milestones and stuff

Beckham turned 10 months old yesterday.
 
I'm sure that makes sense to you...
but to me... his mommy...
I ask myself everyday,
"where has time gone?"

We call Beckham our little fatty patty-- because we have not found anything that he will not eat, yet.
He eats more than Maddox at every meal, and is still a booby milk connoisseur.  He is already wearing 12 month clothing and soon I will be bringing down the 18 month tote to sort through as well! 

At at his 9 month check up, he proved our labeling wrong however.  So far he is long and lean, per his measurements.

He was 20lbs and 9oz and 29 1/2" long, putting him in the 95th % for height and 50th % for weight.  And though I didn't write down his head measurements, it was big.  (which he comes by honestly)

I am 5'8" and Lance is like 6'2", so I think it is fair to assume our kids will be tall...  But Lance and I come from completely builds otherwise, so the rest is left up to chance!

I thought Beckham would be running by 10 months, seeing that he has been taking up to 10 steps for a full month now... but he's not.  He has learned to walk on his knees like E.T., so he now trades out between crawling, E.T.ing, and walking short distances.

He sleeps really well (about 10 hours straight)... except when he is teething-- or sick.
He's sick right now.  We were up all night.
I have a crick in my neck from sleeping in Maddox's twin bed with Beckham last night... but that's part of the job.  Right?
He still naps a ridiculous amount-- like 3 times a day.
I hope that's okay?!

He is coming into that stranger-danger stage... meaning he is all over his momma.
He has gone to the church nursery the past 3 weeks in a roll without tears though, so we are experiencing growth!

There are things about Beckham that are so Lance, it is unreal... like the way he observes everything that comes his way.  Maddox would have gone to the devil in a scream mask, laughing the entire way... but Beckham is slower to warm up.  He smiles at people often... and laughs a lot too... you just have to work a bit harder than we did for his brother.  And his facial expressions are 100% his Daddy's.

Like me, however, he is a bit testy at times.  He loves to watch Maddox and play with him and laugh.  But when things start cramping his style, he lets you know!  He wants Maddox to adore him-- but he wants his space too.  (have you read about my marriage... there may be a parallel here?!).  His patience is short sometimes... which is another trait from his momma's side.  I am going to try and break the cycle... mainly because I don't have the patience for the shrill squeals! ;)

He says momma, bubba, bye-bye, uh-oh, and dada.  We swear he says uh-uh (for no) and uh-huh (for yes).  Possibly a coincidence... but it has happened many times!
He can clap, wave bye-bye, and loves to pat me on the back when I pick him up.

He loves putting things together and taking them apart.  He loves putting smaller things into larger things.  He loves stacking blocks.  He loves to take the straw out of Maddox's empty juice boxes and then line them back up and put back together.  He loves to throw or drop things and then say, "uh-oh."  I am pretty sure he is going to be an engineer! ;)  

Though that may be a stretch... I am certain that whatever Maddox chooses to do (good or bad) the mag pie will be a step behind to try it too.


And for the most part, I think he will set a good example.
He is so stinking sweet to Beckham, and usually is very wise in his decisions.

But then again three is suppose to throw curve balls... right?

or at least throw balls.
At my bedroom window...
like he did just now while I was typing this.

I have loved 3 so far... maybe my favorite age yet.
He is funny and smart, fairly self sufficient and so so so loving.

My biggest complaint being that he will not be still and his best means of transportation comes from jumping.
Over things, on things, off of things and onto things.
Climbing onto everything and going 100 mph, all day and barely stopping for his (still mandatory) nap.
Running, never walking, and randomly dropping to the ground for a barrel roll, popping back up and going again.
I say, "what are you doing?!" about 363 times a day.

Over the past week however, he has started talking back and gained some sass that we never knew he had.
Maddox has always been a rule follower and never really a fit thrower...
but this past week he has certainly pushed the boundaries... knowing that it is going to land him on his bed, he sometimes turns and walks that way before we can even tell him his punishment.
Other times he crumbles to the floor, crying as if we are unjust.



He has become so picky at meal times that he is hardly eating anything.  Even the things he loves, sometimes sit untouched on his plate.
It is a normal milestone... but it makes me crazy nonetheless.






