Yumminess.

I made a different kind of dinner the other night. The kind that I had no idea what I was making while making it. I just started cooking somethings together. It ended up as Chicken, Onions, white rice, fresh pineapple sauteed up with some Coconut milk and some spices. I thought it came out pretty darn good. So did Mason. It was so good it was a TWO spooner!

Mace Face's Boo Boo

Mason and Shelby had a head on collision earlier this week and the ground won. Although I'm sure Mason made some kind of dent. His concrete abrasion is RIGHT at his hairline so you really don't notice it which is a good thing. We came in and put "bubbles" on it (foaming antiseptic stuff) and then to make sure it didn't turn into a huge noggin on his head, I put a small ice pack in one of his little wash clothes and wrapped it up with a band and showed him how to hold it while I took his picture. He was still upset at Shelby for knocking into him, so he wasn't ready to show his sensitive side for the camera yet. He was focused on the ice pack on his boo boo.

Busy Week!

But What's new, right? The story of my life. Thankfully, its not like some other people's busy busy lives. But I won't name any names just incase their reading. ;-p
Can't really remember Monday or Tuesday, but Wednesday Mr. Hendrix & Sara came out to play and we went to the Hurst Water park, Mason decided to throw a few tantrums (always fun in public). I'll say it was an experience. Public pee hole, other peoples rotten kids (we all know I don't like those ones unless they are related to me or I know their parents really well. And to think once long ago, I thought I might become a teacher. I'd make a lovely one. Lets thank God that I know what to do with Flowers.) heat, toddler tantrums because Mace Face wants to go down the water slide, but I won't let him walk up the big steps because the other mentioned above rotten kids have decided they'd like to pelt me and my little one with the heavy duty sprinklers. (sprinklers is an understatement- fire hose is more like it considering the water pressure!) so of course I have to walk Mason all the way to the top, but I can't slide down with him, and of course at the bottom is 18" of water which he could drown in, and considering he's barely 3 ft tall, i sure wasnt letting him go without Sara at the base of the slide. Mason got to go just a few times, but the rotten other peoples kids won, and I was done. One because I couldn't see any longer because of the fire hose water pressure being forced into my face. So not sure when we'll go back next, maybe find another place that has less water pressure than a FIRE hose. I kid you not!

Sara also brought out our new toy that she picked up from someone who decided to pass along an awesome toy. Lets just say I'm thrilled with this toy and for so cheap! Mason LOVES it. He loves watching his Daddy with power tools, so Mason really has enjoyed this! Its a Little Tykes tool bench with tons of extra tools. Good times. Really, I love it because there's not many little tiny pieces. Easy to clean up!


Boys playing nicely.


I remember what i did on Tuesday. I made this for Hendrix' room. I was bored and decided to play around with Modge Podge and scrapbook paper. I should have painted the quote first instead of last. that part kinda sucked. Sorry Sara. Oh well. I also made one for Cousin Rilee. I thought it was kinda cute. I'm making a bigger one for Mason but I think I'll do the letters differently, so I've been slacking and haven't finished that yet. Really, I just need to go to Joann's but I'm avoiding it because I know what damage I could do with my wallet. Sometimes these creative juices in my head can be a bad thing.


See Amy, it was straight here. Maybe your wall is crooked. ;-}

THursday was our anniversary. We had a nice chilled out night. Watched a movie and didn't clean. That's my kinda night.

I did watch 2 good movies this week. Gavin and I watched "Fools Gold" (very cute!) and at Work TIffany & I splurged and watched a movie while we worked (we NEVER do that.) but we both wanted to see "The Other Bolyn Girl" GREAT movie. I really liked it. Definitely suggest watching it. But not on a 20" tv from 12 ft away. I'm spoiled by our 55" flat screen. That puppy rocks with movies.

Anyway, Friday night Mason stayed over at Papaw & Nana's House (Dee & Tony) and Gavin and I had a night out and celebrated our anniversary with David & Jes who will be celebrating their 5 yr anniversary this week. We had a good time out in FW. And i actually got to sleep IN...til 8:30. WOOO! How do you retrain your body to sleep IN? I so desperately want to sleep later (ok not so easy when mason is at home) but I'm going on vacation soon, and I want to KNOW HOW!

We had a sleep over with Cousin Rilee last night. Amy & Chris were in desperation for a full night out, so Rilee came to stay over for her first time (although she's gone to sleep here many times, she hasn't stayed over before) we did good, she only woke up once at 5:30 this morning and woke up Mason even though they were in seperate rooms, but they went back to sleep pretty easily. Then Mason woke up Rilee this morning. He was funny calling her name, "I-Leeeeee, I-Leeeeeee!" I think Rilee is Mason's favorite family member (next to me.) and also good friend. Maybe he knows he can never get rid of her, so might as well embrace her, huh! ;-p They're good together. They feed each other, swap sippies, hit each other and even give each other love pats. Its rather cute. Mason gets so excited to see Rilee. In 2 weeks they'll be in MDO together, so Mason will get to see her even MORE!

Rilee not quite ready for her 8 am photo shoot quite yet. She hadn't had her coffee yet. Mason was getting ready to do her hair. Thankfully there was no applesauce in sight.

Okay, i think my post has gotten too long, time to start a new one. I have a rule, I don't read others posts that are as long as the computer screen (unless they're really really good). I've probably broken my own blog reading posting rule oh 299 times (i think this is only # 306.) so onto a new one.

4 years!

