Oak Saplings

Day of culture

2012-01-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

The MIRAZOZO luminarium opened in 1992. Since then over 2 million people in 37 countries have experienced its interesting use of light, color, music and architecture.

It was hand cut and assembled in a Nottingham workshop. The structure is inflated every morning and deflated every night. It has 24-hour security to protect it's delicate walls, which are about as thick as a t-shirt.

We waited almost 2 1/2 hours to see it. Thank goodness some kid out there brought a football. The boys participated in a rough and tumble tackle football game. By the time we entered, they were pretty chilled out.

If you ever have the opportunity, go see it!

Boys and their sports

2012-01-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

It was only a matter of time.

Lil C is rascally, full of testosterone, not afraid of getting hurt, and agile. He's officially discovered that ice hockey is available in Austin for 5-yr-olds, and he's gung ho. We planned to skate again today, but he waived it off at the last minute. I think it was the puffy coat that I insisted he wear.

Some other time . . .

More soccer scenes

2011-10-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

The face of a 3-goal scorer!!

And the team shut-out goalie!!

A whole lotta firsts

2011-09-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

First day of school pose, first soccer game pose, first time group stretching

Bowlin' off some steam

2011-09-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

After a long week of school, sometimes you've just got to let it out. Thank goodness we have a well air-conditioned neighborhood bowling alley with kid-sized shoes!

Fun times all around!

And if you must know, Lil C dresses himself on Fun Fridays.

Oregon. Family. It's a good thing.

2011-07-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Aunt Linda and our fun cousin!

The whole gang

Agate hunting at the beach

Crater Lake

Brothers -- can't tell at all!

Jetboat -- before (Please note the classic Camden face)

After the Jet boat tour!

Lil love birds!

In Honor of Glendene McKee Dean

2011-06-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

Glendene was born August 23, 1922 in Cego to Joseph Lenard McKee and Lela Lane McKee. She was a Valedictorian of Chilton High School, and received her teaching certificate at Southwest Texas State Teachers College where she majored in English and physical education. She taught in the Marlin and Bruceville-Eddy school districts.

Glendene married Hubert Nathan Dean on May 31, 1943 in Missouri, and they were the parents of three daughters, Sharla, Joei, and Tracy. After 30 years in the Air Force, the family settled in Austin where they were active in the Hyde Park Baptist Church.

Glendene taught Sunday School, especially in the International Department where she led many women to Christ. She set the example to her children on how to live a Christian life, reading God's word daily. Glendene lived a very active life and enjoyed outdoor activities, especially running, softball, basketball, and volleyball.

After loving the Lord, her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were important to her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Helen Harris of Bangs, Texas.

Glendene leaves her husband of 67 years, Hubert Dean; three daughters, Sharla Lynn Willis and husband, G.W., of Moody, Joei Sheckman and her husband, Les, of Torrance, Calif., and Tracy Dean McCollum and husband, Chris, of Austin; grandchildren, Greg Willis and wife, Jolie Houston Willis of Austin, and Katie, Bonnie, and Paul McCollum, all of Austin; great-grandchildren, Connor and Camden Willis, both of Austin; a sister, Betty Jo Gibson and husband, Harold of Waco; and a brother, Laney McKee and wife, Shirley of Robinson.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

The family appreciates the loving care given by Griselda Ruiz, who Glendene loved dearly as a daughter, and her other caregivers.

End of School scenes

2011-06-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Scenes from Camden's Graduation -- he actually will graduate next year, but he wanted to support his awesome friends from the Frogapillar Class!

Poetry with Pizzazz reading at Connor's school

Family Movie Night -- Chicken Run!

Easter 2011

2011-05-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Halloween aught 10

2010-11-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

Hallow's Eve with Tinkerbell and Baby M(ummy)

School Carnival - some sort of super hero

Indiana Jones braves the playground school bus

We squished em

2010-10-31T08:43:00.001-07:00

Lil luv bugs

2010-10-30T14:28:00.001-07:00

Camden's song

2010-10-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Carving

2010-10-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

1 down -- 1 to go!

8-yr-old PR wonder

2010-10-07T11:12:00.001-07:00

Exploiting my Child for Commercial Purposes

2010-09-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

I made this invitation card thingy. It's for my work. We're pimping our booth at an upcoming convention. We're going to mail it to about 100 people around the state. This project was my idea, but I didn't have time time to get permission slips from "real kids" who attend this school. It might be detestable, but I think it turned out pretty sharp. I'm just saying . . . .

