Weekly Top 10 - Picture Perfect

So...I'm back from my little blog break and all I can say is it's a good thing nothing was written here last week. Not only was it crazy busy with a capital "C" but I honestly thought a mental breakdown was in my future as Wednesday rolled around. 

You know those weeks when nothing goes right? Yes, one of those.

1. But some good things happened in the midst of chaos (as they always do if we look hard enough, I suppose). For instance, we took family pictures Monday evening before Taylor's volleyball game. We're scheduled to view them on Thursday but I snapped these two with Tonto's phone.

To say that I'm certain we'll love them and it will be difficult to choose is such an understatement, y'all. And while I'm sure Taylor and Dave will look amazing, I'm a little worried about me and Rambo. One of us needed our roots done and the other was scared out of his mind. :-)

2. There's been a lot of Baylor baseball talk going on because, well, they're kicking tail. Couldn't help but wear this t-shirt after the sweep of the Aggies.

3. My daughter has a new style that includes crew length, black Nike socks and plaid Polo shoes. Judging by the shoe game of many of our male basketball players, it would appear she's been taking lessons from them...

4. Someone wasn't happy his dad had to work last weekend so we sent him a picture to remind him of what he was missing at home.

5. After Rambo's less than brave performance while taking pictures, I heard he and his dad having a conversation the next night. It went something like this: "You know Daddy loves you, right? I know I'm hard on you sometimes but it's only because I want you to grow up to be strong and independent--and not a scaredy cat."

6. The next night I caught R making this face. Guess he's trying to look a bit more tough to please Dad.

7. Today we had the opportunity to hear Justice Sandra Day O'Connor speak on campus. She was absolutely amazing and her spunk made me smile. She is FUNNY, y'all.

8. Have I mentioned how much I love my job lately? :-)

9. All of the anniversary dates are past. And I survived. Praise the Lord!

10. Even when you have a string of days that are not your favorite, cute shoes can still bring a smile to your face!

Timeout

This week things will be quiet on the ol' blog. No, nothing is wrong. It's just time to take a little break. Besides, I didn't take any pictures this weekend since it revolved around shopping for family pics and taking the girl to the skating rink. We also went to church and cleaned house. And hit up the grocery store.

But, as you can see, nothing was really photo worthy. Unless you count the zebra striped nails my girl is currently sporting. If you know me at all, you are aware I've already counted that twice and made a mental note to take a pic of them...

But I digress.

The truth is that things have been non-stop busy at our house for several weeks. And I'm tired. We're trying to plan two trips in the summer and finalize the girl's camp schedule as well. Pretty sure we've all been tired for weeks. And we're closing in on the fiscal year at work, which means this week will be hopping as well.

There are also a couple of one year anniversary dates on my calendar this week and, honestly, I don't want to recap a bunch of things I can't change. I do, however, know my first response will be to do so here on those days. And I think we've all had enough of that for a while, right? :-)

Don't get me wrong - I love my job. I love my family. I love being active and busy - wouldn't change anything that's currently on my plate even if I could. But what I can do is carve out time where it's available and one of the few places that's possible is the blog.

The good news is we actually have some fun things planned this week and weekend so there will probably be photos galore (along with the ones I snapped at Diadeloso last week) to share next week.

Until then, have a fantastic week!

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 NIV

Weekly Top 10 - Really Random Edition

Yes, we find ourselves here again. But really this is the only type of post that lends itself to the random pics I take with my phone. So, you see, it's sort of the only option.

1. When we arrived at the spring scrimmage, I noticed Mamadou Diene was in the tailgating area. He's a former Bears basketball player, all around nice guy and local celebrity who's known as "The Mayor." Did I mention he's also Boppy's fav Baylor player ever? He was kind to take a pic with the girls even though my understanding is that they were talking during this picture about my camera skills. Or lack thereof. :-)

2. Someone made the trek to Nana's house for Easter dinner. And was ready for his close-up. He also put his head in my lap at the dinner table and waited expectantly for a full meal. Why? Because his dad feeds him from the table at Nana's house. But only at her house. Too bad dad was working that day...

