Christmas 2008

Good-bye Kaki dog

My sweet dog, Kaki, passed away Christmas night. It was a hard night, but I am okay. I will miss him, but I know he is not in anymore pain. We were together for 12 years and we had some great times.

~~~Christmas 2007~~~

It was 12 years ago that I visited my friend David in New York. I spent a week with him and his little dachshund, Danny, and I knew that when I got home I would need my own little dachshund. I remember driving down to Buda to pick up him up. He was the smallest of the litter and just so tiny and cute. Kaki was a great dog. I had big plans for us. I was going to get him a girlfriend and name her Felicia, but that didn't happen. It was just him and me for years before I got married. He was always by my side, he snuggled with me in bed at night and he loved to ride in the car. After I got married we moved and he adjusted well to having to share me. Then I had Jesse and he handled that well too. It was when I had Michael that his age started to show. He was starting to get a little grumpy in his old age. Jesse was a little rowdy for him and I knew it would get worse as Michael got older, so Kaki went to live with OMA. Of course I missed him, but he loved it there, he had the other dogs to keep him company and OMA spoiled him.

I am thankful that I was able to spend some time with Kaki on Christmas Eve and we spend an afternoon together a few weeks before that.

Highlights.....November

Getting closer......here is November in pictures.

Sierra was on the dance team at school this year. Isn't she just beautiful? I look at her and can't believe that she is already so grown up. Where does the time go? They all grow up so fast!

Yea Me! Turns out I am kinda smart. I finally got serious and went back to school and took care of business. I am finally taking education classes, so school is now actually interesting and fun. So now I have straight A's on my transcript, made the Dean's List, and I am now a member of Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society!

My monkeys, just hangin' around. They have been in gymnastics for over 4 months and they absolutely LOVE it!

Me and My Sweetie celebrating 8 years!

The boys were excited that we finally got to carve the pumpkin, even though it was the middle of November. Like the pumpkin patch, it was so hard to pick just one picture of them to share. They were so cute. Jesse refused to touch the yucky insides, but Michael had no problem getting all messy.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Highlights.....October

Eventually I will be caught up. Here is a look at all the fun we had in October.

We started the month with another birthday. My oldest angel baby turned 5. He wanted to celebrate some place different this year, so we had a gymnastics party. He loved it, just look at that smile!

He decided he wanted a Star Wars/Darth Vader themed party, so everything was, even his cake.

Liz shook up our monthly bunco with an 80s theme. We all did our part to try to revive the fads that made the 80s so awesome. Of course, most of these gals were only babies back then, but don't they look great. Bunco was so much fun and it brought back some wonderful memories! I LOVED the 80s!

sdrawkcaB night at Awana.

A day at the pumpkin patch trying to pick out the perfect pumpkin. It was hard to choose just one picture to share for this outing. They were so cute and so cooperative letting me just snap away.

My Dalmation and My Darth!

And finally, our BIG news for the month.....we are homeowners again!

Highlights.....September

September was just as busy. Here are just a few pictures:

Septemeber 1st, Labor Day, we caught the last Express Game of the season with Uncle Chad. It started at noon and was over by 2, the fastest game ever I think. Needless to say, it was HOT.

After the game the boys got to run the bases. Daddy and Uncle Chad did too.

Our Friday nights were spent cheering on the Warriors. For the last 7 football seasons we have spent most Thursday/Friday nights watching our girls cheer at the Warrior football games. Our cheerleader, Breann, is a senior this year.

Two of my sweet friends, Tina and Missy, have said great things about Hey Cupcake on Congress. I don't get down south very often, so I have been waiting for the chance to try one. I was so excited when the boys and I had to travel down to pick up Breann's senior pictures. Then we got there and it was closed. So disappointed. We still have not made it back to get our cupcakes.

The boys started Awana this year at church. Every week for a couple of hours they get to spend time with their little friends having fun playing games and doing crafts while learning scripture and bible lessons. They have fun theme nights throughout the year. This was goofy glasses night.

Spa Day with the girls! It was heavenly!

Highlights.....August

It has been awhile, hasn't it? Did you get the email or just check the blog hoping there would FINALLY be some thing new and exciting?

Well.....SURPRISE!

It has been a busy four months, that's right, four months. Can you believe it? It has been busy, so I'm going to back track just a little bit and share, in pictures, some of what has been going on around here.

Highlights from August:

Wesley, Sharon and Tasha came to visit from New Zealand. It was the first time Wesley had been home since he left in 2001. It was a wonderful visit and my Grandmother was so very, very happy to see him and his family.

My sweet baby boy turned 3! I can't even believe that he is already 3, it seems just like yesterday I found out that the Lord blessed us with our second miracle baby. We celebrated at home with family.....

