I met Jenna and Laura Bush...

The librarians are having a bookfair at Barnes and Noble in the Woodlands this whole week. We signed up for this ages ago, and just last month they called and said that a signing with Jenna and Laura Bush would be occurring during our weekend at the bookstore. Each librarian got 3 wristbands for the engagement, so I took Kim and Chris Gonzales. We got a few pictures and I came home with several books signed. They were both pleasant and something that surprised me is that the First Lady Laura is much prettier than pictures paint her to be. The librarians were so happy that this happened because we were able to get some unexpected profit for the bookfest coming this fall! We take in 10% of everything (books, coffee, gifts,)that is sold if the customer shows them the Spring ISD coupon. We won't know how well we did until next Friday, but we are hoping that this will be our only fundraiser needed for the year.

Saturday Around Here

There isn't a lot going on, but I thought I would post what we do on usual days, rather than just big outings or funny stories. Kaytlynn has already done most of her homework...we work 10-20 minutes at a time, until it is all done. I have been doing laundry and Todd took the girls to the barber shop with him. They like going there with him! I have an Island Black Bean soup on for dinner. For the rest of the day, we are just going to sit back and relax. We rented Enchanted from Netflix, so we will probably watch that.

I do with Chris and Kim's baby would hurry up and come out and play already. It has been an anyday situation for about a week now. If I am this impatient, I can't even imagine what it feels like to be them. I did tell Kim that I have my bets on this weekend though! I'm crossing everything I can cross for them right now!

My I-Pod is Home, Safe and Sound

Yeah...I lost my I-pod. For those of you who know me...you aren't surprised, are you. I didn't ask for an I-pod. I was quite content listening to my audiobooks on my little rinky dink MP3 player, and then came Christmas. Todd got it so that I could have several audiobooks on it at one time and load pictures. I thought...nah, I don't need it. BUT...I changed my mind. Really quickly. I ended up loving the fact that I could show off pics of my girls, and I wasn't always having to load a new book on it, since it holds like a million on there (its the 80 gig one). I always leave it on the circulation desk in the library. The kids pass by it...ooooohhhing and aaaaahhhhing over it, which makes me smile and quickly put it away. Only this time it wasn't there. I listen to it in the car, in the halls at school, at duty, waiting in lines, shopping. I was not able to do it for a WHOLE WEEK.

It was found in a lunch bag today....along with 2 old bananas and a sandwich that was a week old. Anyway,I am happy I found it because like I said... I was wrong, and Todd was right...I really do NEED an I-pod.

Kaytlynn Counts to 100 and Other Things...

Yes, Kaytlynn can now count to 100, and her favorite song is now "I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy"...and let me tell you...the title of that song should be..."This is the Song That Doesn't End". Delaney is quickly learning it, so we have some joyfully happy kids running around the house today.

We did our bi-monthly trip to Sam's today and ran into Kim and Chris! She is progressing really well, so she might be lucky enough to have the baby a week or 2 before her due date! While we were at Sam's, Kaytlynn decided that she needed to try EVERY SINGLE free sample of food...on top of the hot dog that we had already bought her and Delaney! Delaney only wanted to eat free food that had sugar in it (stinker!)

I got some acrylic nails put on this week because I went to TLA. I have not had any on my nails since I had Delaney. I like them, but I am not too fond of the color I chose. TLA was pretty fun. It always is fun walking around talking to vendors, looking at all the new stuff out there, and occasionally running into one of your favorite authors! It was the 2nd time I have gone and I was lucky enough to get to stay with my parents, so I got to spend time with them, and my sisters family.

Field Day at the Farm!

My neighbors, Dana and Jeff Crenshaw, invited our family to go with them to visit a farm. It was a small farm (140 acres) in Cameron, Texas. The owners allow you to have a picnic on their property, show you their dairy, let you gather eggs from over 300 laying chickens, feed pigs, plow a field, ride a wagon, pet their very large sheep dogs, and just sit back and enjoy nature. Well, it sounded like a great time, and also, my mother's family just happens to be from Cameron. My great-grandfather helped build the Baptist Church in town. My maternal grandmother was raised just a few miles outside of town in Ben Arnold and a lot of my family is buried in the Little River Cemetery. I thought it would be neat to see this place since I have not visited since I was a child visiting my Uncle Hal and Aunt Ula.

The girls had an absolute blast. They ran and played with my neighbors kids, chased chickens and gathered their eggs. They pet 2 horses, and played on their tiny jungle gym/swing set. Todd and I bought some milk, eggs, honey, salami, summer sausage, rib eye, and some morning finger sized sausages. I look forward to eating all of it...as they had samples, and it was all delicious.

I forgot the sandwiches I made and Todd forgot the sunscreen, so we ate at McDonald's and got burnt to a crisp.

On the way home, we stopped and got pictures of the girls in a patch of bluebonnets. I hope some of them came out well. Dana's littlest, Ethan, got in ants when he was getting his picture taken. I felt so sorry for him.
We have Ethan Crenshaw's birthday party tomorrow so we will be busy bees this whole weekend. I am so thankful for weekends like this, where I get to spend a lot of time with friends and just enjoying quality time with my family.

The girls are in the bathtub right now and they are either laughing or crying, so I better sign off for now!

I Had a Bad Day, But I Have a Great Daughter

Life has not been too fun at my school lately. People have been catty and selfish. Today...was more of the same, and I had told Todd this, via email. He picked Kaytlynn up, as usual today at 2:30 and she called me on his cell phone to tell me she was so sorry that I was sad and that people were making bad choices. She told me that Daddy and her had prayed for me. It made everything better for the day. I am so blessed to have such a sweet heart of a child. I know that Todd told her and probably even suggested that she call me...but I see on a daily basis, how concerned she is for those around her. She is so empathetic and sensitive at her age. I can only imagine the wonderful mother, friend, sister, and wife she will be one day.

On a good side note. I am also thankful for my aide...she also knew I was having a bad day. She snuck off on her lunch and bought me roses!!! How awesome is that!

Precious Crystal...

As a child, I grew up hearing "Be careful. You'll fall and break your crystal." I don't quite know if that is "country talk", "Gasch talk", "Bell talk", or just "old people talk". My friends think it is funny. They laugh that about it, debating whether its dirty or silly and ponder the deep meaning of a person's crystal.

Anyway, I use the same phrase with my daughters. And they take it as seriously, as I did as a child. I mean, who would ever want to break their crystal, right?

Last night, the family was saying their nightly prayers....God bless Mommy, Daddy, Nana and Papa, Jacob, Emily, Gracie, Grandma and Grandpa, our friends...etc. etc. etc. You get the picture...these heartfelt prayers can last forever. Well, Kaytlynn, Todd, and I had already prayed. Delaney started in...Thank you for ______ and ______. You get the picture. Then she goes into, "please help people not break bones or their crystals...We love you and Jesus, AMEN.

Todd and I grabbed each others hands so hard and we were both shaking in the dark, from laughing so hard, trying to keep quiet, so that poor Delaney wouldn't hear us. I hope I never forget Delaney praying for every one's crystals...whatever they are!!!