Summer is officially here...

Oh how I love summer! BUT....this summer is consisting of juggling 3 kids. Yep all 3 at home. Lets just say the constant screams of Raegan has begun because Ty is bored and all he can find to do is torment his sister. The constant question of "can we go to the pool?" has started. And our first official summer visit to Courtney's house has come and gone. I have to say folks...its summer.

We already have a completely full calendar for EVERY weekend in June.  We have such big plans but the pocket book is not as deep as it is going to require. 

Did I just say pocketbook?

What am I 800?

Well If I was a "fit" mother I would have started it off with a full menu planned and a kitchen stocked full with grocery's...but we were gone for the Memorial day weekend so I'm just getting started on the planning part! ha!

I refuse to take all the kiddos to the grocery store (I learned my lesson last time with just 2) So my summers are going to be filled with late night trips to the grocery store! I'm not that brave.

So here goes....

summer.

Its gone...

I was ever so saddened this morning when I read an article reporting on Willie Nelson....HE CUT HIS HAIR OFF!! If you know me very well then you know my love for Willie Nelson. He hung the moon as far as I'm concerned. I know this sound cheesy and slightly obsessive but I will explain later.

Its horrible.

• The sound of his voice alone will drive me to tears. Seriously.
• I know most every song he ever recorded
• I collect Willie Nelson concert t-shirts and intend to make a quilt out of them someday.
• I have been to over a dozen of his concerts.
• He makes my heart melt at the sound of his distinctive guitar.
• And I loved (until today) his red pigtails.

The reason I feel so strongly about a man whom I will probably never meet, never carry on a conversation, or never get to know personally is this:

As a child growing up we went on family vacations a lot. And on those vacations we would listen to music while on the road.  My dad had a tape case with music that we only listened to on road trips. The music library (mind you this was in the 80s and early 90s) was Dolly Parton, Jim Croce, Johnny cash, and Willie Nelson to name a few. I was raised on this music with a little Jerry Clower mixed in.  When I was 16 the opportunity arose to go see Willie in concert. My dad and I went to a bar, an actual bar where you have to be at least 18 to get in, and some how he got me past the door man and into Lonsome Dove.  That night is forever etched into my mind as one of my favorite times with my dad.  We had so much fun and at the end of Willie's set I was able to be down by the stage and he touched my hand.  I was thrilled....My love for Willie began.

Willie Nelson and my dad is something that goes hand in hand. I have always been a daddy's girl and Willie is something that deeply reminds me of good times with dad. He also somewhat resembles him too.  Dad has a "worn" look about him...deep creases on his face show years of hard work....as does Willie. Only I think his worn look is due to years of honky tonks and booze, which my dad has seen his fare share of.  I think that is why I get sooo emotional when I hear Willie's music.  I deeply love my dad and Willie Nelson brings up those feelings that I have for him through his music.

Tuesday Ten

I found a blog that posts ten questions every Tuesday and I thought I would participate!



1. What is your favorite piece of furniture in your house?Our bed. It is HUGE!I It is king size and Matt still gripes about how much money we spent on it (mattress' and all) but I know he loves it too....and it was worth EVERY penny cause the whole family can fit (comfortably) in it!

2. If it was raining so hard on a Saturday that you couldn’t leave your house, what would you spend the day doing?
Playing Wii with the kids or letting them watch movies all day while I get lost in a book! 

3. What was your favorite candy as a child?
I LOVED LOVED Sixlets. While on any vacation we would get to go into the convenience store and pick a treat for the road while my dad filled up with gas and this was my candy of choice! My mom called them "sexlets"! ha!

4. Did you get an allowance? What was it based on? What did you do with it?
I got $20 per week. Don't know why and it wasn't based on any rate. I had chores that I did EVERY Saturday and a few during the week and I looked forward to a Sunday trip to Wal Mart with my dad and spent it on tapes or fake nails at Eckerd.

5. Do you have a favorite Etsy store?
I have yet to get into Etsy.

6. Do you prefer time with family or time with friends?
Don't get me wrong I love family time, but since I am a stay at home mom it is nice to get away and get time with friends.  I enjoy a glass of wine on the porch or a trip to a friends house.  My favorite trips are ones to see Courtney, Crystal, or Tracie because I get to drink and last constantly while the Mom hat is resting safely on the shelf! haha!

7. Looney Tunes, Tiny Toons, or Animaniacs?
Looney Tunes are iconic with me. I loved them as a child and didn't realize how good they were until this past Christmas when there was a marathon on Cartoon network! There has never been anything else that compares to the humor of that cartoon.

8. Best daytime talk show: Oprah, Ellen, The Doctors, Tyra (ha!), Dr. Oz, or Dr. Phil?
I enjoy Oprah. I do get tired of it when she gets on her soapbox or when her guests are strangely mostly black. It aggrivates me.

9. Would you rather have the power of invisibility or the ability to fly?
Invisibility. I am a truly nosy person and would love to be a fly on the wall in some friends and relatives houses! 

10. Name 1 thing you love about being an adult.
Being married and having a family of my own.

The Other Man.

Yep...there is another. 

And his freckles are unbearable...

And I have him alllll to myself until Wednesday!  Matt has work to do in Lubbock and it just so happens that my mother in law and sister in law are there for a few days so the opportunity struck....I can send Raegan with Matt and get the house (summer ready)! I am going to clean from top to bottom...with only a 2 month old baby around during the day and Ty here in the evenings I can get ALOT done! I am planning on not only cleaning but planning the summer (as much as I can), and planning a routine. I have a GREAT chore chart in mind for the kids to follow for the summer! 

Although I will miss my sweet little "angel" Raegan....I am ready for a much needed break as to get some household things accomplished and to spend some time with Ty. I am totally ready to spoil the heck out of my little man...I have a feeling our summer is going to be hectic with 3 kids (which I am still getting used to) so some alone time with Ty is going to be GREAT!  Our next two evenings are going to be filled with dates and sleepy nights in our big ass bed (which I hate to sleep in alone).  

I cant wait.

Things

Soooo here are some awesome questions that are stolen from I blog I regularly read! I like 'em so I'm gonna answer 'em....Then I am off to my 6 week checkup with the OB/GYN. Oh Joy.

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?
Tiajuana Tort...super easy and one of my favorites

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)
Sunglasses. I can't keep up with them and am constantly looking for them or loosing them. But my brother let me borrow some when I was at a funeral and he decided they looked good on me and gave them to me....These would be the ones I have hung on to for going on 6 months now!

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?
There is a stretch of road...straight down I35. Austin, San Marcos, Gruene, and back roads home hitting Fredericksburg. I love love love to go and visit the same 'ol shops and eat at my favorite resturants....and whenever I can I enjoy introducing close friends to the experience!

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.
My maiden name is McCulloch...one of my ancestors was a Texas Ranger and the county in the heart of Texas is named after him.

5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ....I was carefree!

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?
Dinners at Carino's
7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."
I love trivia. Especially the ones about pop culture!

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?
a burrito from Town and Country.
9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ....a phone call from Courtney. ALWAYS!

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?
Learn how to jog...and enjoy it.
11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?
Send a card to various friends...or tell hubby how much I appreciate him and how proud I am of him
12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?
A visit from the Varvarigos'