Last day of C4K 2011

Today was the final day for College For Kids and the big Musical Theatre performance.  They set it up differently this year - instead of trying to cram everything into a big, hectic "show" in the cafetorium, they allowed parents to come to all of the classes and the theatre department had a performance in the 'proper' auditorium - Musical Theatre and Acting.

Here's Peyton and Gracie getting ready on stage - I hope to post some video of the actual musical, but obviously, I will need Patrick's help figuring out how to do that sine I didn't tape it with my phone!  The show was called "Mighty Minds" and it was about a group of students with "standardized testing anxiety" and the superhero Mighty Minds who come to their rescue!  Peyton had several parts - my favorite being her "conga math" and "i before e, except after c....well, most of the time" parts!

We didn't stay for the Acting performance so Peyton could take us down to her "Cool Stuff for Your Room" class - her teacher was lovely!

They did all the big projects in the first 3 weeks and lots of kids weren't going to be in class today, so the teacher had them decorate 'name signs' - they put their name in the middle and then added words that described them all around - Peyton choose creative, caring, awesome, likes swimming, a peace sign, crazy, silly,...I chose dramatic, but she just rolled her eyes at me!  Grandpa Jan and Grandma Sue came to the performance and brough Maddie, their neighbor - she's 13 (or almost 14, as she told me!) and Peyton invited her to make a sign too, but at first she had to be too cool...but then she gave in and she was so cute deciding what words to use and sharing markers with Peyton.  It has to be tough getting older these days - there are so many rules and kids seem to be worried a lot more about how they are perceived...to the point where they won't have fun or do what they want because it might not be cool.  Keaton has no problem not being cool...he is an enthusiastic participant, no matter what!  I am sure Middle School will break him of that, but I am going to enjoy this last summer of his innocence!

So here they are walking out to the car, leaving campus for the last time...it's such a pretty campus for a community college...and it's small, which is why we choose this campus for their C4K experience.  This week is 4th of July, so no camp needed; next week is Keaton's World Series, so no camp needed, but then....da, da, daaaaaaaaaa....I have to figure out what the heck we are going to do on Mondays and Fridays.  I think I'll worry about that after tomorrow. 

Kids, I am proud of you for your independence, your creativity and your enthusiasm!  Thanks for the start of a great summer.

Let's see....

Another crazy day at work...and I am officially beat!  4 branch visits to train the new SilverSneakers FPP, 4 branch calls for the same reason...tomorrow off to Hood County to complete the task (I did 2 on Tuesday).  To top it off, one of my favorite people of all time and quite possibly the best member connector in our association is leaving the Y...sigh...and if that wasn't bad enough, a coworker that I know really well (and therefore assume she knows me) made a comment that either proves she doesn't know me at all OR proves that she doesn't care who she bulldozes over to make sure she gets to make her point or "win" or "be superior"...ugh...and then I got to explain to Peyton how when you love someone, you have to support their choices even if it's bad for YOU if it's a really good choice for THEM (my friend who is leaving, not the bulldozer).  And I think she understood the concept - Peyton, you are my practical child, level-headed, thoughtful, no-nonsense, very intuitive. 

Keaton, my sensitive child, had a break through today - his baseball coach called him out for some bad throws when he was playing first - he blanked and wore sneakers instead of cleats (and I didn't even notice!) and was having trouble planting.  Anyway, he toughed it out, it doesn't sound like he made a scene or whined or complained...but as soon as he hit the car, tears ran down his cheeks.  Murph, you are a pleaser, just like your mom and I know it cuts you deeply when someone doesn't recognize how hard you are working or doesn't cut you the same slack they cut others and then calls you out or criticizes you in front of your friends and teammates.  I am proud of your being able to hold it together until you got in the car - your safe place will always be with me.

Peyton spent the evening at Gracie's - they are have pre-separation anxiety - Gracie is going to Waco for the weekend for her brother's baseball tourney and they are both a mess knowing they won't be right down the street from each other to play!

