was a busy week, as usual- tuesday, i took the kids to my friend's house with me while we worked out- thought they could play in the culdesac/garage while we were in there- (she has a tv in it and air hockey).. well, didnt work out quite as planned- first of all it was HOT- like hard to breathe hot- so it was not a good workout- second, jacob was petrified of the neighbor's dog, even though he was in a fence- every time it barked, he freaked out- so, next time, we will have brit watch the kids- or leave them at home with daddy! (my friend's daughter was napping)
on the way home, we drove by the splashpark- and it was open! (last summer, it was closed ALL SUMMER)... so the boys wanted to stop, so i said why not- so, they got in in their clothes- and had a blast- didnt pay much attention to the playground next to it... luckily i had an extra diaper and undies in the car for them.
so, the next day, i decide to go to ny pizzeria first (free kids on wed), and then take the boys to the splashpark again- prepared this time with swimsuits- so, we get there, and they really didnt care much about the splashpark (figures, now that they are dressed appropriately), instead they wanted to play on the playground- which was really NOT in my plan- first of all big kids running without looking and trampling little kids- but even worse, it was VERY slippery from wet kids - so the boys kept falling- and jacob thought it was funny to try to climb on and lean over every side/drop there was- much stress for mommy- too bad there isnt a fence dividing the two- so i could keep them in the splash park only! here are a few pics...
friday, we dropped the expedition off for 4 new tires which were way past due- $738- (eek) and we went to dinner as a family- to johnny carino's- it was good food- and nice to have Just the family there- of course jacob was his usual self- throwing (i mean dropping, ahha) his crayons and color book on the ground- and making us laugh with his funny expressions- after that, we went home and packed for our weekend trip to louisiana to see grandma bird, grandma sylvia, papa lou, aunt lisa and cousin little...
i dont remember what else we did- oh but justin did have a playdate at his friend's house on friday- well he went swimming- they have a pool- i was a little nervous of course, since he is not a great swimmer, but they parents knew that and both were home in the pool with the kids- and he had a blast...
so- after mother's day weekend, we had a good week i guess, i can't really remember bc i was busy mentally preparing to see the nkotb... yep, that's right steph and i flew to baltimore, met up with mel and stacy, and drove to nyc ... (thursday morning).... yes, i had just been to nyc 2 weeks before- but i didnt know about the today show until after i had my first ny tickets... and i told jeremy that i wanted to go to the today show as my mother's day present (found plane tix for $193 round trip!)... then, i was not going to go- bc i felt guilty being gone twice so close together and spending money- but he said (and i quote) 'would you just GO! stop worrying about it- there are so few things in life that you get that excited about, if i wanted to do something 'crazy' like that, i would want you to support me-' and i said 'that's why i love you'....lol
so- it was- we headed out to nyc, did NOT want to get in line immediately- bc we knew we would be stuck on the street ALL NIGHT LONG- so then, first we checked in the room- the room we paid for and only used to pee- but it was nice to have somewhere to have a potty break- anyway, we went walking around- and THEN decided to stop by the line- well, that was dumb bc once we stopped by the line, we were STUCK in the line. bc if we left we lost our place. so- there we sat, and sat, and sat and sat and sat ALL NIGHT LONG- we were about maybe 150 people back - and there were hundreds and hundreds of people behind that... wrapped around the block. it was fun and weird meeting people who came from all over the US to see them- the people in front of us from ohio and miami- and behind us was a girl from dallas and her boyfriend (jeremy would NEVER)
so anyway- at one point, jon drove by in a cab- i was almost asleep and i hear screaming- ignore it, finally decide to pop up as it gets louder- and see jon sticking his head/body out a cab window as it turned down 5th street- too funny- of course my camera was not ready since i was trying to sleep (unsuccessfully)..