Today is Gavin's & my 4 year anniversary! I can't believe how the time has flown by! I know, I know I'll be saying that at 10 years and 20 years too! But our 4 years of weddedness (i think I made a new word!) has been fun! It hasn't always been easy, and we've had some rough times to work through, we've also had some amazing times as well. all in all, it's been a fun ride and I'm glad that I get to do it with Gavin.
This year we'll have been together for 9 years (we dated for almost 5 years before getting married) I still can't believe that I was only 18 when we started dating, and nearly 10 years later, here we still are! Thinking back on being 18 years old makes me feel SO OLD now. Okay, having gotten married, having bought 2 houses in the process, burying loved ones, traveled the world, AND making a huge addition to our family (Mason) makes me feel rediculously OLD. When did I become an adult??? Many of those things I couldn't have done without Gavin by my side. ....Okay definitely true with married and having a baby. ;-} I don't think anyone would let me marry myself. haha!

So what are our anniversary plans this year you ask?
Well, our first year the traditional gift was PAPER. So you know how wierd and creative I am right? Gotta think of different things to do! So I drove Gavin out to the Drive in Movie Theatre in Ennis, TX. We bought movie tickets. That was our 1 year anniversary gift.
2 year anniversary- Cotton. I was almost 5 months pregnant, so we bought baby clothes! Ironically, I wanted a girl, so I bought girl clothes. and yes, I had to take them all back when I found out 2 weeks later I was having a boy! I really do try to make things interesting for Gavin. ;-)
3 year anniversary- Leather. Mason was 6 months old and we were beat from working a hectic schedule and sleep deprived, so we just went on a date to the Imax (and watched a HORRIBLE movie-knocked up) so instead of doing anything really big, we paid off our leather couch set that we bought when we moved into our new house.
4 years. That brings us to Fruit or Flowers. Well, next month we're taking a parents only trip to California- which Gavin also calls the land of FRUITS AND NUTS. So there you go folks! ;-)
We're also working (okay still only have plans, no lumber yet) but we are wanting to build our new patio covering before the summer is over!)

Guess I need to come up with some yummy dinner idea for tonight, tomorrow night Mason is staying at Nana & Papaw's house and we're having a night OUT with our friends and sleeping IN on Saturday! I cannot wait!!!

Our Bambino

Mason has been sounding like a foreigner lately. He's gotten quite a few words down. Even though he knows what each toy is, he asks what it is as well. Its really funny how he pronounces "CAR" he says CAR but also GO. So its really "GAR" so he holds up his car to me and says, "Es a gar?" (its a car?) he does this for everything! It makes me think of the kid in Dick & Jane where he only speaks spanish! Boy would we have fun with that. ha!

Indian Jones.

Speaking of Super powers- Gavin is like my personal Indiana Jones. Okay, I know, I know Indiana Jones doesn't have super powers. And secondly, Indiana Jones doesnt like Snakes.
Onto my story. Yesterday was one of those days, just nothing going on. We were going to go to the Hurst Water Park, but then we just never went. So instead, we went into our pool. Yes, I know..."Why wouldn't you do that in the first place?" Well, I wanted to do something different, but then I procrastinated and didn't feel like it anymore. So Mason and I went out to the pool. Our pool pump broke over the weekend and Gavin was still waiting on another part to come in, so the pool was nice and quiet. Mason just wanted to walk around the pool and throw every leaf and twig into the pool. He thought Shelby jumping into the pool was much more entertaining than actually being in the pool. So the dog and I enjoyed the water. Something catches my eye and I turn and see an 8 ft snake swimming straight toward me. yes, okay not really. it was a foot long Garter snake and it was swimming away from me, but a snake is a snake and 18" is TOO close to me! So I scream and Gavin comes running out, grabs the big snake by the head and wrestles it to its death. (okay, he ever so gently scoops it up and releases it in the yard.) So much for my personal rescue by Indiana Jones. I don't scream when I'm scared, except when I see snakes.....okay and in haunted houses. But after my hollering episode with poor Mason standing nearby, I can tell you he SURE didn't want to go in the water after that! But who would when you've been swimming with the snakes? I had a case of the heebie jeebies all day after that!
Funny part of the story after all that, Mason walks over to the bush where our Hero(Daddy) released the big mean snake (small garter snake) back into the wild (suburbia) and shakes his finger and says, "No No." That's my little Indiana Jones. ;-}

I want you.

Anyone up for a challenge? I'm looking for someone. Not just anyone. They must be an anal, OCD, neat freak. And loving to organize helps too. Normally, I'd just tell my husband to do it, but he currently has one too many projects to do right now, the list is too long (since when can he multi task???) to list. SO, maybe I should look elsewhere. I'm in need of somone willing and able to organize, declutter (okay, really there's not much of that) reorganize things, empty and create into storage/craft room. Right now its just a storage room which also happens to have a rather large sleigh bed in it. How this rooms fits an armoire, queen size sleigh bed, 2 dressers, 1 night stand, a stereo cabinet, 1 other cabinet, 1 hat/coat rack, 2 lamps and not to mention some storage bins?
oh yes, and an end table that my parents got as a wedding gift (it might be very 1970- but I will not get rid of it!) You know on those cleaning/organizing shows they ask the homeowners, what is one item you claim that must stay? that would be my one item. clear out the room, sell it all off, but keep that end table for me! The closet is organized as much as it can be with my craft items...but its not enough for me anymore! I hate doing little projects in the kitchen. ugh.
anyway, off topic. SO Craigslist and Ebay would go nuts in my guest room. So much for a guest room huh? More like the guest room for the cast of characters from Beauty & the Beast! I thought that beautiful sleigh bed would be lonely, so I decided to pack the room full with an 18" walk way in only 2 directions. Its absolute chaos I tell you. I think the furniture must have all nighters when we're not around. But I'm ready to break up the party and reclaim my guest room. Okay, so I've never even really been able to claim it. We've lived here for 2 years this week and the room has never been used to its full potential! One day it will be a playroom or Mason's big boy room, but until then, it is MINE. Hobby Lobby is taunting me. But I just can't be bothered, too much else going on with too many other projects. One day, soon enough. maybe.
So if anyone is up for the job of clearing out my guest room, taking pictures of all my wonderful furniture collection and list everything on craigslist or ebay and give me all the earnings, while not making a mess in the rest of my house, I'd love you forever. Maybe I'll even make you some of my yummy muffins.
Maybe this cute guy will persuade you? ;-} No one can say No to his cuteness. Well, except for Gavin. Somehow he has managed many times to slip from the grasp of Mason's curse of cuteness. He must have super powers.

