summer dayz

The summer is already going by so fast, I can't believe it. I haven't spent near as much time at the pool, the one about 50 feet from my door, as I wanted to. The Pea family has so much going on right now, it seems like we never have a break!

Abby Pea is in driver's ed this month. Watch out, McKinney! I managed to get *most* of the blue and red out of her hair (Don't let your daughter use Kool-Aid for hair color; you will thank me later. Luckily, I think I have just the recipe for getting it out in case it's too late for you!). She and I have this weekend together, just the two of us. We went out for sushi together last night and then did a little shopping, only for necessities of course. I have a project list she gets to help me whittle down! :)  She is looking for her first job and *trying* to become the responsible teenager we all know she can be! Her summer is about to get busier with dance classes and camp coming up!

Anne Pea is on her way to Amarillo then HC with Daddy Pea this weekend. He is headed for a long overdue visit with his precious G.G. (I'll update in a minute.) She has been either at a friend's house or having a friend to visit all summer long! She's been babysitting and keeping herself busy too. She wanted to spend the entire summer lazing by the pool. Sh-yah! Right! Haha! I won't get to see her until Thursday and I am already missing that sweet pea!

Anne Pea is quite the comedienne, I think I have mentioned that before. The other night she and her pea pal, Hannah, pulled a prank on Abby Pea. They made fake dog poop with a wet toilet paper roll. They put it on Abby's bed. When she went to bed, she found it, and while she was trying to figure out what to do about it, Hannah picked it up with her bare hands and threw it at Abby! Haha!! This all happened at about 2:45 in the morning, waking the big peas up! It wasn't funny to us until after about 7:00 am!

King Pea is doing great! His job is going extremely well. He mentioned to me the other day what he told one of his coworkers:  "Isn't it great to actually look forward to coming to work every day?" I am really happy for him and think that he will be with Saltgrass for a long, long time. It is so "him" except for the country decor! :) Seeing that is the only issue he has with the restaurant, I think he'll be just fine!

So, G.G. update:  Not so great. She is home; but on hospice care. I think she was really glad to go home from the nursing home. She hasn't progressed in some time. We are all trying to make time to see her and love on her as much as possible. Abby Pea and I laughed about something cute she did at her 80th birthday party last year. Then I just broke down into tears. It's so hard to see such a vibrant *young* woman struggling after such a long, hard road. She is my grandmother, too, and I love her as such. King Pea and I have been through this too many times and it never gets easier. I hope he can bring her much joy this weekend during his visit! It will only be a fraction of the joy she has brought to our lives.

Back to something more uplifting! Us girlie peas are headed to Colorado with my parents next weekend and I can't wait! I need a vacay! I will not have my computer, but I will have my camera! I will post to my blog as soon as I can. We're going camping, hiking, whitewater rafting (I've wanted to do that my whole life! Eeeek!), and relaxing! It is so up my alley! I miss the mountains like crazy. I am definitely a mountain girl, and I hope I don't have to wait until I retire to move there and enjoy them full time! (Any one know of any one hiring in Taos? For two, please.) Maybe when I finally get to put King through culinary school, we can head that way.

Keep our family in your prayers, especially for G.G., Pat, and Brian. Pat needs extra blessings for sure!

teddy's time

I've been waiting a while to post this post. In fact, I've been dreading it. It's been a hard week. We lost our Sweet Teddy Boy on Tuesday. He may have been *just* a dog. But, he was my dog. The girls don't remember a time without Teddy. He's been through so much with me personally. Any time, good or bad, (and there have definitely been plenty of both), he was always there with his happy, funny personality. He could make me smile no matter what. He was bouncy and silly. 

I remember one particular time King Pea and I watched him trying to "get" this huge, red ball in the backyard. He was at it for what seemed like hours! He couldn't get it just right to bite it, so he would try to hold it down, but he was far too short. He was barking at it like crazy, like the ball was purposely trying to get away from him! If you're dreaming of catching a ball, it might as well be a giant red one, right? What a little dreamer!

I'm sure he hated me putting bows in his hair, picking at his gooky eyes, and treating him like a baby doll (just sometimes!). I know wasn't the perfect pup-parent. But, I will miss him greatly. I still ache to hold him just once more. He was a cuddle bug! He *allowed* me to hold him just about as much as I wanted. When the girlie peas got bigger and wouldn't let me hold them anymore, well, he was always a nice substitute.

