Conversation and Lesson Taught...

Last night 'the teenager" was telling Ryan and I about one of the stories on the reading TAKS test he took yesterday, and then said ....

Austin: "Mom, is it wrong to like 4 girls at the same time."

Me: "Austin, you're young and you're just trying to figure out what you like, so no, it's not wrong. Now, you cannot be a boyfriend to all of them at the same time."

Austin: "I know that, but some people at school say that's using someone."

Me: "Welcome to middle school."

Austin: "There's so much drama, Mom. You wouldn't believe it!" (Little does he know!)

Me: "Welcome to middle school."

Austin: "It's fun though."

Lesson #6543513 taught...

In Preparation...

In preparation for lake season....no sugar and only a bagel for breakfast and cereal for dinner....I want to eat all the fantastic snacks in the teacher's lounge....but I won't.

Do You Have...

Do you have any idea how excited I am about going with my hubby Saturday to see/hear this sexy little guitar playing, Mexico lovin, ballad singin stud! Yes, Kenny Chesney...he might be bald and short, but he is still HOT!

His Concert Playlist!

She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy

Live These Songs Again

Summertime

Beer in Mexico

Keg in the Closet

Out last Night

Big Star

No Shoe, No Shirt

Don't Blink (Ry and I love this one!)

I Go Back

Anything But Mine

There Goes My Life

Down the Road

Living in Fast Forward

Young

Never Wanted Nothing More

Back Where I Come From

How Forever Feels

Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven

When the Sun Goes Down

Don't happen Twice

Jack and Diane

Encore: Better as a Memory

3 Simple Words...

All I have to say...3 simple words...

KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING...

Lesson learned...

Weekend Recap...

This weekend COMPLETELY flew by! Ryan and I were out and about on Friday night and received a phone call from my boys' father saying he was taking Preston to the emergency room. What?!! He went home from school sick on Friday with a cough and fever, so I told Don that he should take him to the doctor. Later that evening, Preston was wheezing, and the doctor didn't feel comfortable treating him in his office, so he directed them to the emergency room. After a breathing treatment, some steroids, and a heavy duty antibiotic, he was diagnosed with pneumonia! He is doing much better, but he gave us quite a scare!

Sweet little "P"...Yes, I did whip out my camera in the hospital!

Saturday was spent attending Carter's final soccer game of the season along with the trophy party, watching the Mavericks kick the Spurs' boo-tays, sushi at Naan...which we were very disappointed in due to the fact that they moved OUR couch out of the restaurant. See...Naan is OUR restaurant...I don't care what the owners say! We went there on our first date, and there was a couch right inside the sushi area where you can sit next to each other and eat...romantic and loungy. Without consulting us, they rearranged the whole space...and the couch is gone! We have eaten at that same spot probably 20 times, and it's gone, adios, goodbye, forever, as in never coming back. We weren't happy, so we moved out to the patio to consume raw fish and sake. =)

Sunday was laid back as well, and we ended the day by going out to my in-laws' now empty house, sat on the tailgate in the back, watched the dogs run and the sun set, while reminiscing about our wedding day which took place right where we were sitting. Good times....

Our wedding in Ryan's parent's back yard...

Carter was confused...He was used to playing in Pop and Grandma's backyard!

Everything was beautiful...

Everything was perfect...

HAPPY MONDAY!!!

Signing Off...

I'm signing off for another weekend alone with my hubby...Cannot wait. We have a soccer and baseball game on Saturday, but other than that, it's all about us! Have a great weekend and see you Monday!

There's Nothing Better

There's nothing better than the sound of your child laughing...

GOOD TIMES...

Not Enough...

I remember my mother saying there are never enough hours in the day, and as I replay the memory in my mind, I am feeling the angst of her complaint as we speak. Daily life has been so incredibly crazy lately, and I have found it extremely challenging to balance family and work. I tend to over extend myself....like having a full-time job and working on 3 different "curtain-making" jobs at the same time. Between grading papers, lesson planning, parent conferencing, meeting attending, sewing, baseball, soccer, homework, family and marriage time...I am FREAKING exhausted! I am so looking forward to summertime...32 more school days...Can I get an AMEN, sista!?

Meet "Alien"

See this...this is "Alien". He tragically lost his arms at some point in time. My mother bought him when my brother, sister and I were little, and when she put him out on the counter in the kitchen, we knew not to "mess with Mama"! It was her nonverbal way of letting us know she was having a bad day. She is so creative. Well...a few years ago she passed him down to me. I guess she knew I would need him....and I so do. I wonder if the grape my siblings and I put inside him years ago is still there...Good memories...

Greatness...

I spent the weekend at McKinney Trade Days and bought more than I made. When I came home on Saturday around 5:15, my sweet hubby had done ALL the laundry AND put it away, was cooking hamburgers on the grill, had cleaned the house , and the kids were happy...Greatness. Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Oh, Happy Day!

