Saturday, June 28, 2008

Port A Recap

Our annual trip to the beach just ended. We call it Cousin Camp, because the eight cousins on the Kennemer side of the family bring their eight adults along and we enjoy the beach for a week. This year the weather was perfect and the kids were in heaven. The top photo was one of the early nights on the beach. I found my poor old camera fogged up immediately when I got toward the sand and water. So most of my pix are taken inside. These three big boys were together all week and loving it.



The smallest and biggest cousin... Emma had to stop tickling when Alex used his secret (gas) weapon!

Hanging out during the heat of the day.




The little kids really wanted to be with the big kids... swimming, out in the ocean, playing video games, and the big kids were very patient with their little friends.




Tie Dye shirts and photos in the whale always wrap up a successful trip.

Thank you to Grandma and Grandad for hosting us again for another great year.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Befores and After

Two before photos and one after.

The first before is Max's extra tooth. We had it pulled on Monday. He had been growing (fast) an extra tooth right out of the roof of his mouth. One trip to our friend, the oral surgeon and that feature was history. Max did great, his mother, however, almost passed out. Since we are friends with the doctor AND I am working on two Architecture projects for him, I wisely waited until he finished and left the room before asking the nurse to close the door so I could sit with my head between my knees.

Sometimes I wondered if I could have cut it as a doctor, the answer is clearly NO.


Joey: Before haircut.


Joey: After haircut, with our wonderful hairdresser, Darlene. I've known her now for over twenty years. She and Joey really hit it off.


Two before photos and one after.

The first before is Max's extra tooth. We had it pulled on Monday. He had been growing (fast) an extra tooth right out of the roof of his mouth. One trip to our friend, the oral surgeon and that feature was history. Max did great, his mother, however, almost passed out. Since we are friends with the doctor AND I am working on two Architecture projects for him, I wisely waited until he finished and left the room before asking the nurse to close the door so I could sit with my head between my knees.

Sometimes I wondered if I could have cut it as a doctor, the answer is clearly NO.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Father's Day is so Starbell

Happy Day after Father's Day!
I hope all the fathers out there got the love they deserve.


David and the kids watch the Mike Meyers Saturday Night Live Special. Our kids LOVE that they get to occasionally watch that show. They feel like they are onto a funny inside joke because they understand the humor of "Schwetty balls"

This is the very cute turtle that Emma found. We called Grace to tell her how starbell it was.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

First Day of Summer....


Hey kids! There is no water there!


We've been at summer almost a week now! That's hard to believe, but on the first day of summer, we met a few friends for River #2 on our Water Tour of Central Texas.

This time we visited San Marcos and the San Marcos River. It is much closer than the Guadalupe, about 40 minutes from home. The Guadalupe has always been my favorite, with its breathtaking big vistas, sheer cliffs, open wide swaths of river. In a way, though, the San Marcos was prettier. It's much smaller with vegetation teeming at the banks of the narrow river. And there are fewer signs of life as you float down. Not too many big houses on the banks. Funky old train trestles and bridges that you have to duck down in your tube to get past.

Ironically, the San Marcos is right in town, practically on the grounds of Texas State University, but it feels more secluded. It is very pokey, however. Lots of paddling and quite a bit of pesky duckweed.

This makes my third river since April; Blanco, Guadalupe and San Marcos. Now there are only about 5 or 6 left to hit.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Mr. Arce's Going Away Celebration

There were slices of cake and LOTS of mustaches!

Friday, June 06, 2008

First Day : Last Day

Joey's Kindergarten year is over.....
Max's third grade year is over... I'm not sure he and his teacher ever stopped hugging...


...and Emma wrapped up her elementary school experience with a wonderful fifth grade year.
Then there were lots of last day photos... Emma with Joey's special friend.... she looks like an American Girl Doll!
This is our principal who is leaving to take a promotion with the district... he has been at Bryker Woods two years longer than Emma, so he's the only one we've known... Emma got her lunchbox autographed by him as a souvenir!
This is Joey's big buddy, River. River always treated Joey with so much respect and love. He was an excellent 6th grade friend.
And our last picture, taken on the way home.... Edward, our fantastic friend and crossing guard. By this point, Max was out with a friend getting a snow cone, and we were on our way out for gelatto.
I'm still a little blue that it is over. This year was by far our best ever. We had three excellent teachers this year. And I realized and appreciated how special it was all year long. I was mentally putting the brakes on every day, but things end and change no matter what.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Girls Night Out...


A bunch of us are going out to see Sex in the City on Tuesday!
We are meeting at a restaurant first, then walking across the parking lot for the movie.

It was one of those situations where I saw the preview for the movie while on a date with David. When I whispered, "I want to see that.."
David whispered, "I think it is time for you to have a girls' night."
What a good husband!

Then the kids have their last day on Wednesday, then it looks like another river trip on Thursday. I am having more fun these days then ever before. When are my sister and sister-in-law moving to Austin!!???