Christmas Time

This year we stayed off the roads and home for the holidays. Gotta say it was a nice treat. The week leading up to this fabulous holiday was an interesting one. Miranda managed to poke herself in the cornea, tearing it enough that a day through school wasn't an option. Off to the doctor and then a specialist...he said it wasn't all that bad. Does that mean we don't have to pay? JK I came down with a sinus infection (my first in quite some time). Then Shawn managed to partake in a McRib sandwich. The gout had something to say about that. Abby was a great little helper to us all. Miranda couldn't see, I couldn't smell, and Shawn couldn't walk. Good thing we didn't have a fire!

Every year Santa brings the girls new pajamas. This is to let them know he's in the neighborhood and it's time for bedtime. Off to bed...or at least we thought so, when Santa was a few steps from delivering all the packages under the tree, then here comes Abby. Apparently, Miranda was taking up too much room in her bed. That was close! Santa did his round and we caught him on the camera. Check it out in the Animoto video. Quite impressive!

It was fun to celebrate with Dianne, Shawn's mom this year. Sharing Christmas morning with kids is a treat (at least in my book). We are thankful for all the thoughtfulness that surrounds us each and every day!

So Thankful

Again this year we get visitors, Yeah!!! My mom and stepdad, Steve drove down from Kansas City. Klaus was delighted & surprised they brought along their black lab, Rowdy. We enjoyed being able to lounge around the house, ate a great feast on Thursday that continued on through the weekend. Friday we went out to dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant. Gosh we love that place. We packed a lunch and spent the day at the park with the dogs. The dogs loved being able to swim in the lake. We played games, watched movies, and of course, took naps. It's nice to live out in the 'hill country' so that our guests can come and relax.

Happy Halloweenie!

Every year we get together with our friends Jenny and John to trick-or-treat in their neighborhood. Abby was a 'Witchy Kitty' that half way into the journey shed her witch hat w/ green braided headband. Then it was the mask. Comfort is what I say too. Miranda on the other hand was so stuffed with balloons that she was waddling all over the place. Quite funny. She hung with Maile (3yrs old). I said to "Miranda it's nice that you are going door-to-door with Maile". She said, "She waits for me". So slow and slower went together while Abby and Emma (11 yrs old) ran from house to house. This year was great because it was one big circle and on the final stretch the girls were both ready to be done. We checked out the loot and both girls crashed on the drive home. We missed Shawn going with us. His good buddy John was in from Boston and so they were partying it up together.

Time to Get Caught Up!

So let's see here...school started and is half over now. Miranda is really enjoying 5th grade and learning a lot about people, teachers, and friends. She is such a determined kid do right and be a great student. Everyday we drive in and out of Cedar Park which is about 20 minutes away to take her to school. Social Studies and Science are her least favorite subjects. She enjoys Reading and Math a whole lot more but recess is her favorite. That's a given, right? That along with lunch.
This is Miranda's 9th season playing soccer. She's a very fast right wing forward. My proudest moment this season was sitting on the sideline opposite of her during a game. I watched as she blazed down line dribbling the ball and counted how many girls she passed. Thought to myself 'Is anyone going to catch her?' Her nickname is 'speedy'...funny her coach's last name is Gonzalez (hehe)! She's got the pull move down and Shawn has been encouraging her to add a new move into her game plan. Well just this week while walking through a practice, I got to see her new move. She's again blazing down the line while a team mate in front of her pretending like they are the opposing team. She pulls out this zigzag move. Her coach is beaming in aw...'did you see that?' 'that's what I'm talking about' As we all know she likes to be in the spotlight...oh our little red making us proud again and again.

