On the Road Again!

We leave tomorrow for the BEACH! I am so excited to plop my rear in a chair and soak up the sun. According to weather reports we will only see a "chance" of rain each day. As some of you know it is usually monsoon weather when we are in Port A. This year we decided to wait until late July to try and avoid the rainy days. Little did we know that this would be the wettest Summer on record in Texas. (whatcha gonna do!) I will try and send pictures when I can! Think of us!

(The picture is of our beach house.)

TTFN

Is Summer Coming to and End?

Why is it that right when I get used to being off and I finally learn to "be still" (Yes, Mom) it is time for school to start back up? This is supposed to be my last official week off before vacation and I have a meeting scheduled every day except for Wednesday! BLAH! Bare with me while I whine for a minute...

Ok, I guess I am done with that! I have logged on and tried to block many times this week, but did not think you would really care about the mundane life we have right now. I have luckily not run into any notable people lately. Which is bad for the BLOGGER! I should hope that in all of the meetings I have this week there should be something interesting to share.

I will leave you with some of my very own KIDS SAY THE DARNEDEST THINGS:

Tyler:

"Mom why is that Shitterbong place so expensive?" (Schliterbon Water Park)

Travis:

"My soupcase is empty now can I please eat lunch?" (suitcase)

Tyler and Travis to my dad:

"Gungle please tell us that story again..." Words only to be spoken from the mouths of grandchildren, now that is unconditional love!

Tyler:

"A Russian, a Mexican, and a Texan walk into a bar..." Bill and I quickly shout "WAIT, that's enough!" (oh-my)

Tyler to my grandmother after telling her some "clean" jokes:

"I have some more but the might be inappropriate for you!" (Yes, our jokes are for 60 and under, lol)

Tyler coming from his playroom after going to the Dallas Art Museum:

"Mom, MOM! How do you spell... naked section?"

Yes folks, that is what I am raising! The future of our country!

Travis and Travis

When we choose a name for our child we rarely have the opportunity to know anything about their personality or how they are going to turn out. It is something though that parents fret over for many hours prior to coming to an agreement. Bill and I, I must say, did not argue much over names. It was something that came rather easy for us. Travis was named after Bill's Grandy. He is the most amazing man! He is strong and gentle, loving and compasionate, godly and brave, and built from steel! Travis Sykes will turn 90 next month and has beat cancer and defied all odds in ICU even when doctors said it was really "that time." He now has two very sweet nurses that help care for him in his little apartment built onto his daughters ranch house in El Paso. When we went to visit last week I learned how a name sake can truely influence the personality of the younger generation. My Travis knows that he is named after Grandy and he looked so forward to seeing him again. It was all I could do to keep my Travis from knocking down Grandy when he first saw him and ran to give him a hug. I could only think that this is how Grandy would have reacted as well. I see so many qualities of Bill's Grandy in my son and for that I know that God had his hand. My Travis is strong and gentle, loving and compassionate, godly and very brave, and not to mention built out of steel. I can only pray that my son will lead the godly life that Travis Sykes has led in his 90 years!

Traveling with the Boys!

Well, we are 600 miles away in good ol' El Paso. It is so great to be visiting family. We have had such a great time. It is so crazy to think that I could live here for 18 years and think there was never anything to do, and I come back for a week and can not seem to get enough time to do all of the things we want to do. I have eaten a lot of great Mexican Food! Nothing like what we have in Dallas, this is MEXICAN food. The real stuff is so much better, I wish you all could try it some time. However, you must first look past the whole in the wall locations that I would take you to.
Travis was very funny when we got here and stated that we had good Mexican food in Dallas, it was at a place called Taco Cabana. My family laughed and said they could show him some that was even better. : )
Speaking of funny comments...Tyler was telling jokes to my grandmother and stopped suddenly only to say "I have some more but they are not appropriate for you." Ha! I know she thought...Well what has your mother been teaching you? I just said they learned it from their Dad! (wink)
Finally Travis was so concerned yesterday when we drove into New Mexico. He was worried that they would not be able to understand what he wanted since they spoke "New Mexican" in New Mexico. I guess that means we speak TEXAN! Some would not disagree with that!
We come home tomorrow, flying luckily, and I will post more.
TTFN

Life as a Theatre Mom Ends (for now)

Today marks the first day in 7 days that I have not darkened the door of the Patty Granville Performance Hall. To that I say, "Thank you, Lord." My car will not miss driving back and forth to downtown Garland multiple times a day and neither will I. The entire experience of Oliver! was a great one for all of the Lambert's.

Some people go a lifetime and not truly find their passion, I believe that my son has found his. Would you believe that he never once complained about a late practice, a long practice, or a day that he had to miss out on something else to go to the show? I really thought today would be the day that he decided enough was enough. Travis was getting to go to a birthday party at their favorite place, ASI gymnastics, and Tyler had his final performance. Would you believe he was perfectly fine with that? Every day my child amazed me more! His love for the theatre has grown so much! I think we will be going to many more musicals, whether he is in it or not.

