A recap of March and April 2009

So l had started well, intending no actually promising l think to post at least once a month, if not every week (who are we kidding!) And then, I'm just not sure what happened, but here l am Monday December the 28th, 3 days till the end of 2009, and my last post was in August the day the kids commenced school! So much has happened this year, some good some not so good (l'd actually love to forget the bad stuff if l could) all that occurred this year has had some impact on our lives be it good or bad, it's what makes us who we are. So my intention is to sum up the year, not really fair l know, but then again, what can l do? except to promise that maybe in 2010 l will try harder to post more often? I mean l love reading back on what we did, experienced and felt that year, and god knows as l get older l need all the help l can get in jogging my memory :)

I could and maybe will blame it partly on Facebook, since at the start of the year l discovered and got into Facebook. Finding so many old school friends and Ansett friends has been a great joy and to be reconnected with some of these friends is amazing. So yep l think l'll blame it on Facebook.

Anyway without further ado, here we go, a recap of 2009, the good the bad and the ugly (well maybe not the ugly)
January as you can see was already summed up, and a little of February too.

MARCH

So March it is! March came and we were back into Liam's baseball season, his 2nd year with the Alliance Raptors.

For Spring break we headed off to Taos for a Skiing vacation with our friends the Oakley's. This was the first time skiing for the kids and Darren and l had not been for years (well before we got married). The kids took some lessons, Liam got sick on the first day there. We think it could have been altitude sickness, but luckily it didn't last long and we were all skiing down the green and blue runs in no time at all! We had amazing weather, and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. We stayed right on the mountain and ate some amazing German food, and l got some great pictures. Isn't that what it's all about? ;)

APRIL

So onto April, let's see, more baseball and the Raptors won their first 2nd place trophy.

Spring came and l enjoyed photographing my garden in bloom. The bluebonnets reappeared and we took the usual photos near Solana. This time l also took the kids to a field l had been admiring for a while. I just loved the soft glow of the light in the afternoon on the field and every time l drove past it l would comment to myself that l really need to take some pictures of the kids in it. So l did!

Then we had Easter, and our 2nd annual Easter Egg scavenger hunt which the kids loved. This year, mum and Tiz sent over a care package of Aussie chocolate Easter eggs, which we couldn't wait to eat.

Well that's it for now, I'll recap May soon, it was a busy/good month and requires a post all of it's own.

I have been bad, really bad!!

OK it's not like l have done something bad, or illegal, it's more like I've been bad with the blogging part. At the start of the year l had promised myself l would blog, if not everyday, or once a week, at least once a month. You know, so l could one day look back and see what l was doing in 2009. So now I find myself at the end of August, and my last post was February, and I'm thinking to myself what the heck have l done for the last 7 months?!!!

Well that is going to have to be an entirely separate post. I couldn't possibly cover a whole 7 months in one post, I mean sure it's not like I've been super busy every month, but come on, my life re caped in one post!

So for now, I'm covering what's still fresh in my mind at the moment. First day of School!! yep, the summer vacation has come and gone and on Tuesday the 24th of August my kiddos started school. This year Maddy is in 8th grade, her last year at middle school, and Liam, is starting middle school. I will admit l was fine all summer, happy to be finally finished with elementary school, he was happy too! We hardly even thought about it, except as the day got closer l started to think, and think. Would he be OK, would he be able to cope with the change, the amount of homework, the no recess and the extremely long hours, even l have to admit that 8:45 to 4pm, 7 periods, half an hour for lunch and no recess is a little scary! I loved my recess when l was at school, those were the times we got to hang with our friends, and chat, and complain about how unfair school was!
Well Monday night all was good, it also happened to be his birthday, so after dinner, showers were had, clothes picked out, bags all packed and ready to go, lunches made and all that was left was to go to bed. Maddy was off, she was actually excited to be going back to school, see all her friends, and get started on the work ( the girl loves it!). Liam on the other hand, was anxious, he couldn't get to sleep, so l lay with him (totally taking advantage of this, l remember while lying with him, thinking that in a couple of years, my boy will not be wanting mum to lie with him and scratch his back) and assured him all would be good. Not to worry if the locker doesn't open, ask for help, or if you're late to class, they expect that on the first day, ask questions if you need help or don't understand etc etc. After he was calmed down and asleep, then it was my turn to be anxious. Here l was sending my little boy to a big school, where all walks of life frequented, no longer kept safe from things by the walls of elementary school, was he ready, was he strong enough to handle it all, heck yes, was l ready!! Well l had to be, cause as they say, you can't go back!!