I am so proud of my little guy! He made it through "the extraction" like a champ! The tooth they took out is GINORMOUS...roots and all! Thank you so much to everyone who said a prayer for him. You have no idea how much I appreciate it! Last night, all the boys were comparing the number of teeth lost over the past week:

Austin 1
Preston 2...with 2 more on their way
Trysten 2

I'm signing off for a fun weekend with the whole gang...Yesterday Trysten asked the question he always asks on his first day back with us..."How many days do I get to be here, Alli?"...and I said, "Four whole days!" His response was, "Dude, that's tight!"

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!

Poor Little Guy...

Please say a prayer for my little Preston today. He is having a tooth pulled, a spacer put in and a cavity filled via a mini root canal. My nerves are shot because I know he has no idea what all is involved with this, and it absolutely kills me to think of him in pain.
=(

What More Could a Girl Want!?

Last month when I went out to McKinney Trade Days, I met the sweetest mother-daughter jewelry making, T-shirt selling team. We struck up a conversation, and they mentioned they do home shows. I took a card, and told them they'd be hearing from me! The very next weekend at the Heart of Texas craft/art show, I met another lady who sells handbags, scarves...the cute ones you see girls wearing with a little tank...T-shirts, jewelry, and more...I took her card. I called them the next week and set up a show at my house with a bunch of my friends...who brought their friends! I took a few pics of the food before everyone arrived with the intentions of taking pics of all the goodies after they set everything up...but I got completely sidetracked and forgot...I swear I am so ADD. I ended up with a new handbag, 2 T-shirts, a tank, a necklace, and one of those cute all-in-one wallets that have a clasp on the side. What more could a girl ask for...food, wine, friends, and shopping...without even leaving my house!

Somehow the number of brownies dwindled down to about 5 before anyone even walked into the door...I caught Carter sneaking them 3 times!

The flowers...

GOOD TIMES

For Sale to a Good Home...

Item:

Teenage Boy

Description:

1. Takes multiple baths a day...don't ask...
2. Says things like:

• "Whatever"
• "That's gay, Mom."
• "I'm so sure."
• "That's G"...apparently that's the new 'cool'
• "You don't know what you're talking about, Mom."
• "I don't have any homework."
• "Mom, can I pimp out my room?"
• "That's for babies."
• "Y'all are too hard on me."
• "I'm going to run away to Dad's house."

3. Doesn't think before words exit his rather unpredictable mouth.

4. Continuously claims NOT to have homework, although his grades in certain classes prove otherwise.

5. Thinks of every excuse in the book to stay up late.

6. Does NOT seem to understand the word NO.

7. Is convinced that Ryan and I were never teenagers.

8. Is convinced his dad hung the moon and the stars all by himself.

9. Is driving me absolutely CRAZY at the moment.

ANY BIDDERS?

Didn't think so....UGGGGGG!

The Grillmasters...

A few nights ago Ryan was teaching Preston how to be a man. You know...teaching him how to cook steak on the grill. I think it's a rite of passage for men. Love watching them together...

How good does this look!

Ryan teasing Preston about the tooth he has to get pulled on Thursday...
Preston getting his revenge...

GOOD TIMES!!!

Mess...

I need to move into my fun room...now...yesterday....

Weekend Recap Top 10...

Welcome to another edition of "Weekend Recap Top 10"! The past 3 days have been absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. It was a weekend without any little boys...so lots of alone time with my sweet hubby...

1. Meeting Ryan for lunch on Friday to kick-off the weekend and officially celebrate his signing the offer for his promotion...the future for our family is so bright!



2. Watching the Mavs beat the Hornets from nosebleed seats...had the best time ever



3. Eating lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's



4. Watching Pineapple Express...If you haven't seen this...go get it! Hysterical! We laughed so hard!



5. Talking about our 2 week trip this summer to the lake house with the kids...Cannot wait! Such good times!



6. Going to bed late and sleeping in...



7. Finding out Preston was named the MVP of his baseball tournament


8. Watching Austin hide the eggs for his brothers to find...Times are changing...


9. Hanging out with the family on Easter

10. Having numerous uninterrupted conversations with my hubby

Hope you had a great weekend...

HAPPY MONDAY!!!

The Proposal...

Two years ago today, you surprised me, and made me the happiest girl in Mexico...and in the world...

I love you Ryan!

It's Official...

His promotion...It's official...I am so proud of you, baby...There is no one more deserving than you...

I love you...

Customer Service...

