Fun Day

Chatty had her Kindergarten Fun Day last Friday.  For us old people it was what we used to call Field Day.  Chatty had fun and we had some perfect sunny weather for the festivities.

Future Track Star??  Maybe if she take after her cousin C

While she was running all the boys were chanting "Chatty, Chatty .."

I guess she already has a fan club with the boys!

Parachute Time

Future Running Back or Wide Receiver??

A little tug of war ... the parents even joined in on this one

Obstacle course

Dancing - doesn't every field day include the "Cha-cha Slide"?

Kindergarten buddies

Roller thingies ... not sure what they are but they loved them

The boy in the corner of this last picture asked me to walk him to the bathroom at one point.  Very politely I might add.  Anyway on the way there he says "Chatty likes to chase me on the playground."  I said, "Oh that's nice, she loves to run and play at recess."  Then he says "Chatty likes to give me lots of hugs on the playground too!" Umm really ... wasn't sure what to say at that point!  I asked her about it in the car and at first she denied it and then fessed up .. what are we going to do when she is a teenager??

Some Random Thoughts

Nothing too exciting here in ESPN household - Happy St. Patrick's Day.  My little leprechauns wore their green and Chatty said a leprechaun left gold in her classroom at school ... guess she is buying dinner Friday night

Today I was running (jogging) on the treadmill and was able to shave some time off my mile - I am finally under a 9 minute mile for 6 miles.  while that is not very fast, it is for me.  Only problem, I forgot to put on this:

which means I had a little issue on my thighs ... I highly recommend this stuff if you run and you don't have toothpick thin thighs.  It works great, I feel a little odd putting it on in the locker room at the gym, but so worth it.

I know you are all waiting for my bracket predictions being that I am Mrs. ESPN.  Sorry to let you all down but normally I don't make the best bracket pics; and sadly to say my alma mater didn't make it so my heart isn't completely in it this year.  I think KU (my FIL's law school alma mater) will probably win it all but I can't root for them - sorry Casey - don't tell Carter!  Mr. ESPN has already informed me he will be sitting on his a - - tomorrow night watching games.  This is his FAVORITE time of year.  

Pray for my MIL - she had a growth on her thyroid removed today.  FIL called Mr. ESPN and said the procedure went well today so now we wait and pray.  They are sending it to pathology and should have the results next week. 

Exciting stuff at work .. the Tax Director at corporate called me today ... will share more soon!I WON Froggity's adorable clothing giveaway!  Yeah me!  Well I should say yeah Bia as she will reap the rewards!  Thanks Froggity and sorry (sort of) you lost Casey!

I am volunteering at Kindergarten Fun Day Friday ... should make for some interesting stories!

Went to a spring training baseball game yesterday with some co-workers - it was 82 and sunny - got a little pink on my arms and chest and got out of work a little early!

Want to take the girls to Disneyland this summer for a couple days since we aren't going to make it back to FL and the fabulous condo (boo hoo) ... any suggestions on how to get good deals there - anyone??

Laundry doesn't do itself - guess I better do it

Party Time

Each of the girls had parties to attend this weekend.  For Bia, it was her best little "boy" friend S.  They painted and played in his backyeard.  As soon as she got to the party she sat down next to S and planted a kiss on his cheek!  It was sweet but made me cringe when I thought of her doing that when she is a teenager!  Later she got knocked down by her little man S because she walked right in front of his swing!  She was alright - no blood - just tears!

Bia swinging with her best bud S who is one day younger than her

and enjoying some cake ...

The birthday boy and his little lady ..

I kept trying to get a better shot but they were

more interested in the pinata 

On to Chatty's friend's party the next day at the park

They had Jungle Jill and her animals

Petting some furry animal

Holding some furry animal .. Mr. ESPN took her

Playing with friends

More friends from school

Yes Chatty is a little on the tall side

One last picture - doesn't everyone have an Easter egg tree?  We do now thanks to Nana.  It's cute and makes for a good centerpiece on my counter

A Visitor

We had a visitor yesterday - Flat Stanley.  My cousin J sent him to us so he could see the desert.  We decided to get some desert pics in our front yard.  Since we have three different types of cacti in our front yard, he wanted to pose with each of them.

