#181/365--Puzzling

Relationships are like puzzles, aren't they?  Moreover, life is like a puzzle.  And what's more...the strategies you use to put your puzzle together may not be the same as the way your significant other puts puzzles together, which is pretty symbolic of how you work out situations in your relationship also, don't ya think?  And when you work together to put a puzzle together it's sort of therapeutic and/or telling.  So guess what Mike and I did for date night.  ;)

#180/365--Cleanliness

...is next to godliness, so they say. And as I told my mom this morning, it would take an act of God to get my kids to clean their rooms. But guess what? God acted! Hey, I know they aren't perfect...but they are a step above what they were to begin with!! And if this is what they accomplished with no arguing (with me or each other...) and got their rooms vacuumed as well...well then we have observed a small miracle. Thank you God!

#179/365--Teardrops

...are what the rain looked like on the windshield of my car. They foretold of what I would be feeling this evening as I watched the movie, "Toy Story 3..."

#178/365--To Remember

An afternoon with a classic film.

#177/365--High and Lofty

Today started with breakfast at "a five star restaurant inside a gas station!" 

Then, later, I saw this cool sight in the cloudless sky...balloons floating by!

And still later, the clouds that began to develop looked as if they were sitting on top of a glass shelf and I was looking up at them.

#176/365--Rainbow Connection

Someday we'll find it

The Rainbow Connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me

#175/365--Day 4, Austin

Future Longhorns...



Off to camp, day 3:



A great pizza place in Austin:



Pedicure with my best girl, Lauren...



Sights while driving home from Austin...



Home at last--what an enjoyable mini-vacay that was! I have to complain a little--Austin is difficult to navigate. Parking places are few and far between. It's streets are confusing with the bike lanes here but not there, the metro (bus) lanes here but not there...some one way streets, some not...lots of construction, lots of vacant lots, lots of weeds and torn down buildings, and it's homeless population is through the roof. But. We had a great time! The bats were awesome, the Capitol building and Texas History Museum were very cool, the places to eat=great ambiance and good food...it was a great little family trip. It made me fall in love with my kiddos even more!

#174/365--Austin, etc.

#173/365--Some Cool Things

#172/365--Austin

What a fun little trip this has been so far...and we just got here around 3pm today!
The first place we visited was the Capitol building. But I had no idea where to park being that this was my first trip here as the SOLO adult--and the one navigating at that! So I took a picture of the spot so I'd always remember it (and also, IN CASE I needed it in order to get my car from being impounded or other).




Then we went to a pizza place off of 6th street--"Frank & Angie's Pizzeria." We heard the hamburgers were good at the Hut place but we were in the mood for pizza. This is a pic Lauren took of the pizza plate after we were done.



Our next stop was Amy's Ice Cream. It was a surprise to the kids--and me, too! I've only been there once before. I remembered how awesome it was and thought it'd be a fun place for the kids. Problem is, I didn't know where it was, what it was called, or how to get there. After texting a friend, using the app "Around Me," and also the GPS on my phone which is WONDERFUL, we ended up at Amy's with no mistakes!



Needless to say, they were pleasantly surprised! YUMMY!

#171/365--Once in a Lifetime....

I have clean floorboards...

#170/365--Flight

We went by "Founders' Plaza," on the north side of DFW airport today. If you don't know about it, you should check it out. It's a pretty neat place you can go to watch planes...


...taking off...



...and landing.

#169/365--Haircut

#168/365--Dead Bears

#167/365--Shenanigans

Mikey "performed" a little "trick" in the car, waiting to pick Lauren up from Youth Group tonight.

He attempted and somehow succeeded in getting the waterbottle upside down on his leg, without the lid. Nice. But then, in a somewhat stressed voice, he said, "Mom, how am I gonna get the lid back on?" I explained that since he had taken this experiment on himself, then he would need to figure out the solution to his problem himself.

It ended in success--with minimum water spilled. Boys.

#166/365--Matters of the Heart

Anyone else ever been strapped to a "Holter Monitor"?

#165/365--Sleepover in the Living Room

I believe I will be hurt in a very major way if my kids knew I posted this. But they were so stinking cute this morning, after their sleepover in the living room.
Not sure if you guys will ever see this, but I'm asking forgiveness after the fact. One day when you are a parent, you will understand! :D
((It is a little bit blurry--I was trying to take it quick, without the flash, so I wouldn't wake them up!))

#164/365--Youth

The youth--talking about their camp experience. Beautiful.

#163/365--All is Mostly Right in the World

Lauren is home from camp! Yeah!! They got in around 4 this morning (driving straight through from Colorado). She and I spent the day sleeping on and off until I took her to meet up with her dad at Boomerjack's (sports bar in Bedford). So, although Lauren and Michael are with their dad this weekend, I am happy that at least she is safely home and in the same zip code as me.

#162/365--Extreme Nachos

Prepare yourself...this picture looks disgusting. Some qualifiers: I had to take it apart to eat it--and also I had to share it--this was enough to feed an army (of ants...see previous post)! It tasted a lot better than it looks in the picture and...one more thing...we didn't finish it. In case you are now wondering where to get one of these piles of monstrous nachos, look no further than your local Yucatan Taco Stand.

#161/365--Ants

Yep. Ants. No big deal. We survived. Ate pizza. Drank wine.



Played mini-lacrosse. Answered questions from my "Book of Questions." Fought the ants.


And then, cleaned up after ourselves.

#160/365--Groceries

#159/365--Stepping Up

Great time tonight studying God's Word!

#158/365--Stack of Books

On my summer reading list. I am hoping to be finished with these before July and then on to another stack...

#157/365--Smiling Faces

Lauren, leaving for camp.


Makenzie, at her horse show.


Mikey, swimming at his cousins' house.

Love them.