I left my energy in the hill country...

Ever since we've been back from our trip (Sunday) I haven't been wanting to do much of anything. Everything I do seems to take so much effort. I even needed to sit down this morning while I was putting creamer and splenda in our coffee.

Hibernating until August is sounding pretty good right now.



Ditsy moment: While we were eating breakfast and watching the news this morning, they were showing a field reporter with this in the background...



It was at a distance but you could still see it pretty well. I looked up and said,"Hey, she's in Vegas!" John laughed and said,"Uh, she's in Egypt." I'd like to say that John was wrong and she actually was in Vegas but no...she was in Cairo, Egypt.

Texas Part 4...the end of Texas Trip

Saturday was full up with activities and fun fun fun! So that meant on Sunday when we got home we were exhausted exhausted exhausted.

I don't have pictures of everything we did on Saturday. We went out on Mom and Dick's boat...twice. The first time was with all the babies and the second time was with the older kids. I'm including John and me in with the "older kids".

The best thing about the second trip was riding in the raft while being pulled by the boat. John and I laughed the whole time. Then I rode it with my brother and Nicole. She was giggling the entire time. It was really cute.

Riding the jet ski was pretty cool too. We spent awhile out in the lake and I only got a mild sun burn...sweet.

Here's the girls striking some poses in their swimsuits...



Here's the babies...playing? It kind of looks like Eliza is about to take off with Joey's toy...



I think this is about the coolest t-shirt I've ever seen on a baby...



This is my Aunt Nita. She had been wetting everybody with the water gun and needed refuge under the table. She was mainly hiding from my uncle.



Uh oh. It looks like plans are being made for some more water attacks...



I guess when you're sixty your birthday lasts all weekend. Present time. Jen found those pretty earrings from James Avery.



It was a great but tiring weekend. We need to do this more often...at least twice a year. It makes me sad to think how long we go without seeing each other.

Just For Fun...

Today was the second time I've checked out a blog called Cup of Jo. I'm so happy I did. Joanna Goddard, the blog author had this wedding invitation featured. It's so fantastic I thought it should be shared with you guys too.

It's definitely worth your four minutes and sixteen seconds.

Texas Part 3...

At around 7pm on Friday the first of the bambinos arrived...Eliza. I haven't seen her since last year around this time. I know, I know...I'm a very bad auntie. Isn't she cute?



My mom aka Grammy has seen her a lot more than I have so Eliza warmed up to her pretty quickly. Here she is in the kitchen getting some Grammy love...



Soon after my sister, Stephen and Eliza got there, my brother and his family arrived. Here's my mom and Dick with two of AJ's kids, Nicole and Joey.



At the beginning of the bambinos being at my mom's house, the little ones weren't too keen on me holding them. Right after this picture was taken Eliza wiggled her way off of my lap...



John then took a picture of me with a baby who didn't mind being held...



Mom and Dick were geniuses for getting this swing installed. All of the kiddos LOVED it...



Here's AJ with Joey. They have two very different expressions on their faces...



Natalie (NatNat) and Adriana. Natalie is bilingual. You speak to her in English and she responds in Spanish. Her favorite word is "Si."




Not in the face Nicole...



We saved opening presents for Saturday but Friday night we showed Mom a video we made for her. You know the kind, pictures from her life with sentimental quotes interspersed...that was all there. We also put three jibjab videos in it. This was how Mom's video ended...



After the video was over Nicole says to me,"I had big chichi's." I was a little shocked. Apparently she knows about "big chichi's" because she then told me,"My other grandma has REALLY BIG chichi's."

Texas Part 2...

So we got to my mom's house in the hill country outside of Austin on Thursday and officially started our mini vacation. I always feel very relaxed and comfortable there.

That evening my mom invited long time friends Jan and Roger over for cocktail hour. Here's the girls of cocktail hour...



The boys...



After cocktail hour Mom and Dick took us to their country club for dinner. Very nice place. John and I don't get to go to too many places with cloth napkins.



Here's me with my pile of chicken...



The next day (Mom's b-day) John and I stopped with Mom at a peach and tomato stand after our grocery shopping trip. A peach and tomato stand...how delightful.



Then Mom wanted to play a domino game. I lost. Big time. I think I had messed up my karma because I was winning after the first two rounds and I gloated...a lot. I think I may have even called everyone "Loser".



We still had some time to kill before everyone else got there so the remote controlled cars were brought out...





Me with the Birthday girl...



One thing you'll notice in parts 1 and 2 is that we're sitting down a lot. There wasn't too much of that once all the little bambinos (kiddos) got there...

Texas Trip Part I...

Since I'm currently a woman with time as a luxury I thought I'd take you through our whole trip to Texas (well, most of it anyway).

Thursday morning we were off to Texas for a four day weekend to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday.

Here's John before we got on the plane...



I should get him to take a picture of me at take off and when we land...I'm even whiter than usual. I'm not scared AT ALL of flying. I just feel so nauseous every time at the beginning and end of flights.

I've never had to use it but I always make sure I have one of those special bags in the seat pocket in front of me.

Mom and Dick took us out to eat after they picked us up at the airport. Food and non moving always does me good after a flight. John was excited about it too...



Here's picture number 5 out of over 200 from our trip...



Here's number 6...



John and I got Mom and Dick all to ourselves until Friday night at about 7pm. That's when my sister, brother and their families got there. That's also when the relaxing part of our trip ended...I say that with love.

Top 10 Monday

The top 10 things I would do if I were extremely wealthy. Maybe this should be the top 10 frivolous things I would do if I were wealthy because I would definitely do a lot of things to help out others.

10. Hire an assistant. My assistant would be along the lines of a life coach. That would be awesome to have someone to say things like,"Ok, here's what you need to do..."

9. I would have a personal grocery shopper. I do online grocery shopping sometimes and I LOVE it but my personal grocery shopper would be the one to take stock of what we need and make sure we always have it...

8. I would definitely have a personal trainer...

7. A beach house somewhere beautiful...

6. A personal cook...

5. A driver, myself and the world would be much safer...trust me...

4. Weekly spa days...

3. A housekeeper...

2. Botox...lots and lots of Botox...

1. I would ditch Southwest and go for an airline that has a First Class and NEVER fly coach again.

What would you do?