but- after waiting it out ALL NIGHT we get in there and couldnt see much of anything and it started pouring! - i was pissed- they let all the nbc vip people in the middle good seats- so, we watched soundcheck and my one friend and i went to macys- here's the only decent pic i got of soundcheck when they came a little closer on this middle stage...
and here is the pic stacy took of me when i saw where we were standing and was about to leave..
the other girls we were with stayed for the show- and the nkotb DID end up coming to the platform where matt lauer was- which was SUPER close to where we were standing- so we missed that, but she got some good pics- here's one...
we figured we might as well leave and wait in line at macys (first 150 people in line got to meet n greet at 12pm... so, we ended up getting that- there was a husband in line in front of us waiting i line while his wife was at the today show- crazy
we got to meet them , get autographs, shake hands etc but- not cameras allowed during that part i guess to shoo us through the line fast- sucked! oh well.. still fun. and TIRING and i would NOT do it again, lol - but i am glad i did it ONCE. and i did get a high five from donnie - yes i am a dork!
here are a few more pictures:
the line in front of us:
the line behind us:
the other crazy people behind us once we finally got into the concert area:
our group:
ps- i have realized that i HATE nyc when i have to take cabs or drive in it- it takes freaking forever to get anywhere- i'll stick to the subway next time!
Last week was a busy one- Tuesday night i had to go to my first booster club meeting for brittany's high school drill team- where i forked over the remaining balance for her to participate next year - ($649) i had already paid $313. Then, i had to pay $100 for the booster club fee- and next meeting will pay about $100 for parent t-shirts (not mandatory)... now, i am even more poor... it is so nice that regina helps us out with these activities- or even with school lunches- or CLOTHING her kids... HAHAHAHAHA, i am funny- she has much better things to spend her money on - like HERSELF.
anyway- wednesday, i came home, picked up brittany, and we headed to friendswood to get her hair highlighted and cut- $187 later ($157 plus $30 tip) it looks GREAT- and was worth getting it done at a nice place (thanks, isa for the recommendation)... while she sat there for 2 hours, i went to my freind's house and hung out..
thursday, the boys and i went from nana's house straight to my freind's house and bought them pizza- she is on bedrest right now, so we came to keep her company and let the boys play- they had fun, and we enjoyed the pizza- yum!
friday, we went to tee-ball- justin did great- and is such a little ham- he is trying to focus more on the ball, i GUESS...lol, he did stop to give the coach his batting helmet after he hit the ball before he ran to first, too funny.. it was cute though- jacob of course was difficult bc he wanted to play, too... jeremy meanwhile went to his kuk sul won class to test for his yellow belt (he passeD)... and i had to drop off brittany and friend to the movies- after tee ball, i went to a friend's house for a cinco de mayo party (even though it was past cinco de mayo) and ate too much guac and chips, but we had a fun time.
Saturday morning, we got up and got ready for swim lessons- justin and i headed out around 10:15, and he did GREAT, i was really proud/impressed, i thought it would take him a few lessons before he 'remembered' but he caught right on! here's a video of the first day of class jumping off the side and swimming!
after that, we picked up brittany and a friend and jacob, and headed to the mall for brittany to spend her birthday money (more money out of my pocket).. and when we got home from the mall (which, btw, is totally NOT stroller friendly AT ALL in the stores brit goes in), we got ready for dinner at joe's crab shack. Brittany invited a few friends and we paid for dinner- (MORE money out of my pocket). they made her sing happy birthday to herself, while standing on a chair eating crackers- it was hilarious! then, justin sang to her... the boys spent most of the time outside on the playground playing with the rocks- they loved it..
sunday morning (mother's day AND brittany's bday , can you believe she's 15?!!!), i got up and met a friend at the park to workout (we meet sunday's at 9).. then headed home to shower and headed to saltgrass for lunch (early lunch) with nana and pawpaw, where we paid $100 for half of lunch (MORE money)... jeremy and the kids got me some tulips (my favorite) and cards- justin made me a card at school, which i LOVE , and a framed picture... jacob decided he was petrified of our waiter...literally shaking crying hysterically every time the waiter came to our table... NO CLUE why! pawpaw thinks its bc of the pepper grinder he had? silly jake! then i made jeremy take pics of me with the kids....but apparently it was too windy and sunny- see below!