The last few months we knew this time was coming. He was sick and old, and all around just not his happy, wonderful self. Knowing it's coming doesn't make it any easier. I thought it would, but as I type, I have tears streaming down my cheeks. I wasn't ready. I didn't want it to be time. Even as he was going to sleep, I wanted to scream out that I changed my mind. But, he wouldn't have wanted it. He was tired.

I don't know what happens to dogs after they're gone. I know Teddy had a great, sweet spirit. He had a soul. I hope all dogs go to heaven. I'm not sure I want to be there if they don't! When I need the comfort that all things happen for a reason in their own time, I reflect on Ecclesiastes, chapter 3.

A Time for Everything

 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 

It was Teddy's time. I didn't want the time to come. I wanted one more of everything. One more lick, one more walk, one more playtime, one more, one more, one more.

Here are a couple of my favorite photos of Teddy. I miss you, little buddy! More than you know.

Teddy and momma. Shih Tzu's were considered royal and holy dogs in ancient Tibet. He was destined to be the dog of a Queen! :)

He was actually playing with me here. He would always crouch down with his rear up, wagging his tail. He would bark at me and try to *get* me! Such a sweet pea!

a birthday fit for a king

King Pea recently had a birthday, and I think it may have been the best ever! He had the entire weekend off, so we had to fill it with some fun goodness! We ate pizza at this amazing place, Picasso's. Not your momma's Pizza Hut, that's for sure! We met up with our favoritest friends for some brewskys at a downtown Dallas bar. Then we went to the Dave Matthew's Band concert, with a little tailgating before and after! They're also our favoritest! (It's a word; I just made it up!)


I can't remember having such a laid back, awesomely, awesome day! I love my Sweet Pea! He's a keeper! 

Birthday buddies, King Pea and Laura Kay! I don't know if May 19th can handle any more awesome births!

We were singing to them and they had Pop Rock cupcakes! Yum!

Awful picture! Fun times though!

It could not have been more beautiful!

This is obviously before Dave came out because we're all still sitting down! After they hit the stage, our bums didn't hit the ground again!

anne pea update

Yes, I do have another child! She's just in her "off season." She recently had her Spring Band concert. She's quite the beautiful flute player! I love listening to her practice in her room. The flute she's playing with was my Aunt Suzy's, then mine. Abby Pea used it for two years, then it got passed down to Anne Pea. I can't remember how well Suzy played, but I do know that Anne is definitely the best player out of the three Peas! She loves band, so I hope I get to hear more of her talent in the future. 

She is also looking into babysitting classes to take over the summer. She has a few "regulars" and since she's the more nurturing of the two, I think these classes will come in handy. She told me she wanted to relax all summer and have no plans. Yeah, right! 

I'm going to brag about her for another minute. She may be my less "visible" child, but she's also my most compliant, easy-going, all-around sweet pea! And, she is our comedienne, believe it or not. She makes me laugh and smile every day! I don't have to fight with her about her grades, doing the dishes or cleaning her room. She's certainly the Yin to Abby's Yang. Or is it the Yang to Abby's Yin? Either way, I just wanted you to know! :)

Here she is at her last concert. She can't hide from my camera when she's in the middle of playing a concert. 

Ha, Anne! I got you this time!

marquette this, marquette that

This seems to have become the Abby Pea blog! Since she has become a Marquette, it's been a whirlwind of blue and gold. She recently performed at McKinney High's spring football game. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with how awesome they were! The football team was...eh. The cheerleaders were...eh.  I thought the Marquettes would be about as impressive, but man, I was wrong! They were fantastic! I wish I would have gotten it on video, but alas, my first instincts are to take photos. So, here's Abby Pea, Marquette-style!

They were just practicing here. They're usually much more smiley!

Summer showing her "L's!" L is for Lion!

This is Abby's friend, Lindsay! They've danced together for a while now, and she's a Marquette officer this year.

Abby is the second from the left! They did their kick routine to the fight song.

Her kicks were amazing!

I got one of her mid-air!

Final pose! This is the first time I can't wait for football season!

i know! i've been neglectful!

I have no idea how long I've been *not* blogging, but it's been way too long! I'm even embarrassed to look back at the last post date! What has not happened in our lives lately?!? Where do I even begin?


