The Daily Stroll

Weekend Happenings

2012-01-30T10:37:00.010-06:00

Last week seemed to go by extremely slow so when the weekend finally came around, I was looking forward to some fun and time with my husband and family

Friday afternoon Jonah decided to go on a mission to feed the birds in our front yard. He grabbed a loaf of bread and sprinkled pieces all over the sidewalk. Our sweet neighbor, Colleen, across the street saw him and brought over a bag of birdseed to give to him. He was so excited. He sprinkled it all over the driveway and the walkway up to our house. He came inside and was

ecstatic when he saw the first bird land the others that followed to enjoy the treat he left for them.

Then the proud mom moment came. He walked over to my desk, took one of his thank you cards out of the drawer, grabbed his marked and sat down at the kitchen table to write Colleen a thank you card. He added a few Star Wars stickers to the note and then asked me if he could run across the street to hand deliver it to her. Very proud of my sweet boy!

On Saturday I took Meredith to her friend Tatum's birthday party at Build-A-Bear. She had a lot of fun building her bear and then pushing her in a stroller through the mall with her friends. After the party I took her on the carousel a few times before heading home.

Saturday night we were invited to dinner with friends we met through Jonah and Meredith's school. Jonah and their son went to private preschool together and we have become friends over the last couple of years. We had such a great time and it was nice to have an adult night out.

Our first stop was at Landon Winery in downtown McKinney. We had their 5 Barrel Blend and it was fabulous.

Afterwards we stopped by the McKinney Wine Merchant and picked up a couple more bottles of wine for dinner since our restaurant was BYOB. The shop was so cute and they had so many unique wines that I had never even heard of. I am looking forward to going back and spending more time exploring! I also found out they also have door to door delivery. Um, how awesome is that?

We picked up a Shiraz and then this Grenache. I had never had Grenache before so I was looking forward to trying it out and I will say the flavor was fabulous. Smooth but with hints of spicy fruit and at $20 a bottle a steal.

Next up, we headed across the street for dinner at Gregory's Bistro (the same place I had one of my birthday dinners). We ordered the steamed mussels which were served in a Chipotle butter sauce and it was heavenly. We also had the cheese plate which is one of my favorites. For dinner, I had the chef's special which was pan seared scallops served with lobster mashed potatoes. Josh had the Chilean sea bass with lobster risotto and asparagus. Their food is so good you want to savor every bite! For dessert Josh had the chocolate creme brulee and I had the champagne with fresh strawberries.

It was such a fun night! Good conversation, Good food and wine and Good friends!

On Sunday Josh met one of his friends for lunch at North Park and surprised me with these from Tory Burch when he came home! He knows and appreciates my TB obsession. It's just one of the many many reasons I love him so much!

Weekend Recap

2012-01-23T08:21:00.010-06:00

The weather was fabulous this weekend so we stayed outside as much as we could.

On Friday evening we had a play date and dinner with my friend Kelly. The kids played outside the entire time and we sat outside and drank wine! A perfect way to end the long week!

On Saturday, I took Jonah to his good friend Torin's birthday party at Legoland in Grapevine. He had been before on a field trip with school but I had never been! What a fun place! We will definitely be going back again soon!

After Torin's party, I took Meredith to her best friend River's birthday party. They had a blast on the Fun Bus and eating Tinkerbell cupcakes.

Everyone was tired Saturday night so we stayed in. The kids watched movies and I enjoyed some time curled up on the couch reading the new Allure magazine and drinking hot tea.

Sunday after washing and putting up five loads of laundry and finishing up some minor organization projects around the house, we spent the afternoon outside. Jonah had his first friend come to the door and actually say "Can Jonah come out and play?" It was one of those moments you realize they are really growing up!

Of course that meant that Meredith also wanted to go out and play so I decided to take her around the neighborhood on her scooter so the boys could play by themselves.

After the sun went down we came inside, took baths, ordered pizza for dinner and watched movies until bedtime! A perfect ending to a busy but fun weekend! Hope everyone had a great weekend and has a good week!

XO,

Monda

Add a Dash of Sassy

2012-01-12T11:49:00.001-06:00

Meredith was fashionably ready for today’s colder temperatures. As my husband’s cousin Kathy wrote on Facebook this morning – “I think the next Elle Woods has arrived! Watch out Harvard Law!” Love it!!

New Years

2012-01-01T22:29:00.001-06:00

Unfortunately we don’t have any pictures from New Year’s Eve this year. After coming home from ice skating, we had a fabulous dinner with Opa and Oma but then I started feeling really bad and suddenly got a migraine so we hung out and watched movies but I felt so bad I finally had to go lay down. So I didn’t see the ball drop this year! Boo!

But today, I felt much better so Susan (Oma) and I drank several mimosas and after lunch we moved on to pomegranate and champagne. We snacked on dips and relaxed inside by the fire! It was the perfect way to kick off a New Year!!

Ice Skating

2011-12-31T17:52:00.000-06:00

My friend Jennifer and I took the boys to lunch and then ice skating this afternoon. Let’s just say that they were all much better than me! It’s been several years since I ice skated. I basically held onto the railing the entire time and Jonah kept trying to make me let go. The only problem was every time I did, I fell.

But it was still fun and I can’t wait to try it again soon.

Build A Bear

2011-12-30T23:55:00.000-06:00

We went to Build A Bear today. Jonah made an Alvin the Chipmunk and Meredith made a Monkey. Doesn’t Meredith look so happy and cute in this picture? Well, this picture was taken right before Meredith had the Mother of all meltdowns in the middle of the mall when she realized we were going to lunch and not on the carousel. After a good thirty minutes of trying to calm her down it was obvious neither of us were winning the battle and we ended up going home. I didn’t get CPK for lunch and she didn’t get to ride on the carousel. Of course I’m not sure if she is going to be allowed back in the mall anytime soon! Ha!

Meredith’s Mini Me

2011-12-26T20:07:00.000-06:00

Josh and I bought Meredith her first American Girl doll for Christmas this year. She was ecstatic that Kit looked just like her with blonde hair, blue eyes and a splash of freckles across her nose. She also received an AG doll bed, clothes, and Coconut the Dog (which happens to look just like Riley). And of course they had to have matching PJ’s. Yikes, I have suddenly immersed myself into the American Girl cult. This is going to be bad!

Zombie Lab

2011-12-26T12:14:00.000-06:00

Santa brought Jonah a Zombie Lab so we decided to try to make the bubbling brains today. They were tasty. Jonah wouldn’t eat it but I did. Oh and just so you know, all the creations in the lab are edible.

Christmas Day

2011-12-25T11:24:00.000-06:00

This year I decided to enjoy the moment with my kids and husband on Christmas instead of snapping away on my camera like I usually do. I mean I love pictures and I love capturing all those special memories but sometimes you just have to sit the camera down and be in the moment and then save those mental pictures in your head and that’s what I did on Christmas this year so I only have a couple of pictures to share but we had a blast waking the kids up, running downstairs to see what surprises Santa had left for everyone. After playing with all the new gadgets and toys, we had our traditional breakfast, hot chocolate and then got dressed to drive to Josh’s grandmother’s house where we enjoyed an evening with family eating a wonderful Christmas dinner and opening presents. It was a great day and I’m glad I took a moment to enjoy it.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their family and friends.