He is still super funny... and though I could write a book here over the funny things he says, I will tell you about his prayer time, which is not only my favorite part of the day because it is sweet... but it also always gives me a few giggles.

He has always done the normal, singy, "now I lay me down to sleep..." prayer but recently he has started breaking away from it and free styling on his own.

The other day, while color was processing on my hair, he randomly started praying aloud that my hair wouldn't turn black like his daddy's.  (I have a history of at-home-hair-disasters, so it was all that I could do to not make him retract his prayer!)
A couple of nights ago, he prayed that God could forgive his daddy.  (which  I am sure is from hearing me asking for forgiveness for our sins...) but Lance and I still had to open one eye and make eye-contact, like "what?! Do you need to tell me something?!" ;)
He prayed (the night before Lance started his new job) that his daddy wouldn't go to a different job, and he would like to keep things just the way they were.
He randomly prayed for his friend Katie while trying to send her a Happy Valentine's Day video... he over dramatically he dropped his head and full of soul he said, "Dear Lord.... God of the world... thank you for my friend Katie."
I made him re-record a Valentines Day message... but I kept his gospel recording as well, because it cracked me up!

He is a mess... and I love every piece of him.
Like any good momma would.

I also love that Maddox has a buddy in Beckham already but sometimes I can not wait for him to be older so that can actually play... and wrestle... and burn energy.
(and maybe I secretly can't wait for him to ask someone besides me questions all day.)

Speaking of burning energy-- yesterday, we were able to take advantage of this amazing weather we are having and played for over 2 hours at the park.  Though I am a magnet for weird people, (the mom who doesn't have custody of her children... but got them yesterday and wanted to talk parenting with me.  The mom who's 14 month old was fourteen pounds and the nurse in my was clawing to get out and tell her how not okay this was... and the random old lady with her dog-- who had no kids in site but was acting as if the park was actually a dog park, making sure her pup got its turn?!)
But one nice lady came over to tell me how sweet Maddox was to her little boy.  (which my ears needed, atop his moody week he has had) but she didn't stay long... probably unimpressed with the crowd.

Anywho, Maddox and a boy named Braydon played until his eyes were almost closing.
And back home, he told me he was going to get a bite of his grilled cheese, but really tried to sneak out the front door to see if our neighbor was home.

It was good for Maddox to burn off some of that energy... and it was good for me to see that all the other boys had the same amount of it as mine did.  (just as I am believing that mine is possessed.)

But Maddox is at his worst when he's crazy-eyed tired.
The park play got him that way.

So today I was parked out.
We really should have gone again...
That's what the good moms would have done given this awesome weather in February--
But today I did not land myself in the "good mom" bracket...
and luckily Maddox hasn't asked to go, so no one but me knows which bracket I am in!

The Vow

This past Friday, me and a few girl friends went to see The Vow.
We had drinks before and then ordered food during the movie.

(I may have ordered 2 separate appetizers... it's just whatever.)

I am not going to be a movie spoiler...however, if you are wanting me to tell you that I was trying to silently sob into my hands and then uncontrollably belted out the words, "we will buy this movie even if it is $100", out loud and somewhat loudly into a theater full of people, like I did after watching The Notebook with my husband....
I didn't.

I did think, "why can't my husband love me like that?!... lucky broad"

But it was short lived when I remembered it is Hollywood...

and they don't have kids.

The night was fun...

and I am lucky to have a husband who thinks I deserve these girly times!!
(2  in the past 2 months... was definitely a record!)

I better get to planning next months....
I am on a roll!

Valentine's Day

I love Valentine’s Day.

I always have.

I know you should show your love every day-- not just on the marked day of love because your calendar says so...
and we do.
Just like we love Jesus every day-- not just on his birthday, and because we have a decorated tree in our living room.

Aside from the mixed feelings about the day... Valentine's has always been a happy day for me, and I want it to be one for my boys as well.

There are tiny little memories etched in my mind for this particular day that always bring my heart joy as the calender reaches February again each year.

My Nana has always sent a card with a special message and usually some cash too, for the little holidays like Valentine's Day.

Growing up, my dad and step-mom would send me flowers or balloons and candy to school to celebrate as well.
My senior year, the card had a super-special surprise inside... I was given a cruise to take as soon as I graduated with my step-mom!

We didn't celebrate it much at home, but I remember one particular year that my step-dad brought me home spiral notebooks and fancy pens to doodle with, and my sister a bear.

