Kitchen Table Talk With My 2 & 3 Year Old Boys....

CAUTION: This is what happens when you're blunt with your kids....err uh I mean, your boys. But duh, right?

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What age is it that kids realize that girls and boys are different?  My boys are on the brink of this age-dreading discovery.
This past summer, we took a family vacation to SeaWorld in San Antonio with some friends and their 3 kids. We had a ton of fun (that made me super tired for the entirety of August) but their newly-turned 3 year old boy left a lasting gift with my boys before they left. The word boobies.

Of course, when I first heard their youngest son say it, I laughed and then asked my friends where he got that from. I don't think I got a real answer, just more about how he's the defiant one of their brood.
Well, since the weekend of July 4th, that's all I hear my little guys talk about. We gave them the stipulation that they could only say that word AT HOME. And boy do they wear it out!

They use it in all kinds of ridiculous contexts....just to bother us. (They know they're bothering us because of our "Hey hey hey!!!" reactions. For example, they say, "Your name is Reid Boobies!" "You have boobies ears." "You have a boobies plate." "1-2-3-4-5-6-boobies-8-9-10! ---> W.T.F.

This is not every day but it is.....every other day. {blank stare}
A few weeks ago, the kitchen table talk was about boobies, butts and penises.
How do they know all of this stuff? We told them of course! But since they're boys, they wouldn't be normal if they weren't obnoxious, I guess.

We usually just stay silent, glance at each other and stuff our faces when they talk like that....and try not to burst out laughing.
Because laughing is like putting gasoline on a fire and getting upset would be unfair.
We've never really done the baby talk kind of thing, probably because our brain isn't that creative. We're engineers. (When I pledged my sorority in college, my lack of quick creativity really was shameful. Ugh.) When we bathe them we have them wash and dry their own private part and tell them that no one should touch it besides them.

On a separate occasion when I was out shopping with my kids, they needed to potty and I took them to the big handicap stall. I used the restroom after they did, my youngest tried to sneak a glance while I was peeing and said, "Mommy, that your penis?" Me: Uh, no honey. Mommy doesn't have a penis, only men do. Women have private areas. Now turn back around so I can wipe."
I can't have my baby walking around thinking everyone has a penis!

The night the kitchen table talk made me and my husband stuff our faces in silence, all we heard was, "Mommy has boobies but no penis just a butt." Then they went around the table and said whether each of us had "boobies" or "nippos."

Needless to say, my husband almost choked on his food. I just put my head down so that they didn't smell my shock, discomfort and laughter. I mean my kids are brutal to us because shock, discomfort and laughter fuels them.
I can't wait until the love affair with this word is over....but I won't be holding my breath for that to happen anytime soon.

Do you have any similar stories from your kids or kids that you know?

Hair Color and Hair Detox

  

So I took the plunge and got highlights put into my hair.  I feel 'comme ci, comme ca' about it. (That's French for "okay.") I wanted to go much lighter than I normally would just because I figured that its probably going to be one of my last dye jobs for a few years.

My thoughts are when my twist out becomes more of a frizz-out, then the color will help to break up the fro look. And I know that's all in my head but hey.....whatever.

 

Initially, I picked up a box of Shea Moisture's Hair Dye. I was sooooo excited to use it. Almost like a kid on Christmas Eve. 

 

It didn't provide me with the color that I desired so I set up an appointment with stylist for a professional dye job. But, I absolutely recommend it but I'll do a separate review on that later.

When I applied the Shea Moisture Hair Dye to my hair, I mainly applied it to my bang area using a highlight cap that I had bought at Sally's Beauty Supply store.

So when I met with my hair stylist, I took the box to her so that she could check the ingredients and double check that no lifting agents had been used on my hair and then she got to coloring. She used Redken Coloring Gels and set me under the dryer for 20 minutes and the result is shown in the pictures above. 

 

Even though time had passed since between the time I applied the Shea Moisture to the time I had the coloring gels applied, I still was a bit leery, so while I was under the dryer, I made sure to bend my head forward as to keep the bang area from seemingly getting hit with too much heat......just in case it were to get doubly damaged or even came out too light. Weeeeellllllllll, the bang area came out dark from not getting heat at all. Clearly the coloring gels need direct heat, not just indirect heat. {insert sad face}

Sometimes I forget the color is even in there. I mean, really who has highlights that don't frame their face?!?! Heeehhhh.

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Anyway, my next project was to detox my hair. I've been wanting to use the Terressentials Hair Wash for quite sometime, but instead of using it, I would just look at that big bottle on my counter and then go to Target and buy some Shea Moisture shampoo. Just being lazy.

I chose Left Coast Lemon but there are several kinds based on the dryness
of your hair and/or the thickness of your strands.

