A Little Opera

There's an outdoor theater here that I love.  Today it had a children's opera that was about an hour long.  Audrey loved it and so did I.  It reminded me of the old days when I was the one singing  I kind of miss it.  The theater is doing James and the Giant Peach next week.  We will be there.  

We invited Jenny and the kids but they weren't able to make it until later.  After the show we had lunch with them and then we decided to finally get tickets to the train ride that Audrey asks me about every time were there.  She kept on saying how exciting it was, until about halfway through and then she wanted to get off.  Almost as if she had willed it the train stopped and they told us that they were having technical difficulties. Thankfully there were little kids in front of us blowing bubbles to entertain the kids while we walked back to the ticketing place.  

After the trains technical difficulties I started thinking about how I attract "the crazy".  This event was purely coincidental so it really doesn't count but when it comes to other things I have to start to wonder what I'm doing wrong. Paul says it's because I'm too nice, apparently the type that people like to unload the crazy on.  I'm going to start recording "the crazy" because it's kind of funny.  It would also be a really awesome thing to pass down to the grand-kids.  

Superman

Daddy can fix anything.  If she breaks one of her toys she's always quick to remind me that Daddy can fix it.  He's done it too much for her to think otherwise.  The best part of the day is always when he get's home.  She knows he's here long before he steps through the door.  

She asks him to read to her every night. She's made him read so many books at a time that he has fallen asleep while reading a few times.  Daddy also gives the best snuggles.  I'm not allowed to have a hug before this munchkin.  He must feel pretty special when he gets home.  

They have a special bond.  She loves working out in the garage with him.  She always gets frustrated when she's not allowed to be out there working too.  She hates that he goes to work.  I have to remind her often that we wouldn't have anything with out Daddy going to work.  The weekends are always best and vacations are even better.  She writes him at least one love note a day and she tells him she loves him often.  She might be a Daddy's girl and I'm okay with it.   

Continued

The last couple days of my trip I was feeling so much better.  I even got out of the house a few times.  I went to the Jungle Book with my parents and some of my siblings.  I was seriously blown away by how far CGI animation has come.  It was amazing and I really enjoyed the movie.  I also got to spent an afternoon with my Mom at work.  Audrey loved grabbing all the kitchen gadgets off the shelves and filling her basket.  She would have been happy to spend all day there and I loved being with my Mom.  I kind of miss her.  

We did dinner with Grant and Nicole and Ana, and we spend a morning and afternoon in the canyon with Grandpa Rod and Ana.  Audrey loved feeding the fish and having a picnic in the park.  To top it off we found a little section of the river near the park where the water was calm.  Audrey jumped at the chance to dip her toes in the freezing cold water and skip rocks.  She saw her first butterfly there, which I'm pretty positive was a moth but I didn't want to break the news after she got so excited about it.  She also got to see her first rainbow, which was the first things she told her Dad when we got home.

My Dad bought some pancake molds and we had cow, star, and flower pancakes. He must know Audrey well.  A regular circle pancake will never be the same.  I love having breakfast with my parents, it's one of my favorite things when I'm at their house. 

The time came to leave, we packed our stuff and even after being there for over two weeks Audrey still didn't want to go home.  We were on our way to the airport with stop and go traffic and Audrey got car sick.  I kept thinking that she might be exaggerating her need to puke.  She's never out right told me that she felt car sick.  I will never think that again.  She must have thrown up four times all over my Dad's backseat.  I was so lucky to find a few clorox wipes in my bag.  When we got there I wiped her down and changed her clothes.  Her bag smelled like puke and my hands smelled like puke, and she smelled like puke.  It didn't matter how many times I washed the both of us. Even smelling puke for 3 hours was cake in comparison to my Dad who had to give his car a makeover when he got home.  He deserves an award for the best Dad ever.  He was literally there for every crazy moment of the trip and I was so grateful.  I love him. 

I'm so happy that we got to be with family and that I was able to have surgery, but I'm really glad it's all over!   

Surgery

  When you've been through something like this and your family steps in to take it all on you start to realize just how blessed you are in the family department.  

I had surgery for Endometriosis.  I'm already so happy I did.  It's already paid off.  I don't know how many times I told my Mom that I wished I wasn't a girl when I was younger.  Today I feel much better about being a girl.  Less pain is always a good thing. 

