WOW!  The weather took a sudden nice turn.  Seems like we were in the 100’s everyday and then when I cut all my hair off it got cool.  It heated up a little bit but now is back to the mid 90’s where oddly enough I think is perfect.  A 95 degree in Austin is beautiful.  Now I am not running around in the sun or anything but from my back porch in the shade it feels great.  It is even better when there is a nice breeze.  The am and late pm is even better.  Every morning the obys and I have our hot chocolate on the back patio before school.  We watch the golf course buys set up for the day.  It has been a nice treat as it takes them a while to wake up.  I get the hot choc. ready and wake them as we chill on the porch and wake up.  THey kid that it is their coffe.

Speaking of coffee……I love the smell of coffee.  It is a treat working in a place that has that smell.  I have never liked the taste of coffee nor really drank it up until about a month ago.  Now of course my Dad, Bumpa, and Gregg wouldn’t say what I drink is coffee but I love our peppermint patty.  It is a latte with cocoa and peppermint.  YUM.  I try not to drink one everyday as I don’t want to be one of those people who have to have their coffee to function.

Noah and Gregg are in MI. right now.  Noah is having fun hanging with Gma and going to the other Jungle Java’s in town.  I know Gregg is excited to go to the big house Saturday.  The one person who isn’t excited is Cooper.  He cried when he found out Noah and dad were in MIchigan.  He cried even harder when he realized that Gma is also in MIchigan.  I assured him we would be going back in Ocotober for the MI MSU game.  He keeps asking me when we are going.  This all made matters worse when he alsoe learned that he would be starting his new preschool that day.  It was  rough drop off to say the least.

Any whoooooooo  things are going great here.  Football has started and we have a new season to cheer.  I don’t even recognize the Detroit team(thank god) so I will cheer for the Cowboys.  Noah loves the Cowboys but Cooper still calls them the stars since they have a star on their helmet.  Noah keeps reminding him that that is the hockey team not the football team.  Cooper however bleeds orange.  He is a big UT fan.  BEVOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HIs favorite color is orange and he always wants to wear his bevo shirt.  I guess that is right since he has lived here longer than anywhere else.  Noah’s days as a Notre Dame fan have also diminshed.  He still mentions the Wolverines much to Gregg’s joy.  I guess Noah is what you would call undecided.  Which is just fine by me.  There are many good schools here in TX but I would like him to go somewhere out east.

OK this is way longer than I had anticipated so good night.  Get ready to tailgate Jules.  Can’t wait to see you and the gang!

The Wiggles were awesome.  Cooper was soooo excited all day long.  He was jumping about all day.  I was afraid he was going to wear himself out before the concert.  WE left Austin around 1 ansd got to San Antonio about 3.  We went to the Tower of the Americas .  WE had done the river walk so many times we thought we were due for a change.  It was perfect.  We went to the top and had drinks and appetizers at the Chart House.  Then we saw the 4-D film about Texas.  Noah and I didn’t have as much fun during the movie as Coop and dad.  I don’t do well in IMAX theaters and of course Noah hated the sound and the special effects(cows spitting, snakings coming out from under the seats).  Then we were off to the HEB to buy Dorothy(dinosaur) some roses and Wags a bone.  We got to the concert in plenty of time to get gorged by the concession stand($17 for a t-shirt, 17 for a guitar, 17 a piece for two light sticks).  When the concert started Cooper was in awe. He danced the whole night.  I’m glad I gave up floor seats for an asile seat.  We were 12 rows up so Cooper and Noah were still able to give the roses and bone to Wags and Dorothy.  The host said they give the roses to a senior shelter and the bones to a dog shelter.  After the concert Cooper just stared at the crew walking off stage and said, “I’m going to miss the Wiggles.”  I’m sure we have another Wiggles concert in our future.  After the show we loaded up the kids and put them in their PJs and drove home.  We got home abut 10 and put our sweet wiggly boys to bed.  A big thank you to Sandra for opening and coming back to close.  Thanks to Carol and Sarh for looking on the place for us!

We have been so busy at the Jungle Java.  Every day it gets better.  We had our ad and write up in the community impact and had our best day yet on Saturday!

G-ma is coming for a visit on the 15th.  The boys are so excited.  Noah has started a count down.  He loves to count down.  Perhaps we have an astronaut.  I will have to take him to Houston to see the space center.  I think that is a trip just the two of us will take.

Gregg is planning some trips back.  I think him and Noah are coming back for a family wedding in Sept.  They have an old ticket they have to use.  The whole clan will be coming back for the MSU game.  Just an excuse to come home and hang with the old tailgating gang.  I can’t wait to see all you guys.  Oh and Jules let’s get those jalapeno’s cooking because I need some of your good stuff.

