sold them for $2 for 3 cookies. I think they should have been priced higher.  LOL!
Matthew went to an Astros game on Sunday for a friends' birthday.  Andy and I joked that Matthew has done more in Houston than we have since he has been to a game and we haven't.  Matthew enjoyed hanging out with the boys for the day.  Audrey missed Matthew but I think she also liked having us all to herself.

 Audrey asked me to take this picture right before we picked up Matthew from school.

We took this at Millroy park after school one day

The week of April 20th

I have been scheduling a safe-environment training for the past 3 months but it always seems to conflict with something.  But on Monday, April 20th, I finally completed the training.  I was so happy to finally get this one marked off my list because it means that I can volunteer at Matthew's school now.  I kept thinking about all the great things I wanted to do once I quit my job (volunteer at the school, participate in church activities, workout, etc....) and this training was a requirement before volunteering.  When I picked up Matthew from school on Monday, he was acting funny.  He fell down at the park because he said he was dizzy.  When he fell, he scraped his leg.  He started crying and saying that he was scared it was going to turn into cancer because the dirt would get into his wound.  I calmed him down and assured him it would not turn into cancer.  We have been talking about Papa's tumor lately and we are still waiting to hear whether he has stomach cancer or not.  I am happy to report that my dad was dismissed from the hospital and recovering from his stomach surgery.
Matthew complained of a sore throat and since several of his friends had strep throat, I took him to an urgent care place that same night.  He tested positive for strep so we started antibiotics right away.  Matthew stayed home Tuesday and Wednesday.  We were preparing for a family camping trip so Matthew went to REI with me to buy the tent.
On Friday, Matthew had International Day at his school.  He dressed up as an Irish lad and danced.  He looked so adorable!  Audrey decided to skip school and go to the International Day Festival with me.  We enjoyed Irish food as well as Chic-Fil-A nuggets, fruit, and other foods after the show.
After the International Day festivities, we headed to Matthew's 7 year old well visit at the doctor's office.  He did a hearing test and vision test.  Everything turned out great.

On Saturday, we went to the Sam Houston Forest for a Boys Scout/Cub Scout camp out.  The Boys scouts greeted us when we arrived and helped setup the tent.  They showed the cub scouts how to tie knots.  Matthew and Audrey LOVED it!  They went swimming in the lake and they went fishing with a net.  We enjoyed a delicious pig roast.  There were several sightings of snakes that kept everyone on their toes.  Andy saw a copperhead snake and the Boy Scout Troop Leader drew his knife and cut off the head and took off the skin for all the boys to see.   Then there was a rat snake that nobody messed with.  Andy went to the bathroom and saw a coral snake.  He was shocked to find out how poisonous it was!  And while the boys were swimming, there was a water snake swimming in the lake.  WOW!  I tried to not think about it while sleeping but I have to admit that I woke up once during the night in a sweat thinking I felt something slithering on my leg.  It was all in my head.  The kids made s'mores around the campfire and then later listened to ghost stories.  We looked up at the stars in our tent and then listened to the tree frogs croaking.  It was so much fun.

On Sunday, we headed back into town.  The forest was only one hour and 15 minutes out of town.  We stopped at the cracker barrel and ate a big breakfast.  We took showers as soon as we got back and we all took a long nap.  Matthew's nap was 4 hours long!

 At the park after school on Monday

 Audrey is helping mop the floors

 Matthew is helping Audrey get a drink out of the water fountain

The week of April 13th

Late Sunday night, April 12th, Mike called me and told me that dad was rushed to the emergency room.  He was having stomach pains and he fell down.  Mike and Mom thought he was having a heart attack.  It turns out that my dad had a bleeding stomach tumor.  My dad was in the intensive care unit for several days while they took a biopsy and tried to figure out what to do next.  On Wed, he had an emergency surgery to save his life.  They gave him a blood transfusion since his blood count level dropped down to a 5 and they cut open his stomach and removed the tumor.  I checked Rusty into a doggy day care/boarding place and then drove down to Victoria to be with my family.   Luckily, everything went well with the surgery.  I was able to see dad after the surgery and visit with the family for a short while before heading back to Houston.  I'm so thankful that I live closer to them to be able to take day trips like that.  Andy had to pickup both kids after school so he left the office early, picked them up, went to the park, and then Audrey talked him into going to Munchies Frozen Yogurt.  She even gave him directions on how to get there.
My siblings came into town to help out my mom.  She spent many nights at the hospital and didn't get much sleep.
I turned on my music in the car and one of the kids vacation bible school songs came on, "Don't worry, just pray".  It was something I needed to hear and we all kept praying for my dad throughout the week.  Matthew had a baseball game on Thursday.  I had a much-needed hair appointment on Friday.  Mike had a training in town so he drove up on Friday and he joined us at the indoor pool place with the kids.  On Saturday, we had our first cub scouts outing at the history museum.  Matthew and Audrey enjoyed learning about the times of our great grandparents.  My parents were supposed to take Audrey to Frozen on Ice but due to the health circumstances, they were unable to go.  I took her to it and she loved it!  I felt bad they didn't get to be there with her.
We headed to Victoria late Saturday and stayed the night.  Andy and I visited dad in the hospital.  We brought Soduko and crosswords with a mechanical pencil.  Rusty was surprised to see Lori at Nanna and Papa's house and whined when he saw her.  It was cute.  And the kids had fun with Aunt Lori and Uncle Mike.  We took the kids to the hospital for a quick visit with Papa.  He enjoyed seeing them.

