Four Little Monkeys

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T19:29:00.000-06:00

Birthday Boy :: Last of the Single Digits

2011-11-20T15:17:00.075-06:00

I used to really enjoy celebrating our kids' milestones. (No more diapers!! No more training wheels!! Losing those first teeth!!) But celebrations these days seem more bitter sweet. All double digits from here. *sigh*

At least the boy has good taste!

I think the birthday gift treasure hunts will continue to be a lasting tradition...so I'll hang onto it while I can and enjoy writing all those clues in verse.

Gramma totally has his number--a very nifty spy gadget!

For the record, I like the lie detector test on this unit. I passed (96% truthful) when I stated, "I am 29 years old."

Jimmer said this was his favorite birthday cake--ever!

I may be finished making cut-out cakes.

Not yet sure if that's an, Awww...*sniff* or a !!!!!

I do know that Jimmer is a sweet, humorous, and clever little 9 year old character...and he still loves to give good hugs and snuggle! So I will celebrate those things for sure!!

Estes Park in September

2011-11-14T19:19:00.003-06:00

We just can't seem to stay away from Estes Park for too long. This year, we deemed that it had been long enough.

Still back in September...
I flew from Seattle to Denver. Then Joe and the kids drove up from Albuquerque and picked me up on their way to Estes.

This photo spot in the middle of town is now a tradition.

Also in the middle of town is the kids' favorite monkeying-around place.

Ham bone

The boys' backs just don't seem to bend as well as the girls' do.

We had to wait for the snow to stop and road to open before we could drive Trail Ridge Road.

In the clouds

Made it to the Alpine Visitor Center

A chilly 34 degrees

A vacation is always better when the kids get to play in a little snow!

Sadly, I've noticed a lot of brown, dying pine trees since our last visit to RMNP. We found out that it was due to Pine Bark Beetles.

It's changing the look of the landscape for sure.

All the kids earned their Junior Ranger badges for Rocky Mountain National Park.

We got to see the male elk acting a bit ridiculous since it was rut season.

They make a very high-pitched noise and run around after the lady elk with their heads and antlers back like this.

They also lock antlers with other guy elk who may be looking at their ladies.

This guy ended up locking antlers with a hammock. Not sure which one won.

Jimmer doing his best Stooge impression--Curly.

Location of the nightly S'mores

Enjoying dinner on our deck at the lodge

Long's Peak

Over the mountains the through the forest to Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Gary's house we go...

All Hallow's Eve

2011-11-01T13:49:00.002-05:00

(in front of our neighbor's scary "graveyard" complete with a limp-walking dead man)

Amelia Earhart, a couple of bandits, and a national park ranger hauled in a LOT of sugary loot last night.

Dad & kids travel without me...

2011-10-07T13:09:00.000-05:00

While I was snuggling my niece and eating way too much good food in Seattle, Joe took the opportunity to do a little traveling with the kids. Brave man!

He took the kids on a 12-hour drive to see their cousins in Albuquerque.

(From the looks of the photos on our camera, it would appear that all eight children lived on their own and hung out together all weekend by themselves--no adults in any of the pics!)

After the weekend, Joe and kids went off to Santa Fe...

...and then up through Colorado, stopping at Garden of the Gods.

Then a repeat performance of the Seven Falls stair climb--all 224 steps!

It was good for them!

Garden of the Gods has a fabulous gift shop...with silly hats!

After many years, they also made a repeat visit to the Colorado Springs Ghost Town Museum.

Everyone loves panning for gold when you're pretty much guaranteed to come out with some gold!

Over the rivers and through some airports...to see my new niece in Seattle

2011-10-01T13:50:00.083-05:00

Seeing my brother as a first-time dad is pretty fun...funny...cool!

A doting dad he is!

Lovely new mama, Lan-Vi

As for me, I introduced my niece to a little conversation, singing, dancing, and even some cheer.

She talks now and is learning the alphabet.
She's quite advanced! ;^)

Gramma. This picture--my fave!

Dad & Doog

Oh, we reaped the benefits of the resident chef/former restaurant owner, Lan-Vi!

First full-family photo

MK's lion finally made it to its rightful owner.

One of Chris's modes of transportation

Off he goes

Bello & Freddie

Libby

Can you find the cupid's bow?

Nika inherited a Cox "pucker" trait from her dad and grandpa.

The family and Seattle skyline

Pretty mama and sweet babe

Strollering dad

A Puget Sound sunset

What we do during the hottest summer on record

2011-09-02T18:51:00.005-05:00

We're nearing 80 days of triple-digit heat at this point.

Going from one weather extreme, growing up in Minnesota, to another here in Texas leads me to revert to my old winter hibernating ways...only, in the summer.

It's way too hot to spend any significant amount of time outside unless we're in a shaded pool. We cover swimming in the mornings, so there's lots of time after school each day to...do stuff. Something. Anything.

We've been making a few things.

Something I'll take with me to Seattle.

...along with this (minus the basketball head form!).

Cross stitching that Nici taught Kathleen

and MK.

An amigurimi creation I made for a neighbor girl who seems to have Mad Kitty Disease.

Something for the girls to look forward to wearing in the winter, a knit cowly shoulder warmer.

Now, if it would only dip below the 100 degree mark...

The Sleepover

2011-09-01T18:29:00.000-05:00

MK's continued birthday festivities included this crew.

First they dined on self-made personal pizzas (that somehow made them start making funny faces).

Then they chased them down with these...except, with chocolate mousse.

Just a warning if you make the chocolate cups: don't use the recommended water balloons for your mold. Use regular (er, stronger) balloons!

Think after-burst chocolatey, splashy shrapnel.

All over my shirt, back splash, and stovetop burners...

The chocolatey sugar surge probably explains this outburst of energetic fiddle dancing fun.

Which led to a double-header competition of: Silly Walks and Talent/Dress Up (scoring requested by a sleepover guest)

Topped off the evening with a showing of Benji.

The kids love those vintage 70's Disney flicks!

But they like having friends over for a night of fun and a sleepover even better!

III rings in XI

2011-08-30T17:31:00.002-05:00

Each year on her birthday, we're reminded of MK's sweetness. It usually starts with her birthday list full of very simple requests. This year, she asked for:

pocket knife,
chicks or a rat,
laser pointer,
cooler,
dangly earrings,
treasure hunt,
sleep over and movie night with friends.

She also made a sweet treat leap by requesting a tasty dessert rather than a kiddie eye-catching cake. Her choice:

a brownie cheesecake.

Ever since the kids started reading, they really look forward to their birthday gift treasure hunts.

They tear all over the house searching for gifts with silly clues written in verse.

I figure it's an even trade for their time-consuming fun cakes!

She's always happy with the simplest of gifts.

It's refreshing to know that life still can be happily simple.

Ordinary can be extraordinary!

Search, searching

New bling

New thready craft

Happy 11th Birthday, MK Me Me Cocoa Butter Carrot Flibber-a-loo.

This is our squirrel on summer. Any questions?

2011-08-12T16:54:00.000-05:00

It is tooooooasty here, this 59th day of triple-digit heat.

through the screen
Definitely out of place to being wearing a fur coat.

MK's yarning mojo :: patternless creations

2011-08-11T15:48:00.002-05:00

I taught MK how to increase and decrease stitches the other day.

She instantly went to town on a body of a lion.

To finish it off, she simply needed an idea and instruction on how to attach the legs and make the mane. She also had me stitch the face because, "This is a toy for Nika, and I don't want the face to look funny."

Jimmer calls it the ballerina cactus lion.
We also call it the ballerina flower lion.

I kinda like how she ran out of yellow yarn and just carried on with a different green color.

You won't get that from a toy store...probably not from Etsy either.

MK says, "It's really a girl lion, but I thought I should put a mane on it so you could tell what kind of animal it is."

* * * * *
Today, after the kids finished listening to their history lesson, MK presented this creation. Another on-the-fly, patternless creation.

Broken finger still in splint

On this 58th day of triple-digit heat for the year, I'm right with you, MK. Bring on the fall weather!!!

Mission Possible!

2011-08-10T16:24:00.001-05:00

It is, indeed, possible to fit yourself through an index card.

That is, one that is torn into strips then bent and twisted together into a hoop.

Mission Impossible?