Murph and I had a mommy/son date at Cousins - watched the Ranger game (up 3-0 when we left v. the Astros).  He was such a little gentleman, pulling out my chair, getting my drink, sharing his ketchup!

College For Kids is winding down - tomorrow is the last day for 2011.  The big hip hop and musical theatre performance is at 4:00pm!  Promise to post pictures and maybe video - if I can figure it out! 

Keaton brought home weird science homemade vanilla ice cream - we had to refreeze it and now it's our evening snack - 4 spoonfuls each!  and Peyton brought home her last "Cool Stuff for my Room" craft...

so adorable and so 9-years-old...notice the "girls only" artwork?!  I hope that sentiment lasts until she's about 17...fat chance!!!

Pigs are Flying

Today was one for the record books professionally...weird conversations, unexpected meetings, very little traffic, an unexpected comment in passing...bizarre...gave me that feeling you get when you only have about 2 hours to sleep after being awake for 20 hours or so!

I did get to make a new friend today...

This is Chloe, Miss Jean's big fat kitty!  Jean's out of town, so I am feeding the cats (Abby is invisible!) and the fish and cleaning the litter box.  Chloe is sweet and LOVES to purr and mew and have her ears scratched.  The fish weren't so excited to see me!

Did a bit of house cleaning when I got home - Mrs Shannon picked up from C4K, so I ended up home earlier than usual.   Made dinner - the kids didn't make that "why do we have to eat at home face tonight", no idea why, but seems silly to worry about a gift like that!  Hot dogs, chips and watermelon - how very summertime of us!  The kids did make the "Wimbledon" face - until even Keaton got caught up in the Lisicki v. Bartoli match - very exciting dinner entertainment!

Then off they went for a bike ride while I did the dishes and tidied up the kitchen - how cute are they?  And neither one of them made a fuss about wearing their helmets - safety first!

Now, it wouldn't be a bike ride (or any other outside activity) if Peyton didn't return needing a bandaid...

or two...before I knew it, she had the Ace bandage out and the crutches!  She loves a good pretend injury and the drama that comes with it. 

This is going to be a pretty quiet week for our family - after last week and weekend, we need it.  I must admit, I love evenings at home.  Peyton uses her wonderful imagination and makes up songs or sets up an imaginary vet clinic or a school room and can play for hours.  Murph is all about 're-organizing' or 're-formatting' his i-Touch or some other computer, electronic thing or playing MLB or Madden on the PS2 - tonight he blogged about his youth fitness orientation at the Y and the arrival of his World Series trading pins

pretty cool, huh?

I took about an hour to play around on the computer - played games, looked at recipes, checked out a couple of blogs, read about the Joplin dog "Sugar" who is recovering after getting picked up with his house in the tornado and now I'm electronically scrapbooking - my excuse for blogging.  But I have failed miserably at making fabulous scrapbooks of the kids' lives because of the mess and lack of space in our house, so this is going to have to do.  Someday kiddos, you will find this, read it, hopefully know how much your momma loves you...and here comes Peyton on the crutches again!  Peanut, you crack me up!  I'd say my weird, out-of-body day has turned into a perfect, peaceful, normal, just-my-kind-of evening...

A Day at the Ballpark

So today was the Barons 2.0 outing to the Rangers game - 2:05 first pitch...102 degrees...upper deck...so, lots of things that just don't work for me.  Start time right when I usually pick up Mom, a temperature that I find just plain wrong and seats that are up one ramp, 2 ginormous escalator rides and then a big, straight-up-in-the-air staircase...eeeeeekkkkk!

that's Cowboy Stadium in the back...truly impressive, whether you are a fan or not... 

So even though we were close to heaven...or outer space, we had fun.  The boys were silly and all about baseball, but since the seats were bad, Peyton and I made a deal that we could do all the kid stuff that we don't do when the seats are good!  First we scoped it all out - this is Peyton in the 'outfield kid area'...

