Off to the Museum

I took the kids yesterday to the Museum of Science and Nature down at Fair Park yesterday. I had my Aunt and Uncle in law with me yesterday as much needed back-up. It ended up being quite and epic adventure. We left the house at 8:00 am and did not get home till almost 5:00 pm. We started out eating at the local Allen cafe for breakfast, the boys did quite well and actually ate their food in the restaurant. Usually they eat a few bites and want me to stuff the rest in my purse and pockets until they feel the urge to eat with less distractions.

We then headed out for the Dart rail and since we were going to be seeing some dinosaur bones my boys dubbed it the "Dinosaur train" (Complete with theme music). Luke took my camera and started taking pictures. He really has a good eye at 4. The trip was uneventful and enjoyable. We made our way down to Fair Park and strolled over to the Museum. The boys enjoyed all the statues and murals that are scattered around by the entrance. We went in and straight to the dinosaurs. Little boys love dinosaurs.

We played for hours in the Children's museum, it was a very hands on place for them to explore and imagine. They were fire fighters, performers, scientist, farmers, and bugs. Everyone was exhausted by the time we headed home, but in all a very successful day out.

I am back!

After a fall break from blogging, I am ready to start writing again. The last three months have not been very beautiful for me overall, but even as I think about here as I write several good things have come out of a very difficult time.

• I am taking several months off from work to focus on my family. The knowledge that my family needs my full attention for a while came at a price, but I think it will be well worth it in the end.
• Because of the focus I have had at work they are willing to work with me and give me time off and let me come back next year part-time. This is great for our family because we can not afford to live on one income with Dilly's medical issues.
• I have been reading a myriad of health and nutrition books and am ready to focus on my health and get serious about improving my level of wellness so I can better keep up with all the demands of this busy life.
• I have begun the process to accept the fact that I can't handle being a full-time employee and be the mom that I need to be to my boys, the wife I want to be to my husband, and the friend that I want to be to others. I knew this was true, but somehow I thought if I worked hard enough at it I could overcome this part of me. It is time to embrace the simplicity that I crave and whittle away at the least important parts of my life and focus on the things that really matter to me.
  

Thrifting Treasures

Found a few awesome bargains on Saturday that I thought I would share. I saw a garage sale out in the side yard of the house on the corner on my way to take LuLu to gymnastics. I was eyeing the goods as I drove by and saw that there were a couple of couple of arm chairs that looked promising. I was running late to they gymnastics class or I would have stopped. It just so happens that I am looking for a good reading chair for my bedroom. We were gone for an hour and then drove back home. I had my eye out for the chairs as I drove by the garage sale again and they were both there. One was gold with nail head trim, and did not match the decor of my house. But the other chair was just right, just the right size, just the right color, and just the right price. The teenager that sold it to me also offered to drive it to my house in his truck. It really was my lucky day. When I got it home I pulled off the tag on the bottom and found that it is a Clyde Pearson chair. What really got me was the manufactures tag that lists what it is made from: Curled Hair 40%, Horse Mane 25%, Hog 75%, and Blended Cotton Felt 65% percent. Somehow the math does not add up but the chair is awesome and only cost me $20.

I also found a great tricycle at the thrift store near my house. It is a good quality bike, and the boys are always fighting over the big wheel that we currently have, so I went ahead and got it. Now they can each ride in style. I paid $8 for the tricycle, but I found a new Kettler retails for $200. That seems crazy to me, but glad to get it in such good shape second hand.

Garden Update

Thought I would post some pictures of my back yard perennial garden. It is huge already. My daisies are blooming and the butterfly bush is attracting many butterflies. We always have the little white butterflies flitting around. When L. was a baby he thought the little white butterfly that would visit us everyday was his personal pet.


I just put out a bag of 2000 ladybugs that I bought at Puckett's nursery yesterday to act as natural pest control.





I also put my herb garden in finally. About a month later than I usually like to plant, but the bed gets mainly eastern sun so it should survive the July heat as long as I water regularly.

Love of Learning

One thing that I know about myself is that I love to learn. Interests come and go, but lately I am feeling very drawn to sewing. I've done basic sewing in the past, but it has been 15 years since I have sat behind a sewing machine. I feel this is something a need to learn. Maybe it is a longing to connect to my mother, who is gone, but I feel myself becoming more like her every day.

I have signed up for a local basic sewing class. It is one class where we make a simple tote bag, but I am really looking forward to it. This also ties in to one of my other current obsessions, fabric tote bags. I have quite a motley collection.

Angel League

Another season over for the Allen Angel League. It just keep getting better. Most of the games were rained out, but the three that he went to were fun for him. He loved the attention he got from older girls. He mainly went around getting hugs from all the teenage "buddies". That is what baseball means to him.

Memorial Day in LA

D. eating blueberries

Ripe blueberries

L. picking blueberries

Fun times were had by all on our weekend trip to Winnsboro, Louisiana over the holiday weekend. Viva La Three Day Weekend! The weekend was spent catching up with family, fishing, blueberry picking, riding the mule and eating (catfish, hamburgers, and fruit salad).

I was able to go jogging at a little 1/2 mile trail with a paved walkway. It is very picturesque with very tall, old pine trees, a creek that runs beside the path, a wooden bridge that leads to a cozy boy scout cabin, and a handful of squirrels and birds to look at on your way. I look forward to visiting the walking trail every time we come for a visit. I am able to get some quite time with nature and my thoughts (which is a rare thing for this working Mom) and can burn off a few of the million calories that I consume over a weekend visit.