2011-08-08T19:16:00.004-05:00

The twins' collaborative creative thinking problem of the day:

Examine an index card. Your mission is to fit yourself through the card. You may only tear and fold the card. You may not use tape, glue, or anything else to hold the card together.

Lesson learned:

I'll pacify myself by stating that my children are officially faster creative thinkers than I am...only because they came up with a solution before I did. I have incomplete confidence that I would have eventually thought up a perfectly good solution myself.

You may also call me, Queen of de Nial!

Mission Possible pictures to follow...

Joe's current hobby

2011-08-07T19:12:00.000-05:00

Ground truly broke at church

It's always fun to watch large earth-moving vehicles

Joe will be busy with this project for another year and a half...or so!

Our new family member :: my niece

2011-08-06T16:59:00.001-05:00

Baby Nika is here!!

5:10 am Pacific time
August 6, 2011
7 lbs, 12 oz
21 1/2 inches long

With Momma...

And Daddy, my big brother.

And I get to snuggle this little one next month!

Broken Spoke

2011-08-02T20:11:00.011-05:00

The kids were fiddling around again.

A couple of vids:

Orange Blossom Special (Star Wars intro)

South (Bob Wills)

What did Nici do in June?

2011-08-01T12:09:00.001-05:00

Pieced a quilt top

Tailgated

Watched baseballs

Longhorned

Launched bodies

Goofed around

Flew to Lubbock to see an old friend

Met up with South African friends in Amarillo

Attended the Texas musical in Palo Duro Canyon

Ate BBQ

Made sweet treats

Wore boots

Posed with boots

Found the round rock (in Round Rock, TX) on the old cattle driving Chisholm Trail

Ate 30th birthday cake

Played car games

Said goodbye

In other words...
She soaked in the full Texas program.

When will we see you again?

My new round umbels

2011-07-29T08:32:00.000-05:00

No, this is not a post about plastic surgery.

Rather...
It's about the Hoya plant my grandfather gave me. It has bloomed!

FINALLY!!!!!

My grandpa from Dubuque, Iowa noticed my admiration for his waxy-flowered plant that he used to have growing all across his front bay window that overlooked the Mighty Mississippi River. It was obviously the perfect place for the plant since it had plenty of robust flowerings, called umbels.

Of all his many flowering plants (and, as a founder of his local arboretum and botanical gardens, he had M.A.N.Y.), this is the one that fascinated me the most with its unusual silky yet waxy flowers that look like exploding fireworks!

He gave me a cutting of his original plant over 16 years ago--before I was married.

I've been waiting a while!

I'll consider it a nice eye-twinkly HELLO from my Grandpa!

Hi, and thanks, Grandpa!

My, oh my, oh May!

2011-07-28T08:53:00.003-05:00

A smorgasbord of snapshots...

The month started out with a bang when Gramma showed up.

Or at least a *PING*PING*.
That's the sound of Kathleen having this done to her ears!

Grammy & Grampy got in the game.

Kathleen's handmade residence for most of May.

The girls' fuel-efficient independent transportation during the month of May.

May's musical musterings

Both the violin and piano recitals in one day--

--within a couple of hours of each other.

May clowning

THEN
After Jimmer took off with Gramma and hung out for a week,
Nici, our former au pair, jetted to our country from South Africa,
and we both flew out to Gramma's to retrieve Jimmer -- releasing him from the shackles of...perfect weather, perfect fun with Gramma & Mr. Merle, perfect one-on-one time for once, and perfect freedom from school and siblings.

With the likes of these two personalities meeting for the first time, it took a grand total of one second to warm up to each other.

Card games led to toe wrestling which led to...
snowball fights.

...and scratching around for coin droppage.

Fast friends, I tell you!

Back at the ranch...

Car appreciation day in May

Enjoying May weather!

Pretzel making in May

South African sisters - Nici's sister (now an au pair in NJ) came for a Memorial Day weekend visit to the Lonestar State.

They bought boots,

Dressed up,

Danced with cowboys,

Visited our pink capitol,

Bounced through Lake Travis,

Ate grub overlooking a lake at sunset,

And engaged in pre-dinner thumb wrestling.

As you can see, the kids really had a tough time warming up again to Nici after her 10-year absence!

Much in May.
Then there was June!

Ear training for the mechanically inclined

2011-07-27T09:32:00.004-05:00

"Hey Mom. Did you hear those cars outside at 5:56 this morning? One was a Lamborghini for sure. The other one was either a Viper or an Aston Martin. Now I'm thinking it was a Viper because it didn't pop, crack, and growl like the Aston Martin. Anyway...they had a stop-light drag race. It woke me up. I thought I was dreaming! It was so fun to hear..."

The mostly one-sided conversation went on from here about the actual noises each car tends to make--and why--and how fast they are able to go in 60 seconds, etc. I'll spare you the deets.

Any guesses on the source of this quote? hehe =)

Jimmer's Big Day in May

2011-07-17T20:38:00.000-05:00

We had some very *grand* guests join us in celebrating Jimmer's First Communion.

Then, shortly after his big day, one of the *grand* ladies in the house flew away with him.

Far, far away

They did a bunch of fun stuff together.

And.
AND!

With Jimmer's fascination with all things related to money and weapons, he got to hang out with Gramma's friend who was the Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (1995-1997).

Who now teaches archery and gun safety!

A dream come true for this little guy!

32 days of triple digit heat...

2011-07-16T16:29:00.007-05:00

...is precisely why we are inside doing things like this:

I'm so happy our kids like to make up their own games!

In this kind of heat, my survival instincts tell me to stay near the A/C.

Unless, of course, we're at the pool and the kids play one of MY made-up games, the Swimming Decathlon:

1. 5 laps
2. 10 flip turns
3. 10 backwards somersaults
4. 10 hand stands
5. 5 canon balls
6. 10 safety rail pull ups
7. 10 laps around stairs
8. 5 back flop plunges
9. 10x swim under lane line
10. 10 cross-leg sits on bottom of pool

Necessity is the mother of invention.

What dreadful hot weather we have!
It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.
~ Jane Austen

Our balloon rainbow arch was originally made for our South African daughter's birthday.

More on her visit soon...

Been a long time, been a long time

2011-06-22T13:47:00.012-05:00

Until today, I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted anything new.
Wow!
Busy spring!

As a quick recap:

We hung around and schooled.

Twins celebrated their 12th birthday.

Met up in Lubbock with ABQ Stotzers.

Easter came and went.

Kathleen and I attended our first Leo Kottke concert with Kathleen's guitar teacher. Fun!! (Thanks, Mom!)

Joe showed his faithful devotion...

...to the Final Four.

Yet to come: more evidence of our springtime hustling and bustling.

A personality

2011-04-29T19:58:00.004-05:00

If you quickly scroll through this post to view the photos, you may think it's about having some fun on a climbing wall...but it's not.

It's really about
a p e r s o n a l i t y

Here you see Mike a good way up the wall, a really tough wall that many experienced climbers give up on. Don't see much to hold on to, do you?

Well, Mike was in this position for about 15 minutes. Every new hold he tried just wouldn't get him any higher.

Sometimes he'd move down a bit to see if he could find alternative holds, then go back up again...only to be stymied--over and over.

If you really try to imagine just how long 15 minutes is while hanging from a couple of toes and fingertips, you can now realize that the idea of "fun" has now left the imagination.

It's now mind over matter...over physical discomfort, over mental strain...over the fact that our hour in the gym was WAY overdue!

I kept thinking he'd see the situation as futile and come back down and find a different wall to try.

Even his taller, lighter, flexible, determined twin sister had tried this wall and had to scrap the mission.

But no.
He's very persistent when he sets his mind to something.

Around the 20-25 minute mark, he finally made it to the top and rang the bell.

His sibs and a group of experienced climbers in the area heard the bell and came over to see him up there--one of the toughest walls.

The older experienced climbers (handicapped with added weight) showed their admiration by clapping.

Mikey grinned and came down.

A personality...

Satisfied.

Springtime happenings :: updated with nestlings!

2011-04-28T19:55:00.000-05:00

It was a harsh winter in Texas with a several consecutive days and nights well below freezing. (For you northerns, that's the Texas definition of a brutal winter.) May sound wimpy, but this kind of weather is quite destructive of our southern plants and pipes!

We had to snip our Sago Palm down to a stub.

