Happy Easter

Enjoy!

All the little cousins loved spending time in front of the camera with Blair (Darrell) with directing by Rob! They even did a real easter egg hunt for the kids after the video shoot. We love being a part of your work Rob!

The World According to Martha

My mom (Martha) is a wonderful woman. She is a great Mom. A fantastic grandmother. A loyal friend.

She adores her family. She is the matriarch. She is the best hostess I know. She can make a house feel and look like a home.

However, she has a very unique and interesting way of viewing life. She has a lot of beliefs that shape her life--and others. I am not talking philosophy or religion. Just Martha-isms.

Here are a few:

• If something is missing from her house (a tube of lipstick or a drill bit), Missy took it. Actually, my dad is in on this one as well. I am not sure when exactly this happened, but somehow they both immediately accuse me of taking all lost items.

• If Missy or any of her children or even a stranger at the nail salon has a cold, Martha starts to feel a scratchy throat and sniffly nose. If Missy has the swine flu, Martha starts feeling feverish and achy all over. If Missy has morning sickness and constant nausea, Martha. . . you get the point.

• All the problems in the world --or at least in my house, would be solved if I would just have dinner prepared by 6:30. That is A.M.!! Seriously, she says this one about 3 times a month to me. She only had dinner ready that early like 3 times EVER!

• A baked potato can cure all. Upset tummy? Scratchy throat? Pink eye? You need a potato or potato soup. If that doesn't work, try a LifeSaver candy (the other cure-all).

• If anyone calls on call-waiting while I am talking to her, she immediately and abruptly ends our conversation to click over to talk with the other person--no matter who it is. A phone solicitation from the Republican Party? Good bye Missy.

• She has a sixth sense. She can tell at all times what temperature my baby is. He is either way too hot or freezing cold. Never just right. (this goes for all babies--not just mine!)

• She is convinced that all my fashion wants and needs can be satisfied at ColdWater Creek. Enough said.

• In reference to a woman being high maintenance or low maintenance: "Why would anyone ever want to be low maintenance?" There you go.

The truth is that these little quirks about Mom make her so much more interesting and fun. She would do anything for me and she adores my children (and all of her many grandchildren).

I Love you Mom!

Why I Wear Mom Jeans.

It's true. I wear mom jeans. I not only wear them, I like mom jeans. Here is why.

First, there is the obvious answer. I am a mom. I wear jeans. Therefore, by default--I wear mom jeans.

But that's not really what we are talking about here, is it?

The SNL sketch about mom jeans is hysterical.

I hope my mom jean's aren't really that bad. But they might be close. And you know what, I don't really care.

The cool lower rise jeans just don't work for me. (Thank goodness that the ultra low rise jean is finally going out of style. Someone might want to find the young girl I saw at the carwash and tell her that her jeans with the 3 inch rise that reveal far too much of her back side are so 2008.)

Those jeans tend to hit me at the widest part of my hip. Not pretty. And since having a fourth child (did I mention he weighed almost ten pounds? I am milking that for all it's worth!), I am not only wide but also 'deep.'

That should be a song.

So this horrible deep and wide combo equals needing a jean at a larger size than I want, that forces all excess skin to the top of the jean. Then it spills over--causing what is commonly referred to as the muffin top. Or love handles. Or the dunlap--my baby fat has done lapped over my jeans. Do I need to say it? Not pretty.

So until I get a little less wide and less deep--I'll go for the mom jean.

I found a cheap pair at Kohl's. My go-to store. It has a higher rise. I feel nice and tucked in. Not like a puddle of pudding on top of my jeans. I don't worry about my shirts clinging to my not-so-in-love with my love handles.

I sacrifice style over function almost every time.

If I tuck in an oversized button up shirt paired with a quilted vest and a concho belt into those jeans, then someone call for an intervention. Because that's just not right.

But if I pair my high rise jeans with a fun top (not tucked in of course) and cute shoes with some pop of color--then call me stylish.

Make it a great day!

Catch up post

I haven't been able to blog in a while.

Who came up with the word "blog" for what this is? It is a noun, a verb and sometimes an adjective. Random.

Here are some pics of what has been going on.

Our community group at church did a shoe drive! We collected shoes from friends, classmates and neighbors to give to Brother Bill's Helping Hands. These shoes are going to kids in the West Dallas area that need them! We collected over 250 pairs of shoes. Thank you to everyone who donated their shoes! Here are our shy kids.

I might have mentioned that Hank doesn't have many (any) friends. Well, evidently I lied. Look at all these friends! They clearly adore each other--can't you tell?

Actually, this play date at our house was such a treat for me! All those mommies are former Young Life kids of mine! Now we are having babies together. Wow! I have known Annie, Lindsay and Tori since they were in 8th grade and I began leading their YL group. Well, I officially met Annie when she was a lot younger. I was 16 years old and babysat for her and her brother and sister. I drove my Nissan Pulsar to her house and most likely wore some acid washed jeans and a Forenza shirt with shoulder pads and keds. Not that anyone asked what I wore or drove.

I can't tell you what a treat it is for me to still know these girls. To watch them grow up and now become mommies. What fabulous mothers they are and will be!

Hank (born in October), Tanner (November), Brittain (December), and Will (September)

This is my niece Catie. She is a SENIOR this year!!! Can you believe it? She is going to A&M in the fall. She is such a wonderful girl. She is kind, mature, funny and we are so proud of her. We love Catie!

More later.