Rodeo

I don't know why these pics have a weird lighting to them, but here they are. Harlowe wasn't into the rodeo again this year, I don't know if it is the crowds or she just wasn't in the mood. 

But after Dustin won her the unicorn she was in a good mood, I guess she just has to get warmed up to everything. 

Last year Dustin took her on this same slide and it totally traumatized her. She was scared but once we started going, she actually liked it. Dustin wanted to take Tryst on the slide but he was too short. If your wondering why the heck would you take a baby on this big slide? Well, Dustin has swung this baby every which way and he just loves it and doesn't seem to be afraid of much.

Trying to get my big old donkey butt in this little sack, ha.

My mom and Tryst having a snack of sausage on a stick and paper thin potato chips. The potato chips were Dustin's fave. We skipped out on the turkey legs and fried Snikers, don't you love fair food.

Looking back on Tryst's baby pics, I don't know why we didn't cut his hair, I thought it was so cute. But looking back, not so cute, sorry for the hippy days Tryst.

I don't know what Dustin is doing, ha.

Some random pics of the kiddos in the morning.

Harlowe's tricycle was run over by one of our neighbors and she was so upset. So right after it happened we made a trip to Wally World, aka Walmart, and bought her a new bike. Dustin is sort of disgusted of how spoiled our kids are, but I don't know what it is but I get excited too buying new things for the kids.

Harlowe rode a couple of bikes around the store and picked this one, which has a baby seat in the back.

She loves this bike and we go on bike rides often. She has bit the dust a couple of times but keeps on truckin.

Harlowe's first bike: 3 1/2 years old

Harlowe and Tryst are practicing their Hooked on Phonics, pre-k section.

The other day was not my finest as a parent.  I was working with Harlowe on her ABC's flashcards and I just wanted her to recognized A, B, and C. I mean what is the big deal, it is only three letters right. Wrong, so wrong, we went over and over it a million times, not really but it felt like it and she just could not get it. My poor baby was trying so hard.

I got so frustrated and said if you don't get these three letters you are going to time out. Dustin was even giving me this look like, what the HELL is wrong with you. And if you know us, Dustin is the short tempered one and I am calm and have patience.

She broke out in tears and said, mom, it is just so hard. I literally wanted to cry, what the heck was I doing? I was like the Flowers in the Attic mother, if you have never seen the movie, she locked her kids in the attic and whipped them with a coat hanger, I think.

I probably damaged her for life, I just need to chill on the academia she is just three.

Although, a few days have past and my baby still loves learning after that life scaring episode and I have totally learned positive reinforcement is the best strategy.


Tryst is talking up a storm and his fave saying is No, No and pointing his little finger.
He is a total mamma's boy lately.
He loves fruit and not so much on the veggies but likes edamame.
He loves seaweed and rice, my little Japanese boy, ha.
He loves candy and I have created two little monsters regarding the candy train.
He loves balls and has a pretty good arm. Can I use the word love anymore, sorry.
He is a boy's boy, Dustin's nickname for him is the Honey Badger. If you haven't seen the You Tube video, it is pretty funny. We even got Dustin and Tryst matching Honey Badger shirts as a joke.
I will have to take a pic of them.

Christmas at Sea World Continues

I am so behind in my blogging, it is April and these are still Christmas pics. I have been really slacking on the picture taking but it is pretty hard to lug around the Nikon and two toddlers at the same time. Suck it up I know!

Anyway, I don't know what I was looking at and I don't know why I am including this pic but oh well. Maybe I want to remember myself in the younger years, ha. The big 40 is approaching, yikes a rama!

My mom and Tryst, he has changed so much. He is talking up a storm and copying anything you say, which is not good for Dusty because he has a potty mouth. I am just waiting for Tryst to say a bad word.

He is saying a bunch of phrases but his fave are: Stop it, candy (which is not a phrase but is one of his fave words, and don't ask me how and 21 month old knows the word candy, ha. We eat a lot of sweets in our house), poo poo and then runs away because the boy loves to sit in poop. He hates his diaper changed.

He loves animals and loves dogs to death. I am truly missing my bestie, Harley, boo hoo. We are planning to get another dog once we find a permanent home, the house is still on the market and my husband is a cleaning fool, ha. Going off on a tangent, it is so nice not to have to clean.

Tryst's new thing is his blankie, he just started it a couple of days ago. He is carrying Harlowe's old blanket around and will not part with it. I even bought him a fancy, Restoration Hardware fuzzy baby blanket, but he loves the old tattered one, who knew.

Everyone will be happy to know his temper is still in full swing but he is becoming easy going and much easier to manage. Thank the Lord, ha.

Dustin said I almost broke this poor horses back, ha.

My baby girl and I on this big net thing that you can climb to reach a big slide. She was scared at first but loved it after a while.

Very good exercise, I was sweating by the time we did it a few times, or I am just that out of shape.

We got to take some pics with some characters of Sea World. My brother and his fam left early so they missed out on these pics.