I had surgery in Utah.  I spent a week before surgery enjoying family.  Audrey got to play with and get to know cousins she never has before.  My sister-in-law had a beautiful baby that I got to take pictures of.  Dad took us to Zootopia. I had another bake off with my sisters.  We made cheesecakes and I forgot to take pictures.  Mom got the most votes.  I'm starting to think that I may never win, but I love doing it anyway.  I spent a day with my Dad and brothers working on a video and we had a party for my niece's birthday.  

The day before surgery was eventful to say the least.  It was my birthday and I had a consultation and pre-op at the hospital.  I found out that unlike my paperwork said that I was already supposed to be fasting, so the dinner my Mom was working on and the cake my brother-in-law had made were no longer mine for eating.  Oh and the two enemas weren't a fabulous experience either.  On top of that Audrey had something going on with textures at dinner and threw everything up.  The bright spot of the day was that while I was up at my appointment my GPS stopped working and I only had two percent battery and my Dad stopped just short of the temple doors to talk me through getting home.    When I got home my sisters brought me a basket of DVDs, treats, and an outfit for after surgery.  Despite all the crazy, it really was a good day.  

The day of surgery I got a blessing from my Dad.  I was so grateful because it brought instant peace and comfort.  Then we drove up to the hospital together and he sat with me the entire time. With travel and everything we were away from home almost the entire day.  I have and angel Father.  In the mean time my sisters were taking care of Audrey which was such a blessing for me, and Jenn had dinner ready when we got home.  

I was in a lot of pain for quite a few days.  I had moved over to Jenn's house after surgery.  She was the best care giver ever.  I felt like I was staying at a 5 star hotel with meals included.  She made delicious food, took care of Audrey, got me everything I needed, watched movies and shows with me into the night, made yummy desserts, and just talked.  I am more grateful for her than words can tell.  I love her and her family and everything they did to make us feel at home.  

Poor Charlotte had to share her Mom, her toys, her baby sister, and her Daddy with Audrey.  We turned her life upside down  They played well sometimes and sometimes they didn't.  I think these pictures show it well.  Over all Audrey can't stop talking about Charlotte.  She asks about her all the time.  When I started feeling a better I had to take a few photos to document my time there.  To be continued....    

She Gets Me

 She's pretty much the best thing that's ever happened to me, aside from her Daddy.  We went in search of a field of Blue Bonnets to take pictures in.  It's kind of a Texas thing.  Apparently it's illegal it mow or pick them, which I don't think is working out for them because we didn't find any.  Maybe next year I'll get more ambitious and travel an hour to find some.  It might be worth it.  

Audrey has been into drawing lately.  Any type of paper she finds she asks if she can draw on.  Then after a week of it sitting around I usually throw away said drawing. It's like she knows to check the trash now.  Since then I've changed my methods a little.  It involves shoving it so deep in the trash that she can't tell what it is anymore.  Don't get me wrong, I love her art and I even keep a lot of it, I just don't keep all of it.  Her most recent favorite was a pink "We'll mow your lawn for you" flyer.  I think they made it pink on purpose.  It made it into the trash a couple times and then I'd find it again kicking around the house.  She may have a little of her Dad in her.  He sometimes has a hard time parting with things too.  

 I feel so so blessed to have this little munchkin.  She's pretty much the best thing that's ever happened to me, aside from her Daddy.  She makes me laugh, she teaches me a lot, and she's the best person to be silly with.  She get's me.  I think every Mother should have a daughter she can be herself with.  She know's me better than most.  

 Self Portrait

Mansions and Beaches

 Continuing on with the adventuring.  The next day we went to one of the historic old mansions in Galveston.  It was pretty fabulous.  It's crazy to think how much money these people had way back went.  Indoor plumbing was unheard of and they had these beautiful bathrooms.   I'm not sure I could live in such a fancy place.  After our tour of the mansion we went to the beach.  

I think I forgot how much I love it there.  We'll be going back very soon.  Audrey couldn't stop telling me how much she loved the water and the sand.  Yesterday she told me that when she grows up she wants to live right next to the beach.  Beach Bum.  A few minutes later she started singing the foolish man built his house upon the sand.  It must have clicked because she came running back asking if her house was going to wash away if she lived by the beach.  Maybe so little one, maybe so.  

After spending the day at the beach we ate some delicious sea food, at least everyone but me.  I had a really good burger.  Even Audrey turned to the dark side.  I think she's a fish lover.  Paul's pretty happy about it. 

The next day we spent the day at the Rodeo.  It was amazing.  I may never miss the rodeo again...it was that awesome.  Audrey loved the livestock show and I loved watching the Bull riding, Muttin Busting, Barrel Racing, and listening to Brad Paisley.

It was one of the best reunions we've had.  Let's do it again soon!