Note from Santa:

Note from Nose the Elf:

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T23:00:00.000-06:00

Christmas PJ’s on:

Santa Key hung:

Reindeer Food sprinkled outside:

Cookies and Chocolate Milk for Santa and M and M’s for his elves:

Meredith making sure the cookies are suitable for Santa :-/

Santa came and left lots of surprises for the kids. I think it was the Chocolate Milk that won him over.

Pharaoh's Quest Lego Pyramid

2011-12-23T12:44:00.000-06:00

A picture of the Lego pyramid (A Christmas gift from my Mom and Dad) that took my older niece Meg, her boyfriend Brody and my older nephew Kevin 3 hours to build with Jonah at my parents house.

It is now sitting on a shelf in his bedroom never to be disassembled again. Ever!

Birthday Cake

2011-12-22T13:03:00.000-06:00

Here is a piece of the birthday cake from Gregory’s Bistro in McKinney. And yes, I had it for breakfast.

Birthday Week celebration

2011-12-22T13:01:00.000-06:00

My Birthday week long celebration started out with a Happy Hour at Zin Zen wine bar on the 16th with my friends Jennifer and Kelly. My friend Kelly was in a car wreck on the way to Happy Hour so it was a crazy night but after a few glasses of wine everything was good!

On my actual birthday the 20th, Josh and I went to a Tacky Christmas Sweater party at our friends Gary and Kayla’s house where they surprised me with a birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday.

On Wednesday my friends Vicky, Shannon, Lindsey and Jennifer G. took me to dinner at a fabulous new bistro in McKinney called Gregory’s. They also brought out a strawberry cake that was to die for! It was so good. The food and the evening were absolutely perfect!

On Thursday the kids spent the night with Jerod and Lauren and Josh and I went to our favorite restaurant, Del Frisco’s, and I had an amazing birthday dinner complete with a special dish made exclusively for me by the chef.

Then on Friday, I went home to visit my parents and my family. My Mom cooked a wonderful birthday meal of barbeque and yummy sides. Something I had been craving!

It was a fabulous week and I am thinking I should turn 35 every year!

Christmas Party

2011-12-19T16:17:00.000-06:00

I co-hosted a Christmas Party today with my best friend Shannon at her house. It was a lot of fun. For the kids we had a hot chocolate bar, smores station and Christmas games. For the parents we had snacks and pomegranate champagne with the glasses dipped in green sprinkles to add a little Christmas cheer.

But the real surprise was a visit from the Big Man himself – Santa Claus. He read Twas the Night before Christmas to the kids and then each of them sat on his lap to tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

Gingerbread House

2011-12-18T13:20:00.000-06:00

Jonah and Meredith both received Gingerbread Houses from their Elf Nose but Meredith did not want to build hers but Jonah did so today we sat down to build it and Jonah finally got so frustrated with the sides not sticking together he said, “Mom, let’s just eat it.” So, that’s exactly what we did.

Jonah’s Polar Express School Party

2011-12-16T16:29:00.000-06:00

Today Jonah wore his PJ’s to school, watched the Polar Express and then had his classroom party. They decorated mini gingerbread houses, mini Christmas trees and exchanged gifts with friends and his teachers.

Cookie and Ornament Decorating Party

2011-12-15T17:24:00.000-06:00

We went to my friend Shannon’s Christmas Cookie and Ornament decorating party today. The kids had fun decorating Christmas cookies and making fingerprint snowman ornaments.

Does this count as the first snowfall of the year?

2011-12-06T13:11:00.000-06:00

We woke up this morning to the small amount of snow on the tables outside! Such a teaser! Last year it snowed on Christmas Eve!

Jonah wasn’t too excited about it since he still had to go to school but Meredith couldn’t wait to go outside and touch it!

Visit from the Tooth Fairy

2011-12-04T13:06:00.000-06:00

Jonah got a special visit from the Tooth Fairy last night. She left fairy dust all over the window seal, his room and then left him lots of surprises for taking such good care of his teeth and since it was his first tooth she even let him keep it because it’s suppose to bring him good luck!

I hope she comes back tonight to clean up all that fairy dust!

Jonah received two gold $1 coins, a small set of Legos, a new toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash to help him take extra care of his other loose teeth and even a pack of bubble gum (sugar free of course!)

The tiny little note she left for Jonah and his first tooth

A Happy Boy!

All I Want for Christmas…..

2011-12-03T21:00:00.000-06:00

Jonah lost his first tooth today. He is so excited and of course I started crying. That means he is really growing up! I guess we will be getting a visit from the Tooth fairy tonight!!

Thanksgiving Part 2

2011-11-26T22:49:00.000-06:00

Over Thanksgiving weekend we went to Austin to spend time with more of Josh’s family. It was a house full at Jon and Amy’s with all the kids, Opa, Oma, Jen, Jerod and Lauren! We had an amazing dinner, played games, watched movies and relaxed. A perfect way to spend the holiday with family! I love being with everyone on the holidays. To me, it’s what the holidays are all about. Enjoying time with family.

Thanksgiving Part 1

2011-11-24T22:48:00.000-06:00

We spent Thanksgiving Day with Josh’s family. We spent a wonderful afternoon with Mimi, Grandma, Amy, Kayla and Christian.

We have so much to be Thankful for this year!

Disney on Ice

2011-11-23T22:15:00.000-06:00

My friends Lisa and Kelly and I took our girls to see Disney on Ice tonight. We were rink side and the girls had a blast watching all the Disney characters skate up to them and wave. Meredith was very happy to wear the red Minnie shirt our nanny Debbie made for her and her red tutu.

Trip to the 5 R Ranch

2011-11-22T20:14:00.000-06:00

We made a trip before Thanksgiving to see my parents and while we were there my dad took Meredith and Jonah out to show them his new calves on the ranch. Meredith had so much fun walking around talking to and “petting all the cows”. I tell you that girl has no fear of animals!

Love this picture of Papa and Meredith

I think this cow looks scary!

Rhinos End of Season Soccer Party

2011-11-18T22:42:00.000-06:00

We celebrated a great season for the Rhinos at Main Event. The boys had fun bowling, eating cupcakes and receiving their trophies from Coach D.

Jersey Day

2011-11-15T17:40:00.000-06:00

A certain little girl was very excited to wear her big brother’s football jersey to school for Jersey Day!

Crazy Hair Day

2011-11-14T17:39:00.000-06:00

Meredith’s hair style for Crazy Hair Day at school. Complete with Rock Star pose.

So sweet

2011-11-13T17:29:00.000-06:00

Lego Mania

2011-11-12T17:37:00.000-06:00

I bought Jonah a Lego Brickmaster book at his school book fair yesterday. After soccer this morning, he sat down and built all 15 Lego models in one hour.

New Boots

2011-11-09T17:28:00.000-06:00

"Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life." Author ~ Unknown

Meredith’s new purple boots.

Boosterthon Fun Run

2011-11-04T17:59:00.000-05:00

Jonah participated in his first Boosterthon Fun Run this year in Kindergarten. He raised over $900 for his school. Thank you to all our family and friends for helping support him! He did a great job running laps and exceeded his goal of 35 laps. He ran 37 laps. Way to go Jonah!! Josh and I are very proud of him!