Tryst a little scared of Shamu

The lights were so pretty, every thing seemed to be lit. We got season tickets again to Sea World this year, thanks to my very generous mother. I just love Sea World, if I lived in SA I would go all the time.
But my mom is trying to get this fancy condo in the Hyatt hotel on the Riverwalk so hopefully we can visit my mom a lot this summer if she gets it, fingers crossed.

Family pic with the chipmunk

Me and my baby girl. She is three and such a character. She has got a little tude on her lately and Dusty does not appreciate it at all. He says she has my attitude which I totally see, yikes. She still is such a caring and nurturing little girl. She absolutely loves her brother and watches over him when they are with other kids, it is the cutest thing.

It was hard at first having two so close but they really love each other and play so well with each other, it is so fun to watch.

Harlowe is in gymnastics again and we are making an effort to take her every week. Last year we didn't take her that much but this year I think she really enjoys it. She is learning how to do a cart wheel and slowly but surly she is doing it. It is so funny to watch, but I can tell she is making progress each week.

We also signed her up for dance classes which I don't like as much but she seems to enjoy it. I think this summer we are going to do gymnastics and swimming lessons. She is asking to do swimming this year so we will see. Hopefully I won't drown her again this summer.

I don't think I blogged about it because it was so short lived but we signed Harlowe up for the soccer team, total disaster. I signed up for the fall season thinking it would be kinda cool but in Texas, it doesn't get cold until December. So needless to say Dustin and I were sweating our butt's off watching her and we literally had to make her go out there crying and all. After a couple of practices Dustin and I threw in the towel, it was just too hot and Harlowe is not an outside girl when it comes to heat. I know bad example about quiting but hopefully she won't remember the soccer mishap, ha.

Christmas on the Riverwalk

These are some pics when we first got to San Antonio, just walking around the river walk. 

Harlowe was so excited to see her cousin, Parker. 

And Tryst looks so different now because Dustin got his hair cut, sometimes I miss his long hair. 

Harlowe and Parker dancing. There was a wedding party at a local restaurant with a live band so the kids were enjoying the music.

This pic is so funny, Parker and his Micheal Jackson crotch move, ha.

During the day we took a river boat ride.

The lights on the river walk were so pretty

These pics are from Sea World, before it got dark

So cute

My sweet boy. I know I post this over and over but Tryst can be the sweetest little boy sometimes but this one is hard to handle. I am just at a loss with him, I really don't know where to start with disciplining him, nothing seems to help.

I am totally against spanking but Dustin has been inflicting a little corporal punishment, yikes. I am totally against it but he absolutely doesn't listen to me. My sweet baby, he just has the worst traits of me and Dustin rolled into one. He has the strongest personality and there is no reasoning with this little boy. If he doesn't get what he wants, look out.

I took both kiddos to run a few errands the other day and I think I almost had a nervous breakdown. He did not want to sit in the cart so I held him. He did not want to be held, he wanted to walk and that wasn't going to happen. He wanted to push the cart while I was holding him and then when he saw the balloons, of course he wanted one. Lately I have been noticing I have been giving in to him just to avoid a temper tantrum, I know a big no no. But the screaming and kicking and turning bright red makes me so embarrassed and I start to sweat.

This time I didn't give in and I noticed a lady looking at me with pity. Hopefully one day it will get better.

Don't get me wrong, I love this little man to pieces and he is my heart. But I need parenting help with this one.

Blue cotton candy tongue

Dustin's birthday was a couple of days ago and we had a little get together. I knew this would probably be the last get together we could have because our house in on the market. We went all out but I regretfully did not take any pictures. Dustin and I did everything and with the kids it was pretty hard juggling everything. Trying to get everything ready with the kiddos needing our attention, next time I will definitely ask my mom to help with the kiddos.

It was really fun, we had a bounce house for the kids and it was a really nice one with a big slide. Dustin smoked six racks of ribs and they were all gone, I didn't even get to try one but he said they were the best he has ever cooked. He got a lot of compliments on them so he was really proud of himself.

Our menu consisted of ribs, potato salad, strawberry and goat cheese salad, fresh fruit, pinto beans and rolls. For the kiddos organic hot dogs with wheat buns and fruit and veggie juice, I know it sounds gross but all the hot dogs were gone and they liked the juice too.
We even had a dessert bar with candy, cookies and Dustin's mom made Dustin's favorite strawberry cupcakes. He said she used to make him a strawberry cake for his birthday when he was little. The cupcakes were a big hit too, they were all gone.

Harlowe and I made flower arrangements with hydrangea's which I love, she is such a little helper. She wanted to help with everything and kept on saying, "mommy I love you", how sweet is that. I think she is going to be a social butterfly when she gets older.

I even had decorative mason jars for the drinks and we had a bar station with Crown and Vodka with all the fixing's.

Dustin thought I went over the top but I even bought table cloths for the outside plastic tables with cactus arrangements on the tables.

I really regret not taking any pictures. It was a lot of work but we had a great time and I am glad we did it. We really haven't had any big birthday parties for the kids so it was a lot of fun and hopefully more parties to come.