3. Rambo is an opinionated fella who signs audibly when he's annoyed. I took this one while working out one morning after he realized Tonto was at work and I was leaving soon. Luckily for him it was "school day" so all his pouting was really for naught.

4. Taylor's "One Team. One God. One Goal." shirt finally came in. The men's basketball team wore these during the NCAA tournament and she had to have one, y'all. Her "silly factor" goes up several notches when wearing it, I think.

5. We discovered a new snack - fruit salsa - and it's absolutely amazing. Also pretty healthy. I made it for Easter and whipped up another batch this week for the girl's afternoon snack. It's kid tested and approved.

6. And it's served with homemade cinnamon sugar pita chips, which are so easy to make that I've been kicking myself for not discovering this delicacy sooner.

7. Taylor's phone died an unceremonious death at the spring scrimmage which, surprisingly, didn't have anything to do with water. She's pretty stoked about the new one as you can see...

8. This week has been so busy. And annoying. Ready to fast forward to mid-May, friends.

9. The Baylor baseball team takes on the Aggies this weekend. Personally, I think it's time for a WHOOPing!

10. God is good. All the time. And I have no doubt the Speedy Gonzalez pace we've been keeping lately is His way of me being too busy to dwell on the events of this time last year. For that, and so many more blessings, I'm incredibly grateful.

Seven Spikes Again

Seven.

It's the number she's sported through four volleyball seasons and, somehow, we've now officially begun her last slate of games before she'll have the opportunity to try out for the junior high (gasp!) team.

While I have absolutely no idea how time has flown so quickly, I do know that Tonto and I were both incredibly impressed with the progress she's made since last fall. The skills she had earlier this week were nothing but outstanding.

And I'm not just saying that because I'm her mom.

That pesky overhand serve that's been plaguing her is now going over the net. Most of the time anyway. (We're actually going to begin some light weight training this weekend to further strengthen her right arm since it's the one that was injured so severely.)

And to say that she was all over the floor hitting the ball (the correct way) back over the net (instead of into the lights or restroom) would be an understatement. It. Was. Amazing.

As was the spike she threw down on an unsuspecting player on the other team. She told me later, "That's my specialty." And it actually has been for some time. It's just that she previously wanted to do nothing but spike. :-)

No, they didn't win. But they did play one of the teams that always wins. And that's as far as I'm going to comment on that situation.

But, individually, she's shown incredible progress and that's really what matters to us at this point.

So here's hoping tonight is another stellar performance. Nana and Boppy will be there as well so she'll have a cheering squad...

...that will only refer to her as "Seven" because actually calling out her name is "sooooo embarrassing."

Baylor Bears Football - Spring Edition

Now that college basketball season is no longer providing a distraction, the football withdrawals have begun in earnest so we were very excited to get a taste of what fall will bring by attending the Bears' spring scrimmage. Though it's not exactly the same as tailgating for hours before screaming at the top of your lungs for several more hours, it was a lot of fun.

Of course, there's a lot of speculation and expectancy about what the defense will look like this season now that Coach Bennett has a year - and some of his own recruits - under his belt.

And, to be quite frank with you, I was very encouraged by what I saw from the D. The fact remains that - even without RG3 - we have an explosive offense so these guys have a tough task. And a number of starters are out right now due to having surgery or treatment to combat injuries sustained during last season. All that aside, they look good. And they're tackling like gangbusters.

It was good to see RG3 - below next to Coach Briles - on the sidelines but it also brought a bit of sadness since he won't be in a Baylor uniform ever again.

Tonto has personally been following the journey of local phenom, Lache Seastrunk. He played at Temple High School and then went to Oregon before transferring to Baylor last fall. Basically, he hasn't played for two years BUT he was one of the top 10 players in the nation when he signed with the Ducks.

He's put on a ton of muscle, y'all, and let me tell you he can move. He busted through for a 75-yard TD at one point and literally out ran every other player on the field. Not a small task when the defense is uber fast.

