My Top 10 for Summer 2013

With first day of school pictures starting up on Facebook and our own first day back looming in the near future, I thought it might be nice to reflect on my summer.  Amazingly, I pulled pictures from my files and it turns out I have exactly ten favorite summer memories.  Isn't that nice, David Letterman?

I'm hoping this will inspire some of you to compile your own list and include it in the comments.  If you have a blog, send me the link when you comment!  I would love to know what you have been up to this summer!  If you don't have a blog, just type it out in the comments.  Even if you didn't take a big trip, it is always nice to think about what made this part of your year special.

With a kiddo starting high school this year, I guess I'm enjoying looking backwards more than forwards.  I honestly don't know where the time has gone.  I look at that man-child's face and think that my little boy can't possibly be ready for high school!  Eek!  For the record, I had Michael when I was nine years old so I'm still so very young.

We started off the summer with a fun trip to Grand Lake O' The Cherokees with my lifelong friend, Melinda, and her family.  There is something extra special about a friend you have known for 34 years (which is hard to believe since I just told you I am 23 in the paragraph before this one).  I love her and I love her family.  We had the BEST time spending the day with them.  What you can't see in the picture is that I kept my eyes closed most of the time I spent on this tube because I was sure it would flip.

Priss, Priss' son Jacob, Melinda at the lake

The one day I took the boys to the new pool at the country club, the firemen showed up and sprayed the kids down.  It goes without saying that my favorite part was watching the firemen and the boys favorite part was being soaked by the water hose.

No fires here!

Another highlight was flying down to Houston to be a part of one of my best friends' surprise party celebration.  Leslie was in shock!  The Doc and I were in Houston for exactly 16 hours.  It was a whirlwind and we were tired, but it was worth it!

High School friends plus Leslie's Glamazon sister-in-law in the middle.

Taking the boys to the beach is always, always a highlight.  Beach vacations are so relaxing!  This trip we saw two sharks swimming nearby and a crab got my whole foot in his claw.  I was just fine after a few drinks.

My boys - playing with hermit crabs on the beach.

These pictures are all out of order, but you don't mind - right?  

This summer I surprised the Doc for his birthday (which was April) and coordinated a golf trip with friends to Branson.  It was so much fun!  At night, we played The Game of Things in our condo.  If you are looking for a fun game for a group of adults, this one is hysterical.  I am hoping for an encore next year.

Doc & Priss on the left with friends in Branson

Believe it or not, a trip to the dentist made the list.  The boys love going to the Doc's office!  Here is Jacob getting his teeth cleaned and Michael... um... being Michael... on the other side of the window.  We made a Harlem Shake video while we waited.

Doc's office

 I was tired of my boring and messy office so we painted it green.  It felt good to clean this room out!

Only I would consider reorganizing a a summer highlight, yes?

Our annual trek to Colorado must always make the list.  This year, the Doc's sister and her family joined us.  The kids loved it!

Michael and his cousin at the top of the rocks

The day after school let out, my friend Mary and I took the boys to Branson.  We did all of the cheesy touristy stuff.  The boys loved the wax museum.

Beam us up, Scotty!

Vegas.  You've already heard about this girls-only trip twice.  It is worth a third mention.  We are still having withdrawals.  We would tell you more, but what happens in Vegas...

Albright, Leslie & Priss with two new friends at New York, New York piano bar

And that sums up my most fun summer moments.

Now it is YOUR turn.

What did you do this summer?

Mrs. Priss

Living summer life to its fullest like...

Do You Know If This Hotel Is Pager Friendly?

If you follow us on Facebook, then you are probably aware of the fact that Mrs. Albright and I took a trip to Vegas with one of my high school girlfriends.  No husbands.  No kids.  Heck yeah!
It was crazy fun. I would tell you all about it, but then I'd have to kill you.
If I didn't leave a bit of mystery, it wouldn't hold all the magic of Vegas, right? I will tell you this - the last time I slept this little was when I had a newborn.
We did manage to get this one very tame picture by a fountain at the Venetian.

We posed for funny pictures.

I won free shots for Mrs. Albright by answering TV theme song trivia.

We made lots of new friends.

Meet the California girls! 

We danced.

And danced.

And danced some more.

We took pictures of people crazier than us.

(We might appear in a few people's videos as well)

I saw one of my favorite bands.

