Say WHAT?

Say WHAT? is simply a list of random things heard around our house lately. Hopefully this will be a regular post. Only problem is I usually can't remember yesterday. Or sometimes I don't even know what I did earlier that morning. Or what my child's name is. "O'Ryan" becomes "Leah, Teton, I mean YOU, come here!" So IF I can retain some of the hilarious and/or weird things said in our family...then this will be a regular post. 

OKAY, enough about that! Here we go...

"An elephant just bite me in the neck! Help!" - O'Ryan

"Sniff. Sniff. Mommy it smells like dog poop. Whatcha cooking?"

"Buddy, come on." 

"I not buddy." 

"Yes you are. You're my buddy."

"No, I not buddy bucks! I O'Ryan!"

then later...

"Hey Dude." 

"No Mommy. I not dude. I O'Ryan." 

"It's just a nickname. Like sometimes I call you Boo."

"I not a Boo. Stop! I O'Ryan!"

"Where's Leah's belly button Mommy?"

"Um, I don't know. Lets look. Uh, there it is." (I was trying to humor him)

"No. That's her nipple!"

(??? What 2 year old knows about a dog's nipple?!)

"Mommy, gimme my iPod. I need to listen to music right now."

"Fine. I'll give you an entire large pack of tic-tacs if you just go poop!!"

"Daddy, you spiky."

"Teton, you're just a boooy!" (from Nemo) - O'Ryan

"Leah's my girly girly." - O'Ryan

"Ah! No! O'Ryan don't say that word you just said. That's not a nice word. Okay, obviously I need to buy the clean version of "Toes in The Water."

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On another note:

It's looking a bit like Fall around our house. Now if the weather would just cooperate. Seriously. It's just GROSS out. And it makes my migraines I've had this week worse. COME ON COOL FRONTS!

FAB 5

So last week was extra busy & extra special. One of my good friends had a BABY! She had a sweet little girl. So my first FAB 5 moment was definitely... 

* snuggling Julia just an hour(ish) after she was born!!!!

* going to Zumba and Body Combat at the gym - both are SO challenging but invigorating at the same time

* seeing my brother for the first time in 5 weeks! It brought tears to my eyes to see O'Ryan run up to his Ren Ren for a big hug.

* having lots of lazy, down time with my two boys this weekend - lots of football and relaxing

* leadership training at RPC was SO early (I didn't sleep well night before) but SO SO fun! 

Thursday's Tidbits

* O'Ryan finally didn't have a night terror last night!!! Thanks for all of you who are praying.

* My friend Rachel had the most perfect, beautiful little girl this week, baby Julia! It has made my week to hold her.

* Eric comes in town tomorrow from OU!!!!!! We will all go to FBBA's Homecoming tomorrow night.

* We may visit Dewberry Farms Sunday, if it's not too hot.

* The weather isn't in the 100s anymore, but it's still reallllly hot. Can't wait for that first cool front, even if it just is 80s weather.

* We pulled O out of 4 day preschool for several reasons. He just goes T/TH and it's working out really well.

* I'm now seeing my new dentist, a chiropractor, and masseuse weekly to keep trucking away at my TMJ issues. I have a hard time with this, but some days are better than others. I still have hope so that's what counts I guess.

* O'Ryan has been having absolutely HORRIBLE tantrums during the day. It's a bit stressful going anywhere lately. Tantrums in public are so difficult!

* Next week my church's women's bible study starts. I have leadership training this Saturday for it and am SO PUMPED. Having one day a week with women, just learning, chatting and laughing is AWESOME! And very refreshing.

Okay, that's it for now. Gotta take O to school then hit the gym for some super intense ZUMBA!!!!!

I love my son's eyes and eyelashes. He's so so handsome!!!!

Before & After: Blue Moose

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Impressive isn't? The before & after?

When I was still working (I worked for my mom & David and the family business), I remember the day David called me over to check out this Jackson Hole property that was for sale. It didn't look like much. The house was boxy, old, and the land was way over-grown. But David, as usual, saw beyond what everyone else saw. He saw potential and dreamed BIG!

That was the start of the biggest real estate project they've taken on yet. My mom headed it up and after two years of her blood, sweat and tears, arose the beautiful "Blue Moose Lodge." In Jackson Hole, like many vacation spots, people name their houses. My mom chose Blue Moose because at night the moose have a blue hue under the moon. Or at least in our heads they do, lol. I worked with my mom on a logo for the Lodge. I don't have a file of it on my computer, but will post that soon. 

So after lots of paper work, meetings and long-distance phone calls, construction began. Down came the 1970s home and my mom's vision began to take shape. She worked closely with an architect and contractor (and plenty others!) to design every nook and cranny of Blue Moose. All you see is straight from her! I'm still so proud!

Blue Moose was built to be a rental home. It's a 6 bedroom, 6.5 bath with great balconies and views of the Tetons and slopes. Visit their website to read more and see more gorgeous pictures.

