8.31.2009

randomness.
nathans detailed explaination of sarah palin.
had to pay him $ 2.00.
justin lost his id card after 4 days.
later found.
cricket season.
longhorn bud light cans.
jalapenos.
taco shack drive thru.
really?
arriving at school b4 it even opens just to avoid the traffic.
new doorbell.
free starbucks vivanno smoothies.
weekend snow days.
chipotle chips.

8.29.2009

snow day.

love it when the phone rings at 5am.

hasn't happened in a long, long time.

got so many things on the to-do list done.

early morning walks & runs.

new glasses. haircuts. music pieces.

afternoon swims. 3 inch binders.

relaxing & hanging.

a bonus day.

a treat.

the simple things.

8.28.2009

we survived week one.

we made it to school on time everyday.

we lived thru teravista gridlock.

we signed hundreds of forms.

we packed lunches & backpacks.

we started & finished homework.

we are in a new routine.

we are falling into it.

-

guess who has the portable classroom this year?

he's in the club now.

8.25.2009

first day of school.

long hair. short hair. curly hair.

3 boys so alike.

3 boys so different.

3 boys off to start another year.

6th/5th/2nd grade awaits.

heres to an exciting year ahead!

i can't wait to hear how the first day was.

8.24.2009

happy birthday victoria!

may your day be filled with ice skates, hula hoops and

american dolls!

smile!

8.24.2009

one year ago.

last day of summer vacation ice cream.

today.

last day of summer vacation ice cream. traditions. memories. smiles.
frozen treats and chocolate mustaches.
good stuff.
happy 13 years to deanne & kevin today.

3 handsome boys & a picket fence later.

more good stuff to celebrate.

8.23.2009

take one sunny sunday + 105 degrees.

add a church service + brunch.

add a real train + a railroad crossing.

mix in 5 kids + 4 parents.

mix in 1 upgrade + a/c.
and you get one great end of the summer memory!
something new.
something different.
something about the last summer weekend !

8.22.2009

one birthday boy

with many target gift cards in his wallet

decided to buy a little something for his room

and after three different target stores

he found the one he wanted

in stock

on sale

saved 80.00

complete with dvd player, flat screen and remote.

we are so proud that nathan actually spent

his gift cards before his 12th birthday!

finished middle school registration with justin

found his locker

and got his student id card

figured out were all his classes are

only one in a portable

exciting stuff!

an afternoon trip downtown to explore

and people watch and cocktail wait. haha.

papa murphy pizza dinner.

hanging outside.

warm and breezy.

great days are the best when

they just happen!

summer vacation is coming to an end.

enJoy the last couple days without watches,

filofaxs and homework schedules.

8.21.2009

happy birthday nathan!

the big double one today.

can't think of a better way to start your day

than with a texas size donut at round rocks -

complete with candles & chocolate milk.

a couple birthday errands,

an afternoon movie with soda & popcorn,

then off to the pool to cool down.

open house at school

meet your teacher & drop off your supplies

with 1000 other students.

no crowds there!

dinner at a restaurant of your choice.

you picked third base & the cowboys

were playing on the big screen just for you!

back home for cake & ice cream.
presents and cards.
"this was the best birthday ever!"

go figure - it wasn't even your party year!
happy day nathan!
heres to a year of fun & excitement ahead of you.

8.20.2009

lunchbox thoughts here.
back to school stickers here.
school printables here.
bookplates here.
lined paper here.
blank september calendar here.
personalized star war tags here.
cowboys folder stickers here.
time to organize.
time to make mornings just a little easier.
time to get into school mode.
time to sharpen those pencils.
here we go.

8.19.2009

another sign that summer is coming to an end.
barnes & nobles summer reading club.
each boy read 8 books.
each boy received a free book.
nice choices guys.
we're proud of y'all.
we loved finding you curled up in a big
chair reading just because.
we loved having quiet time were
everyone read together in the great room.
we loved all our quick trips to the library
because the book you reserved finally was available.
we loved when you compared books to the
movie version.
we loved that you realized that award
winning books are truly good books.
we loved that you ventured out of your
regular authors and tried some new ones.
we loved that you asked to reserve
wimpy kid #4 already even though
its not due out for months.
we loved that you can spend hours walking around
a library/a book store just looking.
we loved that you realize reading comes in
other forms like the daily newspaper
and magazines.
(yes, we check magazines out of the library - very green)
we hope we have given you one of the
best tools to live/learn/enjoy by -
the joy of reading!

8.18.2009

we are getting ready for school.

first day is next tuesday.

looking forward to routine again.

not looking forward to routine again.
the weather has ever so slightly changed,
one more sign of impending change.

highs 102 -104.
lows 76-78.

it feels heavenly.
sat outside till 11pm.
felt like a florida breeze tonight.
any tropical storms in the gulf?
enjoying the last couple days without
looking at the time & watching the clock all day.
simple stuff.
good stuff.
daily stuff.