The lines were REALLY long before the game, so Peyton decided we would come back during the game because most people would be in their seats....great theory...it got hotter, the lines got longer, but we did convince Nikki to come with us to play.  Nikki is another Baron's little sis and although she is older than Peyton, they get along really well and it made it more fun for both of them.

First up:  Home Run Derby...after waiting in the line for about 40 minutes...did I mention that it was 102 degrees???, you start at first base....so here's Nikki moved over to 2nd, Peyton at 1st...

Check out Peyton fielding the grounder!...there were 2 boys behind me who were all impressed that there was "a girl" out there...and then I noticed - it was ALL boys except my girls...I was so proud!

and Peyton up to bat - she did great!

Then it was off to Plinko and tattoos...and the air conditioned gift shop, but I didn't take any pictures of that - I was too busy thanking the Lord for creating the person who invented a/c!!!



    

 Peyton was doing her best to "aim" to win - a picture of some sort - not a picture she wanted, she just really likes to WIN!

As many of you know...the tattoo choice is key to the success of the tattoo experience!

And they look fabulous

By the time we got settled back in from our Junior Rangers adventures, the boys had left their families and were all together with their CJ Wilson promo gloves, available in red and blue...red was the fave!...and still totally into the game - which we were losing, but they cheered on their Rangers right up to the final out!

Surrounded by nice families, our seats had shade, the lemon chill guy made it all the way up to where we were, I didn't fall down the stairs, saw Michael Young hit a homer, got 2 bright red baseball gloves that will live in our house for the next 10 years, both kids had fun...I'd say it was a great day for a ballgame!

Ugh....

....I am officially not as young as I used to be!  Swam laps yesterday at the pool and went to BodyPUMP at Westside for their launch this morning...sent Patrick to the store for more ibuprofin!  UGH!  Shoulders, back, quads...good heavens, what was I thinking!? 

On a bright note - Keaton hit well at practice today, Peyton and I went on a lunch adventure - the 18 1/2 piece nugget, scary Texaco gyro lunch adventure, to be specific, Patrick took his first trip to the pool - Peyton was his official tour guide!  custom nachos for dinner, Nadal won his match, peyton got to use her good grade voucher at Family Video for a free movie and the family is all settled down for the evening, I heard one of my favorite songs on the radio when no one else was in the car, so I got to SING!!! and for the 2nd day in a row - no makeup, no blow dryer or flat iron...not that I'll be able to lift either one in the morning!!! 

Off to the Ranger game tomorrow - hope to have pix to post - 'night all!

Another day on a mini-vacation...

I love these 4 day work weeks during College For Kids - it's become a tradition.  I enjoy a vacation, but there's something about a long weekend that suits me even better. 

Today I slept in - something I rarely do ... and waking up after the sun has come up is a strange and wonderful feeling!  Sophie was not as pleased!  She wanted to go out, she wanted to eat, she wanted to run and play.  She also wanted to help me pack the swim bag...or was that unpack...she was dragging a beach towel around the family room in her mouth!

Made coffee - enough to have some iced later in the day - yum!, packed the swim bag, packed the change of clothes, made a picnic - or would that be poolnic - lunch (yes,  I remembered the chocolate this time!), cleaned out the refridgerator, cut up the watermelon, made sure the kids ate, brushed their teeth and made their beds and off we went for another afternoon at the pool!

We are really getting good at this - scanned in like old pros, tried a new seating area by the diving board, the kids headed for the slides and I got 30 minutes to read...heaven!  Keaton was all about the diving board - Peyton requires a bit more variety.  We swam, we raced, we 'tried' touching the bottom - her on her toes, me on my knees.  She made up a fun way to swim - I was the front half of the swimmer - using my arms, and she was the back half - holding onto my legs and doing the kicking - it was fun!  Both kids are continuing to make progress on their swimming - especially Keaton.

We planned to stay for 2 hours, but we ended up staying for 3 - it was too perfect a day.  We were all about sunscreen this time, so no sunburns or sunburn drama.  And even after 3 hours of nearly non-stop swimming - they still didn't want to leave...

