Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Texas Heaven

Jeff and I had a very rare opportunity to getaway for about 24 hours this past weekend.

sunset at the ranch - there is nothing better
His baby brother turned 40 and we had an impromptu family gathering at our sister-in-law's family ranch. 
6 carrs + 1 mule + middle of the night hog hunt = laughter for days
My sweet sister-in-law gave our Chrissy a replica Alvin Yellowjackets jersey that was customized with his name and number.
did you know we have a high school football star in the fam?
We spent a fair amount of time sitting in these chairs solving the world's problems.
worryin is like rockin in a rockin chair...
gives ya somethin to do, but gets ya nowhere.
We enjoyed riding around the ranch and hanging with the locals.
mom, i'm hungry
We had some nice quiet time.
thankful for the rain
I enjoyed spending alone time with this guy.  I am so in love it him.
we need one of these to ride around in the neighborhood
Sister-in-law's mom is an amazing artist.  This painting is giant and I love it.  Someday, I will own it. (or at least a copy)
four in the front, sbw bringing up the rear
Even washing the dishes seems easier when you are on the ranch.
kitchen window view
Sister-in-law's family is so kind to share this with us.  To allow us to see and feel a little small piece of their Texas heaven.
where things slow down
And the family, well...it was simply the very best family visit with absolutely no weird family stress.  It was so nice to have a small amount of time for the adults to connect.  Grown-up talk.  Imagine that.  Just to be together and enjoy each other.  It was good.  So so good.
strong enough to bend

And I gotta say, I am so thankful for my three friends that let the kids hang at the last minute.  Mostly especially that three doors down gal that had the three youngest kids, including the crazy broken legged three year old.  She is my hero and I owe her a million trillon times over.

monkeys kept in cage for 24 hours

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Kerbey Out

Our family doesn't go out to eat very often.  (not to be confused with driving thru)

opened in 1986
When we do eat out, we have a few restaurant that we always go to that are located right here in the hood.
gone are the days of coloring the kid's menu
We often find ourselves at Kerbey Lane Cafe with big fat bowl of Kerbey queso sitting on the table.
dear kerbey, bigger bowl of queso please
 We were all sad to hear that our Kerbey would be closing.
please don't get rid of your jumbo booths
We were glad to hear that it would be opening in a new larger location just down the street.
and we trust you will relocate the fish

 So we made our final family trip to our beloved Kerbey South.

crazy carr kids

I hope the new Kerbey isn't going all fancypants on us.  We feel right at home at the old location with it's 12 layers of paint on the walls and weird ladies room. Even if it is a little nicer, we will still eat there because the food is yum, the staff is kind and there is always an eclectic mix of folks that makes for an awesome free show of the human race.


And if you are like me, you probably think it is just plain WEIRD to drive down South Lamar and not see this sign glowing.
 
dark
Wonder how many late night partiers will be dazed and confused when they pull up for their 2am meal after a fun night on the town?



Wednesday, January 25, 2012

To Text or Not To Text

It's 9 o'clock...
...do you know who your kids are texting?



This text exchange is between me and a kid I've never met.
I received the text out of the blue.
I replied because I thought it must be a friend playing a joke.

Turns out, it is one of Ella's classmates.
He got my number from the school directory.
He thought he was texting Ella.
I have never met this kid.
He doesn't know me from Adam.
Ella didn't know who it was and did not have the number in her phone.  (i checked)
I was also texting my girlfriends (including three police officers) to make sure I was handling this the right way.
When I asked him if he knew where I lived, he gave me the address to his house.
TO HIS HOUSE!!!!!

To be honest, the first message I received kind of cracked me up.
I even texted my girlfriends to help me come up with witty replies.
Then it kind of spooked me.
What if it was real?
What if he really did hang some guts from the ceiling?!?!?!

And the first message about the guts and body were intended for Ella.
Would she have laughed and replied - even though it came from a stranger?
Or would she have been worried?
Did this kid think he was gonna make her like him with that weird message?
Ugh.

I am sometimes very afraid of this texting business.
I really enjoy texting and do it a lot.
I am not always sure it is the right thing for our kids.
And we still let them do it.

Are we the only parents that give their kids texting rules?
I read what they write.
I know how to tell if they have deleted messages.
If they were to ever have this type of conversation with an adult, I would just die.

I guess the best we can do is make sure our own kids understand OUR texting rules.
And that we diligently enforce them.

I am not sure what my next step will be.
One of my girlfriends suggested that I contact the school principal or counselor.  I also thought about calling his mom.
But the truth is, I just don't think it bothers other people as much as it bothers me.
Ya know, the fact that the 13 year old boy was texting with a 41 year old woman that he has never met.
Gross.
Ewwww.
NOT SAFE!!!!

I just don't even know what to say.
It must be hard to be a teenager with all of this technology at the fingertips.
We've just got to do our best to steer them in the right direction and keep them safe - and allow them to make their own mistakes.
But NO texting with strangers.
PERIOD.

And I can say all of this because you know I am SO perfect.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

About Legs and Guts

Wyatt hurt his leg playing outside.

first x-rays can be kinda scary
He walked around on it for 5 days and only fussed about it when he was tired or still.
my leg hurts, mom

On the 6th day, went to 3 doctors and we both felt tired and scared.
two best buddies and a gun just in case
We went to an orthopaedic doctor.
green is my favorite color
Then I trusted my gut and on the advice of our pediatrician, we went for a second opinion.
best kid bone doctors in town
Turns out that it was the smartest thing I've done in a long time.
taking care of baby steve - serious brownie points

I am thankful that we have a thorough, smart, and loving pediatrician.
I am thankful that I stuck with my gut.
I am thankful that we have the best pediatric orthopaedic.
I am thankful our kid is going to be okay.

best buddies watchin the 'copters

Wyatt has an osteochondroma.
He is is going to be okay.
It might be a long, painful road.
But I know that we can make it.