Cade’s Halloween Birthday Party

2011-10-29T23:21:00.000-05:00

Jonah attended his friend Cade’s Halloween Costume Birthday Party tonight. He and a Meredith had fun dressing up for the party.

The Superhero

2011-09-15T10:25:00.003-05:00

Jonah teaching Meredith to read at bedtime last night.

The Assistant Chefs

2011-08-31T10:09:00.012-05:00

There once was a boy who decided he wanted to help his Mommy cook dinner one night a week as part of his new weekly allowance chore list.

The Mommy was very excited to have some additional help in the kitchen for several reasons.

1) The Daddy was usually on his way home from work at this time so it would be nice to have an extra set of hands in the kitchen.
2) It would entertain his younger sister.
3) If the boy helped with dinner then maybe he would be more open to try new foods if he was the one who helped prepare them.

So the Mommy printed out the recipe for the boy's first dinner request: Meatloaf. All the ingredients were gathered and placed on the counter. The boy and his sister climbed up on the counter with big smiles, eager to start cooking.

Taking turns so nicely the boy and his sister began mixing the ingredients into a large bowl.

First the boy cracked the egg.

Then his sister poured in the grated cheese.

The boy then taught his sister how to hit the bottom of the measuring cup to make sure all the cheese came out.

After the other ingredients were added, the Mommy told the boy and his sisister it was time for the fun part. Mixing all the ingredients together with their hands.

The boy and his sister did not think that part was very fun because they did not like getting their hands dirty. They both immediately asked to be taken to the sink so they could wash their hands. It seemed the help in the kitchen were bailing on the Mommy.

The Mommy laughed at the children's funny expressions and finished preparing the meatloaf all by herself. After it was ready the Mommy put the meatloaf in the oven and then the boy closed the oven door and set the timer.

Since the cooking was done the boy decided it was time for a rock out session on the Paper Jamz guitar. The boy, his sister and the Mommy danced and sang in the kitchen until dinner was finally done.

The End.

Take to the Sky

2011-08-29T14:03:00.001-05:00

Jonah started a new adventure this week - Kindergarten! I cannot believe my first born, my sweet little boy, is officially in Kindergarten. He is super excited about being in the "big" school and is ready to make new friends and learn new things.

Here is a video recap of the special moments from the first few days and some events leading up to the big day!

Bath time

2011-08-21T00:28:00.000-05:00

I love their little wrinkled feet at bath time!

Back to School Pool Party

2011-08-19T18:22:00.000-05:00

We had fun at our back to school pool party today at Kris’s house. Jonah hung out with two of his best friends, Rylee Bleu and Bryant.

Best Day of My Life…from a 5 year olds perspective

2011-08-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Jonah decided to announce “Today is the best day of my life” from the backseat as we drove down I45 heading to Houston for a wedding. Why you ask? I asked the same question.

Because he was able to get out of his car seat while I was driving.

Yep, that was it.

Minutes earlier, I was approaching heavy traffic and had to slow down. At the same time Meredith accidently dropped a Sippy cup of milk in the floor board of our SUV. She started crying and since I was trying to keep my eyes on the road, I asked Jonah to unbuckle the seatbelt on his car seat and jump down to grab Meredith’s Sippy cup and hand it back to her.

He quickly did so and hopped right back into his car seat and buckled up.

The entire event lasted less than a minute but to my 5 year old it signified the best day of his life!

I so love this age!

Presto Cookie Factory

2011-08-11T12:25:00.000-05:00

The Presto Cookie Factory arrived today. Thank you infomercials for warping my child’s mind into thinking we can make bakery quality decorative cookies with plastic cookie presses.

Girls Weekend Recap

2011-08-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

Our annual Chi Omega Pledge Class reunion involved a lot of this:

And this:

And just for fun the group shot and one of me and Vicky who decided to take a picture with one of the art deco cows in downtown Austin.

Girls Weekend

2011-08-04T13:17:00.000-05:00

I am SO ready for my Chi Omega pledge class reunion this weekend! We get together every year for a weekend of fun and relaxation!

This year we are heading to our old stomping ground, Austin, Tx!

We will be sleeping here:

Barton Creek Spa and Resort

Spending Saturday morning doing this:

Afterwards relaxing Here:

Having Pre-Dinner drinks Here:

Mulberry Wine Bar

Eating Yummy Mexican Food Here:

La Condesa

and having Post Dinner drinks Here:

Malverde

Friday needs to hurry and get here!

This Sums It Up

2011-07-16T00:09:00.003-05:00

My friend Nikki posted this on Facebook tonight and it pretty much sums up my life these days with a 5 year old and a 2 year old. I let Jonah and Meredith watch it and after playing it 10 times in a row Jonah said, "You should re-post this on your Facebook wall Mama for all your friends to see" Did my 5 year old really just say that??

Jersey Day

2011-07-13T10:53:00.004-05:00

This week is Precious Pets Spirit week at J and M's school. We are donating pet food, supplies and other items to help support the Collin County Humane Society. The entire week is themed. Today is Jersey Day. So, they both sported their Texas Rangers Josh Hamiliton World Series shirts that Josh picked up for them last week when he attended a game.

I took this picture right before I was rushing everyone out the door because they were late! Of course that doesn't compare to how late we were yesterday. Jonah had a field trip to the Dallas World Aquarium and I just assumed they were leaving around 9:15 but something told me I better call just to make sure and wouldn't you know they were lining up to get on the bus when I called at 8:52. Thankfully we live just right down the street from their school. So, I jumped in the car still wearing my pj's, flip flops, teeth unbrushed, hair unbrushed and had Jonah putting on his shoes and socks as we backed out of the garage. I'm so glad they were standing outside so that I could just drop him off. (Normally they require the parents to escort the children to their class.) How embarrassing would that have been?? Yikes!!! But we made it and that's the important thing!

The other upside was that Meredith was very excited that she got to ride in Jonah's carseat on the way to school with Daddy! It's like the highlight of her day when that happens!

Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers

2011-07-12T16:45:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite daily reads on Blogger is Natalie's Blog - Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers. She is super sweet and even helped me find the perfect appetizer recipe for a recent dinner party. I love her weekly obsessions post. She enjoys all the things I love: family, food, wine, shopping, traveling and home design. And her little boy Sterling is adorable.

If you know me, you know I love to share great finds. I was reading Natalie's blog one day and she mentioned looking for the perfect pair of turquoise earrings for summer. I had just received a pair of the Kendra Scott Danielle earrings in turquoise and thought for sure she would love them too since we seem to have similar tastes. So, I sent her the link and today she featured the earrings and a mention of my blog on her obessions post. Thanks Natalie!

So, go check her out because I'm sure she will become one of your favorite daily reads as well! Have a great week!

Frozen Ropes Camp–Last Day

2011-07-08T14:41:00.001-05:00

Jonah finally decided to let me take a picture of him at camp on the last day of camp as long as he could take it with his best buddy Bryant. They were exhausted by the end of camp!

What a great week though! Jonah’s camp ended at 11:30 everyday so we were able to go out to lunch and then he was able to spend the afternoon with me at home while I worked.

