A Picture is worth 1,000 words...or more

A couple of weeks ago the fam took a trip to Austin for a final photo shoot by Kristen. Clark gets +1,000,000 points for doing this. How many husbands drive willingly to your local mall for family pictures? He drove two and a half hours and endured two costume changes to get just what I wanted. And I did. My good friend did what she does best (besides being a terrifically fun friend) and captured our family. I love her style and the ease at which I feel sitting in front of her camera. I can ask, "do we look awkward? am I shiny? does our hair look OK?" without feeling silly or stupid. And she does a great job, always. She is a busy girl so we came to her. It was fun to visit her home (albeit a short visit) and then she followed us to another part of the city where my sister Abby was visiting her sister-in-law and family for a few days. She took the time to capture a few moments with me and my dear sister who has been a true friend and companion for the last three years. To put it in one of our favorite movie quotes, looking at these pictures "makes our hearts burst, and swell."
Thank you Kris, again! Here are just some of my favorites (there are so many that I love...)
(they are not really all cropped that close, but you get the general idea!)












And when you get the chance, hop on over to say Welcome to my darling sister-in-law's new blog. She's 12 and adorable.

Too Social

So here I find myself again, blogging inconsistently amidst a long list of things to do. I thought about posting my list (making lists is one of my favorite things to do) and letting you comment on what you think is a waste of time and not.
We are moving next week so the TO DO LIST has now been more specifically categorized into three sections: TO DO AT HOME, PLACES TO GO, THINGS TO GET. And I can assure you that each section is appropriately decorated with boxes, fancy lettering and doodles.
Upon this so called list is "clean out top file drawer". I am currently perusing my personal file containing report cards and such from Kindergarten up. I was tickled to read my conduct comments from middle school. These were some of my favorites:
pleasure to have in class
excellent projects
test scores inconsistent (Math teacher)
eagerly participates in class (Home Ec)
shows understanding of concepts
and my favorite "too social" as said by Mr. Farroba my health teacher.
So I'll keep cleaning out this drawer, shredding and throwing away, thinning our overstuffed files and then feel clean and lightened...one less thing to move.
Maybe later I'll fill in the details of our fun weekend to San Antonio Sea World and the wonders of my barfing 5 year old and how many loads of laundry those things produce...I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat.
Until next time...

Lost in la la land...

I'm afraid we've been slightly busy. The month of May was welcomed by a flurry of activity. Birthdays, graduations, family and moving preparations. We're still keeping our house clean (don't be too shocked but it has been spotless for more than a month!) Here are the highlights:
Abby turned 4 on May 1st! and we reluctantly welcomed a new member of the family, Susan the Hermit Crab (don't ask, I have no idea why Susan but I know a Susan and she's a lovely person.) besides, it was worth it.

Abby swells with pride at her new pet.

Next, delightful family came into town and {Big} Abby and I had shared custody since we were both celebrating hubbys' graduations. So we didn't get nearly enough time to play but it was still fun...busy, but always fun and an absolute pleasure.

Two years of working and going to school nights...we both deserve a vacation...oh wait, we already took one.
It was a happy celebration.



This is everyone that came to his graduation ceremony--looking at him adoringly. We congratulate you, Master Clark.
And this is what we look like when we are together...it feels like old times..."hey, don't I know you?"

The next day we attended one of my all time favorite events, the Houston Art Car Parade. I discovered it last year and have been waiting 365 days for it to happen again. We had such a busy day we had to go before the actual parade but we got to walk the line and check out all the entries. I guess word has gotten out about this gem because it was about 10 times more crowded than last year. Here were our favorite cars.

(Unfortunately we only got to see about half the cars since we were walking and it was very hot. The little people and some of the big people pooped out very quickly.



The is Abby in front of a car covered in googly eyes.






I missed our favorites from last year, the cupcakes.
You'll have to check out all the entries from last and this year...it's just so fun.
Then that night we went to Clark's niece Julia's ballet recital. It had my girls completely mesmerized for an hour.
We were supposed to join Aunt Abby and all of James' family at Texas Land and Cattle for dinner to celebrate his graduation but my little people were severely done for the day. I'm sad I missed it...delicious ribs sounded so much better than the nasty fast food we consumed in ease on the way home. And I'm sad to have missed James' graduation, I hear there was confetti.

