8.31.2016

look what arrived in todays mail for me !

really ?

i am not old enough to receive such invitations.

ha !

(no, i did not join - i'll let steve join next month)

8.31.2016

guess who is on her way home ?!

all dressed in pink.

wonder who got that outfit for you ?

love the bow.

love the sweater.

love the ruffle socks.

love the sleeping face.

love the dreaming girl.

love the little hands.

love ya savannah !

8.29.2016

do you notice something exciting in the above photo?

savannah's feeding tube is out !!

one small tube out,

one huge step for savannah !

8.28.2016

weekend recap:

picked up nate new glasses.

sports clip haircuts.

the rock for lunch.

watching american crime on netflix.

preseason football.

brunch at z'tejas downtown with all 4 of my guys.

pickups and dropoffs at UT.

papa murphy pizza.

school supply shopping.

weekend days just fly by !
-
quote of the year:
"the lady had a large"

8.28.2016

football season is around the corner.

the sippel household is ready!

my new favorite commercial to honor the upcoming season.

8.27.2016

look who graduated to a crib this week.

love the hat.

wondering who knitted it?

i bet it was someone we know !

-

aren't baby photos so precious?

way better than looking at photos of teenage boys !

8.27.2016

meet the class of 2020: horns up night class photo.

can you spot justin?

hint: look for tall tony!

8.27.2016

class of 2020 poster.

i am feeling a charge card purchase soon.

gotta decorate the dorm room !

8.26.2016

i have found a new project for my brother mike !

i can see it already in his backyard.

start now mike -

it will be the perfect christmas present for the boys.

check out the story here.

8.26.2016

guess who came home today for the weekend?

one lands end tote full of laundry in tow.

one trip to HEB to stock up on food.

one recap of week one classes/professors/food.

one photo from freshman welcome night.

more UT updates to follow.

8.26.2016

four pounds & seven ounces -

all wrapped up and topped with a bow !

8.25.2016

my new favorite commercial.

remember, i only watch tv for the commercials.

8.25.2016

catching butterflies !

8.24.2016

precious !

check out savannah's finger hold !

does it get any better than this ?

8.24.2016

faiths goulash for dinner tonight.

one day this past spring, 

steve casually mentioned we never have goulash for dinner.

can you get goulash for take-out?

-

fast forward, 6 months later...

goulash for dinner.

we have a winner !

a new family dinner and it couldn't be any easier.

-

saute one onion.

add 1 pound ground beef.

drain grease.

add 1 jar prego spaghetti sauce.

add 1/2 cup of rice - cooked.

simmer.

toss into greased casserole dish.

top with parmesan cheese.

top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

bake at 350 till cheese melted.

serve hot.

8.24.2016

no words needed !

8.23.2016

first day of school for nathan & colin.

first solo drive for nathan.

wow - the house was so quiet today !

- 

an interview with colin after school:

mom: "how was nathan as a driver?"

colin: "good, safe and a little choppy."

ha

8.22.2016

happy last day of summer vacation.

set the alarm for 6am.

left the house at 630am.

off the the texas DMV.

this is not my first rodeo with having a teenager get his license.

i am so smart.

i am going to get there 45 minutes BEFORE they open at 730am.

ha - i am going to beat the system.

-

what ?

why are there all these cars in the parking lot at 645am?

must be employees.

ha.

we arrived.

we walked to the end of the line.

we passed at least 100 people.

some had chairs and coolers.

honest.

half way down the line, i asked what time did you get here?

5am they replied.

so much for beating the system.

i can not even see the building from where i stand.

-

at end of line.

at least its not raining.

at least its not 100 degrees.

at least i brought jane eyre book.

- 

737am checked in.

ok - we are making progress.

the board says our wait time is 30 minutes.

ok - this is good.

-

830am.

the board says our wait time is 43 minutes.

this is not working out the way i thought.

-

850am.

i am now going to stop watching the board.

-

930am.

our number is called.

-

945am.

we officially have a drivers license !

yeah - that was easy.

off to call the insurance company.

8.21.2016

happy 18th birthday nathan !

can't believe you are 18 years old.

how did that happen?

wishing you a year of save driving, fun senior days at school

 & lots of lays potato chips !

here's to a guy who loves current news, world history &

espn !

and remember, when you come to a fork in the road -

go straightish !

8.20.2016

guess who passed their drivers test today ?

watch out texas - another sippel on the highways !

congratulations nathan !

nothing like passing on the day before your permit expired.

safe driving dude!

8.20.2016

busy saturday morning.

tony moved into the dorm room.

the beds have been lifted.

the morning newspaper has been read.

brunch at the rock with a special guest.

and its only 1pm !

8.20.2016

one four pound savannah taco wrap please !

8.19.2016

making progress on the photo album/project life ...

i skipped all of 2015 but i did print the pictures for 2015.

i skipped january 1 - thru july 8th, 2016 but i did print the pictures.

i started on july 9th - the annual family vacation!

stay tuned !

8.19.2106

and the day has finally arrived.

the big move in.

i've only had 19 years to prepare for this day

and i still wasn't ready.

the car is packed.

the dorm number assigned.

the loads back and forth to the van.

the shark curtain is up.

the bed is made.

the longhorn in the lobby.

i can't believe we have to leave him behind !

it's an exciting day.

it's a bittersweet day.

i managed to save all the tears for the ride home.

i am so excited for you to start your next journey justin !

i'll try not to text you every hour for the next 4 years !

-

"day 4 - we finally ran out of water"

colins quote as we survived the long and painful departure

from the parking garage.

it took us longer to get out of the garage than to unload, setup

and say goodbye to justin!

8.19.2016

sweet savannah dream smiles !

great picture to start the day !

8.18.2016

no words needed.

tomorrow is the big move in day.

i am excited.

i am sad.

i am a mom !