Happy Birthdays Begin

Jon turned 35 today, so it's officially the start of birthday season around our house.  We had a quiet loud little family party at our house to celebrate the best husband, daddy, brother, grandson, and son around.  Baseball, Star Wars, Mexican fare, and rice crispie cups were all key players in this shindig.  We love this guy a whole bunch.  Happy Birthday, Jon Bushwar!

Kickin' Spring Break Off in Houston

I can't believe (and really sad) that we're over half-way through Spring Break.  It's been great so far, and the good times started on Saturday when we kicked off the week in Houston.  Uncle Patrick and Jamie came to visit Debby, Jeff, and Avonlea, and we were excited to join the party, too.  And, you know, we did what we usually do, find kid-friendly activities like a playground and carousel.  And, by the way, somewhere along the way my little bro found his inner-cowboy, complete with a John Deere shirt and hat.  YeeHaw.

Marin's Perch

It's spring cleaning around this house today, and Marin's doing her part by finding a happy perch and watching...

Coolest Park Around

From the Nasher, we decided to cross the street and check out Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas.  It's actually directly on top of Central Expressway, but you would never know that hundreds of cars are whizzing under you.  It's not everyday that a huge overpass is transformed into a green space; it's definitely the coolest park around.  It had a great vibe as soon as we entered and saw the streets lined with food trucks, heard the music of a puppet show in the middle lawn, and the saw the astro-turf and rubber that engulfed the ultra-modern playground area.  The kids loved the equipment, and probably would have played all day.  Visitors can even check out board games and reading materials.  We'll defiantly go back again...maybe even without the kids.

The Nasher. Post Kids.

Jon and I used to frequent the Nasher Sculpture Garden when we were dating and newly married; we loved to stroll through the tranquil exhibitions spotting the grassy spaces throughout the gated outdoor area and ponder the lines of the intricate sculpture collections inside.  But, since the kids came along, for the sake of our own sanity and not to ruin the experience for guests, it's been low on our list of venues for family outings...until now.  And, honestly, it's still a stretch for our crew.  Select Saturdays are Family First Days at the Nasher, a day when Target bribes the museum to allow children through the doors, mainly by promising that the little hoodlums will stay outside or in the basement.  True Story.  In the basement, they had an artist (poor man did not seem too jolly) working with children to make felt blocks.  Liam loved it.  And then the kids could create their own cardboard book in the craft room.  They all loved that, too.  We then headed outside to the sculpture garden.  That.Was.A.Challenge.  My three littles wanted to climb on everything.  Everything.  And slide down sculptures (thank you, security guard, for stopping that nonsense).  And wade in the water exhibits.  It's difficult to explain to two-year-olds that the enormous, red fork stuck in the middle of the lawn wasn't just there for their entertainment.  When I actually started feeling kind of irritated that the kids couldn't just have fun with the exhibits, it was time to leave...and head to a park where they could climb on any- and everything.

Shiner

On Wednesday night, it was a head-on, sister-on-sister collision.  As the witching hour approached, the kids started running laps around the house.  Then, "SMACK!"  Ellery's forehead found Marin's eye and left our Marin with quite the shiner.  Ouch!  She's one tough cookie, though, because after just a few minutes, tears, and a little ice, she was back to running laps.

Shamrockin'

The North Texas Irish Festival.  Always the best people-watching, toe-tapping, kiss-me-I'm-Irish fun around.  Tonight we heard some great bands, and the kids let loose and let the Irish portion of their blood take hold as they reeled and jigged with the best of 'em!

As soon as the band started playing...

Things started to erupt!