Another Year Wise(@ssi)er

On April 18th my better half became 365 days older more experienced.  In keeping with our theme of disorganization, and my personal mantra of #momfailing, we planned no official party or gathering for this occasion.  I'm coming to realize though that this might be the best plan as it tends to lead to more, and prolonged, celebrations.  Oh how we celebrate you, Big Daddy Long Legs, let us count the ways.

1.  The Mother Nature Celebration:  I guess there's 2 ways to look at this.  Mother Nature either reallllly doesn't like Ryan or she really loves him.  I'm a glass half full type (for this moment anyway), so we'll go with the latter.  Late in the evening on April 17th and into April 18th, Houston experienced record flooding.  It actually was awful.  Several people lost their homes, cars, etc.  We feel very, very lucky to (as of my writing this) have been spared.  On the positive side though, the City of Houston was essentially shut down which meant we all got to hang out together for a party in our jammies.

This is what Monday morning looked like at the Martin Disaster Center Headquarters.  Brynn learned how to get on the couch.  She's really earning that Brynnie-zilla moniker these days.

Ryan really isn't always texting rather than watching his children, I promise.  This was early and he didn't have his laptop so he was trying to figure out how to get work done.  Brynnie was VERY enthused about the weather report we were watching, as you can see.

This is when I returned from putting something away in the bedroom to see that the girls had pinned Daddy into the laundry room.  It's too bad maniacal giggling can't come through in photographs.

2.  The Home Sweet Home Reno Celebration:  Just after lunch we got dressed (read: changed yoga pants) and headed to our new house with our fingers, toes and legs crossed to see if we had experienced any damage.  We met GC there as he had been in Conroe.  

Upon arrival we were so, so thankful to find that all the storm had brought us was a bunch of debris in the yard and a leak.  (Our neighbor who leaves his car on the street lost his car. :c( )  Ryan and I started talking about needing to call someone out to tend to said leak.  Around that time, a very large ladder the sheet rockers were storing in the foyer caught my Dad's eye.  I knew exactly where those spinning wheels were headed.  After trying to convince him he was having a terrible idea and getting no where- the girls and I headed back to the apartment so I could nurture my anxiety over a nice warm coffee.

The Birthday boy stayed behind to act as anchorman for our resident Evil Knievel.  Who doesn't want to celebrate by having their Father-in-Law on the other end of a yellow rope wrapped around a column?!

Here's Pawpaw enlisting Emery's help in his mission that I strongly opposed.

Ryan took this.  I was gone by the time things got this far.  Do not try this at home, kids... or adults.

3.  The Family Man Celebration:  On the way home from certifying that Pawpaw still had a pulse, we swung by HEB so that Ryan could select what he wanted for dinner.  It will come as a shock to zero people that Emery actually wound up selecting both his dinner and dessert.  I don't think that he had any complaints though.

Cake by the Ocean Galley Kitchen.

4.  The Martin Crew Celebration:  The following weekend on Sunday April 24th we met up with Grandma, Pawpaw Martin, Aunt Tiffy and Cousin Kylie to nosh on the finest in Southern Breakfast cuisine at Cracker Barrel.  Poor Ky was sick and felt awful but she was a good sport.  Waffles + Biscuits + Eggs + Family = Best Birthday meal ever.

Rockstars. (Do you see what I did there?!)

5.  The Hot Tub Time Machine Celebration:  Later the same day for the first time in probably a million years we went to visit our beloved McClains.  Melanie surprised the birthday boy with a cake for his and her brother, Andy's, birthdays.  As you may have guessed by the title, we also celebrated in the hot tub.  Nothing makes you feel young again like hot tubing with kids in floaties.  

Hot tubing is so exhausting!

6.  The Mama & Daddy Celebration:  On Wednesday April 27th my parents were kind enough to pick the girls up from school and handle the nighttime routine so that we could go to a grown up dinner.  When confronted with the opportunity for child-free time, what did Ryan decide to do?  Hunt down TV sales.  True story.  After a quick run through at Target, we headed over to the World of Beers for a pre-dinner drink.  We ate at Dish Society after.  Then after the party it was (another) Target lobby before we headed home to relieve the grandparentals from duty.

If you close your eyes, and squint real hard, after a glass or 2 of wine you can pretend you're in Europe.

Isn't this what the kids do these days?  Take pics of their food?

A fail in TV sale hunting led to new seat for Brynnie sale hunting.  Another swing and a miss.

I would say all of these celebrations made for an A+ entrance to the next year for the hubs.  Thank you to all who helped us to celebrate and most of all thank YOU to Ryan for all he does for us.  I truly can't imagine where we would be without you.  Happy Birthday- may this be the best year yet! 

Easter 2016

This Easter we celebrated the way that we celebrate most holidays.  We started out in Conroe visiting the Boarman bunch and wrapped up our celebrations in the Branch with the Martin clan.  Because you know the drill, I'll spare you a lot of verbiage and skip straight to the pics.  :c)

The girls having a little pre-game pep talk before the Walden Egg Hunt.  As you can see, our hunters were in the zone.

Daddy trying to explain the delicate art of throwing some 'bows when needed.

