Date Day

Dustin's parents watched the kiddos for the day so Dustin and I could have a date day for my b-day.

We enjoyed Starbucks coffee while window shopping, it was really nice to just be carefree and do what ever you want. 

So we hit some antique and high end furniture shops to browse around and crush over some expensive things. 

We just talked about what we would love in our dream house, it was really nice. 

My mother just moved into her new condo or high rise, I don't know what you would call it. It is right on the Riverwalk and I think she is really enjoying herself. 

I have not seen it yet but Dustin helped her pick it out and I am going to help her furnish it.

I am in love with bone inlay furniture and would love to have one.

Not loving the price.

I love the detail on this dresser and the pulls. There are wooden inlays you can buy online to hack this dresser. There are a ton of Ikea hacks online and they look pretty good. Dustin hates Ikea but I suckered him into buying a white lacquered storage unit for the kids toys and I love it. Dustin said he even liked it after he put it together because the room feels more organized.

You cannot beat $80 storage unit when Pottery Barn wants up to $200-$300 for their units.

I love the navy blue. I am so into blue. On accident our whole house is a shade of blue because the grey color I picked out wasn't so grey after all.

I love the acrylic legs on this chair and I am in love with ghost chairs but they are so expensive.

These pics are really bad but I love this floor lamp, it is so organic and would add a lot of texture to a room.

I really liked the look of this couch for my mother but it was not comfortable at all.

This is such a cute idea to display your jewelry.

Dustin and I love teak but again it is so expensive. This chair was not comfortable but I liked the look.

I am finally on the Cross Fit bandwagon. I actually signed a year contract, yikes, and it is not cheap. The cross fit gym I really liked is $150 a month but it is totally worth it, I am in love. After the first day, I only did a fit test of sit ups, girly push ups and squats, doing one of each in one minute and progressing upward until you could not finish a set in one minute. I only got to eight each and it sounds pretty easy but I could not walk for two days and I took Motrin for the pain, ha.

I could run forever but I have no strength what so ever. I have been going for about two weeks now and I just love it.

Dustin wanted me to ask for everyone to pray for him because once again he has decided to quit smoking. I am hoping he does but it is all in God's hands, I will keep you posted. I just wish I could lock him up somewhere and he would just have to sweat it out by himself. But what's a girl to do, I think he would call the cops if I did that, ha.

Happy late Memorial Day to all the special people, Fred, who serve our country and risk their lives for our freedom. It takes a special person to serve in the military and it takes a good wife, Christina, to be a military wife and raise the kids alone for periods of time.

Children's Festival

We went to the Children's Festival back in April, the weather in Houston has been so nice lately. Sunny skies and cool temperatures. 

Visible changes had a booth for $10 hair cuts, so how could you pass on a $10 hair cut. 

Tryst doesn't look too happy after the hair cut, but I think both kiddos had a lot of fun. 

My little man. These are I-phone pics, Dustin would not let me lug around the Nikon. The pics are pretty good for a phone.

Harlowe had such a great time this year, she enjoyed a bunch of rides and Dustin's parents even came along this year.

She even held perfectly still for face painting. She picked out something with blue in it of course, her fave color.

My pretty blue princess

She even rode on a real pony and didn't even cry.

We had a lot of fun at the festival. We got there right when it opened so we could find parking and avoid the crowds for a little bit. It was really nice and the day turned out beautiful with a nice breeze.

Well, I am back from vacay and it was nice to be off. I could honestly be off forever but I had a hard time during my b-day.

Dustin was gone for my b-day so I was alone with the kiddos only for a couple of days but those days were the hardest.

I started my period, I know too much info, but I was an emotional mess. I found myself yelling at the kids more and even crying. I remember when I just had it, Harlowe was whining and I cannot remember what Tryst was doing. But all I remember was throwing the bath rag against the wall and busting out in tears, saying it is my birthday and all day I have done things for y'all and you don't even appreciate it.

Looking back, I have to laugh but in the moment I wanted to hide in a dark corner with a stiff drink and lots of chocolate, and I don't even drink, ha.

How can a one year old and three year old possibly appreciate and empathize with their crazy mother? Anyway, to say the least in those very few days I thought I was not cut out to be a stay at home mother.  I thought I wasn't even a good mother those two days, I really felt like I was constantly raising my voice, to put it nicely.

