Game of Memory: June 2012

Patric was home all of about four hours, one Sunday afternoon.

We had just discovered the bucket pool.

Game of Memory: June 2011

We had just moved.

Game of Memory: June 2010

Daddy was away.

But we shared our suckers.

Game of Memory: June 2009

It rained.

 A lot.

But we didn't let it stop us.

Game of Memory: June 2008

Safe to say it was hot.

Safe to say we were tired.

Game of Memory: June 2007

This was the morning of our 18 month visit to the pediatrician.

No idea why I remember this.

because it wasn't a charming time.

But if anyone else remembers, that red hoe there caused a lot of problems later in the afternoon.

Game of Memory: June 2006

Um, pretty sure I was still walking dead at this point.

Interesting, the cousin on the left has her driver's permit now...

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to you!

The Workhorse of the Family.

Best reverse-Father's Day gift ever--two months with you.

Adult Swim

Still as painful to sit through for them, as it was for me when I was this small.

In the water, so much more at home. 

Dear Home Owners' Association

Dear Homeowners' Assoication,

When not enough people cared to vote, the resolution to allow a playset over ten feet high in the backyard did not pass.

I am unclear how this construction could pass in our sticky-sweet little world, but having the roof on top makes it an eyesore....

Brother.

Recently

I became a work-from-home sort of lady.

Two trips with two dollies on a Saturday afternoon, and we got ten years of files cleaned out of the office and tucked randomly throughout my house, my garage, a storage unit, and scattered across my dining room table.

No more daily Houston commuting: priceless.

Seriously, We're a Touch Strange

I'm entirely unclear when this happened,

but every time they are together and see a full moon, they howl like a pack of wolves. 

At this point, we had already been in the car for about eight hours. 

The reverberation in a closed in car is mind-numbing.

Swim Meet One

Go Purple!

It was the year to change teams amongst all of the participants.  Nicholas was very relieved that we Stubers remained on the purple team again this year. 

The night before the first meet, Aldia says, "Oh mommy.  I wish tomorrow wasn't Saturday.  Purple is going to lose.  We're not so good."

I was just glad to have daddy in town for a meet finally.  The 6 am wake-up and get to the pool by 7 am Saturdays are a little easier with one more adult.

Alida taking off for her first race of the season--she did great!  And even though a coach swam the lane with her, Alida just took off past the coach with purpose about half-way through.

In character, about half-way through Elaine stopped.

She is a mental jumble when it comes to competition, because she swims like a fish if she's just in the water to have fun.

The boys competing in the middle two lanes there.

Looks like there is still a super-hero take-off happening again on the right. 

The only reason for going I think they think, to buy flavored cups of ice. 

They're Old Enough To Put to Work Now

Not having a real front yard,

makes for a lot of mulching,

and prison-like work camp according to these yahoos.

Another one in the bag

We are proud to say that these four are celebrating their last day as first graders and kindergartners today. 

There is every indication that they will be allowed to continue on to the next grade.

What an enjoyable year in school, particularly compared to the last. 

And now they will spend their summer with daddy, who is enjoying a well-deserved two months off before we begin the next round of Army life.

Wolves

Graduated: to Wolf Cubs. 

The uniforms and rank and loops and beads are as confusing as the military dress uniform.

A Little Fixing

By daddy and the culprit who stood on the garage door sensors until the wood holding them snapped off the wall.

The Gulf

We took off down the coast over the holiday weekend recently. 

And we just stopped when we found a beach.

No plans, just wandering.

Perfect.

(Funny, when I first saw this picture I wondered when Ben had made a new international friend at the beach.  Then I realized it was his brother.)

You Never Know

An agel.

A soldier vampire, stylish clutch in hand.

And, a mess of feet.

Good times.