Well tonight is the first time I have made dinner in over 4 weeks so I must go in and eat.  It is a most pleasant night here in Texas.  Yea it is 104 during the day(GREAT for business) but the nights are nice and breezy.

Talk to you all soon!

Things are going very well at the Jungle Java.  Today was our best day yet and it isn’t even over.  We hit what we would like to do every day today.  The ad campaign starts next week and I’m sure everyday will be like today if not better.

I love working the Jungle Java.  It is so much fun.  It’s nice to be doing something you like and knowing it pays off for you.  No more working for the man.  Instead, I work for the woman!!!!  I can’t believe we are finaly here!  It seems like it was always this thing that we working towards and now here it is!  At first it didn’t really sink in.  The climax was reached when we opened the doors the first night.  Now it is like riding a high.  I can’t believe we did it and once we get this store under our belt I look forward to building our second store.  We already have some ideas where we would like that one.  It’s almost like being pregnant.  You anticipate what it will be like.  How will it change your life.  I hope everything is OK.  And then it is here and you couldn’t imagine things any differently.  It is perfect.

It’s starting to get hot here now.  It broke 100 today but it’s not as hot as I remembered it being in the past.  I have to say I think my blood has thinned out because I think the perfect day is a nice 92 degree day.  It’s nice and warm but not too hot.  It feels good in the sun but the shade is unbelievably cool and relaxing.  I long for those days again. 

The boys are doing well.  They like their school and love coming to the JJ.  Noah acts like a tour guide to everyone who comes.  I’ve actually had some kids returning to play with Noah.  They ask where he is and when he will be coming.  LOL my little social butterfly.  We are having to “train” them not to come behind the counter and get whatever they want.  They think the JJ is their own personal vending machine.  I had to have a talk with Noah about offering cookies and milk to his friends.  He is so sweet.

I always think of tons of things to write at 4 am but now I am drawing a blank.  Perhaps one night I will actualy get out of my bed and finally post all the things I think, “that would be a good post.”  Until then I hope you all have a very nice weekend!!!!!!!!!!

Things are getting really busy here.  Of course that is why I decided to do some yard work.  LOL  Which leads me to a random thought.  I’ve often told you that the heat in Texas is different than back in Michigan.  Case in point….I have been out the last couple of days cutting the grass, weed whacking, and weeding the flower beds.  I also planted 5 flats of flowers.  I did all of this in 100 degree heat.  I never would have planted nor cut grass back in Michigan if it was over 85.  85 in Michigan can be oppressive with the humididty.  The people in Texas think they have humidity but they haven’t felt anything like a muggy, wet day in Detroit.  Monday I cleaned and decorated the back patio.  It sounds completely crazy but 100 degrees isn’t really that bad.  It is warm but very tolerable.

On to another random thought…..I hate that news reports on that guy/girl who is pregnant.  They call him/her the first pregnant man.  He is NOT a man.  He is a she baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  He was born a she and has kept her female reporductive organs.  THe pictures quite frankly gross me out.  I was eating breakfast when they were showing them and I had to pause the TV til I was done.  GMA also said that he/she is a real whore too.  I guess they have been selling their story and pictures to anyone who will buy them.  Enough!

We are super busy with the Jungle Java now.  I have to go run a bunch of errands and shouldn’t even be here right now.  Today they are blow painting the ceiling and the putting the remaining coats of paint.  The cabinets are going in now and the muralist expects to start this weekend.  SUnday is also the big day the playscape people come too.  The construction said they would be done by the 22nd but there was a delay in geting one AC part(i’ts installed now) so I am wondering if they thing they can still get it done in time.  OK off to IKEA and Target to shop for the store.  Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Noah turns 5 tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Big guy!!!!!!!!!!!

That is what you heard at my house on Thursday night around 9:43.  Right in the middle of the Lost Finale we lost power.  The whole neighborhood lost power.  The island had just disappeared and the helicopter was going down.  Yep that is where my tivo left off.  I still haven’t seen the end yet.  I’m going to watch it today during nap time.

