The Gods Were Smiling

There is a special river in Heaven set aside for the sole purpose of floating. I just know it. The Gods smiled upon us this weekend as we set out for a last summer fling before the chaos that is the school year.
















The Crew was perfect, and survived dangerous rapids, crazy waterfalls, scalding sunshine, and a torrential downpour.

The food was great-always important to a gathering, event, roadtrip, vacation. Fried. Bologna. Sandwiches. That's what we had for lunch...new for me, and I have to admit...not that bad...in a little-kid-playing-outside-trip-down-memory-lane-kinda-way. Cheese. That's what Some of us snacked on down the river. Homemade Ice cream. Everyone submerged themselves in the ecstasy that was the homemade ice cream later that night between poker, dominoes, and napping.

A. Perfect. Weekend. Thank you Gods.

Next time we won't let Todd be in charge of the Ipod.

Weekend Hopes

It seems the Gods are conspiring against us. This weekend we planned to float the Guadalupe...my own kind of paradise.

Earlier this week a few of our friends had to drop out, but we hung on to our hopes.

Today it's raining-40% chance of more this weekend.

I'm clutching my kite string and holding on. I have a certain obsession for TOOBING. Nothing is more relaxing than grabbing a beer and a floatie and drifting...well, I guess there might be something, but I'm not quite sure what that is.

Cross your fingers-my sanity for the school year rests on this.

Water Works

Friday we finally made it to a Water Park! I had it on my list all summer as an official "fun thing to do.". Todd even took a rare golden day off to join us.


I'm not sure what I was thinking that I could handle this kind of field trip solo though. I tend to do that-not think things through. Madison and Tanner immediately ran off to the waterslides, and I couldn't get Grady slathered down fast enough before he headed to the "kiddie area". Three kids is a lot.











I was glad for the reinforcements. Lifeguards too.
Normally, I'm spazzing trying to take a constant headcount of the Hoodlums, so when they scattered, it sent me into a bit of a fainting spell. I forget they can swim-and then there's those lifeguards I mentioned earlier. I'm actually getting to the point where the kids are self sufficient. IT'S SO WEIRD! We had a great time though-we went to Denton Water Works. It was the perfect size-baby area, some slides, and a lazy river...I think I'm still a few years out from places like Hurricane Harbor....gives me the shivers just thinking about how far they will scatter. But then-I bet we don't end the day like this....

One time....at Band Camp....

This weekend I went to dinner with my "Coppell Crew" as I affectionately call them. We were plunged into working together going on ten years ago...I remember being so terrified to begin that first year teaching, and relieved that I was opening a new school-that EVERYONE was a newbie-not just me. I thought maybe noone would notice how green and shy I really was. They did.

A few took me under their wing; I still have a "growth plan" in my scrapbook from "Bulldog Teague". They succeeded in pulling me out of my shell and then subsequently conning me into sponsoring cheerleading and a host of other things. It's ok-I know I have a wingman when I need one. :) Working together was a Gift; we are now scattered throughout Texas-no longer a few steps down the hall, but our bond might just be more than the Coppell Way.

Ten years is a long time in my world-I joked once that "we wouldn't even know eachother when I turned 30". That was before digital cameras.

I turn 33 next month, and these are all digital pictures.

This weekend was no different-other than taking 3 months to get a date on the calendar! We told some old stories, and learned a few new ones. Hugs and kisses were passed around the table. Throughout the night, I watched as each one of us commented on the nature of our group. We love a good bar; we each have our favorite College team; we each tolerate the other's favorite College team; we teach; we have a certain affection for the American Pie Era; we love telling stories; we crave laughter; we respect and learn from eachother.

We are kindred spirits. After 10 years, our smiles are just as big.

A Baby in a Bar

So last week after our playgroup adventured to the Dallas Museum of Science, I met my friends Sona and Kevin for lunch. I'm never that direction..."big city" and all, so I wanted to make the most of the trip. I advised her that it needed to be "kid friendly", and preferably quick since we would be gambling with naptime.

I met her at the Angry Dog, which, I admit, was loud and there were no cloth napkins. Bonus points there. However, I was met at the door with two Suits on their way back to the office, and when I scanned the restaurant, I realized everyone else was hurriedly eating that power lunch before heading on back to the high rise they affectionately call work. The Hoodlums and I shuffled our way to a table in the back and I ordered a round of Sprites. I didn't ask for a highchair. It was a lovely meal overall; I don't remember any significant chaos, other than a random pepper shaker flying. I'm pretty sure Kevin caught it.

After the lunch crowd thinned, I let the Hoodlums wander inches from the table while we chatted. It was then that I realized what an amazing mother I truly am. Grady sat on the floor under the table to get his toy, and I freaked:

"Get up from that floor! It's dirty! This place is just like The Chicken!"

For those that don't know, The Chicken is another bar I've frequented on many occasions; there is a page dedicated to it in each of the children's baby books. So there you go...babies in bars. Guess I should write a parenting book now.

Oh the Insanity

This is my dining room table at the moment. I'm trying to go through and organize pictures/school crap from last year before this year begins! I'm usually pretty good about keeping up with this stuff-but this year got the best of me. I just began to pile soccer pictures on top of cheerleading pictures on top of painted hands and other precious preschool paraphernalia. What do I do with everything? Scrapbooking used to be my answer, but there is no way to scrapbook all this stuff! Besides, (sigh) scrapbooking has given way to laundry and life these days...and yes-I HAVE thrown some things away-I don't save everything...but now looking back on the first time Madison wrote her name...I just can't get rid of that! I made a dent in the mountain of memories this afternoon, and hope to see wood on my table before week's end. In the meantime, every time I walk by I bang my head against the wall in search of a solution.

Happy National Underwear Day!

I had no idea. On a sidenote-I can't stand Kathie Lee...I know...I'm the only one, right??