Valentine’s is the anniversary to mine and Lance’s first official date.  [this year marked the 10 year anniversary for that]

And finally, my favorite Valentine's Day was one from my mom:
When I was pregnant with Maddox, I was up all night on the 13^th with terrible leg cramps and my arm was numb.  I dressed and undressed multiple times that night, contemplating an ER visit, but decided to stay in bed (and in and out of baths) and call my OB in the morning.
Rather than calling in (like I would post kids) I went in to work on very little sleep, not wanting to break my 2 years of no call-in record, and unable to reach my doctor until 9:00, I thought I could help out for the hours before my doctor could see me. 
Well, per the nurse, the pains were "normal pregnancy stuff" and they didn't want to see me.  I slept on an exam table through my lunch break and cried most of the day, realizing that I wanted my bed more than any bouquet of flowers or fancy dinner... or maybe anything I had wanted in my life.
Of course it was winter/ flu season/ RSV season, so I was late getting out and cried almost my entire drive home.
Defeated, I strolled into my house that 14^th, only to find that my mom had broke in and scrubbed my house from floor to ceiling.  Pine sol and bleach filled the air and she had new pajamas and clean sheets already turned back for me.

Though that one is hard to top, I still crave the nostalgia of the day, and get excited about filling the boys day with the same kind of over-the-top love.

But I made a mistake.
   

One of the perks of my job is that I have the freedom to create my own work schedule.

Most weeks I keep it the same, however, occasionally something comes up and I get to manipulate it to my likings.

When making February’s schedule, however, I forgot about Valentine’s Day and was bummed when I didn’t ask off.

I was double-bummed when I found out that I was working with my least favorite physician and knew it would be late before we made it out.

I wasn’t going to let that get to me, however.

I woke up and got the ball rolling.

The boys had their gifts waiting for them and were excited to break into their goods.

I made heart shaped cinnamon rolls for breakfast, Maddox put together his sticker-animals and the 3 of us had a dance-party to some love music.  (Beckham learned to dance this week)

Lunch consisted of mini heart-shaped PB&Js and pink and white animal cookies in celebration of the day a well.

We had the ultra-crammed, water-everywhere, tons of giggles, bath in the sink that Maddox always begs for.  And though the boys attempted to damage my mood a few times throughout the morning, I persevered with love.  It was Valentine's Day after all.

And then I chipped my tooth.

Yes, you read that correctly.


I chipped, my dang, tooth.

I was trying to bend a cord back into the proper alignment and the cord won the battle.
The damage wasn't bad but the edge of my tooth was sharp, and worse,  yesterday was Lance's last day at Denton-- meaning that our insurance had just hours left to be ours.

I crazily put calls in to my step-mom and my BFF (both dental hygienists)  And Wendy called me back with an emergency appointment to be seen at 3:00.

I called in to work because, being a new patient to this office, I didn't know how long it would take.... and secondly, I wasn't sure if I would be spending the night loaded on pain meds.

Lance raced from work to meet me with the boys and what I thought was going to be an act of surgery, was fixed with a tiny file and I was out the door in minutes. (not even a Tylenol was needed.)

Lance apologized for no flowers or card (although he brought me 14 double dipped strawberries from Candy Haven the night before) because he was going to take care of those two things while I was at work.   Being the romantic that he is, however, he thought we should run by Cabela's being so close and all, just to browse.

My mom met us there, also, and together we all had dinner at Babes.

Back home, my sister met us with gifts for the boys and we found a sweet box on the front porch from my dad and step-mom, for them also.
(side note::  what happened to the white conversation hearts?!  They are the only ones I eat!  I feel like I was robbed! I mean, they were robbed!)

This morning, Lance gave me my "flowers" that I missed out on yesterday...
Actually, he traded flowers and a card for something way better.

Some sweet sunglasses, that I have wanted forever.

{I have never had a nice pair of sunglasses and Lance has always acted like I lose or break every pair I have when I talk about wanting some good ones.  Recently, I pulled out a picture showing him the pair I wear most days, I wore on our honey moon, five years ago.  He, on the other hand, could open a Sunglass Hut with his own collection.  He must have realized that I had a valid point when he purchase these.  They came with Lance's typical speech including "don't let Beckham play with them", but I was thrilled anyway.}

Chipped tooth and all, my Valentine's Day was pretty fab.

