Didn't fall far from the tree....

It must surely come from their father's side of the family. I'm far to reserved for my children to get this kind of behavior from me.

While in Houston the kids went to a place called Itz. From what I understand it's the same concept as Chuck E Cheese but designed for kids a little older. Two of them put their tickets together to pick out prizes. They did get some lovely gifts though, just look:










Betcha want one, don't you?




So, if they're misbehaving or acting really dumb can I tell them to get their heads out of that chicken's @$$?




Just wondering.




Really, that's not the kind of thing I would ever say to them.




Even if their actions sometimes warrant it.




No, really, they're great kids and should only be wearing a halo above their heads.




Okay, maybe not a halo, but certainly not a chicken either.

They're Baaacccckk!

I went on Saturday to pick the kids up. They had a great time with their grandparents but I think they're glad to be home. I give them a couple of weeks and they'll be bored and ready to go do something again. :0)


Dax's mom took them to have pictures made and they came out really cute. Here's a group shot:





It's good to have them home. Especially since Addison and Wyatt have assured me that they'll be spending the whole day cleaning their rooms and the house. I should have nothing to worry with when I'll get home, at least that's what they told me last night.



Any one want to bet on how long this will last?




I didn't think so.



But, I can't wait to get home to see ALL that they've done. I'll be able to just breeze in and sit on the couch and eat bon bons while I watch movies because everything will be taken care of. Right? Well, except they've already asked to be excused from having to clean anything outside, oh, and the litter box, and under their beds, and whatever else they can think of. Then again, if they clean anything I'll be thrilled.


Update: Addison called me when I was on my way home yesterday to tell me that she and Wyatt have changed their minds....they don't want a dog and therefore won't need to do the whole 'being responsible' thing. They cleaned out the bookshelf with the kids' books in it and told me that they had swept and cleaned Addison's room. I could really only tell that the bookshelf had been cleaned but I'm good with any sign of progress. Just so you know, I would have lost any betting on this because I would have at least given them 2 or 3 days before they caved. I would have never guessed that they wouldn't even make it through one day. Sheesh!

Unexpected guests...

On Sunday we went to Austin for the afternoon. When we got home we found some unexpected guests hanging out in our yard.






How cute is that?

They of course ran off into 'The Black Forest of Doom'. (That's what the kids call the area up front where the brush has not been cleared.)

Then a little later the baby came back out into the yard and got pretty close to the house.



I'm a little nervous about what will happen when the dog returns from her summer visit with Grandma. Hope she'll leave the little deer alone.

Funny

I saw this and thought it was funny and worth sharing. Enjoy!

Weekend Adventures while the kids are gone

We've been working hard but also trying to fit in a little bit of play time while the kids are still gone. On Friday we decided to charter a plane and head to the mountains. It was amazing!!

Here's some shots from the plane. Sorry for the blurriness, it must have been the turbulence.

I think they sense our presence and are getting restless.

This one is making a get-away.

OMG!! Do you see that bear?! That little fox may be history. It's time to head home. I don't want to see the bloody outcome.

OR



Maybe we just went to Cabella's after going to the gun range.


On Saturday we went to Fredericksburg to their Trade Days for a little shopping and then had lunch.

For Father's Day I let Dax decide what he wanted to do so we headed to Austin to a gun show and then had lunch at The Hula Hut. They specialize in what I've decided to call Mexiwaiian food. It's Mexican food with a Hawaiian flare. Who would have guessed?

Anyway, we sat out on the patio over the water. The food was good and we had fun. He's starting to look a little relaxed.

Talked to the kids last night and they're having a great time.

While the kids are gone....

We've been having a wild time while the kids are gone. Theatre, concerts, dinners out. We'll have to slow down soon or we won't survive. Whoooo!!



Note to reader: Theatre really means that we went to the movies to see The Hangover. It was funny, FUNNY, FUN.NY. (We really liked it.)

Oh, and concerts really means that we went to the free summer concert in the park last night. It was an Irish band playing that one of our clients is a member of. (Well, actually my dentist is one of the band members and my belly dancing teacher is one.) But, hey, that counts right?

The band (The O'Malarky's):




Dax jamming during the concert:





But we really have gone out to eat a few times. It's been nice. And the kids are having a great time too. Win, win!


And here in a little bit we're heading to the gun range to practice. I'm taking my concealed carry class in a couple of weeks and I feel like I need to shoot a little before I actually go do that. And I don't think that I ever posted that when Dax went to take his he scored


(that's for you Mom & Dad)


which is a perfect score. Now I have to do very well to even be able to stand to listen to him. Ugh! Wish me luck!!

Class reunion

Saturday night was my 25 year year high school class reunion. There weren't enough people that responded for us to do the whole formal thing so we just had a mixer in a pub. There was a pretty big crowd that showed up...much to the disgust of the younger crowd that usually hangs out there. lol


Oh, and look, when Dax took this picture he caught somebody's hand actually pointing me out.


There was a band that started about 9:30 and man were they loud!! Dax says that they got louder as the night went on because they got worse. lol My throat was sore on Sunday because of having to yell to hear each other.


I emailed some friends of Dax's and they came out so he didn't even have to be sitting by himself while I was being a 'social butterfly.' Anyway, we really had a lot of fun.


