Taco Bell

Imagine if someone asked you where you wanted to go to dinner and the FIRST thing that popped in your head was "Taco Bell." It was just the kids and me last night and so I thought it would be good to grab something quick. But when you are 6 and 3, going INSIDE the "lunch place" (which is what they call every restaurant) is really the ringer. Now cheech and chong weren't exactly on the BEST behavior right at the Taco Bell deciding moment. There was a finger that got bitten, a water bottle was tipped over and so there were wet eyes and some serious threats from mom to 'TURN THIS CAR AROUND AND GO HOOOME'

So there was a five minute stretch of 'good' and we parked and went inside. Well, immediately the kids were overtaken by that fantastic bouquet of smells that hits your nose. The meat and cheese, and sauce, OH MY!!! They went over to a booth as I ordered. Dalton stood up and eh hem, LOUDLY said, "HEY MOMMY, PROBABLY I WILL HAVE A REAL-YEE BIG SPRITE, OKAY?

OKAY Dalton SIT DOWN.

They get their soft tacos and cinnamon twists.

Tatum: "I really like these tacos, they are so yummy. I take a big bite and I go YUUUUUUMMMM (that was too loud, so I shhh her) she makes a face at me, I say don't be disrespectful, she says I'm not, I just like to joke with you,,,, Sorry kid, I wrote the book on this stuff, you can't fool me. She then looks lovingly at me and says, "I really love your shirt mommy, it's so pretty"

I say, OH THANK YOU I GOT IT ON SALE, etc. etc. etc. she is already looking around poking Dalton she could care less.

Tatum: 100
Mommy: 0

They finish and D man is COVERED in sugar and cinnamon. How can you NOT love the Taco Bell.

Patience is a virtue.........

At Least I ADMIT IT. I have NO Problem admiting my MANY faults. (Trust me, I know some people that are pretty darn perfect, just ask them). If you know me at all, you know I suffer from a mild case of OCD. I say mild, because in all seriousness, I don't wash my hands 155 times a day, etc. But there are some things that I have to have. I want my house to be clean. And if you have a problem with it then FINE!!!! I can be irrational about it, and I know it. It just makes me feel better. It all comes down to a control issue. I like control. I am MUCH better in many ways than I used to be, and I am so medicated I can barely walk-------hahahahahaha. I'm kidding okay?

Alright, so what's the point in all this crap right? For one thing, I HONESTLY LOVE/HATE technology, which most of us do I think. But for the last few nights I haven't been able to upload Tatum's pictures from her party, mostly because I think my 3 year old computer is SOOOOOOO outdated, blah blah blah. Anyway, I have said some things I am ashamed of to Mr. Computer. Like WHAT IS GOING ON HERE YOU STUPID THING??? WHY IS THIS TAKING SOOOO LONG????? I just got a letter from AARP!!!!!!! Your SCREEN IS ALWAYS SMEARED AND GROSS!!! Then I just turn it off, ha. That'll teach the stupid computer :)

Dog.

Buttons is adorable, as you can tell if you have seen her. She is cute, she runs all over, her little body is so long that when she walks, her butt kinda goes to one side. It's funny. She loves to fetch, she loves to play.....AND SHE ALSO LOOOOVVVESSS VICTORIA'S SECRET PANTIES......THE NICE ONES. No cotton ones, ONLY THE BEST FOR THE WIENER DOG. What might you ask? How can this be? Victoria's secret doesn't even MAKE under pants small enough right??!!! Let me explain: Buttons has been going into the laundry room, taking the clean underwear and chewing a hole through them so they fall apart.

8 PAIRS SO FAR. IT'S NOT FUNNY, AND SHE HAS BEEN SPANKED AND GROUNDED, BUT SHE STILL DOES IT.

Then there is the potty training. Someone PLEASE help me with this. She is at MAYBE 50%...maybe. And when she is outside, does she follow directions?? NO! I have told her time and time again, do NOT go in the street, it's dangerous, there are cars and big dogs, etc. out there. oooo Buttons, Buttons, it's a Wild World. She still does it.

We still adore her. She is SO good with the kids. She sleeps part of the night every night with Tatum. She lets me rap and make her dance to my rapping while T & D howl with laughter. She never bites, growls ( unless there is a stranger at the door), or anything like that. She is very calm, so we are lucky in most ways. But she owes me 8 pairs of underwear.