New goo for the do

This morning's hairstyle is brought to you by Mott's Applesauce. Nice.

Its a small world after all...

So now that I have that song stuck in your head ;-}
the other day I went to the Home Goods store (owned by TJ Maxx) and I find this awesome sign that I must have for my laundry room.


So I buy it for a wonderful $14.99. I've looked at it multiple times since Thursday (have yet to hang it finally!) and TONIGHT i actually looked at the tag for some reason and I notice "Designs by M. J. McNosky" HOLY CRAP! That's Gavin's uncle in Ohio! It even has the company name that he works for and all, so I know for sure it's him! Small world!

PNO

Last night wasn't just a date night, it was Parents Night out! We had a fun evening out with some of our close friends- David & Jes. What I thought was starting out as a relaxing evening turned into a fun, chaotic and crazy night! It was fun, and we had a total blast spending time with our good friends!

Just a few things I learned last night:
1.Babe's waitresses make an average of $25/hour. Dadgum!
2. 6 degrees of seperation is very true. Our waitress' husband just happens be good friends with one of Gavin's friend. I swear every where we go he knows someone.
3. Gavin made a bet with me at Wilhoit's that he'd see someone he knows by the end of night...and of course he was right!
4. My new friend "Stud" who's a nice biker man, his real name is Tracy.
5. Actually, I didn't learn this one, but I'm pretty convinced my middle school Symphonic Band teacher is the guitarist for the "Dear John" Band that just happened to be playing last night.
6. The dance floor at 1 am at Wilhoit's brings some freaky deaky people out of the woodwork. Okay, yes I was one of those people on the dance floor, but I'm not nearly as freaky as some of those people!
7. Wilhoit's is a good place for mullet watching and Srunchie sightings!
8. I can still drink 6+ beers and no hangover! yeah!
9. Trying to talk over loud motorcycles can cause you to sound like a man the next day.
10. Husbands don't think their wives are as sexy when they sound like a man! LOL

What a sneak!

Yesterday morning I was eating my yogurt for breakfast and Mason started whining at the TV. So i set my container of yogurt and spoon on the edge of the counter and go turn on Sesame Street for him. Forgetting about my yogurt, I go to let Shelby out to potty. I come back in and what do I find? Mason has devoured my yogurt! I didn't even think he could get to my yogurt! I was bummed because it was all gone AND that was the last of the yogurt! Little sneak. Mason sure made sure to let me know how much he really enjoyed it as well. Oh well, I guess he needed it more than me.
The TV fiasco was a ploy I tell you!
When I pick Mason up from school he's always hungry and asking for a snack, so I've learned to bring him a snack from home when I pick him up. I had been at the office all day and decided I'd eat one of our yummy apples left over from an event last week. I only ate about 1/4 of it when I went in to pick up Mason so I left it on the console in the truck. I bring Mason out and he's already enjoying his snack then he sees my apple and says "aaaa-pppul?" ugh, great. So i handed him the whole apple thinking he wouldn't know what to do with it. Nope, wrong. He ate the rest of it, and it was a BIG apple. So much for me trying to eat healthy! My kid won't even let me eat my own food!

What in the world is wrong with me!

Someone slap me now. Please!
My farking ovaries have invaded my brain. Maybe its some illness, yes that's what it is. It must be called "Gee-you-don't-already-have-enough-on-your-plate-lets-give-you-baby-fever".
Ovaries....brain....that HAS to be what it is because my realistic brain and I always agree that another baby won't happen until Mason is 3 years old at least. More time means financially prepared, more career establishment, all that stuff we should be dong. I am having TOO much fun running after an 18 month old and enjoying lots of sleep at night, so WHY in the heck would I have baby fever and want all that over again?? NOT YET my reality/realistic self yells. But then my ovaries say--heck, just get it OVER with- ONE more and you're DONE! oooh, that's so tempting, but NOO......MUST.RESIST. Note to self....stay away from husband.

A picture to scare most Moms.

Mason thinks our bed is a playground for him. if Gavin is sitting or laying in bed and Mason finds a way to climb up, he's trying to tackle Gavin and tries to get him to attack in return. Since Mason was 6 months old Gavin and Mason love playing on the bed, wrestling and tossing around. Mason lives for it daily. Gavin's very careful with my delicate luggage, but they do have their fun!

So hold your breath Mommas. This child loves to fly. I'm 100% sure he'll turn out to be a thrill seeking junkie.

Sad Sad Day...

As Craig Ferguson says, "its a great day in America..." except for the McNosky's Family pool. Our beloved Bradford Pear tree split early Monday morning and fell into our pool. Ironically, just the day after Gavin gets a tree trimmer for Father's Day. I woke up at 5 am i heard a crash, it sounded like the cats knocked over a picture frame in the living room. i walked out there and nothing was out of order. I was walking back to the bedroom and as i glanced outside I saw a tree laying in the pool and on our patio table. I thought, "huh, that's funny, why is the tree on the table?" LOL Sadly, the branches have just gotten too heavy, and as Bradford Pear trees get older (ours is 20 years old) they get brittle and a GINORMOUS branch broke off. We lost another big limb last year in a wind storm, and a smaller branch this year. We're trying to save whats left of the tree, but there's not alot left. So Gavin and his dad are hard at work cutting it up and pulling it out of the pool. For such a huge limb snapping off and falling onto the patio table and into the pool, i'm surprised at how quiet a tree falling was.
Good bye you beautiful big tree you. Your tree huggin' shade lovin' owner will miss you. I'm sorry for your watery grave. We'll give you a proper burial in our fireplace this winter.