The kids are at Grandma's and Bushia's for the next two weeks. What will we possibly do with ourselves? mmmmmwwwwwaaaahhhhaaahhhhhaaaaa!!!

A peaceful protest

The kids are going to spend two weeks with their grandparents. We were supposed to leave this afternoon and they had all of there stuff ready and by the front door.


However, Dax decided that he wanted to watch game 7 of the Stanley Cup.


The kids decided that they were definitely not moving everything back to their rooms. They set up their stuff in protest and settled in for the night (at about 5:00 pm.)

Kirsten & Addison set up camp in the kitchen.



Wyatt set up camp in the area by the front door. He's having a calzone for dinner and if you look closely, he's got snacks in that black bag.



And Abigail is almost right in front of the front door (it's the white door that you can just see the bottom of.)

They've got everything they need to make it through the long night....food, drinks, games, bedding. I think they would start a campfire and s'mores if they thought for a minute I'd let them. Oh, and they've all gotten dressed in the clothes they want to wear tomorrow so that all they have to do in the morning is wake up and get in the car (but to be perfectly honest, some of them might just be telling me that they changed but are really wearing the same clothes they've had on all day today. I just don't know.) Anyway, I figure they're either practicing to camp out for the coolest, must-have concert tickets, or they're preparing to live in a tent city. Frankly, I'm really not sure I'm comfortable with either one.

Are you kidding me?

Last night it was getting close to bedtime and I noticed something different about Addison. She has been trying to let her bangs grow out and has been wearing her hair pulled back. There was a little wisp of hair hanging down and it wasn't hanging all down in her face. Now how could that be? Her bangs have gotten quite long.

Me: Addison, did you cut your hair?

Addison: No. (said with a you're-so-dumb-attitude)

Me: Come here and let me look at your hair.

She comes into the bedroom. I look at her hair and all of her bangs are short.

Me: Did you cut your hair?

Addison: No.

Me: Are you sure? Your bangs are much shorter than they used to be.

Addison: Noooo. (all indignent like) I didn't cut it.

Me: Well, it used to be this long (pulling a piece out that she missed) and now it's only this long.

Addison: I diiiidn't cut it! (moving on to whiny)

Dax: Did Morgan cut it while you were at her house today?

Addison: I don't think so.

(hmmm.)

Me: Did she cut it while you were in the swimming pool or maybe after you got out?

Addison: Not that I remember.

(Yeah, I know.)

Me: Did you somehow lose consciousness in the pool and while you were out Morgan might have cut your hair?

(yes, I'm that kind of parent)

Addison: I don't think so.

So I'm thinking here that she can't possibly believe that she's going to get away with not knowing how all the hair across the front of her very own head got cut short. I mean, I know I overlook a lot of the little lies that they tell so that they won't spend time perfecting their technique and I might have a slight advantage through the teen years, but I really can't let this one go.

Me: You know, it's obvious that you have cut your hair. You should know by now that if you keep up with the lies you're going to get into a lot of trouble. I'm not necessarily mad at you for cutting your hair but you should have told me that you wanted it cut. Now, did you cut your hair?

Addison: (stage direction: Don't answer yet. Wait until you can work up some tears first. Should be much more effective. Then very softly say) Yes.




On the bright side, she actually did a pretty good job. They're pretty straight and not too short. I just have to do a little touching up. Really, not bad for a 10 year old. I'm thinking she shouldn't try it again. You know, end on a high note and all.




You can see the piece she missed hanging in front of her eye.

And, she even told me this evening that she was looking at it and that she thinks she did a good job (if she does say so herself.)

Daddy's Little Helpers

Dax has been spending his evenings cutting the grass {It should be noted that by 'grass' I mean the native grasses. And of course, by 'native grasses' I mean all the weeds that grow in what should be our yard. But we live on well water and I don't want to use it watering real grass so we just have our 'grass'.} He's also been cleaning up the trees which is no small feat. The last couple of years have been really dry and there's much to be trimmed out of the trees.


Anyway, this weekend I was able to snap some pictures of the kids out there helping him.







Doesn't the flurry of their activity just make you dizzy? With this kind of help I'm thinking he should be done in no time. This is a lot like they help me clean the house, too.

Graduation weekend

Last weekend my neice graduated from high school. I don't even know how that's possible!! She was just a baby last week...where does the time go?


We drove to Houston on Friday after the kids got out of school (it was their last day and they got out early - very early). We decided to take the dog with us on this trip. She traveled like a champ, but who wouldn't with her plush accomodations?





I thought I was going to have to make Wyatt sit in the floor. I wasn't sure there was room for both of them in that seat and Daisy was being awfully good.


The graduation was on Saturday. I would show pictures but they're on my other camera (the one I got for Mother's Day. The one I'm not allowed to use.) Maybe I can get Dax to download them for me. :0)

Then Katie had her party on Sunday. Now that she's older I decided that she was ready to have a family heirloom passed on to her. Doesn't she look so happy and touched to receive it?





It's a candle, and that lovely candle has been a prized posession for many different people in our family through the years. It's truly cherished.

Okay, maybe heirloom is too strong a word. As are prized posession, and cherished. It's really an old Christmas candle that melted in the attic and now has a funky new shape. We really have passed it around for at least the last 15 years and the one with posession usually can't wait to get rid of it.