Enjoying the Small Things

On this Saturday morning at home alone while the boys are at practice and the girl is spending a morning with her grandparents, these are the small things I enjoy.

*The simplicity of my children in their prayer, but knowing they believe in what they are saying. ^ One of Kylee's this week. "Dear God, please don't let there be big consequences for all of us in a little food fight at school!"
^ One of Blaine's this week. "Dear God, please don't let us have another substitute tomorrow. We already had one Monday and Tuesday. That's enough."

*The ability to know my chidren's personalities...and be okay with them. ^One morning this week as I was tying Blaine's shoes on the couch, Kylee comes stomping down the stairs with her morning look on her face..you know, the I-just-smelled-a-fart-one. Blaine said, "What is her problem?" I said, "Nothing Blaine. She just doesn't do mornings." He said, "OH yea!"

*Silliness. Period. ^Blaine came in my room one night after we had put them to bed and just started talking some crazy language. I said, "What?" He giggled like a girl and ran back to bed.

*Chapstick. ^Kylee is always stealing my chapstick...always. She asked me for some before dance the other night, and I said, "You already took it." She said, "Oh, yea, sorry, Mom." Then as she got out of the car, she said, "BTW, thanks for the chapstick." The last thing I heard as she closed the door was a giggle.

*And as I get off this computer to do laundry for the past two weeks since we were out of town last week, yes, I am even thankful for laundry. I am thankful for the dirt on everything Blaine because it reminds me I have an amazing boy. I am thankful for the lip gloss Kylee left in her pockets, all of them, because I am reminded I have a sweet girl.

Happy Saturday.

Easter Slumber Sunday

After everybody had left, Jace and Carrie stayed to visit a while. We had Taco Villa for dinner (can I get an amen on Easter?).

I asked Jace if Gatlin could spend the night with us, since they were going to church with us Sunday morning. When Jace asked Gatlin if he would like to, he jumped up and down and said, "Of Tourse!" (not a typo) So he and Blaine spent the rest of the evening joined at the hip.

Sunday morning, Grandmommy got up with the boys and let Joey, Kylee and me sleep late...a little too late. She left for Sunday school after Blaine told her he knew the rules and she agreed to let him "be in charge." He and Gatlin woke us up at 9:08! We had to be a church at 10. It was a mad rush, but we made it.

Since Grandmommy ditched us, we didn't get a picture with her.
After lunch at Furr's, we headed back to El Paso. We are already to go back to Grandmommy's. Until next time...

Grandmommy's Easter Montage

That's right. We've been meeting at Grandmommy's house for Easter for five years. The only thing that changes are the ages.

This year, as usual, there were brothers and sisters,(although mine got nowhere near each other), lots and lots of food and eating, lots of sillyness, an egg hunt, some very tough baby chicks, quality time with great and grandparents cousin time, and all around fulfilling family time. Not to mention a lawt of pictures.

Thanks for having this rowdy bunch in your house, Grandmommy. We love you!

Before the Storm

Saturday morning, Grandmommy and I got up and started getting ready for lunch. It's a little odd to peel 10 lbs of potatoes at seven o'clock in the morning, but I did it anyway. While we worked and Kylee slept,the rest visited.

When Kylee woke up, Dad Dad and Mom Mom presented us with our Easter. The kids each had a golden (or silver) prize egg with $20 in them. The day before while the big girls and I were at the grocery store, they had come begging me to buy them this baby doll. I told them they had enough baby dolls, and I absolutely wasn't buying it. They told me it was only $7. I told them it wasn't about the money, that they had enough babies, and I wasn't buying it. They told me they would pay me back. Again, I told them it wasn't about the money. When they got their Easter eggs, they proceeded to beg their grandparents to take them to Wal-Mart. They agreed. So we got them dressedand off they went.

You know they came back with not just one of those dolls, but two, one for each. Blaine got some motorcycles, and McKenzie got a purse with a horse in it. That money was burning holes in their pockets!

When they got back, the chaos begin. Stay tuned.

Smelly People

We are smelly people, we are. At least the kids and I are.