P.S.  This post started off with loads of words and tons of negativity.  After days of 'sleeping on it', I've decided the best way to go is to share the positive.  As a mom, it is my job to take care of my kid.  And sometimes that means I've got to trust my gut.  I am thankful for a pediatrician that supported me and was willing to answer the phone and listen every time I called in tears.  They got us to the right place, and I feel so much better now.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

the way i see things




Sometimes it seems like I am over stimulated by the things that I see.
I am constantly turning around to go and take a picture. 
can you spot the armadillo?
Before I had a reliable cell phone camera, I would drive around with our regular camera always at the ready.

Sometimes I take pictures of things that I see everyday and love.  Like this really awesome cactus in the neighborhood.
in real life, it looks like a cactus ball.
Sometimes I take pictures of things that make me laugh.  Mostly especially if it is inappropriate junior high humor.
use caution
I love billboards and marquees.  There seem to be lots of them in our area.
thank you MLK.
And I take a lot of pictures of things that I can see that don't turn out too great on camera.  Like the way it looks like Homer is walking Canela in this picture.
homie and canela
And you know I had to take a picture of this beer bus to send to Thomas.  Oh except for the fact that he doesn't get pictures on his phone.  Phooey.


follow that beer bus.





I am wondering if it makes me like a crazy cat lady that I have multiple pictures of Homer?  Hmmmm....
homie talkin to us
And the traffic.  Oh the traffic.  I rarely have an opportunity to drive on MOPAC during rush hour.  And man-o-man, it is a parking lot.
thankful i don't do this everyday

I am so thankful we live by water.  Something about it makes me love our city even more. 
in the middle of the city and yet it seems so far away

Sitting in the tax office and getting a kick out of these signs that say 'please be courteous to others and take conversations outside.' Most especially since the tan shirt guy in the top right of the picture is talking very loudly to someone on the phone.  It kills me that I don't speak Spanish - sure would have liked to know what he was saying.
no habla espanol.  :(

And this is me.  After I dumped a tray of 2 reds, 2 whites and 3 champagnes on myself at the UT Chancelor's house.  Good thing I still have a job.  And for the record, everyone saw the lady bump into me.
smelled like a wino.
This was the beautiful view from one of our living room windows yesterday.  Looked like it might snow - even though it was in the 60s.  I love spring.  I love summer.  And even though I don't love the winter, this view was very welcome yesterday.
be still and quiet
So that's some of what I've got on my phone.  I always say I am gonna take less pictures of silly things - but why?  I kinda like the way I see things.  Even if it does mean that I am always driving in circles to get the picture.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

About Home

Whenever we go to visit our families, I say we are going home.

Even though home is here with our kids which is three and a half hours away from home.
Even though home is when all of our friends from home are in our home and the house is full.
Even though home is being at Garner State Park or Pensacola Beach with Jeff and the kids.
Even though home can be a simple ride in the car to the Sonic with my best girls.

Home.


Home has many meanings to me.


I love our home.
I love the feeling of home that comes when we are with our lifelong friends.
I love going home.


Yesterday, we went to a funeral for Mr. Manning, one of the grown-ups from home.
It was sad.
It was beautiful.
It was an excellent remembrance of a life well lived.

I have very fond memories of being a little girl and spending time with the Manning family.
In my child-like memories, they were the closest I'd ever get to meeting movie stars - even though they were regular people. (but I guess that is another blog post)

One of the greatest things about home (besides that my momma is there) are the friends that will always be part of our life.
I was full of pride while sitting in that funeral parlor with two rows of men sitting together in support our friends from home.

Home filled two pews and it felt so good.




I love home.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Out There

Here it is, January 3rd and I've decided to put my goals in writing.  Some folks believe that if you write it down and let other people see it, then you'll be more likely to follow through.  I have no idea if that works, because I have never done it.  But I guess it doesn't hurt to try, right?
So here goes...

1.  Eat dinner at the table with my family 5 days a week.
2.  Cook dinner for my family 5 days a week.
3.  Walk at least 30 minutes 5 days a week.
4.  Call my momma every single day.
5.  Finish the things I start.
6.  Give, give, give  (of heart, of stuff and to community)
7.  See Heather at least 5 times - including visiting her house.
8.  Spend face time with Christy and Amy monthly.  (and HB starting in July)
9.  Monthly date night with my husband.
10.  Eat lunch with Amanda once per month.
11.  Live honestly.
12.  Family first.  (should have been 1st on list but too lazy to change the numbers.)  ha.
13.  Spend time with people that lift me up and try to move away from the ones that tear me down.
14.  Do my best to let Manvel Girls and Driveway Club know what they mean to me on a regular basis.
15.  Ditch the coke.  (or not)
16.  Hug each person in our house on a daily basis.
17.  Be a better friend.
18.  Donate blood, meals on wheels, neighborhood watch
19.  Ride my bike.
20.  Dance (instead of watching)
21.  Blog.
22.  Smile more and worry less.
23.  Score 500 on Fruit Ninja.
24.  Fold my husband's socks.
25.  Make more of an effort regarding my outward appearance as an example for our kids.  (read regular haircuts, regular showers and not so many tshirts!)
26.  Less Facebook more face time.
27.  Do better with the Facebook happy birthday's.  (ha-does that go against 26?)
28.  Don't set myself up for failure.  (list of 28 resolutions.  geez?!?!)