Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween 2008

What a PERFECT night! For the first time in many many years, we stayed in our neighborhood to trick or treat. Being that this was our first holiday in this 'hood, we didn't really know what to expect.

Our friends started arriving around 5pm and we headed out the door around 6:45. This year we had the following cast of characters...

The Gorilla


The Hippie (wearing a vest from when I was a kid)


The USA Cheerleader


The Werewolf


And the sweet little 2 month old Pumpkin


Everyone had a blast and I could have easily taken 8 gillion pictures of them all because I thought their costumes turned out so great!


Fred and Wilma even made a guest appearance. Jeff and I usually dress up, but this was the best we could do this year. It'd actually be a great Christmas card picture - oh, except for the fact that you can't see everyone's face!


And the very best part of the night, the annual tradition of the candy swap. This year's trade was crazy because our neighborhood didn't give out any of the cheap yucky candies.

All of the kids went to bed with bellies full of candy and great great feelings in their hearts. It really was a perfect night.

1,001 Words


HB - your wish is Krob's command. :)

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

1,000 Words


All of my very favorite people.
One of my favorite places.
Drinking our favorite drink!
Perfect weather.
Good laughs.
Ahhhhh-isn't life perfect.

P.S. Thank you Kim Karob for making it come true, even if it is just in pictures.

I LOVE TEXAS


Two more reasons why I love Texas.

On Tour

We were so lucky to get to go out Friday night to see our good friend Fernie play with Jason Mraz at Stubbs. Fernie has been touring all over the world with Jason and we have even been able to watch him play on The Tonight Show and Late Night with David Letterman.

It was our first night out since I was 7 months pregnant with Wyatt - so it was really nice to have a couple of hours with just the two of us. Our dear friend Krob kept the kids - but since we didn't leave to go out until after 10pm, Wyatt was asleep and didn't wake up the whole time we were gone. I think Krob was pretty bummed cause she was hoping to hold him all night! :)

JC and Fernie (and me too) have been friends since high school. It is always SO SO SO good to see him, even if it is just for a very short time.

Fernie is a great example of how a kid can do anything that they put their mind to. Look - this is a boy from ALVIN on tour with another famous musician traveling all over the world. Isn't that incredible???

After seeing a great show and visiting for a while with Fernie, my husband took me out to eat. Well, where does one go in the middle of the night (1am) after drinking a few beers and seeing a rock show - Denny's, of course!! It isn't someplace we normally go, but it was great fun, the food was good and it brought back some great memories!

BHE Carnival

Last Friday night was one of the biggest nights of the year at our public school. It was the annual carnival. Our kids were jazzed about it.

Sam dunking his teacher. Maybe not such a good idea. Good thing that report cards have already come out!!! :) Also pretty good shot by mom, huh?

Once again, E and her friends had a fortune telling booth that had a line the whole night. These kids set-up and run the ONLY kid operated booth. They came up with the idea last year and had to write letters to the PTA and school principal to be able to do it.
S and J had a great time hanging with their friends and M and W hung with JC.
All had a blast and we are already looking forward to next year!

Sixth grade boys look pretty tough, eh?

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Foxy


Tonight we were driving down the road on the way to soccer practice when we spotted a little fuzzball walking in the middle of Robert E. Lee. There were cars behind us and cars ahead of us. The cars coming toward us were kinda slowing down and moving over a little. I stopped. J got out of the car and called for the sweet little dog and the dog ran right up to her and hopped into our car!

We called the number on the tag - it was the vet. They referred us to the owner. Turns out that the sweet little fuzzball belongs to an older man named Bruce. He didn't know that his beloved Foxy had gotten out. She is the sweetest little dog that was SO calm and not scared at all. She just about licked the kids to death and even got into the carseat with my SBW.

After soccer practice we took her home. Of course, the kids wanted to keep her a little bit longer. Bruce met us at the end of the driveway. Then he had to indulge us and let us walk back down the drive so that M could hold her part of the time and J could hold her part of the time. Bruce was extremely thankful. More than you can even know. When we were driving away, he was crying.

Don't Even Think About It.


M got Battleship for his birthday. I was worried that it would be too hard for him and end up being very frustrating. Well - I.WAS.WRONG.

That kid has played more in the last week than I think I've played my whole life. He loves it. The kids love it. We all love it.

And don't you even think about sinking MY battleship!

A Slice of Heaven

A few years ago, our very best neighbor Denise wrote a story for the newspaper about a little diner that has pie happy hour.

I've always wanted to see what it was all about, so yesterday after driving a carload of kids to camp, my friend Rayma and I stopped and indulged ourselves. SBW and I had the chocolate cream pie - it was delicious. Rayma had the German chocolate pie and really liked it.

The place was packed to the gills and you know I was watching people. It seemed like everyone in the place got a slice of pie after they finished their lunch. It was SO so so good. Next time we are near Marble Falls, wanna stop and grab a slice??

Blue Fingers

Some might wonder what I am doing these days to fill up my time. Well, me and SBW, WE.STAY.BUSY. This week we tie dyed shirts for both 5th grade classes and the 6th grade class. Both the 5th and 6th graders were going to camp and had asked if I would help them make shirts again.
Here is the 5th grade.

I didn't get a photo of the 6th grade. I'm bummed.

The kids were all so proud of their shirts. I am so thankful that I had a couple of excellent moms to help me. It was a little more difficult this time with SBW strapped to the front of me. I am happy to report that no part of his body was accidentally dyed along with the shirts! :)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Still Splain-in'

Yes, that's right. I'm still explaining signs to my kids. EVERYDAY there is something. I've decided to start taking the camera with me everywhere I go so that you can get a better picture of what I am dealing with.