Flat and a barrel cactus

Flat and a saguaro

A closeup of Flat on the saguaro

Flat checking out the Ocotillo cactus

A closeup on the Octotillo

Then we had to help Flat send a postcard back to TN to tell his friends about his travels.  I went on Costco.com and created two postcards with these pictures on the back and sent them directly to Mrs. Gore's class at Collierville Elementary.  I don't have a pic of the postcards but I think they turned out super cute - for the first one we used the top picture (barrel cactus) and on the second one (because I am a nerd and was having so much fun and it only cost a whopping $2.37 to create and mail both of them - can we say killer deal?) we put the two saguaro cacti pictures.  Cous J - tell your sister to let you know when they get there!  Anyway - Flat only stayed one night with us as he is heading to the Starnes house in KC!  Have fun!

Not Their Finest Moments

Our family has not had their finest moments this week... it all started with me losing it with Chatty Monday night. Shortly after that incident Mr. ESPN walks in looking like he got into a fight. He was at the gym and someone left the treadmill on ... unfortunately for Mr. ESPN he assumed it was off (i.e. wasn't paying attention too closely). Let's just say the treadmill won and he got a nice shiner just below the eye which turned into a slight black eye the following morning. He also scraped his leg, shoulder, etc. Not his finest moment! I felt so bad for him (and usually I don't feel too sorry for him). Luckily he was just a little banged up, mostly he was embarrassed! I told him at least it wasn't his regular time slot at the gym so hopefully those people won't be there when he works out. Sadly the more times I tell the story the funnier it gets! I know that isn't nice but I am being honest.


Tuesday at lunch I got a call from Chatty's teacher. Apparently Chatty hit a friend at school ... not her finest moment either. When I asked why she chose to hit her friend she said "My brain wasn't working". Needless to say she and I spent some quality one on one time together Tuesday afternoon discussing her behavior and subsequent punishment. I told her if there are certain friends that cause her brain not to work, then she can't hang out with them. I also made her write an apology note to the girl and one to her teacher for her actions. I feel like we take two steps forward and one step back each week!


Last but certainly not least Sweet Little Bia ... yesterday was not her finest moment unless you were trying to give an award for Crankiest Toddler of the Year! She had a fit all morning - screaming, crying, whining, tantrum throwing, you name it at home, on the way to school, at school (before Mr. ESPN left), at the end of school, and at home in the evening again. It was a bad day all around for her. Good thing she is cute!


Did you family experience some of their finest moments this week? If so what were they?

Conversations with Chatty and Trying to Be a Good Mommy

Last night on the way home from swim lessons Chatty announces "I'm so smart ... God made me so smart."  No self esteem problems here, but maybe we should spend a little more time on humility, just a thought.

Once we got home Miss Smartypants couldn't remember how to follow directions which resulted in a lot of yelling by me.  I am not proud of this and apologized later to the girls.  I told Chatty as I tucked her in that I will try to be a better mommy today if she can try to follow directions a little better today.  She agreed and all was well.  Fast forward to this morning when she wasn't following directions again ... In a stern voice (I wasn't yelling this time ... I was trying to be calm) I told her she needed to get her teeth brushed and clothes on.  She says to me "I thought you were going to be a nicer mommy today!"  God did make her very smart, so much so that she has figured out how to push every single one of my buttons!

Sweet Chatty

This morning I had a 6:00 am conference call at work, which meant I had to be out the door by 5:40 am (that's just plain crazy) which also meant Mr. ESPN had to get the girls up and ready for school on his own - no small feat, but one I am sure he can handle.  Their hair may be a little wild but they will get there in one piece.  So as I am running out the door and heading to the garage, I hear the laundry room door open and it is Chatty.  Sleep eyed she says "Mom - I am sorry I woke up late and couldn't kiss you goodbye!" - so sweet.  I reassured her it was extra early and she should go back to bed for a little bit longer and kissed my sleepy/wild hair/sweet girl!  Sometimes they really know how to melt your heart!  Please remind me of this next time she is driving me crazy!