Baseball ready

I love the term "Baseball Ready" and it's a good thing because it's all I hear these days. Before I get into that though, let me say this. Things have been busy here. Crazy busy. I just downloaded over 200 pictures from my camera, and that's only from the last three days. I tend to take a LOT of pictures in order to get a few good ones, you know.



I need to post about a lot of things, but for now, here's a quick wrap up from the week.


The dog threw up and pooped in the house, on different days.



Our front door fell off. Completely. I should have taken a picture of that but I forgot while I was hyperventilating.



When my Land Rover died last week, I had a rental car for a couple of days and when I turned it back in, I accidently left my garage door opener in it. When I went back to find it, turns out they have a huge box FULL of garage door openers. Who knew? So, with the front door broken and the garage door opener missing, I had a hard time getting in my house. Did I panic? YES.



My older son, Donny, who's eleven-years-old has discovered he needs braces and glasses. Luckily he was cool about both and isn't freaking out...although his mother, (yes, ME) who saw the bills for both, has been on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He has also made the decion to start playing football for the first time and will be starting the trombone in middle school band. Did I mention he starts middle school in the fall? I'm feeling old, but my birth certificate swears I'm 31. I think it's just trying to placate me so I don't start growing grey hair yet.



I dumped a cup full of bird seed down my shirt by accident when I was refilling the bird feeder. Apparently our birds are ravenous, bottomless-stomached beasts. I was sweaty at the time and that darn bird seed stuck like clingwrap. I'm sure there's still some in my bra...I lose things in my more than ample bosom all the time.



I'm having to wash sheets on three different beds because everyone had urine accidents over the last two days. Well, not everyone. The dog and I managed to contain our bladders. Oh, and hubby too.



OH, and this ball has been hanging from my ceiling for about two weeks now. Anyone want to take bets on how much longer it will remain up there?








Yesterday, my six-year-old Remy had another game. His team, the Cubs, played the Giants. Here he is on the field, twirling.




We decided to bring Annie to the game with us because she loves being with the boys. She was pretty good, and it was really hot.

Here's one of those "Baseball Ready" positions. My Remy makes it to first base every time. He's a good hitter.

But, when it's his team's turn at the outfield, he sometimes gets a little bored. You see, not all 5 and 6 year olds are good hitters, so sometimes there's no action in the field...

Annie kept getting caught up in her leash. She didn't know how to handle it, so she was just look at us, panting, and freeze...not sure what to do. We had to take pity on her and untangle her.

over and over and over again. I think it was her version of Doggy Twister.

Here's my man, who drove an hour in bad traffic from Dallas, where he is a family attorney by day, to the baseball fields in suburbia to watch his son play. What a sweetie! He was really hot in that suit. I was sweating in my tank top.

Annie did it again. Maybe she needs to go to doggy school or something...

Look at Remy make this awesome catch! He's playing first base, and he caught this ball and got the other team's runner out. YAY, Remy!! Awesome play!! Love the expression on his face.

Here's the soon-to-be braces-wearing, glasses-wearing, trombone-playing, football-player, AKA, my older son, Donny, who is in dire need of a haircut, but he likes it long.

And, he took pity on Annie and untied her so she could go run around with him during the game a little. I love that color shirt on Donny. It looks so good with his coloring and brings out his blue eyes.

And, that's the end of the game and this long post...but I'll leave you with one last picture. Notice what my son is holding onto, besides his glove.
They start young, don't they?

A Blogging Identity Crisis

I'm having an identity crisis. I want to change my blog around, but I need imput from readers. I have been changing profile and header pictures like it's a game of musical chairs, and I think it would be best if I found something good and stuck with it.

The current name of my blog is Word Tangle with the quote "A swirl of words tangled with human emotions." Writing is my biggest passion, so I was going with that theme. However, now that I've been at this a few months, I have different ideas.

I think it would be good to focus on Texas as a theme as well as writing. I'm a native Texan. I've lived here all my life. I grew up on a ranch, I lived in Austin (the capital city) for years, and I love Texas. So, should I come up with a new blog title focusing on this? I think it would draw readers in...and my goal is to attract readers and have fun with this...all the while fulfilling my need to write and entertain people with stories.

Hmmmm...How about Texas Word Wrangler? (It makes me picture a lasso roping up a herd of words). I like it.

What about Texas Ink Slinger? Or Texas Storyteller? I just don't know. I need to ponder on it some more. Any good ideas? My creative juices have melted in this heat wave we've had lately.

Then there's the header (the picture at the top of the blog, for those of you who don't speak Blog). This field of flowers has been my header for a while now:

And, then, yesterday I went and changed it to this water scene:

My fingers are itching though, and I could just as easily have this barn as a new header by tomorrow....what do you think?
Or this iron state of Texas sign could be a good header....I've used it as a profile picture before.

I'd love a Texas themed header. Ideally, I'd like a row of boots...colorful, worn-in, faded old cowboy boots lined up in a row. I'd really like that, but haven't found a picture that meets my expectations for it yet.

Then there's the issue of my profile picture. These are some of the cowgirls I've been using.

This is the cartoon cowgirl. She's fun...but perhaps not what I'm looking for. It's a little too youthful.

This next cowgirl is sexy and vintage, definitely more mature...but not exactly right either.

This one's cute too...I'm using her currently but maybe, here's a real novel idea, I need to use a real photo of ME? You tell me...do you prefer cutesy profile pics that obviously aren't the person in real life or do you prefer to see the real person behind the blog? I could always dude myself up, curl my hair and put on a cowboy hat to do my own cowgirl photo...what do you think?

So, as you can see, I'm having a major identity crisis. I want to change my blog, and this is your change to give me some imput. I can't promise I'll like it or use it, but I'll listen for sure.