After one of my conference calls, he walked into my office with three chocolate chip cookies, a grape juice box and said “Mommy, you work so hard! I think you deserve a little treat!”

Love that boy!

Frozen Ropes Camp

2011-07-06T14:36:00.001-05:00

Today is Jonah’s first day at Baseball Camp. He is very excited to learn more about baseball but even more excited that several of his friends are also in the camp!

As we were walking out the door this morning, before I could even grab my camera, Jonah said in his sweetest voice “Mom, will you go ahead and take my picture now so you don’t have to when we get to camp!”

Whaaaaa!!!!!! Okay, fine.

He knows me really well.

M and M

2011-07-05T14:30:00.000-05:00

Minnie Mouse and Meredith. Watch out Disney World!

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T14:28:00.000-05:00

This is an old photo of Jonah but one of my favorites. Today our family will be celebrating America’s birthday by relaxing, eating barbeque, watching the fireworks and spending quality time together!

Hope you and your family enjoy the holiday!

Saturday morning Donuts

2011-07-03T14:26:00.001-05:00

Saturday morning donuts is a little tradition we started when Jonah was younger. Every Saturday (unless we are out of town) we visit our local Donut Shop. Sometimes we pick the donuts up and bring them home to enjoy on the couch while watching cartoons or we dine in and chat with friends and neighbors. Jonah always gets plain donut holes and Meredith always gets donuts holes covered in chocolate and sprinkles. I also let both kids choose what to wear for our little trip. Jonah always picks a superhero shirt and athletic shorts. Meredith always finds a suitable tutu to wear, her most outrageous hair accessory and a colorful pair of shoes. These little trips are just a tiny glimpse into their individual budding personalities and I really cherish this time with them!

4th of July Parade

2011-07-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

Jonah and Meredith had their 4th of July parade at school on Friday. Red, White and Blue filled the driveway as the kids paraded around in their costumes. Afterwards, we cooled off with a red, white and blue popsicle. I am so thankful that I am able to attend these events now that I work from home again!

What a view

2011-07-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

As my plane took off from Chicago today, I decided to sneak a picture of the amazing skyline of the city and a view of the Great Lakes. In all my travels, I have had many lay overs in Chicago but have never actually visited what I have heard is an amazing city.

One day soon (sigh).

Father’s Day

2011-06-19T16:17:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day to the best tick tocker, Lego builder, story teller and boo boo kisser! Our children are so lucky to have you in their lives and so am I :) We ♥ you!

Josh started out his day with:

He relaxed, watched movies, and we ended the day by going out for dinner.

Hope you enjoyed your day Josh!

Jonah’s Field Day at School

2011-06-01T16:32:00.000-05:00

Jonah’s class celebrated a field day at school today to kick off summer camp. The kids played games, raced on the waterslide, ate snow cones and had a lunch that included veggies that they grew in the school garden. It was a lot of fun and since I was the only parent in Jonah’s class, I was able to sit with all the kids during lunch. I got an earful about everything from forest fires to Indiana Jones Lego games!

I’m so glad that I work from home again so that I am able to attend these types of events with Jonah and Meredith!

Jonah’s Preschool Graduation

2011-05-26T22:14:00.000-05:00

Jonah graduated from Preschool tonight and it was such a fun event. All the classes put on a skit about what they had learned over the year and sang a song. It was so cute to watch him walk across the stage to accept his diploma in his cap and gown. I didn’t cry until they did the slide show with all the baby pictures and then pictures of them through out their five years at school.

Our family and a few other families were presented with special gifts since Jonah has been attending since he was six weeks old.

We have been so blessed to find such a wonderful private preschool with the best staff and teachers and I’m so glad that Meredith is also going there. We have made friendships that will last a lifetime!

After Graduation we celebrated with dinner at Sauce in downtown McKinney.

Mathew and Jonah Bryant and Jennifer

Getting Dressed Jonah and Bryant

Pre-K 1 Class Percy and Ms. Ghattas

On Stage My handsome boys

Jonah and Meredith Jonah and Vicky

with Jerod and Lauren Our family

Jonah and Torin Jonah and Ms. Campbell

The Graduate

Summer Kick off Party

2011-05-26T15:00:00.000-05:00

Before Graduation on Thursday night, we attended a Summer Kick-off party at Isabelle’s house. Isabelle and Jonah have been great friends since they were babies! They played in the pool and had ice cream sundae’s.

Breyton’s Baptism

2011-05-21T14:26:00.000-05:00

I have met so many wonderful and sweet ladies through the kid’s school and through those ladies I have met even more new friends since we all play Bunco together once a month. One of those sweet ladies is Bridget and she has two adorable little boys! Bridget asked me if I would be interested in photographing her youngest son Breyton’s Baptism. I was more than thrilled and honored to do it! I’m still learning about photography and how to use Photoshop but I have so much fun capturing the pictures. Below are a few of my faves!

Seriously, aren’t her boys just adorable??

Sweet Claire’s Birthday Luau

2011-05-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

Our family attended one of Meredith’s best friend’s birthday parties over the weekend and we had a great time! Jonah plays t-ball with Charlie whose Dad, Joe, also happens to be the coach. Then Claire and Meredith are in class together. Their mom Lisa and I have become good friends and I really think they are such a sweet family! We were so happy that we got to spend the day hanging out with friends by the pool and enjoying the perfect weather while celebrating Sweet Claire’s 2nd birthday!

The House

2011-05-13T12:00:00.002-05:00

It has become known as just "The House". It is a daily topic of conversation between me and my husband and has been for well over a year now.

"Did you see the new pics of The House"

"I have to go down and visit The House this weekend"

"We are donating how much to The House to have a room named after you??"

A project my husband started on a couple of years ago is finally becoming a reality. He is a National Division Vice President for his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, and he has been wanting to build a new house for the chapter at Texas State in San Marcos for some time. After a year of blood, sweat and tears (some of those from me) they finally started the construction a couple of months ago and it will be completed in August right before the Fall Semester starts.

I am so proud of him and all that he has accomplished to make this happen for the chapter!

Officially Registered!

2011-05-06T15:37:00.009-05:00

Jonah is officially registered for Kindergarten in the fall! He's very excited to start going to the "BIG" school. Yet, when I look at him I still see his sparkling little blue eyes and tiny fingers. This is going by way too fast!

Of course I had to listen to this song on our way home because I like torturing myself with songs that will make me cry! Something about this song has always reminded us of Jonah!

Texas Tradition

2011-04-21T12:37:00.005-05:00

If you live in the state of Texas and you have small children there is one thing you look forward to every Spring - Bluebonnet pictures! On any given day you will find tons of families with their children posed for pictures in a sea of blue on the side of the highway, in a meadow or in a park. Our family is no exception. I have been taking bluebonnet pictures since Jonah was born and this year I stepped out from behind the camera lens and let my sweet friend Narci, who is a great photographer, capture some cute shots of Jonah and Meredith and as always she did not disappoint!