Men hard at work. Don't worry I took them some cold bottled water.


mmmm, tan sweaty shirtless hubby.

One of the strange things of my child...

Its funny how this thing that came from my womb can look like me, yet be so very different! So we're starting to notice this ever so slight first child Anal retentive OCD personality come out of Mason. But thankfully, its only ever so slight! I'm a typical middle child- i love the attention no matter what it takes, being rebellious or making others laugh- and I'm good at both. :-} I'm just so thrilled Mason has the humorous part of me!
So I feed Mason grapes and he has to hand me every single stem piece off each individual grape. I do appreciate it instead of him throwing it on the floor. Even if he takes a bite of something and it doesnt taste right, he spits it out and hands it to me. (lovely.) That comes in especially handy when snacks are dropped on the floor because every last crumb is picked up. Poor Shelby misses out a lot. I do appreciate when he makes a mess on the floor I hand him a towel to help me clean up and he does try to help. However, he's been getting very particular about things lately (don't get me wrong, he doesn't feel bad about making messes!) but if something is wrong or out of place that he feels shouldn't be, he must FIX it. maybe that's just a male thing? So he throws a FIT if I vacuum and don't let him do it. (um, hello last time i checked its a little too heavy for him!) and yesterday he had been playing with the garage broom (it can condense to something his size) but its not a normal broom, the bristles are actually plastic, well Mason wanted to mop. I was standing at the sink and he'd hand it to me and point to the water like he wanted me to rinse it off. I did it once and he tried mopping, i wouldn't do it again for him, so he decided he'd mop with dog water instead. oh boy....Mr. Do it youself! this will come in handy when he's older i KNOW! With Daddy's attitude of "Do it myself" mixed with my "Get it done yesterday" will be perfect!! LOL

dear old dad....

In honor of Father's Day, I wrote Gavin a poem......

Dear Gavin who’s also a Daddy
who also drives a big black Caddy-
we adore, cherish &love you so much
I thought I would make you a yummy lunch.
But you know how that goes,
Mason, who’s Impatient with his woes.
Instead- be creative, a poem I thought!
Open your gift and see what we bought.
We want to show you how we care,
You’re right up there with Money and Air!
Of the 3 things you know you’d come first
We love you so much we could just burst!
You help us with anything and have more to give
A single parent? There’s just no way I could live.
Your photographs are more than awesome
it shows how Mason grows like a blossom.
We love you in more ways than you know
Husband, Friend, Dad- you’re no average Joe.
Deep down when I look at you I still tingle,
Making us so happy, so glad you’re not single.
Our little family is my most favoritest thing
Thank you for Mason and my engagement ring.
You win “Best Daddy” through and through
I’d rather have 20 of your babies, rather than just a few!

So as I was purchasing Gavin's new pole trimmer (tree trimmer) today at Lowe's I thought, why is it on Mother's Day we get flowers, yet for Father's Day they get power tools?? Next year I'm demanding a spa package! We got a quote this week to get our 2 big trees trimmed and one tree cut down and the quote was over $600. SO i guess in me spending $100 on power tools, in fact it could be saving us over $500, right? But then I thought, hmmmm, maybe Gavin got that quote in hopes of getting the tree trimmer, but then again, he's the one doing the manual labor! haha!

Word of the Day.

The word of the day (Mason's new word for the day) is: Tissue. - "Tis-seeewwww"
THis morning while i was on the computer, Mason walks up behind me and says, "Tissue." I said, "omg, you said tissue!" I turn around to look at him and yes he needs one. his nose has been kinda runny the past few days from these darn Texas allergies. But YEAH for saying Tissue and for coming to tell me he needs one!

So while I was getting cleaned up this morning I was REALLY getting tired of hearing the Baby Genius nursery rhymes again for the 10549874556th time, so I turned on Sesame street first thing this morning and Mason was rather interested in it. It kept him interested for a whole 45 minutes !HOLY COW! and what did I do with my sweet 45 minutes of quiet (almost, except for seasame street) non nursery rhyme bliss? I sat at the computer and played for a while before I walked past the tv and then I saw him. Mason was watching Elmo. Well guess who else was on Seasame street this morning? Faith Hill (we can forget about her though) and Tim McGraw (mmmmmmmmm yumminess.) so for the next 35 minutes I sat with Mason and watched Seasame Street just to get a glimpse of Tim. So much for having peace and quiet while getting cleaned up. So much for getting cleaned up. Oh well, Gavin's allergies are acting up so thankfully he couldn't smell me today. I don't really stink, I smell like roses. ;-}

Mason also told me "yes" today. While eating dinner, I put some water'd down iced tea in his sippy cup (no sugar added)! He loves iced tea just like me. next best thing to milk and water. Anyway, after dinner we were playing and he was being funny. I think he was professing his love to his iced tea filled sippy cup. He finished it off and I asked him if he wanted some more. He quickly replied with "Yesh" and nodded his head. Ah, so smart! Okay maybe not, but he's starting to get it! LOL

Tagged.

The rules are as follows:
1. Post the rules!
2. Answer the questions about yourself
3. At the end of the post, list 5-6 people you would like to tag and leave a comment on their blog letting them know
4. Let the person who tagged you know that you posted your answers.