***
Today... not so fab.


We attempted the museum and it was a complete bust...
Bust may be an understatement.


It was a complete devastation....


From me gagging and thinking I was going to have to make Lance pull over on the way in -- trying to tell him what McDonald's chicken nuggets contain.
To finally finding out why everyone warned me about age 3.
To the coke (that I wasn't even suppose to have in the museum) being tugged away and then spilled all over the floor of the cattle raisers exhibit.
To the wound near Maddox's eye that I caught with my fingernail, in the battle of the coke-cup.
To the screaming that he did over the eye catastrophe.
To the mom who told Maddox to share as he got near her daughter playing on the scale... and then reminded him to share again, as her daughter ripped a toy out of his hand.  (apparently "we share" means that everything is hers whenever she wants it)
To the well dressed moms who were talking about their doctor-husbands who acted too good to talk to me.
To the abused knees of Maddox's jeans as he slid on his knees over and over and over.
To the defeated conversation I had with my husband as I gave him the ultimatum:: I could curl in the fetal position and cry in the corner... or we could leave.
To the spanking Maddox got as we reached my car... my rarely-ever fit-throwing kid, screaming the entire way.
To his vomiting episode at dinner-- into Lance's hand, my napkin, and into the chip container as  he gagged over an onion in his cheese.
To the whelp on Beckham's cheek as he smacked his tiny brother with a glow-in-the-dark bracelet, once finally back at home.
To the tears we both shed as I explained that even though we have had to get on to him more than we ever have today... we still love him more than anything in the world-- however, he was still summonsed to his bed for the rest of the evening.
To the wails that poured from his room and bargaining he made to get off of his bed.
To the computer cord (that I chipped my tooth on yesterday) deciding it was done today and not letting me on Lance's laptop to blog.


What wasn't a complete failure, however, was the glass of wine my husband poured me, the remaining  strawberries I devoured, and my old laptop deciding to cough out a glimpse of life for this blog.


Just looking for the silver lining... and the hope for a better tomorrow!!


Oh, and Beckham's okay too.
He's a tough little cookie!

Yay today.

Beckham and I met my mom for lunch at The Olive Garden and then went on an adventure to find her a gaudy ball gown for her birthday/ Madi Gras celebration with her traveling group of wine drinking-gypsy friends, this coming weekend.

We went thrifting (which is really what her and these girls do a lot of while they are off camping) but if I am honest, it is a bit new to me.

Once I got over my fear of scabies (which is real... even at work-- I have a serious fear of scabies) I had so much fun.
I may have even scored a few vintage pieces-- that I love.  [and my husband is sure to hate]

We found mom the perfect blue sequined gown and a matching over-the-top mask to wear too.  (A way cooler one than Maddox is sporting in the picture... I hope she takes pictures on her trip, her outfit is great!)

I hate that she won't be here, ringing in her 50th with us...
but I can't blame her....
Madi Gras with girl friends sounds like a blast!!

While we were out having girl (plus Beckham) time...
Lance and Maddox were cruising the gun show together.
They had a daddy/ son lunch at Mexican Inn and then met up with us at the mall.

There, I ran into a fellow blogger-- and got the chance to say hello in real life!!
[I shook her hand, like an idiot, though-- if I had a re-do, I would have just hugged her.  I kept saying, "what girl, shakes another girl's hand?!  Was that weird?"  Lance and my mom said it was okay... but I'm an over-thinker.]

We got home to snow and 3 sweet cards from my Nana!!
How cool is that?!
I'm sure the snow on the ground will be gone by morning, but the Valentine's Day cards will be "read" again and again by the 3 year old.
My Nana has always sent cards for the in between holidays, however I always forget about it until we get the surprise in the mail... and then it is so exciting again.
Maddox loves cash, but like his momma-- he can't wait to save it!
It has already made it into his piggy bank.  (Beckham's too... until he is old enough to tell us otherwise.)

Today was a good day.

***
Before I tell you good night, I thought I would share the lost pictures on my camera from the last couple of weeks.

From the 2nd day Stock Show pics that I never posted, to the boys....
I hate to leave them out...
So here goes!

Good night, y'all!