But new life emerged.

And grew quickly...and amazingly.

I love watching the new fronds uncurl!

Voilà!

A furry magnolia bud.

Poof--a bloom!

Natural house air freshener...jasmine.

Parfum de Open Window

a.k.a. Wall of Jasmine!

It's my Texas springtime favorite (since we don't have lilacs down here).

Our neighbor's heron.

Well, they didn't watch it hatch and raise it, but since they involuntarily feed it (via their fish/frog pond) they should probably be able to claim it if they want.

Looking in the pond for lunch.

We are hosting a family of sparrows in our front light fixture!

A bold pair of sparrows built their nest in it. We are pretty baffled about how they went about moving the heavy steel lid back to open it!

I didn't have the heart to ruin their little nest, so we haven't been using our front light for about a month now!

Look what I found between a couple of the light bulbs.

There are 4 little nestlings!

Speaking of birds, this is what it sounds like around here most of the time with our state mocking bird. I love it! I also love that birds stick around here and sing all year 'round.

Have you heard about the basil shortage?

Neither have I. There isn't one that I know of, but the girls sure planted it like there is! We have about 20 tomato plants they also decided to plant from seed.

Roasted tomato & basil pesto will now be a major food group around La Casa de Roche this summer.

A squirrel-planted native pecan tree in our back yard

Seems Nut Nut, the squirrel, has a green thumb and an eye for placement, so we left it.

I've always said that fall is my favorite season.

Late fall: birds in front yard pecan tree

Spring is a *very* close second!

Appreciating and enjoying fresh new life!

I want to go where they're going.

2011-04-07T19:40:00.004-05:00

Not sure if the kids were simply enjoying their toys or if they were using them to tell me something during this 33rd of 36 weeks of school.

If they were sending some sort of spring fever message, I'd have to say I'm right with them.

The idea of this vacation-bound caravan is quite enticing.

Suits that are now REALLY wet

2011-03-27T02:57:00.008-05:00

Around here, the kids MUST go swimming before the month of March is finished. It just HAS to happen.

Expecting the chill of the unheated pool, they donned wet suits.

Last time they sported these duds was a warm day in January when they went boating on the lake.

Winters are brutal in Austin, I tell you!

Wearing these suits prevented having four sets of purple lips and lengthened their stay at the pool from 20-30 minutes to a full hour.

I had to pull out the drenched monkeys so we could go home and eat dinner. Otherwise, who knows how long they would have stayed.

'Til next time...

S P L A S H!

The heat is on!

2011-03-02T13:00:00.006-06:00

Magnified solar heat, that is.

A very good experiment/project to keep the kids busy while the carpets were being cleaned!

The top of a bug holder provided one magnifier.

Kathleen's 5-in-1 tool provided the other.

Paper carnage

Solar writing

Dodecahedron

2011-02-28T12:52:00.004-06:00

First stab at making this toy.

Certainly not perfect, but...

it's mathematically significant
and has jingle bells inside!

Making it was a little addictive.
Good thing I have another skein!

It was hooked (crocheted), and now I'm hooked.
Need to try the knitted version.

The how-to.

Mind & Body Bending :: Spelling Test

2011-02-14T18:09:00.004-06:00

This is what Mary Kate might look like when she's taking a spelling test...

given by her little brother...

before having a living room slumber party.

Unconventional.
A little twisted?

The thing of Texas kids' dreams :: snow

2011-02-06T16:18:00.003-06:00

A dusting of snow gets everyone excited around here.

This light coating even closed all the schools for a day.

All this snow play can make a kid tired.

Shovels? Who has shovels?

We do, however, have angels.

And fun rides in the yard. And...

Wet gloves in the dryer.
A blaze in the fireplace.
Hot chocolate in our tummies.
Little school work done.

Our sweety pie girl

2011-01-24T12:32:00.019-06:00

She's a fun one...

who likes to make things special for others.

MK's Clementine flower snack for her siblings
She'll even forgo doing the fun stuff

MK setting up targets for her sibs
So she can watch the others enjoy themselves.

(Or is it that she just likes to be the one calling, "Ready...aim...FIRE."?)

After the carnage, back she goes to set it all up again while the others reload.

Over and over--never asking to shoot.
That wouldn't be as fun for her.
She told us so.

A big animal lover she is, indeed.

Since the only pets we have in our home are dust bunnies, MK decided to make her own litter of pups.

Bobble head doggies--15 of them--all with names

I believe after Mary Kate's brief training session, each of her friends now has at least one family of bobble head doggies in their homes. ☺

She also likes to make decorations...

and teach her friends how to make them.

Our house may only look seasonally festive because Mary Kate has a hand in it.

Her favorite place for decorations?

Hanging from the chandelier

Greeting her friends at the bus stop when they get home from school is something else she loves to do.

Every.
Single.
Day.

And who is Joe's go-to masseuse for his achy neck and shoulders? Yup--MK, it is!

Being sweet & special just comes naturally for this girl.
A natural talent that her mother greatly appreciates!!

But wait, there's more:
Our younger daughter is Kathleen's #1 choice for her duet fiddle partner, hands down. Whenever Kathleen figures out a new part to a song, she wants MK to be the one to play the other part. Nobody else will do. And she's happy to oblige.

Our sweety pie honey pie is the first one to doctor up her injured siblings and neighbor friends, and even stands by her sister's side and watches her get four teeth pulled.

Sweet, caring, fun...and doesn't mind gore?

She's so complex.
And sweet.
Really sweet!
Our sweety-pie-with-a-y, just like her name.

We've been...

2011-01-04T14:59:00.007-06:00

Slumbering in the living room by the Christmas tree...and having sleeping bag wars.

Building outdoor winter forts...minus the snow and Jack Frosty fingers.

Feeding wildebeests, gemsboks, watusis, and kudus as well as petting, feeding, and grooming goats here.

Admiring the wackiness of the 37th street Christmas light display--complete with live music, of course.

...and a sock monkey nativity.

Touring the grounds of our (pink, hehe) capitol.

And--

Spending a lot of family time together.

Welcome 2011!
Welcome back routine.
Welcome to the institution of our new chore chart.
Welcome to a fresh new start!

A Flurry of Fun

2010-12-27T09:57:00.007-06:00

Jimmer's offerings to Santa --

A sweet representation of a youngster's hope on Christmas Eve.

A visiting guinea pig:

A sweet representation of a youngster's responsibility on Christmas Eve!

Legos Technic sets -- Mike's dream vehicular set, complete with gears, suspension systems, and even rack-and-pinion steering.

After building the set models, Mikey is now creating his own custom vehicles with additional Lego parts cannibalized from other sets.

A sweet representation of a youngster's creativity on Christmas day!

Dear Legos, Inc.

My 11-year-old son is available to test all your Technic sets. He is additionally able to provide his consulting services and invention ideas to create and enhance future dynamic vehicular sets. He will provide 3D drawings from multiple angles and build all necessary prototypes for each of his inventions/creations.

If you hire him, he'll love you forever...and probably make you a lot of ca$h.

Sincerely,
His mom

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T19:17:00.006-06:00

Saying goodbye to the season of Advent.

Welcoming the new season of Christmas!

It's not often we snap shots of our whole family.

This will undoubtedly be the last of Joe's face we'll see for some time. (Joe's annual facial hair growing marathon got a late start this year.)

We wish for you all a very merry and blessed Christmas!

O come, let us adore Him.

Festivities

2010-12-23T17:17:00.008-06:00

It certainly is that time of year...

when our next door neighbors get 9 sets of their trains out and run them throughout all parts of their yard,

when the kids play Christmas music at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar,

and when the kids play football by the nearby huge, extremely well-lit Texas oak tree.

Now all that's left to do is celebrate and enjoy the special day of the season--Christmas!

And eat more treats.
And listen to more festive music.
And stay in our PJs much of the day.
And drink a little hot cocoa!
And find all the little baby Jesuses around the house and put them in their proper manger cribs.

Have a blessed and very merry Christmas!

Gramma & Mr. Merle

2010-12-18T12:55:00.004-06:00

Today's creation
by Kathleen

Coming soon to a little mountain town in Cali.

Twist Tie People

2010-12-14T21:53:00.006-06:00

I found these little people hanging from my computer screen the other day.

Their names are Katherine and Kathleen.