then, the girls went to reginas, and justin and i headed to swim lessons, where he began to learn how to take breaths while swimming... so proud.. :) after that, i got to take a 2 hour nap, that's what i wanted for mother's day- AND i got jeremy to do (hang up/put away) the laundry, which he DID but complained ALOT! brooke helped him out... the boys and i played outside- and made their handprint/footprints on a concrete block for me...finally, at night, jeremy and i went on our date night to marble slab- yummy!
of course the best present of all is that i am going to NYC thursday am with friends to 'camp out' to see the nkotb perform on the today show friday!!!!!! i cant wait, so excited! (except dreading not sleeping!) we will be back sat am before justin has swim again ... SHORT trip, but fun, i love nyc! so look for me on the today show-- hahah!
here are a few more pics- of my beautiful girls- and my silly boys..
so the end of april was busy- the boys bunk bed was supposed to be delivered and set up on sat, april 26 and they delivered half of it but were missing some hardware, so it sat in the bedroom, in pieces, until the next wed- which they came with the other half but STILL no hardware (we are expecting a credit of $79 for the delivery) finally, on friday, they put it together...
meanwhile, i was in nyc for a long girls weekend- jeremy decided to let jacob sleep on the bottom bunk- but at midnight fri night, jacob comes walking into our bedroom with his arm out the neck hole of his shirt- it was stuck- he managed to get out of the bed, open the door (no nightlight) and walk to our room in the dark ... so, i decided he is not ready to sleep in there yet, not til he understands you dont do that! bc, luckily he didnt decide to walk up the stairs in the dark (no gate on the stairs)...so, mean mommy put him back in his crib when i got back home- and i think he is sleeping better anyway! he was super grumpy when i got back...
jeremy was superdad when i was gone- he took the boys to cici's solo, and to olive garden, too (the girls went to reginas)...usually he has them help out or takes the boys to his parents at some point and they hang out with dad and nana/pawpaw, but this time he kept them himself- all boys, no girls!
nyc was alot of fun- i went with several friends of mine- we had to get up way too early to catch our flight- but it was still worth it- first day, we went to serendipity- we had the BEST ice cream sundae ever- it was huge and had this delicious humble pie in it (peanut butter pie with graham cracker crust)...yum...
that night, we went to see grease- it was a good show, then we ate some nyc pizza- yum!
friday morning, we headed to chinatown to get some purses- my friends were shocked at the back rooms full of purses/wallets, etc... it is a bit overwhelming if you havent been before, and even if you have! the first few rooms, we werent so good at negotiating prices, but we got better as the day went by... and bought WAY too many purses by the end of saturday (we went back on sat). friday night, we had dinner with my sister (so good she played hookie to spend the day with us on friday) and my friends from college... saturday night, we had dinner with my freind's friend- at a yummy itailian restaurant... we also spent tons of time walking walking walking- and more walking- in the city that never sleeps- walked around times square alot.. and saw a nkotb billboard- in 2008 seemed so weird to see it!
justin had a bday party to go to on sunday- and so i had a friend take him for me- his 2nd outing with another mom/kid not family.. he did great- and had a blast! although, when she came to pick him up sunday morning, jeremy forgot- and was in his boxers- heard the doorbell, ignored it- but then realized there was a car in the driveway and remembered, grabbed a blanket, peeked out the door, and told her 'give me 5 minutes' and she said when he shut it she heard him yell 'JUSTIN!!!!!!!!!!! we have to get dressed NOW!!!!!!!!!!' too funny... maybe he (jeremy) should pay more attention to me, right? when i tell him things?