So here goes....1. What were you doing 10 years ago? Living just outside of Bangkok, Thailand. But was currently home in Texas for the summer before my senior year in high school. Was doing all the things teenage kids do and NOT getting into trouble. (or caught that is.) ;-}

2. What are 5 things on your to-do list today? laundry (didn't happen....yet..2 hours left to go!), finish some proposals (didn't happen....yet...), catch up on emails (did that!), grocery shop and procrastinate (i did that VERY well today!...hey its my day off what do you expect!)

3. What are some snacks you enjoy? fruit, blueberries and m&m's, microwaved cheese quesadillas, refrigerated cookie dough and cupcakes (the reason why i ONLY make gluten free cupcakes/muffins for Mason is so I won't eat them- i'm not a gluten free fan.)

4. What would you do if you were a billionaire? travel the world, invest, help charities and the needy, find a cure for cancer, buy a house on Poppy Drive in Corona Del Mar, buy lots of land somewhere in BFE and have lots and lots of babies.

5. What are three of your bad habits? staying up too late, not clean as I cook, not mop on a weekly basis.

6. 5 places you have lived? Whittier, CA;Sacramento, CA; Albequerque, NM;Colleyville, TX, Hong Kong, China; Bangkok, Thailand

7. What are 5 jobs you have had? full time student, Sales Rep, Sales Manager, Floral Designer, super mom.

8. What is currently playing on your Ipod? sermons from the village in flower mound, sermon i missed from gateway on Sunday, workout music.

9. What are the last 5-6 books you have read? Power of a Praying wife, Horns to Toes (Mason), We're going on a bear hunt (Mason), Olivia (Mason), Deceptively Delicious (does a cook book count?)

10. Who do you want to tag? I don't think that many people read my blog! LOL
Sara, Lesley, Amy, Charlotte, Alicia!

Tornados in Texas

Yes, its that time of year. Its spring time (until next week!) and its prime season for Tornados in Texas. The season this year has been pretty tame if you ask me, except at my house. it's almost daily. My question is, how does a tornado hit the inside of your house and not the outside? If you'd like to find out, let my toddler come over for a visit.

Bring home the Bacon

Dearest Piggies that make my bacon,
Clearly you are not dead. Now I'm all about saving animals, I'm rather the animal activist if you ask me, however I'm no vegan. I like meat along with the rest of my human friends (okay most of them) little piggies, you need to get off your protest and realize the end of your days are coming. You make the best mouthwatering applewood smoked Bacon that can be sold at Market Street for a measley $1.99/lb. Now I'm even willing to pay more for your yummy-ness, but I just have to say that you taste better and juicier than any other bacon out there. Prepackaged bacon just doesnt taste the same wrapped around my asparagus.
Get the hint,
Bacon lovin' April

its January 4, 1904

according to our old toilet bowl Mac laptop. i don't think its been turned on in 10 years. Gavin pulled it out of the scary storage room (guest room) so Mason could play with it. He plugs in it (yes it still amazingly works!) and the date says, January 4, 1904. I didn't know they made Apple laptops then! haha!

$88.97

that's what I spent yesterday when I filled up on gas. DANG.

Shots.

the downside to reaching the 18 month mark also means an 18 month check up. Mason loves going to the doctors office until he sees Mommy having her blood drawn or Dr. O. Yesterday we saw Dr. O. He does great in the waiting room. He flirts with all the old ladies. and young ones too. He does great laying on the table for the nurse to measure how tall (or short) he is. He does great standing on the big boy scale to see how little we feed him. He's even great at the waiting game because there's always toys that he doesnt have at home (can you believe it!?) that can keep him occupied and Mom even plans ahead with snacks...which are usually eaten by Daddy-o instead.
So we found out yesterday he's tall and skinny and probably won't be the smartest kid in class- which is fine if he keeps them laughing. Mind you we're trying to raise the next Dane Cook here. (I say Dane Cook because he's good looking AND funny.)
So he's 33 3/4" tall (is that really possible that he's almost 3 ft TALL?) He's in the 80 percentile for height, 50 percentile for weight (24.6 lbs) and 50th percentile for head circumference. I think Amazon Baby (Rilee) might weigh about 10 lbs more than Mace Face now. But that's okay, she's got an amazon daddy too. And she eats good. Mace Face would just rather play that eat most of the time.
So Dr. O walks in and Mason gets that worried look of "oh crap, I'm supposed to know you, but I can't quite remember, but I think it means something bad when you walk in" look. And of course he HAS to sit on Mom's lap after his little nervous dance to scramble up into my lap (which is always funnier when he's in just a diaper). So he's in good health. Dr. O tells us everything we should be expecting at 18 months & He tells us we're doing a good job since he's happy, healthy and alive and then proceeds to say, just 2 shots today just as soon as Mason starts to get comfortable with Dr. O he then realizes WHY he's not supposed to like him. The nurse comes in and pokes at his chubby little white thighs with the big mean needles. Mason doesnt really cry, he just really proceeds to yell at us telling us how horrible we are for bringing him to Dr. O for the next 2 minutes before I whip out a baggie of "Pirates Booty" snack and then he forgets everything that happened up to "Pirates Booty." mmmmm, booty. wait, arrrrrgh- fake popcorn. Must love it. I just love the name, not so much the snack.