Below are some photos of the construction phase.

Jarrod (our awesome contractor) often had visitors on the property. And sometimes had to run for their lives because the moose got too close!

This stair case was designed by my mom - AMAZING!!

All of the lighting fixtures, cabinetry, floors and stone are from local shops. Definitely adds a unique touch to the house.

This is half of the game room. This area also includes a shuffle board table!!! My favorite.

Here are photos from our January trip to JH with my mom. We hung out at the new house a lot and played with Baily, Jerrod's chocolate lab :)

You Know You're A Mom When

You hit up Walmart after dinner on your dates.

My 20 year old self would be so disappointed.

Blue & Pink

I captured some photos while we had SOME PINK in our house the other day!

No captions necessary...their expressions say it all.

Mom Survival Tips For...

Survival Tips For A Seriously Long, HOT, Stressful Day

1. Head straight for your Keurig the moment you wake up and grab the biggest coffee cup you have.

2. Take two Excedrin. Because if you don't already have a headache, hold tight, it's coming.

3. Turn all the fans in the house on because even though it's only 8:15am...IT. IS. MISERABLY. HOT.

4. Post on FB a pity status stating how tired, unmotivated and cranky you are already simply to get a few supportive comments.

5. Turn that TV on!!!!! Then cross your fingers, toes and pray it keeps your little one(s) sitting still and alive while you shower. 

6. Set up a play date with good, close girl friends who will listen to you vent about life and don't care about your baggy, dark circles and flat hair.

7. DEFINITELY grab a second, very large cup of joe while you're out. Preferably a flavored frap. Yum.

8. Have GREAT convos about your kids, your men, your problems, your absolutely ridiculous lack of sleep & more with your girl friends. 

9. Pack lots of snacks for your interrupting, tantrum-throwing kid so you can keep having mom-to-mom convos.

10. Call your husband on the way home crying (with toddler crying in the back seat) saying how you're sorry you're crying but your son is crying and everyone and everything wants to make you cry right now. 

11. Plot out and scheme in ANY WAY POSSIBLE how to make your toddler nap. First remind your kid, the longer the nap the happier we'll all be. Trust me.

12. Step over the un-folded laundry and knocked-over sippy cups and head straight for your bedroom. Close the door. Shut the blinds. Turn off the lights. (Keep fan on). And grab that book! Or iPad. Or Bible. Whichever you're in the mood for. 

13. Pop two more Excedrin and down several glasses of water. Look, it's only 12pm. You've got a loooong way to go.

14. Eat a plate full of cheese puffs. Hmm hm.

15. Cry some more because of mom guilt from yelling like a mad women at your screaming son earlier. Just get it out. It helps and gives your face a nice, red glow.

16. Head to Hobby Lobby after nap time for a quick retail therapy trip :)

17. Crank up Zac Brown in the car and sing in your pretend hand microphone with your toddler. 

18. Text your husband that he is in charge of dinner tonight. Burgers please!

19. Bust open that awesome $10 bottle of wine from HEB and FILL UP YOUR GLASS.

*optional: repeat as often as needed

20. Pray long and hard with your son as you put him to bed that Mommy has a better day tomorrow and can go 24 hours without acting like an insane person.

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If you're wondering, NO, this post is not about me and did not describe my day. Ha! I'm a perfect mom and would never have a day like that.

Okay, I lied. That was all me. I'm crazy. 

Actually, WE ARE crazy.

So Last Week...

Really started just like any other normal week.

We stopped in at the office to see everyone.

Made sure they were all working hard.

Had dinner at my parent's house (and O did some duck calls?).

Had a photoshoot with the dog.

Enjoyed the nice, cool grass until I stepped in a massive pile of crap!

But then the week turned out not so normal.

The reality and danger of the spreading Texas wildfires became more real as the winds blew a haze over Sugar Land.

Local fire stations sprang into action to help!

There's my mom. We volunteered for a bit and tried to load as many trailers as we could so they could head straight to Bastrop.

We were AMAZED how many people pulled up to drop things off (with a smile of their face)! Americans are pretty good at that - 

showing up when times are tough and people are suffering.

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I was again reminded of the time Americans showed up for others and united the most ever in my lifetime when the 10th anniversary of 9/11 passed yesterday. We watched the news coverage on the 9/11 ceremonies. I felt the need to grieve and pray right along side of the victims' family members. 

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Of course back at home things seemed pretty normal again. Lots of football was watched and quite a few needed naps were taken (by all of us).

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In our own bubble things are often okay and comfortable. By choosing to step out of that bubble allows us to be challenged, which in turn will prompt CHANGE in ourselves! I have to remind myself to step outside of my world and into others that may not be so great. Every time I do that I return home more grounded, more grateful and SO much more closer to God. 

From normal to chaotic to saddening...that was our week!