Dog Days of Summer

2010-08-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

Riding the new Light Rail downtown

Rough Riders at the Mesquite Rodeo

OK -- maybe not so "rough" Bird watching

SPAIN

2010-07-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

Scenes from our trip. Since it's a pain to write captions in Blogger and I can't figure out how to put the blasted pics in order, I'm willing to narrate in person or over the phone!! Enjoy . . .

Look who's 4?!?!?

2010-07-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

New big boy bed
Chocolate chip pancakes
Batman car thingy
4 years of pure joy

We love you, Camden! Happy Birthday!!!

Friends & Family of J.R. & Martha Houston Old School BBQ

2010-05-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Uncle Johnny & Irene did a great job hosting this festive event! Dad commandeered the grill.

You know you're in Texas when the flat-bed trailer doubles as a beverage bar!

Good food and good times with friends and family.

Bugz -- A Musical

2010-05-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

Connor was a cricket . . .

Deep in the Heart of Texas

2010-03-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Since this week Austin hosts about a billion people for SXSW, we got out of town for our own Texas adventure!
1. Saw Crazy Heart
2. Drove to Johnson City, the boyhood home of LBJ. Listened to nothing but country music on satellite radio. Stopped at the Visitor Center and learned a little more about this President.
3. Stopped for BBQ @ Willie's Those are actually "chicken butts:" chicken tenders, stuffed with jalepeno, wrapped in bacon, and oak grilled. Dip them in ranch dressing, of course!
4. We were delighted to know that Luckenbach was only .25 miles away, so we decided to check it out. TOTAL SCORE! There was a biker rally! Too embarrassed/scared to pull out my camera.
5. Next, left Luckenbach for our original destination -- the LBJ Ranch/National Historical Park. Since Lady Bird's death in 2008, the ranch is undergoing quite an overhaul. You can go inside & tour the Western White House, with more rooms opening in a few months.
I thought his 1-room schoolhouse was particularly interesting. As a little one (4 yr old), LBJ would wander down the Pedernales to the schoolhouse looking for his friends and relatives. His parents petitioned that he be admitted since he was already able to read, and the teacher obliged. Years later, he can back here and signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law with his teacher sitting next to him. Every US President since then has renewed the act, with George W. Bush making changes to it and renaming it No Child Left Behind.
6. Left the 2200 acre ranch and headed back to Austin, listening to nothing but country music on satellite radio.

Twas a very good day.

Marathon Kids

2010-03-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

For the second year in a row, Connor has participated in Marathon Kids. This year--despite the nasty weather--we went to the final-mile celebration.

Even Camden got to participate!
He's off . . . I never saw him after this!

Lil voter

2010-02-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

OK -- so it's only the primary -- I still vote!

Just Because

2010-02-17T08:44:00.000-08:00

Halloween

2009-11-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

We had a couple of VIKINGS on our hands. Instead of trick-or-treat, it was, "I'm Leif Erikson, and I demand candy!"

Our first foray into pumpkin carving . . .

Spooktacular Halloween Carnival

2009-11-04T19:46:00.001-08:00

I love a good carnival, and this one @ Connor's school was old school and really fun! Remember "the cake walk?" Yep, they had it. Except that is was a stuffed animal walk instead. Guess people don't bake so much anymore! (Hannah, you are a rare and talented gem!)
Connor's fab teachers!

The entrance to the Haunted House. . . Connor decided to go with the friends he met in line. There is strength in numbers!

Camden and The Harry Potter Obstacle Course!

The Fierce Fireballs

2009-10-31T11:08:00.000-07:00

Season 3 for Connor & his shin guards.
He's still having fun.

Connor in action . . .

Connor's #1 fan!

Taking a little breather:

Back from the Dead

2009-10-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

School started, my computer died, had to buy a new one, couldn't get online, finally got the wireless working, life happens.

Here's what the end of the summer looked like:

4 july 09

2009-08-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

Fun times with Dave & Hannah on the rooftop of Whole Foods, watching the 4th of July fireworks! We sure do miss those Continentals!

Camden's 3rd Birthday Party

2009-07-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

More from the End of School

2009-07-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Storybook character parade. . . . The students had to pick a character from a fiction book, and the parents had to make a costume. 2 problems: Connor isn't fond of fiction books and I had already sewn the stick horse for last week's cowpoke cookout. UGH! I used the printer @ work to make a sandwich-board type costume.

