Law Expert

Paul just informed me that my statement is "debatable."  I asked which of my previous jibber jabber was "debatable," and Paul plead the 5th.  I reminded him that, just this morning, he plead the 1st.  He's a constitutional expert.  If you need one, now you know where to go.

Like Father, Like Son

Paul's class went to Bass Hall today on a field trip, so he wore his suit.  I think they both looked great!

Jangle and Paul

I forgot to move Jangle the elf last night.  Oh no!  To make matters worse, Paul routinely gets up before I do.  I still haven't figured out why he gets up so early.  I think he might be a morning person, like Coker.  TJ and I prefer to sleep as late as we can.

On this morning, the eighth of December, Coker is out of town and Paul came downstairs around 6:30.  He finds Jangle right where Gertie left him when she knocked him out of Paul's boot: on the floor...  

Paul comes through my room to take a shower and greets me with a "good morning."  I mumble something and keep sleeping until I remember JANGLE!  Hearing the shower running, I jump out of bed to move him, hoping Paul didn't look for him yet.  He's gone!  Could Paul have moved him?  Did Gertie carry him off?  I decide to get back in bed and see what happens.

I don't mention Jangle.  Finally, as I'm making lunches, Paul asks if anyone has found the elf yet.

"No.  Where could he be?"

"I think he's here in the tree."

I walk over to look.  "That's a great spot!  Good job, Jangle!"  I give Paul a hug and a smile.  He smiles back.  Jangle looks mischievous.

Christmas Card Pictures

I didn't get myself together and plan a photo shoot for Christmas card pictures (yet again).  Coker suggested we ask a friend to take some pictures of us.  She did a great job!

My favorite:

 Coker, open your eyes!

 Sweet TJ

 Paul on a log

Paul & TJ

Another favorite:

 Gertie was there the whole time.  She just doesn't understand pictures.

The Card Shot:

Gertie the Evil Genius

Our basset hound, Gertie, is a mostly very chill dog.  She likes to sleep.  She's careful to let us know when someone is at the door and greets us with a "haloooo" when we come home.  She mostly likes to relax.  She seems to be a very simple creature.

I think she had me fooled.

The morning after Halloween, we woke to find TJ's candy had been raided and spread all over the living room floor.  I gave TJ the little bit remaining in his bag and swept up everything on the floor.  TJ sadly commented that he thought he'd had more candy.  I advised him to put what was left out of Gertie's reach.

Later that afternoon, we found Gertie tangled up in TJ's candy bag.  He had not put it away.  Grrr.  I've also lectured TJ on the importance of keeping his toothbrush away from the toilet and soap dispenser by the bathroom sink (among other things), but he doesn't listen.  Now he's brushing with a contaminated toothbrush and the dog is eating chocolate.  I pray they both survive!

Monday (two days after Halloween) I notice that Gertie has not eaten her food.  Mid-morning, I find her settling down in her bed with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.  What is this???  Reese's are MY FAVORITE, and oh yeah, the dog can't eat chocolate!  I take it away and with a tortured sigh, toss it in the trash.  

Now where did she get the Reese's?  If there had been one sitting around, I would have eaten it by now.  Hmm...  She couldn't have hidden away little bits of candy for later, could she?

An hour later, the dog is sick on the wood floor.  Yep, I'm pretty sure she's still eating candy.

When TJ comes home from school, he searches the backyard and finds stashes of Halloween candy.  I'm on to you now, Gertie.  I know you are not so simple, but full of plans to hide and eat all the food.  

First Day of 5th and 3rd Grade

Here it is.  The best shot I got of these two.

Paul will be the weather man on the announcements this year.  Part of this job includes telling the "joke of the day."  He'll be great!  TJ was lucky enough to get the same teacher he had last year.  She loves him so much, she moved up to third grade with him!  That's what I choose to believe, anyway.

We're On Vacation!

This year, we drove to San Marcos and met cousins for some fun in the sun and water.  Paul is really excited; his very cool camp counselor had him pose for pictures with this face two weeks ago.  The counselor is a very good (and apparently awesome) kid who will be a freshman at A&M this fall, so I won't complain if Paul idolizes him a bit.

Our first order of business was to take a quick river float trip.  I didn't risk my camera or a shot of myself in a swimsuit, so no pictures.  The kids had a great time playing with cousins and I managed to destroy every float I was given.

The next two days were Schlitterbahn days.  After several tries, and the sacrifice of riding the Soda Straws over and over, I managed to get a picture of Coker and Paul exiting the ride.  Coker won this one.  I think that straw must be a little shorter, but TJ disagrees and continues to race on the other side.

 

 I admit it: I saved my leather seats and loaded the wet kids in the back of the SUV for the short ride back to the condo.  That Cayelyn is a girl after my own heart.  She wants to ride all the rides and have all the fun.  I just lack her energy.

 

Isn't Casey a doll?

 

Wonder World is not especially wonderful, but we had fun.

 

 

The caves were created by an earthquake, not water, so you can touch.

 

  The cave "throne"

 

 I needed a new expression.  Pretend you are asking me to buy you something...

 

Paul is "awesome," and TJ photobombs. 

 

The lookout

Anti-gravity house

 

The kids fed the deer on the "train" ride.

 

We had a great time!  What to do on our next vacation??