Wednesday I played volleyball.  I thought I was crazy playing volleyball in 90 degree heat but it wasn’t bad at all.  I wish I could say the same thing for our team.  Not bad for a group that hadn’t played in YEARS.  I even subbed for another team after our game and hurt my hand.  I din’t know how bad until the next day when the whole wrist and thumb turned black and blue.  Ouch.  Getting old sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had another nice weekend.  We had a nice family fun night complete with appetizers that I made.  I pigged out.  Saturday the community had a BBQ cook off.  Mike and Mandy and Jaime and Joel teamed up to make some killer (2 kinds)Brisket, ribs, and cobbler.  Mike Smith also entered his pasta salad.  It was guys against the girls.  Everything had to be made on site and the girls had a secret weapon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A76V2E/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=1919547581&ref=pd_sl_4v6kwcbshp_b  This cute little thing brought them the gold.  They won best “other ” for their cobbler.  The judges even came over to see how they cooked it.  That CajaChina was pretty cool.  THe guys would not be outdone they won for best ribs.  So our friends won 2 out of the 4 categories.  I don’t know who won for best brisket but I really liked Mike and Joels Brisket.  We ate soooooo well that day.  They even had a slip and slide, wet slides, and a dunk tank.  The kids had a blast.  I took the boys to the pool earlier that day for the kindergarten round up.  We stayed there for 2 1/2 hours.  It was fun.  WE are going to spend a lot of time at the pool this summer(at least until I have to work).  AND……….later that night Cooper took it upon himself to ride the big two wheeler bike.  It does have training wheels but it is still a big step.  Noah even tried it again.  The ever cautious one wasn’t sure it was a good idea.

Yesterday we cleaned cleaned cleaned.  The guys on the path helped Gregg build a work bench on Saturday(thank you) and Gregg and I cleaned and put things away.  We are going to clean out the garage and take the top off the jeep and leave it off all year long.  Now with a cleaned out garage we can put it in when it rains.  Back to the garage.  Gregg is going to pimp it out.  He has a nice size TV and Sat. TV.  He even has his stereo with Sirius there.  He can hook that up to the tv and get surround sound.  And of course we live in TExas so you have to have a fridge.  Right now he just has a small(dorm) fridge but I think that is all that will fit right now.  LOL

Fun things.  Gotta go check the paint progress at Jungle Java.  They said they will be done with the construction in 3 weeks.  WOOHOO

Cooper loves to dance.  The kid was on the dance floor from the mintue we got there until we had to drag him off when we left.  Here are som pics of his signature dance move “The Wiggle.”  He is a HUGE Wiggles fan.  He just found out today that we are going to see them in San Antonio at the end of July.  He is very excited.  I know, I know, everytime I buy a ticket like this ahead of time it means we are bound to move before the concert date but I am pretty sure we are here to stay.  No more moving!!!!!!!!!!!

We had another GREAT weekend here on the path.  Fun was had by all at Walburg.  Coopy doo danced the entire night.  He is big time into the Wiggles and danced the Wiggles dance the WHOLE 2-3 hours.  I couldn’t believe how much he loves to dance.

Yesterday was fun at the block party.  Noah met a bunch of new kids and had fun doing a parade and running in the funky sprinkler.  Today we went to the community pool for the first time this season.  I forgot how once you are in the pool you forget how hot it is.  It was only 80 or so when we got there(11 am).  I had to get out of the pool because I was too cold.  The “boys” stayed in the whole time.  Afterwards we went and got some yummy fajitas.  And of course tonight was movie night.  We had fruit skewers, popcorn and fruity water.  The kids loved the movie.  It was the first time that everyone didn’t get up and walk away fromt he movie(Alvin and the Chipmunks).  Then the guys put in “Top Gun” until it was time to pull the plug.

Tomorrow we have all rented speed boats on Lake Travis.  20 of us are renting 3 speed boats on Lake travis.  We are going to do some skiing and stuff then some cocktail and appetizers at Carlos and Charlies and then back home for a BBQ.  What a nice weekend!  ahhhhhhh

Checked in on the Jungle Java.  They are almost done painting.  I think they just have another coat of paint to do.  woohoo it looks really nice.

Well gotta go my sweet coopy doo is asleep in my bed.  I guess I took too long to type this.  I guess I get to be lulled to sleep byhis sweet sighs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was not as hot as the other but we still had fun.  I takes a few 100 degree days to get the pool water warm.  So today we decided to have a water baloon fight.  I filled 100 balloons with water and 9 kids and a few adults had fun.  The nice thing with the heat is that the water evaporates pretty quickly leaving us all feeling cool. 

The other day we went to the German festival in Pflugerville.  Noah and Cooper rode almost every ride.  Cooper is afraid of nothing.  He wil ride any ride and do so with a huge grin.  Despite the heat we haven’t gone to our community pool as much as we have enjoyed our pool out ack.  Aunt Jan bought the kids a pool complete with a boat race launch.  They love it.

This Friday a bunch of the neighbors are going out to Wallburg for a Friday night of fun.  It is a big outside venue with a live band, beer burgers and cowboys.  Last year a couple of cowboys dropped in to water their horses and allowed all the kids to ride their horses and take pictures.

