The Dog Ate My Memory Stick

There is no excuse...I completely understand that, but if I were to be asked why I haven't blogged in over a month, these would be my "canned, superficial" excuses:

1. Illness: Plain and simple...the men in my life have been repeatedly sick...Strep, pneumonia, flu...you name it...my boys have had it. And to top it all off, our beanut has been diagnosed with asthma.

2. Extracurriculars: Tate started swim and baseball, Lily started ballet, Robbie went in to March Madness mode a few weeks earlier, and I've been cheering (unsuccessfully) my Raiders to the state championship.

3. Remodel: Laundry rooms done, new bath and kids bath needs tile, paint and fixtures and then the fun begins...DEMOLITION...the kitchen and master bedroom...I CAN'T WAIT!!!

So please forgive me and stay tuned to see what happens when I have a few days off.

That Boy...

I could go on and on...

But I won't, other than to say...

That boy...he's gonna change the world someday. Happy 6th birthday Tate! So glad you were born today!

And I Moved Away...Why?

This winter has been exceptionally brutal. Here are some pics from our recent snowstorm:

As you can see, the kids and daddy had a great time playing in the snow (while mommy stayed inside and made some soup). It wasn't long before I had some company...

We're expecting another hit this weekend. Lord help me!!!

Moldy Bread

We have all done it. Found some bread stashed away in the back of the bread box...and what else do we find? The bread is no longer bread. It's lost its freshness and its wonderful smell. It is now all shades of green and blue and harder than a rock. That's right...its been taken over by mold and must be thrown away. It can no longer serve a purpose for you.

Fortunately, memories are not like that. The greatest thing about this blog is that it has no deadline and accepts me as I am...pajama pants and all. Sometime I forget this lack of expectations and think I am letting it down...allowing it to mold and become useless. But thankfully, that is not the case. I can sit here, in Robbie's chair, organizing my pictures from my camera and realize that I have a missed a few blog posts and guess what! I can log on, upload pictures, and tip tap away on the keyboard and its as if it happened yesterday. As if it were never forgotten about in the back of the breadbox. So here we go...

There's nothing like family. There really isn't. I am so tremendously blessed in that area, but it doesn't come with some heartache. That's right...HEARTACHE! You see...the more you love someone, the more your HEART ACHES when they are not around.

That's why this visit was so special. After our trip to NY, we were blessed to have mom and dad ride back with us to visit for 10 days. It has been years since I have been able to spend that much time with them. My kids loved every second of it. They baked cookies, played the Wii and learned about birds with Pops.

About a week into the visit, we headed over to Bobo's to catch some TTU games and celebrate Bobo & Igg's engagement.

Although we were sad to see them go, we felt so lucky to have them visit for so long. Can't wait for wedding month! It's gonna be great!

Ballet in Funkytown

Every little girls dream...to be a ballerina. It has been over a year that Lily has been asking to take ballet class. So, we finally worked out the schedule and got her signed up. Next...the outfit? So, we headed to Target where I led her to the rack that contained all the pretty pink ballerina outfits. Of course, Lily wouldn't have it. She immediately turned to the modern dance rack and picked out her hotpink leotard and black leggings. So funky ballerina, it is.



Of course, her biggest fan had to go to her first class to see what it was all about...

And we couldn't ask for a better ballet teacher who Lily calls "Coach Melissa".

After her first class, Coach Melissa said Lily did great and was a good listener. Her two coaching parents think that means she's "coachable". Can't wait for her recital in May!

Goin' to the Birds

I love this picture! How sweet is my lil bean laying the birdseed on the rail for our feathered friends? Thanks to Pops we now have a large bin full of seed for our birdhouse.

Speaking of birds...I have become slightly obsessed. It all started with my friend, Jamie and a Pottery Barn catalog. When I went to visit Jamie in Michigan, I just loved the way she decorated. After much persistence, she finally revealed her secret. She finds what she likes in the Pottery Barn catalog and then goes to Kohls, Target and HomeGoods to decorate her house.

So...I went to Pottery Barn and got a catalog. Well, apparently birds are the thing now. There was this beautiful pillow that said "Nest...a place of retreat." And that's all it took...

We are in the process of remodeling our house and with that remodel we are giving everything a new look. I found the perfect colors for each room from a potholder with oranges, blues and greens and of course, a bird. Since then, I have bought 2 paintings, 1 lamp, and 4 statues.

I am now on the hunt for an antique birdcage. Of course, my husband and friends are starting to get concerned, but what can I say? I can't. But according to my husband, "A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush." I tend to agree.

Bang Bang Shrimp

Ride My Bike...

Celebrate 30th in Style...

Buy My Wife that Double Oven She's Always Wanted...

Spread the Word...

Learn to Swim...

Spend More Time with My Nonny...

Last week, New Years' resolutions were abound in the O'Bryan household. We drove back from New York with mom and dad in tow. We had made plans to go to dinner with a group of friends, while the kids planned a night of Wii Competition with Mamie and Pops. Due to illness, we had several cancellations and RobBob ended up enjoying the night with his two favorite ladies.


We had a 9:30 reservation at Bonefish where we enjoyed some Bang Bang Shrimp, Filet Mignon, and lobster. YUMMY!




We walked in just as the ball was dropping. Fortunately, Stef and Kendra were finally able to make it and we started 2010 playing rummy and Wii golf with some of our nearest and dearest.

Looking forward to a great year! Happy 2010 everyone!