Weekend Warrior

Considering the fact that my summer is QUICKLY ending, I had some unfinished business that I had to take care of this weekend. After a pat on the head of Uncle Matt's horse, we went inside to get busy cleaning out the refrigerator.

This is when I chide myself for buying all those crazy salad dressings in the hopes of eating more salads!

Isn't it pretty?! Take a picture because it won't last long! (oh, I already did!)

Madeline is not a very good napper. If you leave the room, she is going to play. So, in order for Miss Grumpy to actually sleep, I have to lay in the other bed to keep an eye on her. Sometimes I read a book or check out Pinterest. Earlier in the summer, I watched TrueBlood seasons 2-4 on the MacBook! This Saturday I started the dreaded online training. I seriously dislike the HOURS spent on this. I could take the Bloodborne Pathogens test in my sleep! Well, I kinda did!

Friday night is usually Two Señoritas night, but we waited until Saturday this week so we could go grocery shopping after dinner. Cleaning out the fridge left us pretty cleaned out! That, and I haven't been to the store in 2 weeks! When Andy and the kids go to Wal-Mart with me, one stop is always inevitable...

 ...the fish.

Relaxing Friday

I love teaching Kindergarteners but I also love teaching teachers! I had a blast last week planning, setting up, working and teaching at the Hunt County Tech Camp.

I taught about iPads in the Elementary Classroom...

...and Google Blogger!

After such a busy week (and I'm not used to being busy) I was thankful for a relaxing Friday with my kids. We swam and took a 2 and a half hour nap in my bed. Don't you love mine and Madeline's sleep masks?! It's the only way to nap!

Totally Technology & Hair

The last 2 days I have been helping my district prepare for the Hunt County Technology Camp that we are hosting. I am SuPeR excited for teachers from other districts to come and see what Commerce has to offer! On Wednesday, I am working in the iPlayground all day in the Appy Hour station. I am excited to make this station a hit! I get to show off my favorite apps and then give them away to lucky winners! FUN! On Thursday, I am teaching sessions on Google Blogger (since I obviously love it!) and iPads in Elementary Classrooms. I really enjoy sharing my passion for technology in the classroom and this camp is going to be a bLaSt!

Yesterday, we brainstormed how to hang the signs in the iPlayground (how many maintenance men and administrators does it take to hang a sign anyway? hehe!), set up a few of the stations like my Appy Hour and checked out the equipment in each classroom. I was in charge of projector remotes and Promethean pens. BIG responsibility! ;) I also designed all of the signage for the event. When I majored in Marketing at UNT, I thought that it included advertising. (it didn't) I love creating!

Today, after a MUCH NEEDED cut and color, I headed back to ACW to finish set up. Check out what I lovingly call the reverse mullet. Party in the front, business in the back!

I stayed there the rest of the day and worked on little details...like finishing the iMovie introducing the iPlayground! Did I mention that I love creating?! The kids joined me and they were troopers. No fighting and fussing...a small truce for mommy's sake. Whew!

We stayed until 8 and stopped at Pizza Hut on the way home. Have you had their dinner box?! YUMM-O! It has a medium pan pizza (rectangle), breadsticks with marinara and cinnamon sticks with icing for only $10! Might be a new weekly dinner staple when school starts!

Well, off to watch the Deadliest Catch with Andy and then head off to bed while thoughts of technology dance in my head!

Home Days

When Madeline wakes up in the morning, she come to my bed and tells me she is hungry (when is she not?) and asks me what we are doing today. Days that I don't plan to leave the house I call "home days." As much as I love being social, I also love a good balance with at least one home day a week. You know, stay in your pajamas all day, piddle around the house and cook dinner.

Yesterday was a great home day. We had homemade donuts for breakfast! I have never made them myself but I had them once when I was a kid and I never forgot how awesome they were! I loved them but the rest of the family didn't. Fail. I had to restrain myself from eating all 5! (admittedly, I had 3!)


























I washed clothes, touched up paint on the walls, hung up my new Canton purchase...

(isn't it CuTe! Andy asked me if it was a K2...okay, whatevs!)

...changed out some pictures in frames, and worked on some things for the upcoming technology camp that my district is hosting.

I also had to work on my own presentations on Google Blogger and iPads in Elementary Education. I am so happy to debut my new iGuys! Aren't they AwEsOmE?!

They should help me keep up with my iPads during the conference. I would notice someone walking out with one of my guys!

For dinner, I made homemade Mexican food! I think that I was adopted from a Mexican family...seriously. I could eat salsa and chips with every meal! I even made homemade rice! My cousin's wife showed me how to make it last Christmas. (Yes, we have enchiladas for Christmas!) With it I made homemade pinto beans, crockpot enchiladas, homemade salsa and margaritas. I cannot wait for the leftovers at lunch today!

While cooking dinner (and checking for Andy to come driving down the driveway) I noticed Charlie holding down the fort outside. That dog loves us so much. I hate the thought of him not being with us forever.

Today is a semi-home day. I am finishing up some summer cleaning items on my master list. However, I am taking a swim break with the kids right now and we are going out to eat dinner tonight. What are we having? Mexican.

(Originally written on Friday, August 3rd but had a ton of technical difficulty uploading!)

Six Flags FuN!

Mom, the kids and I went to Six Flags Over Texas on Tuesday (in 100+ heat!) and we had a blast! 