Fast forward to bedtime, Masonite goes down as usual and wakes up in pain at 3 am (which it didnt occur to Daddy-o to give him Motrin) so when Bad Kitty wakes up cranky baby at 4am he's really ticked. Cranky baby wakes up again at 6:45 am and decides to not go back to sleep, but alas, Mommy (the almighty who knoweth everything) saves the day (as early as it is) with a dose of Motrin and then a good hour or Masonite watching the all glorious "baby genius" nursery rhyme video quietly in his chair while the almighty Mom snoozes for another 45 minutes on the couch. i loooooooooooove baby genius, but I don't love the nursery rhymes that ring in my head.
Poor Masonite has a HUGE welt on his leg left of his injection site. Poor baby. it looks like it HURTS. but there's no job too big for Mr. Motrin. Okay maybe there is, but not today! Poor Mr. Masonite is all out of whacks tonight. We got him down a bit early before the crankster came out again, but he decided he's going to taunt us with the possibility of him- Mason usually goes down without a peep until morning (some times we won't be so lucky and he'll decide on a party at 4 am but not so much anymore) and he's actually woken up THREE times within an hour of going down. That's so not like him. I think he's finally down for night now. Poor kiddo had a long day of playing hard at school, napping hard at school and terrorizing the feline population in the McNosky household. (maybe that was payment for last night's big debut of Bad Kitty 2) the score totals out at:
Mommy's Masonite: 324
The Fightin' Felines: 3

So the night ends and tomorrow is a new day- but not before I leave you with some viewing pleasure. As Mason decided to empty his closet as I tried to put away his laundry he dug out something that Aunt Mimi (amy) picked up for him on a shopping spree in Hong Kong. During this retail therapy session, Mommy found out she was having a BOY- so Aunt Mimi had to get a cute chinese silk pajama set. Its been sitting in the closet for sometime, I never thought Mason would actually wear it. But he insisted on putting on an asian inspired fashion show tonight. Don't worry, he shows his true boy-self by also wanting to wear his teva-like sandals. Maybe that's because he knew Aunt Mimi bought those for him too!
I couldnt help but laugh at his funny ensemble, Daddy-o wasn't so fond of it. Mace Face like the feel of silk on his skin, he kept rubbing his miniature Buddah Belly.
ahh, so serious. for 2 whole seconds.


If he's going to be a big model one day, he needs to learn to strut.


oh. wait. BABY GENIUS. must. boogie. to. Old. MacDonald. cannot. peel. eyes. from. television.

Sheese.

Mason's new word "Shhheeese!" That's his word for Cheese. We have also learned of his new love of dairy. He's a dairy fiend just like his mother. his most recent love of cheese has been discovered. Cheese is now apart of his breakfast every morning. He starts off with 2 of his mini muffins and then comes in for some cheese in his little bowl! LOL the funny part of it, when we do our grocery shopping at Market street they have their samples of cheese served with toothpicks. Mason now prefers his cheese cubed and served with a tooth pick! when he's done he even brings it to me to throw away! hahaha! I think he's become quite the cheese snob too. My favorite has become the 'parrano' cheese. i think Mason's is the 'Jarlsberg' cheese. He's just so funny about it. He loves it and yells "sheeeeeeeeeese!"
We've also recently learned of Mason's love for Baby Genius Nursery Rhyme videos! OMG, we have it on constant play on the dvd player for him. He points at the tv and jumps up and down for his video. He actually chills in his PBK chair and STARES at the tv. Whatever, but I love that I can now shower in the morning without Mason's face plastered to the glass shower door every morning when I shower. (Talk about feeling violated! LOL) He loves the music and it keeps him entertained so he can have some quiet time as well. Thank you Target for Baby Genius videos!!!

Here's mason in his chair- he was so entertained by his video he just could NOT take his eyes away from the TV!

What weekend?

What a weekend. I need a vacation. Oh wait, i think its only 37 days until that! thank goodness! This last week was just one of those weeks with barely time to sleep! I worked my hiney off this last week. thank goodness for Gavin, he had alot of time with Mason. I think Mason has finally reached that age that he's just no longer a baby, is it true- he's actually getting easier?? I'll bite my tongue now before that changes! ha! I CANNOT believe he is 18 months old today!!!!!!!
Friday after work we ate some of Gavin's fabulous homemade burgers (and he did an awesome spin on them this time! no you can't have the recipe either! ;-} After we headed to the Colleyville BBQ cook off for just a bit and saw some of our good friends- Auntie Deb & Mayor David and Miss Mary (Auntie Deb's sister) they're some good family friends of ours that we love getting to see! Mayor David has an old firetruck that Mason would just stand there and point at it and say "vvvvmmmmmm mmmmmmmm mmmmmm!" (this child cannot get enough of cars!) Gavin took him down the giant bounce house slide and then we headed home for the night.
Saturday I worked all day and didn't make it home til nearly 7 pm. What I thought would be a quiet night at home and to bed early ended in a houseful of chaos! Amy brought Rilee over so she could go to dinner with a friend so Mason & Rilee wrecked havoc on the house and Dad and Andrea came over to visit with the kiddos. FInally we got both kids down around 9:30 and Gavin & I fixed a quick dinner (thank goodness for grilled cheese sandwiches when there's nothing else in the house!) I realized Gavin & Mason polished off all of Mason's muffins (glutenfree123.com ROCKS!!!) So at 10 pm I decided Mason wouldn't have anything for breakfast so I made him a batch of his gluten free, soy free, egg free, corn free muffins (blueberry this time- Gavin says they're the best yet!) so finally I crawled into bed at 11:45pm, but Sara decided she didn't get enough of me this week, so we chatted on the phone for another 45 minutes. 7 am came WAY too fast this morning!! I don't think I wouldnt have lasted so long last night if it wasn't for the sprinkles cupcakes I picked up on my way home! yes, thats the LAST thing we need around here, but when you're right off Preston & NW Highway, you can't pass those up!
And unfortunately this morning we didn't make it to church. Mason was cranky since he went to bed late, I was exhausted from the week and I let Gavin sleep in since he was up late as well. Finally, when naptime came for Mason, it came for ME too! Mason took a nice 3 hour nap. After, Amy & Rilee came over to play with the water table and sprinklers for a bit. Mason & I finally made it to the store to pick up a few groceries while Gavin did yard work and came home in time to make dinner for us, Dad and Andrea before Dad raced off to the airport. WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how in the world did that all that along with multiple work events all fit into 48 hours?? I'm pooped! Thank god that this week is back to our sense of normalcy and not nearly as much chaos!
Mason and Gavin on the slide


Mason with Auntie Deb

The Bench

At Josh's B-day party last Saturday, Mason didn't want to eat dinner with us. At my parents' house they have a huge backyard and Mason decided to explore. His favorite spot was the old rickety bench and wouldn't leave it! So Amy got a few good shots of him enjoying his quiet time!