This first sign is out in the front of El Arroyo Mexican restaurant. The sign is kinda famous because they change it everyday. Most of the time it is about a current event and pretty witty. This one made me chuckle. I couldn't think for the life of me how to explain it to the kids. 'Yes guys, former President Clinton is a Democrat. And yes, Sarah Palin is a Republican. And they are trying to be funny...ha ha ha...and hey, look over there at the slug bug.'


Now this display was WAY harder to explain because I was trying to help the kids understand that these folks are Democrat and they are pretending that these famous Republicans are dead in a Halloween way. They don't really want them dead, or at least I don't think they do. And you should know, this display is across the street from the school yard where S practices soccer. Why in the world can't they just have a Happy Halloween sign???? (Click photo to zoom in on the 'Elephant Graveyard.'


More to come...

Sunday, October 19, 2008

For the Record

I've NEVER beaten Krob in a hand of cards. NEVER. That is, until tonight.

I'm the one that taught her the dumb game of Heck and I've never been able to beat her. She is the fastest card gal in town, but tonight I took her down.

Going to sleep with a smile on my face - and I don't ever NEED to beat her again. Now I'm gonna start training to beat the the real champion. Val get ready - I'm coming after your title! :)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

2 Months Already


Two month check-up. Holy cow - where has the time gone?

As expected, it was a great report. The not so little baby is already 13lbs 3ozs.

We got three stinky shots. Bleck. Thank goodness JC was with me because I had to go out of the room. It just about ripped my heart in two.

SBW (sweet baby w) is just the tops and loved by everyone in our house more than ice cream.

Everyday Everywhere

Everyday and everywhere. Constantly teaching our kids and learning from them too.

The first amendment is important. I get it. I agree.
Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression.
Ratified 12/15/1791.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


Today is not the day that I wanted to have the first amendment lesson. Not this way. Not this time. Thank you goes out to the man standing in front of our Texas Capitol. Thank you for making every moment a learning moment.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Saved by the Bell

JC and I went to Sam's parent teacher conference today. Up on the overhead were three pieces that Sam has written this year. I felt very proud and overcome with emotion when I was reading the first two. I really had to hold back the tears when I was reading the third one. Thank God the fire alarm went off or else I would have sat in that desk crying my eyeballs out while JC and the teacher looked on wondering if I've finally completely lost it!

September Greenbelt Almanac
By SC
09/05/08
I see an empty creek. Trees to the left and right of me. Ahead, empty woods, behind, empty woods. Everything is empty except the wildlife that surrounds me. I am trapped between a wall of stone and trees. I hear birds everywhere. There are also cicadas.
The are so many shades of green I can't believe it. Light, dark, faded, it's amazing.
Everywhere I look there are bushes. Even sprouting out of the rock, blowing in the breeze. The cool breeze.
Above me soars a hawk. Gliding in circles. But nothing else is in the light blue sky except the bright sun.
I see the only flowers in sight. Yellow ones with about 12 leaves on each stem. There are only 2 bushes of them as far as I can see. They're beautiful.

October Greenbelt
By SC
10/03/08
As I sit, writing this, I hear a bird, it's a crow echoing against the huge rock wall to my back. To my front, a sea of green, all green, nothing but.
As I stand, I stand on a slab of rock, the sun reflecting its yellow rays out of the clear blue sky on it.
Just then, the smooth breeze blew and quietly but at the same time loudly, moved the sea of green, making a hush rustling sound. As if someone had been crumpling paper. It did it again, and again. It is as if that cool breeze is what moves us. What makes us think. I like it.
People are starting to get up and talk which makes me think our time is over. But it never is.


My Dad
By SC
09/08
My dad is the best dad ever. He is 40 years old. His name is Jeff Carr.
My dad plays softball on a team named Cupcakes and Blood. He also coaches my little brother's soccer team and my little sister's basketball team. He still finds time to help my youngest sister and me practice. He is very active.
He's really nice to me. If I need help with anything, he helps me with it. He always plays games with me if he is not too busy. And he's a great cook. My favorite meal he cooks is spaghetti and meat sauce. He always makes jokes and helps me realize thinks I could do better, both in sports and in life. Plus, he always takes all my family on vacations (99.99% of the time it's a road trip) about twice a month.
Once he drove us all the way to California and back. We stopped at The Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam and a few other places of interest too. One time he drove us on Route 66 all the way to Chicago.
My dad is awesome.

The Rain


It rained all day yesterday. I am glad for the rain. I am also glad that the dogs didn't use the bathroom in the house as a result of being inside all day. Trying so hard to remember to be thankful for the little things.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Six

Our baby boy turned six on Sept. 26.
six. Six. SIX!!!!! Oh my - SIX ALREADY.

After a long and tiring day at ACL, we came home and had our traditional family party. The kids were all very excited about the gifts that they gave him. We had a very special family time.

Last Sunday, Oct. 5, we had M's birthday party. Their were 21 kids here - not counting our own. He had a tough time deciding on a theme - so I told him he didn't have to chose just one. He had Cars invitations and a yummy Cars cupcake cake on top of a Spongebob table cloth.

M chose a gigantic Hulk pinata that he probably could have fit in. It seems like it took forever to break it down and get to the candy.

And then there was the Spiderman, Batman, Power Ranger bounce house. M bounced all day - from the moment JC set it up until the time it was taken down. S bounced so much that he had a headache and had to go to bed. Somehow our family always gets our money from the bounce house rental.

All in all, the six year old has had a great coupla weeks. Full of love, birthday hugs, family and friends to celebrate with and oh yeah, don't forget the gifts. What a great great time.