Of course, there's also a learning curve and Ivory Wade is stepping into the center position. Tonto explained to me this is no quick or easy transition but Ivory's doing a pretty good job so far. And I can assure you all of Baylor Nation will now be praying for him throughout summer workouts and fall camp. :-)

The QB situation is a good one as we have two fantastic candidates. I personally believe Nick Florence will start but we'll see Bryce Petty a great deal as well. Both outstanding athletes but, more importantly, amazing young men.

Was also interesting to see the different things Briles is doing with his offense this time around. Let's just say some folks will be catching passes you wouldn't normally expect to...

We stayed a little over an hour and my understanding is they played another 30 minute or so after our departure. All in all, it was great to see the guys in pads and getting in some good reps. Unfortunately for Tonto, it just made him long for summer to pass even more quickly because he's ready for some football, y'all.

But there's lots of fun to be had between now and then. One thing is certain - we'll be in the stands cheering for the Bears when they take on SMU in early September.

Until then, we'll enjoy our amazing baseball team. They're on a 20-win streak and are amazing many people. Seems to me the College World Series could be a good distraction from football as well. :-)

March for Babies

So it's been a while since I posted anything on the ol' blog. For that I apologize but, honestly, it's been absolutely crazy both at work and home. The blog had to take a backseat but I'm back....at least for now. :-)

My girl had a sweet friend spend the night on Friday so she wouldn't be "bored" with the adults while we ran around on Saturday. We had dinner at the Coffee Shop, looked at some lots on which one could build a home (breathe deeply, Casi!) and then just hung out that evening because we had to be up early for...

March for Babies!

Usually this event is held on Tonto's weekend to work but this year he got lucky and was able to attend. It's a fun run/walk that benefits the March of Dimes. Many of his past patients and their families were in attendance and it was so fun to see my man reminisce with these sweet folks. Watching his eyes light up when he saw a precious - and healthy - little one he and his co-workers fought for months on end to keep alive in the NICU was absolutely worth the price of admission. 

Also, it seems I may be married to a local celebrity. Everyone knows the guy who wears cowboy boots with his scrubs. :-)

After a brisk 3-mile walk that included lots of yummy snacks for the girls (we will not discuss their sugar intake on this particular morning), we hopped in the car and headed home for a bit of a rest before heading to our second engagement of the day - the Baylor spring scrimmage!

More to come, friends - have a great Tuesday!

Easter Fun, Part Deaux

In addition to pictures that I bartered heavily for, we also had other kinds of Easter fun over the weekend. My mom gave us the traditional gifts - Peeps, Sour Patch Bunnies and (underneath it all) marshmallow eggs. 

I'm the Peeps fan, Tay loves Sour Patch anything and we learned last year that Tonto has a serious weakness for marshmallow eggs. Who knew?

The Easter Bunny also visited our house and brought a basket full of accessories. He thought that seemed to be the type of thing a 'tween would like. And he was right, y'all!

Apparently the only thing he could have done to make it better would have been to include The Hunger Games special issue magazine. Well, there's always next year, right? :-)

We also dyed eggs and my quirky girl chose a "mini monsters" decorating kit this year. It included stickers to make various faces, hair and pipe cleaners for appendages. Unfortunately, the girl decided "monsters don't need arms" so they all have some serious hair but no way to maintain the 'do...

Seriously - how can that not make you laugh out loud?

Monday was pretty relaxing since the girl was still at my parents' house. Tonto and I watched "Moneyball," which was really good. It took me back to the days when I slept, ate and breathed the Houston Astros. :-)

That evening I headed back to my parents' house to get the girl  and to have dinner because my grandmother is here for a visit! She and one of her friends arrived Monday night and are leaving tomorrow but we're all meeting up tonight at Texas Roadhouse once Tonto gets off work. 

Super. Fun.

And, just because I have it on hand, here's another pic of my way too grown up baby girl. She's sporting one of the "extra" outfits she talked Tonto into while shopping for Easter. 

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

My Beautiful Bunny

Well, friends, we had a sweet Easter weekend and I hope you did as well. Tonto, the girl and I were off together from Friday through Monday (except for Sunday when he had to work) and we really enjoyed not having a lots of things on our "to do" list.

