Is my life really that boring?

I've been told by someone (someone who will remain nameless....although their name does start with a P...ends with an O and only has four letters) that my life is boring. Maybe it's because my last blog post talked about how excited I was about a blow dryer...but hey...that's about all the excitement that was happening in my life at that point....so, I was very slow to blog.

Last weekend my sister PocO (hmmm...only 4 letters, starts with a P and ends with an O...hey...I'm just sayin!!) and my mother came to visit me and Walt. We had a very low key weekend, and unfortunately I did not take many pictures. Friday night we stayed in and grilled out and played several rounds of scattergories...my mother was AWFUL and she CHEATED!! Poco would say that she had something and mom would say she had it too!! We had several laughs with the answers that she wrote down... one of the being kitchen utensils that started with an "n"....my mother....she wrote this "nife" and was dead serious about it being right, and NO she hadn't had too much to drink! ha!

On Saturday night we went to dinner at Garlic Rose with my mom and sister and then 2 of our couple friends. Dinner was "Dirty"...that was the word for the night. Translation=phenomenal! After dinner we went and tried out the new casino that opened...and that's why I don't have pictures. Mom and I didn't win...but Poco...she played blackjack for about 4 hours on just TWENTY dollars!! And let me tell you she was playing with some high rollers!! It was a lot of fun, and of course once Sunday rolled around, I was so sad to see them leave.

****I do need your help though for all you blog readers! I love Gracie oh so much, but Gracie has become a very territorial dog! Gracie will growl and attack any small dog that goes near me or Walt at our house. She will do the same thing if you go after her toys. I've been trying to tell Walt about this for a year, but he JUST NOW believed me when Gracie bit poor Phoebe (my mom's dog) I've suggested getting Gracie a brother, but I didn't know if there was anything else I could do?!? Any suggestions? Walt and I are just afraid that when we do actually have kids, that Gracie might be a little territorial then also. Any help would be appreciated!

Me with Riley Roo (he loves kissing his Auntie M and my little brat Gracie)
Me and Momma at dinner
Momma being silly!! And I know...I didn't even get one picture of Poco!

Yesterday was a very sad day in the Bass house hold. Yesterday was the day that Walt FINALLY put the Baylor Sailor Bear to rest. Walt purchased his beloved Baylor shirt his freshman year of college and almost all of my college memories include Walt in that very shirt. This shirt of Walt's has traveled the globe. When we backpacked it was worn almost every day, anytime Walt leaves to go on an audit this Baylor shirt is the very first thing he packs.... this shirt has some pretty great memories behind it. I have tried to get Walt to throw the shirt away FOREVER. I'm talking holes all in it, was totally embarrassed to even walk around our neighborhood with him because the shirt looked so raggedy. Walt has always told me that he would NEVER get rid of that shirt... 9 years and still going strong, right? Well, yesterday Walt put the shirt on to go for a walk, looked in the mirror and said the greatest 5 words I have ever heard, "I'm throwing this shirt away." WHAT? I said, you can't be serious? He then took the shirt off and it ripped...it was time. I am telling the truth when I tell you that I will NOT miss that shirt.
Today my fourth graders took a field trip to the Quick Trip headquarters. Now if you don't know what a QT is, it is a convenience store, and if you ask Walt what the greatest thing about Oklahoma is, he will tell you without hesitation that it is QUICK TRIP. The convenience stores are the nicest stores I have ever been into, and they have the greatest fountain drinks and food. Well today we were able to tour the headquarters. After touring the headquarters, I'm considering leaving my current profession. They get to wear casual clothes EVERYDAY, unless they are meeting with someone, because they get more accomplished when they are dressed casual. They had a doctor ON SITE and ANY Quick Trip employee and see the doctor for FREE. I could go on forever, but this place is amazing...it's "DIRTY"I really considered leaving my current job until of course I looked at one of my kids and he gave me the sweetest smile...this brought me back to reality and I realized I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing.
Exactly one week from today I have another "DIRTY" thing that is happening to me. I'm going to see this man:
JASON MRAZ!

I don't think you know just how excited I am!! I think Jason Mraz is HOT! He's like the Popsicle on a hot day, the marshmallows in the hot chocolate, the bananas on the sundae...you get my point. I LOVE him! Besides my husband...Jason is in my top three hottest men. The main reason why I think he is so hot is because he sounds EXACTLY the same on his CD as he does LIVE...and this fellow blog reader, is a HUGE turn on for me. I am a big time music fan and if you sound LIVE like what you do on your CD that you have won me over. Not to mention, he has some pretty cute facials while he sings. I can't wait!! In the past 7 years Walt and I have been to ONE concert for me...ONE...and now we are going to see Jason and I am Oh so excited!!