Note to self.

must install lever handle locks in the bathrooms.
Our beloved housekeeper is here today. I worked the first half of the day and came home so Gavin could go run his errands and get work done. So nature calls and I need to pee. Yunuen is back in our bedroom (other side of the house) dusting so I go into Mason's bathroom, bring him with me and shut the door. Not 3 seconds into my natural relief process, Mason opens the door and goes squealing out into the living room leaving me so very vulnerable...AnD why at that exact moment did it have to be when Yunuen happened to walk by??? oh the embarrassment!

Thankfully Yunuen is a Mom as well, she understands.
THANKS Mace Face!!!!!!

Woohooo for Date Night!

Gavin and I just planned a last minute date night for tonight! I'm so excited! Not only do we get to EAT OUT (a gluten & soy filled dinner! haha isn't that sad!) I've realized I've had more girls nights in the past 2 months than nights out with my own husband. WHen was our last date night?! I can't remember, maybe Gavin will! That truely is really sad. So it looks like we're going to try "Fire side Pies" in Grapevine and then either IronMan or Indiana Jones! Thank goodness for Grandma! :-)

PS- I just asked Gavin when we last had date night....his response, "If you have to ask that....then its been too long!"

No Fear.

Funny thing, as I type this I was thinking about the mini series we're in at church. The sermon in this mini series is about having No Fear. Apparently, Someone in charge has decided that I should get over ALL my fears.
Well, if you had asked me a few years ago what my biggest fears would be, i would have answered the following as such:
1. Losing someone I dearly love.
2. Getting pregnant right after having a baby.

No I'm not pregant. (I'm 100% positive! well really that should be negative! HAHA!) Anyway, we all know #1 happened 2 years ago. I survived, but with deep scars. Thinking of Josh's Birthday, made me think of last year on his birthday. I came home from my dad's house and decided it's been a little long since my last noticable cycle (but those things tend to be really screwed up after having a baby.) So i took a pregnancy test. it was POSITIVE. Holy crap. All I thought was 'Mason is just days away from being 6 months old!' HOLY CRAP. HOLY CRAP. HOOOOOLY CRAP! according to my last cycle I would have been 6-8 weeks along (but didn't think I was really that far along.) but if that was the case then Mason and his younger sibling would be 13-14 months apart. THAT's also called Irish TWINS. O.M.G! I think i almost crapped my pants! Good thing I was already on the toilet. HAHA just kidding!
So I tell Gavin and we decide we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I honestly didn't believe that I was that far along, so we just thought- lets give it time. I didn't tell anyone except Sara and Kristin. I even took the 2nd pregnancy test 2 days later to see if it was still positive! (and it was!) LOL Long story short after a trip to the Dr who said I wasn't preggo and the BIGGEST relief sigh E.V.E.R-- my cycle finally came back around 2 weeks later after being MIA for 10 weeks!! SO whether I just finally got regular or miscarried or what, ultimately my #2 biggest fear came true (and then false.) SO i guess someone is telling me to get over my fears and fast. Guess that it is in his plan for me and maybe have some bigger purpose I'm not seeing.
So bottom line, what doesn't kill you definitely does make you stronger!

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!!!!

Today is my baby brother's 20th birthday! HOLY cow, he's no longer a TEEN, and officially in his 20's! I can't believe he's getting so old (and ME too!) I can't wait for the day that he gets married (I only pray that the future sister in law & I get along great!) and one day to even meet my future nieces and nephews! Clearly, I care above and beyond about my baby brother and only wish him happiness and success in his lifetime!
Isn't it crazy to think that 1 day not too many years ago (okay, maybe like 17 years ago!) I could actually HOLD Josh???


Here he was last year on his birthday with Mason & Rilee...


And here's this year's obligatory Birthday photo...funny to think that one day they won't fit on his lap! LOL


Happy Birthday Baby Brother! You know sisters are great at driving you crazy (and OH we are so very good at it!) but just remember we love you more than anything!!! :-)

Cat Bath.

Those 2 words do not belong together. So our allergist gave us some information about Cat pet dander (one of Mason's new allergies) and one of the ways to cut down the level of the dander is to bathe your cat every 2 weeks. (haha, that's kinda funny.) So Sabai & Sanuk have never been bathed (except done by themselves.) I'm brush them every so often, but clearly that's not enough with the dander. Really, I know its Sanuk with the worst pet dander of the 2.

So I've been debating about how to do this whole Cat Bathing thing. On one hand, I'm kind of afraid to bathe them, specifically Sabai! If you have ever seen him, he's a rather large chunker. And not to mention, this whole experience could give the poor cat a heart attack and cost him one of his 9 lives. Not knowing how many are left, I'm not quite so sure I'll go thru with it.

So I googled "Bathing a cat"
I found this website.
http://www.wikihow.com/Bathe-a-Cat

The picture of the 1st poor feline being bathed looks EXACTLY like Sabai. I HONESTLY think someone is trying to tell me this is a VERY VERY VERY bad idea.

I think I'll try the wash cloth bath option instead!

What did I do today?