...these are their pitiful faces when it was time to leave!  But as soon as they hit that air conditioned car...

I took this at a stoplight without actually turning all the way around, so I didn't get them both, but trust me - they were OUT!  Always a bit of a treat when they sleep - I don't have to listen to Radio Disney - and believe it or not - it's not the music - in DFW it's an AM station and the reception is awful!  I guess when you're a mom and your kids are singing along in the back seat - the music is cute and I don't have to worry about what lyrics they are hearing and learning and asking me about!!!

The rest of the day was a bit of rest with a movie, baseball practice for K-Man, a trip to Southlake with Gracie for Peyton, I did some cooking, Sophie and I watered the lawn (she is hysterical trying to bite at the water!!!) and Patrick, Keaton and I went to Cousin's for dinner - that's turning into a Friday night tradition as well.  Rangers game on tv, a clean house, no obligations until 10:00am tomorrow (I'm heading down to Westside for their BodyPUMP launch - but that's more fun that work anyway!)...it's a good night to be me!

It was a cupcake of a day!

Today, Sarah came back from her mini-vacation and I was excited to hear her opinion of the Dark Chocolate Hostess Cupcakes...she loved them!  20 minutes later she popped down to my office with the news that they are expecting on December 28...joy!  she will be the ultimate mommy!  and then the day officially began and it was full of glitches - good work, good progress, but nothing running smoothly...what's that?  a headache thinking of moving in...no, wait!  Lisa G called and was stopping at JRae's for cupcakes for her meeting - would I like one???  Would I!!!???  Lemon, please....take that! headache!  meeting over - with 2 cupcakes to spare!  Take them for the kids - okay, let's see if I can make it home without eating them both (you may ascertain from this statement that the day continued to be "glitch-filled").  But made it home, I did - and told the kids we were having cupcakes for dessert...well, THEY were - I had mine at 3:00pm!  and then Gracie came over for the evening while her parents went out to dinner...and there the cupcakes sat in their charming JRae's box calling out to me....luckily, I had fresh tomatoes, parsley mint sauce left over from Father's Day and some great bread, just waiting to be grilled...Take that! temptation!  but it's 10:00pm, the house is just us and the kids are enjoying their double chocolate cupcakes and watching a movie together.  The storm is moving in - looks like another big lightening and rain thing - hopefully no tornados or big winds.  Off to light some candles and bring blankets and pillows downstairs...a perfect ending to a cupcake of a day!

Murphy Children Updates

Believe it or not, Peyton's tooth is still hanging in there...and I mean hanging...ugh!  and Murph has his first peeling sunburn.  He is fascinated by it and can't leave it alone...yuck!

My day was just as eventful, but in a much more negative way.  Kids, if I can teach you anything (and I fear this may be a long and painful lesson), I want to teach you to be responsible for your own actions.  You decide!  Nobody can make you make the wrong choice - you will make it for yourself...and when you do (and you will) please own up to it, apologize sincerely for it and LEARN from it.  and then don't make it again!

Okay, must go play with Sophie - watching her run full speed in the backyard cheers me up like nothing else!!!

Father's Day 2011

The kids and I decorated the breakfast nook for Patrick - hand made signs and glittery purple bunting from Drew's graduation party!  And Peyton and I got up early to get the Cinnamon rolls Daddy loves from the Donut place on Basswood - yum!  The kids did a great job of staying quiet so he could sleep in ... kind of!

We baked homemade Hostess cupcakes...very dark-chocolately!  Very good, but not as sweet as I remember Hostess cupcakes.  But check out the decorations - Peyton's cake decorating class is coming in handy at our house!

And we cooked up a feast for the dads!  Jan and Sue came over, bringing veggies and the best bread and ANOTHER cake! and fruit...but we ignored it - clearly, it was much too healthy for Father's Day at the Murphy/Moles household!  They also brought Sally - and Sophie was SOOOOO pleased to have a playmate.  She is laid out on the living room rug right now - pooped from all the dog shenanigans!

