This Minivan Life

I don't normally like to post about our cat, but something happened with her that was just too ridiculous not to post. I need to preface by saying this is how she usually looks. She likes to sleep on her back with her feet in the air, she does this on this one section of couch, on her bed... in the middle of the floor. You know... everywhere. She's very relaxed. She mostly ignores the boys until they get too feisty and then she lets them know it's time to back off. For the most part she really chill... like she could die and we might not know it because she is so lazy. Anyway we took her to the vet for her annual physical... 3 years too late. And the vet calls to tell us she's ready and healthy and then she informs me that we need to let them know in the future that CJ is an aggressive cat. When she said this I was confused because... well she isn't, that's just more effort than she's willing to expend... ever.  Then she proceeded to tell me how CJ attacke

Sometimes it's nice to have a reminder that our kids can be good. So as I've mentioned about 1000 times, Michael has a feisty side. He can be sweet when he wants to be, but he has to really want to be. It seems like those moments are few and far between some days. But on Saturday he did something that surprised, and even impressed me. He has been playing t-ball this season, and to say this season has been a struggle is a bit of an understatement. The team is made up of 4 year olds, none of them know what they are doing, there are some awful yelling parents, it just isn't fun. And because it is 4 year old t-ball no one knows how to play their positions or really has any idea that you should stay in the general area of your position so they all run for the ball. Michael has a cut friend on the team and they usually end up standing somewhere near each other. Yesterday they were both standing near the pitcher's mound when a ball came their way. The whole team ran after it a

The other night Brian had the Teacher's Quorum (14-15 year old youth group from our church) to watch a baseball game. It was a great reminder that someday my sweet little boys are going to hate me. Now they occasionally think I'm great. They want help (lots of help), they want me to be with them, but someday they won't....  The boys he had over are great, they are from good families and will probably be really great adults, and I'm sure they were adorable children, but as 14-15 year olds... well let's just say that age is rough. The teen angst is just, well palpable. Life is hard and parents and terrible, but luckily they can text about it on their $500 cellphones. Ok no really, the kids are great, but I made me shudder to think that the delightful attitudes these guys have are someday going to be... well living in my house. I thought we had an attitude problem now, I guess I was wrong. Right now the boys think we know it all. When they have a question they ask

Prepare yourselves. I'm dusting off the soapbox. The other night I helped out with a neighborhood event. I was the pizza passer outer. It was dinnertime, the pizza was free... I was destined for failure. As I passed out FREE pizza I was appalled at the behavior of 80% of the people- children and adults alike. People were demanding, they complained, they lied, they complained (yes it was so awful i have to say it twice), and rarely did they say please or thank you. Consider me old fashioned but I'm trying to teach my kids to say please and thank you... with one of them it is an uphill battle (no really it's a battle). I am always irritated when instead of asking "May I have ____?" He demands it. We've taught him please and thank you, but it's not quite sinking in yet. The other one hears the lectures and seems to be catching on a bit quicker. I know our family isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination and people probably think our kids are demandi

Sometimes I'm reminded that Texas has great weather. No one is ever reminded of that in say... August. But come October I am singing the praises of the Lone Star state. These past few weeks it has been beautiful- 80's, light breeze- just perfect. Enough cool wind to remind us that the pool is closed for the reason but warm enough that the sandbox is open at 8am... because why would you get ready for school when you can play. The other day we took a family bike ride around the neighborhood and came home and had popsicles. It was delightful, perfect day for a ride- sometimes Texas is great. 

So these two munchkins have a tendency to fight. And by fight I mean scream, kick, hit, push... you know fight like brother (and sisters tend to do). After a long day of screaming, crying, "MOM HE PUSHED ME!" it's great to see them play together happily. As these are photos there's no sound to back up the claim that they do for 3 seconds get along. But I'm happy to narrate, sometimes for 3 seconds they are buddies. It usually happens right after they wake up for the day or from naps. And sometimes they are best buddies. When Zach gets something great he almost always makes sure Michael does too, and when Zach desperately needs his PupPup and beam beam (pacifer) and his parents refuse to get it for him (because he fast approaching 2 and nighttime objects should stay in the bed), Michael happily obliges and goes and get them for him. So we can be nice to each other... sometimes... for a few minutes.   I found them playing with the train the other morning. We wer