The month continues to be busy busy getting ready to leave. Clark has formally detached from his command and has the next three weeks off before reporting in Connecticut. We are cleaning and decluttering our lives. Wish us well.

Here's lookin at you, kid...

(This is what I would look like if I were really cross-eyed...and I had no nose-bridge...)

About two years ago my husband and I both went to see an Iridologist. I went with Clark's Mom and he went a week later with his Dad. An Iridologist, for those of you who don't know, is someone who has been trained to "read your irises". It's kind of like reflexology--certain parts of your iris correspond with certain parts of the body, inside and out. They look at patterns and colors that indicate certain physiological dispositions. It was fascinating. I have what is called a Daisy pattern, and its somewhat uncommon (and it made me feel special and pretty). She spent an entire hour with each of us going over areas of our body that show signs of strength, weakness or pre-dispositions for certain diseases. It's kind of like a genetic map. She said that your eye pattern is genetic, meaning you share the same pattern as either your mother or father. Whichever parent you share an eye pattern with, is the one that you are more genetically like, physiologically (and emotionally as well.) It was kind of like getting your palm read, but it sounded more credible because it has a medical spin.

This is just one thing that she noticed in my eyes: If you will notice the white outlines throughout my irises, around the loopy pattern. These fibrous white lines are indicative of some sort of strain or weakness in the body...why were mine so filled with white? I was pregnant at the time and she could tell that even though I wasn't showing yet. When you are pregnant, your entire body is under a certain amount of strain, working overtime and sharing everything. She went on about some other very interesting stuff...you'll have to call me sometime, if you really want to know.
PS Without knowing any medical history, she asked my husband how long he has had back problems....Like forever!! (enter creepy music here...) and this was not all she could see...

So go look up your local iridologist and see what they have to say about your peepers.

We've created a monster...well, 3...

I think we take too many pictures.

This morning at the breakfast table I took a picture of this one. She just looked cute, OK? And sometimes I just need to remember certain moments.
So this is me:
"Mia, look over here." (no, "smile", nothing.)

Often times we find ourselves having to say things like this to our 4 and 5 year4 olds.
"Just look natural....stop tilting your head...just relax..."
Or maybe we should just practice, "fresh face" with them.
Yikes.

Happy Birthday and then not...

Happy news to all the dedicated readers out there....and an update to my entry a couple weeks ago. Little Mommy and Daddy Killdeer welcomed four fuzzy, sleepy baby birds last Thursday morning. The eggs that we have been watching for for weeks finally hatched and they were adorable. Go ahead and take a moment to feel warm and fuzzy about that.
And now for the harsh realities of life...our ever so "observant" (enter thick sarcasm here) neighbors, in whose yard the nest resides, decided on Saturday (that would be on the little baby birds' 2 day birthday) decided to mow their lawn for the first time this year. And alas, the baby birds have gone to a better place. Can I say that I am angry? Do you remember the respect I held for these little bird parents, hanging in there and defending their small nest against the wiles of a busy neighborhood? And then the very owners of their little safehaven chopped them to pieces, unknowingly, I'm sure. Not so much sad as angry. It may take me a while to smile at these neighbors again.

Starry, Starry Night

Clark and I got to go on a date this last Thursday night with some of his family to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. They had a special exhibit on loan from the Met in NYC of French Impressionist (and some works of art from periods before and after). My favorite classes I took in college were my art history classes. It's one of the few things in my life, as far as hobbies go, that I have a true passion for. Unfortunately I have a horrendous memory. When I look back at my college notebooks full of detailed notes, sketches and photocopies of works of art and architecture that I once knew, I am amazed at the capacity for my brain to hold so much information...that capacity has since been replaced by a million useless facts and random knowledge about things like how to make my hair look less greasy without actually taking a shower. 'sigh'
I love visiting galleries, it is a rare treat. Upon entering the doors I am easily lost in stories and a euphoric sense of understanding and stretching of my mind, feelings and imagination. It's like a different plane of understanding for things and people that I don't feel anywhere else. It is truly unique and I was grateful for the opportunity.
I can truly appreciate a wide array of techniques and periods of art history but I have a very definite set of favorites that inspire and articulate my inner self.