8.17.2009

sleeping in.
water parks.
finally being tall enough.
picnic lunches.
lazy river.
wandering thru ikea.
monday night football.
dads world famous cheeseburgers.
monday memories.

8.14.2009

$20.00 friday.

nathan planned the day.

we had a schedule.

which included 7 new goldfish

purchased at petsmart

for 1.44.

and lunch from mcdonalds 6.48
and soda from the gas station 2.54

(because 44 oz only costs 79 cents + tax

and you can serve yourself - so theres no ice in
the cup taking up all the room!)

we also had donuts from round rock 1.65
redbox dvd 1.08
a trip to the dollar store 3.24
spent 1 hour in toys r us 0.00 (honest)
one swim in the pool 0.00
loved how he had scheduled relax time
3.57 leftover
fun memories.

8.13.2009

happy anniversary ryan & julie!

heres to five years, spaghetti filled

pools & baby makes four!

miss ya.

enJoy!

8.13.2009

i had copies of colins disposable camera

wedding pictures made because

he did such a great job.

i had to scrap them before i forgot

the story behind the story.

i had to get this one done.

i had to pick these up from

walgreens today.

-

heres to all the stories
sitting in a shoebox overflowing with pictures.

8.12.2009

on my nightstand.

now.

today.

3 from the library.

all due next week.
watched 17 again with the boys.
school supply shopping continues.
imaginiff ___ is our new favorite game.
playing it daily.
changing the characters.
we like having uncle mike as one of the players.
we always get points with him.
(don't worry mike - its all good!)
sonic happy hour.
new washing machine.
airline tickets & passports.
playing with tucker.
upcoming pta meetings.
wipeout episodes.
today.
now.

8.11.2009

now.

today.
september in review.

wow.

i'm scrapping september 2008.

it's almost september 2009.

idea to self.

scrapbook a little faster.

8.10.2009

took time today to put

colins wedding photos into a book.

nothing better than a wedding thru the eyes

of a seven year old.

his disposable camera.

his angle.

his perspective.

documented the story behind the camera.

good memories.

good stories.

the little stuff don't want to forget.

an everyday memory.

on a journal.

written down.

remembered while it was floating around in my head.

8.9.2009

take one treehouse.

add two families.

and a couple mimosas.

after sunday church.

before a trip to whole foods.

and what do you get?

alot of fun, laughs & smiles!

happy sunday!

8.7.2009

{picture from sarahs blog - wedding photographer}

two weeks ago.

we were here.

time truly flies

the newlyweds have honeymooned

and are on their way south today.

ready to start a winnie the pooh adventure, as mom

would say.

-

we are getting ready for school around here.

went shopping at ikea to get

this house organized.

the boys have such creative ideas

when they are spending mom & dads dollars!

we now are the proud owners of 10 new lego bins,

one wrestling table home & a new homework

chair for nathan.

glad i didn't take them to the container store,

they would of talked me into buying everything.

all three are obsessed with the ikea loft bed -

with the couch, tv chair, desk underneath -

they almost talked me into three of those too!

fun time just walking around with no particular mission.

i often forget the simple pleasure of that.

no list in hand.

no project to finish.

aimlessness is way underrated.

fit some into your weekend!

8.6.2009

{colin at lauren & aarons wedding - july 24, 2009 -

saying the dinner prayer}

just because i don't want to forget the story

behind the story....

on the night of the rehersal party,

colin was anxious about his role as ring bearer.

when the church event was over,

colin started sniffling in the back of the church

with his big watery i'm-not-going-to-cry eyes.

'colin, whats the matter?'

'i just thought i had a bigger role in the wedding'

we reassured colin how important his role was.

'its not even the real rings in the pillow'

well, the best man has to have something to do too we told him.

at the dinner, aaron & lauren asked colin if he would

say a special prayer at the wedding before the dinner.

'of course' he said - eyes wide and big.

(they had no idea about events earlier that evening)

on the way into buffalo the next morning,

colin wrote his special prayer, in his own words.

the temptation to help him was overwhelming,

but we bit our tongue - this was his gig.

when the microphone came his way, he pulled out his own

special prayer & delivered it better

than any jay leno joke.

(i cried.)

"dear jesus,

thank you for this wonderful day. we bless upon you

this special day when aunt lauren & uncle aaron

got married.

we hope you have a good time in south carolina.

we give thanks for our meal tonight

and everybody says amen."

the good stuff that makes up life.

i'll always remember the event.

now i'll remember the details.

the little events.

this is why i blog.