Friday was full of errands after I finally woke from my 12-hour nap (was a loooong work week, y'all) - I went shoe shopping, the girl got new clothes for Easter (and then some), and Tonto needed to replenish his stock of supplements. We also had lunch at Poppa Rollo's, home of the most delicious pizza EVER, and got groceries before the bit rush hit.

That evening found us boiling eggs so we could turn them into "mini monsters" (a several days long process) and baking for our church's easter egg hunt the next day. And while our cupcakes turned out great, don't ever believe what Google says about how you can supplement for an egg in baking when you run out. Just go to the store. Otherwise your brownies will be ruined. Also, "Dolphin Tale" is a phenomenal movie.

Saturday my girl worked in the face painting booth at the hunt and when I picked her up, she was hunting Easter eggs. This saddened me for a couple of reason. First, I had repeatedly asked her if she was going to participate since it was her last year to do so. She repeatedly said "no." So not only is my baby growing up but I wasn't even prepared with a camera to document the occasion. Just picture her gathering eggs and placing them into a Wal-Mart bag (too old for a basket) and enjoying herself immensely. :-)

It was so nice out that, after watching another movie (the "Footloose" remake is fantastic if you've never seen it...like me), we headed to Lions Park and played two rounds of putt putt golf before driving go karts. We learned the girl needs some driving lessons. Or at least some "braking" lessons. Poor Tonto got rear ended at full speed. We ended with dinner at Fuddrucker's, which was delightful as any meals that ends with a warm chocolate chip cookie is...

Sunday we were up and at 'em early and my girl donned her Easter outfit...

...which looked fantastic. And the cowboy boots only prove Tonto has finally turned her into a cowgirl.

My beautiful baby girl is way too grown up, y'all.

We enjoyed a yummy lunch with my parents and their neighbors (who brought homemade strawberry cheesecake!) and then the girl decided to spend the night so Rambo and I headed home alone. This is when I learned R is really not a fan of traffic. Or 18 wheelers. Or storms while riding in the car. Good times, y'all.

We did eventually make it home in time to do a little cleaning before Tonto got home and we had a quiet night cleaning out the DVR. :-)

Of course, I have more to share (as always) but we had a great day rejoicing in the fact that He lives. And He has risen. Indeed. 

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Hippity Hoppity

It's well established that I love decorating for holidays and, of course, Easter is no different. These are actually some of my favorite decorations as they always signal a change in seasons (except that we didn't have a winter this year in Texas) and are fun and bright. They just make me happy, y'all.

Starb*rst jelly beans are a must have in our home....

...and these sweet bunnies make me smile.

I found this fun piece at Goodwill a few years ago for $5. Score!

There truly are bunnies everywhere this time of year. In our house at least.

But we love chicks as well. These don't photograph well because they're beaded and shiny but they're super cute in person.

Same goes for this little guy.

Ok, so maybe I do have a bunny problem. But I'm at peace with that issue, y'all.

Last year I painted a couple of eggs with my girl. They have bunny faces on them. Did you expect any less? It's hard to tell in the photo but they're a marbled purple. I put them out this way so the dogs don't try to eat them and choke.

A little cheer in the kitchen isn't ever a bad thing, in my opinion. Keeps cooking from being a chore.

My obsession this year is decking out my new apothecary jar for each season. I reused the green balls from St. Patrick's Day and the girl placed these sparkly eggs my mom gave us inside.

And I absolutely love flanked by sweet chicks and T's artwork.

Tay loved finding these types of eggs at area hunts when she was smaller. We gathered quite a collection and I like to pull them out each year. They will probably become even more dear to me now that she's decided working the face paint booth at the church's egg hunt is more her style than actually gathering eggs...

You knew it was coming.

What can I say? Running out of words to describe the cuteness.

Yep. Another one.

And, finally, bears dressed as bunnies. An homage to my alma mater, no doubt!

While I dearly love all things Easter, please know that the reason we celebrate isn't about bunnies, chicks, eggs or candy. The reason for the season, as they say, is that He did indeed rise again on the third day. Without that, nothing else really matters.

Yes, we wish you a Happy Easter. But, more importantly, we pray you have an unbelievable Resurrection Sunday.