I picked up Mom - she loves a Sunday at our house.  I don't think she remembered it was Father's Day, but it didn't seem to bother her!  She's had her hair done and was feeling pretty all right with the world.

Gifts were exchanged - lots of stuff from Academy!!!  Cards were read - ever notice how Father's Day cards are funnier than Mother's Day cards?  The kids got Grandpa Jan the award-winning card for this year, at least in my book - I love a card that can make me laugh right out loud.

We have drama right now in our downstairs bathroom - Peyton loosened an already loose tooth eating her dinner....check out how it's just hanging there....

...and since she has lost most of her teeth on some holiday or other (Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, 4th of July), she is determined that it is coming out today...so here she sits on the bathroom sink trying to "gently" pull it out...

....I have tried bribing her - something I rarely stoop to, but she will feel so much better once it's out.  Some of my best memories of my strong girl being not-so-strong involved loose teeth.  She just does not like it.....one bit.....at all....period!

Patrick just convinced her to take a break and sit with him and watch a movie....I'm going to join them....Happy Father's Day....good night!

Just one more...

What a beautiful girl!

A Day at the Pool aka My First Official Day of Summer

Finally!  I got a day off with the kids - I had to give up the first, first day of summer for a meeting...what a joke!  But we made up for it today with a marathon pool day.  Keaton pulled an all-nighter at Jonathan and Nick's last night, so he was a bit of pill to start, but all was well once we found our chairs in the shade, put the towels out and headed for the slides....they aren't big slides and it's not a fancy pool/water park, but it's also NOT a Y, it's not too crowded, it's clean and you can bring coolers...perfect!

This is the "Pirate Ship" part of the park - lots of water spraying, dumping, shooting and wooshing around, along with the slides.

I think this was going to be some kind of synchronized effort, but Keaton can always be distracted by a camera!!!

Keaton spent the majority of the day leaping off the diving board....by the end of the day, I was referring to him as My Joyful Leaping Boy!  Some leaps were more ridiculous than others - the bicep curl/muscle man leap - not pretty, the Heisman leap - well executed, I might add...his first attempt was more of a walk to the end of the board and drop in the water and then he got progressively more bold, more bouncy, got a running start, and that's when he added the 'themes' to his leaps!  Keaton, I love your spirit!

This is my favorite water feature - the mushroom - who doesn't love a waterfall mushroom on a 100 degree day?!  Notice the little boy with his arms wrapped around the base of the mushroom - he spent a lot of time there today!

See those faces?  See my kids smiling and getting along?  All day long they were fabulous with each other...just add water, that's the key to a happy summer - oh, and the free root beer and coke floats the pool gave out from 1-4pm didn't hurt!   They both worked on their free swimming in the deep end - Keaton made great progress on his freestyle and Peyton did really well swimming on top of the water - usually she is most comfortable swimming any distance at all under water.  By the end of August they should be little fish!

The negative of the day - Keaton has a nasty sunburn the exact shape of his baseball jersey.  He has the ultimate farmer tan from baseball and now the ultimate farmer belly and back burn.  I sunscreened too late and he wouldn't stay out of the water and now he is radiating heat like a coleman stove...poor baby.  Tylenol, a cool shower and aloe are in his immediate future.

I am off the next 2 Fridays for more of the same - mini-vacations make the world go 'round!

Barons 2.0

Tonight marked the beginning of the revitalized, revamped and relaxed Barons baseball team - fondly referred to as Barons 2.0.  The dads and moms were smiling, the boys were relaxed and ready to run some drills and Jonathon Shier made his entrance onto the team.  We love Jonathon and he did himself proud tonight.  Coach Bonnie said he was a "heck of ball player" and Coach Bonnie is usually pretty quiet...so that's high praise!  Keaton, as always, had fun and got to go spend the night at the Shiers.  Patrick had picked the boys up to go bowling with our kids this morning and they must have just not gotten quite enough of each other!  Peyton and Nikki tried to negotiate a sleepover at our house, but Lori (Nikki's mom) needed more notice - especially since Nikki has gymnastics at 8:00am!  We tried Gracie too, but it just wasn't meant to be.  The girls did get to put the sprinkler under the trampoline and jump and be silly for a bit...it's Peyton's favorite thing to do in the summer.  Patrick is exhausted...he has put so much into saving this team and it was clear there was still some skepticism at the start of practice, but it was all smiles at the end!  Go Barons!