 Audrey was excited to go to school after a week off

 Audrey's pointing to her artwork

 Audrey brought cotton candy back for Matthew from the Frozen on Ice

 Audrey took this picture at the hospital

The week of April 6th

It was a long week with a kid home every day that week.  Matthew's school was out on Monday for Easter so I kept Audrey home, too.  We went for a walk in the Buffalo Bayou park with Rusty and then out to lunch later that day.  Audrey started feeling sick Monday night with a low grade fever and she didn't sleep well.  I kept her home the rest of the week because she was feeling so puny.  Matthew had a baseball game Tuesday and Thursday night.  I usually make tacos for Taco Tuesday so I just brought them to the game in aluminum foil.  It is nice having time to make dinner before the game.  I remember working and running from work to the games without getting anything to eat.  

Matthew had a field trip to the art museum on Wednesday and he was very excited to go.  

On Saturday, Matthew's school had a mom and sons kickball tournament.  Matthew loves playing kickball and he was very excited to play with me.  Andy took Audrey to her ballet since I was at the kickball tournament.  Audrey started telling Andy where to go to get there.  I was surprised because I thought she never really paid attention.  

 Enjoying ice cream Friday after school

 I had to buy her a scooter...and she wanted Frozen.

Playing at the park on Friday

The week of March 30th - Happy Easter 2015

I started the week in a good way by going to confession on Monday.  It is always refreshing and rejuvenating.  Matthew had his first baseball game on Tuesday and managed to get on base despite his hits directly towards first base.  On Wed, I took Audrey to meet my dad half-way so she could go to an Easter Egg hunt in Victoria.  She enjoyed hunting the eggs with her cousin, Dylan.  Matthew was jealous that he didn't get to go.  My parents were in town on Friday for a doctor's appointment so they returned Audrey and then took Matthew to stay with them for the weekend so he could go fishing with Papa.  We met them on Easter Sunday at a restaurant and picked up Matthew then.  On Saturday, we were invited to the Houston Shell Open with our friends.  It was very exciting seeing all the famous golfers up close.  Andy really enjoyed it.
Late Sunday after the rain cleared, I took the kids to hunt easter eggs at the park.  They had so much fun.  I thought Matthew had grown out of that but clearly he hasn't yet!

 Matthew's first baseball game

 Audrey wanted to wear her new Elsa costume to visit Papa and Nanna

 Stations of the Cross at Matthew's school

 Walking Rusty at Buffalo Bayou on a long walk

 Shell Open

 Easter morning after church

Happy Easter!

The week of March 23rd - Matthew's 7th Birthday

It was good to get back into the routine of school after a week of spring break.  I went to a mom's meeting at our church one night and enjoyed listening to a fashion consultant talk about updating my wardrobe.  I just may hire that girl!  On Wednesday, we had a playdate at the park after school and the kids loved riding their friends scooters.  We went to Party City afterwards to get ready for Matthew's birthday party.  The kids put together the goody bags and they have so much fun doing it.  Audrey stayed home from school on Friday so that she could join me to have lunch at Matthew's school.  She helped pass out the cupcakes.  Later that day, we met her friend, Hattie, for a playdate at Munchies Frozen Yogurt.  It was a busy but fun weekend.  We started Saturday with ballet and baseball at similar times so we have to divide and conquer.  We had an Easter Egg hunt at the school on Saturday afternoon with face painting and activities.  On Sat night, we went to Nash D'Amico's house for dinner and met some nice parishioners.  We went to mass for Palm Sunday, out for breakfast, and then to Matthew's Birthday party at the indoor swimming pool.

 Audrey enjoys painting her nails

 Audrey's new favorite toy on the wish list- the scooter

 Cupcakes at school

The week of March 16th- Spring Break 2015

On Monday, March 16th, we drove down to Victoria to attend my father's retirement party.  It was also his birthday.  The drive is just under 2 hours and the kids did pretty good.  We made it to the retirement party in time to enjoy the food and festivities.  My dad was excited to see us there. The kids loved drawing pictures on the dry erase board.  We stayed the night at my parent's house and then drove to Corpus Christi on Tuesday to enjoy the beach.  We saw 3 dolphins swimming very close to the beach!  We ate at Joe's Crab shack and played at a nearby park.  We drove back to Victoria later that day.   On Wednesday, we ate lunch at the kids' favorite restaurant, China B.  Then we started on the road back to Houston.  The kids slept in the car ride back so when we showed up at our apartment, I was now ready to take a nap.  Poor Mimi had to stay up and watch the kids so she didn't get a nap that day.  

On Thursday, we saw the Cinderella movie at Memorial City mall with Hattie.  Going to the movies is always a treat!

On Friday, we went to the Children's Museum.  Matthew and Audrey LOVED it!  It was crowded because of spring break but they didn't care.  Audrey jumped on the trampoline and Matthew did the hampster wheel/ball.  The kids also enjoyed the grocery store, vet, and restaurant where they pretended to earn a paycheck and "work".  We were exhausted after a full day at the museum and took a quick dip in our apartment pool.  The water was freezing so we didn't stay in it too long but it felt great in the heat.  We usually go to an indoor pool on Friday nights and I didn't feel like going so this was the next best thing.

We went to the park on Saturday for a bike ride.  And we enjoyed dinner at Kennedy's house on Sunday.  Mimi caught an early flight Monday morning.  It turned out to be a fun spring break despite the rainy weather.

 Matthew is playing clue with Mike and Dad

 Audrey took this picture of me

 Breakfast at Nanna and Papa's - Fruitloops!

 Painting a Rice Krispy Treat at Joe's Crab Shack

 Hanging out with uncle Mike

 Corpus Christi beach

 The Children's Museum

 Grocery Shopping

 The stocker

 At the park with a broken bike - Daddy to the rescue

 There were record blue bonnets this year but Rusty is the only one to get his picture taken in them.

Eating brownies at Kennedy's house