I'm off to snuggle my husband.
Tomorrow he turns in his uniforms to a job he loves... for a job that will make his family more money.
He hates change, and this is a huge leap of faith for us.
I pray that this will be the best decision for my family and that Lance will be happy.

I hate to see insecurity on Lance and it is written all over him tonight.

I love him to pieces... and by him making a tough decision like this, its obvious the feelings are mutual.

10 on 10 :: February

Ten pictures in ten hours on the tenth of the month trying

 to capture the beauty in the ordinary moments of the day. 

I understand that the purpose of this is to find beauty in piece-of-crap ordinary days... but the fact that they are all out of order, and one will not rotate correctly, can just be an indication of my day.

I swear yesterday was good...  of course I didn't blog it.
And 90% of my days are wonderful.
They really are.

 
But today Beckham cried all day.
He stayed attached to my leg as I cleaned... and pulled the laptop (Lance's laptop) off the table, breaking the side of it and ruining the power cord.

I called that man that I married a few years back on attack mode, because I felt it was better to beat him to the punch than to face that look that he gives me when I touch anything worth more than a dollar.

Maddox did one of his signature jump moves and slammed his head into the wood floor, thus turning himself into a unicorn and spilling buckets of tears.  He also wrecked every inch of my clean house, but I persevered and cleaned again.
And again.
And again.

I made (and cleaned up) 2 separate breakfasts and 3 separate lunches.
accomplished baths...and five loads of laundry.
{washed, dried and put away.}
I cooked diner... while on call, and while the 3 men in my life slept.
(during this time, I turned off the tv and listened to silence-- the best part of my day) 
I visited with my parents, who dropped by for a few minutes...
Offered advice, encouragement and listened to countless mom's with sick kids.
Re-cleaned.
Watched a little tv.
And now blogged at 1:00am.

Today wasn't beautiful.

But tomorrow will be.
I know it.

And if it isn't... I promise not to blog about it.
I know it is getting old!

I hope your day was wonderful.
Or at least better than mine!

{I am finally off to bed!}

 

In case you feel the same way...

We were so busy last week with the museum on Wednesday, Stock Show on Thursday, spending the night at my mom's on Friday, work Saturday morning, as well as church and dinner with friends that evening.
Yesterday was the Super Bowl, and dinner at my mom's....
I am out of groceries...
My kids both have colds.
Beckham is teething and has learned to say "uh-oh" which is an appropriate description for his mood.
Maddox is naked right now... because I don't want to risk waking sir-cries-a-lot, to get him dressed, and I am trying with all I have to not repeat the day with him today, that we had yesterday.

We have had a couple of rough days, to say the least...
Where everyone's crying....

Including me.

My husband has been far from encouraging...
and I think that is the hardest part.

I know that every mom reading this knows what I am talking about....

It is probably like #2 on our job description....
Keep everyone else going.

But sometimes, wouldn't it be nice for someone to first notice that things are hard, before you have to plead your case tell them, and secondly, offer support without advice or criticism?


Motherhood is hard work.
So is marriage.

Lance and I were up until midnight, "talking".
I slept so far on the edge of the bed, it was more accurate to say I slept on the nightstand.

Let's not pretend like he noticed though, as soon as he was layed back against the pillow, he was snoring.
I stayed awake a bit longer....
Plotting my revenge.  thinking.

Finally asleep, I dreamed I was giving marital advice to some of our friends who are splitting up right now, telling them that marriage is work but worth the fight and explaining all of the great things about being married.

God's a funny guy, I think.

But awake again,
I'm not over it.
 
Any of it.

While scrubbing counter tops, with a scowl on my face, I stopped and checked my email.
Because I know many of you have had the same type days as myself, I thought I would share my email.

It sure made me feel better.
And maybe it will be helpful to you as well.

I am sending this to my 2 favorite moms: one who constantly inspires me with her blog and the other who is my guardian angel, always sending me texts at the exact moment I start my pity parties.  I want you to know that you ladies are amazing mothers and I immediately thought of you both when I read this story.  Keep up the amazing job you are doing shaping your childrens' lives.

~Amy Lou

      

One of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone  and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't  you see I'm on the phone?' 

        

       Obviously not; no one  can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the  floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no  one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some  days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix  this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? 

        

       Some days I'm not a  pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask,  'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What  number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right  around 5:30,  please.'