Help a writing Texas cowgirl out, y'all. Yeehaaaw!!

Rhea of Sunshine

My name is pronounced RAY or RAY-AH. Just a friendly reminder. Ree-ah is NOT correct. RAY of Sunshine, like the subject line, get it?

So, the Texas heat has turned up a notch, and we are cookin' now. It's dadgum hot! And, the best way to handle the heat is to spend time in the cold water swimming.

Are you a swimmer or a side-of-the-pool lounger? I love to get a good book and lie by the pool, but I have to be IN the water most of the time these days with the boys.

Speaking of boys...we have an entire pool bag loaded up with pool toys. We have a few of those awesome toypedos, sea animals that move through the water with batteries, dive sticks, goggles galore and various other pool fun items, but guess what the boys spent an hour playing with in the pool just the other day? Pennies!! Amazing, huh? I kept throwing them and they kept diving for them. It was amazing. Like a dog playing fetch with a tennis ball. Glad we spent all that money on pool toys, huh?

The boys also love the diving board. They can jump over and over and over again. I wish I had some good pictures to share. Remy's newest jump was called "the flying squirrel" and it looked awesome...until he landed in the water, and that looked like it HURT.

Do you use sunscreen? I sure hope so! Did you know you are supposed to put it on 20 minutes or more before going into the sun? It needs time to dry and soak in...otherwise it's not as effective. Did you know that sunscreen expires? Look on your bottle. It should show an expiration date somewhere. I buy new sunscreen each summer.

I am fanatical about sunscreen due to moles. I have so many of them I can't keep up! And, I go to a dermatologist yearly to have them looked at. I've had some removed and found to be atypical, but not melanoma, thank goodness. I know many people who have had little moles turn out to be dangerous melanoma though, so know the signs and keep an eye on your skin!

Just a friendly reminder from your favorite Texan to have fun in the sun but be careful with your skin!

That having been said, who rubs the sunscreen on your back? Your hubby? Significant other? Your children? Or the pool boy? hehe

My younger sister, The bug, used to spend time going around and opening the bug traps around the pool to discover what bugs were inside. Do you know anyone else who does this?

When I was seven or so, I was in the pool, bopping around on the side and managed to bang my chin so hard into the side of the pool that I need stiches. lovely, huh? Have you or your kids done this?

My husband learned to swim from some guy who just basically threw kids in the pool and told them to swim. It was do or die, apparently. I hope no one else had this instructor.

Enjoy swimming season! Protect your skin and save those pennies (for your kids to find on the bottom of the pool). :o)

Please leave a comment and share your swimming pool stories!

And, I heard about a giveaway at Angie's website and on The Mama Bird Diaries blog there is a Sex and The City giveaway.

To Do or Not To Do; Expressing Oneself through Bumper Stickers, Car Art & Vanity Plates.

As I posted last week, I have a new car. A new-to-me car. It has no bumper stickers, no car art and no vanity plates. It is a blank canvas. This car could belong to anyone. Should I express myself through my automobile? The big question...to do or not to do. Let's examine our options.

Stickers. I've always had a few. Not big ones or loud ones, but ones supporting the kids' school or our local zoo. Nothing big and flashy. But, for some people, I know that's too much. Some people prefer nothing on their car. Do you?

You can go the humor route and get a funny sticker...or be serious and express religious or political views. It seems to be that's asking for someone to key your car...not right, I know, but there are people out there that strongly believe one way and the other.

I just saw this bumper sticker the other day and loved it:

Then there are cars like this, that overly express themselves...But, if you're stuck in traffic, it sure makes for entertaining reading, right?

I think I might turn to this option if my paint was so bad I needed to cover it up. Maybe.

So, if bumper stickers aren't your thing, then maybe body art is? Car body art, that is. We've all seen the traditional flames:

and then there are those crafty people who go above and beyond with their artistic expression and produce something like this:

This picture below is dirty-car art. I've seen websites devoted to people who go around making art from the dirt on a car. Impressive...until it rains.

If body art doesn't agree with you, then there is always the good old funny license plate or vanity plate.

Why is it all the funny license plates are on Hummers? lol And all the flames are on little Toyotas and Nissans. hehe

Do you have anything on your car? Do you express yourself on the road?

Memorial Day

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it

These little guys are hanging out, waiting for mommy to return.

They look hungry!

Here are the parents!

If you look closely, you'll see a bug in the mommy's beak.

And, here she is, feeding the baby.


If you have a picture of a critter and want to join in, go to Camera Critters and join in, it's that easy!

A new member of the family.

I have a new car! Well, it's new to me...It's a bouncing 2001 Toyota Sequoia! yay!

Stop and Buy the Lemonade!

Over the weekend the boys decided they really wanted to do a lemonade stand. Our neighborhood is off the beaten path, so it doesn't get a lot of traffic, but we found a shady place and gave it a go.

I brought my camera along and took lots and lots of pictures of the boys. Here's Remy!
And Donny (might be time for a haircut, no?)
and of course, Annie!

After an hour or so...they started drinking the lemonade. lol It was HOT.

and we started getting bored. Donny is clearly wondering here, "Where are the customers?"
So, we broke out the sidewalk chalk...yes, those are my big flowers, my boys won't draw flowers and that's about all I know how to draw. An artist, I am not.

Then the boys started to get rowdy and attack each other and the dog...

Uh, oh, Remy looks like he's getting upset...
Yep, that's an upset face for sure.
Then Donny starts throwing ice to Annie, who is a pretty good catch. She's also hot, so the cold ice tastes good.
And, then, of course, someone bumped the lemonade table and it all spilled...

After two hours, we only had four customers. Many, many neighbors drove past without stopping. What's with you, people?!! Stop and buy lemonade! I always try to stop and buy lemonade from little kids who are selling. No matter what.