Eat Cake!

After the baseball game we decided to gather for dinner and birthday cake. It was very last minute but we had a good group come over. With the nice temperature outside the kids were able to play a little. They were so excited. It feels like it has been six months since we have been able to enjoy our backyard.

As you can see it didn't take long for Fletch and Chaz to find the roller coaster and go riding off down the hill. Both taking turns as the "pusher" of course.
My back porch was also quickly covered with colorful circles, letters and lines. In my book this may have been one of my best birthday presents as it reminds me that more days like this are just around the corner. Thanks boys!
This may be one of my proudest moments.. I had to take it in sections but if you are counting there are actually 7, yes 7 (Chaz, Fletch, Sidney, Anna, Ben, Brandon and Jackson), toddlers sitting quietly and eating around my breakfast table. I was floored. All the moms actually took a step back and stared....jaws.on.the.floor. I have no idea how the stars aligned but I can pretty much guarantee it will not happen again. For a moment we were all in heaven!

After dinner we were all hanging around in the kitchen and living room when I hear the LOUDEST commotion of all time. All I was thinking is "all of those sweet children, who I just got done doting on, are jumping on my clean, nicely made bed" Ugh. So just as any mother would do, I went to investigate.... camera in hand. What did I find? One toddler and TWO grown men playing pillow fight. Really? I had to get a few shots of the madness.. 1) because of the hilarious ratio of grown-ups to toddlers 2) because of the joy on all the faces. Sometimes madness is a good thing :)

My sweet mother-in-law picked up a cake from a wonderful bakery here in town. Her birthday is the day after mine so we usually just combo it up. She was about to pull the cake out of the box when she stopped to tell me the conversation she had with my father-in-law after she picked up the cake. A direct quote from the story is "I didn't realize Rick's could make an ugly cake." Which is hilarious! Rick's is famous for BEAUTIFUL cakes! I am not sure what the direction was but this is the result. I loved being able to get a giggle out of such a simple thing like a birthday cake. Thanks Mah!
There were also many more desserts ... I am not the biggest sweets person but I do love some cheesecake. Mmmmmmmmmm.

And as you can see the look of the cake didn't really slow down the eating of the cake. And what mom doesn't LOVE when their kid eats pink, purple and black icing!
The boys refused to show us their faces. Silly boys!
I love this picture. Meghan took it and it makes me grin every time I see it. This sums up how I feel about birthdays. It kind of sucks growing another year older but you know what? I love my life. I love the simple moments. I love the crazy moments. I love the times when I feel more love than a girl could ever ask for. Life isn't easy but I will take it.

Outfield+Sun+ Friends+Baseball= happy me!

There is nothing like an afternoon in the outfield at Baum Stadium. All you have to do if put on your Razorback gear, grab the kiddos and enjoy some sunshine and Hog baseball!
The boys decided to have a picnic but couldn't quite figure out the "rules" they had a grass covered blanket, a few Ziploc bags of snacks, a granola bar and one juice box...hence the confusion.
Fletch being silly, as usual!
The boys had a blast playing with the football helmet.
Goofy kids!
and then something happened.. Something most parents of little ones NEVER see. They sat! They sat down for a good 30 minutes and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Razorback baseball. Heaven. Pure Heaven.
Chaz has been able to call the Hogs for years now. It is perfectly normal for children around these parts to say "Wooooooo Pig" before they say "Cookie." Mine is no different. As soon as the crowd starts cheering, he is up on his feet with his hands in the air. That is my boy!
And then the peace was over. The snacks kicked in and the kids got their second wind.
The chaos of having 3 boys. They had a blast rolling down the hill, laughing and getting tons of grass all.over.them. Is it summer yet????

FINAL SCORE: Hogs 9 - Delaware State 2
GO HOGS!!!

All you need is love!

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I know, most people say "Ugh, it is such the Hallmark holiday. It is only there so retailers can make more money" And maybe they are right but not in my house.

You see, thirteen years ago when Ryan and I began dating we made a pact NOT to do anything for Valentine's day.. well nothing more than a card and maybe flowers. We began dating in January (so this was our anniversary before we got married) my birthday is 2 days after Valentine's day, my Mother-in-law's is the day after mine, add the debt of Christmas onto all of that and we just decided to nix it in the beginning. THIS is why I love Valentine's day. It isn't about presents in our family but a sweet reminder of how we should feel every day.

I love spending the day with sweet pictures like this one. Are you kidding me? Could this be any cuter???
The day is full of hearts and red.
I will say that as much as I heart this holiday (pun fully intended) I was off my game at the school party. I only got pictures of Chaz. I didn't get any of his sweet friends or teachers. I don't know what my gig was but after looking at the pictures I just didn't do the party justice...
I love this "should I eat my cupcake or smile for mommy" face
and in the end we had the classic white paper bag filled with cute little cards from each of his classmates and more candy that any 3 year-old needs.
When we got home Chaz had another surprise waiting for him. He was super excited to get his Valentine's gift from us.
He ran over to the rug in the living room and turned the bag upside down.
He got a couple Scooby Doo short movies, A Bug's Life (I have the majority of these kinds of movies but they are all on VHS.. I know, I know!) some stickers, a Phineas and Ferb cup, a Toy story mail box and a few cute Tshirts. He was super excited. He quickly snatched up his card to Ryan and proceeded to open it. I love the non-impressed look on his face. HA! "Uh, yeah. Here is your not-so-cool card dad"Chaz and his daddy got me multiple bouquets of flowers and put them all around the kitchen and the breakfast nook. I heart these boys!!
This pretty much sums it up for me. Happy Valentine's day everybody. Remember to celebrate this special day the other 364 days of the year!!