One last thing to prove to some of you that my life really isn't all that boring...in fact it is pretty "Dirty." In June Walt is leading an audit in a pretty "Dirty" place and I get to go and spend 21 days there. So it will be pretty much like I live in this city for a month. Which city is it you ask? Oh only this one:

That's right baby....LONDON!!
Now, you don't really think I live a boring life do you?

What's wrong with this picture?

So, I got this in the mail today....Doesn't seem like a big deal EXCEPT I've been using the same hair dryer since my FRESHMAN year of college...(I've been out of college for 5 years... you do the math)
That's 9 years for you slow ones... yes, this hair dryer was like MAGIC...it lasted 8 years longer than the warranty.
So, one would think that I would use it first...
WRONG....
I received my new hair dryer today, and guess who got to try it out first...
No one other than this princess... Which princess you ask? Oh...the one with the hat on...NOT the one with the big goofy smile.
What's wrong with this picture?
Can't wait to try it out tomorrow!

Eggcellent Weekend

Walt and I had a fabulous Easter weekend. We went home to Daingerfield where we were able to run around the state park every morning, catch up with Nana and Poppy, eat at the best hamburger joint ever (Randy's), visit Aunt B and Uncle Joe (and get a piece of furniture from Walt's grandparents), watch Tucker play baseball, have some fried catfish, hushpuppies and coleslaw, and help with an Easter egg hunt! I must say it was an "egg-cellent" weekend! It's always so hard for me to believe that adding ONE extra day to the weekend makes so much of a difference....but it does! I don't know what it is about East Texas but the lifestyle there is so much more relaxed. Everytime I go home I always feel like I am going back to my childhood...carefree days, no worries, great food and great company. We have been away from home an awful lot lately, but this visit was a much needed get-away.
Tucker had his second baseball game on Friday.....he is so adorable. When Walt and I first saw Tucker on Thursday night he told us that he thinks, "he made a mistake by playing baseball again this year." When I asked him why, his response was this, "Well, we have to practice every day." Obviously the practicing is paying off because they are undefeated right now. I know...it's only his second baseball game, but come on! Here is my sweet little Longhorn at his game. I must say having Tucker as my brother in law is definitely one of the greatest things about being married to Walt!

Here he is getting ready to bat

Swing....batter batter....S-W-I-N-G!

And look at that perfect form!

Here he is playing third base...concentrating hard.

This was a great play by Tucker. He was able to get the man out at second base!

Walt's cousin, David, and his wife, Jessica, have two adorable children...Jack (5) and Page (3). They were in from Conneticut visiting for the month of April. This made Easter even more fun. We dyed eggs and when the Bass's had the annual First Baptist Church of Daingerfield's Easter Egg Hunt, they were so fun! Every year Walt's parents hold the Easter Egg Hunt at their house and I love seeing all the kiddos scrounging around for eggs. Gracie of course is a HIT with the children....I just wish that she wouldn't be SO terrified of them.

Sweet Page learning how to dye her eggs for the Easter Bunny!

All of the eggs that Jack and Page dyed

Some of the girls from the hunt huddling around the Easter Bunny

Jack decided he would pick up some of the eggs before the hunt started, so David (dad) had to put them back in their place.

Momma Bass giving a short devotional before the hunt

Page is excited!

My main man trying out some of the Easter favors

Miss Alex LOVES Gracie....but I don't think that we can say that Gracie LOVES Alex. Look at those big bug eyes...she is screaming, "MOM...HELP ME OUT HERE! PUT ME DOWN!"

Alex trying out the Easter favors also...look at those cheeks.

Sweet Maddox was READY for the Easter Bunny! He went and saw the Easter Bunny at the park and gave him THREE kisses....he was reenacting it for me here. Isn't he precious!?!

What an "egg-cellent" Easter!

Happy Birthday ROO!

Dearest Riley,

Please forgive me that I forgot to call you yesterday. It was actually my momma's fault. She came home with a sinus headache and went straight for the couch. I want to let you know that I hope you had a VERY Happy 5th Birthday!

Riley, I've loved you from the moment I saw you. Not too many men can wear any outfit and look sexy!

You always come up with the greatest things for us to do when our momma's are away! I love having play dates with you, and I never get tired of seeing you. There's only one man in this world that I love more than you, (my daddy) and I know there is only one woman you love more than me (you're momma)! I love it when we take pics together...so many memories we share. I could not ask for a better boyfriend! Thank you for being the old man that you are! Happy Birthday Roo Boo....you are better lookin' every day! I'm sorry I'm a day late. Know that I love you and I can't wait until next weekend, so we can celebrate... until then...you have my heart.

Happy Birthday and I love you,
Gracie

Wild Horses?

