Marathon training at its finest

Running in East Texas is always an adventure. For example, the other day, when I almost ran on top of a slithering snake and screamed loud enough to wake everyone in a neighborhood. Or today, when an armadillo was crossing the road, and I literally said, "Keri, what do I do?" She told me to just keep running, so I did, with my eye on that chubby little armadillo the whole time he waddled across our path.

But nothing beats what happened when Keri dropped me off back at my car, parked at a local elementary school. I noticed that I was one of two cars there, since it was only 6:15. The other car was parked as close to mine as humanly possible, and when we pulled up, a woman of at least 70 poked her head out the window. I whispered to Keri, "Do you think I took her parking spot?" and then giggled.

"Hey, ya'll runners going to park here very often? Because teachers get here and want to park in their spots." Oh my word, I was kidding, but it was for real. I had taken this woman's parking spot.

Keri called out, "Well, this is the latest we'll ever get back. Do the teachers get here this early?"

The woman looked at us sassily. "Well, I'm here..." Right. And then she added, "And tell your friend with the speedo -"

Keri interrupted, "No one running in a speedo is with us."
The woman replied, "Well good. That man got out of his car in his speedo right here in the parking lot where all my little 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders come, proud of himself as can be (insert demonstration of a very manly strut). I wonder if he'd be so proud if I came out and beat the devil out of him?"

I stifled laughter as Keri nodded her head in agreement. "Well, have a nice day, and we'll be sure to park out of the way from here on out!"

No way I'm ever parking there again if I'm going to be accosted by a woman p.o.'ed about her parking spot or a man in a speedo. Ahhhh, East Texas. You always keep the stories coming.

Miloshoot

Ahhhh, Milo. He's the world's most wonderful child. He had the best hair when he woke up from his nap the other day, and Ann and I decided to take a picture or two. Well, the flash startled him just a tad...

SURPRISE!!! IT'S A PICTURE!

The bedhead just keeps getting better and better.

Milo was "helping" Ann fold her laundry...

Loved that fitted sheet...

Hmmmm... How cute am I, again?

Sunshine

I'm a spoiled girl, that's for sure. I have to remind myself of that sometimes, especially lately while I have a lot of icky on my mind. But today I got to eat lunch with my Mom, sister Ann, Nate, and Milo at this amazing new tea room in Lufkin. Don't get me wrong - I love MarTeres. In fact, it's probably unhealthy how much I love it, including the almond tea that I never liked until I was pregnant with Milo (and then it became like a heavenly nectar). But every time I go there, I feel like a giant clomping around, stomping on the wooden floors and struggling not to knock everything down.

Milagros fixed that problem for me. The space is more wide open, the ceilings taller, the atmosphere more relaxed (Nate admitted that he gets a little panicky in MarTeres).  I have literally been three times this week, and I'm going to have to take some time off now... It's getting embarrassing - they recognize me because Milo is the cutest baby on the planet, and no one forgets him (okay, so I'm exaggerating a tad...). Plus Nate and I definitely can't afford to single-handedly keep a tea room in business. But seriously, you absolutely need to try Milagros if you haven't been there. I'm going to shamelessly plug it because this is my blog and I can do what I want. They have this grilled cheese panini with smoked gouda, muenster, tomato, and fresh basil that I wake up thinking about. That's just me loving food, though.

And now that I've said my piece, let me show you one of my favorite sights. Nate has this amazing fuzzy robe that Milo absolutely melts into. Any time Nate goes to pick him up for his nap in this robe, he wraps Milo inside, and the two will just sit and cuddle for the longest time. It's like sunshine to my heart.

Both a little sleepy and a lot content.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend. Mine will be full of Sarah's "Daddy's Little Texan" baby shower. Should be fun, and very picture-worthy.

A little photo update

I've been meaning to share a few photos from our Dallas trip... And when I say Dallas trip, I mean the most important part of the trip, Milo's visit with his Nannie and Nonnie.

Singing a little Nannie song

I think Milo's trying to taste Nannie, just to see if she's really as sweet as she seems.

Loving some Nonnie cuddles

4 generations, all together. They make a good-looking group, don't they?

Dressy + Casual = Fun

I took a challenge on this blog yesterday and managed to pair a dressy top with casual shorts...

The first two pictures are evidence to the contrary of what seems to be in the third - I am indeed wearing pants.

So yesterday was back-to-school for a ton of people, but not me. I'll admit, I wasn't expecting to feel so sentimental about it, but I, of course, miss my kids. Then again, if I were at school, I'd be missing my own baby. Everything's a trade-off in life, right?

Another happy day!

It's a big month in our family, because today we have another birthday. Happy birthday, Lilia Grace-Ann!!! I can't believe you're 4 already, my little Lily-bug! It seems like just yesterday you were being born, and you had a little crooked nose... Or you were terrorizing everybody who offered to babysit... Or you were playing hide and seek at the hospital with your tiny feet and purple "poo-pops" (flip-flops)...

And now you're four and becoming such a little lady, sharing your food with your favorite auntie Titi and learning about your inside voice. You are a little mini-me for your mommy, and being around you takes me back to when I was just a little girl playing with her.

I love you, Lily-bug!

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who adored her big sister.
And her big sister grew up, fell in love, and brought the little girl a new big brother. She couldn't have been more delighted, and she loved the two with every fiber of her being.
And one magical day, these two made the chubbiest, happiest little ray of sunshine the girl had ever known, and they called him Alexander, or "A," as he called himself.

Well, little A, you are turning eleven today, and I can't imagine a smarter, handsomer, more wonderful 11-year old on the planet. You give my little man someone to look up to, and I'm hoping that someday he aspires to be a little mix of you and Conner - brains, spunk, and charm.

I remember when you were just a baby, and you used to put your mouth on my nose, not to bite me, but just to rest. And then I would open my mouth and you would put your nose right in for me.

When your mommy and daddy let me babysit for you, I would put lotion in your hair and give you a mohawk.

You used to stand on the tiled area by the fireplace and make us all sit down on the couches, and before we could even understand what you were saying, you'd preach a rousing sermon to all of us, and then make us stand and lead us in a little song.

I taught you to say, "Rock and roll, baby!" when you were just old enough to make sentences, and you would shout it out with delight, as if you really knew what it meant.

And then you started to get bigger, and became the sweetest big brother to Conner, and then Chloe. Your mom and I would dress you up in your Halloween frog costume year-round, until it just didn't fit anymore, simply because you looked so adorable (and we made Conner the little bumblebee).

You went to school, and started impressing everyone who knew you with how smart and friendly you are. You became quite the legend at Trout Elementary, and then at Brookhollow, too. You won awards, you stole the show as the smartest kid in the Christmas program, you devoured every book you could get your hands on, you even got commended on all three of your TAKS tests! And in the midst of all of that, you stayed humble and caring.

And now you're headed to middle school, and I just can't believe how time has flown. Alex, I couldn't be more proud of you, couldn't love you any more than I already do, couldn't imagine what my life would have been like without my chubby little ray of sunshine turned boy genius.

Happy Birthday!