A Mini Do Over

2011-04-09T23:51:00.000-05:00

Since Meredith wasn’t able to attend her own birthday party our friends Kelly and Lisa decided to host a mini makeup party for her at Lisa’s house over the weekend. Meredith had a blast playing with her two best friends River and Claire. They even surprised us with cupcakes from Layered Bake Shop that matched her birthday cake at the party! The kids sang happy birthday to her and let her blow out another candle! So sweet! We are lucky to have such good friends!

Where did the time go….

2011-04-03T11:34:00.000-05:00

It seems like yesterday she was just turning one. Sigh.

My little Ladybug is officially 2 years old.

A world of wonder and excitement await her.

She is so ready. The question is, am I?

Down on the Farm–Meredith’s 2nd Birthday

2011-04-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

It has taken me almost two months to write this post. Not because I am sad about the events that unfolded minutes before the party started but because our little family has been so busy and the last two months have literally flown by.

I started planning Meredith’s 2nd birthday party 10 minutes after the last guest left her 1st birthday party because well, that’s how I am.

Meredith loves animals especially farm animals. She is ecstatic when they have a petting zoo at school and don’t even think about walking past a pony ride without stopping if she is with you. I knew I wanted to have a farm party so I immediately started stalking all of my favorite party blogs for ideas. There were so many cute ideas out there. I didn’t want it to be cheesy, just simple and fun. I wanted to have a petting zoo and pony rides but did not want to turn our backyard into a modern day ranch so I started looking for off site venues. I love having the first birthday party at home but after the first birthday I prefer to have the parties at another location. It’s just less stress for me and the kids. Plus we throw enough parties at home during the year. It’s a nice break to have one somewhere else. Anyway, everyday I drive by a place in McKinney called Storybook Ranch. From the road it looks like a little western town and each year they host a Pumpkin Patch with pony rides, petting zoo, etc. We took the kids last year and they had a blast. I knew they hosted weddings so I decided to call and see if they would consider hosting a birthday party for a 2 year old and all her friends. Keeping my fingers crossed that I wouldn’t have to sell a kidney to pay for the venue, I called and the sweet girl on the other end of the line informed me they were just starting to offer birthday party packages that included a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce house, use of the party barn, a hayride and two ranch hands that would handle all your party needs. All for the price of two bounce house rentals. My jaw dropped and I immediately booked my onsite visit to sign the contract.

The Texas weather in April is perfect. It’s my favorite time of the year to be outdoors. So, I wanted to serve brunch outside since the guests would be busy with all the outdoor activities. They had a barn setup with picnic tables and big tables along the wall for the food, beverages and desserts. I decided to have the party catered by Spoons in downtown McKinney. They have the best breakfast and Denise helped me create the perfect menu for both the kids and the adults. We had an egg casserole, sausage biscuits, fruit platter and assorted muffins and scones.

I served Mimosas to the adults. I needed several after the events that unfolded that day. Just keep reading. I made milk bottles for the kids from a tutorial I found on line and the cookie in a jar party favors were an idea from my friend Janna. When I Googled “Cookies in a jar” I found a cute recipe for Cowgirl and Cowboy cookies on Bakerella which was perfect.

My creative friends Lisa and Shannon from Layered Bake Shop designed a cake and other desserts around the invitation and they did a fantastic job! I was so excited to see the cake! It was almost too cute to eat! Those ladies are amazing!

I found lots of inspiration online for the invitation so I sent my ideas over to my friend Erica at Works of A Wink and she created a custom invitation that was perfect with water bottle, food and party favor labels to match.

Our nanny Debbie made the table cloth and napkin holders off of a tutorial I found online because she is an excellent seamstress and I am not!

I found matching Cowgirl and Cowboy shirts for Meredith and Jonah at this adorable shop on Etsy. As I ordered them I envisioned cute pictures of Meredith and Jonah walking hand in hand at the party, feeding the animals.

My sweet and talented friend Narci was booked to take pictures of all the fun!

Everything was ready or so I thought. On the Friday morning before the party I got a call from Meredith’s school that she had gotten sick and was running a fever. I picked her up and brought her home. I could tell she felt miserable. I gave her Tylenol and she slept all day so I thought in true Schneider style she would sleep it off and be ready for her big day on Saturday. So when she woke up Saturday morning fever free, happy and ready to ride a pony I thought the Birthday Party Gods had heard my prayers.

I had Jonah and Meredith dressed and buckled in the car ready to go when I saw it happen. I turned around as I was backing out of the driveway and I saw all of the pink leave Meredith’s sweet little cheeks and then IT happened! She got sick all over the car. About that time my phone started buzzing with voicemails from other parents calling to tell me that their child had the stomach bug and would not be able to make it to the party.

Apparently so did Meredith. There was an outbreak of the stomach virus in her class it seemed. My heart sank. I turned the car around and we pulled back into the garage. Luckily Josh was still at home getting dressed. I told him what happened and he suggested I leave Meredith with him and take Jonah to the party to meet the caterer, Narci and any guests that did show up. With the windows down we headed to Storybook Ranch.

We actually did have a few friends and family that made it to the party and I think they still had a good time! The rest of the party went off without a hitch. We were just missing the guest of honor!

So, our sweet little girl didn’t get to celebrate with all of her friends at her 2nd birthday party. All my hours of planning, staying up all night Friday and finishing the last party favor at 7am Saturday morning didn’t even matter knowing that Meredith was home sick and missing her own party! It literally broke my heart!

She was actually sick all weekend and ended up in the hospital on Monday for dehydration. But that’s another post for another day.

For now enjoy the pictures. I know Meredith will when she’s older. Just like Jonah, she always has to make sure everyone is having a good time. These pictures will be the proof that they did.

Rock and Roll Lives Forever

2011-03-28T15:06:00.000-05:00

It was a small miracle that I was actually able to pull off Jonah’s 5th Birthday party and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Josh and several wonderful vendors. When we first started planning his party in October he originally wanted to have it at the Dallas Zoo. But I had heard about this new school from my friend Juli that opened up in Frisco called School of Rock. Loving the movie, I knew I had to check it out. I immediately started thinking of all the fun I could have with a Rock Star themed party so I persuaded Jonah in that direction. It took a lot of persuasion but he eventually agreed that it would be more fun than trying to have it at the zoo. I thought it would be fun if all the kids dressed up as their favorite Rock Star for the party. Then Josh and I decided that Rock Stars have to travel in style so it was only appropriate that they arrive to their “concert” at the school in a limo. Jonah had seen the fleet of limo’s on the website that I use when I take car service to the airport. He immediately noticed the white stretch hummer limo and said “I want to ride in that car” So I called up my favorite car service Allen Limo and they set everything up. It made me laugh when they asked what kind of beverages would I liked stocked in the mini bar! Hmm! (I opted for apple juice and water).

I turned to my very sweet and creative friend Erica at Works of a Wink to create a one of a kind invitation and she did not disappoint. She came up with the idea of a backstage pass on a lanyard for the kids to wear around their neck. It was perfect! She also created all of the gift tags, water bottle labels, cd covers and food labels to match.

For the party favors I wanted to something fun so I found the cutest Rock and Rock t-shirts on Etsy at Punky Monkey Kids. I ordered drumsticks on Amazon and then Josh made a CD with Rock and Roll songs on it for each guest.