Tatum's last day of Kindergarten was yesterday. HOW IS THAT Possible?? She is such a big girl. She brought home her journal that they kept all year, and WOW, what amazing changes she has made. You couldn't read her entries well in the beginning, but at the end they are so great. In fact, I am certain she can speak and write better than people that work in my building. As I have posted before she is obsessed with musicals, especially Phantom of the Opera. The child goes to sleep every night with the score playing LOUDLY in her room. Ok. I love it too, but we are REALLY taking "The Music of the Night" to another level,,,,hello kitty stereo and all.

Enough for now.

Tatum turned 6.....

So, my little diva turned 6. She has loved horses since she was 2, and so I had to come up with SOMETHING that would be great. Enter the miniature horses and tons of friends and family. We decorated our clubhouse and it was awesome. Two mini ponies, and pizza and cake, tons of gifts and you have a VERY happy 6 year old. Mama was tired, but it was worth it. I have to say I feel pretty proud to have pulled it off, and ALSO that the weather wasn't bad. This time of year it could be raining at any time of the day. See the pics.

Tatum's last day of kindergarten is tomorrow. I really can't believe it. WHERE does the time go? She is incredibly smart and funny, (of course), and is just the coolest little person ever.

Now Dalton. Dude. He has the 'Edward from Twilight hair' going for him. The "HEY LADIES" thing going for him and he also is 3. So that means he is WILD. But he and his mom are going to have a "date" in the next week of so, SO he is excited.

I have to admit that I am re-reading the Twilight Series again. I don't know why, except I guess it turns out I am a 17 year old girl. See my facebook page, my friend Dave photoshoped my face into the 2009 New Moon promo, and it's hysterical. I feel so cute :)

Work is steady. Dan is going to be out of town MOST of June so that will be interesting.

Things I should be proud of, or ashamed of:

Tatum had her last meeting tonight for her Girl Scout Daisy Group. Look, I am busy and I can't be Betty Crocker all the time, but I try. One of the things that Tatum was supposed to learn was the girl scout law. All the girls have been learning this all year. And, well, I forgot okay? So last night Dan and I gave her the "college cram session" on the law and all be &^%$ if she didn't learn that thing inside and out in an hour. Tonight she smoked everyone on it. SO proud.

I guess it's time to post pics and go back to my Twight Series Books. I can't wait for prom :)

Just a Bunch of stuff......

I seriously can't believe it's already May. Where does the time go? Tatum turned 6 last weekend, but the huge bash isn't until this Saturday (please no rain)!!! I have a LOT of work to do on her party, so I need to get focused on that. I need to clean the clubhouse, clean MY house, and do some other things and we should be set to go!

It's been pretty rainy here, and sometimes chilly, so I haven't had the desire to get out and plant much yet, where is the SUN!!!?????? Last Friday and Saturday I had a garage sale, well we had a neighborhood sale, and it went pretty well. Except that it takes a lot of time and energy and I always feel like I open the garage door and suddenly I am in Tijuana... (not what you are thinking!!) more like I am having people bargaining with me. Dude the shirt is $1, but fine yes, take it for 50 cents, it's cool. Well, I realized that after the garage sale, I really had so much more stuff I needed to get rid of but oh well.

Last Saturday night the kids went to G-ma's for the night and Dan and I went to dinner with our friends Katie and Ron, they just moved here from OKC, and we are so excited to have them here! We went to Kai downtown, and then to Bubbles, it was a lot of fun. Of course, we were home at a VERY reasonable time, (old) !!!!

One last thing, Tatum told me the other day that she would like to 'un-invite' these two little boys in her class thank you very much...... I am not really sure what went down, she was pretty coy about the whole thing, but either way I told her we could not un-invite them, this of course did not sit well and there were some grumbles:

"I don't know WHY I even sent them one"

"I don't even think they will BE in my class next year"

"so in so isn't as FAST as I am when we run at recess"

I can't leave Dalton out. His passion is dressing in his spiderman, batman, fireman, policeman, doctor etc. outfits. Last night, he was 'Dr. Dalton' and he had his bag of tricks out. I was of course a VERY sick lady. The rug in the play room also doubles as a patient bed. So I lie down and I am saying, "Dr. Dalton I am so sick, I really really need some help."
He is so serious, checking my blood pressure, listening to my heart, etc. He would say, "ah,,,,good" and " you are better now." Well then I started to make my move, I said Dr. Dalton if I had some kisses I think I would feel so much better. He ignored me until I finally got two or three big juicy ones on the lips. He wiped them off very nonchalant and told me that I was going to need MANY shots, so I needed to "Be brave of this"

I am recovering just fine, and if anyone needs a great doctor I have his number.

