6.21.2009

happy fathers day.

a surprise gift for you and the dads on the path.

fathers day golf at 8:30am.

doesn't get any better than this.

too bad the guys had too much 'sun' today.

one of the hazzards of the big texas sun.

thanks to all who made this special day happen ;)

6.21.2009

happy fathers day dad!

to the dad who actually carried 4 dozen

chicken wings from buffalo to austin.

fresh & hot.

from anchor bar.

on a small plane.

with real people sitting next to him.

with a vinchet cake in the other hand.

honest story.

now if thats not love.

thanks dad for all the big things

and little things you do for us all

everyday.

enJoy your special day.

6.20.2009

happy birthday justin!

can't believe you are 12 years old!

special day at the old settlers water park.

lunch at sonic with the hudsons.

mint chocolate chip ice cream & a candle tonight.

hand selected birthday treats from all.
your brothers even wrapped your gifts this year!

zoo tycoon for ds from mom & dad.

nerf football & wrestling mini figures from your brothers.

three new cool shirts from the hudsons.

and a saturday 'off' from cutting the grass from dad.

a special day.

a special dude.

enJoy.

6.19.2009

our week long monopoly championship ended today.

heres the final board.

guess who won?

guess who was sitting on the left?

nathan 'trump' sippel.

as always.

he ALWAYS wins at monopoly.

always.

this week was no exception.

way to go nathan!

can't wait to see what game justin picks next week.

6.17.2009

to do list:
print this for sunday.
pick up this book at the library.
bake this if i didn't have a to-do list.
reading this article.
just finished this book.
looking thru this list for my next read.
printing this to keep me organized.
happy anniversary to sarah & troy today.
internet fun today.
making lists today.
round rock donuts today.
swimming games today.
monopoly fun today.
100 degrees today.

6.15.2009

hello monday.

suitcases to unpack.

emails to reply to.

laundry to fold.

tin foil people to mold.

(thanks nate for sharing with us)

journals to write in.

books to read.

pools to swim in.

routines to love.

6.14.2009

uneventful flight home.

sunday afternoon at carlos & charlie.

dip. chips and cokes.

finished our uno championship tonight.

guess who won?

bye uno.

hello electronic monopoly.

6.13.2009

happy birthday lauren!

happy shower lauren!

happy day lauren!

today was filled with bridal shower games,

courtship tales, family and friends,

birthday songs, bridal blushes, cheeseburgers

on the grill and lots of laughs.

heres to moms dance, hannahs bounce house,

teddys tail and gps.

heres to answering 8 of of 15 correctly.

heres to a lilly day & father of the bride night.

enJoy.

6.12.2009

this smile was worth 2 delays & a quick

airport run only to be delayed again!

travel nightmares are forgotten

when you get to sit next to hannah

at brennans and nibble on carrot sticks

and lemon wedges together!

thank you for knowing my name and wearing

your cutest pigtails for me.

thank you for showing me your pedicure

and coloring tinkerbell.

i can't believe how big you are getting!!

your smile is priceless.

6.12.2009

{noah - last day of school - june 3, 2009}

happy birthday noah!

can't believe you are six years old.

enjoy your special day.

can't wait to celebrate with you tomorrow.

6.11.2009

what to do on a thursday nite.

bring in all the patio furniture.

pull the cars as far as you can into the garage.

grab your camera and look up.

hang out with the path & watch the clouds roar in.

be safe and go to your safe room &

ride out the storm.
no hail for us.
no tornado for us.
lots of lightening.
lots of rain.
all in the blink of an eye.
time to put everything back in its place.
better safe than sorry.
thank you for keeping us safe.

6.11.2009

from here...

to here....

a celebration of invitations.
hand delivered to the post office.
today.
6 weeks to go.
its official now.
watch your mailbox.
mail your response.
the countdown is on!
happy day to laur & aaron.
ps. still need a couple more addresses.

6.10.2009

happy birthday uncle mike!

two out of three nephews want to be a lego engineer.

hence your special message.

from our lego house to yours.

wishing you a special day filled with only blue

frosting cakes, no clowns of any kind and an

on-call night with no calls!

happy day.

wait till you see what the boys bought you

for your birthday....

a true nephew to uncle gift !

6.9.2009

heres to a little up in your life today.

we saw it in 3-D.

we laughed.

we cried.

we wore our cool glasses.

we loved the story.

we loved the plot.

we loved the message.

even colin got it.

good stuff.

the daily memories.

the simple times are the best times.

daily journal continues.

uno championship continues.