College For Kids (C4K)

Kids, this is your first week of C4K - new classes, new instructors, new interests.  Peyton is taking Cake Decorating, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre and "Cool Stuff for Your Room"...cake decorating is her fave...tonight's homework - homemade buttercream!  Ridiculously delish!!!  and Congratulations, "Student #6" (Peyton's part in the Musical!)...there may be more, but that was today's announcement!

Murph is taking tennis, Lego Robotics, Digital Video Editing and Weird Science...this is his "Hoop Glider" - it flies!  it breaks when it lands, but it glides!  which is why we have added Scotch Tape to the Target list!  apparently, the Hoop Glider is the last in the flying series of Weird Science.  Turns out he has a knack for serving in tennis and likes building the robot better than programming the robot!

Tuesday

What an odd day - total adreniline burst at 4:15am - no hope for going back to sleep, so off to work.  High hopes for a huge day yesterday at the Y, we were at 48 when I left at 5:00, but we only made it to 86....good, but not huge.    My dog is chasing her tail as I sit here and type....that's HUGE - and cute and funny and always makes me wonder...does she not realize it's her tail, it's part of her, it's attached?  or does she know and just think God gave her a built in chew toy and it would be rude to ignore it?  cracks me up!  Peyton tried out for a couple of parts (the Teacher, Mega Math Mind, Student #6 and something else) in the show her musical theatre class is putting on at College For Kids - she thinks she did pretty well - hope to find out tomorrow.  She showed me her newest Hip Hop routine - she is fabulous!  Keaton won the balloon races in Weird Science and got to play doubles in tennis for the first time ever.  I was worried that we might have a cranky evening when we pulled in the driveway - tired kids, stressed mom, lots of work waiting behind the front door and an empty refridgerator.  Today really was a weird mix of circumstances and conversations and emotions, but we avoided the cranky and we're settling in now, the kids are playing wiffleball in the yard - apparently Peyton just knocked one into the neighbor's yard - luckily they adore her!, the dog is content at my feet, I am wearing flip flops, my greatest indulgence - and there are cookies and cheesecake bites from the Grand Cakery waiting to be tonight's dessert...all's right with my world! 

Life Lesson via Facebook post....

this has been a crazy weekend that bled into a crazy Monday...remember when sports was all about having fun and being a team???  anyway, Keaton's baseball team imploded on Sunday - I, glass half full Lisa, was totally unprepared - had my mind set that something else was going to happen - from now on I am asking Pam for a heads-up before I get my hair blown back again!  anyway, I love my son and I know my son loves baseball and I believe in the inherent goodness of others and the power of reason and logic....so it seemed reasonable and logical that we could come together and save the season for the boys....easier said than done!  I would rarely categorize myself as having predjudice, but I can honestly say I dispise bullies and people who think the rules don't apply to them.  too late for "long story short" BUT in an effort to be "right" and to "win" an adult tossed the best interest of our boys to the side and I was tempted to go straight to ugly... really deep down mama ugly ...and my second cousin (?) posted Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" on Facebook and I ran across it while I was waiting for our parent meeting to start - what a blessing!  I could have done more harm than good without it... I was gentle..., I was honest, but I was gentle... and wasn't harsh even once!  I don't know if we can save our Barons because of one man's actions, but I am proud of how we as parents handled ourselves...who knew?  life lesson via facebook post!!!

Baseball, Bravery and Bruschetta!