Kathleen made them for her friend, Katherine.

The real Katherine isn't into gymnastics or anything, but her doll version sure is.

Back bend

Push up

Hand stand

Mary Kate (left) added herself to the growing bunch of girls hanging around.

I think they're all playing leap frog at the moment.

Twistie idea from this library book.

Armed with a handful of twist ties and embroidery thread, the girls are now showing more of their friends how to make these funsies for themselves.

Some are made to look like themselves--others are more out-of-this-world with bright orange skin and neon-colored hair.

They giggle at their Travolta Stayin' Alive poses,
and marvel at other balanced contortions.

Good simple fun.

A Christmas wish to you from Kathleen

2010-12-09T10:19:00.007-06:00

Kathleen has been taking guitar lessons for a couple of months and wants to spread a little of her Christmas cheer.

Let me just say that I am so happy her teacher comes to our home for lessons!

Crochet Nativity

2010-12-08T12:26:00.016-06:00

Out of our several nativity sets, this one is the most unique.

My Grandma H. crocheted the set.

I find it very charming, and our kids absolutely **love** it!

Among all of our Christmas decorations, it's the first thing the girls look for and want to set up in the living room.

Proud Mary

Well, she probably wasn't feeling "proud" since she was so saintly and all. Just doing the job she was called to do, right? She sure looks like she feels great though...and very happy!

Joseph also looks quite thrilled after such a challenging journey (and not just the donkey ride into town).

The good king bringing gold from afar.

All the talk amongst these blond, brunette, and red-headed angels must be about how busy they know they're all gonna be watching over this little Savior's family.

A couple of reasons I find this particular hand-crafted set charming.

Would you just look at that Shepherd's wooly vest? Sweet.

And this. THIS.

The lady is spinning wool. Now, that is making it real with nativity scene detail! No need to stop what you're doing--just come as you are to see our newborn King!

With the mess all those large manger animals surely made, I'm glad Grandma H. wasn't tempted to make it even more real.

This nativity is one more hand-made heirloom I feel privileged to enjoy year after year.

Thanks, Grandma!

I'm adding this to the Nativity Parade.
Go have a looksie at some other Nativity sets.

I've also linked this post to A Meaningful Family Christmas link party where you can check out other families' wonderful ideas.

Our chilly weather school room

2010-12-07T14:06:00.003-06:00

When it gets chilly around here, our regular school room is nearly abandoned...

for this cozy area.

Can't blame them.

With the fireplace having three sides, all of the kids have staked out their individual spots to keep toasty...and reading. (Jimmer alternates sitting at the end of the fireplace and snuggling on the sofa to do his reading.)

All of them doing their work in the same vicinity--quietly--makes for a smooth and efficient day of school.

Let's hope we have a long, chilly winter!

Our School Room :: Filling Up

2010-12-06T12:07:00.013-06:00

This is what our school room looks like today.

Just a few years ago, it looked a little less cluttered. Even slightly empty.

From this

to this.

BOOKS boOkS BookS bOoKs BooKS BOOkS!

And I'm not even showing the four (filled) upstairs bookcases.

And these

These are the kids' individual cubbies where they keep their current school books. (Along with a nature shelf in the middle.)

Books that have sparked so many of the kids' interests,
held captive their attention,
helped shape their character.

Jimmer's cubby
Since he's our youngest, it's bitter sweet to see these books for the last time on the kids' shelves.

Kind of like when you think you're going to be SO happy when your youngest child is potty trained, and instead you just look at all their little baby clothes and wish you could capture all those sweet baby moments again.

(Not the physically demanding, sleep deprived years -- just the smiley, sweet, innocent, and everything-is-new-and-wonderful-and-interesting times.)

I'll probably be okay when the book clutter is gone.

But I know I'll miss scenes like this when the kids are all grown up.

*sniff*

Snowflakes :: 3D

2010-12-04T17:09:00.002-06:00

The three girls here are papercrafting again.

SNOWFLAKES

'Tis the season!

After this one was hung, the girls got busy again and made one for their neighbor friend.

They're easy to make. All it takes is:

-6 sheets of copy paper
-scissors
-tape
-stapler
-Christmas music (optional, but recommended)
-a fire in the fireplace (also optional)

Check out this tute to make some indoor snow for yourself!

NOTE: The only thing this tutorial leaves out is making the second half of the snowflake that needs to be stapled to the first half. Then, to keep the branches held together while it hangs, you'll need to staple or tape about half way down each branch where the outer ribbons cross.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Thanksgiving Day

2010-11-26T12:47:00.006-06:00

A look on the outside

Front-yard football -- the tackling sort

Don't you love how *ready* Jimmer looks with his hands in his pockets?

3 girls, 5 boys -- no protective gear

Thank goodness this all took place before their tummies were stuffed with turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin ice cream pie.

Look out, Kathleen. You've got 3 boys charging to tackle you!

She may have avoided getting tackled,

but Mikey didn't fare quite as well on this play.

A view from the inside

A happy Thanksgiving here.

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving where you are!

In the mind of Mikey

2010-11-23T13:04:00.009-06:00

Along with Kathleen's pile of drawings and other papery projects covering a table in our school room, Mikey made his contribution to the heap.

He's steady in his work and not one to disappoint.
So, as you can imagine, his creations are of...vehicles.

Some *wearing* exciting things

I was informed that this is a monster truck with
a front slider, coil overs, and reservoir shocks.

Some *doing* exciting things

A mudder with a supercharger--making a muddy projectile mess.

For the record, this next one is Mike's favorite drawing.

A rock-crawling Jeep Comanche using its winch.

My only concern with this drawing is that there is no longer a driver in the vehicle.

What happened to him?

Does his mother know that he was driving precariously over boulders near the tundra line among snow-capped mountains?

Did he leave a trail plan with a park ranger before he started his off-road journey?

Did he bring a sweater?

A go kart
I can handle peddle go karts.
I think.

Diagramming vehicles from various perspectives is also a trend with Mike's drawings.

He started doing this when he was around 7 years old. After we took a ride on Uncle Bob's houseboat down the Mississippi, Mikey came back and started drawing the whole boat from different angles--some of which he had never actually seen.

Channeling his inner da Vinci:

Okay, I was caught a little off guard with the next one. NOT a vehicle?

Besides Mike thinking about vehicles, I'm usually not sure what else goes through his mind. So I must ask:

"What's this flow chart?"

"Is this a diagram of your mind showing how you file and retrieve information?"

He says, "Oh, that's a diagram of a bunch of slide outs. I imagined all of the little boxes sliding into each other and all fitting into the largest box."

"I drew that a LONG time ago when I was little."

(Interpretation: "A long time ago" = sometime last school year)

* * * * * * *
Now that he's not so "little," what does he make?

Drawing in 2-D > Building in 3-D

He's kind of big on this Erector Set right now.

This week's creations:

A dragster

X Plane (his high performance "test model")
with forward-swept wings and twin tail fins

In progress: an off-road pick-up truck chasis
with independent front suspension and live axel in back

(He did have to tell me all the specifics because I know nuh-singk about zees vehicles.)

So there you have it.

Glimpses of Mikey's mind on the inside...from the outside.

Kathleen's dream bedroom, etc.

2010-11-22T18:08:00.008-06:00

So I was sorting through piles of things that have overtaken one of our horizontal surfaces in the school room and found a handful of Kathleen's old drawings.

"Old" as in WAY back when she was in 5th grade.

Last year.

When she was, you know, still just a kid.

Her dream bedroom -- a treehouse loft

with several modes of entry/exit.

A knotted rope

A climbing wall

A ladder

For a crash landing or perhaps just a little fun:

A mound of colored foam blocks.

And, of course, an outdoorsy mural.

Moving along...

I also found Kathleen's first gig poster creation among the piles.

When I found this next picture, I figured it had to be Mike's...but, to my surprise, it is Kathleen's.

Hmmm...go cart innards.

A mechanical drawing? By Kathleen?
Looks like her brother is rubbing off on her.

Kids' artwork leaves a lasting glimpse of what has occupied their active imaginations.

Our bustling front yard

2010-11-15T13:26:00.005-06:00

Question: What do you get when you have a large front yard and a triple garage filled with wheeled outdoor vehicles?

Answer 1: A magnet to all children out of doors.
Answer 2: A busy vehicle-fixing husband!

