There are a lot of fun things in store for the weekend.  The weather is going to be great(mid 70’s) but the skies will be cloudy.  The good news is that the rain isn’t suppose to start until Sunday night after the kite festival. 

Saturday there is an event at the University of Texas called explore UT.  All of my middle school kids are going via bus.  It looks like a lot of people are going to this.  I found a few things that Noah and Cooper should love:  fossil find, make a pet rock, Giant operation board game, plus some face painting and musical chairs with cookie organs.  That should be fun.  Basically it is a big open house for UT.

Sunday we have the kite festival!  We had so much fun last time we went and I’m sure Cooper will get to enjoy it even more now that he is old enough to make his own kite.  After the festival we are going to the Hula Hut for dinner.  I’m really excited to try that place out as it is run by the same people who make my fave mexican here, Chuys.  The Hula Hut is a mexican polynesian restaurant.  YUM and they have a playground for the kids to play on while we eat and be merry.  This is on Lake Travis too so we get beautiful views.  I’ve never been there so this should be fun.

I’m guessing we are going to have some really tired babies, oops I mean big boys, at the end of the day.  Bed time should be a breeze.

I haven’t watched Lost yet so my post will come soon. 

I have been watching GMA and for the last few weeks they have been doing a special on the best mac and cheese and now I am obssessed with making mac and cheese for dinner tonight.  Of course I am going to add a Texan flare to it!!!!

These are the pictures from tha party/picnic we had in front of the house

This is a picture from our first trip to the Domain

Today is going to be a hot one.  It is suppose to get to 87 degrees.  89 is the record.  This warm front has bee great.  We got lots of yard work done last weekend.  Gregg and I can’t move so well today but the yard looks great. 

We had lots of fun last night at the picnic.  A big thank you to everyone who brought something and Ms. Shanna for tending the grill like “good woman folk.”  The kids had a blast.  It is so sad when they don’t want to leave.

This weekend is going to be fun too.  This Sunday is the Zilker Kite Festival.  We went to this last time we lived here and had a blast!  Oddly enough I was just wondering when this was going to happen and viola, yesterday I heard the date on the radio.  The park is huge and there are soooo many kites.  I’m excited that Cooper will be big enough to enjoy all the treats and festivities.

I will post pictures of the party this afternoon. 

Last night we went out for Mike and Gregg’s birthday.  We hit the Domain and did the usual drinks by the fire at the Domain and then late night happy hour at the Daily Grill.  It was a great time and did anyone notice how many plates we had accumulated by the end of the night.  Holy cow!  It’s so nice to get out again.  As most of you know I am not a home body.  I have always been on to get out and do something.  It seems I had gotten into a rut.  When we were in Philly we started to get out of the rut.  WE would take a trip almost every weekend.  We went to Balitmore(fun aquarium) a few times, Washington DC, dowtown Philly(great zoo and museums), Atlantic City and tried once to go to NY.  Then we got to Austin and things kind of slowed down again.   We’ve been to the hill country, winter festival etc.  but I would like to explore more.  I also enjoyed our time out with friends without our little angels.  We are getting ready to do more of both.  We found 3 new baby sitters so we should be covered now LOL.

Today we are having friends over to celebrate Gregg and Mike’s birthday again.  WE are having a little happy hour on the path.  It’s a beautifull day for it too.  It’s going to be 78 or so.  Tomorrow it is suppose to be 80 something.

Well I need to get out into the yard and finish my gardening and lay woodchips.  It’s almost time to put the hummingbird feeders out.  Woo hoo!!!!!!

Have a good day and hopefully I will have some pics of our fun day.

OK so today was the first day of my new job.  I’m so lucky to have gotten this job but I believe they feel they are even luckier for having me.  The prinicpal gave me free reign to design my own plan.  The woman before me apparently hadn’t done too much. 

