father's day!

Oh, just your usual DMX concert for Father's Day! When I saw he was coming into town, I HAD to get tickets for my sweet honey as his gift from me. Even though the concert was a week before the actual day, we just did 2 Father's Day surprises! For actual Father's Day, "the kids" surprised Richard with dumb funny cards and tickets for ALL 6 OF US to go see Finding Dory at Alamo Drafthouse (our first movie that ALL 6 OF US went to at one time!). Meghan also took him to see X-Men! So it was a very full few days for our amazing sweetie pie - which he deserved! (What he, nor any of us, didn't deserve is the AC going out at our house on Saturday night before Father's Day - PHEW! That would explain the lack of theater for the kids' surprises because we were all miserable and nowhere near photogenic, lol.) But some pictures/video from DMX, ahoy!

Not pictured: 

- Waiting 3 hours for DMX to actually perform.

- Getting to Gas Monkey Live at 8pm, standing for 2 hours, then rushing to the front of the venue when everyone was finally allowed forward (I GOTS US A GOOD SPOT).

- The Real Housewives of DMX standing in front of us - Snapping, 'Gramming, and texting boys for drugs?! (It was kind of amazing.)

birthdays galore!

Alright, get ready for a doozy of a post. We got 3 (3!) birthdays, a Carly Rae Jepsen concert, father/daughter date and a Repticon event comin' at ya. All from ONE weekend! (EH, why break it up into smaller posts? ;))

First, Carly Rae! I've been so in love with her E*MO*TION album that I convinced Richard to go with me to her shoe at House of Blues. It was sooo fun! She's a great live singer - it was like one big sing-a-long! We even met up with friends John and Travis and got ourselves a VIP table (because general admission is for suckers... and youngins not like myself). It was simply marvy!

Me & John :D

While we were out, Meghan took the kids out to Mooya and sent us a few snaps (including a very blurry one of R3 - that kid moves around alot!).

(Not pictured - our Uber driver getting hit by a drunk driver and nearly run the hell over on our way back home afterwards! We had to help him file a police report! It was nutzo!)

For Valentine's Day this year, Richard decided to get all the kittens a "daddy date" of varying degrees. Sadie was up first, and they went for pedicures! Apparently they were quite the spectacle at the salon - but I wouldn't expect anything less. ;P

When Sadie came back, I took her to our first of our THREE birthday soirees - Miss Kennedy Bayer's first birthday party! (I asked the other littles to come with me and they were thoroughly not interested... screens > babies... but not for Sadie!)

The party was donut-themed, and Janine had it DOWN. Donuts everywhere! (Including adorable "Mom," "Pop" and "One" shirts.. in which all the Os were donuts... so cute!)

Me & Janine <3

Sadie with her party favors... (Which says, "Thanks a HOLE bunch!")

After Kennedy's party, we rounded up the whole crew (sans Meghan who went to Repticon Saturday morning... more on that in a second) to Miss Vera's Sweet 16th birthday bar-b-que!

(interchangable boys in pics, haha)

Culinary chaos.

There were no candles to be found, so we stuck one lighter in the cake and held a few others around while singing Happy Birthday. Making due with what we got!

Not pictured - Vera and her friends hurling cake & icing at each other post-birthday song. ;P

The whole night was filled with ping pong (notice the boys with a paddle in one hand, drink in the other...), Just Dance video games, hula-hooping... no wonder I passed out on the couch at 10 o'clock. ;P

Fur-baby lovins... :D

We even got to Skype with Ashlee from Europe!

We just love this girl.

The next day, I went to have a birthday lunch with Tristan + friends! He actually had a party on Saturday as well, but... that obviously wasn't going to happen. Thank goodness he was flexible with me. ;P

We went to Goodfriend, which is an adorable spot with delicious food.

You can even bring your doggies on the patio! So Norman had to join us, of course. He was impossible to photograph (what a brat ;)). 

After lunch, we hopped across the street to a little cafe for some tea and coffee... and Shaleah trying on baseball hats under her helmet (important to know if it fits, duh!).

Meghan at Repticon in Houston. We were sad to miss her amoungst our partying, but at least she had a swell time!

 Would you believe that I got sick two days after this mayhem? I think it was my body's way of going "WOAH THERE." But that's a story neither glamorous or interesting, so let's just appreciate how blessed we are to be so busy with people we love in one single weekend. :)

life lately, according to my iphone

Daddy + Daughter + Easy Bake Over :D

A very symmetrical steak dinner... :D

Bellesa dying of giggles...

... because my husband was prancing around like this. ;P

A beautiful picture of Auntie Mags

The cutest bathroom tile in one of my open houses & a happy moment for my sellers!

My little monkey family...

... which wouldn't end until Meghan came and joined. ;P

But Meg quickly had to get back to prepping Emmy's beautiful rainbow birthday cake. :D

A beautiful little moment of Emmy and R3 acting like siblings who love each other (while Emmy makes rock candy!)

We texted this picture to RSVP "no" to a party at the last minute and it still makes me giggle. ;P

"Who loves ya baby!" I do! I do!

Shaleah at her first ever happy hour! <3 <3 <3

R helping R3 set up his fishing gear. :D

Sadie - super excited about a getting a Bible from Dan, Brenda and Dana!

YAUNA! *heart eyes*

Bellesa and Meghan. :D

An afternoon of fishing in Little Elm

CJ never fails to make me laugh!

So proud of his 'matos!

A beautiful dinner of fish with a queso & mango/peach salsa garish, salad and cauliflower with my sweet man. YUM.

Richard and Matt at RUSH!

R3: not impressed with graduation ceremonies. ;P

Sadie: Drag Queen Student.

A simple dinner.

The birthday kiddos!

As well as MY birthday week!

When the rain finally STOPPED + swirly mashed potatoes at a business lunch.

R's tomatos + a pretty rainbow after dinner at Frankie's.

Of course she did!

A t-shirt I got for R because he gets it. ;P

Other joys, not necessarily photographed:

- hanging out with Nancy + Nery one evening!

- and another evening with Bob + Debbie + Aaron!

- a nice little Thai lunch with Mary <3

- New season of "Orange Is The New Black!" (And watching it in TWO DAYS)

- A nice Mommy's Day dinner for mom and Darrah

- And a very lovely Step-Mommy's Day spread for me! :D

- Birthday shopping thanks to mumsie :D

- R taking such good care of me: dinner, getting a new phone ASAP when mine died, taking care of my car... he's just the cat's pajamas. <3

- Establishing decent phone rapport with Cody!

- Seeing "Inside Out" TWICE in one weekend (and therefore crying multiple times in one weekend)

- This small insight to some very giggly kittens one night (like, so giggly they woke me up!). They were apparently pausing "Big Hero 6" at random times and providing silly commentary to the frozen image on screen. This is most likely only interesting to me and my husband. ;P

- Stephen texting me and R: "Thanks for helping my wife feel better." UM <3 <3 <3

- Sadie pulling up a seat next to Grandpa Jim at dinner,  just because she wanted to!