A Trip to Dallas!!

Yesterday I woke up at 4:30 AM and left the house at 6AM with 6 small kids and we drove 200+ milesto Dallas. While there we went to Legoland Discovery Center in the Grapevine Mills Mall. We at the Rainforest Cafe inside the mall. And did some shopping while we were there. After that we went and ate at In N Out (my favorite!). And then drove 200+ miles back home. We got back home at 10:30 last night, it was a full day, but a lit of fun!!! As for the Rainforest, wow, that place is expensive. We got 4 kids hamburgers and one kid mac and cheese and two adults hamburgers, and drinks for us all and it was $80 dollars. And honestly the food wasn't very good. Not $80 dollars good! The restaurant is a lot of fun though. Every 10 minutes the animals move around, and every 20 minutes the lights start flashing and all the animals go crazy because of a "storm". My 3 year old had a blast in there! Legoland was great!! It costs us $97 in get in, and I had an online special. There was 4 rides for the kids, Samantha was too little for 2 of the rides. But she still had a lot of fun. The boys had a blast! I wish the lines weren't go long. We waited 30 minutes for rides. The mini city was the most fun for me, it was really neat! And of course In N Out was wonderful!!!! So yummy and I LOVE the palm trees! We all slept well last night, even Parker did, which is rare for him!

 

 

We arrived in Texas!!! 

Happy baby in Texas!  He did great on the drive there, on the way home he wasn't pleased at all.  He cried a lot even though I stopped often to try and make him happy.  :(

Each kid with a pole.  :)

Grapevine Mills

Tigers in the Rainforest Cafe

The Rainforest Cafe

Dallas Mavericks Player at LegoLand

Mini City...

Texas Rangers Stadium in Legos!

Mini City

Legos!

The airport in legos!

Great Wolfe Lodge in Legos

One of the rides...

Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Legos!

In N Out!!!

Fifty Shades of Grey

I am sure most of you have heard about the book Fifty Shades of Grey… so with all the hype I decided to read it. I can usually read just about anything, except horror. I can read it, I just wouldn’t be sleeping much at all after reading it. I prefer romance type books though, or something photography related. So I got Fifty Shades and let me say after all I heard about it, I didn’t think it was that bad at all. I braced myself for it to be a lot worse than it was. Yes, a few times while reading I turned fifty shades of RED! And there were times, that I had no idea what they were talking about, thankfully I know how to google things. And even once I broke out into a fit of the giggles.. Maybe I was a little too innocent for it. But I finished book one and I actually liked it. It wasn’t “mommy porn” to me. I am not into that kind of thing. Yes, it is blunt in places of the book, and yes the book talks about sex. But for me I like the characters… a lot!!! Especially Ana! Love her! And now there is talk about a movie.  Peronally I doubt I will be watching the movie.  Some things are better as a book. 

So with the movie talk, Channing Tatum  would like to play Christian Grey

but only if his wife plays Ana.  Sorry Channing you don't look like the "Christian" in my mind. 


Another hopeful is Ian Somerhalder


as Christian Grey... and all I can think is "ewww"... Sorry but no! 


Alexander Skarsgard

 thinks he would be good at playing Christian.  I'm not feeling it for him either.

As for Anastasia Steele, Lucy Hale

 would like to play her. I honestly have no idea about this year.  She is supposedly on, Pretty Little Liars, but I don't think she look "innocent" enough for Ana! 

Ashley Benson  would also like to play Anastasia Steele, and if she was a brunette (easy fix) then she looks more like Ana to me!

And Emma Roberts  would like to play Anastasia.  But she hasn't even read the book.  She has been quoted for saying ""I haven't read it, I don't even understand, but yeah, it sounds awesome," she told MTV News in June. "Anything racy, hot. Sure, let's get hot."  So my vote is no on her!  Plus she doesn't have the face of Ana that I think of. 

If I was casting the movie, which I am not.  But I would have George Clooney  as Christian Grey... and yes, I know that George is like double Christian's age.  (I have a thing for older guys).  But George is rich, powerful, handsome, even a little dark..  I think he is a good fit.  Its's make up, they can make him look younger. 