My first day I designed/tweaked the schedule, assessed the test(meap like) results from last year for each student and designed an individual plan for each student.  They were extremely pleased.  I streamlined the program.  They were paying me $25 an hour to sit on my tush for 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the day.  I told them I would rather go home for lunch for 2 hours and come back for the last 1 1/2 hours(I live 10 minutes away).  I got them from 40 hours a week to 20 hours and I actually improved the  services I am providing for the students.  I saved them money and am providing better services for the children.  So my hours are 8-11 and 1:30-3 Mon. and Thurs. and 8-11 and 1:30-3:30 Tues. and Wed.!  Woohoo Fridays off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fridays will now be my Jungle Java work days.  I still work on it daily but obviously I can’t use the phone during school.  I also get to eat lunch with my boys on Tues. and Thurs. and my big boy Mon and Wed.  LOL

Congratulations to Sarah for braving a sicker than sick weekend and still passing her insurance mumbo jumbo test(I try to sound like I know what I am talking about).  Gotta love the Vicks Vapor rub but only above the belly button!!!!!!!!!!!

WE are planning another night out with the Path at the Domain.  Late night happy hours and outside fireside chats at Joe DiMaggio’s.  We may have quite a crowd going this Sat.  Carol is going to have a parking space with her name on it with how many times she has been there this week.  Hopefully your spot is outside of Tiffany’s.

Time to go to bed.  I get to work tomorrow!  (:

Well the scary skies did absolutely nothing.  I was expecting hail and the such but nothing happened.  This morning is sunny and there are already tons of people on the golf course.

I guess we will do the park and lunch……Friday’s or Waterloo Ice House?  Waterloo is the place with a park and bottomless mimosas until 2.  HHHMMMMM

Sorry it has been a while since I last posted.  We have had fantastic weather here.  Another 80 degree day and sunny, sunny, sunny.

Saturday we had two birthday parties.  We were at Colin M.’s party first playing outside then ran over to Taggert and Riley’s party in time to see the python.  Happy Birthday guys! 

Saturday night we headed to the Domain and had a great time sipping drinks on Joe DiMaggio’s patio and at the Daily Grill.  I have a few pics that I will have to download. 

On Sunday we had our Superbowl party.  Great food and great friends always make for a nice time.  The kids had a blast in the game room and again were wonderful.  Who would think that you could put 9 kids in a game room and not have a single fight all day.  We have an amazing group of kids!  I think Carol is going to send me some pics from that event or she may have them up on her site.  The blog is linked here in the margins.

Today was another busy work day for the JJ.  We are finalizing our blueprints now.  They will be done by next Wednesday when the MEP’s get them to put their stuff on and then to the review/permit phase.  If everything works out right(knock knock)  I hope to start construction some time in the first week of March.  From there the contractor said 90 days to finish.  The play structure people are already working on our structure.  It’s getting exciting now.

My mom is only in town for a few more days so we will soak up the fun for now and send her off on her way!  I don’t know who will miss each other more, her or the boys.

I just talked to my mom and she is on her way.  She will be happy when she gets off the plane and sees we have the same temperature that she is used to in Key West.  It is finally warm again.  The kids were all out playing yesterday and no doubt will be out again.  I think I feel a Tuesday Family Fun Night coming on.

We should get a peek at our final plans for the Jungle Java tomorrow.  Then the architect will have them put in to Auto cad.  We hope to have the plans to the permit offices by Feb. 10th. then 2 weeks to get permit and finally Build out!

I am also all ready to be a substitute teacher.  I have to do my final registration then I will get the call.  I’m excited to teach again and to do so without any of the headaches that a classroom teacher has.  As soon as my mom leaves I will get back into the swing.  I’m already stocking my “sub bag.”  Should be fun!

We have 3 birthday parties this Saturday(Taggert, Riley, and Colin M.).  Then on Sunday we will be hosting the Fairway Superbowl party.  Well I think we are calling it the halftime party as Monday is a school day.  So we will all drink, eat and be merry until halftime is over.  Now I am coming up with the menu.  So far I have chicken wings and a pear gorganzola tart to eat and maybe Hurricanes to drink.  Even though I love me some champagne I feel that this party calls for something will a little more gusto.  Any other drink or food ideas would be greatly appreciated.  If I find any good recipes in my Rachel Ray files I will pass them on to you as well.  Yum I love to eat!