Last Saturday I went and had my nails filled, and when I was walking out the door, I noticed they were thinner than they had ever been. Seriously I think I could have thumped them off but decided to see how they did because I am so ADD and couldn't stand the thought of sitting in that chair another second. Fast forward a few hours, and 1 nail had already chipped...not good. Next day...another one. One more day passed....2 more. That was it...I decided to go back last night to get them fixed. I gathered my composure and receipt, walked into the establishment...won't mention the name, but it is VERY close to my house...and asked to have my paper-thin appendages repaired. The guy behind the desk asked me who did them, and my little fella just happened to be sitting in close proximity. I pointed him out, presented my receipt, and casually sat down to wait my turn. When he finally made it my way, he asked me what happened and who did my nails. I explained it was him and showed him the results. He them proceeded to raise his voice and accuse me of lying saying he was positive he didn't do my nails, that my nails looks like they had been done 2 weeks ago, that I was not there on Saturday and literally told me I was lying...Okay, dude...I sat staring at you file, drill, and basically destroy my nails for an hour and a half...I know it was you. After he continued to argue with me, I...still calm...picked up my things, and went to find the manager.

Long story short, the manager's wife led me to another station, gave me something to drink...actually a nice glass of Chardonnay...and hooked me up. Her husband graciously "righted the wrong" and stayed open late while his son and daughter...I ended up knowing their teachers...talked my head off. All ended well, but I couldn't help wonder...WHERE HAS CUSTOMER SERVICE GONE?????

Easter Humor...

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Shabby Chic...

New in my store...

Check These Out...

Remember my post about wanting to brighten up my family room filled with expensive finds? I've been on the search for less expensive replicas, and check out what I found...

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Home...

My favorite place to be...

Weekend Top 10...

I'm trying something different as a means of recapping our weekend. Prepare yourself for the top 10 moments from the "Solawatts" weekend...I know you're on the edge of your seat aren't you...not so much...

1. Hijacked my in-law's house..they're in NY...where we grilled steaks, listened to country music out on the patio and watched the kids and dogs run wild.


2. Watched Carter actually play soccer instead of dance around the field.


3. Attended Preston's baseball game where he caught an amazing pop fly...that's my boy!


4. Had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of a mani and a pedi.


5. Helped my mother-in-law decide to paint her kitchen cabinets black at their new house in NY. Can't wait to see how they turn out, Carol!


6. Watched Preston pull his first tooth!


7. Watched Trysten attempt to pull his hillbilly tooth.


8. Went with 3 other couples and their kids to Peter Piper's Pizza where we closed the place down. Good times with good friends.


9. Continued to thank God for my incredible husband.


10. Had the whole family together all weekend...Priceless.

Good times...

New Etsy Items

I finally found some time to get a few things done today...It's been a fun...more on that later...and VERY busy weekend!

Coco...Here's that frame if you still want it...It's in my store. =)

A sweet little frame...

My sister...an elementary school librarian...ordered these for her school library.

HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Hooked on Friday...

I'm participating in "Hooked on Fridays" going on at Hooked on Homes again, and this week...I am hooked on using tufted ottomans as coffee tables. It was the perfect solution to avoiding sharp corners when I had very little ones toddling around, and let's face it, they're beautiful!

This is mine in my family room...

Red velvet...Remind me of the infamous staircase in Gone With the Wind...

So pretty...Simple and perfect...
These are used for extra seating...
Love the animal print!
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Welcome to Middle School...

Last night "the teenager" was talking to Ryan and I about his "girlfriend", Mia, and disclosed he had "broken up" with her on the grounds that she doesn't really talk to him much...too funny because I remember having "boyfriends" when I was young and being too shy to speak to them...He went on to say that he was now "going out with"...where, I don't know...her former best friend whom he had been texting for the past 1/2 hour. We schooled him on the unwritten rules of dating an ex's friend to no avail, as he vowed to, in his words, "keep their relationship a secret.". I am cracking up at this point...Fast forward about 2 hours, "the teenager" comes downstairs to tell us that he just found out that while he thought he was texting his new girlfriend, Lexy, it was actually Mia who had Lexy's phone, and now knew the whole story and was going to tell everyone at school. Ryan and I laughed, and I said, "Welcome to middle school."

Later on last night, Ryan quietly called me upstairs to join him where he was listening to Austin...who was supposed to be doing his homework...on the phone with a girl...what girl, I don't know...What I do know is that this school year has been one filled with so many new experiences regarding "the teenager", from repetitive bathing, to sleeping late on the weekends, to dances with girls, to friends with parents I don't know, and now this. It is the strangest feeling watching your own child enter a phase of life you remember so well. After the humor of the situation of last night wore off, I began to realize the broken hearts and disappointments everyone endures during the teenage years inevitably await him...and I can no longer hold his hand and protect him.

Need Some Feedback....

Since I am counting on you guys to give me feedback...what do you think about these 2 new additions?

This...

and this...

What about these new fabrics? I'm still waiting on the ones I ordered last week, but I bought these locally...

Below are are few paper collections I am thinking of using...

THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK!!!!