As for Anastasia Steele... I see Anne Hathaway as her.    Beautiful, young, brunette, innocent, sweet, charming... yes, she is perfect!  


Of course those are my opinions, and I am sure neither one will be in the movie.  So if you have read the book let's hear your thoughts!

Some Random Photos

Just some random photos of my blessings..  they are usually a pretty good sport about  my photography passion.

The poor baby and the things I do to him.  :)  But I figure he owes me since he chooses to not sleep well at night.  :)

I LOVE his face here!!!!  He was watching his brothers run around the yard. 

Happy boy with the flag!

His first 4th!

And all of my blessings!!!  They are my heart.  My world.  And I would do anything for each one of them.  They give me a reason to get up every single day.  I love them! 

Summer Wreath

This is my favorite thing that I had made from pinterest so far!  I really like this wreath!  It was super easy to make, to find the umbrellas was a challenge (go to a party supply store).  You just stick the umbrellas in a foam wreath and there you have it!  Simple and so cute!!!  This looks so beach like to me, and I am a beach girl living in a land locked state.  Maybe someday I will go to the ocean/ beach again.  Here is the link if you would like to make your own.  :)

http://cfabbridesigns.com/holidays/christmas/easy-easter-wreath/

Back to School Wreath

I made this wreath a couple weeks ago, another Pinterest find.  It's out Back to School Wreath.   Let's just say it is harder then it looks.  I thought, of take crayons and hot glue them... simple!  Ha, not so simple to hot glue crayons in a circle and to keep the circle shape.  I had fun making this wreath, but my OCD makes me want to take all the crayons off and redo it.  But I won't. But I may redo it someday...

http://ballardbunch.blogspot.com/2010/11/teacher-gift.html

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

So I am a Pinterest junkie, and I have no problem admitting it.  Today I tried out a cupcake recipe.  They are chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes.   All of my children loved the icing and the cookie on top.  As for the cake, they are not sure about it.  As for me, I didn't mind anything about this cupcake.  The cake is a little buttery.  But there is like 9 sticks of butter in this recipe.  Overall, I would eat these, but if my kids don't like it there isn't much point making them since I don't need to eat 24 cupcakes!  Here is a link to the recipe.. leave me a comment if you try it out!

http://www.beantownbaker.com/2011/03/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-cupcakes.html

Fireworks

I hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating our freedom!!  All of my kids loved the fireworks.  Samantha (3) kept saying, "mama, thank-you for bringing me.".  Like I was going to not take her.  LOL!  Even Parker (6 months) stayed awake for all of the fireworks and didn't go to bed last night till 11:30!  Happy Birthday America!

My Cupcake List

Well after all of my cupcakes, now it is diet time!!!  But they were great!  And I can't wait till I get to go back for more!

Here are my top three from each place.

Gigi's

1) Red Velvet

2) Chocolate Midnight Magic

3) White Midnight Magic .

Pinkitzel

1) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

2) Chocolate Malt

3) Chocolate Truffle

If you have tried either place, leave me a comment on what I should get next!

Pinkitzel's Chocolate Truffle Cupcake

This is a picture of LOVE!!!!  I love this cupcake!  It's perfect!  The chocolate cake is moist and fluffy with a chocolate filling in the middle.  And then chocolate icing.  So yummy!!!  I need another one of these cupcakes and soon!  I highly recommend this!

Pinkitzel's I Want Candy Cupcake

Pinkitzel's (http://www.pinkitzel.com/) I Want Candy

The pink icing had a different taste to it.  The chocolate cake was very good, it was moist and fluffy.  This cupcake had lots of candy on it, like gummy bears, worms, and m&ms.  I let my children taste test this cupcake.  Some loved it and some had no love for it.  And all day long I was singing "I want candy!". 

Pinkiztel's Cherry Almond

Pinkitzel's (http://www.pinkitzel.com/) Cherry Almond... 

White cake that was perfect!  Love the cake!  Icicng was a light pink color with a cherry flavor, very good and fluffy.  Personally I don't normally like cherries, but I liked this cupcake.  I did take off some of the almonds and the cherry on top.  But overall very good!