finally...

the tooth fairy made a visit to see colin!

this was his first tooth & unfortunately we didn't even

have a tooth to put under the pillow.

going rate for first tooth is $5.00 around here.

everythings bigger in texas - even the fairys budget.

congratulations colin!

friday

{our new morning routine - august 2008 on teravista parkway}

we survived week one of school.
we are "car riders" for week one & two.
we are sleeping in later than the past two years.
we are loving our new school.
we are getting back into the routine.
we are adjusting to our new schedule.
we are wearing our watches again!
bye summer.
hello school!

thursday

something about baking cookies from scratch...
something a little 'june cleaver' about it...
something about the smell of cookies in the oven...
something about having warm cookies & milk after school...

heres one of our favorite recipes...
double peanut butter cookies
mix together 1/2 c. butter, 1/2 c. peanut butter, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1 egg.
add 1 1/4c flour, 3/4 t. soda, 1/2 t. powder, 1/4 t. salt.
stir in 10 oz. peanut butter chips.
roll into 1 inch balls & criss-cross with sugared fork.
bake 375 for 8 -10 minutes.

quick & easy.
enjoy with your favorite kids after school while hearing all about their exciting day!

wednesdays smiles

{hannah august 2008}

if this doesn't make ya laugh...
i am actually laughing at the fact that my brother ryan is a neat freak and this probably did not make him laugh...
heres to spaghetti faces and hands...
heres to finding moms tube of lipstick and using it everywhere...
heres to sand cakes and mud pies...
heres to sharpie marker paintings on the wall...
heres to chocolate ice cream cones on a hot summer day...
heres to all the good stuff that makes up life...
smile.
laugh.
enjoy.

day one was super...

the sneakers are still white...

the boys are smiling...

the teachers are great...

the classrooms are shiny..

the homework folders are filled...

the lunches are made...

the backpacks are ready...

the outfits are laid out..

the lunches are made...

the sippels are ready for day two!!

first day of school

the traditional first day of school

photo shot on the front step!

heres to a great school year ahead..

go teravista tigers!

last day of summer vacation...

this will lead to ...

this and ...
this and ..

finally this !!

good thing we saw an amys ice cream on the way.

good thing it was 96 and sunny.

good thing we ate our ice cream before the rain drops.

good thing we bought small instead of large.

good thing to explore new places.

good way to spend the last day of summer vacation!

happy birthday victoria

i will not play at tug o'war.

i'd rather play at hug o'war,

where everyone hugs

instead of tugs,

where everyone giggles

and rolls on the rug,

where everyone kisses,

and everyone grins,

and everyone cuddles,

and everyone wins.

- shel silverstein

wishing you birthday hugs and kisses from afar!

happy day!

anticipation friday...

exciting friday in texas.
open house at school.
find your classroom.
meet your teacher night.
load your desk with new school supplies.
see which friends are in your class.
check out the new playground.
say hi to old buddies.
find the cafeteria.
learn which door is drop off & pick up.
count the days till tuesday.
school days are here.

happy 10 !

after nathan made his way thru his intense bedroom decorations,

he found his birthday day pack.

steve and i created 25 different things for nathan to do on this birthday

and we let him plan the day....

serious morning decisions to be made...

he didn't pick get a haircut or paint the house...

he didn't pick take out the trash or cut the grass...

he picked some fun ways to celebrate his day!

#1) cinnamon roll at jungle java for breakfast.
#2 & #3) dollar burgers at mcdonalds and lunch with dad.
#4) shop at target and game stop
#5) go swimming at the pool
#6) ice cream social at the clubhouse
#7) play tennis at the courts
#8) dinner at fridays
#9) sing happy birthday with a brownie cake.

#10) open presents !!

an ipod, a gel case, a matchbox smash it car and ninetendo ds backyard football

topped the list.

target gift cards beware - nathan needs accessories!

happy birthday nathan!

heres to double digits.

heres to a new school year.

heres to a great year ahead.

enjoy your special day!

nate the great minus 10 years

{nathan 1 hour old - sisters hospital - august 21, 1998}

{nathan 1 day old with big brother justin}

i always dig thru the baby pictures on the boys birthday.

i always search until i find the one i'm thinking of.

today these were the two pictures i wanted to find.

colin helped me look through the hope chest.

colin said when we finally found this photo - 'gee mom, you were so young back then.'

not sure i'm going to let colin help again.

happy day.

wednesdays sneak peek

in one of those creative moods tonight...wanted to do something special for nathan...this is the beginning...i'll let y'all know how this plays out...sprinkled 3 bags of confetti on nathans floor...filled his room with balloons...hung a happy birthday sign from his bunk bed...HOPE he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night!