Thank you to all of our friends that took time out of their busy weeks and pocketbooks to support Tyler. There was not one show where he did not have someone, friends or family, there to watch. You all are awesome! I thank God for the great friends and family we have. And yes, to those in far off places I did record the highlights of the show for you! El Paso...we are bringing it on Friday!

I think we are going to be as lazy as Travis will let us tomorrow.
God Bless!

Oliver! Closes

Tyler's Opening Day

Tyler Open his show Oliver! today. I must say I was surprised with how well he did. If you know my child very well, you know that he can be somewhat emotional (putting it lightly) at the drop of the hat. I did not know what to expect... stage fright, embarrassment, or just pure joy. As you can tell from the picture, he did not miss a beat. I am sure the "glitches" will work out by Sunday, but it was a very moving day. I was in tears every time he came out. I will try and post more pictures as the weekend goes on.

Is it dishonest if...

So as I was in a local GameStop today I was forced to look deep inside and ask "Am I a dishonest person?" I think I have reasoned my way out of this one...you be the judge.

I decided that since my husband has been gone for five days that it is about time I start selling some of his stuff. HA! That sounded a lot worse than it was!! Really I took all of the X-Box games that he no longer can play, because he does not even have a functioning X-Box, to GameStop to hopefully sell them back. In my mind I figured I would get about $50 for the 12 games that I was selling back. Knowing that this is about $300 worth of games, I thought $50 was a fair trade for things attracting dust in my CD case. Well, wasn't I surprised when I met the "Associate of the Month" for what I am sure is not the first time. He agrees that he can buy back these games and proceeds to type the titles in the computer. About 3 games down my stack he pulls two out and gives them to me. I look puzzled, and he says I can not take duplicate games and they can not be in a sealed package. ENTER DISHONESTY!
HUH? I reply, to which he informs me that their policy is that they can not buy back games when more than one of the same game is brought in. Ok, so I take one away and say here now there is only one! (always trying to buck the system) He says No mam' I can not take them in the sealed package. Just a side bar, this game is Simpson's Road Rage, we have two one is still in the package. I am thinking this is a better deal because you know it is not scratched, better resale. OH NO! Not in the gaming industry!
Ok back to the Associate of the Month... Again I am looking puzzled and he repeats I can not take a game that is in the original packaging. In my mind I am so confused because clothes with the original tags go for even more at a resale shop. Very confused I take the other opened Road Rage and switch it out, I say ok then take this one. SAME GAME! Now he starts to get upset and says, "Our policy is not to take either game when two are brought in." Right now imagine my most confused face ever and I am sure I made some noise that went right along with my expression. I am now feeling like I am in a Seinfeld episode and Kramer is about to bust in! I finally grasp the situation and say, "Ok, so I will walk out and come back in with one Road Rage game and sell it to you." I am not taking this game back home! "Oh-that will be against policy I will still know it is you and that you have two!" he replies.
"What!?!?"
He then says "I will not break policy for you or anyone!"
OH-SLAP! I decided to shut up at that point and take my $8.40, yes that is correct 10 games resale for $8.40, and I went to lunch.
The whole time I drove I thought...Am I a terrible person for expecting people to break the rules for me. I guess I admire him for sticking to his guns, but PLLLEEEASE. so my question for all my readers is... what would you expect? Are you sitting there saying OMG just take the stupid game? Or are you saying Jennifer, rules are rules why would you think he would break them for you? Do we expect people to bend/break the rules to suit our needs? Am I that self-centered that I think those rules would not apply to me?
Please reply!
Good Night Good Friends!

Actor in the Making

Today Tyler had play practice all day and I learned what the tight knot in the pit of a mother's stomach feels like. You see up until now I have been the greatest thing to him. Eating lunch with me was never uncool, he still waves at me in front of his friends and is never afraid to give me a hug in the middle of a big crowd. Well, I think those days are coming to an end. My boy is growing up! Today he informed Travis and me that he did not want to eat lunch with us but would rather go across the street with his "thespian" friends. Yes, thespians-theatre folks- not the other... (dirty minds). I fought it at first, and then realized that he was not trying to be rude or disrespectful, just growing up. So with tears in our eyes Travis and I took our lunch and went home. I called mom to ask how to handle this man size knot that I knew would not go away until he was about 30. Fortunately she had the best answer of all- PRAYERS. I see now why my mother has bad knees, she must have spent half my life on her knees. (wink) I will go on teaching him right from wrong, but I can not be beside him at every decision I must pray that he makes the right choices, and when he doesn't pray that he learns from it. WOW! Changing diapers and sleepless nights seem easy when looking at the future!