Music program -- the obligatory Texas-themed stuff. Connor displayed some killer dance moves.

Multiple choice question

2009-07-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

"Mommy, that's not edible," quipped a saucy three-year-old after receiving his BBQ quesadilla for lunch. His mother's response was:

A. Excited that her 3-year-old used the word "edible" in an appropriate context.
B. Ticked off that another child can now diss on her cooking.
C. Nothing; she wears her ear buds 24/7 since school let out.
D. None of the above.

Ranger Game

2009-07-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

The cousins had fun at their first Ranger game--even though we lost. Special props to Michael for getting tickets in the shade!

Kindergarten Cowpoke Cookout

2009-06-24T13:42:00.000-07:00

Still working thru the last few weeks of school. Connor's school hosted a fun cookout for the Kinder classes. Here are a few scenes from the day's festivities.
Stick Horse Parade thru the hallways

Petting Zoo -- miniature potbelly pig!

Making Butter

It's not going well.

2009-06-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day program

2009-06-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Scenes from the K/1 Mother's Day Program . . .

Easter!

2009-05-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Liturgy @ Oak Springs
Brunch and Egg Hunt @ the Geigers . . . Liesl decided it would be prudent to don swimwear!

Zoo!

2009-04-26T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our Good Friday excursion -- the Cameron Park Zoo. Joei and Les were in town. We always loves to see them!

My birthday gift from Camden

2009-04-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

Bye-bye Tree; Hello Sun

2009-04-18T12:34:00.001-07:00

Our tree had another boo-boo. This time the arborist said it needed to come down -- all 50 feet of it! Not to worry though, we are planting something else, but it won't give us the same amount of shade for a LONG time.

Not so cute, but my reality!

2009-04-04T10:32:00.001-07:00

I think my boys are cuties!

2009-03-26T18:41:00.001-07:00

Scenes include: duelin' git-fiddles @ Jace/Kade's birthday party, Connor holding the snake Jace found in his yard, bathtime, Camden drinking Mommy's juice, & raking
.

To Patrick O'Brien from Connor Willis

2009-02-20T18:45:00.001-08:00

Dear Patrick O'Brien,

I have borrowed some of your books from my school's library. They give me lots of facts. I think your books are great! I want you to write some more. Here are a few things I'd like to read about:

* The Duck-billed Platypus
* Famous towers, and
* Volcanoes.

Sincerely,
Connor Willis
Kindergarten student
Brentwood Elementary School
Austin, Texas

Connor, I'm really glad you like my books. I like your ideas — I have even thought of doing a book about famous skyscrapers. But my next book will be about Mars. It will be available in a few months. It will be called "You Are the First Kid on Mars" and my son Alex (2nd grade) will be the kid.
Thanks for writing, and keep on reading!

Patrick

Christmas Eve

2009-02-03T17:26:00.000-08:00

A few scenes from Christmas Eve with Mama and Papa. We lit the final Advent candle and added Baby Jesus to our Nativity scene. Connor even broke out in a spontaneous rendition of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," his favorite Christmas carol.

Christmas with Mimi and Pop

2009-02-02T18:42:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Mesquite with all the cousins -- we even got to see Jake and Henry!

Connor's class party

2009-02-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

A few scenes from K/1 Reader's Theater presentation of "I am a Snowflake."

The kiddos at an Advent service . . .

Camden's "Happy Birthday, Jesus" class party

2009-01-29T11:39:00.001-08:00

. . . Candygram . . .

2009-01-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

So, January is drawing to a close, and I'm sitting down to empty the memory card on the digital camera! Let's start with Halloween and go from there.

Here are our little Land Sharks. Instead of "trick or treat" we told them to say "candygram." Unfortunately, the folks in Belton, Texas didn't get the joke. (We were in Belton for a family reunion.)

2008-11-30T17:19:00.000-08:00

From Soren's party . . . thanks, Todd, for the pics!

Dinoland

2008-11-02T15:44:00.001-08:00

Sweet Camden

2008-10-31T07:14:00.001-07:00

What's going on . . .

2008-10-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

We've been carefully monitoring Connor's first loose tooth. Last week he spent about 45 minutes prying it out himself.

We had a fun visit from Andy this week. Here are the boys, anxiously waiting for his arrival.

Connor and I built a t-Rex out of Zoobs. I was never any good at Legos, but I think I've redeemed myself in Connor's eyes!