Clearly a seasoned vet, Em hopped right out into the action as soon as she got the go ahead.  Brynn wasn't quite as snappy.

Aunt JuJu laughing at helping her nieces.

In her element.

Perhaps her wedgie is what was holding Brynn back?

Pick me up, Non.  I'm over this.

Pretty solid haul.

Are we done with the pics?  Kinda need to check out what's in these eggs, y'all.

Notice where Em went when it was time to start ripping into candy?!  Right next to Pawpaw.

Couldn't find Ryan for a bit.  Discovered him outside walking our child in the front yard with a makeshift cooler on top of the stroller.  Back off ladies, he's taken.

The Easter Bunny visited.

My kids are cute.

After a fab time at Camp Conroe, we took the party to Grandma & Pawpaw Martin's house to meet up with Aunt Niffy and Ky.

Peeeeeeeeps.  Making kids bounce off the walls since like 1903.

Checking out their basket loot.

"Boo!  Boooooo" (book) - Brynnie's fav.

Brynn still wasn't totally clear on the objective.  Is it to get eggs or to try to wander down the street?   Who can say, really?

Get da one, Daddy.

Gotta lift with your legs, folks.

This is NOT Kylie's first rodeo, obvi.

Trying to take pictures with small children: a photo essay.  2/3rds of them looking at a camera.  Not necessarily yours, but a camera nonetheless.

3/3rds looking at a camera.  2/3rds looking pleased. 1/3rd on the verge of meltdown.

2/3rds cheesin'.  1/3rd really about to lose it.

1/3rd about to resort to eating elements of nature because that usually ends photoshoots pretty quick.  1/3rd still cheesing.  1/3rd looking like that Sarah McLachlan song should be playing.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.  'B-Zilla will take them.

Party Animals

Hey!  Did y'all know Emery turned 3?  I know I haven't mentioned it, but she did.  As previously stated, I'm all about fairness where I can create it.  Since Brynnie didn't have a party this year, we opted not to have one for Emmy either.  That doesn't mean we can't celebrate though, does it?

We decided to commemorate the occasion by checking out the animals at the Houston Rodeo on Saturday March 5th.  Place to run amuck?  Check.  Animals as stubborn as ours?  Check.  Awesome food?  Check.  Clearly it was perfect.  Nonnie, Pawpaw, Aunt Julie & Uncle David opted to join in the fun as well.  We decided to get there bright and early at 9:30 and were so lucky we did.  By the time we left, the lines were bananas.

The trip started out a little rocky as our three-nager isn't always the most accepting of new events (Rodeo), places (Reliant) or situations (riding a tram- you would have thought it was a death machine) but she came around pretty quickly.  By 20 minutes in, I would say we were all having a ball.  The weather was beautiful.  The animals were adorable.  The children's exhibit was so, so well done.  The food choices were endless.  It was the perfect low-key celebration of our beloved.

#wokeuplikethis.  Seriously though, she did.  At approximately 6:30 am.

As you can tell, she became skeptical immediately out of the gates.

Cuddling Brynnie while the parentals disciplined the Birthday Girl.

Julie was only slightly more comfortable with this llama than Em was with public transportation.

Hey Pig.  Do you know Peppa?

Now that you're running away, I suppose I'll be brave enough to lightly pat your behind.  Please, Dear God, don't turn around or make sudden movements.

Um, there were kangaroos.  For real.  And they slept in those beach bag looking sacks.  You can't make this stuff up.

I loved the chicken part of the exhibit.  Brynn is wishing she was a little bit taller, wishing she was a baller....

... luckily Aunt Julie helped a sister out.

Brynn trying to get her finger pecked off while Emery hunts for eggs.

A rare moment of affection.

She was so amped up to pet the bunny.  Until it was her turn.  Mama petted it instead.

Aunt Julie and Uncle David knocked it out of the park with 2 new pairs of shoes.  She rode up to the lake with my parents after and they said she was squealing and trying them on the entire trip.

After our rodeo outing, my parents were kind enough to host the Martin clan (the Herndons had to peel off) up at the lake.  It was precisely what the doctor ordered.  We have all (particularly the boys) been so busy on the weekends working on the house that a break was long overdue.  I can't tell you how much we all enjoyed getting to hang out and talk without swiping sawdust off of one another or yelling at the girls not to trip over the air compressor cord.

We LOOOOOOVE Little People....

... almost as much as cupcakes.

Unfortunately Grandma, Pawpaw Martin, Aunt Tiffy and Kylie couldn't make it to the rodeo.  I am not sure if our birthday Princess was too bothered though because it meant she got to have TWO more mini celebrations!  Grandma and Pawpaw Martin dropped by with homemade cupcakes after we got home on Sunday (Em's actual birthday).  Then the following weekend, we all had dinner at Willie's and played together at our apartment afterwards.

You know you're truly a big girl when you can sit back and watch someone else open a present.  I wonder if Ryan will ever get there?

Suffice it all to say that even though there was no big partaaaaaay, our Princess had plenty of celebration for the big SREE (three).  Thank you so much to all of the participants who helped to make it such a special event for her.  We love you very much!  One last time- HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMERY KRACKREN!