homecoming/conference weekend

Our date Friday night was Boswell's Homecoming. It was fun. I love the excitement at a football game. It's a bonus when we win...which we did!!! The dance team was great and the band. Another bonus for living in Texas...marching bands are amazing.

There is this crazy tradition at Homecoming in Texas. I still don't understand it but here's proof. The girls receive these enormous mums from their boyfriends and the guys get garters. This is the first time I've seen a garter this close up. I didn't get a picture of the girls, I didn't know her. But you get an idea from the side.

Kinzie got one from her boyfriend her Senior year. Hers was very modest compared to the rest, but she was still excited.

Minutes before we left on our date I found this great conference bingo card online. I quickly sent it off to be printed at Walmart and picked it up after the game. This morning I lamented it seconds before conference started. We have used conference bingo for at least 11 years. This year I spiced it up a bit.

Bailee is all dressed up again. She's going to Homecoming dance with some friends...girls.

Then tonight I got a wild hair. Since Brian was at the Priesthood session and Bailee was at the dance, I took the other three to Yogurtland. They loved it. The yogurt, all the many toppings and the excitement of someplace new. Even Mason loved it, he's the pickiest of all my kids.

"love" letters

~from Kinz

happy thursday

I'm not usually very excited about my birthday. Growing up birthdays were very simple. We would get our present before school, often in a bag because my mom didn't have time to wrap it. Always had cake after dinner...and that's about it. I'm not complaining, it was great. For our kids I know we have gone overboard, but I do want it to be memorable.

Thursday started out the same as every year, I wasn't very excited, and busy like every other "mom" day. I met Brian for lunch downtown at Razzoo's, best ribs in town...have I mentioned that before? I loved it. One of my favorite lunches with Brian. I don't know what was different. It was relaxing. I made my cake and when Bailee got home she said that was wrong, I shouldn't have to make my own cake. I then asked her who has been making it for for the last married years? She frowned. (Brian made my cake last year. It was awesome!)

Karlee had a tennis match in the afternoon. Brian was able to get off work and hang out at the courts with me. Karlee played mixed doubles and won 7-5, then played singles and won 6-4. It was great! She couldn't stop grinning.

It turned out to be a great day. I received many texts wishing me a happy birthday, flowers, cards, gift certificate for a facial and massage (from Brian), "love" letters, and many people sang "Happy Birthday" to me (not all were family). My in-laws gave me this patriotic snowman and Texas towels. How did they know I have a love for both!?! I love it!!

It ended up being a great day, but kinda simple. No big family dinner, no candles on my cake. It was great! Thanks family and friends for making my day memorable.

downtown

Brian relocated his office downtown a few weeks ago. I went downtown today for lunch, it's my birthday. I love the building he is in. It has soo much character. He is on the 7th floor with a corner office! Sounds cool, doesn't it? It is. It's smaller than their last office, but this office has windows!

The elevators are a little slow, they were working on them while I was there. Hopefully that will improve.

The first time I went to see the place Brian tells me it feels like an old time PI movie. It did!! He just needs to put his name on the frosted glass door ;0).

I even love the hardware. I guess sometimes old is better than new. Now I really am sounding old....I'm feeling old too.

"bat" boys

another temple

This past weekend Brian needed to attend a conference in Houston. With some help of some amazing friends, that watched out kids, I was able to go with him.

Friday afternoon I hung out at the conference. It wasn't so bad. We ran into a couple of former GM's that now work for another company. One of them, Don L, has always been one of my favorites. I would often sit next to him and his wife at Christmas parties and any other events spouses were invited. It was great catching up with him.

Saturday I slept in till 9:30...heaven!! Then did some shopping at the Houston Pavilions while Brian was at the conference.

On our way home we stopped by the Houston Temple...another beautiful temple.

cub scouts

Wednesday afternoon and evening it had rained off and on around the area. On our way to den meeting we saw a rainbow! The boys thought is was very cool. That is all they talked about on our drive. They kept saying how cool it would be to find the end of the rainbow and find the "pot of gold". With every turn Mason would comment at how close we were to the rainbow. That is looked like it was ending at a house. Then with our final turn he realized that we weren't going to find it. A little sad but didn't dwell on it. He then moved to the new excitement and that was den meeting.

Den meeting was a lot of fun. Teresa always does a great job. If you can't tell we are about to play chess. By the time all the "pieces" were on the "board" everyone was involved. Mason loves cub scouts. He looks forward to it every week.

weekend

Saturday night Bailee went to a dance in another Stake. It was semi formal and she wasn't sure what she was going to wear. Luckily she was able to find a dress in McKinzie's closet. I think she liked dressing up a bit. What girl doesn't.

Then on Sunday we were able to attend a fireside in Colleyville, Paul Cardall was the speaker. He was born with congenital heart disease and had a heart transplant just over a year ago. He is an extremely talented pianist, self taught. I have one of his CD's and he signed it for me. He ended up playing three pieces. I would of loved hearing him play more.

Just an FYI...he is not that tall. As soon as we turned for the picture he "stretched". We all laughed. He has a great sense of humor.

babies

I know Adam is a big boy, but he looks like a giant next to Oscar.

tennis

Karlee is trying her hand at a new sport. When she did C4K during the summer she took a tennis class hoping it would give her an edge when she started tennis practice. Well...these last couple of weeks she has been worried about today, her first match. She tries hard but struggles. I keep telling her that she's not the only one that has a hard time getting the serves over. Or, that she's not the only one that this is the first time to ever play tennis. Wednesday she found out about what time she would play, so parents could be there. Come to find out, she is one of the top six! Evidently the top six of the boys and girls teams play doubles first, then play singles. What a surprise!

Karlee didn't win either one, both 6-3. But, she felt good about how she played and even had fun. I'm glad she enjoyed playing. Now she's got to work hard and hopefully she'll play even better next time.