It was Madeline's first time to go and I have an adrenaline junkie on my hands! She rode the Aquaman, Runaway Mine Train, Judge Roy Scream and the Shock Wave! 

 

 Yes, I said the Shock Wave and yes, that is the roller coaster with double loops.

Our conversation went like this:
Me: Gus, let's go ride the Shock Wave.
Gus: I don't want to ride that one this year. (note: he did ride it after Madeline so mommy was lucky enough to ride it twice!)
Madeline: I wanna ride it!
Me: Are you sure? I don't think that you are big enough.
Madeline: Yes! I wanna ride it!
Me: (after checking height requirements) Are you sure?!
Madeline: YES!!! (with a big smile)

(Madeline before the ride)

(after the ride)
Madeline: We didn't do the loops! :(
Me: Yes we did silly girl!

Gus was super excited to drive the antique cars. He and Madeline sat in the front while mom and I sat in the back. One day, I really will enjoy him chauffeuring me around; but for now, he needs to just stay little.

It was a great day! We stayed wet, drank free water, had some dipping dots and rode rides until mommy couldn't go any longer. 

I can't wait until next year, Gus already promised me we could ride Batman! Also, next year daddy is coming. He has missed the last 2 years and promised he would go next year! (this post is my proof!)

S.M.A.K. 2012

This is Gus' 3rd year to perform in the Summer Musical Activity for Kids at Highland Terrace. This year's musical was The Slingshot Heard 'Round the World which is the story of David and Goliath. I think it was the best performance yet! Great story, fun music and hilarious actors! Gus was a part of the chorus again this year but he says that he is going to try out for a speaking part next year. I think he would be great! (I am a bit bias though)

This week after rehearsals, the kids went to the TAMU-C Planetarium, Jump Street, swimming and Chuck E Cheese. It was a busy but FuN week!

Galveston

The kids wanted to go to the beach, so last Sunday (July 15th), the family and I headed down to the rainy coast of Texas for 2 days of sun and fun...or so we hoped! When we reached Houston, it was raining steadily and the radar on the iPad didn't show signs of it clearing. After a yummy lunch at Five Guys Burgers & Fries (my new FaVoRiTe burger place), we arrived in Galveston to cloudy skies and rain. We had no specific plans, so we drove down the beach so that Andy could tell me once again how much the seawall area had changed. (He grew up going to Galveston Island; I grew up going to the white beaches and emerald water of Panama City Beach.) The rain was still coming down when we reached the end of the beach so we decided to go ahead and ride the ferry boat. I think every other tourist in Galveston chose to ride it at the exact same time. The lines to and fro were unbelievably long but we enjoyed eachother's company as the sun came out! 

Riding the Boliver Ferry is a Kilgore Family Tradition!

 

After all that family fun in the car for 8 hours, we checked into the Hilton. The thought of lugging all of the beach chairs, toys and umbrella to the beach made us even more tired so we opted to spend a few hours at the pool instead. DO YOU BLAME US?! Check out that pool area! A swim up bar? Yes, please! I sampled the special called Galveston Sunset. YUMM-O! 

 For dinner, the kids had 'fried mozzarella cheese sticks' on the brain so we started walking down the street looking at menus. Landry's Seafood? Nope. Rainforest Cafe? Yep! Andy and I split an appetizer and the kids shared an order of cheese sticks and a kids pizza. After dinner, we headed down to the beach to put our feet in the water. Somehow (wink, wink), the kids managed to put their whole leg (hip to foot) in the ocean. We had a really good time there and the kids had a blast. I know that we made some lifelong memories on our first day.

 

I absolutely LoVe the beach.

Any beach.

The wind, the waves, the smells, the sounds...ahh...my happy place. 

We set up camp on the beach at a whopping 8am. My kids don't sleep in on a normal day so you KNOW they are up at the crack of dawn on vacation. At "Grandma's beach" (what Madeline calls PCB), Grandma would take them walking with her down the beach first thing in the morning. Of course, my parent's condo is right on the beach. At "Daddy's beach" (what Andy named Galveston), you have to contend with a four lane road to get to the beach so they had to wait for momma and daddy to get up and going before the fun began.

The beach life...

 

 There was a 30% chance of storms that day but we saw nothing but beautiful sunshine the whole day. The kids rode the boogie board and played in the sand. 

 Mommy and daddy played in the sand a little bit too! Luckily, there were 2 boys right around Gus' age and a little girl who was 2 (and not shy ONE BIT!) for them to play with. Andy and I got the chance to sit back and enjoy ourselves while the kids played.

 That evening, we walked about a half mile down the beach to Salsa's Mexican Restaurant. Andy and I had eaten there on our last trip to Galveston at least 9-10 years earlier and we remembered it being good. Honestly, I can eat anything with salsa on it and love it! 

Gus knew that I brought my favorite childhood board game 'Sorry!' in case of rain so he was determined to learn how to play it. It was looking like I was going to win and Gus has tears of defeat in his eyes until, SORRY!, he was able to make a move that changed the game in his favor and he won. (Side note, I re-matched him when we got home and I was redeemed! *evil laugh*)

 

The next morning, we took our time going home. Did we sleep in? Of course NOT! We were back on the beach at 8am, in the pool at 9am and back in the room showering and packing at 10am. It was a very short trip but we packed it full of family time. 

The kids wanted to go to the beach and we delivered.