7 Year Itch......

Ahhhh, but it feels so good!!! I will be the first to say Happy 7th Anniversary today to my wonderful husband Dan!!!! Yup, 7 years ago today. Honestly, so so so so much has happened in that amount of time. Two of those things are Miss Tatum Brynn (who will be 6 this Saturday!) and Mr. Dalton Patrick who is 3, but is already a lady killer.

Dan and I went to St. Louis this weekend for a quick getaway. It was good, we stayed for FREE!!! Even better, and had fun. The Cardinals were in town, so it was a bit busy in the city, and there was also a Taylor Swift concert (I secretly wanted to go),,,,but it was fun.

Now, we are planning Tatum's big party. Her official birthday is May 2nd, but her school party and her big party won't be until May 8th and 9th. Saturday, May 9th we will have her HORSE PARTY!!! I am having two mini horses brought in, for her and all her buddies and family, some pizza, cake and ice cream,,,doesn't get much better than that! She is excited. I will post pics of that soon.

Here's to a Happy Monday...

What you talkin bout?

Kids are funny. The things that come out of their mouths are truly interesting. They can be hysterical, whiny, creative, truthful, innocent, INSANE, etc. I know I am biased, but my children are really quite intelligent. I know everyone thinks their kids are great, but sometimes I just have to stop and smile and think, "WOW," God has really blessed me with these amazing little souls.

Ok, onto funny things. I just thought I would share some interesting things that have been said by the mouths of the Rice kids.

And if you know Dalton, you know that he still says his y's for his l's....like "I yuv u," uook at this, etc.

D: Are you going to extracise now?

T: Don't tickle my arm picks

D: What did you said?

T: Where are my glubs? (gloves)

T: Thank you God for China

D: I on-yee want to wear my Hulk jammies.....they are the on-yee ones I yike

T: I'm not kidding you this

T: I got my eye on ya,,,,

T: I like this boy in 4th grade, he is sooo nice. I don't know his name.

D: (To his mama) When I grow up, I will kiss you and fall in yuv with you and we can get married
Me: Honey, I am married to Daddy.
D: (A bit irritated) I will kiss Tatum and fall in yuv and get married.
Me: You can't honey, she is your sissy.
D: (ANGRY), FINE WHEN I GROW UP, I WILL KISS GRANDMA, AND FALL IN YUV AND GET MARRIED.
Me: Dude.

There are so many funny things they do and say. They get so big so fast.

Anyway, hope you all have a great weekend! It's Friday! Dan works all weekend prepping for trial next week, so me and the kids are going to Disney On Ice tomorrow!

RIP little bunnies

I am truly raising Venus and Mars. On Sunday afternoon, Tatum and Dalton were outside in the backyard really having quite a time investigating. There were rocks to pick up, dirt to move, etc. so I could tell they were very busy and had a LOT of business to discuss out there. About 45 minutes in, I hear Tatum bellowing "THIS IS JUST SO TERRIBLE,,,,,,,IT'S THE MOST HORRIBLE THING EVER.......(crying ensues).....I came down the stairs and she says, "there are dead animals out there".....Um.....what in the? Just so you can visualize this, Tatum is crying now, and Dalton keeps saying "Can I pick up the dead thing mommy? Please mommy, I want to keep the dead animal" Venus and Mars.

Sure enough it was 7 dead baby rabbits, and when I said that to Dan, Tatum just cried even harder "RABBITS??!!! WHAT HAPPENED MOMMY??!"

Dude, I am not on trial here, I have no idea,,,I say, "I don't know honey, but they will all go to heaven" (but for now, this nice plastic bag I have), she says..

"YOU CAN'T put them in that,,,!"

(Dalton) "Are u reayyee reayyee (really really) sure they are dead mommy?"

Luckily none of this drama is nothing two white powdered donuts can't fix (close curtain).

I had fun last week in New Orleans, I went there with my boss for a convention, but it was good. Not my favorite city by any means, but it was cool to get away. I was sure glad to come home though, a LONG day of travel made me so tired I felt sick. Here are some picks.....

ALSO, (it's been awhile since I posted), our Red Hot Night event was spectacular, I will post pics of this too!!!!

Well, we are all heading to the cabin this weekend with the in-laws, so that will be fun. Hope you all have a very happy Easter (in memory of the seven baby bunnies that Tatum has already forgotten about).