My days at home are usually consumed with Mason, but for some reason I purposely consumed my day with him. Maybe it was things that was meaning to be done. This morning Mason & I headed to Hobby Lobby (great sales right now!) to buy some letters for his room that I could decoupage to hang on his wall. Then we headed next door to Once upon a child and I stocked up on some cute shorts for him- I think he's set with his 6 new pairs of shorts! Came home and put him down for his nap and had some Mommy time (well really it was work time). After his nap, we ate lunch, and while Mason played and destroyed the clean house, I did laundry, decoupaged his letters, rearranged some of his toys, cycled some out, organized his closet (again.) and rearranged his bedroom!! That was kind of bittersweet- we've had his room set up like that for almost 2 years now! it was the baby room/nursery! I decided when I bought his bedding originally and decorated his room, I wanted a theme (well one that I already loved!) and also one that I wouldn't redo after 2 years, something that he could have in a big boy room. We're not quite to the big boy room yet, but as far as I see it, we won't get rid of the Surf/Beach theme for quite some time!
His crib and changing table/dresser are still in there, but the chair is gone and the red 'mobile' decor is gone (I kinda miss it already!) I hung some new signs and ones that have needed to be hung for some time. I've ordered a surfboard from ebay to hang on one of the walls where his crib USED to be (since now that a blank wall!) and then his name letters will go on the other wall. So when its ALL done, i'll have to take some pictures! I also covered his window with some of Gavin's black framing paper (yes its ghetto, but I needed a QUICK fix!) but i'm SO tired of him waking up with the sun at 6:30 am!!

Here's a before: Pictures taken LAST year (april 2007)






Today: (pictures are not very good, the lens I had was a fixed lense and wouldnt zoom out- will get some when the room is finished!

okay so I thought I took more photos....LOL i guess that can just be a teaser! HAHA!

Outside Fun

The hose is definitely Mason's favorite thing outside. forget the $29.99 water table, forget the $10 sprinkler tube, even the $3 sprinkler that was on sale last fall at Target. Just give him the hose and a bowl!
(this was a from a week or 2 ago!)

Mason's Morning funnies...

a conversation we had last night in the cart at Market Street while shopping:

Mommy: "What does Kitty say?"
Mason: "ahhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooowwwwwwwww"
Mommy: "WHat does Doggie say?"
Mason: (very quietly) "uuufffff uuufffff"
Mommy: "What does Cow say?"
Mason: "Booooooooo" (he's kind of confused on that one, but its a start!)
Mommy: "What does Daddy say?"
Mason: "No No. Nooooo No!"
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This morning Mason was being a little too rough with Sanuk and she swatted at him (she's declawed in the front claws) and I think it scared Mason. He came over to me whining, and I said, "Go tell that Kitty No No!" He walks over to Sanuk laying on the floor, he bends over her shakes his finger at her and says, "No No!" She meows at him and he repeats, "Nooo Noo!"

LOL I love it! the words are so great!!!

SATC aftermath

I never updated our GNO! There was 8 of us that went for a drink (we decided popcorn was better for dinner and we should drink our true dinner- yum margaritas at Cozymels!) then we headed to watch Sex & The City! It was great spending the evening with some of my closest girlfriend and even get to hang out with a very dear old friend! (Small world my best friend from 1st grade to 9th grade is best friends with one of my best friend's friend! ha! see if you can figure out THAT one!) LOL
Anyway, what a great movie. It was the closure I've been looking for since the show ended 4 years ago! OVerall, GREAT movie, I don't care what critics say. It makes you appreciate your wonderful husband and the amazing friends you have. Even if you don't always get along with your friends- it made me realize how special it is for us all to be SO different! Amongst my close knit group- each personality is fit perfectly with one of the characters- EXCEPT ME! Either I'm just the *perfect* mix of all, or I'm just so unique and different they couldn't make a character for me! HAHA. I'm not really that full of myself- promise!
After the great movie ended (sniff sniff!) all the party poopers headed home- since it was my night out I was going to enjoy it! So, Sara, Jenny & I headed to Glass Cactus where I decided to be the DD (more because I knew I'd be home late, up at 7 when Mason wakes up and any drinks would not make me feel very good at 7 am) *and I'm so very glad I didn't have more than 1 drink! We had a good time just sitting on the patio catching up (as if I didn't talk to Sara EVERYDAY! lol!) Glass Cactus was a very interesting place....its like a meat market for singles over 40! *no offense to those who fall in those lines* but I MUST say, that the dancefloor was a g.r.e.a.t place for people watching!
FInally, I crawled into bed sometime after 2:30 am (ouch!) and as I lay there waiting to fall asleep (okay it might have been about 20 seconds long) but after such a great evening, it made me think how blessed I am to have such a crazy kid who keeps me laughing and loving the cuddles, the husband who will do anything for me and love me no matter what- and my friends who are the most precious gifts life can offer! I've always imagined what life will be like with growing old with Gavin, but I've also imagined how crazy it will be growing old with my dear friends. I can't wait to see how crazy and insane we are after 30 years of our friendship!

I so smart!!! ;-}

I am adobe photoshop challanged to say the least. but I MADE the new blog header! WAHOO! thats probably the most I can do. HA!
so whatcha think?

Words!!!

This morning I handed Mason his sippy cup of milk and he said, "Tha--d you!" (Thank you)

This afternoon we were in the sunroom and I sat down with him and he comes up with a book and says "Ut dis?" (what this?)
I said, "BOOK"
Mason said, "Bock"
Gavin walks in and Mason says, "Dada Bock". I was telling Gavin the conversation we were having and how Mason said 'What this' and mason proceeds to bring Gavin a Ball and says "A Bah" (Ball)

SO he does speak words its just which ones MAKE sense! LOL We're making progress!