The big double 3.

So, I made it to 33. Wow, the big 3-3. I guess turning a year older really isn't that bad. I mean as they say, the alternative is worse, right? I wasn't going to do a blog about my birthday because it sounded a little narcissistic. However, I started thinking... I am rarely in pictures, you know everything about Chaz and a lot about Ryan but little about me. So, why not?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I came into this world many moons ago in west Texas. I heart this picture as my brother and cousin were forced to wear goofy Michael Jackson masks. You know those kids and their germs. And to think, my mom made fun of me for the amount of hand sanitizer I made people use when Chaz was born. Sure, I'm the crazy one!
When I look back at pictures I can't really tell if I had the biggest head ever made OR if it was just weird photography of the 70s. I'm gonna go with the latter.
I think this picture is hilarious for multiple reasons. 1) I am obviously doing something I shouldn't be doing 2) My parents now have this little chair at their house and my son does the same thing 3) are those tube socks or curtains? 4) the carpet, enough said.
This is one of my favorite pictures of all time. I was in Kindergarten and somehow my mom got me to wear this adorable frilly high-necked shirt and this cute purple corduroy dress. Good job, Mom! I was the kid that had the croup EVERY.YEAR! The majority of my birthday's were spent like this. Sick. Many times my mom would have to have the balloon order rerouted from the school to home. I spent my days on the couch (hence the awesome hair) in my sweats.
My parents were often gone on my birthday. This wonderful thing called "Year Beginning Meeting" at Walmart ALWAYS fell on my birthday. Although, I still give my parents grief for this (because that is what kids do, right?) I really made out better than most kids. I got a family party before they left, another on my birthday, another when they returned AND a GIANT invite-every-person-you-know-sleep-over-drive-your-parents-and-brother-nuts-party when they got back. Seriously, 20-25 girls sleeping over at my parents house. Thanks, Mom and Dad! This happened for about 5 years in a row (the numbers slimmed a little because of all the teenage bickering.) Can you say milking the fact that may parents were gone on my birthday? Yep, I was that kid. My friends looked forward to this party every year. It was THE party!
My 16th birthday! Love the fact that my Papa and his Keystone are in this picture. (I miss him) I also LOVE the wallpaper in the background. Nice.
My birthdays are more tame these days.. This was my big 3-0.Yes, we are at Chuck E Cheese for my 30th. For many, many years I said we would go to Vegas for my 30th. But I was blessed with this little bundle of joy the September before my birthday and I just couldn't take off to Vegas. Maybe one day.
I kinda like my birthday's now. I mean who wouldn't love blowing out candles with this little guy?I love these guys! Ryan and I have been together for 13 years so he has made many, many birthdays wonderful for me. And that little guy? Yeah, he has made the last 3 FANTASTIC!!So you know a little more about me but here is the list.. the random list of things about me.

1. I have lived in Northwest Arkansas for 27 years
2. My parents have lived in the same house since I was 5 years-old. Multiple remodels but still the same house
3. I have many, many nicknames. T, Thill, Tenene, Sasa, Pug, Pugsly, Tbomb, TSpoon. Some are obviously more original than others.
   
4. I used to HATE getting pedicures but now they are a little piece of heaven to me
5. Clean sheets are my other bit of heaven
6. I would love to own my own business
7. My first dog was named Tuffy.
   
8. When I was growing up we had a bird named "Bird"
9. We also owned two chinchillas..but my dog killed them. Ugh.
   
10. When I was in 7th grade we had a house fire 2 days before Christmas. I am still a freak about fire safety
11. If you were to ask me at 8 years-old what I wanted to be when I grew up I would say "Solid Gold Dancer" without skipping a beat.
    
12. I wanted to be a Marine Biologist in high school.
    
13. I work in advertising now. Hmmmm.
    
14. My name is on the wrong year of Senior walk at the UofA. (I wrote my thesis during the summer so my name is in a year after what my diploma says)
    
15. I have been at the same job for 9 years (different positions but same place)
16. I married my college sweetheart when I was 23.
    
17. I have a brown thumb. Seriously, I have killed a cactus.
18. I am not sure I remember my natural hair color
19. I have a terrible addiction to unsweetened tea and celebrity magazines
20. I wear my feelings on my shoulder
21. I am NOT tech savy but wish I was.
22. I have lived through a tornado.
23. I have almost drowned twice. Both times I was saved by my brother. Thanks, Shane!
24. I have been wearing contacts for 21 years. I have vowed to get Lasik in 2011
25. I love the beach but hate sand and salt water. I know, weird.
26. I prefer ice cold beer to a glass of wine or a martini any day
27. I am a terrible speller
28. I remember dates (anniversaries, birthdays, etc) like Rain Man
29. I grind my teeth when I sleep
30. I am a creature of habit. I could do my morning and evening routines with my eyes closed.
31. I travel the same route every time I go to Walmart
32. I am terrified of flying. My father has his own plane and I have never been in it. Another goal of 2011
    
33. I feel guilty for most things I do--good or bad.
34. I used to think texting was the dumbest thing ever. Now I love it - but not while driving!
35. I have a life list that I have never shared. Maybe in 2011.
    
    

There you go. That is me in a nutshell. Cheers to 33! Thanks for all the wonderful birthday wishes this year. Between Facebook, texts, emails and phone calls, I really feel special.