So a recap of the week:
Saturday, March 12, 2011 - I participated in my first 5K. Megan, Amber, and I walked/jogged the race and really enjoyed each other's company. Rex and Astoria cheered us on from the sidelines. Getting to the race was chaos. We rode the DART thank goodness but even it was jammed packed. I felt as if I was in Japan, all I needed to see was a few white gloved people pushing us onto the train even tighter.
Sunday, March 13, 2011 - Astoria and I introduced Nana to Music Together. Astoria had a blast as she always does. It's amazing over a 10 week period what she has learned. There are two songs that are her favorite; the Hello Song and Mary Wore a Red Dress. We sing both of those over and over before bed and in the car she will continually ask for the "Hewow Song". These things combined made me re-enroll her for another 10 weeks this spring.
As we were singing away that morning Rex was at home with his friend John building a swing set we inherited from the Aylors as they are moving to Georgia. John brought his three boys with him (the youngest two are twins a little older than Astoria). We were a little worried Astoria would not like them playing with her toys when we got home but the four of them played very well together all day. Rex and John got done early evening but with just enough time for all of the kids to hang out in the sandbox for a while. They all played very contently together, it was harmony.
That evening we called in the babysitter to come over and watch Olivia and Astoria while Mom, Mere, Rex and I went to dinner and out for ice cream. It was the perfect end to a Sunday, Hibachi and YoguartLand.
Monday, March 14, 2011 - Mom and I got up early to get the girls off to daycare and I had a dentist appointment. I came home afterwards and we frantically ran off to Home Depot to buy things to start working on the yard with. My gardens were lacking in all kinds of areas. I wish I had thought to take a before picture but I didn't. Anyway 17 bags of mulch, 7 bags of play sand, 2 bags of topsoil, 9 pieces of sod and 1 bag of pebble rocks later we felt we had what we needed to get started. And so we began.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - Mom and I continued to work on the yards (front and back) all day long. That night we put together Astoria's Easter dress to be ready for pictures on Saturday. This was the last night Mom was here with me as she was leaving to go to OKC with Mere for the remainder of the week. I still had a lot left to do outside yet we made a lot of progress.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - I continued working outside.
Thursday, March 17, 2011 - I continued working outside and decided I needed something more to do (haha) so I went and bought concrete stain. Rex and I had wanted to do this for awhile and had never gotten around to it. The paint 'specialist' at Home Depot informed me it would dry darker than it showed on the paint card, it didn't. It's not a bad color by any means but it's NOT as dark as I had wanted it either. I also tore down the 1980's lattice work that was still up around the patio, another thing we'd been meaning to do for awhile. The yards were done, the patio looked spiffy, the house was maintained and the laundry was started. Friday was going to be pamper ME day!
So here is the grand finale of what all was done outside!
Front yard
Swing set built
I walked out and decided I needed my hair trimmed. The girl I normally used was completely booked, of course, she's good. So I found a hole in the wall place and went in...I should have known better. Let's just say I walked out of there hating life and trying not to cry too hard in front of her and I'd only seen the front. She never showed me the back. After I cried, called Mere, cried some more I went to another Salon used by Bree. Angel did the best she could, my hair is SUPER SHORT. She said there was nothing she could really do to save it. I was bawling. So on the plus side: my hair grows fast, summer is approaching, and we'll be saving on shampoo and conditioner.
I needed to take a picture between the tears...it's a horrible fake smile!
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - Took 2 year pictures and then attempted to go to McKinney's 3rd Monday trade days. Pictures were not as smooth as desired although we did get quite a few good ones. Trade days was a disaster. We didn't make it far before we had to get back in the car and drive home. She hadn't had a nap and wanted to play in the rocks more than look around or ride in the stroller. We came home, I got a nap (yay) and Rex and I worked outside on the back yard finishing a few more things I wanted to do but needed his strength for. Then we had turkey burgers on the grill and of course ate outside.