8.5.2009

happy birthday x 2 brother-in-laws today.

aaron and jim.

hirthday wishes going to south carolina &

new york.

enJoy you cake day!

8.4.2009

happy anniversary sandra & mike!

heres to one teddy, one pumpkin hill &

one great couple!

enJoy your special day.

we miss you both!

8.4.2009

{lisa, erin and charlotte - july 25, 2009}

happy birthday erin!

may your day be filled with patios

that don't hold your heel hostage!

happy day to you!

8.4.2009

happy birthday lars!

we hope your day is filled with sand castles,

hula hoops, ice rinks and air rockets.

enJoy!

8.4.2009

{lauren. mom. me - july 24, 2009}

thriller memories.

11 bridesmaids doing the dance.

never even saw the movie.

can't believe my little sister is a married woman.

with a new job.

in a new city.

in a new apartment.

heres to all new things & a moving truck too!

8.3.2009

just a quick update while i'm loading hundreds of july pictures...
oprahs web site is giving away a free downloadable book thru wednesday here.
barnes & noble is giving away 6 free books here as an ipod application.
i just checked out this book from the library - came highly recommended.
enjoying these short stories even though they are from summer 2007.
this health care article will make you think/wonder/infuriate you.
don't forget to print a new bookmarker here.

7.28.2009

the car seems quiet today.

the road seems to never end.

the movie laughs seem to be muffled.

then the surroundings change.

landmarks we recognize.

highways we are familiar with.

landscapes that feel like home.

we count the mile markers.

we watch our speed limits.

we are home.

safe and sound.

the house always smells like fresh paint when we open the door.

air conditioner at home is working.

refridge is completely empty.

bags and suitcases fill the foyer.

the answering machine is blinking with telemarketers.

the mail bag is heavy.

so much fun on vacation

but it still feels great to be home.

nothing like your own bed to fall asleep in.

7.27.2009

memphis or bust.

we made it in record time.

hyatt place is our new favorite.

road house for dinner.

perfect for sleep/shower/breakfast to go.

one more day left on our vacation.

one more 12 hour day of driving.

why does the ride home always seem longer than the ride there?

7.26.2009

sunday morning fun

bob & faith hosted an ice skating party

at the leisureplex

we owned the place some watched from the warm upstairs windows

and some enjoyed a cold view from ground level.

the austin sippels came a little underdressed
in shorts and tee shirts

but made it on the ice with alot of help!

fun stuff

followed by a brunch at the beach

under the tents.

31 sippels together for the last day

1 family at a time said their goodbyes today.

the texas sippels first to part

we'll meet y'all back on the beach

next summer.

heres to a years worth of laughs,

love & memories crammed into 2 weeks.

heres to future sippel stories, hundreds of pictures

and forever memories.

see you all soon.

off to see the newlyweds

and say more goodbyes

under salvatores chandelier

dinner on decks & a drive thru at mightys

sweet dreams family

we'll see y'all soon.

7.25.2009

our celebration week continues.

as one couple starts their married life together yesterday,

another couple celebrates 50 years together today.

bob and faith renewed their vows at crescent beach

surrounded by family & friends.

no celebration would be complete

without the kiss
or the cake!

happy anniversary.
celebrated in the true sippel home
where we all return to each summer

to relive sippel stories

to hear childhood memories

to gather around the table

to share together as a family

to make our own stories

in classic nathan thought

"we wouldn't be here today if poppa

never married grandma - ponder that"

good stuff.

great celebration.

delicious food.

a couple raindrops.

a family picture on the steps.

enJoy the simple pleasures together.

7.24.2009

the big day is here.

aren't they stunning together.

nothing like a romantic wedding
on a beautiful day

filled with blue eyed flower girls
and blue bridesmaid dresses
with wedding updos from studio m

the wedding was at 2

the church reception at 3
the limo bus at 4:30
the pictures at 5
the dinner reception at 6

colins prayer at 7
(he wrote it all by himself &

was a natural with a mic)

the dancing was till 11:30
complete with the bride and groom dance.
did they take lessons?
they must have been practicing.
1 bride and 10 bridesmaids doing the thriller dance.

i pray its not on youtube somewhere.

lots of love.

congratulations on such a beautiful day.

heres to the memories of a lifetime together.

love always.

7.23.2009

happy birthday conor!

we celebrated with cake. presents. pinata.

surfs up and a couple raindrops!

happy day.

wedding rehearsal tonight.

colin loved his special lego kit from lauren & aaron.

aaron & lauren had such a beautiful night.

can't believe tomorrows the big day.

too excited to sleep.

lots of stuff to pack for the city.

colin was sad that the ring bearer didn't have more to do.

he now has a special role.

will have to wait till tomorrow to hear what it is.

happy thursday.