The glory of a work of art deepens as you learn more about the artist or the story behind the piece; like the love that grows for an individual the more you know about them.
My favorite artist has always been Van Gogh; perhaps because I have learned a great deal about him but more so because his work makes me feel. His 3D effects made from layers and layers of thick paint draw me in and make me feel involved. I think he had incredible talent...a talent so intense and life involving that it literally added to his madness. He was a fascinating person, you should read about him sometime and the unique and close relationship he had with a loving brother. This particular exhibit only had one work by Van Gogh--this one on the right called "Cypresses". The painting above also took my breath away. It's entitled "Joan of Arc" by an artist named Jules Bastien Lepage who I had never heard of before. The woman in the painting looked like photograph and the light captured in this piece was unbelievable.
My favorite works by Van Gogh are of course, "Starry Night", this one to the left called "Mulberry Tree" and a sketch that I can't remember the name of at the moment (surprise surprise). My brother brought me back this print of this sketch from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, I believe. It makes me feel serene and simple.
Some day I would like to go to a museum by myself and spend all day long there walking around, sitting and staring, eat lunch then do it some more. I feel enriched.

(This is not the same print I have, but it is similar.)

In all her birthday glory...

On May 1, 2003 I had a baby girl and couldn't resist naming her Abigail for two reasons...
1)I love the name, long and short. Abigail, Abby.
2)She was born on my sister Abby's birthday.
Happy Birthday girls...my two favorite Abbys in the world.

BFF

(the three of us on a trip to San Antonio Kris and my senior year)

BFF is a term that my sister Abby and I like to use all the time, remember? Best Friends Forever? Come on, you had one of those necklaces with someone growing up, I know it.
Last weekend my husband indulged me in a weekend away with two of my best friends. The novelty?...they are my best friends from high school that are still two of my dearest, closest friends. We all live in Texas for another month and wanted to take advantage of one last fling before saying goodbye for a while again. We live in Houston, Austin and Dallas. Natalie, in Dallas, has a little bebe so we decided to meet there and stay at a hotel near her home. All of our husbands pitched in (and a few in laws and friends) watching kids to make it possible for us to get away for a night.
I left around 11am on Friday and came home for a hubby work function around 5 Saturday evening. I had to drive Clark's car. I was proud of myself for making the 4 hour (each way) trip by myself, seeing as how a short drive to the grocery store has the potential of putting me to sleep...Did I mention that the car has a tape deck and no A/C? Dearest Clark, let's get that fixed right away. My sweet husband has a great appreciation for church talk tapes which means that I could have chosen between driving to my sleepy death learning about free agency (no offense General Authorities, I just am a visual learner) or find one tape of Disney classics (aka Pebo Bryson singing "A Whole New World") or the Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber...I chose the latter, 8 times.
Anyway, I felt surreal, going to spend time away with high school friends...I mean, I don't have long term friends, do I? It felt like some sort of Disney movie from the 80's...and I loved it!!
I stopped off on my way at a friend's house who moved away from Houston last year and got to see her cute new digs and get caught up on all sorts of adorable new ideas that I've been missing out on. Then I met up with Natalie and Kristen at Nat's house and we were off! We went to dinner at a yummy restaurant and told stories and laughed and sighed and understood each other. Then we checked into our delightful hotel room with down comforters where we talked into the night. We looked at scrapbooks, remembered so many things, and talked about our lives now.
The next morning we ate a delicious breakfast in our PJ's and went shopping at a huge accessory store.
It's so wonderful to know that there is still so much in common, so many embraced differences and so much love and acceptance. How comforting it is to spend time (however rare) with friends who know and love you so well. It was so great we hope to do it every year or at least every other. I hope that they can make the trip to the East coast next year and play with me on my turf.
Thank you friends for listening to my endless chatter and being there time and time again!!