I'll take an order of shadiness with a side of creepy, please.

Ah, life.  Just when I think I've run out of things to write about on this blog, life serves up a big ol plate of fun.  The following is a true story.  Seriously, I could not make this up.

So, today I headed over to the States by myself.  The kids stayed here with Shannon because I was going to be bringing one of the staff's family, who were down visiting, back with me in the car.  I had a ton of time to kill, so I decided to go to the dollar movie.  Aaron was already in Texas doing some work, so I sent him a text letting him know I was going to see a movie before meeting up with him.   The movie I really wanted to see, "Ghost of Girlfriends Past", didn't start until 5:30.  It was only 4:25 so I looked to see what else was on.  "17 Again":  4:30. "Hmm...how shady would it look for me to be going to see "17 Again" by myself?  Eh, not a big deal", I told myself.  I bought a ticket and went on in.  

I was fine until Zac Efron hit the screen.  And then I started feeling uncomfortable.  The fact that I was a 32 year old woman  by myself in a dark theater watching a 20 year old guy just became too creepy for me.  I considered leaving.  Before I could, though, I saw a man heading down my aisle right towards me.  "He's not going to sit here, is he?"  I thought to myself.  Sure enough, he sat down.  It was Aaron.  I giggled nervously.  "I was just about to leave.  I'm feeling a little bit shady sitting here watching this movie by myself."  "YOU feel shady??  I assumed you and the girls were here to see "Hannah Montana".  How do you think it looked for an old guy with a beard to buy a single ticket to a kids movie? And because that's not creepy enough, I then went into the "Hannah Montana" theater looking down each row for you guys.  Nice."   I couldn't help but laugh.  I told him, "I'm sure they knew you were meeting your family in there."  "How?", he demanded, holding up his ring-less finger. "I'm surprised I didn't get the cops called on me!"

Alright, Aaron, you win.  Although creeping in the back of a "Hannah Montana" theater is definitely shadier than a 32 year old woman watching Zac Efron on the big screen in a dark movie theater, it is a close tie.

Summer!

Summer is:

-going to the dollar theater and then spending 25 bucks on popcorn and drinks.

-having soft feet from going to the beach and rubbing your feet in the sand

-buying a huge pack of those frozen popsicles and loving them as much as your kids

-stopping at Dairy Queen after the beach.  Every time.   No exceptions (Mom's rule).

-painting fingernails and toenails a pretty lavender color

-eating gummy bears that have melted together because I left them in the car

-waiting until  at least 8pm to go outside  because that's the coolest time of the day

-running back inside to hide from the mosquitoes that are so big they need their own airport runway. 

-watching your daughters' hair turn blonde and their bodies brown from the sun.

-seeing your husband fry even though you put 60 spf on him.  

Hope you all are having a fabulous summer!!

"Dirty Dancing" lift and cat nighttime antics

Lately, all I do is sit around and try to focus on not focusing on how hot it is.  I'm about to pull a Pedro and go shave my head.  Actually, scratch that, because then I'd be forced to wear a wig and I've heard those are most uncomfortable.   So, imagine my excitement when our friends, the Cooper's, invited us to come to an event called "Blues on the Hill" and spend the night at their house in Harlingen (read:  AC!!!  Yeah, bay bay!)

We waited until the sun had gone down and trucked over to the hill to listen to some Blues.  I have to admit, the music was great, but the best part was watching all the intoxicated people dance.  There was one couple, in particular, that I could not keep my eyes off of.  The couple was in their 50s, and they were getting down with their bad selves, let me tell you!  The woman kept swinging her long, curly hair around in a circular motion which would cause her scrunchie to fly off in the opposite direction.  Undeterred, she would saunter over to it, pick it up, and pull her hair back into it's half pony tail, all while jamming away with a white man's over bite.  I was waiting in anticipation for the "Dirty Dancing" run, jump, and lift, you know the one they practiced in the movie over and over?  Sadly, this did not happen.  Not enough Bud Lights, I suppose.  Maybe next year.  

Meanwhile, back at the camp, last night I look out my front window to find not one, not two, but FOUR cats hanging out on the front porch.  I thought to myself, "What the Hello Kitty is going on out there??"  Now, two of them are ours, but the other two?  I guess they heard there were free snacks and drinks at Milo's and decided to crash the party.  