The Super Soccer Kids

2008-10-06T18:45:00.001-07:00

Yep, that's the name of Connor's soccer team. It was between that and The Chihuahuas. And, since he's playing soccer, I guess that makes me a "Soccer Mom." GEEZ--I hate labels.
Connor's pregame workout

Scenes from the first game:

The league doesn't keep score, but all the moms and dads do. The Super Soccer Kids did not prevail on Saturday, but we will play Team Dynamite again before the season ends.

A few scenes

2008-10-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

Out-of-this-World Star Wars Birthday Party

2008-09-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

The hurricane threatened our birthday festivities, but the Force was with us. The day turned out to be spectacular -- so did our party guests! Connor had a great time and commented that he "felt very special." Here are most of the lil Jedis!

Groovy table decor, including Greg's 1970s X-Wing fighter and snazzy t-shirt!

Lucy crawls through the tunnel, and Adam celebrates climbing the tower on the Jedi Training Obstacle Course.

Oliver, Jake, and Connor take out Darth Vader, or at least a pinata of him! (Please notice the adult faces in the background!)

Ode to Jenny

2008-09-03T17:12:00.001-07:00

Everyone should have a "Jenny" in her life. My Jenny happens to live down the street -- that's a good thing.

She's just about my only spontaneous friend, which is quite a feat when you have 2 kids under the age of 3 like she does. Last week while strolling down her street, I called on a lark to chat. She was out the door in less than 5 minutes to join us for a walk around the neighborhood.

I have about 3 people in my life who will give me their blunt-level honest opinion on things when I'm torn. She's one of those people. And she can listen, ponder, and articulate her thoughts effortlessly.

When I don't need an opinion and just need to vent, she's there, too. She can keep a secret better than anyone I know. She's even kept a few from me, when asked to do so. Now that's trustworthiness!

Jenny also has the most impressive collection of power tools, rivaling that of my own father. She even knows how to use those power tools. Case in point -- the pictures below. Jenny and I put up the back splash in the kitchen last night. I love how it turned out! We still have to grout and seal, but you get the idea.

Thank you, Jenny! Let me know if you need another piece of pizza!

School Daze

2008-08-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

Connor started kindergarten at Brentwood Elementary on Monday. Healthy breakfast - CHECK

Healthy lunch - CHECK

Healthy, happy boy - CHECK!

By Thursday night, he was already sick with a fever. Welcome to public school!!

Camden missed his first day of school Tuesday because he had a fever and icky cough. These pics are from Wednesday.

After a 2-hour visit to the pediatrician, both boys were diagnosed (ear infections, et al) and on the way to recovery!

Invited, you are

2008-08-21T11:04:00.001-07:00

LA -- Day 5

2008-08-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

So . . . . we caved and took our kid to an amusement park. In retrospect, I think we picked the best one -- there's something for all ages at Universal Studios!

Greg insisted that our first ride be the new Simpsons ride. It proved to be a good idea. When we left, folks were waiting 45 minutes to ride this thing!
Connor and some of his favorite characters:

Curious George's House of Fun and about 500 bouncy balls. (A good place to escape from the sun!)

And finally .... dinner ala Greg and Jolie -- Grilled Salmon Salad with Roasted Beets and Shallots.

LA -- Day 4

2008-08-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

Sunday was another great day. We started at the La Brea tar pits. Yes, pits in the ground bubbling up with tar, fossils, bones, strange prehistoric creatures, you got it. But seriously, if you ever go to LA, you should check out this little museum right in the middle of Miracle Mile. It was fascinating!

Interesting facts:
They have pulled out over 1 million fossils since the 30s.
They only excavate 25-35 feet down. I imagine that there could be more below.
They have found North American Lions, Short-faced Bears, Horses, Giant Sloths (life-sized replica below), Camels (yes, camels), Dire Wolves, Saber-toothed cats, Mammoths, Mastadons, and other small animals and birds.
They are STILL excavating; you can watch them hard at work, scooping up buckets full of tar while meticulously saving every scrap and speck found.
The most common fossil found is the Dire Wolf.

And then it was off to the Dodgers game. Thanks to Manny Ramirez for hitting a home run in the 5th inning. That earned the Dodgers another run and Connor a free ticket to Universal Studios!