I told Walt on Wednesday that I would be partaking in "girls night" on Saturday. "What about me?" Walt asked. I told him that he was going to have to figure out something to do because I was spending Saturday night with some of my girlfriends. So last night I went out with my girls and Walt hung out with some of his guy friends from work. The girls met at In the Raw at 9:00 to have sushi and some martinis. I of course, was the only one at the table with a glass of Malbec. After dinner one of the girls suggested we go to Wild Horses. That should have been the first red flag....who names a place Wild Horses? It's like naming a club Pink. There were several red flags that seemed to have followed after that.....We decided we would go with her and give it a try. I knew it was going to be bad when I pulled up and saw this: Hello....red flag # 2

Ok, so we get out and stand in line to get into this "saloon." I felt like I was back in highschool. Remember when you were 18 and you really wanted to go to this dance club because you were so cool and about to go off to college, so you lied to your mom and told her you were spending the night at a friend's house, but ended up going to the club anyway...that was an hour and a half away? Of course, your mother found out, you proceeded to tell her that she couldn't ground you because you had graduated from highschool and were "on your own," but you ended up getting grounded anyway? Remember that time in your life? Or was that just me? Well THIS was that type of place. After standing in line and having the man outside hit on you and tell you, you were "SEEEEEXXXXXYYYY" I walked in to pay my cover charge.... Can't remember the last time I paid a cover charge mind you. And then red flag # 3 happened:

They stamped my hand. At first I couldn't figure it out....then it hit me... this is an 18 and up bar. And let me tell you the salutation was quite nice on the hand, but I can't remember the last time my hand was stamped and I was going home after the night scrubbing it off because I did not want people to know I went out the night before. The age span in this joint was anywhere from 18 to 65... it was definitely a sight to see. Seriously, I just walked into a place and had "Howdy" stamped on my hand. WOW. So...what's a girl to do....take a picture with two of my great girlfriends of course to document this experience. So obviously at this place they play 4 country songs in a row, and then go straight to 4 hard core rap songs. When the country songs are playing you have all those 50-65 year olds out there dancing...and the second you have the rap songs come on....my red flag # 4 comes down from the ceiling....Oh yes....that's right....a disco ball. I know what you're thinking..."Heck Yeah!" Well for those of you that know me, you know that I am a dancer....I LOVE to dance. So, in honor of girls night, we decided to form that awkward circle on the dance floor...you know that circle that lets any guy know, "Hey...we aren't here looking for a guy....don't even think about trying to come and dance on us, or get in the middle of this circle." That's the type of circle we formed. If a guy tried to come and dance with us, our circle would just get tighter...it was great...here we are dancing...in honor of the evening...trying to digest that we WERE actually at this place. And that's when I saw it....red flag # 5. This man was such a hard core dancer. I'm talking he was one of those guys that likes to flick his shirt, so that just a little bit of his stomach shows so you can see that he does work out on the weekdays. I just had to get him in action. I'm thinking he was in the middle of his moonwalk. Red flag # 6 and #7 happened shortly after that. I had two random men come up to me, oh I must mention that if you ever need to feel good about yourself and improve your self esteem this is the place to go, and comment on my purse. Now I know I carry a huge purse, and I probably should have left the purse at home and carried a clutch, but I did NOT think that I was going to end up going to this joint. My purse is rather large and I can hold a LOT of stuff in it. So here I am dancing on the dance floor with my purse clutched to the front of my body...I did leave it in the car, but felt uneasy about that decision so I went back to get it, and I have not one, but two random guys approach me and ask me if I brought an "over night bag" to the bar. They were implying that maybe I felt like I was actually going to go home with someone for the night. Of course I flashed my wedding bands, and proceeded to drop this line, "Oh ha ha, you see my HUSBAND bought this for me for Christmas and I brought my purse in because I know my HUSBAND will be calling me on my cell phone." Needless to say, they left my side pretty fast. I ended up leaving and meeting Walt and his guy friends at McNellies for a while....I do want to comment that I had to take a shower before going to bed because my entire body reeked of smoke...that Saloon...man do they smoke in that Saloon...those Wild Horses.
Even with the fabulous experience of the Wild Horse Saloon I did have a fun night. I loved hanging out with the girls at dinner and going out afterwards....I bet the next time we do this, we WON'T be going to the Wild Horse.....I mean, that's just my guess......

It's that time of the year.....

Gracie's FAVORITE time of the year!

Where the leaves are coming back

The flowers are in full bloom

We can finally put the windows up, so Gracie can bark at all the dogs walking by....She can sniff around in the flower beds....and be her tomboy self
Let all the other doggies know that this is HER house, and she OWNS this joint
And get incredibly thirsty because she's had a long day in the yard

Yep...it's spring...Gracie's favorite season