Is there such thing as a Health Fairy?

If so, she needs to stop by this house! Tyler started to get sick last Wednesday, and is just now feeling better. I started Monday, and I'm still working on feeling normal again. Then, today, I took both kids to the pediatrician because they are snot machines. Aidan has one ear infection, and Allison has strep and the flu. How she has the flu is beyond me since she received both the seasonal and H1N1 flu shots!

You never know when Allison is sick because she rarely acts like she doesn't feel well. Her red eyes this morning were what made me take her in.

Does this kid look sick to you?

(Aidan has quite the obsession with Monsters Inc. and is watching it for the 82nd time this week.)

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While we were at the doctor's office for an hour and a half Aidan decided the room needed redecorating.

Spring Break

We had a very busy and fun spring break this year.

The Pearce family came for a visit on Tuesday. The kids all played and had fun, the dads played a round of golf, and Ashley and I went out for dinner one night sans children!
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On Wednesday we went to Discovery Green in downtown Houston. The park is really neat, but keeping up with four kids was tough. I've decided next time we need to have one parent for each kid.

Tyler is shaking the leaves from the tree here. The girls are running around trying to catch them. It was so funny!

Current Group Picture

Left to Right - Aidan (15 mo), Allison (4 1/2 yrs), Jillian (3 yrs), Rocco (14 mo)

Then, on Thursday night Tyler and I went to the rodeo to see Black Eyed Peas. Tyler was a trooper between being sick and having to see Black Eyed Peas. I had a blast!

Finally, on Saturday, Christina and I drove to Ft. Worth for Stacie's bachelorette party. Here's a picture of the bride.


On Sunday I needed to get back by 1:00 to teach a cotillion class. Thanks to ice and snow on the highways, I had to cancel class. We sat in a McDonald's for two hours waiting for the ice to melt. We did make it back safely around 3:00, and I made it to Katy for the last two classes there.

It was a busy and crazy week, but it was fun!

McAfee Farms

Allison has taken a very active role in the vegetable garden this year. She has helped Tyler plant almost everything. Corn, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, fennel, herbs, etc. She loves to give visitors to our house a tour and explain how the peas are starting to come up, but the corn is very slow. She also gets so excited when he takes her outside to check on it each evening. This was after dinner tonight. It's so cute!

Locked Out

Yesterday afternoon was interesting here. Allison, Aidan and I went outside around 3:30 when Aidan woke up from his nap to do a little swinging. Austin was playing with a frisbee that he had already chewed up when Allison decided it was her frisbee and he needed to stop. So, she took the last third of the destroyed frisbee inside, locked the door handle, and shut the door. We continued playing, and it wasn't until ten minutes later that I realized what she had done.

Yes, I know, we should have had a key hidden outside or a neighbor should have one. Well, we don't and they don't.

Tyler usually gets home from work at 6:30, which was not going to work. Since I can't go anwhere without a phone, I had both the house phone and my cell outside. I called him, and after laughing at my situation he said he would leave immediately.

As we waited Allison realized she had to go potty. I told her she had better find a nice piece of grass. This brought on a fit with phrases such as, "I'm a girl Mommy! Girls can't pee pee in the grass! Only dogs pee pee in the grass!"

Aidan became bored with swinging, so we blew bubbles forever. Luckily the sun stayed out, and it really wasn't a big deal.

At 4:55 we were rescued, and she high-tailed it to the restroom. Aidan received his dinner on time, and made it to bed at 6:00 sharp.

I would like to thank my husband, Christina, and my mother for all finding such humor in my situation yesterday.

Tiny Bubbles?

More like "Tiny Green Chair". This was Allison this morning while we were making breakfast. I was trying to be super sneaky with my video taping. I obviously forgot who I was dealing with. She could have cared less that she had an audience and even added a nice ending. Seriously, where did this kid come from?

Click on this link. I cannot get the video uploaded. Sorry!

http://www.dropshots.com/amymcafee

Cute Reading

Each year after our fourth cotillion class the students have to write a formal thank-you note to us and send it via mail. We always get a thrill out of reading them. Here are three cute ones I typed up to share with you. (Keep in mind these little angels are 11-13 years old.)

Dear Ms. Heston and Ms. McAfee,

Thank you for teaching me proper table manners and the Waltz. According to my parents the table manners class is just what I needed. I enjoyed learning the Waltz. It’s the easiest and most fun dance so far. I will see you next month.

Sincerely,
Sam


Dear Mrs. Heston & Mrs. McAfee,

Thank you so much for being my cotillion directors. It has been an honor working with both of you and I really enjoy the dances that we do. I really do think that all of the manners are really helping me. Also my parents have seen a very big improvement on my manners. Thank you a lot with your kind help!

