Cool Guy!

I just love my little guy!  He said he was dressed up as "Cool Guy."  He found my old jewelry box with my 1980s jewelry, and he's been having fun with it.  Great kid, but sneaky, too.  Yesterday, I caught him drawing in happy faces to the boxes on his reward chart.  He had added 4 extra - I wonder if he would have filled in the entire chart if I hadn't walked in.  He always keeps me on my toes!

Father's Day 2012!

We celebrated my birthday on Father's Day.  Jose bought me these beautiful roses.  I always tell him that I enjoy one flower as much as two dozen, but he believes I deserve the best.  We went to a special restaurant, but the wait was upto two hours and that was at 11:15.  So, we visited a wonderful Italian restaurant, and it was wonderful.

Father's Day Gifts!

We didn't buy anything big this year for Father's Day!  Jose and Dad seem to have all they need or want right now so we just made some fun cards and gifts.



For Jose

 

(inside the card)



For Papa


 

(inside the card)





(front of a card for Papa)



Dad has lived here almost 5 years and still
hasn't visited the Tower of Americas.  We
shall be going soon.



One of My Birthday Celebrations!

My birthday and Father's Day are always close together.  My family had a celebration just for me at my parent's house on Saturday night.  Then, we celebrated the next day and again on my actual birthday.



This is the beautiful cake Kath made me.  She asked
what kind I wanted.  My request - anything with
cream cheese frosting!



Mmmm. . . a triple layer carrot cake!  Moist
 and absolutely delicious!



Joey helped me blow out the candles.

  

The card Joey (and Mom) made me.



(Inside)



Joey (and Kathy) made me this beautiful
art to hang on the wall.



What a wonderful gift!  I will always treasure it.



(The back side)

Yet Another Birthday Party!

One of Joey's classmates had a birthday party at "Pump It Up!"  A good time was had by all.



Joey enticing Austyn to come up.



This shot was a few seconds too late.  Joey
was helping Austyn up the wall.



The group of children there.



Joey eating his cupcake.  The mother was so
kind to buy Joey his own gluten-free cupcakes.



Joey and Lukas!



Matthew's mom and me!  We have worked together the
last 5 years!



To a Play With Friends!

Joey and I went out to dinner and a play with friends.  We visited a quaint eatery called the Mad Hatter - very tasty. Then, we visited the local children's theater, The Magik Theatre, to see Knuffle Bunny which was a musical.  I have to admit. . . we have season passes, but I hadn't been to excited about using them because the last two plays we attended were "so-so."  This one was fun!  I'm excited to go back for the next one.



At dinner, Joey is hiding at the end of the table.



Seated before the play began.

 

After the play in the lobby.  You can meet
the characters and take photos, but Joey wasn't
up for the wait.



Joey's Attempt at Playing Hookey

Just a little story about my Joey.  The last weeks of school he was getting "spring fever."  One day he said, "Mom, I can't go to school today.  I'm sick."  Then, he proceeded to have fake coughing.  I told him I was sorry he was sick, but the nurse could call me if he needed to go home.  Joey, then, said, "Well. . . I don't want to get the other kids sick."  I told him how thoughtful that was, but I thought it would be OK.  He wasn't finished yet!  He claimed, "The other kids make fun of me when I cough."  Really?  What am I looking at when Joey becomes a teenager?  He always keeps me on my toes!

Joey is always thinking!

Yesterday, we were in the car.  Joey asked me, "What does zorb mean?"  I told him I wasn't sure.  He said with more emotion, "Zorb, a-zorb."  Then, I realized he was saying absorb.  We had read a Pokemon book the night before when Pikachu absorbed some electricity.

Last week, Joey asked me, "What does 'days off boo' mean?" Hmmm. . . not sure I had ever heard this. . . I told him I didn't know.  The more I repeated it in my head, I realized he meant "deja vu."  Love my little thinker!

Mom's 70th Birthday Celebration!

We celebrated Mom's birthday tonite.  How wonderful to have my mother - she has been a wonderful inspiration throughout the years.



Joey was so excited about his gift.  He wanted to give Nana a
trophy.  It stated, "#1 Nana."  Then, he wanted to include
scrolls that listed reasons why she was the number one Nana.

 

Joey helped her open all her presents. 

 

These were the papers that were wrapped into scrolls.
-Nana plays Poison Ivy, Joey loves U, She makes the bestest
Christmas cookies with me, Nana got me a stuffed bear.  Yellow
Bear is his name, Nana helps us when we need it, I enjoy her
putting water on my belly and the bug wenta walkin', walkin',
Nana makes me feel happy.



We went to dinner at Red Lobster.

 

Since it was her 70th we had to give her some
"Over the Hill" type gifts.  One is a decision maker.
The other is a fairy wand.

 

The Decision Maker:
I customized it to include many of her current activities.



This was included with the "Over the Hill" fairly wand. 



Marti's Birthday Celebration!

Marti and I met in college about 17 or so years ago.  Although we met in Indiana, we have both ended up in South Texas so we get together occasionally.  She LOVES Morgan's Wonderland - a disability accessible theme park - which really has activities perfect for our age of kids.  Two years ago we celebrated her birthday there.  She wanted to do it again.  It was perfect - great weather and not very crowded.





We rode the carousel multiple times.



Joey's photo of me on the carousel.



When I asked Joey what we should give Marti
for her birthday, he said a trophy.  It read,
"#1 Friend, Marti, 2012."  I added flowers and
had many of her friend attributes attached to
each flower.



Marti and me!  I asked her what gives her the right to wear a
pink cowboy hat.  She responded, "I live in Texas now."



We rode on the cars and passed Marti and the crew along the way.



Joey trying out some of the fun playground equipment.



Fun in the sand area.



Picnic lunch!  Marti in her birthday hat.



The kids got icecream, actually paletas from Mexico.



Everyone swinging.



Joey as the weatherman!



Joey driving the car simulator.




Unfortuately, the flash on the camera fades the effect of this
cool activity.  You can catch the beads falling down on the
screen with your shadow.  They also had two other screens
that do different things with your shadow.



Joey took a turn at fishing.

 
  

All our kids using the remote controlled boats.

 

Joey on my favorite animal, the elephant!



Marti on the carousel with her little Andy.