Deep in the Heart of Texas

Mary Margo took this picture from the plane window then turned to me and asked
Can we see God from up here?

The flight went just as we had so perfectly planned it.  We gave Dottie a bottle at take off and she went right to sleep.  She slept for an hour or so and when she woke up she was content with sitting there watching her surroundings.

Mary Margo handled the flight just as we expected too.  She was so excited about the whole thing that her little brain was in overdrive.  She wanted to know what everything was and she wanted to eat every bit of the enormous amount of snacks and candy in her backpack.  Then I let her get a Dr. Pepper from the flight attendant.  She wanted a snack from her too.  My response to that...."Honey you were born too late to get snacks from the flight attendant.  They don't do that anymore.  Sorry.  Here have another lollipop and enjoy that coke."

Aunt Mandy is so cool because she has a POOL!  We spent much of our free time swimming and diving and floating in the pool.  

We taught Mary Margo how to play cards instead of playing the Ipad.  

LEGOLAND

We had to do the Texas cowboy thing for our little cowgirl, Mary Margo.  We took her downtown Fort Worth to the Stockyards.  She dressed the part with her hat and boots.

She traded her cowboy hat for a Longhorn balloon hat.

Dancing to the stockyards street band.

Mandy and Charle Dancing in the Street

1 item on my bucket list is complete.  I rode the mechanical bull and held on the whole time.

Cowgirl secret
1 purple pixie stick = 5 hour energy

Watching a cowboy Lasso

Train ride 

Dottie trying on her Great Grandaddy's cowboy boots

Time to say good bye
We love you lots Aunt Mandy!!

Kitchen Explosion

Today we had a little kitchen "lab" that turned into an explosion of fun, oldies music, dancing, and of course, an explosion of SALSA!  

I am going to try my best to paint this picture with my words.  We were having WAY too much fun to stop and find the camera and take pictures of it!

It started something like this
"Hey Mary Margo, you want to help me make salsa?"
"YEAHHHHHH, that will be lots of fun."

And lots of fun it was....
we chopped onions and Mary Margo informed me that they will make you cry.  When I asked her who told her that (assuming it was Nana) she replied Caillou.  It's always reassuring that the TV is teaching my children useful knowledge.

We dropped the tomatoes in the food processor and on the counter and back in the processor until we dropped too many in the processor and it started leaking all over the counter.

Hmmm. what to do now?

Move the salsa to the blender.  More room in there and a bigger mess to move than I thought .....so that equals more tomato sauce on the counter....
we added all the other ingredients without any more mishaps.

taste test - all is GOOD!

On to the cleaning of the kitchen -
Mary Margo wanted to wash the dishes.  I said "SURE!  Why not?"
So she rinsed all the dishes in the sink with LOTS of water while I unloaded and loaded the dishwasher.

This task called for some music.

Which turned this task into a DANCE PARTY

Who's that you hear?  Chubby Checker....oh yeah....let's do the TWIST!!!!  Then a little JAMES BROWN - WHHHAAAA I feel good! oh and who's hips can stay still when ELVIS is singing?

Mommy was doing the twist, Dottie was bouncing up and down trying to do the twist, Mary Margo was giggling and twisting all while rinsing the dishes, her shirt, the cabinets and the floor.  Even Dusty did a little twisting jig on his way out the door for a run.

pandora.com - Summer Oldies Station - I HIGHLY recommend this station to step up any mundane task.....

Once all the dishes were done, the counters wiped off, Mary Margo's wet clothes changed, we slowed it down a bit, ate lunch and Dottie took a nap.  All that twisting and climbing, makes a little girl tired.

Oh yes, Dottie climbing.  I almost forgot to mention.  While we were making all that commotion.  Dottie was standing in her high chair and attempting to climb out of it.  I finally took her out and put her on the floor to crawl around and what does she do?  Climbs from the floor, to the chair, then to the table top of Mary Margo's little table in our kitchen.  Then as soon as Mary Margo got out of the chair at the sink, Dottie was in it trying to reach the sink.  Lord, please help me keep these little feet on the ground.

What to do with Dottie?

Oh Dottie, she is going to be a fun one.  

I am in no way implying that Mary Margo is not fun but Dottie is a challenge in a whole new way.  She is our "into everything, put it in my mouth, if I can't reach it will climb for it, LOUD screams when I am hungry" kinda girl.  And after all that she just sits there and grins with the BIGGEST Happiest little face.  It is one of those.  the "I know I am in trouble but if I show you my 4 cute teeth and squint my eyes just right you will forget you were every mad" kinda smile.  

She is a MESS!  

Here is just a small list of what we have found in her mouth..... 

• thumbtacks
• string
• cardboard
• shoes and more shoes
• dust bunnies
• fabric
• sweetgum balls
• flowers
• leaves and more leaves
• coloring books
• phone chargers
• chalk
• crayons
• markers
• paint
• electrical cords
• pappies
• money
• necklaces
• the couch
• remotes
• socks
• dryer sheets
• construction paper

Wow!  The list makes it look like I never clean my house.   But I do!  I promise.  

She is just too fast.  I turn my back and she is gone, I find her and there she is slowly "chewing her cud" (as the old folks might say).  I swoop in with the famous "finger to the tonsils sweep around the inside of her mouth".  I have gotten really good at it.  Mary Margo even knows how to do it.  We try to avoid big sister doing it but on occasion it has been necessary.  

I am not use to the warp speed of baby Dottie.  She is a climber too.  She has climbed on top of the fireplace hearth twice already.  I admit, the second time, I let her because I wanted to know HOW exactly she was doing it.  She is a resourceful little critter.  Climbing slow and steady onto Mary Margo's chair then hiking her chubby little leg ever so gracefully onto the blanket covered brick, other leg up, a quick spin, and down on her bottom.  Criss cross applesauce and she is there.  And just like the orbits gum girl... "KATING" that sweet little "you know you love me smile"  

SHE IS A MESS!

Here are just a few pics of this little devil in disguise.

 

No one was hurt here.  I took this pic because I would let Mary Margo sit in my lap while I was sewing.  She would sit there for as long as I would let her and NEVER try to touch anything.

She gets buckled in EVERYTIME now

She even thought my pants would be a good chew toy

FLOWER

FLOWER IN THE MOUTH

SWEET GUM BALL

SWEETGUM BALL IN MOUTH

Right before she made it up into the dishwasher.  

This is her sizing it up.

 Caught

and the smile!

Summer is in Full Swing

We have hit the pool...several times

Dottie is practicing her steps.  

Not yet ready to let go and conquer the world but trying.

 Standing behind Dusty's desk.  

It's her fun new hiding place

Aunt Mandy got married.  Mary Margo was the flower girls and the wedding singer.  Dottie was just the pretty baby that "ruined" the wedding singer's song.  

At the wedding.

Mary Margo's first comment after the ceremony, "Dottie ruined my song."

Everyone at the wedding said that little sister wanted to sing too.

Hope this doesn't become a trend.

Below she is singing her solo at home with me on piano.  I am a little rusty.  Forgive me, the soloist insisted on the piano.....not guitar. 

 

 We have been to VBS for the first time and learned so much about Jesus and God.

It is pretty obvious, we are not brushing our hair this summer - please ignore this summer look.  Those little whispies drive me crazy.  I promise I brush it and contain it EVERY morning.  

Packed and ready to spend the night with Kadie!  Mary Margo's first sleep over.

Mary Margo has been to cheer camp and gymnastics camp.

Here she is showing off some of her moves dancing at summer swing.  

Dusty is in the background playing the guitar.

Dottie munching on her puffs and everyone else's snacks at summer swing