I swear I could hear the bass thumping and "Rhythm of the Night" playing in the background.   Cats these days.  Not to worry, I was responsible and took away everyone's keys.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!!

I love you!!

Too many choices...

Aaron has a hard time making choices when it comes to food or clothes.  Want to see the boy panic?  Ask him white or wheat?  Brown or white gravy?  What three sides would you like?   Take for example, Sunday, we went to Luby's to eat lunch.  (Don't be judgin'...we were hungry!)  We were thinking it was a buffet and were surprised when we got there and found it was like a cafeteria (I guess "Luby's Cafeteria" should have thrown us off to that).   Anywho, we decided not to eat there and left.  As we got back in the car, and Aaron said, "Did you see that menu on the wall?  So many choices!  I couldn't focus on one thing.  I was so overwhelmed."  We then hightailed ourselves over to another fine eating establishment called "Golden Corral" where we dined with all the elderly people also eating lunch at 11:30 in the morning.  We then continued on with our day where I fell into a food induced coma and was consequently very ashamed of my gluttony but not too ashamed because it was all very good food.  As good as food can be at restaurant with the word "corral" in it, that is.

Moving on.

That day, Aaron bought two pairs of grey Dickey's shorts and five blue t-shirts from Target.  The groups are down here for the summer, and he'll be working outside with them while they are here, building houses, etc.  Aaron said that he loves his "uniform".  It takes the guessing out of what he should wear that day, and don't forget, he hates making choices on things like this.  He told me he was going to open a restaurant where you don't get a choice, you just eat what he brings you.  I asked him, "Kind of like here at home every night for dinner?"  His eyes lit up. "Yes!", he said.   So, don't be surprised if one day you hear about a restaurant he opens called "Mom's Diner....you get what you get and don't throw a fit."

Say what?

I don't know about you, but I love cleaning my ears out with a cotton swab.  Seriously, it feels so good, I feel like I should smoke a cigarette afterwards.  I think the fact that you aren't supposed to put a cotton swab in your ear canal makes it even more exciting....like you're having a secret rendezvous or something.  I'm one step away from making a phone with my hand and putting it up to my ear and mouthing "call me" after I throw it away in the trash.  

Recently, though, my left ear has been giving me trouble.   Sounds are coming through really muffled.  Is this directly related to my cotton swab misbehaving....like a bad episode of "Cotton Swabs Gone Wild"?  Water in my ear?  Sinus problems?  I'm not sure.  But after having my children bother me ten thousand times while I type this, I'm wondering if I want to have my hearing back in that ear.   I can just pretend I don't hear them!  

Eleven Years...

Brad Pitt?  Justin Timberlake?  Bob Harper?  Pfft.  Who needs em?  I've been married for eleven years (today)  to this guy right here:

We've had our ups and downs, to be sure, but let me tell you:  the first eleven years were the hardest.  Bah dum chah.  I stole that joke from a pastor whose name I can't remember.  So, in honor of our 11 year anniversary, I'm going to tell you 11 things that I love most about Aaron.

1.  He is hilarious. He makes me laugh every day.  Take the above picture, for example.  Just the look on his face makes me laugh.  I'm chuckling right now as I'm typing this.

2.  He plays piano.  He can sit and make up tunes for hours.  Ever seen "Twilight"?  Move over, Edward.  
3.  He's great at surprises.  He loves to take me on romantic getaways.
4.  He's an encourager.  Aaron has been the major force behind my running and writing.

5.  He keeps his word.  If he tells you he's going to do something, he's going to do it.

6.  He loves the Lord with all his heart.  His relationship with God is raw and genuine.  

7.  He's a fantastic father to our girls.  

8.  Re:  picture below:  No words necessary.  But in case you need words, he's a hottie!!
9.  He's honest.  He admits his faults and failures.

10.  He's adventurous.  He loves nature and to be outdoors. 

And number 11....

He puts up with my love for 80s and 90s music and the fact that I sing them at the most random and inopportune times.  On that note, I leave you with the chorus of a song I'd like to dedicate to my husband of 11 years: 

"I Melt With You" by Modern English

I'll stop the world and melt with you.

I've seen some changes but it's getting better all the time.

There's nothing you and I won't do.

I'll stop the world and melt with you.

Love you, Babe!