6.8.2009

monday fun.

library visits.

round rock donuts.

uno championship underway.

daily journal.

daily puzzle.

evening swims.

evening walks.

get smart lines.

stuff summer vacation is made of.

6.5.2009

love to see the boys just read.

not because they have to.

schools over.

not because i make them.

just because they love to.

our front room is a cozy reading room.

filled with books, sun and an oversized chair.

the perfect spot to hide from the world

and get lost in a good book.

we are on day two of summer vacation.

join us & the barnes & noble book club here.

heres to dragging a great book around all summer.

6.4.2009

{steve. tom & stephanie - july 2008}

happy birthday stephanie!

birthday wishes from austin to mass.

enjoy your special day!

6.4.2009

summer vacation.

day one.

rough life.

swimming & tanning.

ice cream & cookies.

lemonade & watermelon.

othello & movies.

journals & lists.

word searches & bible verses.

sunny & ninety.

cocktails & the domain.

sunsets & strolls.

bring it on.

summer we are ready for you.

6.3.2009

{rockstar spring dance - april 2009}

a day of celebrations!

congratulations sarah!

we are so excited for you!

6.3.2009

{nathan & ms. heine at awards ceremony yesterday}

thank you ms. heine for a great 4th grade.

i learned alot and had a fun time being your

student.

i promise to stop and visit you next year.

sincerely,

nathan

6.3.2009

good bye hugs.

good bye smiles.
thanks for a great year ms. morgan.
we'll miss ya!

6.3.2009

the farewell walk at teravista.

all grades. all students. all teachers. tons of parents.

we lined the halls.

we held our hands out.

we high-fived the graduating class as they walked by.

the pictures don't do it justice.

it was an exciting event.

it was a great way to end the school day and

school year.

smile!

6.3.2009

mrs. willis' 5th grade graduation class.

justin is actually smiling today.

you've worked so hard this year.

we never had to ask you to do your homework.

you always went above & beyond.

you lived in your jean shorts & ecko sneakers.

don't forget the hoodies - even when it was 90.

your hair changed &

your backpack changed.

did we ever blog that story?

your tags included A honor roll gold. safety patrol.

field day. tiger pride.

a surprised us with a special award.

too bad i already put my camera away - sorry.

your day was filled with kickball games, ice cream

sundaes & school walk with all the students cheering

you on.

what a kleenex kinda day.

just like the day we brought you home from the hospital.

just like your first day of nursery school.

just like your first day of kindergarten.

just like your first day on a school bus.

just like your visit to the hospital for stitches.

just like your first overnight summer camp.

just like your first trip to buy gaterade.

just like your first day with a cell phone.

we are so proud of you.

congratulations justin!

may your day be filled with bluebell mint chocolate

chip ice cream & milk duds!

6.3.2009

firsts & lasts.
starts & finishes.

tears & kleenex.

looking back & looking ahead.

a day of celebrations & a year of memories.

-

this is now.

today.

this was then.
first day of school - august 26, 2008.

6.2.2009

dress rehersal.

self made costumes.

cheese puff lives on.

colin left his smile in his backpack today.

must be sad because school is almost over.

6.1.2009

mondays to do list:

many things to do.

too many things to do.

meetings at work.

invitations to calligraphy.

birthday parties to attend.

homework to complete.

parties to prepare for.

graduation ceremony to cry at.

teacher gifts to purchase.

last day of school pictures to take.

school year binders to finish.

all good stuff.

enJoy.

-

todays blog story is compliments of nathan.

drop nathan off at tylers party at main event.

nathans coach is bill - tylers dad.

return to pick up nathan.

he & matt are chatting with coach.

longhorn or aggie fan they ask him.

longhorn.

the boys disappear.

the boys reappear 5 minutes later with a smile on their faces.

surprise - they combined their "arcade token points"

from the birthday party and bought coach

a longhorn stuffed foam finger.

no candy or toys for themselves.

moral of the story.

just when you think you know your children,

they go and do something above & beyond.

something that makes you smile.

something that just touches you.

something that makes it worth the journey.

something that keeps you going.

its the little things that are big.

its the daily things that are big.

heres to your daily story.

5.31.209

weekend review.

football playoffs for justin & nathan.

coach bill and the steelers pulled off a big win.

finally and much deserved!

heres nathan calculating his next play.

"what would tom brady do?"

nathan doing his statue of liberty impression?
season ending smile.
pressures off for awhile.

football party for nates team on the patio at brooklyn pie pizza.

all photos taken by ms julie culley - team photographer.

thank you for sharing weekly & every season.

post season football party for colin at coach carls house.

thank you troy & sarah for taking colin.

coach carl name for curly colin was "sippel" & he loved it.