        

       Some days I'm a  crystal ball; 'Where's my other sock?, Where's my phone?,  What's for dinner?' 

        

       I was certain that  these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that  studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.  She's going, she's going, she's gone! 

        

       One night, a group of  us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from  England . She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and  she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.

I was  sitting there, looking around at the others all put together  so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.  I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a  beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'  It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't  exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her  inscription: 'With admiration for the greatness of what you  are building when no one sees.' 

        

       In the days ahead I  would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what  would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I  could pattern my work: 1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. 2) These  builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never  see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and expected no  credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled by their  faith that the eyes of God saw  everything.

        

       A story of legend in  the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral  while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny  bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the  man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into  a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see  it And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.' 

        

       I closed the book,  feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was Almost as if  I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices  you make every day, even when no one around you  does.

        

       No act of kindness  you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've  baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a  great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will  become.

        

       I keep the right  perspective when I see myself as a great builder.

As one of  the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be  on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no  cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there  are so few people willing to sacrifice to that  degree.

        

       When I really think  about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing  home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in  the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes  a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the  table.' That would mean I'd built a monument to myself. I just  want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything  more to say to his friend, he'd say, 'You're gonna love it  there...'

        

       As mothers, we are  building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it  right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will  marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that  has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible  mothers.

        

       Share this with all  the Invisible Moms you know... I just  did.

        

       The Will of God will  never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. 

        

       To all the wonderful  mothers and grandmothers out there!!  God bless and  keep you.

As I am about to hit 'post', I got a message from my husband saying, "I'm sorry for last night. I love you."
I am going to accept it.  Because life runs more smoothly that way.

But because I know my husband, and in the past decade I can count his apologies on one hand...
I am taking a pot to see if he even knows *what* he's sorry for.
I've got $50 on no. ;)

At least he gave effort.

It is now my job to let it go.
And grasp a hold of a new day.

I am hoping this nap re-sets my screaming teether.
And he awakes again as my quiet little snuggle-bug, who loves to clap and smile .
The 3 year old is being much-much better today, for sure.

Thank. You. Lord.

Today is better.

[But in case things flip out of whack again.... I get to go to work in 3 hours and Lance gets to play mommy.]
Anyway you look at it... things are going up!!

Today is Wednesday

Today was a super-terrific day.
Maybe one of my favorites in a long time.

I really don't have a reason to believe that it is any better than most days that we have together...
but it was.
Just awesome.

Good.
Family fun.

It started with donuts from Maddox and Lance.
(it has come to be a Wednesday morning tradition)

Then Beckham took his 2-stepping, to 5 stepping.
Although proud... I wish my baby would slow down.
We are almost walking!!

We straightened the house and headed out for lunch.

The weather was perfect today and my allergies decided to cooperate.
We had lunch on the patio at one of my favorite restaurants, Joe T. Garcia's.

Both boys ate so good.  (As did Lance and I)
And we were seated just next to the pond, so Maddox had fun playing while Lance and I sat.
And talked.

And Beckham stayed in the highchair, with so much to see outside.
[rare bonus]

(And I promise that my husband didn't stay on his phone the entire time... it is just the only picture I got!)


From there, we went to The Fort Worth Science Museum and Omni Theater.

We will most definitely get our money's worth out of our season passes.
We have been twice and still have not played in all of it, just yet.

The Omni experience didn't go quite as planned.

Maddox panicked a little, but I remember being quite scared myself when I was younger.
(the top of the head rest on the chair in front of you, stops at your feet-- the seating is straight up.)
He ended up loving it.
And Born to be Wild was great!!

Both boys were exhausted and crashed within minutes back in the car.

I did not have to work tonight... not even call.
[A nice change.]

Lance is off tomorrow...
And we are planning on going back to the stock show.
(our museum passes get us in there too.)

Lance has put his 2 weeks notice in at his job and we are embarking on a brand new journey in life.

It is scary.
But I feel peaceful about it.

We have thought about this, prayed about it, and worried ourselfs sick over it.
But today was so great.
So peaceful.

I think we have made the right decision.
I hope Lance feels equally as content.

We have tanked before...
And know how difficult that climb back out can be.

But sometimes you have to take the leap of faith.

So, here goes.

Today was a wonderful day.