Mom Mom took the kids to see Terry last week. As we were leaving Mom Mom's and Kylee gave her a hug, she told Kylee she smelled like Terry. Kylee said, "I know. And it's the best smell ever!" Blaine piped in and said, "Yea like when Grandmommy comes and sleeps in my room, when she leaves, it smells just like her. I love it!" Kylee said, "Oh, yeah, or when we go to her house and then open our suitcase at home and it smells like her!"

Tonight as I was putting Blaine to bed, he pulled Cowboy close and said, "OH, YES! He smells like Grandmommy! I'm going to sleep good!!"

Good Friday at Grandmommy's

We got up Friday, ready to hit the ground running. Grandmommy had to work that morning, so after paying her a visit, we headed to the mall for some shoes and entertainment. The kids got in the photo boothand thehurricane wind machine. Then we met Grandmommy for lunch.

By the time we were finished with lunch, Joey, Dad Dad, and Mom Mom had arrived, and we were ready to color eggs.Then I ran to the grocery store for the things we needed for lunch. Then while I got some things ready for Saturda and Grandmommy filled the plastic eggsAfter Dad Dad, Mom Mom, Kyle and Myra took the kids to see Soul Surfer and Grandmommy, Joey and I went to Kyan's birthday for a while, we came back and visitedwhile the kids played.The girls played like they had one arm
like the girl in Soul Surfer all weekend. They had me tie one arm behind their back. They tried everything with it.

It was {a} Good Friday.

P.S. Saturday is coming. In case you can't tell already, I took a lot of pictures this weekend. 177 to be exact. Saturday was the "big" day. I'm still sorting through those figuring out which will make it on here. For now, I'm headed to a baseball game.

We Have Arrived

The kids were SO excited to be at Grandmommy's. Grandmommy was not excited about having her picture taken Thursday night.

The big girls put on a show for us. I actually have a video of it, but it will not be posted here. It became a controversial topic. The daddies did not approve. The mommies thought it was typical, normal...and hysterical! The littles were both interestedand tickled. Because of the controversial nature of this topic, I'm going to compromise. There will be no video, but here's a sneak of the controversial topic.

Tickled at the girls and tickled to be at Grandmommy's!

On a Roll...and The Road

The kids and I left Thursday after Blaine's Easter egg hunt at school for our annual Clovis trip. Joey rode with Mom and Dan Friday.

Our trip, driving-wise, was an uneventful one. My son, on the other hand, made it quite entertaining.

As we are leaving school, I notice a "77" written on his hand. I said, "Hey, buddy, what's that?" He said, "The only eggs I could put in my basket had to have a 77 on them. It was like a math lesson." I said, "Oh, cool. So like a math lesson and Easter egg hunt in one." He said, "Yeah. It was better in Kinder. Kinder was all about fun. Not everthing was a lesson."

We head on down the road to the Border Patrol checkpoint station. As we pull up, he says, "These check points are so dumb. Everybody knows this is the United States!" When we get to Ruidoso, I saw where the trees had burned in the fires. I told the kids to look. Kylee asked how I knew that's where it was. Blaine said, "Duh, Diddy! All the trees are BALD!"

We were on the road, and he was on a roll to our annual Grandmommy's Easter. More to come on that!

For Those Wilhites Who Come Here...

Blaine/Jeter

Playing Photographer

I played photographer today with our friends, Mat, Cecy, and Chris Estrada. Mat is doing his confirmation at church soon, and they wanted pictures for his invitations. Cecy asked me if I would do them. She has seen pictures I take of just the kids and asked me to do it. We made plans to go downtown to eat the Garden, where there's cool alleys, and I thought I could get some good pictures.

Before we went, Blaine, of course had a game. To get in the photographic "mood", I took my camera to the game. Here are a few I took.

The plan with the Estradas was for all of us to go so I could do their pictures and some of our kids, but Kylee was not feeling well. She didn't even go to dance. Her head and stuffy nose and asthma were killing her. Because Mat's confirmation is so soon, we decided to go ahead and go but do my kids another day. I took about 40 pics or so of the Estrada family. These are some of my favorites. Because my girl was at home, after pictures and eating, we kinda rushed home so I could check on her and be home with her....but not before I got some pictures of my boys.And Blaine wanted a picture of his guy.Yes. I took a picture of an action figure. I even posed him. And he rocked it!

