We're All Ears

Ah, Disneyland! If you know me even a little bit, you probably know that I just love Disneyland. Can't get enough of it! The moment I leave I want to go back again. I love the rides, the character meet-and-greets, the shows, the food, and the EARS! Where else on Earth can you wear ridiculous headgear without recrimination? Here are some of our best ears: Natalie, of course, chose the sparkliest, blingiest ears available:

Ella went with a more mature plaid look:

Pretty in Pink: my brother Jake donned his daughter Livy's ears for the camera.

I tie-dyed Mickey ear t-shirts for the whole group. (Find the directions HERE) I went through many, many shirts and seemingly gallons of dye, but the finished products turned out pretty good. It was fun to match for a day.

This One's For You, Brandy

My friend Brandy recently gave me heck for not updating my blog. Clearly she does not understand the genius behind my "six-month delay plan". It keeps you guessing, does it not? You ask yourself, "Will she post something recent, or something from last year?" I like to keep my audience (of, I suspect, about 5 people) on their toes. While in California I got to see the aforementioned Brandy, which was super fun. She brought me a box of See's chocolates for my birthday (she knows they are my favorite, and generally unavailable in San Antonio) and then let me drive her Porsche!!! (It's pronounced "Por-shuh", lest you commit the faux-pas I did of saying "Porsh".) Hoo-boy! I drove it a few yards around the parking lot and it was delightful. Thanks, Brandy, for being a good friend lo these many years and for being so kind and thoughtful. I love you!

California Here We Come!

We spent two weeks in California in March, starting in L.A. and ending with my parents in Walnut Creek. While in Southern CA we spent a really fun day at Leo Carillo State Beach near Malibu. (I was surprised not to see Matthew McConaughey running around with his shirt off, because if People Magazine is to be believed, he is pretty much always running around Malibu with his shirt off.) We built sand castles, played in the waves (Nat likes to stay in the water until her lips are blue), and explored tide pools. We saw a million crabs of all sizes, a zillion starfish in every color, and one sea slug that inked. Great day.

T.N.T.

T.N.T.: that's Thomas, Natalie, and Tyler. Together they are downright explosive. Let me call your attention to a few details in this photo: the hand soap on the counter, the plunger in the toilet, the mischievous looks on each of their cherubic (devilish?) little faces. . . All of these things will play into the story I am about to tell.

One Sunday evening we had several families over for dinner. After the meal, the adults swapped silly stories in the kitchen while all the kids did who knows what, who knows where. As long as there was no screaming, bleeding, or vomiting, we parents were happy. At one point someone sensed a disturbance in the force in the area of the downstairs bathroom. We all gathered around to see T.N.T. with guilty looks on their faces and water all over the place. What took place was a mystery until Thomas 'fessed up to his mom the next day. Apparently it all started when Tyler dropped a small car in the toilet. Natalie tried to get it out with the plunger, to no avail. They realized that someone was going to have to reach in to the toilet to retrieve the car, so they pumped several ounces of hand soap into the commode to sanitize it. The car came out, but they realized that if they plunged the soapy toilet water it would make bubbles. Yahoo! That is what they were doing when they were discovered, making toilet bubbles. Ah, T.N.T. Any two of them together is dangerous, but all three united is a force to be reckoned with.

Merry Christmas 2011

Yes, it is Christmas in July. I am soooooo on top of this blog thing. Clearly I am really into social media. I promise I check my Facebook account at LEAST once a month, and update my profile picture yearly or so. Every now and then someone else posts a picture of me and tags me, so that keeps things fresh. Anyhoo... Christmas at home in Texas was lots of fun. As per tradition we made gingerbread houses, which is always a good time.

Ever So Thankful

Natalie is a real help in all things and all places, but she really shines in the kitchen:

She can hear me take out the Kitchenaid mixer from anywhere in the house, and comes running.  She knows that good things come out of that stainless steel bowl.  She likes to help me, which means that sometimes a recipe receives an extra splash of vanilla (or "fanilla", as she calls it), sometimes a little flour gets dumped on the floor...  So far we have avoided any egg disasters, knock on wood.  The best was the day she sneaked a spoonful from the mixer bowl while my back was turned.  When I faced her, she had the empty spoon inches from her mouth and a horrible look on her face.  She had just taken a big ol' mouthful of unsweetened cocoa powder.  In this picture, though, the cocoa was fully incorporated and sweetened:

We had company for Thanksgiving!  Our sister-in-law Veronica and her kids Cata and Nico came for a few days, and we had so much fun.  The cousins loved every minute together.  Ella and Nico have been good buddies ever since they were tiny.

Ah, the traditional pie face picture!  As long as I was making a pecan and a pumpkin for us, I also made one more of each to give to friends.  I bake--it's what I do.

We rarely share Thanksgiving with extended family, so it was a real treat to have Vero and the kids with us.  We ate and ate and ate some more, went to the park, ate, took in a movie, ate and ate.  Good times.

The Artist Strikes Again

Does anyne know of a reputable preschool fine arts program?  Because seriously, she may be gifted, as the following photos, taken by Natalie, clearly show:

Fingers: Close-Up

 Family on Couch

Self-Portrait: Smiley Face

Feet On Carpet with Sparkle Toes

The Lost Eyelash

Grandma Deflects the Paparazzi

She's an Artist!

Over the summer Natalie developed an appreciation for photography, ie every time the camera came out she begged and pleaded to take pitures with it.  Here are some of her first efforts.  It you would like a signed copy, suitable for framing, let me know.

Dishwasher With Dirty Plates

Inside of Freezer with Old Bananas

Self Portrait: Feet (With Camera Strap)
(This is one of her favorite subjects.  She changes up the flooring, as well as accessories dangling in the frame.  It really is an exciting collection.)

Self-Portrait: Dazed Expression

The Rest of July

Sometimes I amaze myself by how efficient I am.  A blog post about July posted only 9 months later???  If only my family photo albums were as up-to-date!  I have about an hour between picking Ella up from choir and then feeding everyone (pancakes, anyone?) before getting Ella to Activity Days at church, and I find myself with nothing to do.  It's a strange feeling.  So I thought I'd give blogging a try.  Ella's doing homework, Natalie is watching "Lady and the Tramp" AGAIN (it is anti-feline propaganda, I tell you), and I'm up here in my leather chair.

In July (remember July?) three of the four grandparents came to visit.  While they were here, we celebrated Natalie's 3rd birthday, complete with the Traditional Willden Birthday Hat:

We also went to Seaworld, where our rock star friend Valerie (far left) first starred in the show "Azul" and then took us on yet another backstage adventure with dolphins and belugas.  Amazing!

The main reason for teh grandparents' visit was Ella's baptism.  It was a beautiful, peaceful, enjoyable day, and Ella was surrounded by those who love her.