I can’t believe we are one week away from Noah starting kindergarten.  Texas has a tax free shopping weekend and we took advantage of it yesterday.  We got Noah his school supplies, clothes and a super cool backpack.  He is excited about kindergarten but doesn’t really want to leave grandma.  She will be here for his first two days of school.

Gregg and I went to see Tropic Thunder last night and just about died laughing.  It was super funny.  I’m not really a movie going person so it was kind of a big deal that I wanted to go.  If you go make sure you arrive on time!  That’s all I will say about that.

We have some fun things planned this week.   Gregg and I are taking some time off of work this week so we can enjoy some time too.  Thursday we are going to take G-ma to Fredrickburg and show her the wine country.    This weekend is the last weekend before school starts so we are in the process of planning some fun things for the boys before we have to start enforcing a bed time schedule(movie night, BBQ, etc.)

Off to the Jungle Java now.  It looks like rain all week so I’m sure we will be a little busy.

finishing my PTA work and off to see Tropic Thunder.  I’ll write a review tomorrow.

JJ is great.  Kids are great.  Gma is great.  Tax free shopping is great.  Life is great.

more later sorry so brief.

GJ Phelps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry.  I’ll have more to post soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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!

The Wiggles are tomorrow and Cooper is out of his mind.  Gregg thought the concert was today and Cooper corrected him.  We have been doing the countdown for a few days now.  Good job Coop keeping dad in check!

Today was a VERY busy day at the JJ.  This has been our biggest day yet and it’s only 3:00.  Thanks to all the California Mom’s group!  It was a blast!!  Two days until our ads hit the stands.  We are in Austin Family mag and the beloved Community Impact.  I can’t wait to see them.  Everyone reads Impact cover to cover.  Not only do we have a write up but we also bought an ad.  We are in the process of finalizing our Grand Opening party.  I think that will be in September.

Time to get back to work……………………….

Oh and will someone please shut Drew Peterson up.  I am so sick of his constant media attention.  The only other  killer who gets more free press is OJ!

WOW!  I had to fill up the van again and this time gas was at 3.83.  That was a nice surprise.  Jungle Java has been doing great too.  Our ad campaign starts Friday.  Right now everything has been word of mouth.  We are getting tons of great feedback.  On Sunday we had the highest grossing Jungle Java.  Woo hoo!  It didn’t hurt that we had a huge($610) birthday party.

Thursday we head down to San Antonio for the Wiggles concert!  Cooper is sooooooo excited.  He still doesn’t believe that Gregg, the lead singer, won’t be there.  For those of you that don’t know he is sick and doesn’t tour anymore.  Anyhow I’m sure Cooper will still enjoy the show.  This is a big deal for us because any time I bought tickets to a kids show way ahead of time we ended up moving before the show.  Our friends have always had the luck of getting our tickets.  I think it is safe to say that we can book concerts ahead of time now without fear!

WE are less than a month away from Noah starting kindergarten.  I can’t believe how fast time has flown.  I was looking at a baby yesterday at JJ and thinking how much I loved that age and how I wouldn’t want another one right now but would love to go back and Do Noah’s childhood over.  Noah and I had so much fun when he was little.  WE were partners in crime.  We did everything together.  We would go to the movies, Miss Rita’s music classes, the movement classes, And strolling Somerset.  He loved those fountains in the south Somerset and lunches at PF Changs with Godiva treats afterward.  Noah always loved the calamari at PF and still does.  I haven’t told him what they are but it is always funny to see the waiters expression when the kids ask for it.  All of us on the path are on the PTA.  We had a meeting yesterday and it just gets you excited about our new school.  We are the founding members of the PTA since our school is brand new.  We have a lot to learn.  I am the homeroom mom chairperson.  G-ma is coming to town on the 15th so she can see Noah’s first day.  It should be an emotional one for all of us.(26th).

Well it’s off the the JJ.  We started opening at 6 am for coffee.  WE got a great manager and worker to open the store for us every day.  Sorry if there are any typos I am sitting on the back porch writing this with the sun in my face.  The golf course is so peasceful in the am and it is the best place to gather my thoughts.

Oh and today is our Panther Superbowl party!!!!!!!  Noah’s team won the superbowl in flag football and we are finally celebrating.  Congrats everyone!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH I don’t want my youngest to grow up.  Noah was always grown up.  I think part of that was he was talking so early.  He was speaking in full sentences by 16 months.  I always dressed him so well.  He looked and acted like a little man.  He had great manners and never liked anything dirty.  He would always clean himself and his area.  He was like an old man in a little boys body.   My sweet little man.

Then there is Cooper.  He is all little boy.  Thrives in dirt, eats just about anything that isn’t moving, and he doesn’t know what fear is.  He is also my sweet little baby.  OK so he is 3 now but he still has that soft baby fat skin.  You know the kind.  The soft cheeks that envelope your lips when you press a kiss on them.  Ah I hope that he keeps those cheeks for a while.

I had to fill the tanks on our two cars the other day.  Whoa that costs a lot.  Our commute is only 2.5 miles so I don’t even remember when we last filled the tank.  Gas is almost over 4.00 now.  I remember when it used to cost $20 to fill the Jeep’s tank.

We have been busy training our staff and I believe by the end of the next week everyone will know how to do every job(opening/closing etc.) and then Gregg and I can have some down time.  I don’t really want a lot of down time.  I love working the Jungle Java.  However, I also love family time.  Last night Gregg, the boys and I got to go to the swimming pool together.  It was fun for all of us to relax and have fun.  The pool is the only place other than Jungle Java that the boys like to play.

We have the Wiggles concert coming up and I tried to break the news to Cooper that Greg won’t be on the tour because he is sick.  Coop woul have none of it.  Every once in a while he comes up to me and says, “Greg’s not sick any more.  He’s coming to the concert.”  I wish I wouldn’t have said anything but I didn’t want him to spend the first 15 minutes of the concert wondering why Greg isn’t there.  I thought I was preparing him.  I wish the Wiggles shows on TV would have more without old Greg so he can get used to it.

Well it’s off to the “office.”

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!!!!!!!!!!

I think this is so funny.  I got my first mosquito bite of the year.  Those of us from the north know that at this point in the year we would be halfway through a bottle of Calamine lotion.  For those who mocked my swallows they did a good job!  See I allowed a family of Swallows to build a nest in my front porch.  It was kind of a mess and a bit of an inconvenience but I think it paid off.  I always have bad reactions to the bug bites.  My little swallows did me proud!  I may let them come back next year.

The Jungle Java is picking up steam.  We start our ad campaign in the next week.  Yesterday I had a group of moms come in unannounced.  What a nice surprise.  We are already to the point that we are going to hire more staff.  Boy do I have a lot of applicants. 

Well today we get our sign hung so I gotta run.  I know….Gregg will post pics here.