Yesterday's scene:

Sixteen of these neighborhood kids

rode our outdoor vehicles through the street,

jumped bikes in our yard,

played in the driveway,

Whirled around everywhere

at the same time.

Buster, you're totally busted.

No beating the girls with a hockey stick. You'll be able to climb the tree soon enough.

Girls like to jump too.

But nobody likes to fall.

Just wait until Joe fixes our Green Machine and Razor 360. Then we'll even have a contingent of parents joining the front-yard fun.

Really!

There may be something to it

2010-11-12T20:16:00.008-06:00

A homeschooling graphic

Click here to view the full, clear graphic.

When homeschooling parents are hunkered down deep in the trenches of a school year, it's encouraging to see something like this.

Next week, we'll finish our 18th week of school out of a 36 week full year, and that =

halfway there!

Another year older

2010-11-03T15:19:00.004-05:00

This little monkey likes to be around people,

has a well-developed sense of humor,

loves math, wrestling, target practice, all things spy, learning about weaponry and how money is made,

AND

still loves to snuggle!

Our youngest is EIGHT!

And I'd like to keep him right there.

All Hallow's Eve

2010-11-02T14:03:00.002-05:00

Our kids don't mind the gory stuff these days.

It's sort of grown on them...like this long gray wig.

They've watched our neighbor, who dresses up every year as the Grim Reaper, stand *very still* outside his doorway waiting for his prey. Then he scares the daylights out of all the tweens and teens.

So, I guess that's his trick before he hands out the treats with a big smile...an unseen smile behind his mask!

That may have rubbed off on our kids by now.

Oh dear, she's smiling. She forgot about playing the part of the gaunt, anemic, fairly serious but still nice witch.

Nice in that she still used good manners while trick or treating...and doesn't know any weird spells.

She must have thought she was still being a *cute* witch like last year. Looksie.

MK and K 2009...er, good witch and Annie Oakley

That's better.

More in character anyway

This year we had:

A couple of bandits, a pretty ghould witch, and a pioneer girl.

Just one kind of gory one in the bunch.

And two bandits who came home with loot that I'll trust was willingly offered and politely received.

No ca$h $pent on co$tume$ thi$ Halloween.

Besides MK's wig that was purchased and unused from a couple of years ago, they pulled this stuff out of their dress up hampers.

I thank you kids from the bottom of my heart.

My very bloody heart.

* * * * * * *

Although we saved a little on this year's costumes, we did end up spending a little bit for the doctor's appointment and pharmacy yesterday after we noticed MK's bad reaction to the face paint.

She woke up barely able to open her eyes this morning, and the irritation started spreading throughout the rest of her face.

She's doing much better today.

She wanted me to post this picture of her taken yesterday.
She purposely didn't smile. Thought it would be even ickier that way.

I think she's more impressed with real gore rather than the artificial painted gore. The real thing is always more spectacular than that which is simply made up.

No costume or paint necessary. It's just scary all by itself!

Blazing Bows :: LBJ Ranch

2010-10-24T14:48:00.022-05:00

Our fiddlers had another fun performance this weekend. This time we got to help celebrate at the LBJ Ranch Annual Barbecue.

Shortly after Ladybird Johnson passed away in 2007, their ranch (including their home) has been open to the public and is now the LBJ National Historical Park. This year marks their 3rd annual BBQ--just like how the Johnsons used to host every year, in the oak grove along the Perdernales River.

This day also marked Kathleen's first solo fiddle performance. Here she is warming up.

She looks terribly nervous, no? Absolutely terrified! Such a pitiful sight.

A fiddlin' cowboy warming up

I love that this kid kept the price tag dangling from his violin scroll...a la Minnie Pearl!

Speaking of Minnie, these are the Jordan sisters, Minnie and Ella. Together they won last year's fiddle competition at the Old Settler's Music Festival.

Our fearless leaders, Cleve and "Sweet" Mary Hattersley

Tuned, rosined, warmed up, and...

...waiting

Our four were featured in "Joe Turner Blues."

Kathleen also did a great job on her solo.

On our recent vacation, she heard this song from the Pine Leaf Boys...and liked it so much that when we got back home she picked it out on her fiddle.

She worked hard at getting it ready for this performance because she thought it would be "cool" to play her first solo at a national historical park.

LBJ loved driving visitors around his ranch. So we got to go on the car tour.

Except we had a "secret service agent" do the honors since LBJ wasn't available.

The restored small Lockhead Jetstar that our 36th prez used to land on the ranch airstrip. LBJ jokingly refered to this one as the "Air Force One Half."

Havin' BBQ

Listenin' to this band

This is probably about when the kids took off with all the other kids at the BBQ and flopped around in the heaping piles of mowed grass, throwing it everywhere, racing and chasing each other (girls still wearing their skirts).

Our sweet friend who gave us the violin Kathleen now uses (Yes, I said GAVE!) came by and told her she played the 100-year-old violin very well.

Dancing to the setting sun

Kathleen's jig

ASSURANCE: No, you don't have a problem with your central nervous system.
APOLOGY: Sorry, I was tapping my foot & dodging rain drops while taping.
LAME EXCUSE: Joe got better video, but it requires editing.

Here's a clip of Pine Leaf Boys' "Jig Cajin." if you care to listen to the original.

A fun afternoon at the ranch.

North Platte Canteen :: Nebraska

2010-10-17T08:52:00.011-05:00

A story worth telling

The first few days of our recent trip were spent getting many miles under our belts on our way to Mt. Rushmore. However, we made a couple of stops at some interesting places along the way. One of those was North Platte, Nebraska.

I had only heard of North Platte because Grammy had talked about a wonderful heartwarming book she had read called, Once Upon a Town.

It sounded like such a great story, but I hadn't had the chance to read the book. So...we just went there to see for ourselves!

North Platte was made famous by its accidental hospitality during WWII when a bunch of women went to the train station on Christmas Day to bring care packages to their sons coming through town on their way to the war. When the train came in, they realized their sons were not on board. They were other people's sons from a different state.

Most certainly a little disappointed, Rae Wilson was the first who decided to open her heart and give her son's special package to that train of scared young men headed for war--strangers. All the other women followed and welcomed those young men with their goodies.

All the women realized they filled a need--to make those troops going off to war feel one last bit of home and show 'em some love.

The North Platte Canteen was born.

In 51 months (December 25, 1941 - April 1, 1946), Rae Wilson and her organized group of women served 6 million service men and women on their brief 10-minute stops. They hosted 20+ trains a day.

Each DAY, they went through:

160-175 loaves of bread
100 lbs of meat
15 lbs of cheese
45 lbs coffee
40 quarts cream
500 bottles of milk
25 dozen rolls

This was a time when food was rationed. Individuals just kept scraping up what they could and giving to the troops--oftentimes coming from hundreds of miles away to bring their food. One boy frequently auctioned off "the shirt off his back" to raise money for the Canteen's supplies. Little kids even gave their birthday cakes to the troops! How sweet is that?

Here's a snippet from one of the soldier's thank you notes:

"To think that you people, to whom we all were strangers, would do all you did for us. I can tell you there weren't many dry eyes in those cars when we left, and do you know why? Because you people, such a small part of our country, had really brought home back to us. You showed us that this was the real America; this was what we had fought and worked for and wanted to come back to....

We know you call us 'your boys' but I wonder if you realize whom we saw in you? We saw our mothers, our wives, our sisters and daughters and sweethearts--but above all this, we saw--America."

This is a pretty good video that tells the story.

An encounter between character and circumstance. Just lovely.

It's amazing the number of these service people who still remembered their 10-minute stop in North Platte 40, 50, 60 years later. Mentioning North Platte could even bring dementia-stricken people into lucidity. Those types of situations that sear such a lasting impression on you for the rest of your life are indeed extraordinary. One 10-minute stop. Six million people.

Makes me feel kinda small for not doing more for others.
I'm so glad we stopped in North Platte. So happy I know about its story!

* * * * * * *
Another part of the story I remember was about one young lady who put her name and address in a popcorn ball she made and found a soldier to give it to on his way through town. They wrote many letters to each other and ended up getting married.

How many people can claim to have found their spouse in a popcorn ball?!