Sincerely,
Ashley

Dear Mrs. Heston and Mrs. McAfee,

I have really enjoyed Junior Cotillion so far! Me and my mom watch Dancing with the Stars, and I have learned many dances like I have seen on Dancing with the Stars! Dances I would’ve never dreamed of learning! I love Junior Cotillion! Thank ya’ll so much!

Love,
Lauren-Leigh

Ya-hoo!

Yesterday afternoon I received a call from Allison's school. We're in on Tuesday/Thursday/Friday!!!! Aidan will go Tuesday/Thursday!

Easter Duds

I'm pretty proud of my bargain shopping today, I must say. Before picking Allison up at school Aidan and I headed to Children's Place to get him some pjs. They had a big sale on all of their Easter dressy stuff, plus I had an extra 15% off coupon. I was able to get the kids matching outfits for Easter incredibly cheap. We then headed to get their picture taken. I told myself on the way, "You're only buying one pose!" Luckily Aidan was not super cooperative, so it was easy to stick to my word. Here's the result!

Donuts with Dad

Today is Donuts with Dad at Allison's school. She has been talking about this for two weeks. She and Daddy were both very excited leaving a few minutes ago.

100 Things

One of my friends had this list on her blog and I thought I would post the list. It's kind of fun! The things I've done are in pink.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (not a real one - just for a music video at Six Flags. Ha!)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola
29. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
30. Seen a total eclipse
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted – not in a serious way, but a cartoon painting
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (stinkin' thing was closed for repairs!)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper or Magazine
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (Does a lobster count?)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Dead Sea
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

March is Here

March is here and with it hopefully the sun, fewer runny noses and clogged up ears, pretty flowers, Tyler's vegetable garden, and spring fever in general. Allison looked so cute headed to school this morning, so we took a quick picture when we got out of the car.




I have been sick for almost a week now. Aidan passed it on to me, and along with Tyler having it before that and Allison's runny nose, I've been behind on my blogging. Below are the highlights from the past week and a half. Enjoy!

(I'm off to workout. Two months until Stacie's wedding, so I need to get my rear in gear!)

The Countdown is On

My mother and I hosted a bridal shower for Stacie Saturday. She is getting married on May 1st in Ft. Worth. It was a lovely get together with her relatives. Two of the other bridesmaids came as well.

Allison was in the middle of it all! She was so excited when I told her she would get to come to the shower. Her first comment while I was planning was, "Mommy, you can have a shower in the playroom! It will get wet!" I then explained that this was a party, and we call it a shower because we shower the bride with gifts. Then she asked what games we would play. When I told her we wouldn't be playing games she said, "You have to have games at a party. We'll play musical chairs." Luckily with all of the guests, presents, and petits fours she forgot about musical chairs.

She did ensure that Stacie had enough cantelope though. Here she is serving the bride.

My mother was amazing! She did so much work and quite a bit of ironing.

(Hee hee, sorry, inside joke there.)

The bride and her family had a nice time, and even though Allison was being redirected quite a bit due to her extreme excitement and busy-ness, she said she had a blast.

Grandma Renee made sure she had plenty of attention!

Ooh Ooh Ah Ah

We have come to the conclusion that Aidan must be part monkey. I last reported that he was on the verge of climbing out of his crib. Well, two days later he did. Climb is probably not the right word. More like, hiked his leg over the side and catapulted out. I heard him crying his "I'm hurt" cry and went running. There he was sitting next to his crib, on the floor, crying. After a quick check for broken bones, brain damage, etc, and tons of TLC, I laid him back down. He stared blankly at the wall and didn't budge. It must have scared him enough because he hasn't tried that trick again.

It hasn't stopped this type of behavior though.

The following video is loosly monkey related as well. Monkeys like to throw things around. Aidan kept insisting on grabbing his spoon, so I let him take a whirl at feeding himself yogurt. Too cute!
(The video upload is not cooperating. I'll keep working on it.)

Yard Work

A couple of weekends ago my parents came up, and we did some major yard work. Tonia and John were generous enough to give us five knock-out rose bushes. We put five in front of Aidan's window, and then two in the garden. Then we all headed to Arbor Gate in Tomball to get flowers for the rest of the front yard and a few more for the back.

Allison loved the flowers.

She kept loading up the cart with more and more flowers. My parents are extreme suckers for her, so we have quite a variety of colors and flowers in the yard. Her favorite ones are pink and white. Can you believe it?

Aidan was happy riding along as long as Papa Fred kept the cookies coming.


On the way back we stopped at Country Bumpkin's for burgers. They are sinfully good!

Finally, here's the end result of our efforts in the front. We had our bushes cut back a ton, so they don't look so hot here. I'm very excited to see how it all looks when it fills in. My parents worked so hard and helped so much. Tyler and I are both extremely grateful! Tyler opened a nice bottle of wine that night. We drank it happily with dirt under our nails!