Frozen in Time...

I have a friend named Kristen. We have been friends for a long time...nearly 14 years! (man, thats a long time...) Kristen had a camera in high school with a yellow button, and she always had it with her, and she took pictures, and if someone else took a picture with it we would all yell "push the button hard!" because we knew it was a sticky button. She has a love for a history of pictures and I'm sure she has enough to tell the stories of a lifetime. I am envious because she has started her own photography business, and she is great!

I love that she takes pictures of my kids for me every time she comes to town...I don't feel like I can let her visit without her camera because I love her ability to capture my children.

Check her out, she is the best!
(PS She's doing Christmas Cards this year and they are CUTE!)
Thanks Kris!

http://kristendukephotography.com/

jeez...

I supplimented between grocery trips with a different brand of milk. I have to say, I felt a little hurt every time I got it out of the fridge. I half felt tempted to say back to it, "Fag."

(I apologize for the lack of political correctness of this entry...but he started it.)

Take me out to the ballgame...

Last night we started a family tradition with the girls. We took them to their first major league baseball game (the first one that they may actually remember--there was that time that I nursed Haley on the concrete floor in the bathroom at a Seattle Mariners game.) I loved going to baseball games growing up and have vivid and fond memories of watching the Cardinals play in Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It is one of my most favorite childhood memories. And ironically enough, last night's game was the Astros vs. the St. Louis Cardinals (I felt a little inner turmoil but we decided to route for the 'stros..the Cards just haven't held the same place in my heart since Whitey Herzog and Ozzie Smith left.)
There is nothing like walking towards the stadium with crowds of people wearing supportive jerseys, ready to cheer and be united in a cause...its nearly breathtaking to walk into the stadium where you catch a glimpse for the first time, the illuminating lights, the bright green field against fresh dirt and crisp chalk lines. And the food, don't even get me started. I love it. I don't especially love to watch sports, but I love going to baseball games. Where else can you feel totally guiltless throwing peanut shells on the floor and yelling at the top of your lungs?
We took the two older girls and had a blast. Abby sat on Clark's lap and Haley sat with me as we each explained the game. Haley giggled excitedly every time I told her that something meant that "he is OUT!" She was completely entertained by the fact that the grown men had to go and sit back down if they couldn't hit the ball. They were so excited.
Haley and I stood in line for food and returned to our seats 45 minutes later, $40 poorer and two and a half innings later (we even missed a homerun which is the worst at an Astros game because there is a huge train that blows its whistle and moves!) Abby became increasingly docile and complained of a tummy ache. When a small child says her stomach hurts you don't fool around, so we left early (you really sit too closely to the people in front of you to chance anything--besides, Haley had already dropped her pizza on the lady in front of us...vomit would have been just plain rude.)

I like this picture because you can see me in the backround coaxing Abby to please throw up INTO the large fry cup.
We spent an inning or so watching the game from a lower deck. Once we actually left the inside Abby started to feel better so we figured our little princess just couldn't hack the height of our assigned seats. Oh well, next time we'll have to get box seats to avoid the vertigo.
The crowning moment for me had to be when Haley untucked her shirt to wipe her mouth. When I started to groan she said, "don't worry, I'll tuck it back in." That was good enough for me.

Being a Pack Rat finally pays off!

I'm here to tell you all that keeping things beyond their time and reason can pay off. I used to be sentimental and am becoming increasingly less as the years and things accummulate. I have moving on my mind and I'm starting to panic about certain areas of my house. "They can't pack that!...what was I thinking?...I don't want to move or unpack that for sure!" So even though moving is still a good 9 months away, I have begun an exodus of junk. I love to do this. Purging is fun for me and it leaves me feeling so much better...purging of things, that is (my breakfast is still where it should be.) I wish that my camera was refreshed so I could take before and after pictures because I love them. I love to take a cluttered closet and leave it neat and tidy, full of right angles and labeled bins. It gives me pure joy...and I must admit, I am good. I figure I should be grateful for at least one of my talents. And this just happens to be one that I can practice, often. I even drove to Utah this summer with my sister and four children to help do this for another sister. It was truly enjoyable.
ANYway! The point of my story is...I was emptying the closet in our office and throwing loads of stuff away. I came across a gift bag full of all of the cards from my bridal shower and wedding (SIX YEARS AGO!). I figured that if I looked through each one just one more time I could fondly remember the event and throw it all away. I was going through each card and reading the name when I came across $25!!! thats cash, so it was still viable! Thus we see that it can indeed benefit us to keep things, and most certainly benefit us even more to go through it and throw it out. So go my friends, clean out your closets and under your beds. There may be treasures awaiting you yet.
And thank you Stevens family, we had breakfast on you this morning.

and the last candle has been extinguished...

