My Niece Reese Turns 2

Two fingers for 2 years old.

It's my party and I'll smile if I want to.

Fork? Who needs a fork?

See n' Say
Reese says "moo" after her first pull of the See n' Say birthday gift she received from her favorite Aunt Shelly :)

Yeah 4 soccer!!!

Game # 1 - tied 2-2

Game # 2 tied 1-1

So glad to be watching Bryan play soccer again. After a late start because of hurricane Gustav and then the first 2 games cancelled due to hurricane Ike, soccer is on. We have 2 games under our belt both ending in ties. Our 1st game the team was short handed and after playing with no subs our boys played hard and tied 2 to 2. (Bryan scored one of our two goals.) For our second game we tied 1 to 1 with our boys playing hard and fast. They kept the ball on our end of the field for most of the 1st half but just couldn't pull off a win. Good effort made by our team. I just love watching Bryan play sports.

GO PUMAS GO!!!

I am also glad to say that Carson has also signed up to play soccer again this year. We've only been able to make it to one of her 2 games because Carson & Bryan's game last weekend was at the same time. I love watching the kids play in the sports they enjoy.

Carson is in position to give it a good kick.

Carson is #10

After all that running it's time for a spritz with the water fan.

The cutest little cheerleader in Hardin County

GO TIGER SHARKS GO!!!

Life back to normal?

Since my last blog things have been absolutely crazy. We are finally getting into a school year routine after 2 evacuations with one terrible storm that wreaked havoc in my hometown and even worse in some surrounding areas. We are blessed to have very minimal damage to our home and our places of work. The hardest we got hit is financially but can't complain after seeing the total losses of others in our area.



After just 5 days of school we left on Saturday, August 30th at 7pm and headed to my dad's home in Austin to evacuate from Hurricane Gustav. We arrived at 3am after an 8 hour drive that should normally take 4 to 5 hours. We had what some are now calling a "HURRICATION." On Sunday we went swimming in a local neighborhood pool (Olympic size pool with 2 lifeguards) and it was free. We then went to a popular Mexican restaurant called Chuy's for dinner and really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. On Monday (which was Bryan's 10th birthday & Labor Day) we toured the State Capital and from there a trip to the ER (a family member got really ill) then on to Dave & Busters to celebrate Bryan's birthday with food and games. We returned to Beaumont on Tuesday evening after 7 hour trip home. Then after just 5 more days in school off to Louisiana on Thursday, September 11th to escape Hurricane Ike. Well, as I said above Ike wreaked havoc in my town so we were not able to return home for 9 days. Again during this "HURRICATION" we had a family member (not the same one) make a trip to the ER. This time it was very serious and after 4 days in ICU and another 3 more days in the hospital she was released to return home. (Oh - did I mention that during our evacuation for Hurricane Rita back in 2005 there was also a trip to the ER with yet another one of my family members for a broken arm??? - Should we just stay in Beaumont for the next one?)



Back at home we had another week out of school before BISD was ready for students but it was back to work for mom & dad. The kids started back to school on 9/29 and just had 5 more days of school before the end of the 1st 6 week grading period (total of only 15 days in class).



So, LIFE BACK TO NORMAL???...as much as it can be with things still in disarray in our town. We are back to work & school, ballet classes & soccer games, church & Wee Wacky. Glad to be in our family routine. Hope and pray that things will stay this way.

"Neighborhood Pool"
Wish we had pools like this in our neighborhood.

State Capitol in Austin, Texas

Double Digits for Bryan Douglas Rao

Bryan has turned 10 years old. What a birthday weekend he had. Starting off with an Astro's game on Friday night (8/29) with 2 friends and his dad then on Saturday evening heading to Austin to escape Hurricane Gustav arriving at 3am after an 8 hour drive. Then Sunday afternoon we all got to swim in a "neighborhood pool" - Olympic size 10ft deep pool w/2 lifeguards (wish we had pools like it in our neighborhood.) Then we had dinner at Chuy's (famously known for Bush's twin daughters getting arrested there for underage drinking.) Then on Monday (his actual b-day) we took off for a tour of the Capital of Texas then on to Dave & Busters for a fun time of games and dinner.

1st day of 1st & 5th Grade

Summer is over - back to the drawing board. I dropped off the kids for their 1st day of school. This will be Bryan's first year to switch classrooms for different subjects. He has just 3 different teachers. As you can see above I spared him of picture taking. I am proud of myself that I didn't even try. He probably would have been livid. This is the last year that Bryan and Kara will be in school together. Thinking about that makes me sad. Bryan's elementary years went by way too fast. I think I am having a harder time this year than last year when Kara started kindergarten. When John picked up Kara from daycare today she informed him that she has the "best life ever". John asked her why she thought that and her reason is because her teacher is sooooo nice. How sweet that is. She then told John that she has homework and she was very excited about that. (I will enjoy that while I can). Bryan didn't have any homework but of course I DO. Lots of papers to fill out for both teachers.

Soon to be Ducklings

Momma duck has risked crossing the busy intersection at Delaware & 11th street to lay her eggs in a planter box where I work for over a week now. As of Thursday 8/7/08 she had laid 10 but this morning (Friday 8/8/08) she had them mostly covered up and we couldn't see if there any new ones. She comes over daily at least twice a day to lay on her eggs. We have started feeding her and have left some water out for her. She comes from the big pond on 11th Street. From what I have read it should be about 30 days before they hatch. Check back on my BLOG for updates on our ducklings.

ADRYANNE TURNS TWO

Wow, all this for ME???



1...2...3... BLOW!!!

Yum Yum

This is my piece - go get your own!

Papa I'm coming....

Ahhhh....MY PAPA!!!

I LOVE MY NEW POOL

Sooooo many presents soooo little time. My new mom is helping me and my new sister is ready and waiting.

What a birthday she had. With her family from all sides to help her celebrate turning 2 it was a big big day. Adryanne is a very happy 2 year old with a wonderful long life ahead of her. I am happy to see her growing up with a big sister who loves her. Life is good for Adryanne.