Jonah decided he wanted to be Justin Bieber so I got online and downloaded several pictures of JB and then went on a shopping spree to find the perfect outfit.

Every year I try to find a yummy alternative your standard party cake and ice cream and this year I had to think about what Rock Stars like to eat (5 year old Rock Stars that is). When I asked Josh what he thought he said cheeseburgers so I decided it was probably a good idea to have the party catered. We had the BEST slider cheeseburgers and sweet potato French fries from Burger Girl in Frisco.

I was so busy with all of the other party preparations that I forgot one critical item and that was dessert! But Kroger in McKinney pulled through for me last minute and created really cute Rock and Roll themed cupcakes! I think the kids enjoyed them as much as they would from a swanky bakery.

All of the photos taken at the School of Rock were provided by my sweet friend Narci at Narci D Photography. Limo pictures were taken with my iPhone or donated by my friends at the party because I of course forgot my camera at home.

I think the kids had a great time! The costumes exceeded my expectations! It was truly an A-list affair. I rode by myself with all of the kids in the limo and what made me laugh the most was how concerned they all were with the fact that they did not have to sit in a car seat! They were also very curious if the limo had a bathroom, which it did not.

At the party the kids nibbled on the sliders and French fries and then broke up into groups to practice for their concert. They sang Louie Louie for the parents and it was really cute!

On the ride back home after the party Jonah told me it was his “FAVORITE Birthday party ever!” That made my heart happy and made all the hours of planning totally worth it!

Now for the fun part – the pictures!

The Ride

The Inside (taken with my iPhone so the quality isn’t great)

The Famous faces: Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Hannah Montana, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Kelly Clarkson, Cyndi Lauper, Ke$ha and Katie Perry

The Food and the Favors

The Practice

The Concert

The Celebration

The Friends

The Family

7 years ago today

2011-03-27T10:53:00.000-05:00

We were here…….

reading our wedding vows to each other……. in Italian.

I loved you on that day and I love you even more today.

My Little Leprechauns

2011-03-17T19:43:00.002-05:00

The Frozen Tundra of North Texas

2011-02-02T11:21:00.006-06:00

Sometimes I think the news stations in our area are a little over dramatic when it comes to our weather. But nevertheless, it is C-O-L-D. We are not used to temperatures in the teens in Dallas. Frozen roads + 11 degree temperatures = a mom and two kids that have been stuck indoors for two days in a row. And that my friends can cause a mom to go a little crazy. Especially today since not only are we stuck indoors again we are also having "rolling blackouts" every couple of hours. I know it's bad because I am actually feeling thankful for my iPhone.

I have watched cartoons laying by the fireplace, played go fish, danced, built two Thomas the Train track sets, kissed more boo boos's than I can count on two hands, put together three puzzles, fought in a dozen light sabre battles, pushed babies around all over our house in their strollers and read a least fifty books. And today is only half-way over!

Hello....Spring?? Are you there? It's me, Monda. I really need you to get here as soon as possible! Thank you!

{The ice skating rink aka our street.}

{It may look like snow but it is pure ice. Trust me, my bum had an up close and personal encounter with it this morning when I took out the trash.}

{My attempt at keeping the kids entertained this morning while cooking breakfast.}

That's Amore

2011-02-01T22:31:00.008-06:00

It may only be 14 degrees right now here in Dallas but these Valentine's Day pictures of Jonah and Meredith just warm my heart!

* The Valentine's Day pictures were taken by my sweet friend Narci @ Narci D Photography

Just a quickie

2011-01-31T22:23:00.006-06:00

I am kicking myself now for not taking my camera with me this past weekend on my very quick but very fun trip to Kansas City to spend the evening with my husband who was attending the Western Division conference for his college fraternity. Josh is a Western Division Vice President for Delta Tau Delta, a Chapter Advisor and a Director over 22 college chapters. Just a little something he does in his spare time.

On Saturday morning I flew to KC, spent a relaxing afternoon laying in my hotel room (since Josh was a presenter at the conference), ordering room service and watching the movie Valentine's Day on TV. I was actually able to eat my food while it was still hot and I was able to watch the movie from the beginning to the end without having to pause it for potty breaks. Once you become a mom, it's the simple pleasures like hot food and a good movie on HBO that can easily turn your day from being just okay to being GREAT!

That evening Josh and I attended the formal dinner for the conference where Josh won an award for Outstanding Alumni of the Year. I am very proud of my husband and all the hard work he has done for the Delts. On Sunday we slept in late, had lunch and then headed back home on a flight to Dallas.

It was a quick trip but just the little break we needed since we have both been so busy lately!

Jersey Girl

2011-01-24T17:50:00.004-06:00

I thought this Nicole Miller outfit was just adorable. Animal print, gold, purple and totally Jersey!

Laugh Every Day with the Tickle Monster

2011-01-12T23:42:00.003-06:00

If you have young children and you do not own the book Tickle Monster, you have to buy it.

No really, you need to hop in your car right now and find your nearest Barnes and Noble or Borders bookstore. Well, okay I guess they might be closed since it's 11:47pm. In that case you need to log onto Amazon right now, order it and have it shipped to your house. That's probably easier anyway. Plus you will save gas.

Jonah and Meredith love and I mean LOVE this book and have requested it every night since Santa brought it to them for Christmas!

What could be better than adorable blue furry mitts, belly laughs and smiles on everyone's face every night before bedtime??

Snow Day 2011

2011-01-10T15:15:00.001-06:00

We had a our first and probably only snow for the year yesterday! Jonah was so excited as the sleet falling slowly turned into tiny snowflakes, then into larger snowflakes, until finally the ground was covered in a white blanket of soft snow. I just love the way the yard looks when it’s completely untouched. It’s just beautiful. But it wasn’t long before we were outside crunching our way through the yard, making snow angels, attempting to build a snowman, and strategizing our snowball fight!

Santa's Special Message to Jonah

2010-12-07T13:01:00.002-06:00

Our Elf "Nose" came back from the North Pole last night with a very special video message for Jonah from the "Big Guy".

Watching the expression on Jonah's face this morning as he watched Santa's video was priceless.

A Walk in the Park

2010-11-13T22:04:00.000-06:00

Josh and I took the kids to a local park to ride bikes, walk Riley and feed the ducks. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun spending time together.

Last Game of Soccer

2010-11-07T13:06:00.000-06:00

This weekend was Jonah’s last game of soccer for the season. They also celebrated by having a Grandparent’s Day. Barbara came up to watch Jonah play and spend the weekend with the kids. It was a lot of fun. Team Lightening won so it was the perfect way to end the season!

{Jonah scored three goals during the game}

{future Mia Hamm}

{Josh, Barbara and Jerod}

{Love this picture of Josh and Meredith}

{Victory Tunnel}

Go Rangers

2010-11-01T12:35:00.000-05:00

It was Texas Rangers Day at School.

Jonah was less than thrilled about having his picture taken this morning.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T23:00:00.000-05:00

Both kids were excited about Trick or Treating this year. Prior to leaving the house we (Jonah) prepped Meredith on what to say at each house.

“Ring the doorbell”

“Say Trick or Treat”

“Then say Thank You”

“Got it? Good. Let’s go get candy”

Off we went down our street to the first house. Miss Piggy walked up to the neighbor’s door. Rang the doorbell and recited each line that Jonah had taught her. Perfect.