How about starting with many answered prayers! Boy, we have had our share of amazing blessings lately! There was a point a few months ago when everything was going wrong and we just wanted to turn back the hands of time and do a total redo! Well, within just a few weeks, we found an awesome house, King Pea found an amazing new job just down the street, and our G.G. Pea is doing so much better. Blessings do abound! Abby Pea has become a varsity Marquette (that news may have been in a previous post) and Anne Pea is done with track and keeps me updated with how many school days remain until summer.  :)


Our girlie peas are doing well, still sassy as usual, but nothing too bad. They are thrilled to have their own rooms once more. We didn't realize how crappy our *temporary* apartment living was until we had a little room to stretch out again! As you may realize, our temporary living situation turned in to a year long headache! 


King Pea is now with Saltgrass Steakhouse, and it's super yummy! He has been home every night, except for one. That's a miracle in itself! He is a much happier King and his little kingdom has noticed the change! The management seems really great so far and I have not one bad thing to say about anything. That's a miracle, too! :)


My life is pretty much the same; except with allergies! Luckily, I'm going to the doctor this week, so hopefully I'll be back to normal soon. Since I can't be outside for more than twenty minutes at a time, my running has suffered (as well as my waistline!). I can't wait to enjoy the outdoors again! I'm pretty sure I have almost overdosed on Zyrtec and Benadryl! 


Our sweet G.G. is doing well! She no longer has her "trach" in and does all of her breathing on her own. She's lost a lot of weight, but has been able to eat some real food for a while now. And she is speaking again! She is going to be in a nursing home for a while to rehabilitate, with the hopes that she can return home someday! She doesn't seem to be in a great hurry; which only bothers us impea-atient family members! 


Abby Pea had to do a speech over dance and needed photos to go along with it. I got some pretty cool dance photos for her that were fun to take. I haven't done *leaping* photography before, so it was a learning experience! I would love to get some of Anne Pea one day, but alas, she is still my anti-photo child (although, she has no problems taking pics of herself with her phone). Anyhoo.....


We send our love to all of our friends and family! Praying for you always! 

Yes, you can be jealous of her gorgeous legs! I know I am!

I love my dancer pea! Now, how do I sneak pics of my baby pea....

peas gone wild!

Wow! Lots of changes have happened in the last month! I hope I can remember all of them! I'll start with the girlie peas....


Abby Pea became a varsity Marquette the week after Spring Break. Marquettes are the McKinney High School dance team. She is super excited! Of course, we are super pea-roud! As I type this, she is with her sister, dad, and Claire Emm (Abby Pea's sweet friend) are all at Six Flags for Abby's birthday. Her birthday was on the third, but with Easter weekend, she had to wait a little while. Speaking of her birthday, did I mention she is now 15?!? This queen can't believe her pea-rincess is 15! What's even more shocking, I had to sign her up for driver's education! My baby is going to be driving! Such an honor and privilege yet I don't want her to grow up so fast! Oh how I wish I could stop time!


Anne Pea is running like crazy in track! She's competed in three meets so far, running the 800 meter and doing the triple jump. She's doing fantastic and has amazing friends on her team! Her school has the best and fastest runners in the city. The season has only begun, so I will keep you posted on her progress. She's as sweet and awesome as ever, with a ton of sweet friends. I love my girlie peas!


As a pea family, we now have a new pod! On my birthday (29th again, of course), we moved into our perfect place. It's a townhouse (no yard work, yay!), there's a pool steps away, it's just the right size; not too big, not too small. I can't wait to get the girlie peas' rooms painted and fixed up so cute! There will be pics! But I have to get unpacked first....


King Pea is, at the moment, unemployed. But it's a good thing! His last day at Applebee's was on Thursday and he starts a new (hopefully amazing) job at Saltgrass in McKinney on Tuesday! He is really excited and I can already see the stress lifting off his shoulders. I hope this is a place he can make his "home." The schedule won't be as grueling, which is a huge blessing. He certainly could use your good thoughts and prayers for a while!


King Pea also was able to spend several days with his G.G. Pea! She's better and healing slowly. She likes to take her time! As of the last report I got, she's got her tracheotomy that is helping her breathing. She's able to breathe most of the day without help. She's eating soft foods and is sitting up more. She's going through physical therapy, but it's mostly wiggling fingers and toes. She is going through a little bit of speech therapy too. Jon said one morning he walked into her room, and she whispered, "Hi!" It was pretty exciting!


I think that covers the biggest changes in our lives so far! Whew! It's been a whirlwind around here. I miss our family and friends. We've been so busy and I know we are neglecting our loved ones! I've definitely neglected my blog! I can't wait to share pics of our lovely home with you and I would love for any of you to come visit! Just let me get unpacked first! Now where did I put that box of pics....