Mother’s Day 2009

Happy Mother’s Day! I got my present early and have been using it all week. It’s a Fountain Jet soda maker from Sodastream. It’s so cool!!! I love having lots of variety in my drinks and this allows me to make a liter of soda at a time. Plus it’s cheaper than store bought soda and you reuse your bottles so we won’t be making as much waste. We do recycle everything anyway, but it’s nice to not have to lug soda from the store. I am so excited because this is the perfect “Louanne Gadget”.

Just like last year I wanted to celebrate on the Friday before to beat the crowds and have a more relaxing time. We headed for PF Chang’s because I wanted to start a tradition and that’s where we went last year. The dinner itself was fantastic and Nadia was totally happy and acting very silly. She used the chopsticks as drumsticks (of course) and played some tunes for us.

Mother's Day 2009 Mother's Day 2009

She loved the food and she kept saying, “Big Bite.”

Mother's Day 2009

Here is our family photo from the night.

Mother's Day 2009

And here is last years.

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Today we went to church. Here is a shot of Nadia and I outside the building.

Mother's Day 2009

As we were leaving she ran into the grass and realized it was wet. This lead to her wanting to make boot prints over and over again. Aren’t those boots the cutest things ever???

 

Mother's Day 2009

Mother's Day 2009

Mike suprised me with a card from Nadia that she gave me with a big smile and said, “I made it for you.” And Mike had put one from him in my purse. Later we went to visit Mike’s mom. It was a really wonderful day that topped off a busy and fun weekend (another blog post to follow).

Suprise Visit to Tahni

Tahni's Art Show
Click to see album

Last weekend we were supposed to go to Sea World, but those plans fell through and so we decided on Thursday to drive to Bryan and surprise Tahni at her art show opening. We found a cute hotel called The La Salle close to the gallery and an added bonus is that it’s a Historical Hotel of America. It was all done up like the 20’s and 30’s (well except for the Starbucks).

Tahni's Art Show

We walked into Art 979 at about 6:30 and it’s an understatement to say that we surprised Tahni. She was absolutely not expecting us and so our plan was a great success. Her stuff looked great hanging on the wall. We ate dinner at the cafe in the Gallery and it was wonderful. They bake their own bread and almost everything else is locally grown/organic. Tahni sold 2 pieces of artwork that night and I was so happy for her.

Tahni's Art Show

Tahni's Art Show

The next morning we hung out with Tahni and checked out the area around the hotel. Across the street is the oldest Carnegie Funded Library in Texas. So cool!

Tahni's Art Show

This sculpture was out front and Nadia really liked. She said, “Read a book!”

Tahni's Art Show

This was in front of the La Salle.

Tahni's Art Show

For lunch we all went to the Hullaballo Diner which I saw on “Diners, Drive In’s and Dives” on the Food Network. It was my second visit with Tahni and I just had to bring Mike back. The food was WONDERFUL. You should go there – really. And get the wet fries…. you’ll thank me.

Tahni's Art Show

After dropping Tahni off we headed back up the road towards home and after about 110 miles we were all ready to stop so I suggested that we stop at the Outlet Mall. Turns out they were having a Cinco De Mayo celebration that wasn’t very busy (I blame swine flu media hype) and so we stayed for a couple of hours shopping and letting Nadia play. We saw a Mariachi Band and asked them to play “De Colores” (the Spanish song from this semesters music class). Nadia realized what the song was right away and she wanted them to sing it again! We went in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse bounce house and had a fun train ride.

Here we are saying, “Choo choo!!”

Tahni's Art Show

Tahni's Art Show

Then we headed for home. It was a really fun overnight trip! I love my family.

Shelley and Clarity Visit

Zoo - May 6, 2009
Click on the photo above to see all the photos from the day.

Our friends the Carmans’ moved last year and Shelley and Clarity came to visit this week. Clarity loves the zoo, so our playgroup met at the zoo and we had a blast.

Zoo - May 6, 2009

Zoo - May 6, 2009

We made the usual circut through the zoo and ended up in the Texas area for lunch. Nadia thinks this coach is so cute since the last time we went.

Zoo - May 6, 2009

And a self portrait because she wanted me to get in the coach with her.

Zoo - May 6, 2009

Our standard Mama and Nadia zoo visit shot.

Zoo - May 6, 2009

Zoo - May 6, 2009

Then we headed over to the Great Barrier Reef area to join the other kids in the sandbox.

Zoo - May 6, 2009 Zoo - May 6, 2009

And the cutest photo of the kids today. Best Friends Elliott and Clarity excited to be together 🙂

Zoo - May 6, 2009

Fundraiser-a-rama

It’s that time of year when lots of organizations have fundraisers that include dinner and silent auctions. It started at the end of March when our church had their annual variety show and auction for the summer mission trips. We had a good time and got an assortment of things from the silent auction. Here were the wonderful hosts of the night – Katherine, Elizabeth and Steve.

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And some of the men from our church rocking us out to the Beatles.

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Earlier this month we went to the fundraiser for The Child Study Center They provide a variety of great services from an International Adoption Clinic to help for kids with Autism. My wonderful uncle Roger works there and that is how we found out about the event. We won the following in the silent auction- a handmade chest with handmade toys, a beautiful quilt, children’s stationary and a gift certificate to Zoe and Jack’s for bedding. We put it in our room to store “treasures” from Nadia. I also had the top bid for a facial (yippie) and some other goodies like a basket of Cetaphil products which was literally overflowing with products. And this photo doesn’t actually do the chest justice, but here goes.

Handmade Chest

Last weekend my friend Laura and I attended the “Wild about Life” fundraiser for Pregnacy Lifeline. It was at the new Chesapeake Pavilion at the Fort Worth Zoo and it was a wonderful event. They had the wild wonders show with the animals (like Nadia and I saw at the mall earlier in the month), a buffet, a big band playing great music and then a drawn auction instead of a silent auction. So we bought our tickets and dropped them in the boxes for the stuff that looked the most interesting. As the night went by they did the drawings and during the 3rd set, my number was called!! I won the “Wild About Family Time” package which included 4 movie tickets, 4 all day passes to the Dallas Museum of Science and History, IMAX and Planetarium. Plus a $50 gift certificate to Van Grow Studio in Fort Worth. I am really excited about this one as I think Nadia will have a blast!

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Laura and I.

Laura and Louanne

Here are Cynthia and Adrian looking great at the event.

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And it’s always fun to meet an alligator while eating dinner.

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Then in the final drawing of the night I was shocked to win again! I won the “Wild About Eating Out” package which included dinner for 2 at five different restaurants and 4 free desserts at another restaurant.  YUM!!! You know Mike and I will put these to good use. I was shocked, but Laura wasn’t because she said when I was buying my tickets that I always win. (Jess – this story was just for you!)

We are blessed to be able to help support such wonderful organizations doing such a great service in our community.