Just call me Anastasia... or Drizella

My best friend from college used to tell me that I could go out in the middle of a field, with nothing around for miles and something dramatic would still happen to me. I did have a lot of dramatic things happen to me. A lot. But something could happen while out in the middle of the field? Not possible, right? As I sit here tonight, I am thinking that her prediction may have come true.

The kids and I have been lamenting lately about all of the construction going on here north of Dallas. Not only are we missing living close to the beach but we are missing yards. And grass. And well, anything green to be honest. We even walked to a construction site a few nights ago that was a gorgeous sunflower field just a few months ago and sighed.

And then the kids ran around the construction site like lunatics and and cheered at a pile of PVC pipe. But that's another story.

So maybe the lack of nature was weighing on my mind tonight. Maybe it wasn't, but at this point I really need some sort of excuse. The kids and I were out running errands and I let them wear their pajamas because none of the errands required leaving the car. And because I like to let them think I'm cool every now and then.

We were driving home when we spotted a beautiful field of lush grass. We commented on how fun it would be to take off our shoes and run through that field. We were talking about how cool the grass would feel and how much we missed big yards with lots of grass.

And then I had that moment. The crazy burst of spontaneity that I used to have quite frequently (ask anyone who knew me before the age of 24) that has somehow diminished under the piles of laundry and diapers.

And so I did it. I decided to throw caution to the wind. The street looked fairly empty and you only live once. We were going to make a memory, gosh darn it. We were going to run through that field and laugh and play tag and feel the beautiful grass underneath our feet. And they would remember it for 50 years and tell their kids how fun and spontaneous 'ole Grandma Webster used to be.

So I pulled into a parking lot across the street and told the kids to get out. They thought I was joking. They refused. I insisted. I told them to take off their shoes and they pointed out that they didn't have them on anyway. "Even better," I shouted maniacally as I dragged them out of the car.

And then we ran across the street laughing to this beautiful field of tall lush grass. Okay, we ran 5 feet before cars started zooming past us. And then we waited.... and waited.....and waited..... while the cars passed us and then we ran across the street while laughing.

Once we actually reached the grass, we all took off across the field. However, as we started running through the grass we realized that we weren't running. We were kind of wading. Okay, there was no "kind of." We were definitely wading. Perhaps my depth perception is not quite what it once was because this grass was a whole lot taller in person than it was from the view of my windshield parked across the street.

And it was muddy. Very muddy. So muddy in fact that the kids were just sinking in it. And then they started crying. And then one of my shoes sunk down into the mud. And I couldn't get it because I was too busy noticing that my 2 year old was sinking as well just a few feet away from me.

I grabbed her and held her and I went back to look for my shoe. I couldn't find it anywhere. Then my son took off for the car followed by my oldest daughter who was yelling, "WORST. IDEA. EVER!" And we got to the edge of the field and waited.... and waited... and waited as the cars zoomed past us. And they were shivering. And muddy. Once it was clear, I finally followed them across two lanes of traffic while limping with one shoe and simultaneously trying to scrape the mud off of my youngest child's leg.

I got them in the van and ran limped back across the two lanes (I swear there wasn't any traffic when I decided to make this spontaneous stop) to look for my shoe, but it was gone. It had disappeared along with any hopes I had of making a wonderful memory with my kids.

As I got back in the car my two older kids were laughing hysterically.

"Mom, you're just like Cinderella!" exclaimed my son.

"Or..... maybe she's more like Anastasia" said my daughter. "No way Dad's coming back out here in that mud to look for her old shoe."

Thanks, kids. And there was our night. They talked about it non-stop the whole way home and laughed all throughout the bath as I was vigorously scrubbing mud off of their legs and telling them that this was never to spoken of again. And that I didn't really like those shoes anyway. We didn't quite make the memory I had planned, but I feel certain we made one. Of some sort.

Happy 7th Birthday, Bennett!!

I can't get sentimental. I just can't right now. Because if I really sit down and think about the fact that my baby is 7 I might lose it. So I will just blog about how much fun we had celebrating 7 years of my awesome kid and I will refrain from being my normal sappy self.

We went to Alabama in early February for a family camp and we stopped by my sister's for an afternoon. My parent's met us there and they had a little surprise party for Bennett. It was a few weeks early, but since we only get to see my family a few times a year, they decided to celebrate while we could. They had presents and cupcakes for her and she has talked about it nonstop.

For the big day in Texas she decided that she didn't want a party but would rather spend the night at Great Wolf Lodge. If you have never stayed at one of those, you should. It is a huge lodge with restaurants, an arcade, activities and a huge indoor water park. It is amazing and we are so glad there is one in Dallas.

I knew I was making her a cake, and we didn't want to eat it all by ourselves, so I did ask a few friends over the day before her birthday to come and have cake with us and play. Since we all walk to school in Texas, it was fun to have 5 friends walk home from school with us and just play for a few hours.

Of course Bennett got into costume the second they all got back to our house. At least a few friends joined her.

And karaoke was a must. I am pretty sure they were singing songs from Frozen. In fact, I am 100% sure of it.

I had to capture this sweet moment, because I feel like they are rare these days. Bennett's friends told Will that he couldn't play with them because he was a Kindergarten baby. :( He ran to Lainey's room and was crying. I went in to comfort him but before I could get to him, Bennett flew in the room to hug him and tell him that of course he could play. With all the fighting that is going on these days, it was such a nice reminder that when push comes to shove, the bond these two have is unbreakable.

And here is the Frozen castle cake I clearly made for Bennett. Not my finest creation, but I love making them for her and she is still too young to be embarrassed by my sloppy handiwork.

Happy 7th Birthday, Bennett!!

 So thankful for friends. When you move, that is your biggest concern for your children.

Oh, how I love this SEVEN year old!!

And this two year old as well.

***side note- I adore the 5 year old as well, but I didn't have any pictures of him at the table. But Will, if you are reading this in a few years, you were there, and I love you as well. This blog post shall not be evidence for your therapist. ***

The next day, on her actual birthday, Lainey and I took Chick-Fil-A up to Bennett's school and had lunch with her.

And then she came home and opened presents from her family.....

....and then we immediately hopped in the car and headed to Great Wolf Lodge for the night.

We're here! The rooms were so much fun. Rob and I had a king sized bed but right next to it was a little built in log cabin. Inside the cabin were bunk beds and another twin bed. Perfect for our three kids. They felt like they were on a camping trip instead of at a water park.

Okay, enough with the hotel. Let's get to the water park!! Happy Birthday, Bennett!!

Will and Lainey were grateful beneficiaries of Bennett's birthday choice.

After dinner the kids got in their pajamas and went to the lobby for a really cool story time.

And then we went to the ice cream shop in the hotel for a giant ice cream sundae. 

It's good to be 7!

Because when it's your birthday you get to eat ice cream with your sister in your pajamas at 9pm.

This place is awesome!!

Good night, everyone.

The next morning we got up and the kids went to the arcade in their pajamas. Why not?

And then Lainey realized that there was still water fun to be had and that was the end of pajama time.

Birthday fun continuing to the next day.

We stayed in the water park for most of the day but we had to leave a bit early, because outside of our warm pool, it was doing this outside. But that's another blog for another day.

I promised I wouldn't get sappy, and I won't, but I have to say that I have been a mom for seven years now (!!???!!!) and it has been the craziest, hardest, most wonderful adventure of my life. Happy Birthday to the creative ball of sunshine that made me a mother. I love you to the moon and back.