The Sadlers: Gender Wars over Hamburgers

Mother's Day weekend was rough. We had van problems (who knew a bad air conditioning fuse could cause so much trouble?). And, I got a yucky stomach bug that made me super lethargic and useless all day Saturday. Matt worked very hard to make Sunday a special day for me...flowers, breakfast in bed, church, lunch out, and refrigerator shopping. Saturday he cleaned off the entire back porch and planted our garden too because as I said, I was useless. Sadly, we didn't get a chance to use the porch because of wind but it was nice to have it clean for a few minutes. The kids made me some cute cute cards at home and some funny things from school. Lola thinks that I am eleven and that I want to be a fish when I grow up. Matalley said my favorite food to cook is potatoes. Grayson said my favorite place to shop is United (our grocery store). I obviously don't portray the epitome of fun that I thought I did. It was a good day, despite feeling a little under the weather. And I didn't even mind too much when Grayson told me that "the world doesn't revolve around you Mom" in response to my request to look at refrigerators. (Our anniversary/Christmas present to each other that we finally purchased Monday). He may have also mentioned that I wasn't thinking of others when I made that request. I know he's just repeating my cliche logic but it WAS Mother's Day of all days.

The bug made it's way through the whole family in the course of 2 weeks. Lola was the last to get it, sad thing. (Millie had it second).

Matt had it this last Wednesday so I grilled the kids' burgers for dinner. Matalley saw me and said, "Mom, you can't do a man's job!" You know that just irked me so! I explained that girls could do anything boys could do and we had a little argument about women not being as strong as men which had nothing to do with grilling burgers. Anyway, I asked her where she learned all this about what men and women could do and she said Gabby at school told her. My response, "Well don't listen to Gabby about what you can and can't do." A little while later Matalley says, "So, I'm going to tell Gabby that you said I shouldn't listen to black people." I (flabbergasted by the way) said, "NO, that is definitely not what I said." Matalley says, "Oh, okay, I shouldn't listen to BROWN people." Me, "NO, NO, NO, Matalley, quit putting words in my mouth. Just don't think you can't grill hamburgers, okay?" Who knows what she told the kids at school. I'm just thankful my end of year parent conference with her teacher was earlier that day. Her teacher said that she would love a room full of Matalleys (cue my beaming only to be cringing a few hours later over hamburgers).

We have a new baby in the family...Krissy's little boy Henry made his appearance last week and I'm so looking forward to meeting him soon. Janie is going to be a loving big sister!

We went south for Memorial Day weekend and had a mini-vacation along the way. I think the kids had fun...they got to watch a lot of The Brady Bunch (Matt got them the entire series for Christmas and they have made it through 4 seasons thus far) and the hotel had a swimming pool which is basically all they require for a good vacation (Matt and I are a little more needy apparently but the vacation was good for us as well). We spent Friday at the Perot museum

and had some cousin time with Adair.

The water feature was a big hit with the Sadlers

Matalley wants piano lessons

Lola pretend camping...she had a whole song to go with this one about being inside and outside the tent.

Millie had lots to look at (and she was happy for most of it)

Someone asked me a few weeks ago where Matalley got her skinniness (yes, my feelings were slightly hurt) but I want to know where she got her muscles...the girl has definition.

Selfie in the back of the van on the way down to Groesbeck

Mimi got to meet her 8th great grandchild

Lola photobombed the boys playing (they were taking a break from running around the church getting hot and sweaty)

This picture is just missing Emily, Kelsey and Aaron. This was the day that Grayson saw Matt put on the pink shirt and he said, "Dad, you are a real man." While Matt was not grilling hamburgers at the time, I found it a very timely comment.