signs of austin

{photos from flicker.com}
"if you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths,

rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success."
-john d. rockefeller

signs & lessons

{six flags amusement park - august 2008}

"you can learn many things from children. how much patience you have, for instance."
— franklin p. jones

monday wishes

sending get well wishes today

someone we love went rollerblading

and fell

and broke her wrist

and is in a cast.

get well soon nan!

fridays notes

{olympic training - august 14, 2008}

normally when we go swimming at the pool, the boys usually play marco polo, water football or pickle in the middle...yesterday, they all practiced their breaststroke, had water relay races and talked about some dude called michael...go usa !

batty thoughts

{if you look closely, you can see the

bats flying out from the 620 bridge - dusk - tuesday night}

batty

The baby bat

Screamed out in fright,

"Turn on the dark,

I'm afraid of the light."

-

by Shel Silverstein

-

can you tell we are reading a light in the attic this week.

can i tell you that i like bats more than mosquitoes.

can you tell that summer vacation is coming to an end.

can i tell you that i'm not ready for school.

can you tell that i love not wearing a watch during the week.

can i tell you that i'm scared how fast time flies.

can you tell i'm reading poetry this week.

can i tell you?

wednesday wishes

{ryan. julie. hannah - spring marathon 2008}
happy anniversary ryan and julie!
heres to a running full life together!

tuesday smiles

kids eat
free

on tuesdays

at pluckers!

what a great reason to gather

together outside on the patio

with the misters going

and the olympics on the big screen !

go world !

go usa !

here comes monday

{colin waiting in a hot summer line to ride the water gulley last week}

here comes

here comes summer,

here comes summer,

chirping robin, budding rose.

here comes summer,

here comes summer,

gentle showers, summer clothes.

here comes summer,

here comes summer -

whoosh - shiver - there it goes.

by shel silverstein

friday flashback

{steve and nathan laughing & getting wet at fiesta texas - august 2008}

Plant impossible gardens.

Look forward to dreams.

Cry during movies.

Swing as high as you can on a swingset, by moonlight.

Cultivate moods.

Do it for love.

Take lots of naps.

Take moonbaths.

Giggle with children.

Listen to old people.

Drive away fear.

Play with everything.

Entertain your inner child.

Build a fort with blankets.

Get wet.

Hug trees.

Write love letters.

-sark

thursdays flags

the boys completed the 'read to succeed' program this spring at school.

upon completion, they each received a pass to six flags fiesta texas.

they expire this saturday.

guess where we are going today?

guess how hot it is today?
guess who got totally soaked by this cute waterfall on the water gully ride?

guess how much fun we had together - all acting like kids?
it was a great day.
no cell phones. no washing machines. no tv.
just laughs.
just hanging together.
in lines. on rides.
getting totally soaked in our clothes seemed to be the theme of the day.
it was fun to feel like a kid for a day.
-

{answers to above: fiesta texas. 102. me}

wednesday

todays motto:
"cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the

sidewalk before it stops snowing”
- phyllis diller

-

three weeks left on summer vacation

the dust bunnies can wait

the not so clean blinds can wait

the spots on the carpet can wait

we've got vacation time to enjoy

now

today

heres to lazy fun no schedule summer days

trump tuesday

we started a game of electronic monopoly last monday when justin left for camp and we are still playing although nathan clearly is the donald trump of the board - please note he is showing us all of his properties in the above picture - colin and i are barely surviving - nothing is more expensive than landing on a piece of property with a hotel - but we are having fun - just playing and building and sitting in jail a little every day - wishing you a day filled with monopoly memories. (notes to self - where is my other foot in this picture? and doesn't nathan look so young in this snapshot?)

happy birthday jim !

wishing you a great day on two wheels !

happy birthday erin

{erin and finn - fall 2007 - photo taken by sil lisa}

happy birthday erin!

may your day be filled with champagne and cake.

wish i could whip up a iphoto show for you!

enjoy your special day.

happy day lars!

happy birthday larson!

wishing you a special day filled with smiles & presents and

candles and cake!

watch your mailbox for a little gift from your austin fan club.

keep smiling.

keep swimming.

keep wishing.

happy day!

mike and sandra celebrate

happy anniversary mike and sandra!

can't believe its been two years.

enjoy each and every day.

now.

today.

happy day!

tgif

my name is carol and i'm hooked on red box.
today we watched 21 and mr. magoriums wonder emporium. (yes, the boys watched 21 and nathans mind has been racing with questions ever since - that kids got a thing with the numbers - he now wants to know exactly whats 'wrong' with counting cards...) we are catching up on our movies. we now can actually participate in current event conversations instead of just smiling and nodding as everyone talks about the latest flics. real simple. real life. the little things. heres to an afternoon movie, popcorn and a couple cute kids to watch them with !