When we got back to the house, Kylee was feeling a little better. So tonight we took them to see Soul Surfer. What an amazing movie!! They had a little photo time of themselves in the booth at the theater.

It turned into a very photogenic kinda day, and if nothing else, we had fun!

Out of the Mouth of Babes Blaine

This boy! You never know what will come out of his mouth!

Example 1:
Every night we have to sign Blaine's agenda after his homework or he gets a yellow dot and lunch detention. Tuesday night before his game, he did his homework at Mom Mom's house before his dad picked him up. Wednesday morning when we got ready for school, his backpack was still in his dad's truck. We called Joey, and he took the backpack to school. That night he said, "Mom, you are so lucky! I saw that you didn't sign my agendy, but before Mrs. Sanchez saw it, I put "SO" (my initials) on there. You're so lucky!" I said, "You signed my name?" He said, "Yea. You're so lucky! Don't worry. Mrs. Sanchez didn't even know it was me."

Example 2:
His story in his fluency folder this week was about a tea party. One of the questions was: What was your favorite part of the story. His response was: I didn't like any of this story because I'm a boy.

Example 3:
Wow, Mom, that guy looks like Jackson Cap Sparrow! (Captain Jack Sparrow)

Working on the Convent

Wednesday nights is our favorite night at home. It is the only night that all of us actually want to watch the same shows! We watch American Idol and Survivor. This is usually how you will find us on Wednesday nightsand I LOVE it!

Kylee is talking about it Wednesday mornings! Last night, though, we were having to tell her it was time. She kept saying, "Ok, be right there. Hang on a second." I said, "Kylee, what are you doing?" She said, "Well, I told my friend I was really good at clay sculpting, so she asked me to make her a convent." Ummm, ok?? So she showed me her project.

It was a Converse...shoe!
And it was awesome!

Think!

Just Blaine and I were talking about his game tonight, another win, another double play for my shortstop.
He said, "Mommy, sometimes the dumb coaches, except my Daddy, don't think!"
Me: Blaine Caleb!
B: Mom, really! I caught that ball, and they were all yelling at me to throw to first. But if I throw to first, the guy going to second doesn't have to run the next hit. How can I get him out if he doesn't run? I had to get him so the first baseman would have to run! That's the only way I can get him out is if he has to run!
Me: Your coaches love you and are not dumb. You should be nice.
B: They aren't dumb, but sometimes they don't think!

Typical

Before the typical, though, I must start with one little teeny weeny atypical moment we had this weekend. Kylee got up EARLY Saturday morning to be at the school at 7:00a.m. for UIL. She makes me so so proud even after all the h-e-double-hockey-sticks she gives me!!! She was approached to do UIL dictionary and was not really interested but did it anyway. She got SECOND place!!

Now on to our more typical. Blaine had a baseball game. Typical. And...another black eye.Typical. (of Blaine) He used his eye socket to catch the ball instead of his glove during warm-up. I was a little afraid he would be ball shy after that, but he sure wasn't. He got out there for two double plays!

Kylee danced all weekend. Typical. She spent four hours at the studio on Saturday, and then she performed at Generation 2000 on Sunday. It was a really great place to have to wait on her to perform, too. They had all sorts of stuff for Blaine to do while he waited. He put on a puppet show for Joey and I, did jumbo puzzles, flew in the hot air balloon, jumped on the bungy cord jumpolene, played the pan/drums with the Spidermans, and just hung out.

Kylee totally strutted her stuff! Typical. I've probably said this before, but she is so shy and timid around those she doesn't know. But put that girl on a dance stage, and she shakes that tail feather! Watch:
Whip Your Hair (If you watch none of the others, be sure and watch this one, especially at 1:40)
SuperStar
Rock That Body
Soldier Boy

After she danced, everybody was so proud, they wanted to be around her, even JB! Then the kids did some of they rides at Generation 2000before we went and had lunch with Nana and Papa.
It was a very, very busy and, well, typical weekend at our house.