She walked back to her big red car and sat down. We walked to the next house. She handed Jonah her bag and said “Tandy” and pointed to the door. Batman took the bag, walked up to the door, rang the doorbell and recited the same lines. He then preceded to say “I am also trick or treating for my sister. May she have some candy?” From the big red car Meredith shouted “Tank Woo!”

She did not walk up to another house that night but managed to have a bag full of candy by the time we got home.

Poor Jonah.

Jonah’s Spooky Decorations

2010-10-29T12:41:00.000-05:00

Pictures of Jonah’s Halloween Decorating skills….

The Halloween tree was made by one of my best friend’s Mom. Isn’t is so cute??

The rising ghost (purchased at Target) was a big hit at the party. Jonah picked out the glittered skeleton and put him in front of the tombstone. Jonah also put up the spooky blinking eyes in the shrubs.

Time is of the essence

2010-10-25T11:48:00.000-05:00

Meet Debbie.

She is our Nanny.

She is great with the kids. She is flexible. She is patient. She is everything you hope and wish for when you look for someone to take care of your children when you are not there.

We are busy. Extremely busy. Our calendar stays full. And our family does not live close. Except Josh’s brother Jerod who lives down the street. But he is in his last year of college. He is also extremely busy.

We also occasionally like to go on date nights. You know to keep the spark alive.

We needed someone that could come over at the drop of a hat. Stay overnight if needed. Pick the kids up from school if we couldn’t. She also comes over some nights when we are here just to give us an extra set of hands around the house.

She has given us back time. Time to run errands. Time to have dinner with friends. Time to attend events. Time to enjoy every moment that we are with our children. Time to be better parents because we had time for ourselves.

We are glad we found Debbie.

You know it was a good party when….

2010-10-24T12:17:00.000-05:00

your toy room looks like this the next morning.

Our Annual Halloween Bash

2010-10-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

If you have had an event two years in a row is it officially an “annual event”? I’m not sure but I’m going with it because I have a feeling we will be having this party for many years to come.

I love Halloween. I love the decorations, the costumes, the candy, the fact that fall is in the air and it’s the kick-off to the holiday season.

Jonah was a big help in preparing for this year’s festivities. He helped decorate the house and make the food. Meredith, well, she helped by eating lots of candy.

I had a lot of help making this year’s party a success. Our awesome nanny Debbie helped with Meredith and helped prepare the food. My best friend Vicky came over early to help me finish decorating and make some of the dishes. My SIL Amy was also here to help me entertain the older kids, decorate and make food. And of course Josh who ran errands and helped decorate in the high places that the girls couldn’t reach. Ladies - what would we do without our guys around??

The three little pigs were together again. I had a house full of super heroes, football players, witches, pirates, knights and storybook characters. They played the Mummy Wrap race (a huge hit), Strawed for Spiders, Tonged for Apples and even decorated their own pumpkins.

I think the party was a huge success. I really appreciated all the help from the parents too!

Fall Parade and Festival

2010-10-23T00:48:00.000-05:00

We went to the Fall Parade and Festival at J and M’s school tonight. Jonah was the Dark Knight and Meredith was one of the “Three Little Pigs” with her friends Claire and River. As you can tell from the pictures below there was one little piggy that did not want to have her picture taken!

So many adorable costumes in the parade and lots of fun games for the kids. Meredith really enjoyed the Petting Zoo. I will have to keep that in mind as an idea for her 2nd birthday. Yes, I usually start planning their parties around six months prior to the big day. I guess that’s the Project Manager in me coming out!

End of Season Party for T-ball

2010-10-22T16:55:00.000-05:00

We celebrated a winning season for The Cardinals tonight. The kids went bowling, ate pizza and received their trophies from Coach Joe and Coach Rob. Jonah did really well this season in T-ball. He can really hit the ball! He doesn’t get that excited about playing in the outfield but he loves hitting the ball.

{Playing around with Photoshop and giving the photos a 70’s feel}

The Schneider Haunted House

2010-10-22T00:17:00.000-05:00

Jonah and I decorated a Spooky Haunted House tonight

Pinkalicious

2010-10-21T00:05:00.000-05:00

Today was Breast Cancer Awareness day at J and M’s school. They supported the cause by wearing their pink shirts. They also had a pink fire truck and ambulance visit the school. Even the fireman and EMT’s were dressed in pink.

We got Booed

2010-10-18T23:53:00.000-05:00

I had never heard of getting “Booed” until we moved to the burbs. It’s such a fun Halloween tradition that Jonah looks forward to every year. This is how it works. Someone leaves you a Halloween treat or surprise on your door step but you don’t know who it’s from. Then you have 48 hours to “Boo” two more houses and/or friends. It’s kind of like a Halloween version of the classic chain letter.

{Jonah and Riley checking out the contents of our “Boo” surprise}

{Our “Boo” Surprises that we delivered}

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-16T13:35:00.000-05:00

We took the kids to one of the local pumpkin patches this past weekend. We (okay I) thought it would be okay to take them during Meredith’s naptime. I’m not exactly sure what I was thinking. I think traveling last week for work to Wisconsin must have affected my cognitive thinking skills. Everything was okay until the end of the visit when we let the kids ride on the ponies. Meredith developed a rather quick attachment to her pony and starting screaming “MINE, MINE, MINE” when Josh took her off after her ride. We are talking Crocodile tears and screaming like a Monkey! At first everyone thought she was scared of the pony so they thought it was sweet, sad, cute, or whatever you want to call it. But when Josh told them it was because she didn’t want to “get off” the pony the expressions on their faces quickly changed from concerned to shocked. I could just hear the thoughts running through their little heads “What a spoiled child. I would never let my child act like that.” I know, I said the same thing before I had kids. Then reality hit that she is 18 months old. You cannot reason with an 18 month old! So, being the awesome parents we are, what did we do? Let her ride again of course, hoping that it would calm her down. Major FAIL! The second tantrum was even worse than the first. At that point we decided it was time to leave the pumpkin patch so that we didn’t ruin everyone else’s fun time. As we were walking out I asked Josh, “So, I guess now’s a bad time to ask if I can get one photo of Jonah and Meredith together with the pumpkins before we leave?” Looking at the pictures below I’m assuming you can guess his response.

Jonah on the other hand had a great time. He ran into his friend Mathew and they had a blast on the slide and in the petting zoo. He loved the hay maze and riding on the pony. He did not develop the same attachment to his pony as Meredith did to hers.

Cheese Head

2010-10-15T20:50:00.000-05:00

I am spending this week in Wisconsin for work. I have been to six cities and stayed in four hotels. I have driven through America’s Dairyland and seen more red barns than I can count on my fingers and toes. I have lost count the number of bowls of cheese soup that I have consumed this week. I think Wisconsin is a beautiful state. The people are extremely friendly. The weather is perfect and I was actually able to witness fall foliage, something we don’t see in Dallas. But traveling for work is not fun because I do not get to enjoy any of this with my family. I am ready to go home!