LA -- Days 2 and 3

2008-08-07T17:43:00.001-07:00

Friday was beach day. I was afraid that I'd get sand in my camera, so I left it at the house! The water was 68, but the wind felt even cooler. Connor and Greg braved the water while I read my book. Finally, I adapted to the temperature and joined them for frolicking in the waves. It was fun!

Saturday we all headed to the San Diego Zoo. (We = Joei, Les and the 3 of us.) The zoo is huge. Thankfully, Joei and Les are veteran members, so they knew just where to go and how to avoid the crowds. Connor loved the komodo dragon and the gila monster. I liked the panda bears, the gorillas, and the cats.

LA - Day 1

2008-08-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

Our vacation started E-A-R-L-Y in the morning. We left at 8:15 and arrived at 9:15 -- aren't time zones a trip?!? Since we had the entire day to enjoy, we headed to The Aquarium of the Pacific.
This is the actual size of a Blue Whale. (See Connor & Greg on the left?)

They have a "Animal Petting" special section. Connor carefully observes the "two-finger touch" rule.

We were tired, but when you get to come home to a backyard that looks like this, life isn't too bad!

Friday - Monday to come . . . . .

For Ashley!

2008-07-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

Here's what happens when your 5-year-old borrows your camera:

Today we went to the water playground -- one of four water playgrounds in Austin. Now, Austin is a fairly large city with lots of recreation opportunities. I was excited about the water playground -- I even wore my swimsuit. Well, there are no pictures of the water playground because it was TOTALLY LAME. I shouldn't be too uppity. The boys had fun; they're boys, after all. They have fun with cardboard boxes and blankets. And it's free. We left after about 45 minutes and went to another park for our picnic and regular playground time! We ended the day by seeing Grupo Fantasmo play a free, family-friendly show at Waterloo. It was awesome. I suppose Austin isn't that lame, after all. Here are pics of Connor as he "got his style on" for the concert. And, yes, that's Yoda on his sunglasses.

And finally, sweet Camden and Greg, reading books before bed . . .

Camden is 2-years-old!

2008-07-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

We had a low key celebration on Tuesday for Camden's birthday -- crawl tents, blow-up pool, playscape, sandbox, dinner @ Phil's Ice House/Amy's Ice Cream. What a day!

Major Milestones!

2008-07-01T18:31:00.001-07:00

We've accomplished some major milestones around here in the last few months: graduation, buying a new house, moving, peeping in the potty! WHEW! We've been busy!

You are invited

2008-04-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

Easter

2008-04-12T19:49:00.001-07:00

Scenes from the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Yes, Camden was sick. Bad, Mommy! I had no idea until we went home!

Fun with confetti eggs and our treats!

Eating our "Easter Story Cookies." We were excited to find that the cookies were indeed hollow, just like the tomb. "Nu-uh," Connor noted. "Jesus left us some pecans for protein." WooHoo -- My kid knows his food pyramid!

Maundy Thursday Footwashing Ceremony

2008-03-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

Weekend wedding

2008-03-17T09:11:00.001-07:00

Recent days

2008-03-15T06:41:00.001-07:00

We don't have any pets. The thought of it stresses me out. But it's no problem for my lil problem solver. He gathered his lizards, "Dane-Dane", "Other Dane-Dane", and "Dane-Dane's Son." Then he made 4 kitties along with coordinating beds.

Camden is not yet 2, but he insists on doing things a toddler his age should not be doing. These items include: surfing the web, walking across the dining room table, strolling down Enfield Road unattended, chopping vegetables, and riding a tricycle. I'm convinced he has his own full-time guardian angel!

Not to be outdone, Connor showed me his own "Tuff Guy" face!

my boys

2008-02-21T11:13:00.000-08:00

Whoooooooooo is this?

2008-01-26T19:39:00.000-08:00

Camden. 18+ months old. Frozen blueberry face. Recovering from an ear infection. Happy to be hanging out with Andy. Feeling much, much better.

We also have another guest . . . a snowy owl. Can you see him?

Christmas Day

2008-01-12T19:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day started about our usual 7am. Connor was most excited to see if Santa ate the cookies and milk we left for him. (Yes, he did.) Camden decided to sleep extra late because he was up in the middle of the night with an ear infection, so Connor, Greg, and I were able to explore the Christmas morning newness w/o little brother.

We feasted on our traditional breakfast casserole and enjoyed good times together! Later in the day, we headed to the Deans for one more family celebration.

