Pete Echols 2000-2014

We said good-bye to our beloved Pete "Peter Man" Echols this week.  Pete came to live with us on December 7, 2001.  He saw us get engaged, get married and bring home three babies.  I remember the night I went into labor with Lila; he laid right by me, and every time I got up he got up.  Up and down all night long.  Pete loved sitting in his chair watching over the backyard.

Pete led a very happy life.  He was just about the best traveler-dog on Earth.  If you said "let's go" he was by the door ready to go.  He would sit in his captain's chair and watch out the window.

Also, loved to eat.  There are many, many stories of what he ate: 36 flour tortillas, hamburger buns, loaves of bread, boxes of cereal, containers of baby formula.  But, he was smart and never ate the packaging.  He loved to wake us up early to feed him by shaking his collar tags.  Pete also liked to "work" with Shawn in the office.  If Shawn was working from home, Pete would lay right under his desk the whole time.  We are thankful that Pete did so well for so long.  We love you, Pete, and we miss you, and we thank you for being our friend.

Oscars 2014

So, underneath my t-shirt and nike shorts is a girl who loves to design and sew.  GOWNS and dresses to be specific. A couple years ago, I started a little mini-tradition with Lila.  We plan an Oscar night and  watch the Red Carpet (disclaimer: I do not watch movies), and have a little party.  This year, she kept telling me she didn't want to do the party.  So, while she was gone for the afternoon, I did mani-pedis with the littles...they were very excited.  Landry ended up with 3 different colors on her nails and Audrey 2.  We ended up with a gold tablecloth, plates and napkins, some makeup, chocolate covered strawberries and a ride through the house on our "Red Carpet"

Now for my Best Dressed. You have all seen all the pics, so I will cut to the chase.  I have very specific criteria for my pick.  First of all, I want a star to look like a STAR.  I want to see something special.  WOW.  I want makeup, and hair and jewelry.   I liked Charlize Theron.  The neckline with that necklace; well done

Normally, I really don't care about the men.  Just so much you can do with a tux, in my opinion.  However, this year, I was pretty impressed.  I liked the tasteful use of color.  Also, I thought the couples looked good.  Not a personal fan of Camilla's dress, but it meets my critieria..it is a hollywood dress, just a little something extra special and they look good together, and Brad and Angelina looked good.

george

Did I mention before that I had a night with KING GEORGE!  Yep.  Every once in a while, my husband outdoes himself and does something really spectacular for me.  Tickets to see George Strait in Austin...priceless.  I am a TEXAS GIRL, and I have never seen George in concert, and it was on my bucket list.  Shawn literally jumped through hoops to make that happen.  It was worth all the hype and then some.  I so appreciate him doing that for me, because I would have never made that happen for myself.   We sat on row 9, by a very nice couple from San Antonio.  I stood and sang all night to every song.  George sounded fantastic, and is as handsome as ever.  Hearing "The Chair" took me back to Blaise's Hall when my Aunt Jackie got married, "The Fireman" I was back in my my Mom's brown Oldsmobile Delta 88,  and I " I saw God today" made me cry because that song was popular when Lila was born and the words are so powerful.

 

*Also, thanks to Gran and Toby for babysitting.

Today, we were on our way home from school, and "Happy" by Pharrell came on the radio.  I turned it up and asked the girls, "Hey, are we Happy?"...this was the response

Landry: NO!

Audrey:...I tired...I tired...and I stink.