"I can plant too, Daddy"

Julia is very interested in the flower beds this spring. She takes after her Dad in this subject, I am not sure I have ever planted a plant or kept one alive. Jeff bought Julia her very own planter to watch plants grow this summer. For her birthday the Zimmerers gave her all the tools she needed to be a pint sized gardener. She followed all of her Daddy's directions and in about 6 weeks we "might" have flowers.
Sheeww . . . Daddy did you have to buy such smelly dirt?

The teacher and his student.

Make a hole and drop in the seeds.

Hold the watering can with both hands.

Plants need water.

Happy Birthday & Mother's Day

Valerie turned 1 year old on Mother's Day. We had birthday and Mom day celebration at Abuelos. Even Grandma Butts came!

The Birthday Girl

"Hmmmm . . . Did Valerie Smile?," Julia thought to herself.

Smile!

Mother's Day and Clock Radios

My Grandma and Grandpa Butts always got me the best gifts at Christmas. If it was new, hot or top of the line they found it. One year when I was in middle school they gave me a Sony clock radio that played CDs. You could program several different wake up options or even pick the song on the CD that you wanted to wake up to. I LOVED it. I would decide which mood I wanted to be in the next morning and pick the song I wanted to hear first when I woke up. The clock radio sat on my bedside through high school, it went with me to Lubbock and I unpacked it in the first apartment Jeff and I shared as a married couple. The clock radio quit working a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't bring myself to buy a new one. I was surprised this morning when I opened my Mother's Day gift and inside was the MAC DADDY of all clock radios. It has all the features and instead of a CD player it now comes with an iPod dock. I will miss the old radio, it is the end of an era.


Out with the Old and in with the New

Dinner at the Oasis

We met the Hall clan at the Oasis restaurant on Joe Pool Lake for Mother's Day dinner. Julia had spent the night with Jenna and Gilbert camping on Friday night and then spent all day Saturday playing with Lily at the campground. We had a fabulous dinner and then Aunt Angela bought the girls ice cream. Cooper was a doll he giggled and laughed showing his one little bottom tooth. After dinner Jeff realized he could not find his keys, after tons of searching. Aunt Kim brought us home then Grandpa Butts saved the day by taking Jeff back to his car so Mommy and Julia could go to bed.


Dance . . . Dance . . Dance


Julia and her BFF


Happy Mother's Day Mimi


The Stocktons


Me and Baby Cooper

Beach Day

Today was Beach day at Julia's school. She wore her flip flop shirt that Grandma got her from our favorite shirt lady. And we did not forget the accessories, her sunglasses.

Julia's Music Class

This spring we took Kindermusik classes at the Methodist Church in Hurst. Julia called it music class. Even though she gets confused by her days of the week, she always knew when it was Tuesday. "Is it music class today", she would ask. She knew all the songs, the hello song, the goodbye song, the put toys away song. The teacher was impressed by her memory and rhythm. I enjoyed spending 45 minutes acting silly and singing songs. At the end of each class Ms. Bailey would give the kids a stamp. Julia routinely asked for it on her belly. I will continue to encourage music and movement. I can already tell music is something that will bring her joy for many more "music classes" to come.

Julia and her teacher Ms. Bailey


Instrument Time


Julia and Nate


We did it and have a certificate to prove it!

What time did this party start?

I had a hair appointment on Saturday morning. This gave Julia and Jeff some much needed Father/Daughter time. I know this will shock most of you but they went to get donuts. And aparently she got chocolate milk. She did not eat again until dinner. They also went to the bank, which she thought was super cool. They also went through the drive through car wash. I asked her how was the car wash? She said "uh, it okay, I kind of happy." Good job Daddy on taking her to experience something new and get your dirty car washed.

Mariol's son Jonathan turned 8 years old yesterday. He had a bowling part at a fun place called Alley Cats in Arlington. It turns out that I need to practice the skill I am teaching Julia about "using my listening ear" becuse the party started at 4:30 p.m. and I thought it was 6 p.m. The invitaiton said 6 o'clock, but Marisol said she called me to tell me 4:30 a couple of weeks ago. It appears Mommy needs a time out for not using her listening ears. Good thing Jonathan is a marathon partier, because we still hung out for 1 1/2 hours and had a great time. The only part we missed was bowling, thank goodness Julia did not notice.
Marisol and Jonathan.

The Birthday Boy!

Keep you eye on the ball . . . follow through . . . opps still not strong enough to get it up the ramp.

Jeff and Julia winning tickets!

Me and my BFF