Christmas Eve

2008-01-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

We had a fun time at Mama and Papa Dean's on Christmas Eve. Everyone contributed to the family liturgy, and as Joei reminded us, even though Papa may not have understood what we were doing, he has a Holy Spirit inside of him that knew exactly what was happening.

Connor initiated a new family tradition . . . a footrace around the house. He wore a special racing uniform and rounded up several family members to participate. He won, surprise, surprise.

I started a new tradition, too -- baking a Cream Caramel Cake w/ Irish Cream frosting. It's my "signature Christmas dessert," and it also doubles as Jesus' birthday cake. Connor snapped me while I frosted the cake.

Cookies and milk for Santa. (Red cheeks from racing in the cold!)

Christmas with Mimi and Pop

2007-12-27T20:35:00.000-08:00

FRIENDS!

2007-12-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

I'm a few weeks behind, so I'm just now posting pics from Ashley, Caleigh, & Alona's visit. It was a wonderful whirlwind of a week!

Time in the Sandbox!

"Connor, what do you want for Christmas?" "Oh, I want a crawl tunnel."
"OK, Caleigh, what do you want for Christmas?" "An IPOD." Not kidding, she really said this!! So funny!

Afternoon naps . . .

Ashley was so helpful; she even gave Camden a bath and designed spiffy and modest afterbath attire for him!

Decorating Christmas cookies . . .

Caleigh & Connor made "Animal Land" under the dining room table.

The wee one

2007-12-19T12:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a cute one of Dindy and Camden . . .

A few funny pics

2007-12-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

You'll notice the complete absence of the younger Willis lad. That's because he's too fast to catch with the camera. He's also got the strength of 10 men, according to our pediatrician. At any rate, enjoy a few Connor pics:
This one was taken after a trip to Chick-Fil-A. He spent the afternoon in his room making his "craft article," a pirate's costume out of his kiddie cup. ARGH!

This next pic was from the St. Nicholas day celebration @ St. David's Church.

And finally a few funny pics with Connor and our good friend, Bryan. Such goofy guys!!

Houston Family Reunion

2007-11-10T11:59:00.001-08:00

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's . . . superMEN!

2007-11-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Good times were had last night and the neighborhood was safe and crime-free -- thanks to our dynamic superhero brothers! Connor and Elia made an excellent team, boldly foraging for candy. Camden was a good sport and Austin slept quiet as a mouse, no pun intended!!

Little prophet

2007-10-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Greg participated in Tim & Angelie's wedding. We met Tim several years ago when he and Greg worked together in the bulk department. It was a busy weekend but an honor to share with them in the day.

Finally when the wedding was over, the dinner was done, and the dancing began, Connor strolled over to Tim and began this exchange while Angelie and friends boogied down:

"Hey Tim, do you like her?"

"Yes, Connor, I do like her," Tim replied.

"OK, do you like the way she dances?" Connor inquired.

"Yeah, Connor, I do like the way she dances."

"Well, that's a good thing," Connor declared, "because you're stuck with her now."

Look who's walking!

2007-10-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

OK, confession time -- Camden has been walking for about a month. I've just now found time to share it with you. (Please notice his new favorite toy clasped firmly in his hands.)

He's quite a coordinated little climber, too. A few weeks ago, I left him playing in the living room. After a few moments of strange silence, I entered the living room to find him lounging on the chaise.
Not to be outdone by his brother, Connor has also found a favorite lounging spot!

Dance party @ Club Connor

2007-09-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Connor's 5th birthday with a dance party on Wednesday night. Everyone had a great time! Scenes from the soiree:

Entrance to Club Connor - (Michael was the bouncer, checked IDs at the door, and gave the kids glow bracelets.)

There was much dancing and frolicking. Props to Luke Webb for his LL Cool J impression!

No dance party is complete without a boombox cake and a disco ball pinata!

Now Connor can do some cool tricks on his new big boy bike! Hooray for 5!!!

Metro -- just for one day!

2007-09-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

First Day of School

2007-09-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, this was one of my favorite books. My mom still has the copy I read growing up. This summer I found a well-loved copy of this out-of-print book at Half Price Books, and I've been waiting all summer long to give this to Connor!
Had to look presentable on the first day . . .
collared shirt - check
new school shoes - check
faux hawk - check

Kindergarten's not that hard . . . hang your backpack on the peg with your name, put your lunchbox in the cubby with your name, and join your classmates for circle time!