Our Family Trip to Hutchinson, KS

We had the opportunity to drive back to Hutchinson for a little business (meeting a new business alliance partner) and pleasure (State Fair Weekend)! Shawn went to High School there and so we are very lucky to get to stay with his high school buddy. Dave and Shawn are like two peas in a pod with sarcasm and jokes flying around non-stop. Abby & Chloe are the same age and go from playing one thing onto the next. Brittany & MJ while a few years apart get along very well. They sat in the same room did homework and watched the same TV programs. Michelle and I enjoy being laid back and just hanging. Everyone worked on Friday. Played at the Fair all day Saturday- Checked out the famous Butter Sculpture, saw all the farm animals, the kids road many rides, we ate a little bit of everything (cheese curds, fried oreos, gyros,and then some) played the carnival games (won the stuffed animals). Went home, regrouped and the adults went back to the fair to the Beer Garden for a mini reunion. Then it was Football-Football Sunday. We drove back on Monday.

MJ's First Day of 5th Grade

We're all loaded up in the car with Klaus in tow. Get to Miranda's school, open up the door and there goes Klaus. Talk about confused. This dog didn't know what direction to go. The girls and I pile back into the car and here comes Klaus(Sucka). Miranda meet up with her class and OMG she's the big kid on the block...watch OUT! Many quick hours in between..."Miranda how was your first day of school". Well except the stapler upside my head...It was fine. She got the teacher she wanted and from the picture you can tell Mrs.Hough wanted Miranda too! This is going to be a great year. Can you believe she's already talking about being in middle school next year.

Out and About in the Hood

Shawn's off with the new car and the girls and I are off to an Estate Sale w/ Klaus in tow. We're heading up our street and before we know it BAM there's a horse on the side of the road! We've never met this neighbor before and so we stopped. It was like our own mini field trip! Carol was so sweet to educate the girls on proper behavior around horses and other neat facts too. Please enjoy this short video!

Out with the Old, In with the New

Goodbye Clouds of Gray, Hello Skies of Blue!!! (That's for all you HSM fans) Kids we're going to look for a car AND we are not buying one tonight JUST looking. It was July 31st at 8ish when we rolled up to the dealership. Test drove the Honda Pilot we were 'looking at' and we fell in love with it. Shawn did the ultimate test by riding in the way back as a 6' 3"passenger and I got to drive it. We loved the interior and knew we wanted the EX-L model. (We were sold) Then comes the hard part negotiation. Shawn worked them over and by almost 10 o'clock we were driving home our 'new-to-us' car! The girls not yet asleep and Dianne came out, so excited that we finally got a new car after months of being without. The next day we needed to turn in the Jeep. Tears welled in my eyes knowing it was time to say goodbye to my 'third' car and another chapter in my life. Thanks Honey for being so giving and finding me a sweet ride! Yes, he gets to drive it too. He says it's the honeymoon phase, either way I'm happy to share.

Knock, Knock

Abby is walking in her sister's footsteps. She's asking for play dates, sleepovers, and doesn't want to miss out on the fun things MJ gets to partake in. Although she gets to do just as many 'fun' things just not always at the exact same time MJ does.
She asked if our neighbor, Shelby could play. I provided some guidelines for her:

• Ask but if she says No say Okay maybe another day.
• If she says Yes make sure you come back and tell us that you'll be staying.
  

As she turned away and walked through our backyard with Klaus along side, my heart wept. My little girl wasn't so little anymore. Here she was doing big girl things. I walked away letting her be and do. We called for Klaus, in the hopes Abby would follow behind. Sure enough, here they both were. 'So Abby how'd it go?' I asked. She said 'Shelby needed to go and take care of her kitten because Klaus was chasing it but maybe tomorrow we can play'. Tomorrow came and so did the question 'Can Shelby come over and play?' Well I thought I'd better give her the reality check before this became an everyday question. 'Shelby is 10 and you are 4. Let's see what your friends are doing this weekend.' (sorry kiddo) It's a lesson none the less but to her it's just a big fat bummer! And for my lesson maybe another day translates into tomorrow for a 4yr old.

Wish I had the camera to take a picture of my big girl on her mission. That will be one in my memory bank for ever.

You are Invited...

to a dinner on Monday, July 27th to Ranzie's Scrumptious Numpkins

On the menu presented to us was Battered Tilapia with Fresh Veggies and for dessert, Mango Pudding! WOW...I mean the table was set complete with a black table cloth, candles, flowers, a fan and cameras (so she could watch the table and attend to us). She not only cooked the whole meal herself but took our drink order, the brought us our dinner, left a bell so that we could 'ring' if we needed anything. I mean it was a FIVE ***** restaurant. She's sure to be a VERY successful waitress.