To be fair (to my laziness), the detox is quite the process. The detox process is recommended for those that use sulfates, other 'harsh' ingredients or have had their hair chemically altered, i.e relaxer or dye.
Getting the color helped kick my intimidation of the detox process to the curb. I do not want the color to keep me from having 'healthy hair,' but secretly, I've been wanting to do the organic hair wash thing for a while because I feel like after I had my 2nd son, my hair changed and now I don't know its identity. I'm pretty sure I have 2 different porosity levels in my hair and that is what has been keeping me from finding and maintaining the proper amount of moisture in my hair, thus continually leading to split ends and subsequent cuts.
I'm hoping the Terressentials Hair Wash will help me with moisture issues, while cutting down on having to buy shampoos and conditioners.
*If you're interested in learning more about the Terressentials Mud Wash (and you don't know who Naptural85 is), go here.

Now, even though I went through that dreaded detox, I think I may need to go through it again to rid my hair of my styler's silicones.....and of course find a new styler.
One day, I swear I'm going to get my hair right again and find out who it is.

So what do you think about my bang area with no color? Should I get that part redone? Don't worry, I'm going to detox again once I find a new styler anyway.

Low-Key Birthday

My husband celebrated his birthday this past weekend. We didn't do much but have dinner at Houlihan's. Our boys came down with fevers Saturday afternoon and we didn't want to leave them. They haven't been sick in forever so newly returned colds and fevers tend to wake them up and sometimes keep them up in the middle of the night. Next weekend, we'll go out and have some more fun after hours.
We hung out and watched some college football , gave my hub special meals and enjoyed chocolate cupcakes. Then we topped the evening off with dinner at Houlihan's. The original plan was to play a Par 3 golf course as a family and then maybe the pumpkin patch since the weather is still warm....but its hard to pull the hubby away from football sometimes. Especially when our typically losing-prone teams are kicking some butt and actually winning.
Next weekend we'll hit the course and I'm excited because my swing is 100 times better since I last played 5 years ago. That's what the range and the proper club can do I guess. I gotta be able to keep up with my guys. Mine little swings are crazy good, so I gotta have them think mommy's a beast too!

Jack + Malbec. That's how we roll.

Scallops and risotto.

Pot roast sliders.

S'mores fondue pot.

Hey! Open your eyes! And swallow those carrots little brother!

Peace! Wait...we can't see my oldest's eyes.

Take 2.
Fevers don't hold them down, especially when they're mild.
Yep, those carrots are still in there.

The pot roast sliders were scrumptious and my hub's scallops were perfectly cooked. I'm not a fan of lemon risotto but his dish was tasty. Our dessert was ah-mazing. Its the second time I had it and mu hub's first time. He really enjoyed it and even though the portion looked rather small, it was just the right amount for us.
I definitely recommend these plates if you haven't had them......espeeeeecially that fondue pot! You won't be disappointed.

What's your favorite menu item at your favorite restaurant?

A New Identity That You've Seen Before

Notice anything different?
I think I proooobably had it right the first time. Or at least close to right.
My blog name is back to or close to what it was before. Instead of it being 'Love & Tangles' or ''Elle to Elle,' its now 'Love In Tangles.' Why didn't I think of this before?!? I guess I just had one hell of a processing delay.
This one will probably stick for awhile since it pretty much describes what I share here.
I like it and it feels like me.

Camera Dump: SeaWorld, Mini Golf, and more

Even though summer is over, I'm glad the weather here doesn't reflect it yet. I like being able to still dress 'summery.' Although I like fall clothes, my legs always seem to become dry and eventually itchy when I wear pants (except for my stretchy/leggings type of pants) so I'm still digging the shorts weather.

Anyway, we had such a busy and fun-filled summer that I figured it was time to unload my camera phone. I really am going to work on actually taking my camera around with us more often. Initially we were researching a DSLR to buy but I think I'm going to start using what I have and gradually work my way up to a camera with more capabilities.

We vacationed with some friends who also have boys ranging in ages of 2.5 and newly-turned 5 and 6 year olds but I didn't feel like including the one picture we all took together. I didn't like my pose.

Shamu was absolutely AWESOME!



 

After being splashed by Shamu and looking like we had jumped in the pool fully clothed, we moved pretty far back, as seen in the bottom picture. It was still an awesome show! I highly recommend!

The middle picture on the right: How did that squirrel get up there and how is he going to get down?!?

Not included are pictures of me having fun in SeaWorld or any of our go-carting pictures.
We had soooooo much fun racing go-carts with our boys coaching as passengers but unfortunately my husband's phone slipped out of his pocket while we were racing and it was stolen.
He went back to look for it literally 5 minutes after we had gotten finished with our round. Hundreds of pictures and videos gone. He hadn't saved anything to the cloud and hadn't yet downloaded the "Find My Phone" app.
Don't make the same mistake!!!!!