Wow it has been cold here for a couple of days now.  I guess everyone in the US is chilly except for Key West(lucky mum).  It’s in the 40’s for the rest of the week then finally we get back to the 60’s by Sat and mid 70’s by Monday.  Just in time for my mother’s visit on Tuesday.

The kids are so excited to see their G-ma.  It has been almost 6 months.  That might not seem too long if your kids are older but in Cooper’s life that is a long time.  A lot happens when you go from 2 to 2 1/2.  Noah is acting older than ever, if that is possible. 

However I have caught him saying some things I am not happy with.  He said “Duh” and I just about fell over.  First of all he used it out of context so it didn’t upset me as much.  I was so flabbergasted by what he said that all I kept saying was that that phrase was not nice and it doesn’t sound very smart of him to say that.  I tried to say that made him sound…….dumb, but I won’t use that word so stammering all I could say is that makes you sound  (pause, pause) not smart.  That was the end of that thank God and then two days later he tried to say nu-unh.  I don’t even know how to spell that but you get it he was saying a slang version of no.  I really have to be better prepared for these things.  I just shot him a nasty look and told him that that wasn’t even a word and I can not respond to nonsense words.  I think I only repeated that 2 or 3 times.  How do you even prepare to hear something like that or respond to it.  I’ll learn.

Anyway I digress.  My mom is coming for over a week and we are excited to show her around.  WE have all kinds of plans to go downtown, San Antonio and the hill country.  Of course I will introduce her to all my favorite restaurants(Rudys, Chuy’s) and reacquaint her with our old friends, McCormick and Schmicks.

I can’t wait!

During Gregg’s podcast yesterday someone back home asked what I missed about Michigan besides family and friends.  Now…I love it here in Texas and I could make a list of things I love here but I was asked about Michigan.

HERE GOES

Athens Coney Island-Oh I miss the lemon rice soup, bean soup, coney dogs with everything, chili-cheese fries, and my morning omelet with chili on top!

Duggans-I miss hanging with Jason(best bartender and friend) playing the touch screen video game for hours and eating, gazpacho, spicy shrimp or the Turkey Rueben without the bun.

Michigan Football Games-Well I wasn’t suppose to mention friends but this is always a great day.  We have a GREAT tailgate location thanks to Aaron.  Great friends, good food and lots of fun.  Sometimes we even stumble into the game.  LOL

Cider Mills-Philly really rocked this category big time but I do miss the one in Milford/Commerce.  I just love the crisp fall day, cider and petting zoos.

Familiarity-I guess that comes with having spent 38 years of your life in one spot.  I’ll get it here too especially since they are building at such a feverish pace.  I love that if we want say, Cuban I know where to go.  Or if I want to find a romantic place for dinner.

OK I am starting to realize this is all food.  I LOVE food. 

Detroit Zoo-Detroit really does have a nice zoo.  Again Philly rocks way better as they actually have people that work at the zoo and give you info and hands on lessons at just about every exhibit.  But The Detroit Zoo is always great too.  The Polar bear/seal exhibit is cool even though you have to walk a mile before you get to it.  LOL

Downtown Royal Oak-OK the restaurant selection alone is the best in diversity.  My faves are the Cuban and Belgian.  The Arepas at Habana and mussels/fries with mayo dipping sauce at Bastone are just to yummy.  It’s nice to go to dinner and walk around with the kids.  They of course love Astoria and the trains at Barnes and Noble.

Tiger Games-(Gregg had me add this)This was fun back when they weren’t too good.  For $20 you could park RIGHT across from right field.  But I must say I LOVE the Round Rock Express games and sitting on the hill.

I’m sure there are some other things but this is what comes right to my mind.