I found mine in a car ride home from college for Thanksgiving. And he was polite enough to ask if I'd like any of his potato chips. Maybe it was really the next time I saw him...across campus with his head all wrapped up in gauze. Yeah, that's what must have done it! Poor thing--bad, bad rugby accident.

Rather than a war-ready-soldier-popcorn-ball story, I've got my injured-rugby-player-potato-chip story.

(And it's our 14th anniversary this week!)

What's your story?

The rocks talked to me

2010-10-07T15:47:00.005-05:00

Besides seeing things in nature that look like the alphabet, I also noticed that the time-worn rocks throughout our recent travels looked like various faces...with some stories to tell.

(Taken at Dinosaur National Monument)
See the double-sided Indian chiefs in this rock?

"Oy, this black manganese oxide doesn't do a THING for my nose and complexion. I might also add that my headdress is feeling quite heavy these last 10,000 or so years, and it's now making my eyebrows droop."

* * * * * * *

"Well, don't worry about it. I can't see a thing. For one, I've never been able to see you since we share the backs of our heads. Secondly, erosion has not yet made my eyes. Maybe in a few thousand years I'll get some and finally be able to see something. It sure is HOT around here."

* * * * * * *

"Yo, I grew up with Rocky Balboa. We were sparring partners...until my nose had been broken so many times and got so big I couldn't see him hitting me anymore."

"I'm going to have to reinvent myself."

"Hey, is this a microphone in front of me? I can do a pretty mean Elvis impersonation. Ahem." *tap, tap*

"Love me tender..."

* * * * * * *
"Yeah, well...you carry on with Elvis, but I'd rather get out of the comic strip business."

"Enough, people--okay?! I'm getting tired of you all making fun of my long, exaggerated nose and my huge underbite. Nobody gives me any credit for my true intellect around here. I like to think of myself as more of an Alfred Hitchcock kind of guy."

* * * * * * *
"As an aging gorilla I kind of like the view and slow pace, so I think I'll sit right here and stay a while."

* * * * * * *
"Well, aren't you fortunate. I'm also an aging gorilla. Look, I don't even have the back of my head anymore. Erosion left me with a hole for my cheek, and it looks like I need dentures. All I have to look forward to is one day falling flat on my face. Hmph!"

* * * * * * *
"La, lalalala, la, la, laaaa! I love being a choir lady in pioneer times...because I don't like to go anywhere without my bonnet.

"I could sing for the next million years!"

"If you look closely enough you might also see my Roman-nosed, bearded giant husband singing behind me. At least Mother Nature gave him an eye."

* * * * * * *
"Someone said there was a beautiful moon tonight. I just can't seem to find it anywhere. I love me a near-full moon."

"Oh, ha ha. Seems the joke is on me...as always. Would you come back this way, Mr. Moon, so I can see you just once? Anyone have a periscope I could use?"

* * * * * * *
"I am Queen Esther. Call me courageous if you want, but I've just gotta vent a little. It seems as though Mother Nature has played a bit of a trick on me. My arms fell off before erosion gave me eyes. Now I'm stuck here sitting atop my horse that took a 2,400-year break to graze. What a fine mess I'm in. I do kind of like my scapular profile though."

* * * * * * *
I cheated on this one--it's a photo of a photo (only one, promise)--a mudpot at Yellowstone.

Anyone see Teddy Roosevelt in this photo?

Photo taken at Mammoth Hot Springs.
The eyes with glasses, nose, & mustache?

Ironically, this was taken after we had seen him on Mt. Rushmore and after we had just passed under his quote on Yellowstone's north entrance archway. I'm sure he's smiling at this one--didn't even have to hire a sculptor for it!

So, how does nature speak to you?

Fall Roadie 2010 :: Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Palo Duro Canyon

2010-10-06T21:54:00.013-05:00

There was only day during the whole 18-day trip that required us to change our plans due to rain. So, instead of making it to our last park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, we instead holed up in Durango for the day before heading to Santa Fe.

While in Santa Fe, we took the kids again to see the Loretto Chapel spiral staircase that was built by a "mysterious" builder who disappeared after he built it--for free.

When Mike saw the staircase how it was originally built (with no hand rails), he said, "Hey Mom, that looks like a DNA double helix."

Sure does. (Yay, biology book!)

We made an unexpected visit to our Albuquerque family for the kids to surprise their cousins after school. They were speechless! Great afternoon and evening for the kids to play together and all to visit!

Oh, there we go.

NOW you can tell they're really cousins!

On our way home from Albuquerque, on Route 66, we stopped briefly in Amarillo. We spotted Cadillac Ranch and, well, you just have to stop to sign the cars.

Yep, 10 caddies half buried...in the middle of a field.

Further down Route 66, we passed the Big Texan Restaurant

where Joe accomplished the disgusting feat of eating this entire 72 oz. steak meal in less than an hour...in order to get it free.

It all happened shortly after Joe moved to Texas--before we were married. He's now mended his ways--mostly.

Pointing to his name in the Big Texan book of ~~shame~~ fame.

Not far from Amarillo, we stopped at Palo Duro Canyon. Beautiful area.

I've lived in Texas for 14 years. Hadn't been to Palo Duro. Still haven't been to Big Bend National Park. Just this spring we finally made it to Guadalupe Mountain National Park (Joe's been there numerous times). Texas is a big state and all, but sheesh. Bad locals.

Bad storm on the way home. (Okay, this looks like the big bad wolf to me. Anyone else?)

This concludes our fall 2010 roadie.

4,400 miles,
32 Jr. Ranger badges,
18 days,
10 states,
10 national parks, monuments, and state parks,
4 Jr. Paleontologist badges,
1 31-ft. RV
1 great trip!

The end!

Fall Roadie 2010 :: Mesa Verde

2010-10-02T00:16:00.014-05:00

We loved the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde.

Cliff Palace

These artifacts are anywhere from 700 - 1,300 years old, depending on the area of the palace, and they are all 80-90% original structures.

Pretty amazing to be able to wander through these places where the ancient Ancestral Puebloans lived, farmed, hunted, wove baskets, made pottery, and played with their pet turkeys.

I don't imagine our current home will be around in 1,000+ years.

If earthlings aren't toolin' around in flying saucers by then, maybe they'll be heading back into these time-tested cliff dwellings.

MK's descent into a kiva

As I take this picture of us in a ceremonial kiva, I wonder why in the world I'm standing in there...in the middle of something that was a sacred chamber to the Ancestral Puebloans, something they would typically would burn to cleanse as they'd leave their dwelling places at Mesa Verde.

This one didn't look burned to me. What kind of spirits were still there, I had no idea!

I think one came back with us in the RV and has been preventing me from unpacking ever since.

Mano y metate (how they ground corn)

As I wandered around several of these cliff dwelling areas, I imagined how the people lived. Then I thought about all the things that were going on in the world while the Ancient Puebloans dwelled in these cliffs.

Right about that time:

Meany King John was signing the Magna Carta,
The kids think it's funny that King John's brother, Richard the Lionheart, called John a "pustule." They also think it is hiliarious that their mother, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, called him all "snot and sinew" since if he did't get his way he'd either cry or fight.

Giotto was probably getting neck aches from painting his frescoes in Padua,

the Chinese were shooting cannons and rockets after their accidental discovery of gunpowder,

Marco Polo was traipsing about in China with his dad and uncle;

the Hurdy-Gurdy Girl was livening up the dancin' feet at the alehouses.

Besides the frescoes and Hurdy-Gurdy, I think I would have preferred the more peaceful cliff dwellings.

Then a ranger burst my bubble. She told me these cliff dwellers eventually showed signs of violence...by bonking each other over the head and probably pushing each other over the cliffs. Violence is strange.

And then there was that other hardship--starvation.
Can't imagine raising our kids on the cliffs either. "Look Mom, no net!"

I always seem to forget about how dangerous it was just to LIVE back in those times.

I just like to dream about simpler times.

Fall Roadie 2010 :: Dinosaurs, Arches & Canyonlands

2010-09-30T08:54:00.013-05:00

After a little road-side mooing mayhem, we traveled through this beautious place.

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in Wyoming

I can see myself floating around here for months on end. The entire season of fall. Mountains. Water. Green. Changing leaves. Beautiful!

I would just need 3-months worth of iced tea and fajitas.

