Splish Splash birthday bash

Yes my baby is turning 5. It's hard to believe...and although I am reluctant to make the following comment since just about every mother says it, I have to say it because it is true...I can't believe how fast time has gone by, it seems only yesterday he was a little tike and now I can hardly carry him across the room. Ok, I said it, on to the highlights of the Monster Truck Splash Party.

His party was this past Sunday and the weather for the weekend was not cooperating with the outside party theme. I was scrambling last minute to find indoor activities and crafts for the kiddo's. Thank you Lord that the weather man once again was wrong and the 80% chance of rain somehow missed us. Although a bit windy at times, I think the kids had a great time.

Some Highlights:
1. Slightly over estimating the number of large pizzas needed (by 8)

2. My husband and his friend adding baby soap to the slip and slide so it could be much slip-ier

3. My husband and his friend actually joining the kids on the slip and slide

4. 60 water balloons gone in a matter of 10 minutes

5. Party decoration ordered on line showing up Monday after the party

Am I smarter than a 5th grader??

Apparently not since I can't seem to figure out when to use 'there' or 'their' in a sentence. It has become so bad that I will go out of my way to re-phrase a sentence when typing just so it doesn't use the word 'there/their'. No matter how hard I try, I just don't get it. I have googled it and read articles such as this. Of course it makes perfect sense when you say 'Not here, but there'. But what about the sentence: 'Is there/their a problem with the computer?'

My husband constantly is correcting me, and I realize that he is only trying to help me so I don't look stupid out in the real world. But it does get annoying. I need some sort of 'memory game' to help me remember what rules to follow. I have mastered spelling Dessert vs Desert...I can still picture my spelling book back in elementary....there (or their) was an 'S' in the middle of the desert and the caption read 'the desert could only grow one s'. Corny as it may be, it worked!

Or how to distinguish between 'Quiet' and 'Quite'....Quiet has -et on the end of it, and E.T. pointed his long finger like someone would do and put it up to their lips and say 'Shhhh'...I know its a little far fetched but once again it works.

This is why I stick to math. 2+2 = 4...it always equals 4, and forever will equal 4. There (or their) are no rules saying if you do the addition before multiplying it by 3 it equals 1...nope, no such rules in math. So until I figure out this tricky little discrepancy between 'there and their' you will just have to forgive my slip ups. I don't know how I missed learning this in grade school but i did.

The Ride...

Well we made it! It was an extremely challenging year to say the least. Even though the weather was beautiful, the 25mph head wind was extremely discouraging. It seemed like more people were SAG-ing this year or people were coming in 2-3 hrs later then their normal times.

Although he afternoon weather was gorgeous, Sunday morning was a different story. We were woke up in the tent at 4:30AM by riders who couldn't wait to get their lovely spandex, helmet and glasses rear view mirror on...they wanted to make sure they had plenty of time to WARM UP for a 7AM ride (did I mention 4:30AM!? These people are not over ambitious but CRAZY). Any who, when I popped my head out of my sleeping bag I noticed that my breath was visible which for me is never a good sign. It was COLD (like 40 degrees!)! It took everything I had to get my clothes on and get out of my warm cozy sleeping bag.

For some reason, my right knee started to give me problems the middle of the first day. By the time I rolled into La Grange I thought my knee was going to burst at any moment. It was swollen and I was told that I had done something to my IT band.

The second day Vim rode with me and he gets huge brownie points for it. I know it was hard for him to wait on me but I am not sure I would have made it without him. Between the wind, my knee, and the pain in by backside I thought several times about quiting.

180 miles later, sunburned legs, and a couple of blisters on the hiney, we made it. Thank you so much for every ones thoughts and prayers. We truly needed them. Hopefully one day soon they will find a cure for MS.

Only in Texas

This past weekend at the Rodeo our Little Man decided it was time...

For years now Vim has been telling me that he was going to put Little Man in a Mutton Bustin'

competition. Up until Vim's home town rodeo I had never seen or heard of Mutton Bustin'. I didn't even know what a Mutton was! Well folks, let me tell ya...the first time I saw it, I thought it was a joke! I thought this can't be real, it just seems so cruel and redneck! But it is true and the Houston Livestock show and Rodeo has real life competitions. And my son said he wanted to do it.

For those of you like me, who are slightly clueless on what 'Mutton Bustin' is, let me explain. The rules: kids 6yrs and under, under 60lbs, and you have to hold on to the sheep 6 seconds to even get a score. It is kind of like bull riding for the young'ins. Never once did Little Man give it a second thought. Never nervous, never scared. MAN, to be young and fearless again! He held on like a champ and made his Mama proud! He didn't make the 6 seconds but came close. Once he fell off, he jumped up, brushed the dirt of, and ran out of the arena! Needless to say, he is ready to do it again. I think Vim is ready to buy a sheep and start training on the weekends. Until we get a sheep, Fletcher (our dog) will have to do (jk).

Here is a video my brother-in-law was able to take. (Yes that is me screaming in the background and my sisters and mom).

It's that time again...

As many of you know, Vim and I have been participating in the MS150 Bike Tour from Houston to Austin over the last few years. This year will mark Vim's 4th ride and my 2nd ride. The 180 mile bike tour will take place in a few short weeks on the weekend of April 12-13. All proceeds benefit the National MS Society's research and chapter programs. It is amazing to me how Multiple Sclerosis has personally affected the lives of so many individuals. MS affects more that 400,000 people in the US. The disease causes people to stop moving by interrupting information flow from the brain to the body. Honestly, I can't imagine what it would be like to not be able to move or to become blind.

We would both appreciate any donations, no matter the size, that you are able to give at this time. If you are unable to give financially, please do not feel obligated, but I do ask that you keep other riders, Vim and I in your prayers while we make the trek, and especially those with MS.

For more information on MS: National MS Society

To donate to Vim: Vim

To donate to Sarah: Sarah

Thank you!!

My baby sister...

Yes, my baby sister is all grown up! She graduates from HS this May and will head off to Texas A&M (whoop!). Here are some of her senior pictures. She had them done by Pink Posh, the same photographer who did Shannon and Landon's wedding and our wedding.

P.S. Sammy, you are beautiful!!

Expelled

Just in case you haven't heard of this movie, check it out.

There's a trailer for the movie that you can watch on the website. It has Ben Stein in it. Looks great and hopefully will open up some discussion and get people to make a decision based on the evidence. We are not movie people but I think we will make a point of seeing this one.