I stayed in the Cambria Suites in Green Bay right by the Packers Stadium and I must say I was impressed. The hotel chain was featured on Undercover Boss a couple of weeks ago. Very nice for a lower line hotel chain. Of course it was also brand new which made a huge difference.

We ate at a Subway in rural Wisconsin that also sold baby chicks, tools and feed for your cows. Not something you see everyday. It was very interesting.

We ate at a restaurant one night called Kodiak Jacks. I had dinner with a bear, a buffalo, several deer, and many other “stuffed” creatures. I didn’t like the fact that they stared at me while I was eating. It was disturbing.

Take Two…

2010-10-09T13:13:00.000-05:00

Season two of Soccer is in full swing with Team Lightening. We added a couple of new players, Trey and Sara and so far it’s been a great season! Jonah loves soccer and I hope that we can keep playing with his same group of friends.

You are so silly

2010-10-09T00:07:00.000-05:00

The Cardinal’s Silly faces!

Exciting Eighteen

2010-10-02T12:53:00.000-05:00

Meredith turned 18 months old on October 2nd. She seems to be changing every minute of everyday. She loves to talk and has added quite a few words to her repertoire over the last several weeks including “Hi Daddy/Mama/Jonah/Riley”, “I love you”, “Night Night”, “I need go potty” (she likes to go sit on the potty over and over though she never does anything), “No, No, No” (her personal favorite), “More milk”, “I stinky”, and “Bye Bye Jonah.” She will repeat any word you say so she can say several animal names and their sounds, all her grandparent’s names and other family names.

Her personality is bigger than the state of Texas! She has never met a stranger and gives hugs and kisses to everyone. But when she is mad, WATCH OUT WORLD! She has quite the temper and is not afraid to show it. She was hit with a double whammy of the Schneider/Ranson temper syndrome. At eighteen months she has already mastered the evil glare. I try so hard not to laugh but it’s really one of the cutest things to witness.

When she’s not mad, she is one of the sweetest, happiest, funniest little girls I have ever been around. Her laugh is contagious. Her smile infectious. And her eyes captivating.

She is the true definition of a Daddy’s girl and has her brother wrapped tightly around her little finger. She loves animals and Riley of course is her favorite. She feeds him, pets him, scratches his belly, throws his toys and runs around the house looking for him everyday when she gets home from school. That probably explains why he never leaves her side.

I am totally and madly in love with her. One of my favorite times of the day with her is when we are sitting in her room in her chair before bed. It’s just the two of us and we talk about everything. I share my day with her while I hold her in my arms. She lays her head on my shoulder and gently pats my back as if she is comforting me and letting me know everything will be okay. Then before I lay her down for the night she gives me a hug and kiss and says “Night Night Mama”. She never cries when you put her to bed. Even our nanny was surprised how easy it was to put her to sleep.

Meredith loves to eat and she likes to sit and savor each bite of her food. That’s not always good for a family that tends to live in the fast lane and is always rushing around late for school, work or a sporting event. But it’s who she is and when you try to rush her you better be ready for the repercussions.

Being the second child she gets away with A LOT. Maybe that’s normal with the second baby. You are so tired and you just want to keep them happy so you let them do things that you would have never let your firstborn do. I’m very thankful that Jonah seems to “get it” and sometimes even he says “do whatever it takes to make her happy”.

She’s a lucky little girl to have a family that loves her to the moon and back and wants her to be “nothing but happy.”

Happy Eighteen Months! We love you!

{When I think about the trials and tribulations of each phase of our children’s life, I always tell myself “It won’t be like this for long.” People say “It’s just a phase, they will grow out of it. One day I know I will miss these phases.}

Parade of Cultures

2010-10-01T04:36:00.000-05:00

Pictures from the Parade of Cultures at Jonah and Meredith’s school. Jonah’s class was Jamaica and Meredith’s class was Germany. The kids enjoyed making costumes and sampling foods from all the different countries. They even madepassports and visited the other countries (classrooms) and picked up souvenirs. What a great way to learn about different cultures in our world. I hope Jonah and Meredith both enjoy exploring other countries and cultures as much as Josh and I do.

Date night with my little guy

2010-09-30T04:27:00.000-05:00

After t-ball practice, Jonah asked me out on a date to McDonald’s. Of course I said Yes. He even offered to pay but I went ahead and picked up the tab. We enjoyed some great conversation over chicken nuggets, apple dippers and apple juice (diet coke for me). I think there will definitely be a second “date” in our future.

Don’t we make a cute couple?

Weekend at Texas State

2010-09-25T04:26:00.000-05:00

We drove down to San Marcos this weekend to watch a Texas State game and tailgate with friends and Josh’s fraternity. We had a great time and the kids had a lot of fun spending some time with their cousins in Georgetown.

At the game with Josh. {The pledges kept bringing me drinks and each time they would get down on their knees to introduce themselves. It was sweet but it made me feel really really old.}

Four going on Fourteen

Always stuck in the middle on these roadtrips

Too many cheetos and too much milk

T-ball pictures

2010-09-23T04:15:00.000-05:00

We had t-ball pictures last night and I just love this picture of the team making silly faces! Classic.

Four and a Half

2010-09-22T04:14:00.000-05:00

We celebrate “half” birthdays at our house. I figure you get so few days that are actually your own and I love any kind of celebration so we started celebrating “half” birthday’s after Jonah was born.

Jonah turned four and half on September 21st. He didn’t feel well on his actual half birthday so we postponed it to the next night. After t-ball pictures and practice we took our little guy (Meredith stayed home with the nanny) out to dinner at Palio’s pizza cafe and had ice cream afterwards. We went to Target and let Jonah pick out “one” toy. He picked out Buzz Lightyear. He has been obsessed with Toy Story ever since TS3 came out and he went to see it with Josh at the movie theatre.

Jonah is just the most amazing little boy. He has a big personality and an even bigger heart.

He is our little sunshine!

Just because

2010-09-20T03:55:00.000-05:00

Meredith looked so cute this morning and was in such a great mood that I couldn’t resist posting this picture of her.

Boys will be Boys

2010-09-19T03:53:00.000-05:00

We were at the park with some friends this past weekend who happen to have all boys and the kids met twin brothers that they instantly became friends with (thanks to the bag of toy cars and trucks they brought with them). All this equipment to play on at the park and they had more fun sitting on the pavement playing with toy cars.

Texas Rangers

2010-09-18T03:41:00.000-05:00

Josh and I were invited to a Rangers vs Yankees baseball game with my really good friend Jennifer from college. Her family owns several seats on the front row at Texas Stadium. The seats and the views were amazing. We had a great time!

Me and Josh National Anthem

George W and Laura Play Ball!

A-Rod getting ready to bat close up of A-Rod

So close to home plate Nolan Ryan sitting in the Bush’s seats

Playing with Photos

2010-09-18T03:35:00.000-05:00

I had some fun playing around with Photoshop using some of the pictures from t-ball practice the other night. Here are some of the shots I captured that I really liked of Jonah’s teammates.

Charlie and his dad Joe (our coach): Black and White and Vintage. I think I like the Vintage the best, especially with baseball photos.

Rylee Bleu in the outfield. She was just in her own little world out there. And another picture I took of RB while she was sitting in the dugout. She has the most amazing blue eyes. Aren’t they beautiful?