Sunday, March 30, 2008
I don't even want to try to describe this....go ahead and give me a caption, if you dare.
And yeah, those are fig leaves, by the way....appropriate.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Text message from Alexis...
How would you like to make a habit out of bringing home icees after work?
Easter (and other holidays) memories
Monday, March 24, 2008
Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. We had our obligatory get-together with all our family....Saturday with a lot of my mom's side, then Sunday with my dad's side. They kinda blend in a lot of times though. When I say "my mom's side", I mean my mom's brother and wife (my uncle and aunt) , mom's dad and his wife, and then the children and grandchildren of that wife. When I say "my dad's side", I mean my dad's parents, my uncle and cousins....and usually my mom's mom. Cause see, my mom's mom and dad can't stand to be anywhere near each other...and we all welcome her in with my dad's side. Complicated? Maybe. Fun in the end for everyone? Absolutely.
That story, however, was not the reason for this post. I'm about to get emotional and mushy and probably end up crying before I'm done with this.
My Aunt Debbie always made "Pink Salad". Some of you out there might have a version of "Pink Salad" at your own family get-togethers. If not, feel free to check out the recipe below and try it out sometime. Although probably technically a dessert, we usually eat it along with the meal. No matter what the holiday/occasion/etc., you always knew there was going to be "Pink Salad". If you didn't know if there would be ham or chicken or turkey or steak or hambugers, or someone was going to make your favorite casserole, or would there be sweet tea, or will I have to waste my time trying to get that perfect amount of Sweet 'N Low in my tea.....there would always be "Pink Salad". This was something that my Aunt made without fail. So, needless to say, without her here anymore, this was going to be one of those little tiny things that you don't think about, but will affect everyone there....and probably end with tears falling when we realize that the "Pink Salad" isn't here because Aunt Debbie isn't here. So at this last Thanksgiving and Christmas (the first holidays after my Aunt died), my mom and dad made it....without anyone asking or telling them to. Saturday night, my mom asked me if I wanted to make it for Sunday. I said yes, of course. Alexis and I both worked on it, although it's not a two person job. She put something in the bowl, then left to go get Hope ready for bed, so I finished getting everything in the bowl and mixing it all up. By the time I was finished with it, I was full on bawling and crying (although I'm sure those two actions are the same). I couldn't help but imagine her standing there herself all those years....putting stuff in the bowl, mixing it all up, walking over and putting it in the refrigerator for the next day's lunch.
Thanks for bearing with me while you're reading this...I just felt like it was worth sharing....part of my soul, deep down. Misspellings below courtesy of Alexis...the teacher.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Yesterday, we took a little trip to Tyler to go to the zoo. Hope loves the zoo. And that's not what the "The first time" title is referring to....we've been to nearly every zoo in the state of Texas I think. I've been to the Tyler zoo before a few times, but this was Alexis and Hope's first time there. They had a really cool little enclosed bird place where you could buy a popsicle stick with seeds on it, and I finally was able to get a bird to land on my stick for Hope to see up close.
Second part of the day....and meaning behind "The first time" title. We went with some friends of ours to Tyler. They have 3 girls, all older than Hope. So they've already begun the curse of this place....Chuck E. Cheese. The other mom had wanted to take the girls here after the zoo....so of course, we went too. This was our first time to take Hope here...and I'm now afraid of what's to come. She had a blast.....and so did I. I ain't afraid to admit that I love arcades and games and such. Sorry for the sucky pics from Chuck E. Cheese....my little camera's battery died at the zoo, and didn't feel like busting out the big guns in the restaurant....so the phone had to suffice.
Somebody you need to listen to
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Anybody like him? Anybody? Don't be ashamed if you have to say you've never heard of him. I'm gonna make you figure it out on your own. Expand your music library...don't be scared.
What's this crap on the ground!?!?!?
Friday, March 07, 2008
Hopefully, everyone around East Texas that reads this was able to experience this this morning....cause I'm sure we'll only see this happen maybe 5 times here in our lifetimes. Plus, it must have been special to get me out of bed and outside playing at 7 a.m.
Alexis thinking she's an angel....ha ha ha....riiiiiight
Mother and daughter snowball fight
Hope's massive snowball
Kitty rainboots
Trail of tracks
Lamby and the tiny snowmen
Thursday, March 06, 2008
So Jason is a sad little boy. He thinks everyone around him should know his online existence. I believe I said that he did have something out there, but just didn't know what it was. So, now that I have the links, you can find Jason here, here or here on myspace. But don't expect anything entertaining.....cause blog posts are rare. And I'm supposed to remember these online spots, when there are no new posts to keep my attention. And please be his friend on myspace, because Tom is his only friend on there....pretty sad. More proof that there is a severe lack of online presence.
So.....Jason does exist online....barely. Sorry for the confusion, and sorry for upsetting my sensitive friend.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
First of all, it doesn't bother me a bit to go over a week without a new post....don't think that's a bad thing either. It's nice to get out and not worry about it. Been going to this new gym/fitness center we joined, been out riding the bike, been working on baby's room, etc. Get away from the computer sometimes people!!!! It's in the bible...
On to business....speaking of out riding the bike. If you've never been really into mountain biking, you should try it out. I was pretty serious about it up until a couple years ago, then just lost the time. So luckily, I've decided to get a new bike and get back out there. Plus my riding buddy got back into it with me...Jason, youth pastor at our church. No link for him, cause he's non-existent online it seems. Get a blog or something Jason, for real. Actually, I think he has something, but not sure what it is.
Anyways, so we've been working on some trails around Rusk here.....clearing out a bunch of brush and vines and trees and other random stuff in the woods. And seriously....riding trails that you have made yourself....it's pretty awesome, and something to be proud of. So we've run across these hideous thorn plants that absolutely have to be the spawn of Satan. Check out the pics. These suckers get thick, and huge....the pic of the one next to my finger, barely shorter...you can kinda get an idea of the size. And they hurt....trust me.
