Datz how we "roll" to Aggie Football

Amazing how Aggie football can conjure up old feelings (basically the last 10 years of my married life.) Every football season and several early fall-late summers- I've been inundated with college football. It's not my husbands fault- it's his moms! She is probably the most energetic football enthusiast I've ever met! She know's the scores- she knows who's who and why they played for a certain team (both NFL and Collegiate) and what they weighed at their spring training. (well- maybe not what ALL of them weighed) So- lets just say- I'm either doomed to the life of a "football-widow" or I join in on the fun! I've picked the latter. (not as enthusiastically as my MIL though.) Our dear friends Kat and Lance have had a motorhome for several seasons and a travel trailer before- they also have twins that are one year older than the "killer B's"- and the B's love hanging out with "the E's" :) so- we decided to do it- we're now RV'ers! We've purchased our first little trailer with a bed and a cooktop and basically a place to crash when games get tough or the celebration gets to a point that stopping is not an option! We took this little maroon and white baby out on her maiden "voyage" this past weekend. (I think we're going to call it the "B Hive") and I've even picked out an image that I'm going to have a flag made into for our little "home away from home" Other than the fact that I almost broke my foot when we drove in the parking lot and began taking the trailer off the "Ex-Pi" (whether it is actually broken or not-is still up for interpretation) We had a great time! We grilled burgers, had a few glasses of wine- and soaked in the football! The lot ("Lot R") is basically about 300 yards from the football stadium- and although A&M has not been the "hot-bed" of collegiate tailgating in the past- it is heating up pretty quickly now! There were TONS of RV's in the lot for this game- and even more will be there once they start going head to toe with the big 12 teams. (Texas Tech is this coming Sat.- Whoop!) So- we've got lots of "camping" in our future. We're also thinking about people like Brad Blauser while were there and wishing him the best while he is in Iraq. Enjoy the pics- There will be LOTS more coming in the next few weeks!

Filler' Up!

Amazing!! We drove in to the parking lot of Sams this weekend to fill up our gas guzzler- and this is what we saw! National Gas prices are still pretty high- I wonder if the little gas man that stands around the pumps at Sams accidentally put up these prices? We thought we were in some alternate reality. :) We had ideas of "running home to fill up milk jugs" with gas and driving for days around Beltway 8 or the loop just to stop at other Sams and fill up on cheap gas! (Incidentally- we had some other thoughts too horribly immature to speak of in this venue-) so I'll just keep quiet about those and we'll enjoy the better gas prices while they last.

Queen of the Rodeo

Here's a clip of Brooke riding one of the hand fed goats at my parents farm- (This past weekend) She screamed and chased them and tried to get back on them when she fell off. It was really cute. Do they make goat saddles? :)

A binkie each night helps ALL of us sleep tight

(THIS PIC IS NOT MY KID BTW-)

Horror of all horrors-- We (aka:Royal We- which is really "I") took away the binkies yesterday. We have been w/o them for approximately 22 hours now- and during waking/play hours things are good- but bed time is another story! Let me back up a little- a few months ago- we decided that our 2 year old twins needed to ONLY have the binks in the nursery- and we held pretty tight to that rule- unless we were on a long car ride where they might "need" them to get to sleep- they pretty much didn't come downstairs unless they were snuck in a pocket and pulled out on the sly while we weren't watching. So- yesterday- after the kids got out of bed and came downstairs- I got this wild idea that we would tell them that "Jiffy had them" and since he is a baby bunny- he "NEEDS" them. I went on to explain to two very perplexed toddlers that at nap time we would not have the binkies anymore and that they had been "sent to Nana and PAPA's farm to be put in Jiffy's cage". They seemed okay with that and only asked briefly where they were. When we laid them down for nap time- I went all over the house, in the cars and in their bags to collect the binks and put them in an undisclosed place. I didn't think that I would cave- but I knew that B might- so I didn't want him to be able to find them! My plan was falling into place seamlessly- but I hadn't "planned" on the fallout that ensued! At naptime- we all marched up the stairs as usual and that's when the kicking and screaming and running and opening all the drawers in the nursery began- there was explaining and re-explaining and letting them know that they were "big girls and boys now- and they didn't really need them"- this explanation happened at least 4 times. Needless to say- there was NO nap. :( This all took about 3 hours- Several times I wanted so badly to just give in to Bryce- (because Brooke acted as if she could care less if she had one or not-although she did use this as an opportunity to get out of bed and run in circles as Bryce cried.) but I knew if I handed it over to him- he would know I was a liar- and my elaborately schemed plan wasn't really true. Hang with me-parents of older kids- this is my first attempt at parental sneekyness! Furthermore, I knew it might spark other tantrums for other objects that Bryce might want really badly in the future. So- I held firm. After we got them up from their non-existent "nap" we all went outside- and did a little gardening and they rode their bikes around the driveway- and after about an hour- Bryce layed down on the concrete and said- "I tired-sleepy!" So- I decided to take them up about 6:00 -- and start the process of getting them in bed- early. Bad idea. It just ended up being 3 hours of them (Him) screaming for binkies instead of the regular one hour bath-PJ and book reading extravaganza that bedtime usually is. (Note to self-don't prolong agony- keep it simple stupid!) So- now "We" have TWO over-tired two year olds on our hands-- and its only 8pm! God help us! Then (drum roll please)- the door slamming started- and after several attempts at getting them back in bed- the frustration set in. Bryce was NOT going to go to bed w/o his "bink"- and about 1:30am B started asking if we were doing the right thing-- "yes" I muttered... He just looked at me and blinked- like I was cutting off their arms or something! ugh! I realize they are our babies- but they REALLY are toddlers-- 2.5 now and ready to be potty trained and move past needing oral fixations to get to sleep. (Although B is almost 40-- and ...well- never mind... ) How does this happen to me? It seems simple enough. The doc says "they cant have the binks- take em away- and don't give in. "-- Now execute-- EXECUTE--EXECUTE!!! With that-it's way past nap time here and I feel like getting my silky- and laying down for a good thumb sucking... :) Some things never change.

We Will Not Forget!

“"The liberties of our country, the freedoms of our civil Constitution are worth defending at all hazards; it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors. They purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood. It will bring a mark of everlasting infamy on the present generation – enlightened as it is – if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of designing men." -Samuel Adams”

Goodbye Croc-Hunter

So Sad to hear about Steve Irwin! He is one of my kids favorite's! He will be missed! "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin died today after being stabbed by a stingray barb. Irwin was off Australia's coast, filming a feature for his daughter's show. "He came over the top of a stingray that was buried in the sand, and the barb came up and hit him in the chest," Irwin's manager John Stainton said.

Dear Brooke;

CIMG8334, originally uploaded by amydell.

“To stand still is to lose, To move is to gain, To change is to grow.”