Quite possibly Murph's best performance of the season - called a great game, tagged 2 out at home plate, couple of good, solid hits, smart base-running...an all-around superstar day! ... no bias, I promise!

unfortunately, we did not win our game which foiled Peyton's plans to hit the Trophy Club water park between games...but I am a sucker for my baby girl...so we went anyway.  We explored, we watched others, we hovered around the diving board...we did every tiny slide in the place, she performed an impromptu synchronized swimming routine in the "mushroom" pool, then we took several big breaths, we made up 3 excuses to get OUT of line to "ask me a question" and then bravery took over and she went off the diving board!  again...and again...and again....and again...thank goodness Gracie called to invite her to Zach's game or we might still be there! 

Not really - I had to pick up mom for Sunday dinner...I woke up knowing what we were having!  Put them all together and what do they spell - BRUSCHETTA!  my, my, my...chicken ceasars, grilled bread dowsed in yummy goodness!  and for dessert...more of last night's party favor - the chocolate cake...I made Patrick go get vanilla ice cream - Sunday supper calls for 'the works'!  Besides, I am going to need all the suger I can muster to stay up for the Mavs game tonight...which, by the way, I need to go watch!

Busy Day

Up early, packed the baseball bag, the baseball cooler, get Murph breakfast and drill=sargeanted him into his uniform and morning routine.  Ran to mom's to take care of a couple of things, back to the house to get Peyton ready to roll, off to Trophy Club for a tournament...we have 2 'borrowed' children on our team since we are out of healthy players with 2 on vacation - cheered for them like I'd known them all my life and may never see them again!  Keaton, my first baseman son, caught the first game, pitched the 2nd game for 3 innings, moved to short and then to 3rd.  Hit by a pitch...wouldn't be a tournament if he didn't take one in the back!  Ran into his old coach - Coach Ricky - loved CR!  anyway, it was hot...Texas HOT!!! and sunny, so I am radiating heat this evening from my reddish 'tan'!  Got in 30 minutes of walking (have to earn my Tour de Texas miles!), had a lime sno-cone - Peyton had strawberry!  Grandpa Jan and Grandma Sue came to the first game - Keaton loves an audience!  then back home, quick shower - and I mean QUICK! - then off to Granbury for Drew's graduation party.  My friend Lisa is truly my hero - so organized, so thoughtful, so adored by her family and her teenage son's friends...now THAT's an accomplishment!  Saw lots of people I love, had great barbeque, but - still texas HOT...Lisa was kind enough to tell me how casual I could be - translate to mean, no makeup, ponytail, ice packs in my pockets - anything so I wouldn't burst into flames!  Peyton came with me - she fell asleep in the car on the way, so it took her a bit to warm up to being in a party full of people who aren't her family...but she came around when it was time to start cleaning up - just like her mama - she loves a project!  She also loaded the car up with random party decorations that will clutter my house for the week...I am sure I will be receiving an invitation to "Brittni" or "Paige's" graduation party any time now...those are her current fave fake names for her alter-ego!  I brought home a party favor too...a big ole chocolate cake...I love leftovers, but usually in my world that's cold spaghetti or some rice and veg...big ole chocolate cake is better!  Home now, downloading photos and realizing if I want to make this a true collection of our life stories - I need to have a better camera than the i-phone!  and a better sense of when to take a picture!  Going to take a stab at adding some pix, maybe telling a couple of friends that this blog exists and then...well, there is a big ole chocolate cake whispering my name in the kitchen...and it really would be just rude to ignore it!  Happy Saturday everyone (not that there's anyone yet!)...today was a good day!

This is harder than it looks....

...10:23pm...I've been sitting here for hours trying to figure this blog thing out....seems like a great way to keep track of a family and the time that is going by so quickly...but good grief...I've lost 2 hours of my life just trying to make a background and a template and a font selection and seriously considering going back to good ole paper and paste scrapbooking!  I still have to download photos from my phone, but as the world who knows me knows...I can't function properly after 10:00pm...so brand new blog....good night!