End of Summer Field Trip

2007-09-08T15:16:00.001-07:00

Connor, Alicia, Isabel, and I had a great time on our end of summer bash. We drove to Brenham, went on a tour of the Blue Bell ice cream factory, ate lunch at a fabulous little spot in historic downtown, and played at a local park. WHEW! What a way to end the summer!

First haircut

2007-09-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

Camden had his first haircut last week. We actually had to make an appointment -- we waited longer to see Ms. Joyce at Kaos Kid's Salon than I do to see my guy, Ron at Aziz. Go figure!!

Camden did great -- no crying or wiggling. And, yes, it doesn't look like much of a haircut, but we are working on his "Welcome Back, Kotter" look.

If you can read this, then you are invited

2007-08-20T15:14:00.001-07:00

Lock up your children and your TIGI Bed Head stick!

2007-08-13T13:31:00.001-07:00

OK -- so I saw a good chick-flick today with Jenny. But I came home to this! Thanks, Michael, for teaching Connor "Proper Faux-Hawk Style 101."

Summer's winding down . . .

2007-07-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

Camden is feeling much, much better after his bout with rotovirus. Now if those last 2 molars would just push through!
Connor just finished his "pike" swim class at the YMCA. Mr. Evan, Connor's hero du-jour, made such an impression that we've signed up for his "eel" class starting tomorrow.

Connor had his first sleepover on Saturday. Oliver turned 6, and his parents gave him a sleepover alien party. Here are Connor, Lucy, & Oliver (the morning after) in front of the "pin-the-heart-on-the-alien" game. And, yes, Connor went to bed @ 1 am.
Now that the rain has stopped for 2 days, Michael and Connor were able to work out in the yard. It was hot, so I got gatorade for them -- next time I won't get blue!

Good grief, Charlie Brown!

2007-07-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Past, Present, and Future

2007-07-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

Past: Connor and Anna Kay as "Flower Tossers" in Sean & Mel's wedding

Present: Going through 2+ year's worth of pictures on my computer

Future: Can't bear to think about it!

Friends and fun!

2007-07-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

We had a fun 4th of July week. Friends from near (Sean, Mel, and their new puppy, Griffendor) and far (Jeremy & Robin from Wisconsin; Rod all the way from South Carolina on his motorcycle) filled our week with warmth.

Birthday Boy!

2007-07-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

What a difference a year makes!

A week of firsts!

2007-07-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

Besides turning the ripe old age of ONE, our little guy has accomplished many other feats. They are:

Attending his first sporting event
Learning how to cheer for his team
Drinking his first glass of milk
Taking his first lunge toward Mommy -- definitely not his first steps, but those won't be too far away!

Party pics forthcoming . . .

The Great Sphinx of Giza

2007-06-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, tower week continues! The Great Sphinx of Giza dates back to the 4th dynasty, or 6000 years ago! It has the head of a pharaoh--no one is sure which one--and the body of a lion. The Sphinx is located on the west bank of the Nile, which Connor remembered turned to blood during the plagues.

My husband rocked the legos again! Great job, Greg!!

Camden turned 11 months old and is wanting to walk so badly. I hope we don't miss his first steps while we are on vacation. I'm so happy our friend Gary captured Camden's funny snarl this week. It's my favorite of his many faces.

The Eiffel Tower

2007-06-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Eiffel Tower Day, everyone! Here are some of Connor's favorite facts about this Parisian wonder:

The Eiffel Tower is in the city of Paris, the country of France, and the continent of Europe.
Mr. Eiffel designed the Eiffel Tower to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution.
It took 300 workers to weld the tower together.
The Eiffel Tower is just over 1000 feet tall.
There are 2 restaurants in the Eiffel Tower, and you get to take a special elevator to go to them.

Hats off to Daddy for constructing a beautiful lego rendition of the Eiffel Tower!

Tower-obsessed

2007-06-06T12:51:00.001-07:00

Connor's latest thing -- in addition to dressing like Superman and attempting to display his super powers -- is a fixation on towers. He specifically likes the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Sphinx, the Eiffel Tower, and the Statue of Liberty. Today was Leaning Tower Day, just so you know. After reading, discussing the importance of structurally safe foundations, and looking at many pictures, Connor and I drew our own Leaning Towers and tried to build one out of legos. Tomorrow is Eiffel Tower Day, just so you know! If you have any ideas how to build the Eiffel Tower out of legos, please share!

"Hey, Moppy! Camden has a Soul Patch!"

2007-06-06T12:45:00.000-07:00