Thanks Ranzie for a great dinner!

Catching Raindrops

Celebrating the Life of Bill Beyer

My grandfather of 93 passed away on June 22nd. It was the phone call I've dreaded for some time now. The later years have been very tough and so, we are led to a place where it was okay to say goodbye, at least for now. He was the most devoted husband to Viv, father for 4, uncle, grandfather of 13 and great grandfather of 15. NOW that's a lot of living and loving.

I was fortunate to travel to Chicago and spend this time with my family. My grandmother, Viv, is absolutely the most remarkable women. You would have thought we all needed to be there for her and perhaps we were. It felt more like she was there for each one of us. She greeted each of us with a joyful memory and told us just how much they loved us. She announced to every grandchild at the funeral home 'If your husbands love you as much as he loved me, you'll live happy lives'. Now how she could voice such words, backed with such feeling, and get it all out...words are beyond me. To was breath taking to see over 100 people at the funeral and like the pastor said 'That's not usual for a 90 yr old's funeral.' It just says a lot about what kind of a man he was.

My fondest memory was grandpa picking up my sisters and I from elementary school for lunch. He took us to McDonald's and then across the street to Lampert's Drug Store, gave each of us a buck and we got to pick out candy. What more could a kid want? I must have taken forever in that candy aisle.

And my grandmother's fondest memory was gramps racing to pick up grams from work to pick me up from 'Pretty School' a.k.a. preschool. To get there and I would say 'Why am I always the first one to leave?' Here they thought they were saving me from being at school any longer...shouldn't have surprised grams though...she's a socialite and I'm proud to take after her.

Thank you for all the memories and love. I loved being that unpredictable spark in your life.

Abby's First Day at Sunrise Pre-K

It's official! Abby's in school and loves it. They will work with the letter 'O' for a whole week. Ate hot dogs cut like an octopus for lunch, used bingo doters to decorate a fish from the 'ocean'. Couldn't tear her away, she was still doing 'centers' (little stations set up with activities for your fine motor skills) up until the second we were walking out the door. 'Mom we went to the park' she said. 'Oh you did? Did you walk there?' I replied back. 'No mom there's a park in the backyard' she quickly replied. Simply pleased this one! The best part was picking her up and she was so excited to give me the picture she made. Then thoughtfully put her writing practice sheet that was so colorful in the mailbox for dad when he came home.

Double Digits

This is what you say when your age reaches the tenths place!

Happy Birthday MJ!!!

Well it was The Spa on White Rim Mountain, complete with manicures and pedicures for each girl. Then onto make-yo-own-sundae and many games of Whoonu? and Uno Attack. Spin the bottle? Aren't there supposed to be boys there? Well we didn't have to worry about that. They proudly stayed up until 1:30am. Up for breakfast buffet in the morning then it's 'see ya later ladies'. "Mom can we go shopping today?" The birthday money is burning.

Here goes nothing...

Well actually there's always something. Life seems to be getting busier and busier, not enough minutes in the day to keep everyone informed on who's doing what, who DID what, and so on...maybe now we can stay a little more connected.

We took our first family trip in let's see.....EVER! We darted off to Arkansas the last weekend in May. We went to the Crater of Diamonds on a hunt. It was hot and after 8 hours in the car our bodies were ready to be swimming not digging. Looking around to see if this was silly, would we ever possibly find a diamond? Enjoyed the experience and brought back some cool rocks worth memories only.
Headed to our log cabin in the woods originally built in 1932 and was it ever. I think the original stove and refrigerator were there. There were plenty of other cabins but seemed that we were the only ones there. The girls and Klaus took advantage of the swimming dock and the water was perfectly cool. We went mini-golfing and MJ won (she was also the score keeper, hmm) Sad to leave and ready to go home...bittersweet. So glad our Klaus man could come with!