Texas

When we saw that the TCU Horned Frogs were scheduled to play LSU in Cowboys stadium for the season opener on Labor Day weekend, we all decided we had to go to it!

Eddie sister Carrie flew in from DC, and his sister and her husband flew in from LA-- and we flew in from NC!

Needless to say, we were all super excited for the trip.  I created a little count down to help us remember how many sleeps were left until we got to see everyone:

After the pool party Tuesday night, I worked like crazy getting everything packed and ready:

The boys are getting to be good little travelers.  We have a system down now-- get to our gate, daddy gets a bagel from Bruegers for everyone and we eat before we board the plane...

Andy did fairly well traveling this time-- thank you, iPad! About half way through the flight, he decided he wanted to sit with Daddy, who was thankfully sitting right behind us.  Cal, you seriously do not talk to until it's time to put away the iPads.  He could go on a 16 hour flight I think, and be totally content.

For whatever reason, our flight was 50 minutes early-- seriously!!! We couldn't believe it either! We took off a few minutes early and then made good time...or whatever.  When we landed, the gate wasn't ready for us, so the boys snuggled for a bit-- they LOVE to snuggle on each other!

I took more pictures with my good camera, but I haven't downloaded those yet-- that will be a later post, I guess!

We went to the park on our first full day there-- the boys had a blast playing! It was HOT though!

Tricia and Tommy got in that afternoon and the boys were super excited to see them.  Tricia is the only one who will get into Moose's crate with them!

That afternoon, Patty took the boys and Tricia to TCU's practice.  The boys loved running on the field like the big kids.

That night, Eddie took Tommy to the Cowboys game-- we teased them that they had to send us a selfie...so they did....hahahahaha

Speaking of Tommy, he is seriously the best uncle.  He is SO sweet to the boys. I looked in the family room and he was reading a book to Andy while Cal was tackling him from behind-- and he didn't miss a page- haha!

The next morning, we all headed to the train... we do this every time we go to Fort Worth and I love it every time we do! It is a long ride-- close to 45 minutes, but there is a little stop with pop corn (and a DC for momma) and it is just a fun little ride!

We typically did something outside every morning and then got in their pool until lunch and naps and then ate dinner.  Having a pool in the back yard was awesome and the boys loved swimming.  Andy, shockingly, was fearless with the pool.  He would jump in, fully submerge himself and then start doing something that appeared to be synchronized swimming.   It was hilarious...

We went to Uncle Julios for dinner one night, which was a lot of fun.  Andy was being a character in the parking lot after dinner...

Cal found Mimi's glasses and wore them around... "I can't see anything, Mimi!"

Before we knew it, it was GAME TIME! We left while Andy was sleeping-- the same sitter we used for the wedding came again for him and Cal got to go to the game.  It was an 8:00 kick, Texas time, so 9:00 at home-- wayyyy late....

The first game day pic of 2013

Heading to the stadium to get on the bus!

Cowboys stadium

"but, CB, where are the frogs??"

Since LSU is purple too, there was a WHOLE lot of purple in that place!

Cal made it until the middle of the 4th quarter and this his little eyes just couldn't stay open any more.  He crashed on my shoulder and didn't wake up until the next morning!

The game was awesome and TCU really put up a great fight.  We were excited to be there and we all lost our voices at the game.

The next morning it was my birthday! Eddie bought me some coors light-- haha, classy!

The boys were ready to help me blow out some candles!

We headed home the next morning.  These boys about melted my heart walking through the airport together!

It was a great trip and we had a blast!

 

start of birthday fun

My birthday is September 1st and I was lucky enough to get to celebrate it a few times this year! After the Monday spent at the doctor with Andy and the eye doctor for me, my mom and I went shopping!

One of my new favorite blogs is Pinterest Told Me To. She is best friends with Shay, who is Sean the Bachelor's sister (and who has the blog Mix and Match Mama, another favorite of mine).  Are you following all of this? Well, Shaeffer, from the first blog, does all of these shopping posts and she does the "must have" items.  Well, I loved a bunch of the things she posted and they were all from Nordstrom! So, for my birthday, I really wanted to just go shopping in Nordstrom with my mom! ha!

We had SO SO SO much fun! I got some really fun new things and just enjoyed being with my mom (with my womp eye and all). 

We tried on the must have jeans--- which, I admit, we both loved,

 and the must have shirt-- which, I admit, we both got....HA!

After shopping, we sat outside and had dinner and a glass (or two!) of champagne.   It was the perfect night! I adore my mom (duh) and we both feel so lucky to have the relationship we do. 

The next day, some of our friends from the pool were doing a little pool party for me and one other mom whose birthday is a few days before mine.  The kids were all so cute and excited.  It was really fun!

But first, I had to wake up this sleeping beauty...

(I have no idea when he will be ready for a big boy bed.  Cal was in his by this point...Andy just LOVES his crib.  He sleeps well in there and I am in NO rush to get him out of there! I can't believe he hasn't tried to climb out yet...knocking on wood now...)

There was a cake for us too.... it was SO sweet of them!

Some of the kids gathering around the cake...

We were leaving the next morning for our trip to Texas and I wasn't packed..... but the mojito I had while celebrating at the pool totally helped calm my packing woes!

 

A fun (and busy) little weekend

A few weeks ago (I am SO behind in blogging....!), we had an action packed and fun weekend...

Cal was just getting over his funk, and unfortunately, I was picking it up.  Blah! It was a nasty virus that spread to us all-- Eddie got a cold from it, Andy got the cold and runny eyes, and I got pink eye.  Yes, PINK EYE.  Ugh.