Happy Father's Day

D- Dad did everything he could to make my life as great as possible!

A- Always made me laugh

D- Dad taught me to set goals and work hard to reach them.

D- Dad also taught me to PLAY harder than I worked.

Y- You are the reason why we celebrate today, I love you Dad!

Thanks for being sucha great Dad and Gungle to us!

A Day Alone!

Why is it that when we moms are at our breaking point all we ever want is a day alone, then we get it and we are lost. Today the boys went to South Garland MDO and I was alone. Not for lack of trying, called some old friends to try and set up lunch and it just did not work out. At the time I was stressed and thought... you know a day to myself will be nice. All I found out about a "day to myself" is that it is expensive. Shopping is boring by yourself, I think I would even choose to have Travis with me rather than be alone. He is a pretty good shopping buddy! Something I did experience while trying on bathing suits at Kohl's is worth blogging about though...As I walked alone through the store I hear the shouts of a mother calling for "Joseph..Joseph.." Having that motherly instinct I quickly turn to look hoping that this child is not truly lost. Oh-no he is about 18 months old in a sagging wet diaper that hangs out one leg of his shorts and is running loose through the store. He quietly says "Wha..What" Every time his mother calls him. Now let me paint this picture for you... she is not actually searching for him as she calls she is merely telling him where she is, she is still shopping. I quickly retreat to another department hoping to avoid the family all together, remember I am ALONE today. Much to my surprise, not, I can hear them all over the store. As I enter the fitting room I hear yet again Joseph, and see his little head pop out from under a dressing room door. GREAT! I have three bathing suits in hand and the fear of a little head coming under my door all of a sudden makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The calling continues and it is now a game that needs SUPER NANNY! He then starts slamming the fitting room doors and giggling, Mom is trying on clothes and I am sure is about as dressed as I am when SLAM, and my door pops open, yes, OPEN. You see at this store you do not have the integrity of a lock only the assumption that the person will look for feet before walking right in on you. OH Crap! Bathing suit top in one hand and door handle in the other I close it in record time. No I say "EXCUSE ME!" and the mom screams another name and some expletives in Spanish. Yes I do still remember those! "JOSEPH!" in a man's voice this time, well there is dad! I know the mother is horrified and proceeds to tell the man that he is useless. I get he impression this is not his only flaw! That was the last I heard of Joseph, but I am sure he will be around again. As for me I bought the suit! BIG SURPRISE! I am thinking of finding a door closing competition, I think I broke some world record today!!

9 Years of Wedded Bliss

Back to reality! Bill and I have returned from our 24 hour getaway to Fort Worth to celebrate our anniversary. WOW! Dallas might have the commerce, but FW wins for the best downtown. We really felt like we were back in NYC. We stayed at a beautiful hotel, gov rate of course (lil teacher secret), that was right in the middle of Sundance Square. I would highly recommend going there to just get away and not spend a lot of money. We started our day with a nice lunch and then a quiet nap without children to worry about. About 5:00 we got ready and walked down to the AMC and saw Knocked Up! It was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. So much truth in what it is like to be a mom. Unfortunately I found myself relating not to the young cute actress who is pregnant, but to the older sister who is ~happily ~married and a mom. The sister realizes she is no spring chicken when she is not allowed into a club but forced to wait in line. (oh- the shame) This is my life! No longer in my 20's or newly married. Now I must act mature in all areas! "whatever" Anyway back to the "getaway" we finished the evening with UNO Pizza and a trip to FourDAY Weekend. The comedy club decided that I looked like a great target to start their jokes with. Oh- yes the 2nd grade teacher from "COX" was a big hit! As Bill and I got on the elevator to leave our Hotel another couple got on. The couple was in their early 70's and very happy. She carried balloons that said Happy Anniversary, so of course being the nosey rosey that I am I had to ask How many years? She told me 51 and I quickly saw my future. Still happy after all these years!
My closing thought to myself is to remember the good times, the old times, and the sweet little couple that still loves each other after 51 years.

My First Post

I will run the race with endurance...this has been the theme verse of our VBS all week long! WOW have I lived that part of the week. This week I realized why I work! It is not so that I can earn a paycheck and be a strong woman that contributes her share to the house, nor is it so that my family can enjoy the luxuries of life. NO! It is so that I do not have to work with preschoolers all day! I am exhausted! I love children and I enjoy spending time with them, but I also enjoy peace and quiet. Today however, I am sitting at the computer starting my own BLOG because I have my life back and it is SUMMER! The time that makes all of the crap we as teachers put up with worth it! Tomorrow I will begin the full time job of loving on my kids, being there for my husband, and taking care of myself. I love being a working mom, I love it because I can appreciate these days so much. I almost take on a second personality in the summer. Tonight I close with saying that I am not running the same as I was yesterday...today I will jog and focus on the little blessings around me!