Too funny

I just had to share this, I thought this was too funny.

Facebook user Beware

Just wanted to share with any and all Facebook users.

This is crazy. I saw this on CNN.com

HaPpY BiRtHdAy MiChAeL!!!

Happy Birthday to my favorite brother!!!!!

I hope your first day as a teenager is wonderful!!!!!

Zoo Day 2010

Wednesday was a very busy day for us. In the morning Ryan got his braces and in the afternoon we went to the zoo. We went with my sister's family and also invited our brother to tag along. I guess everyone in Dallas had the same idea because it was packed, even the overflow parking was full. We eventually made a complete circle around the zoo and were finally able to park inside the gate.

{My 3 favorite guys}

{Those boys are always helping Brady}
We saw lots of animals. Brady was having so much fun and so were Ryan and Michael. One would think this was their first time at the zoo.

We saw lemurs...

And penguins...

And elephants...

Then we took a break for lunch.

After lunch we went to the reptile house and saw some albino alligators...

And also saw a giraffe...

{Here are the boys giving their best smiles}

We even saw Kaitlyn and Aaron...

{She's my youngest sister and her BF}

We then headed to the children's zoo area.

{I love this picture. So sweet.}

{Brady was fascinated with the rabbits}

It was finally time to go, we wanted to bet rush hour traffic but instead we just joined in the mess.

Zoo day 2010 was a good time. :)

A step closer

As of Wednesday, Ryan is one step closer to having a beautiful smile.

{Before}

{After}

He was so excited about getting his braces. The night before I cooked his favorite vegetable, corn on the cob (actually it's the only veggie he likes), because I knew that once he got his braces he wouldn't be able to eat it for the next 20 months. Ryan's teeth are still a little sore, but he's adjusting well to having them. He looks so cute.

Deeper than you think

You never really know what your child is thinking. This is particularly true with Ryan. He internalizes a lot of his emotions. One topic that is rarely discussed is his father being deployed. The first time his father was deployed Ryan was 8 years old, too young really comprehend what being deployed really meant. Now that he's 11 years old it is apparent that he comprehends what it's all about.

A few months ago, Ryan had a writing assignment, a "What if" Poem. I got to read it while at Meet the Teacher night. Ryan was so proud of his poem because it was one that the teacher thought was good enough to hang up in class. After reading it I had tears in my eyes, his teacher handed me a tissue and said that was the same reaction she had.

GONE
By: Ryan Soza

What if he doesn’t come back?
What if he gets hurt in an attack?
What if he has a crash?
What if he hits something and has whiplash?
What if he got shot?
What if he dies as he fought?
What if he gets shot down to the ground?
What if he never gets found?
What if he loses his sight?
What if he goes in the white light?
What if he loses his hand?
What if he’s stuck in quick sand?
What if he suffers in a drought?
What if he gets hit in the head?
What if he never gets fed?
What if he gets shot with a dart?
What if he can’t work his heart?
What if he is stranded alone?
What if he never comes home?

This is one of the times when I wish I could shield my son from all the hurt and destruction in the world. Do you think putting him in a bubble would help?

Today is a big day

Today is a big day for Ryan. Today he goes to the orthodontist to get his spacers. Next week, will be an even bigger day though. One week from today Ryan will be on his way to gorgeous smile. Yay!!!

SUYL - Just another day.

Today, I decided to again take part in SUYL @ Kelly's Korner. My typical day can be busy. To me it's usually the busiest before and after work, but you decide for yourself.

My first alarm goes off at 5:00 am (not that I ever get up that early) hit the snooze button for another 10 minutes of Z's. Again the alarm goes off and I drag myself out of bed. I let Maverick outside, then feed her, check to see if the hamster has food and water. Then let Maverick back in, and drag myself up stairs to feed our monster cat, who by the way has not stopped meowing since I walked out to the bedroom. I'm so not a morning person.

By this time, it about 5:20am, I get ready to do my morning workout (I've been doing this for the past 2 weeks and I really enjoy the workout part, not the waking up earlier part). I'm normally finished by 5:50 and that's when the fun begins. It's time to wake up Ryan.

We have decided that I'd wake him up at 6 am so that he can take a shower and then crawl back into bed until 6:50am. I don't know why he likes doing this, but we've had many pleasant mornings since we began this routine. After spending 10 minutes trying to wake up the dead, Ryan finally jumps in shower. After all is said and done we finally get out of the house by 7:25. I drop Ryan off at my mom's and then it's off to work by 8:00am (hopefully).

My work day is rather typical: clock in, load files, reconcile daily transactions, send out variance reports, LUNCH, answer emails, return phone calls, clock out and go home.

On a good day I usually get to my mom's around 5:30pm to pick up Ryan. I spend sometime with Brady and trying to get Ryan off the computer so we can go home. By 6pm, I'm finally on my way home. I get home, let the dog out, fed the dog again and Ryan's in charge of feeding the cat this time. At 6:15-6:30pm I'm out the door to the gym for a quick run.

I get home between 7:15 - 7:30, the standing rule in the house is whoever gets home from the gym first has to start dinner. I don't like to cook so I always try to drive slower just to ensure Jason gets home before me. lol! We eat by 8pm.

From 8-9pm were watching whatever we have on DVR only if the Mavs aren't playing (what I really mean is I watch my daily episode of General Hospital). This is the time that Jason decides he's going to get ready for bed. That's right people, my 11 year old watches GH with me. I think he likes the fantasy "Mob World", but in reality I think he likes to make fun of me for watching it. Then after 15 minutes he's bored and goes up stairs and gets ready for bed aka sneaks back on his Xbox.

Then it's 10pm and it's nite nite time. After I convince Ryan to stop whatever nonsense he's doing or talking about (he's just like his momma, he's a night owl),

I kiss him good night and head down stairs.

After messing around down stair for a bit it's 11pm, I let Maverick out one last time, check to make sure all the doors are locked and then at 11:30 I finally get in bed, just to wake up and do it all over again the next day.

It's that time of year!

Girl Scout cookie time!!!!

We love girl scout cookies. How can you resist a little girl stopping you in your front lawn, asking ever so sweetly if you would like to purchase cookies? Well I can't. In years past have bought way too many of these wonderfully delicious cookies. So this year, I made sure that I did not over order. I only brought 4 boxes from the little girl that stopped on my front porch, 1 box from the table set up at the grocery store entrance, and Ryan bought 2 boxes from a girl at school. So I think we did good this year of not going over board...

These are our favorites cookies. I would be so sad if they ever got rid of these little gems.

Theses are Ryan's favorite. In his words, they are "heavenly."
He bought two boxes from a friend at school and he was not willing to share at all and had finished both boxes by Sunday evening.

What are your favorites?