But, despite all of that... it was a fun weekend!

Saturday:

CalBoy had his last teeball game of the season.  All in all, he loved it! It was HOT most of the games, but the last game was the most perfect weather! We all enjoyed this last game...

Andy started acting a little bit like he wasn't feeling great at the game.  We chalked it up to just being tired...

After teeball, we tok advantage of the amazing weather and headed to the pool for the rest of the morning! Andy played with Charlie, his buddy. 

See the enlarged belly above? Well, Andy was having a little trouble...umm...going to the bathroom and was not feeling great.  He ended up walking around the pool grabbing his bum and screaming "I want to pooooopoooooo!" It wasn't real pleasant.  So we headed home, gave him some dulcolax and put him down for his nap.  He woke up with a fever and still hadn't pooped.  He was grabbing his tummy and his bottom and was clearly in pain.  Eddie went and got a suppository for Andy, which worked wonders, by the way....and worked wonders ON the potty-- not in a diaper! yaaahooooo!

Sunday, we woke up and my eye was really not pretty.  It was red and uncomfortable, but I just assumed I got some shampoo in it, or some sunscreen.  We went to the pool for the morning and then that afternoon, Cal had a birthday party.  Andy and Eddie stayed home so we could go. 

This little boy is Cal's friend from the gym- he was SO surprised and excited to see him at this party! He is in the same class as the birthday boy. Cal couldn't believe it!

The bunch all lined up waiting to hit the pinata...

Cal taking a swing...

Monday morning, we woke up and I could barely open my eye.   Andy's eyes were runny, but not red, but his fever was still constant.  We were leaving for Texas on Wednesday and I knew if we were to get on medicine, we needed to get on it ASAP.  I did not want to take fever babies on an airplane.  SO, I called the pediatrician and we were able to get in.  Our sweet doctor took a look at my eye and told me to call my eye doctor.  

We headed home and everyone was all smiles in the back seat.  I headed to the eye doctor to confirm that my pink eye was, in fact, pink eye.  ugh.  He gave me some steroid eye drops and sent me on my way!

And, I have to end this post with one of my favorite pictures.... is there anything cuter than a tan line booty?

 

Swim Team

A while back, we were at the pool and a few kids gathered with the swim team coach for a "mock swim team" practice.  Basically, he was just working with some of the kids in the "after season" to keep their skills sharp.  I asked Cal if he wanted to do it and he said he did!

Prior to this, Cal had swum (swam?) the length of the pool once....but he was all about doing this! Jesse, the coach, was SO sweet to Cal and Cal was quick to try to impress Jesse. 

The first practice he did, I think they swam 12 laps.  Cal was DEAD when it was over-- and it's only 30 minutes.  They swam down to warm up and then they worked on different strokes with the kickboard and they finish the practice by working on jumping/diving off of the swim blocks. 

Cal LOVED it! He felt like such a big kid getting to do this. 

Unfortunately, he came down with his funk the day after his first practice.  I am trying to tell myself it wasn't because of him swimming in the cold water....  : /

He has gone back a few other times and loved it each time.  I love his love of swimming! Jesse made him promise to be on the swim team next year....I can't wait! I grew up on the swim team at CHCC so it will be really amazing to get to watch my son do it too!

Andy wants to participate too-- we will see if Andy is ready for swim team next summer too!

 

I'm about to blow up this blog

I am SO over due with blog posts... here they come.... a whole lotta blog posts coming up!


 

sick week

Last Friday, Cal woke up with a fever and didn't really kick it until about Tuesday.  Unfortunately, Andy woke up yesterday from his nap with a fever...praying this is super short-lived.  It was inevitable that Andy would get it since they were together constantly.

I still managed to take an unheard of amount of pictures...

Andy wanted in on the snuggle time. 

In an effort to contain the illness to one kid, we did separate baths-- Andy loved having the whole tub to himself!

Without his playmate to keep him entertained, there was a lot of iPad time happening at our house since we couldn't go anywhere to PLAY! I am going to do a post on favorite iPad apps-- we have discovered some awesome ones that are actually super educational!

More iPad time for Andy! Hank was willing to play...

Andy needed to rest on Hank for a bit...

At one point of this sickness running its course, Cal's fever was 103.4...and the only thing that would touch bringing it down was a tepid bath.  He was so pitiful and SO hot, so I told him he could take a bath in the big tub, which cheered him right up! 

One day Toy Story was on TV...all three boys watched some of it together.  Love this!

Cal was really only content when his momma was holding him-- not easy to do when there's another kiddo needing me too....but I love the snuggles. 

This kid was in a good mood for the most part though!

On this day- he wanted the attention Cal was getting so he asked me to help him get "cozy on the couch" just like his brother:

Towards the end of this funk, advil was keeping the fever down and spirits were lifting!

Andy also mastered TCU Frog Fingers this week-- and he was SO excited! The level of concentration that was taking place for this picture was pretty much tangible.  He was grunting and mumbling as he was doing it.  ha! The season can now begin!

And, I can't leave out my 3rd son, Hank.  He was ON TOP of me the entire week.  Not sure if he was upset over Cal being sick or what, but this kid pup was attached to his momma!

He's pretty cute though, so I can't complain!

Here's hoping Andy's fever is SHORT-LIVED and that he stays happy.  We are flying to Texas on Wednesday and I do not want a sick baby on the airplane (or in Texas!).