We, of course had to visit San Antonio's downtown Riverwalk in the evening and it was beautiful. My husband had some really nice pictures on his phone. {sad face} The top picture is of our boat ride on the Riverwalk. We had dinner at a restaurant called Mi Tierra. I am a really picky eater when it comes to tacos. (My husband thinks tacos from anywhere are good.) But MI TIERRA has the best tacos in the world! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. In the entryway of the restaurant, where normally a seating area is, there was a bakery that sold authentic Mexican desserts. And that huge space was packed. I almost thought it was a bakery, but the ambiance definitely said restaurant. Its a local favorite, even for the San Antonio Spurs players.
The bottom picture is of the State Capitol in Austin, TX. We love stopping through Austin! It's such a cute, artsy town. We had some yummy burgers and shakes at a local favorite called, Hopdoddy Burger Bar. We were too busy enjoying the ambiance, décor and food for pictures, but the next time you're in San Antonio or Austin, check out those restaurants.

Miniature golf is always all about the celebration dance.
Miniature bowling is fun too but doesn't get a celebration dance.

Me and my mom. A red lip always does the trick for me.

This year was my sorority's 100-year celebration, and my line sisters and I were also celebrating our 10-year anniversary since first pledging. I love these girls so much and being in DC was pretty awesome! (DC is great in general too). I wish I were more active in my community like I used to be but I'm still navigating my life as a wife AND mom. During my blog break, I self-reflected on my hobbies and my passion and it does involve helping my community in some way. Now I just have to figure out how to do that with my current day job as a SAHM.
Some of these ladies have lived in Japan, Brazil, gotten master's in the UK, are successful fundraisers for non-profits and more. I'm so proud to know them!
Ten years after I pledged, my mom pledged. It was pretty random and I'm so happy for her. She'll be retiring this year but with our sorority, she'll still be doing plenty of work. She loves to mentor youth living in at-risk environments and she's pretty well-known in that particular demographic where she lives. I'm sure she'll continue that form of work within our sorority. So we all were are part of 'painting the town red' that weekend!
Now if only she would've pledged 10 years ago or more, so I could've asked for money during those college days, haha. {straight face}


Have you done a camera dump lately?

My New 'Do

Its about that time of year again, where I notice that my hair is growing at a snail's pace, so I chop it off!
 

I'm not really feeling, or should I say wasn't really feeling, the length in which my hair was and I have been seeing the short natural hair tapered look for months now and of course I got that 'itch.'

You know that 'itch' you get when you need a change in your look?
 

My itch usually comes every 2-3 years but sometimes it comes sooner when I'm feeling lost or stagnant in an area of my life.

Right now, I'm tired of living in an area with such a lack of diversity and I'm tired of my hair not growing.

Not to mention, I'm waiting until the end of the year to really put some money into and further develop one of my special interests. And that is definitely keeping me mentally anxious.

(By the end of he end year, I'll be able to pay for it in cash as opposed to doing any payments.)
 

Anyway, I checked out Pinterest for some inspiration and showed the picture to my stylist and voila. I'm in love.

 

Now I'm trying to convince myself not to put some highlights in there....but then again, just give me a few weeks.

 

 

 



Staying On the Move

I've had an extremely long hiatus. I did a lot of soul-searching about who I am and who I want to be and what I want to do as a mom and more. I felt like I was starting pick up too many random hobbies which was making me feel lost.....because, although I adore my boys more than I can ever say, I was not only meant to be a mom. And I don't want to twiddle my [intellectual] thumbs until they reach kindergarten.

Needless to say, I have figured out the direction I want to go in, but I will be waiting until I implement it before sharing because that just makes good sense. Oh, but I did realize that all of my random hobbies will probably be of good use in the future because I was meant to stumble into them. I just will have to devote time to them differently than I initially was; which is basically just not all at once.

In the meantime, I've been enjoying a structure-less summer, but I'm definitely ready for their preschool program to begin next week. Keeping these little dudes entertained and busy tends to burn me out. And I've been pretty burned out for the past couple of weeks. We stayed on the move this summer, traveling to SeaWorld in San Antonio, Kansas City and DC. On the weekends we weren't traveling to somewhere, someone was traveling to us. I'zzzz tired.

On another note, I have TWO potty-trained boys! Woo hoo! We had a thousand accidents and a whole lot of nudity....some occasional bribery but my youngest did it!
Unfortunately, they both had a shitty accident (pun-intended) at a park playdate. My youngest had on a pull-up but my oldest had on regular underwear. Sigh.
He went to the bathroom, which happened to be pretty gross, and I guess he was so grossed out about it that he just said, "screw it" and went on himself. I was shocked. Normally he would've cried due to feeling embarrassed or ashamed but I think he didn't that time because he just didn't want to have to go back to that nasty bathroom.
Oh, the life of a mom. 

Now....if I could only get them to flush the toilet and wash their hands after each use without reminding them!

*By the way, what picture editors are you all using nowadays? Before my hiatus, I had been using PicMonkey but it started to freeze up on me too much. Have you had any problems with it?