'now sippel line them up'

we were so blessed with 3 amazing coaches this season.

-

outdoor water balloons on the path.

hot dogs on the grill.

early morning swims.

justins lawn mowing service.

late cocktails on the patio.

still able to enjoy the outdoors - not too hot yet.

evening walks.

preparing for the last 3 days of school.

parties galore this week.

heres to a week filled with graduates, sugar & excitement!

keep that party hat on.

charge the camera.

go.

5.29.2009

justins team party.

practice first.

water balloons.

5 large pizzas.

shade from one tree.
a couple chairs & paper plates.

one longhaired player.

perfect end to a great season.

go broncos.

good luck tomorrow.

5.28.2009

congratulations nathan!

100 on the math TAKS test.

the motivating prize: a 6 pack of soda & 1 bag of snacks.

cheap reward if you ask me.

i think justin getting a 100 was your motivator.

nathans last football practice tonight.

playoffs saturday.

gonna miss those thursday night social hours in the evening sun.

i can tell you are already thinking about the game.

your pace. your eyes. your quarterback arm.

go steelers.

side notes.

justin finally went back to school today.

only 4 more days of school left.

sunny and beautiful - low 90's.

evening dinners on the patio.

meetings.

finished reading water for elephants.

finished reading 90 minutes in heaven.

just started the senators wife.

lots of parties in the next couple days.

football parties.

birthday parties.

graduation parties.

pizza parties.

our party hats are back on!

5.27.2009

colins last award ceremony was this morning at school...nothing like a silly class picture after...here the are on the stairs with ms. morgan flashing gums, grins and bunny ears!
-

justin is sick again with the flu...nothing is worse than watching your child get sick and not being about to do anything about it...nothing is worse than hearing your 11 year old get sick and upset because he is missing the extra 20 minute recess his class earned for today...nothing is worse than wondering why your children keep getting sick & why they are so upset about missing school...heres to healthier days ahead.

-

steve and i watched taken tonight...suspense...we did not fall asleep during this one.

5.26.2009

top ten on memorial day:

#1) sleeping in and sleep overs

#2) rudys breakfast tacos

#3) swimming at 10am because its already HOT

#4) one dozen donuts devoured at the pool
#5) swimsuit shopping for boys
#6) outdoor lunch treats

#7) 15 minutes in the dollar store
#8) movie time

#9) indoor bbq party with hot dogs & lemonade

#10) spending time with family and friends!

5.22.2009

{colin and nathan - february 2009 - state capital

looks a little di vinci code backgroundish}

colin got the flu again.
at 3am.
cried because he couldn't go to school.
cried because he was going to miss field day.
cried because he was going to miss market day.
cried on the bathroom floor.
talk about feeling helpless.
cleaned up the boy. sheets. floor. pillow.
made up answers to get him back to bed.
colin got the flu again.
at 5 am.
no more tears.
knew reality.
knew there was no chance at going to school.
knew there was no reason to keep the alarm clock set.
-
nate at the breakfast table, hears the details of the nights events.
anxious to make everyone happy.
volunteers to go to market day.
shop for colin.
will spend his hard earned money.
talks to colins teacher.
makes arrangements.
eats lunch fast.
throws on his nate cape.
saves the day.
spends the money.
purchases 8 treats.
proudly delivers to colin.
-
good stuff.
thanks nate.
nice job on the math taks nate.
cant believe you waited till today.
to share with us.
-
must be nice up there.
love your world nate.
thank you super -nate.

5.21.2009

last 10 movies i saw...

the curious case of benjamin button (loved it)
seven pounds (loved it)
greys garden (liked it)
sweet home alabama (loved it)
the wrestler (not for me)
nothing but the truth (good suspense movie)
bride wars (cute chick flick)
slumdog millionaire (loved it)
doubt (ok)
yes man (love jim carey movies)
17 again (the boys wanted to see -cute)

looking forward to night at the museum part 2 this weekend...

love having a redbox up the street.
$1.00 treats everyday.
free on mondays.
real simple stuff.
go now.
get lost in a movie.
laugh. cry. make you think.
dream. enjoy. love.
grab some popcorn & the remote.
heres to a good movie!

5.20.2009

5 scary things today:

• nathan knew who KISS was but not rod stewart on american idol tonite
• justin got invited to a swimming birthday party of the opposite sex.
• colin is 7 going on 12.
• the birds are trying to make a nest in our dryer vent.
• 9 days till summer vacation.