Dino tail fossil

We stopped at Dinosaur National Monument near the Colorado/Utah borders. Since we already knew that the main visitor center and fossil display are currently closed (making structural improvements), we took a short hike through the grounds where a ranger showed us some fossils.

Dino femur fossil

Onward we drove to see the red rock formations of Arches National Park in Utah.

We enjoyed the nice moon bonus at sunset.

Kathleen found this large male bobcat print (confirmed by a ranger).

Great hike to Landscape Arch with a special nature's day spa bonus--a brief, skin-softening rain with a windy sand exfoliation chaser.

Mike got all fancy in his Jr. Ranger booklet and used colored pencils on his Landscape Arch drawing. He did get some brownie points with the ranger.

We found a whip snake.

An indication we live in a place with lots of snakes:

When we noticed the snake on the trail and other people were swerving around trying to avoid it, our kids hopped up on a nearby rock to get a closer look at its head to see if it was diamond shaped (poisonous) or not. I was in the trying-to-avoid-getting-closer pack of hikers. FYI--it was NOT poisonous.

Balanced Rock at Arches

Next stop: Canyonlands National Park in Utah.

What's great about all of these national parks is that each one has very unique features and a special look of its own.

One of the unique features at Canyonlands that Mike noticed right away were all of the off-road trails. I wasn't aware that Canyonlands is a premeire off-roading locale, and Moab, Utah is the place to rent your 4x4, if needed.

Mike was in dreamland with visions of a future rock-crawling trip with Dad.

Scenes like this skipping through his head.

Until some tourist stooge we were talking with kind of ruined the moment by mentioning this story about a guy who was hiking in Canyonlands, got pinned under a huge boulder, and had to cut off his own arm.

Well, I guess maybe he only ruined the moment for me, someone who was simply enjoying nature with her family trying to soak in the fresh air, peace and quiet, and a relaxing moment. I certainly hadn't been trying to contemplate stressful disasters involving life-or-death situations.

Mike and the other kids were intrigued. He hasn't looked at his pocket knife the same since hearing of that story! =)

Fall Roadie 2010 :: Tetons

2010-09-29T07:48:00.001-05:00

Oh, we love these rugged Teton mountains, the still-growing teenagers of the Rocky Mountain Range.

Lounging cow moose

Beautiful hike to Inspiration Point

followed by a "refreshing" swim in 45 degree Jenny Lake.

Heavy antlers. No wonder those bull moose always have their heads hanging in the marshes--too heavy to hold up all day.

One of the Jr. Ranger swearings in

Town Square--Jackson, WY (a.k.a. Jackson Hole)

Teton Tramway

Our trip could hardly be complete without playing in the snow!

Now heading south.

Fall Roadie 2010 :: Yellowstone

2010-09-28T08:45:00.003-05:00

Oh, give me a home

where the buffalo roam

where vents and geysers

blow all day.

Where grizzlies climb trees

to shake out their feed

eating apples before long winter's day.

Yosemite, our nation's first national park.

So much beauty

So much wildlife

SO much

SULPHUR!

I'm pretty sure Teddy Roosevelt wasn't thinking about Yellowstone's predominant *sulphur* aroma when he came up with this quote on Yellowstone's north entrance arch placard.

Fall Roadie 2010 :: Mt. Rushmore & Badlands

2010-09-27T14:24:00.020-05:00

Once again, I'm chronicling our annual big rig adventures. Otherwise, I won't remember the trip details, and the kids might make up a bunch of silly stories like how Dad may have broken his leg, or how a wild grizzly bear put on a fun lengthy show for us, or that Kathleen was kissed by a wild wandering burro.

Well, since all those things actually happened I better document them in case I forget.

After a couple of days on the road, we caught Mt. Rushmore just in time to see the evening lighting and presentation. Impressive. (We did a couple of fun things on our first travel days that I'll post about later.)

Next morning, we hiked all around the park.

I could smell the Ponderosa's as we walked along, so I scouted a good one to sniff.

Kathleen, now a "butterscotch tree" seeker and lover!

When you're enjoying the natural surroundings there are few roses to be found, so my saying is, "Stop and smell the 'Rosas!"

Besides the completion of the face, there's been little change on the Crazyhorse monument from what I remember when I was a young girl.

Hike in the Badlands

Or...climb in the Badlands

Burro in the Badlands

A Badlands burro smooch through the window.

We didn't find anything bad in these Badlands.

Our country's first National Monument, Devil's Tower in Wyoming (a.k.a. alien landing pad in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind).

Devil's Tower hike through another sweet Ponderosa forest.

Grammy & Grampy were our good luck charms as we had fantastic weather and timing during our adventures.

Onward we go...

Some alphabet photos from our trip

2010-09-24T22:57:00.002-05:00

Can you read it?

Sometimes we just brave the heat

2010-08-30T09:51:00.000-05:00

And I use the term "we" very loosely, in this case meaning the rest of my family.

After all, I am still in hybernation mode...until October.

Luckily for the kids, there's a new skate park very close to our neighborhood.

Unluckily for the kids, it's really busy early in the day on the weekends.

Luckily? Unluckily? for the kids, there's little traffic there in the middle (read, HOTTTTTTest) part of the day.

When it's 107 outside, this concrete park warms up to 130ish. Emphasis on the "ish." They were all enthusiastic troopers though and hung on through the heat.

Oh, these photos just don't properly represent the level of heat they endured.

I think this gives a better visual of the heat index.

And the color of their faces when they got home.

Another family double-digit birthday

2010-08-26T15:26:00.007-05:00

Mary Kate certainly milked this year's birthday for all it was worth.

It started on Saturday with our neighborhood August birthday gathering.
Sunday was the only birthday day of rest we had!
Monday, she got her ears pierced.

On Tuesday, she offered birthday cupcakes, watermelon, and lemonade to her neighborhood friends when they got off at the bus stop (at the end of our driveway).

But on Wednesday, her for real birthday, she really lived it up!

We played at the pool for an extra-long birthday swim.
Sweet potato pancakes for breakfast was her request.
She went to lunch with Dad, got new swim fins, and visited a couple of pet stores that had biting bunnies, sugar gliders, pygmy possums, snakes, and a sloth.

Then she went to her birthday piano lesson...and got a jolly rancher from her teacher.

Dad took off work early, and by that time the kids were ready to climb the walls

...until their arms were shaking with fatigue,

they had no more grip strength,

and they became mentally confused and started doing gymnastics.

Just look at this Jello-y blob.

Kathleen, after climbing the advanced wall for 20 minutes.
Thankfully, they regained enough function in their arms to feed themselves dinner.

Miss MK got a set of bigger skates to keep her busy for a while. (These were even too small, so I think I'll have to let her use mine now.)

The sibs gave her Chinese checkers.

Her cake request this year was a beach cake.
I think every spatula, bowl, and measuring cup in the kitchen was used.

We love when someone has a birthday because we all get to have a fun-filled day--

when each of the kids is extra sweet to their sibling,
when they think of special gifts for each other,
when they have such a visceral anticipation of the day's activities,
and when we all end up with a visceral sense of too much sugar in our bloodstream.

Happy birthday to our little MK-Mimi-Cocoa Butter-Carrot-Flibberaloo!

MK's New Bling

2010-08-25T22:19:00.000-05:00

The reason for our trip to the mall.

She knew her eyes would water.

Birthstone posts: white gold with sparkly peridot

Then she got to pinch all of her siblings (and they didn't get mad)

...because they asked what it felt like.

Changing Play :: Phases of Youth

2010-08-23T21:13:00.011-05:00

We don't go to the mall very often at all. I require a really good reason (some call it desperation) to get me there. It might even be a phobia of sorts.

Anyway, we went. And I did have a good reason (and that's why I had my camera).

As I was resting, due to the tremendous toll such a venture takes on me, I was trying to ignore the fact that my kids were embarrassingly ruthless in their attempt to find coins--even if they were wedged between a concrete pillar and its base requiring tools to pry them out. (Tools=wooden skewer + straw)

Since our children have outgrown their interest in taking a spin in the mall ride-on machines, they now look at that kind of area as a gold mine of coinage.

Unfortunately, this is nothing new for us. Here they are last fall at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon enjoying its natural beauty and splendor.

Yep--soda machines tend to be good coining grounds too.
Hey kids, let's go look at some 200 million year old rocks. Kids?