On Saturday there is a block party.  THis will be with ALL the neighbors on our block.  Lots of food and games will be in store.

AND on Sunday we are trying to plan our big movie night.  Steve gets the big projector from Dell and we watch a family movie on the Jone’s garage.  The whole block comes out for this show.  I think we have decided on Alvin and the Chipmunks for the first movie.  First film is on at 9ish.  We do this all up with tickets and vending stands.

ahhhhhh it is so great this time of year.  School is almost out and the weather is getting nice.  Lots of fun times planned ahead.  Oh and we are about a month away from Jungle Java opening.  By July it will be about too hot for the little ones to play outside and perfect for the JJ.  However I don’t think Icould ever convince Noah and Cooper that it is too hot to play.  They will be beet red in the face and still say they are not too hot.  Gotta love them!

I’ll have more postings on them later.  They are both growing so quickly.  I am astounded every day by the things that Noah says.  He truly is remarkable.

I have always wanted to sit on a jury.  Alas, I never make it.  Once I was summoned but I had moved from Oakland to Wayne county so I was disqualified.  A few years later I was sent info on becoming a juror.  I knew once I read the questionaire that I wouldn’t be accepted.  It had asked if I had ever sued someone.  The problem was not only did I sue someone but I sued a drunk driver who ran me over while I was walking.  Yea, not going to get into a jury with that history. 

Then it happened.  I got a summons here in Texas.  There was no silly questionaire asking about lawsuits and drunk driving.  The only thing that would trip me up on this jury summon would be the fact that I have a masters.  I have a theory on the intelligence they look for(or lack of).  OH I was sooooo excited and then I looked at the date.  They wanted me Monday, May 5th.  UUGGHH I knew I would be in Michigan.  Foiled again!  I wrote a nice letter to the explaining that I would be out of town but would love to join them when I come back.  Yea, still no comment from them.  I’m sure I will hear something in a few more years.  ack.

Yesterday Gregg and I took the boys to U of M.  Gregg wanted to get pics of the stadium.  Wow the new press box and suites are totally going to change the look of the stadium.  We took the boys past one of the houses I spent most of my college life in and my dorm.  We also took them to one of my favorite eating spots, Red Hot Lovers.  They had no BBQ Tofu like I used to eat but it was all still good.  I even walked the boys under West Engineering and they loved it.  Of course it was a beautiful day.  It was 76 and all the college kids were in shorts and t-shirts.  I didn’t bring enough warm clothes because it doesn’t normally get this warm here now.  WE have been blessed this trip.

OK well ony two more days for the boys and i and Gregg leaves tomorrow.  It’s been fun but boy I am ready to go home and sleep in my own bed and not leave my 5 mile radius.  I am sooooo sick of driving.  poor Gregg.

Woohoo did it get chilly.  When we first got to Michigan it was kind of nice.  WE arrived withe the mid 70’s.  Now it has gone back to the typical lower 60’s upper 50’s.  Today was the big downturn.  I have been freezing since the sun went down.  I guess my blood has thinned out cuz I was kind of chilly before and now I am freezing.

Our training is coming along quite nicely.  WE only have a few more days.  It is nice to be comfortable with everything.  It is so worth buying into a franchise and having their experience and help to fall back on.  They have already made the mistakes and are there to help you and make sure you don’t fall.  I think we are pretty close to knowing everything but it sure will be nice to have them there for the week before we open and the week of the opening.

AHHH I forgot how beautiful the sunsets and sunrises are from our house.  I would love to try and take a picture but I know it won’t do it justice.  We are on top of a hill and really get the best of both.  Out our family room we have an eleven window wall.  It is 20 feet or so of glass top to bottom.  I was on the floor with the boys while the sun was setting and had to stop to view the orange, yellow and pink hues surrounding the trees.  These views used to take my breath away every night.

Oh and we bought a new Ghetto Sled.  Oh yeah we turned in the mini van for another minivan.  Nobody can match the Motor City’s selection and prices so we had to turn in our lease early(plus we were over mileage already) and get a new one.  With all the deals they were having I am only paying $1 more than last time.  I figure this is my last “tour of duty” with the minivan until I can get a real car.  I’m liking that Charger and Challenger more and more everyday.  Perhaps they will offer one in a convertible by the time I am ready(27 months).

OK time to go to bed.  I can’t believe it is only Monday.  My mom doesn’t have TIVO so I am not watching much tv nor am I caught up on my shows.  I’m losing track of what day it is.  I’ll have a lot to make up when I get home.  ahhhhhh my sweet soft bed!!!!!!