This Week's Project

Kendrick's birthday is Thursday. We won't be having a huge blow-out. We'll save that for when he is a bit older. For us a one year old party is about the cake, wrapping paper, boxes and tons of pictures of the birthday boy. So, Friday we will have 2 families over for a swim, hamburgers and cake.

I made Cavett's first and second cakes. (I feel terrible about not making his 3rd, due to having a 5 month old). So, I am in the process of making Kendrick's first cake. To get the theme going, I began with invitations, granted, I figured they were pretty pointless, but I wanted one for his baby book. The ones I found were on VistaPrint--FOR FREE!!!! All I had to pay was the shipping and to upload a picture on to it. Anyway, it had a cute elephant. So, I decided to go with the circus/elephant theme. Then I found a picture of this cake. Loved it and decided I had to try it.

I went to the cake store this week and talked to the lady there about putting one of these together and she showed me a few items that would help keep it all together. I used 2 box mixes. (Sorry, I don't do most cakes from scratch) I put them in an 8X8 and a 9X13. After baking for almost an hour, testing every 5 minutes or so, I pulled them out. SUCCESS so far. The cake came out perfect on the bottom. The top three layers I had to cut and they all came out fairly well for the most part. None of it stuck to the pan. I now have it stacked with straws for support, cardboard in between each layer and a dowel rod through the middle of the whole thing. I've also made the cookies that go along the edges. Tonight the icing of the cake!

New Cars

This afternoon we had a bit of time before Kendrick's friend, Teague's one year old birthday party. We decided to go look at cars. We just paid our last payment on our no intrest loan on the Expedition and with gas the way it is, we are looking for a car for me to drive that gets much better gas milage.

We started out at the Saturn dealership looking at the Aura. Both boys enjoyed playing around in the cars, but Cavett seemed to enjoy all the convertibles best.

Next we went to Volkswagon to see the 2009 Jetta TDI Diesel. This is the first car like it of its kind. I really liked this car alot and even got to test drive it alone-no kids, no husband, no salesman. How nice! The saleman claims this car can get upwards of 50 mpg. No kidding.

We aren't sold on buying a new car, but we can't get the Jetta used. Not sure if it's really worth it. Guess we have some number crunching to do and weigh the environmental aspects.

What do you do when it rains four days straight?

We played dress up. Cowboy was my favorite, but he insisted staying in the Pirate outfit.

Muhdoody!

This past weekend Disney's Robin Hood was played countless times on Cavett's DVD player. I'd say at least 4. (It's a fairly short one.) He has quickly picked up on several of the lines. He kept saying one of them over and over again, but we couldn't make it out and we had no idea he was quoting the movie.

"Jus doin' muhdoody" -The Sheriff of Nottingham
"One o'clock and all is welluhl"-Trigger, a vulture guard
"Nutsy"-is the other one of the prince's vulture guards

Also heard, but not recorded..."Thank you Mr. Robin Hood and come back on my birthday!" "It's Maid Marion. Momma says she's awful nice." He even says Maid Marion the way the bunny on the movie does--Maid Maweeon. "Coming. Coming." "Ooduh Lally!" And, something about taxes.

It's a cute movie and it's one of my favorites. It's not too heavy on the princess theme and has a cool guy at the center as well as some pretty laughable characters. Dust your copy off the shelf and have a laugh.

Click here to see the actual "Muhdoody" clip. It's at about 5:45. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XabEhX78OGc

Harmonica and Computers

I know, my titles are leaving much to be desired. At this point, I'm doing good to get anything posted right now. So, here goes.



Kendrick has discovered his brother's harmonica and has also figured out how to blow in and out. Cute.



Also, while we were gone this past week, our upstairs computer died.....again.....for the 4th, 5th, 6th, (I don't know how many!) time. We haven't had a new computer in 8 years. So, we gave in and headed to Fry's Electronics . That place is really amazing. There is so much gaditry there that it makes my head spin. I have no idea what the majority of their inventory is for, but they have a lot of it! Stephen was like a kid in a candy store and after about 20 minutes, he figured out what he needed. Once we got the kids to sleep, he began building. It blows my mind how he knows how to put it all together and make it work. This was the scene at about midnight last night. It will probably be finished tonight? Right now it's in pieces in our bedroom to keep the kids off of it. Again, I am so thankful that he is a computer nerd (his words) and knows how to do it and we don't have to pay for one put together or someone to do it for us.

Monday Matters

This evening after we said the blessing I looked up to a sweet sounding voice saying "Ah-Ah." Kendrick's hands were folded and he was trying to sing the blessing with us. Precious.

Second picture is just after dinner. My boys watching the Olympics. Men and their TV.

Our Dallas Excursion

As you know we headed to Dallas this past weekend. Much fun was had and it was good to reconnect with many friends. We stayed at my sister's-in-law's condo in the heart of Dallas. Prime location and just what we needed. Thanks Su-Su and Al!

Thursday afternoon Stephen met with a broker that talked his ear off and didn't give him much information. So, I was left with the kids at the condo until 7 while waiting for him to get back for dinner. Luckily, we were right across the street from Cole Park, so that gave us a diversion until he arrived. Dinner was with my college roommate, Renee and her husband, Chuck at Dream Cafe. Cavett had a blast as he got to play on their "playground" and write with chalk while we caught up.

After breakfast with Aunt KK at Cafe Brazil, Friday was spent driving around Dallas. To spare you the boring details, Stephen met with 3 brokers, went in one practice and drove by a couple of others. For the most part I was in the car with the kids watching movies and napping. Basically, we decided that Dallas would stay in our decision making if the right practice were to come available, but at this time, there is nothing there. That evening Aunt KK got us out of a babysitting bind until my brother's "almost-a-fiancee" was able to get out of class. We headed to Deep Ellum for sushi with our vacation friends, Joe and Kelli.

For some reason, my camera never got pulled out until Saturday. Oh well. Saturday was all about the college friends. We drove out to Flowermound, via North Richland Hills (for another practice), to see Trumon and Adrianne Davis (more college friends) and their kids. Walker is just a few months younger than Cavett and Lauren is a precious little 1 month old. The boys talked shop and the girls listened in while refereeing kids. I think the little ones enjoyed themselves, playing swords, sighting-scope and such. But it had just been a tough couple of days not at home and on our regular schedule. As a result, Cavett was a little cranky. On our way home, we stopped in Coppell to see Trumon's office. If you live anywhere near, this is the dentist to go see. Great guy and very nice office! (Trumon-you need to get a website for your office! This was all I could find :))

That night all the college friends met at Renee's and then went out. We ended up in the Knox/Henderson area in Uptown for yes, more sushi! Sitting around the table drinking sake and eating raw fish, we realized how funny the situation was. You see we are all from po-dunk little towns: Trumon-Tatum, TX, Adrianne-Grapeland, TX, Stephen-Grand Saline, TX, Renee-Many, LA. To them it seemed that I was from the thriving metropolis of Shreveport, LA. I don't think if you would have told us in middle/high school that we would be where we are now, that we would believe it. We celebrated the fact that the three of us met that weekend 16 years ago and that Adrianne and Stephen joined us 3 years later. It was good to catch up and laugh remembering all the funny times at Centenary.

On the way back to Houston, we stopped by Aunt KK and Uncle Austin's house to jump on the trampoline. Much fun. It was a loooong weekend, but we are glad we explored and we will see what the Lord gives us for opportunities. Whether we stay in Houston or move to Dallas, I'm just ready to have some place to call home for the next 20 years or so.