Well, not really. Clark missed out on candles because he was too busy for his birthday. Little Abner, Mi Mi and I met him at work today with a balloon, a yummy cake and some gifts. We went out and grabbed lunch at a deliciously po-dunk establishment in Waller, Texas--an incredibly loaded baked potato with brisket and a lot of other stuff. Mmmmm. He got to leave work early so we went and hung out at the mall, he chose a couple of birthday items and then he took off for school. Maybe I'll make him an after-school snack with a candle when he gets home. I love the Birthday Boy and I'm sure grateful that he was born!!

Clark is kind and sweet, he is strong and sensitive. He is sure and smart, brave and patriotic. He is deep yet silly and protective but generous. He has confidence and humility and is a terrific leader but knows when to support and be led. I love his sense of humor, his squinty eyes and his delicate ankles. I am lucky to be able to share my life with him and feel blessed by his companionship! I love you Clarky Pants!

BIRTHDAY OVERLOAD!

This time of year brings so much glee and celebration it makes me want to combust like a birthday pinata. We start simple enough...a joyous celebration of the birth of yours truly on August 23 (I'm sure that your card got lost in the mail...) followed swiftly by my first born's day of recognition on the 30th. Two days later is the anniversary of our 3rd's birth followed by my hubby's six days later...are you following me? In another week or so we will be birthday-ed out. These two weeks includes lots of presents, lots of eating out and way too much cake. I just leave my little nifty HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner hanging up most of the month to cover all my bases. And that doesn't even include nieces, nephews and siblings who also share our months 'o birthday mayhem. My middle child is so spoiled...her birthday is in May (the same day as her namesake!).
So here's my wide shout out to all you that I love dearly--there is not paper enough to send cards so this is it! But know that I love you truly!
Julia August 22
Me August 23 (yahoo!)
Haley August 30
Mia September 1
Waverly September 6
Clarky Pants September 7
Chip and Oscars September 10

Did I miss anyone?

To make matters slightly more chaotic, the battery on our camera is dead and we can't find the charger...so Thank You Big Abby for supplying the pics!

This was my favorite birthday present in all history of b day presents. The diamond fell out of its setting back in February and Clark had it re-set for my birthday. He's pretty cool. And what can I say, a girl likes a little bling.

A girl after my own heart. Haley decided that she wanted to go out for her birthday dinner. And where do you suppose a five year old wants to spend her birthday celebrating? Why Sweet Tomatoes of course...all the birthday broccoli you can handle! Nothing justifies overeating like a buffet.

If that were a real cake, it would be all over her face. So imagine this next pic with chocolate frosting instead of pink flesh tones. (we're destroying her cake on Sunday)

Sorry this picture is a little old, but I won't have an updated one until Clark's actual birthday.

Iguana be in pictures!

My family has long been living our lives in movies. I still have memories of our first movie closet in St. Louis- an entire walk in closet off the family room with shelves and shelves of VHS tapes. Princess Bride, Swiss Family Robinson, Flight of the Navigator, Tron...all the classics of the 80's. Our family loves to stay at home and watch a movie or go out and catch a flick (which we've even been known to do on Christmas Day!) One drastic side effect, I'm afraid, is that most of our dialogue revolves around movie quotes. Hey, if you don't know what to say, use a pre-fabricated response! Sometimes it doesn't even have anything to do with what we are talking about and yet, it still fits.
Here are some of my favorites that I use on a regular basis. We'll see how well you know your movies. (And Abby Jean and Spencer don't count...they know all of these.)
"How many fingers does Mrs. Claus have?"
"E-leven"
"It's crap, get it off the wall"

"Where have you taken us Philipe?"

"Paul, where are you? I need a cigarette!" (I don't use this one but Abby Jean does and it makes me laugh every time.

"Curse you aqua-scum!" (this one you can use in leu of a curse word or anytime you are upset)

"Jan Levingston I presume"

More to come as my feeble mind can recall....(brain capacity is sparse these days...)