My friend, Jodi, is a stay at home mom of three little girls, very close in age and I don't know how she does it?

But after I got myself together and went back in the bathroom, Harlowe was saying I am so sorry mom, don't cry, I love you so much. And Tryst was saying, crying, crying, ah ah. I could have just died right there. I felt so bad, I just said I really miss your daddy and wish he were here.

I told Dustin I could be a stay at home mom but those two days, it was like I was a single parent. I really commend single parents and stay at home parents because it is truly the hardest job.

So, I am back at work and reflecting on my whole experience, I like working, I don't know what it is but I feel smart at work and my brain works differently. At home you have to do strategize and use critical thinking just to make out the door and to an activity on time, and to make sure you have a home cooked meal on the table at an appropriate time and keeping your household in order. It is truly exhausting.

I guess I didn't do a very good job because before I went to work today, Dustin said you really let this place go while I was gone. I mean really, ha. Oh well, maybe I can be a stay at home mom when the kiddos go to school, ha.

Gymnast in Training

Finally I can show you Tryst's new do. We are waiting and watching Harlowe. 

Harlowe practicing, this is her last day of the spring season and tomorrow she will start again for the summer. I had to take pics through the glass so they aren't that good.

My baby girl receiving her participation ribbon with her teacher.

She is so proud of herself

My little monkey

I think she really likes gymnastics so we enrolled her for the summer. I am even thinking about maybe getting Tryst into it when he turns three, but we will see.

I don't know what it is with her but every time I tell her it is time to get ready for gymnastics she says she doesn't want to go, she wants to stay at home with me. But she runs into class like no problem and afterwards she tells me she had fun. Do all kids do this or what?

Tomorrow we start swim lessons and that is thirty minutes long, every day for two weeks. It kinda puts a damper on the vacay but what is a girl to do. After the two weeks she can attend once a week, thank the Lord. I cannot even imagine having two kiddos in activities and working, how to people do it? Hopefully Dustin will be making the big bucks and I can go part-time and become a soccer mom, ha.

I have about eight days off starting today with both kiddos and no school for Harlowe. I will tell you after the eight days if I will still want to stay at home with the kids, ha.

In my head I have conjured up a plan for my time off. No naps for me, okay realistically maybe a couple. I really want to wake up early everyday and run or maybe even attend a Cross fit class or two. I want to cook everyday and make cookies with the kids. I want to go to the beach and have action packed activities to do.

Hopefully, Dustin and I can also have some time alone and go on a date or two.

I will let y'all know if I stick to my plan, hopefully I will stick to the working out thing because by no means am I a morning person. Wish me luck, ha.

Easter Egg Hunt

Our Easter Egg Hunt at Nana and Pop's, aka Dustin's parents house

As you can see Nana and Pop hid a lot of Easter eggs.

The hubs enjoying all the fun, ha

Nana

And Pop

Chris, Dustin's friend joined in the Easter celebration

Dustin's grandfather

This is the only pic I got of Dustin's bro and of course I am looking crazy. Excuse the doo, it was humid that day.

Dustin's parents bought Cascaron's, eggs filled with confetti, Dustin got me and I tried and tried chasing him around the pool but unsuccessful. We are a bunch of kids at heart, ha.

We had a great Easter with friends and family. The day started off a little late because of course I had to take a nap.

Working nights and getting older is taking a number, so I love to take naps with the kids. So we missed the Easter egg hunt at Dustin's friend Cody's house. But we dropped by and had a good time, he even introduced us to these great sausages at HEB.

They are chicken and poblano sausages, so yummy.

At Dustin's parents house they ate Brisket, that Dustin's dad smoked all day and I enjoyed a yummy salad.

The weather in Houston has been so nice lately, I am in love. We have been spending a lot of time outside. I love, love, love running outside in this type of weather. It feels like you could run for days.

Our days have been filled with going to the park in our neighborhood, feeding the ducks and turtles, bike rides and the zoo.

My b-day is coming up and I am going to have eight days off, yeah!! I wish we could take a vacay but my time will be spent taking Harlowe to swim lessons everyday for two weeks. Who knew your vacation time would be spent doing kiddos activities, but this is my life and I wouldn't change a thing.

Maybe win a million dollars, have a maid and to take cooking classes in Italy, ha.