As I observed the general area at the mall, I also appreciated the differences between some of the phases and ages of the kids there.

There were a couple of male teens who probably would have been too embarrassed to search for a few coins, so instead piled into this "bus" and started making urgent calls on their phones.

Afterwards, one proceeded to, uh...fall out of the bus (a long, agonizing tumble) onto the floor.

Which was followed by a set of claps coming from female teen onlookers. (Oh, that lovely awkward age!)

Our kids didn't even notice the scene.
Because they were busy finding loads of coins.

Who could blame them really? Between all four of the kids, they found nearly $3--a small fortune to them.

Refreshingly, there was the token youngster who still gets thrills from actually riding the machines. She has yet to learn about coins and cell phones...and growing up.

2nd Annual Block Party :: August Birthdays

2010-08-21T21:40:00.004-05:00

Since there are 9 people in 7 neighboring homes on our short side of the block with birthdays in August, we figured it was good reason to celebrate!

The birthday crew

We love our great group of neighbors...and the big bunch of kiddies that come along with it!

Our little cupcake will be celebrating her "real" birthday soon!

Getting Wet :: Staying Cool

2010-08-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

It's about the only thing we can do outside these days to stay cool--

Go out early and stay wet!

Well, besides putting on this gargantuan snorkeling mask--I guess I wouldn't classify that as "cool" per say.

Even at 7:30 or 8:00 in the morning, the unheated pool water can feel pretty tepid.

So we have to hope for a little breeze when we get out.

We can also hope for a little inspiration--maybe synchro swimming?

Or not so synchro...

Getting their wiggles out early

...at least for most of the morning, that is.

Under Construction

2010-08-18T17:58:00.001-05:00

During this hot time of year, when we're not at the pool we're mostly either doing school or playing...with things like this.

Joe got out a few of his vintage Girder & Panels sets, his favorite toy as a boy.

And now, he's a structural engineer.

Hmmm...might there be a connection?

Oooh, a highways and bridge set.

Right up Dad's alley.

Jimmer thinks the elevator feature is pretty nifty.

He worked hard on the elevator shaft to make it work just right.

Their new city.
The 1/87 scale version anyway.

Here's the company that still makes girder and panel sets. They're sold through Amazon as well.

Abandoned

2010-08-09T08:34:00.004-05:00

What I see inside
when it's very HOT outside...

...after I suggest a certain activity that involves play noodles, snorkles, and fins.

Abandoned.

Mary Kate :: Pretzel Girl

2010-08-03T19:04:00.005-05:00

'Nough said.

Lake Travis summer fun

2010-07-30T22:14:00.010-05:00

What could possibly say "summer" more than a picture like this?

What made this summer evening even better is that we shared it with Grammy, Grampy, and Joey.

Look, Mom--no hands.

Joey's maiden leap into Lake Travis

Hey, these life jackets really work!

Jimmer with his signature "meditation pose" jump.

An approximate 240 lb. cannonball

The aftermath

Grampy was a good sport and rode the "rolling taco" with Joey. (This is their third video clip. They just kept wanting to ride!)

Floating on the lake watching the setting sun--

Now that says summer.

Blazing Bows :: Fiddlin' around again

2010-07-28T23:56:00.005-05:00

The kids had a fun little gig tonight at the Broken Spoke. They've been workin' their little fingers and rosined bows off to learn some new fiddle tunes.

As luck would have it, Grammy & Grampy were here with one of the "dousins" (one of the twelve cousins), Joey, to see their first live performance of the Blazing Bows.

Kids with Mary Hattersley, the group leader
TRIVIA: Mary's band, Greezy Wheels, was the first Austin band ever signed to a major record label. That was back in the 70s.
Here they are in action with The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Well, I can only see the tops of their heads in this video...but they're back there playing away.

After they "played it hot" on stage, they got hot and sweaty sliding around on the dance floor having fun with their fiddle friends
.
One fun evening...ending with a round of ice cream cones.

A little fun with Grammy, Grampy, & Joey

2010-07-27T10:29:00.002-05:00

They all arrived on Friday, and we've been having a variety show ever since.

Foosing Fun
Kathleen, Mary Kate, Joey
We initiated Joey into our Ministry of Silly Walks. (He willingly and happily consented.)

I guess Grammy & Grampy were sort of initiated into the Silly Walks as well...from an entertainment observer perspective.

Those darned kids even made their Grammy cry...but in a good way!

Grampy made it through this trip to the pool...

amazingly.

Let me just say...

I'm hoping I feel this good at nearly 74.

I guess there's not much chance for that since I can't even currently toss our kids like this.

More fun ahead...

Art!

2010-07-17T18:33:00.015-05:00

Once again, the kids took a summer art class at our friend's art studio, Taku Art Studio. This year it was a sculpture class.

Friday after class is always the highlight since the kids collect all of their projects and have their own little art show of sorts.

I get to see their progress throughout the week, so they love it when Dad shows up for their presentations.

Jimmer was thrilled since this was his first year.

Kathleen claimed this was her favorite art class. She says this every year!

The new art display in our home.

The 4 gangly characters inspiration came from these Alberto Giocometti sculptures. Here's an online tutorial for this figure sculpture project.

from Alberto Giacometti's City Square, 1948
Inspiration for Kathleen's Easter Island-esque statue is from a moai figurine we have at home. (Thanks Steve and Connie!)

Or was it from this Calvin & Hobbes strip?

I think the "face vase" is slightly haunting.

After this project, never again will there be "a quick trip to the hardware store" with the kids for us.

I may as well get an iced tea and set up my folding chair in the wing nuts and bolts aisle.

MK's doggie

More soccer!

2010-07-13T14:40:00.006-05:00

The kids and I are not well-versed on all these philosophers, but the kids were hoping that Archimedes would have a "Eureka!" moment...and keep on his clothes!

Nature's summer goodies

2010-07-11T09:09:00.001-05:00

Let me just say that it's been a stellar year for fruit! We're loving the STRAWberries, blUEBERries, PinEaPpLe, grAPES, and it's already a fabulous year for our Texas PEAches too.

I can't even tell you how many WATERMELONS we've had this year.

I'm hoping it's a good year for our PEcan tree as well!

Happy 234th!

2010-07-09T20:00:00.002-05:00

Our Texas 4th of July

A Sunday drive through the Hill Country

Colorful benefit of all the rain we've been having

A Texas-sized truck whose owners were guaranteed a good seat at the fireworks.

(FYI--Jimmer is 50 inches tall)
On our way back to town, we went to an evening mass at a different church. Afterward, we visited with the liturgical musician there who we've seen at other Sunday Life Teen masses in town.

Here he is (piano on left) at one of his regular gigs in town at Pete's Dueling Piano Bar. If you like Napoleon Dynamite, he's giving it is best in this video. When we see him at church again, I'm sure I'll be thinking of "The Rose."

Back at the ranch:

We've been seeing more than our fair share of Texas snakes these days.

Ending the day with fireworks and our other at-home sparkly, crackling, popping funsies in the street.

Celebrating our freedom and independence to go where we want and do things how we choose.

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!

Big Birthday

2010-07-06T19:16:00.032-05:00

I was asked to take photos at my neighbor's birthday party last weekend.

I loved being given free reign to capture an entire evening with my camera (...although I'll spare the innocent party goers by not posting their photos).

And I loved being the chief guacamole tester.

I also instituted my new motto:

"Will work for food...and fresh garden produce."

Final storms from Hurricane Alex blew off just in time to bring us a breezy, comfortable Texas evening.

This neighbor is one of the most generous and humble friends.

Just one of many examples: She lets all the neighbor kids decorate her Christmas tree and make gingerbread houses in her kitchen.

It took me a number of years living next to her and spending lots of kiddie playtime with her family to find out some fun background info (only thanks to her dad, Chief).

As a young lady

she diligently swam laps in this pool

and graduated from high school with a swimming scholarship.

She also became the first female to wear this mascot uniform at TCU.

I love hearing these little tidbits of information about my friends. It adds such a fun historical dimension to their personalities.

Another beautiful evening at Chief and Tootsie's...celebrating with her friends and family.

My family.

Okay, it's her family.

But it's my adoptive Austin family.

I guess I should inform them of this.

A festive party is great fun, but a good neighbor and friend is a treasure.