My husband is a tad bit embarrassed that this guy knows me when we visit Vegas.

And I even sang karaoke with another band friend.

* I'm a groupie *

Bohemian Rhapsody, if you must know.

I would show you the hilarious video, but he says if I share it I would be killing his career.

I'm sure he is referring to his performance, not mine.

Mrs. Albright will be posting more about our trip later this week. If she doesn't mention a need for a babysitter, then she is lying. I can't wait to head back to Vegas with these girls next July!

Mrs. Priss
Doing Vegas properly like...

Tips for Surviving a Family Vacation

So I'm planning a quick get away for the family. What happened to the days of throwing a bikini in a bag & hitting the road? Oh I know, 4 kids, a husband, a business & a dog made those days disappear.  I Googled tips on family vacation survival. Here is what I learned:
Take lots of food.   For when kids {and adults} get hungry they get cranky. It's called "hangry" people.

Take time to exercise.  Bwahahahahaha.

Recognize your child's limits.  Hey, forgot to add, "and your husband's limitations".

Take lots of pics of happy memories.

Yes, like this lovely example from last Christmas with my precious children. Such sweet memories.

Embrace technology.

We had to count cows on road trips when I was kid. I don't want to be without my technology on the road. Why not let the kids enjoy a movie, game, app or text while driving countless hours down the road.

Perhaps the most important tip for planning a family vacation is to remember to enjoy the moment. Especially given the technology today. It makes it hard to put down the phone to take a pic, which requires editing, before posting on the 5 different social media sites. Vacay means taking a break from our normal routine to have fun, relax, enjoy the moment. With that said, I need a vacay from my vacay.

xoxo, Mrs. Montgomery Summer Traveling Like...

Going Home

Every once in a while, you gotta go home.
I was born an Okie and have lived in Oklahoma most of my life now.
Texas still feels more like "going home" to me even though my parents haven't lived there in years.

I loaded up my youngest, Jacob, and my mom to head for my sister's house.
And Sophie.
We can't forget Sophie.

I froze in 65 degree weather to watch my nephews play baseball.
I have a ski jacket and two blankets.
No joke.

Then Jacob and I ran off to Dallas to celebrate my adorable nephew turning one.

Jacob told his cousins he was drunk.

Turns out "drunk" and "tummyache" are interchangeable terms.

Met back up with my other nephews, my mom and my sis to see Iron Man 3.
Loved it.

But the next day, we had this.

Jacob found this dead bunny in my sister's yard and laid its stiff body on that patio table.
That's how we do breakfast in Texas.

We rounded out our trip by going to see our Popie, who is in the hospital and not doing so well.

I can't not show you this doctor's portrait from the hospital hallway.
Now that's a Texan for ya.

Jacob and I were exhausted from making the rounds.
This last photo says it all.
My children never sleep in the car.
Well, almost never.

What's it like for you to go home?

~ Mrs. Priss
Still recovering from all of the excitement like...

Connected

We all have friends from different walks of life, but there is always something special about people who knew you way back when.  They know who you were and who you are.


At least once a year, I try to get together with some of these girls to reconnect.  Some of our friends were unable to join us, so... darn... we will need to plan another trip!

Our group usually meets up in our hometown, Fort Worth.  This year, we decided to go to Napa Valley in California and it was deeeeeeelightful!  Kudos to Jen who made all of the arrangements for our trip and even got us some freebies thrown in.

We went to the smaller boutique wineries.  These were really fun because their wines are not available here in Okeelahoma.

Jessup Cellars

Wine tasting sheet at hope & grace

Handwritten (my favorite logo, by the way!)

Medlock Ames sells organic wine

At J Vineyards & Winery we went on a behind the scenes tour.  This is where I figured out why I like wine.  See those brown bags stacked on the left?  That's sugar.  

I like sugar.

J Vineyards & Winery

Besides sampling wines (yes, sampling - not chugging!) we snacked and ate and ate and snacked.  

Well, most of us anyway...

I loved learning what specific foods were paired with which wines.

Napa is a very calm and reserved area, but we still had plenty of time to be silly.

Because - why not?

Maybe next time we will be able to agree on the hotel room temperature.

But, I doubt it.

Fun fact - The 2012 Napa wines are expected to be phenomenal.  Be looking for them when they hit the shelves!

Mrs. Priss

Educated about wine like...