That morning we all woke up early, I come to find out none of us slept well. Had breakfast, dressed, and out the door with time to take the usual first day of school photos. Maddy wanted me to come in with them but l was stopped at the front door, as l had expected to be (there's no mothering in middle school, cut the cord fast and quick) so l bade them goodbye, told them to have fun and l'd see them at 4:30 that afternoon when they got home. Then l got back in my car and drove home, past the elementary school where l could swear it was only last year that Liam had started kindergarten and Maddy was going into 2nd grade, why the heck had l blinked!!!

Excuse me, but who are you?

And what have you done with our kids and their friends?

This all started Saturday afternoon with a shopping spree at Costco where Darren got Guitar Hero band. Soon after bringing it home and setting it up the kids started to play with it. Well that was it, exit kids enter Rock Star personalities.

All day and night well until 1am nothing could be heard but "Band on the Run", " Living on a Prayer" and "Eye of the Tiger" belting out from upstairs.

Out came the wigs, and l tell you we had a Rock Band living with us. The next morning we were awaken by music and someone singing "Eye of the Tiger" with some real emotion, thanks Harrison.

We couldn't help but laugh and were kind of happy with ourselves that our kids were getting exposed to all sorts of music.

This my friend was money well spent.

Happy Birthday Jessica!

This sweet girl is turning 11! Wish we could be there with you to celebrate, have lots of fun and eat lots of cake! Here's to many more birthdays to come and may you always stay young at heart!

Love you heaps xxxxxx

Happy Presidents Day Mr Obama

Meet Mr Robot e Co.

Liam had to make a Valentine's day box (to hold all the cards that they swap) for school. It could be whatever your imagination allowed, within size restrictions of course. So we raked our minds, and came up with this little cool dude! He ended up winning the "most creative" award.

Super Bowl, isn't only about football!

Well OK, most of it is about football, but it's also a time to get together with friends, eat yummy food, watch the 3D commericals and do something crafty (if you're me). Of course l would have rather the Cardinals won but oh well it was still a fun Sunday afternoon.

The boys waiting for the 3D commercial. They were very much into the game. Of course the girls were busy playing something upstairs.

My craft project, a football field centre piece, made using a rubber kitchen mat found at Walmart.

.

January Update

Of Course one always thinks, that the new year is going to be different. You make all these plans, and swear to yourself that this year will be different. You will be more organized, you will accomplish more, the year will not fly like 2008 did, cause you will take time to enjoy each and everyday. Excuse me, but where did JANUARY go!!! I know it was just there knocking on my door to let it be shown in, and with a blink it's finished!

So here l am again recapping what my friend January brought with it.

A quick visit to Austin and San Antonio with my parents and Zii.

We got to celebrate Zio and Zia's birthday here in Texas.

And of course what do you get an Uncle who is constantly cold?

A Snuggie! Pure Joy!

On the 14th we had to say our goodbyes to Zio and Zia. It's the part l hate the most! Again lucky for us we still had mum and dad with us, so it made it a little less sad. Our house seemed a little empty once they left and Coco sat on her bed, looking for Zio who was always petting her or taking her on walks.

Ciao Zio and Zia, it was wonderful having you with us, and we hope you enjoyed the Texas hospitality.

On the 17th we celebrated Coco's 1st birthday in true style. Maddy made cupcakes for her, and she even wore a party hat, such a good little puppy.She has been such a blessing for us.

Well there was no way of avoiding it, but the 26th rolled by pretty quickly and it was time to say goodbye to my mum and dad. Our house really was empty now, and it was very hard to see them go. They have promised to come back again in 2 years time, so we are holding them to it.

Thanks mum and dad for all you do for us, and for your unconditional love and support. You will be missed by us and of course Coco ( who spent the day on her bed, looking depressed)

No sooner had my folks left, we got an ice storm come through Texas, and the kids got 2 days off school. It looks like snow, but it wasn't and it was quiet dangerous on the roads.On the last day of January the weather warmed up and we headed down to Ennis to visit Anna's parent's farm. The kids love it there, it kind of reminds them of my in laws farm back in Australia. Not to mention that they get to play in the creek, jump on hay bails and ride around on 4 wheelers and a golf cart.

Well that's it for January. Now February is a new month so l will try to be really good and post more often.