and at Chuck E. Cheese with friends.....

We took the boys to the circus for the very first time and they LOVED it! I don't know how high Bello was, but the boys were on the edge of their seats and couldn't take their eyes off him, or the elephants, or the tigers, or the horses, or the acrobats, or the tightrope walkers. It was a great night. And we have the $20 light up swords to prove it!

I just loved this picture of the boys looking up at Bello.

Graduation day for Jesse. Isn't he just so stinkin' cute? Moving up to the 5 year old class.

First Day of School--2008--Same school, new teachers

And finally, the books. These are the books for the 15 hours that I took this semester. Trying to balance family and school was a challenge, but we all survived.

My blog was neglected, but I'm back.

The Lunch Club

You know we all got to eat and I am always looking for ways to add spice and variety to our meals and at the same time keep it simple and cut down on the time I actually have to spend in the kitchen. I love Pampered Chef. I recently discovered Tastefully Simple.

But today, today was the beginning of The Lunch Club at

I was not alone. I took 3 very special ladies with me.

We sacrificed a couple of hours this afternoon, not for detention, but for preparing meals for our families. It'd be crazy to write an essay about who we think we are. You see us how you want to see us, but what we found out is that each one of us is.......

a cleaner, an organizer, a provider of beverages, and a photographer

Sincerely,

The Lunch Club

PS. I had a blast with you ladies! I can't wait to see what we cook up next month!

Gone. Forever.

This is the old $1.00 (okay, $1.50) movie theater. I spent many, many afternoons and nights, during my teenage years, out with friends at this movie theater. It has probably been closed down now for, I don't know, 10 years or so. I was sad when it closed down, but it was still there. I mean, there was at least a possiblity that maybe someday it would open up again, right? I have driven past it for years and been reminded of some great times there. I didn't even really realize just how much that empty old building meant to me, until the unthinkable happened.

That's right, they are tearing it down. I guess they should really. It has been 10 years already. It is just so final and it is gone, Forever.

Road Trip

Last night my sweetie and I, along with a few Bowmans, took a road trip down to Gruene.



















This is where we ended up...The Oldest Dance Hall in Texas

This is who we went to see...

RECKLESS KELLY!

Yep, my absolute favorite hick rock band. They have a new album and a #1 song, Ragged As The Road on the Texas Music Chart and they are just Rockin'. Love 'Em. I was actually able to get close enough to snap some pictures of the boys, Cody, Willy, Jay and David (Jimmy was on the other side of the stage). It was an AWESOME, awesome show. Can't wait for September!

Cody & Willy

David

Jay

Cody & Willy

Staying Cool at the Pool

We have hit the pool almost everyday this summer.

Turns out these boys LOVE the water.

As I've said before, beside the fact that I must wear a swimsuit (must stop going to Baskin Robbins) I love it too! It really gets some of their energy out and since it has been in the triple digits, it is a great way to stay cool! It's win-win-win.

31 flavors?

Michael spotted the Baskin Robbins coupons that came in the mail and he MADE me take him and Jesse to get some ice cream. Yummy! Who needs 31 flavors? Jesse always gets chocolate and Michael loves sherbert!

Haircuts with Grandpa

Grandpa treated the boys to haircuts and lunch at McDonald's today. They just look like little men when they get their haircut. Just so handsome. You can see their eyes and the sideburns are not looking like the 1970's. It was not that long ago that every time we went to get a haircut there were tears a flowin', but now they just hop up in the chair and get it done. I came really close to buzzing them, like daddy, but all the grandmas said NO, ABSOLUTELY NO! Maybe next summer??

awake

It is the middle of the night and I can't sleep. That never, NEVER happens to me. I guess I have been up now for about 2 hours and I am pretty much wide awake. I know that I will be sorry in the morning when the kids are up and running around and I will be exhausted. I should be doing homework or something. Maybe I will read, that usually works. Seriously, look down there at the time. It is 4:21 AM. I swear. I went to bed at 9:45 which is quite normal for me any night, even Friday night. But I was up at 2:22 and here I am--blogging. Crazy! Okay, I really should at least lay down and try to get some sleep. Good Night!

My Guys

*******************************************

********************************************

Lunch Date

We FINALLY went to have lunch with Tita today. We just don't get to see enough of this sweet lady. Look at those smiles. They just love her so much! I enjoy our visits too. Although they are usually, okay always, too short.

These are a few of my favorite pics from the day--UT Tower, Turtles & Lily Pad Flower at the Turtle pond on campus.