Mums the Word

This week was Homecoming week for the highschoolers.  I was informed early on by some of the other mom's that Homecoming here in Texas would be very different than what I was used to.  Mums......what can I say about the huge, flowery, gaudy adorment that teens here give to and receive from one another.  Well, they are expensive, heavy, chalk full of ribbons and other dangly objects.  From my research this tradition started in the 1930's.  The girls would receive real mums from boys.  They were a sign of love and popularity.  My interpretation of what happened next is as follows.  Some crazy people began competing for whose was the biggest and best.  Well, when fake mums became available people realized they could glue all sorts of stuff to the mums.  Nowadays mums are received and given to your homecoming date or from a parent or grandparent as a sign of love.  The girls wear them usually pinned to their shirt or around the neck.  Mind you these things can weigh like 10 lbs.  I know, crazy!  The boys version is smaller and worn as a garter around the arm. They are now also adorned with items that represent the person it is being given to. For example, if you play football there will be little football helmets, footballs, etc.).  So, here are some pics of the one we had made for our niece's date.  He is into skateboarding so he has little skateboards hanging from his.  Anyway, it is an interesting and fun tradition.

The dance was last night.  It was a late night.  Here they are in school all day, then the Homecoming game was at 7pm, and then dance begins at 9pm.  We picked up the girls from the game around 8:30 and by 10:30 they were on their way to the dance.  Because the game is on the same night they extended the dance until 1am so the players could attend.  Here are a few photos of our niece's dress.

Homecoming here brought back some fun memories of my highschool years.  It is very interesting to me how every school or area has different Homecoming tradtions.  Homecoming floats and parade were big in CA.  Here they have a huge carnival during the middle of the week.  I can't wait to see how things change between now and when our boys reach high school.

Blog Makeover and The Beginning of Fall

My blog needed a makeover. The old purple and green just wasn't cutting it for me anymore. Since we just ventured into fall I thought it was the perfect time to change things up a bit. I love this time of year. The weather has started to cool down, well we are in Texas so it is still in the 80's but at least it is dry. After almost 3 months of 90 plus days with humidity I was so ready for the change. This first week of October is going to be a busy one. There are homecoming events throughout the week. Then Homecoming on Friday. Saturday brings soccer and Keegan's 3rd birthday. We are celebrating on Sunday this year for him. I still can't believe that it has been 3 years since he was born. I know the saying "Time Flies" is old and worn out but it really does go by fast. Well, in honor of my blog makeover here are some Fall papers. If you have friends that digi-scrap send them to my blog.

http://www.box.net/shared/static/3slprmapbe.zip

August -September 2010

We have had a very busy couple of months. We attended our first Astro's game. The tickets were unbelievably cheap. We got to sit close to the field. It was probably one of the most entertaining baseball games I have ever been to. Even Keegan made it through the entire game without a fit. It was a wonderful family day.









The process of getting ready to return to school always has us racing. From the shopping for new school clothes, new shoes, and school supplies to just preparing for getting up early and the day to day tasks. I think the transition back to school this year went rather smoothly. Brennan started the 3rd grade. He loves his teacher and is really enjoying being back. We had a new addition this year, our niece who entered the 10th grade. Even with a bit of anxiety over the transition she seems to be really enjoying school. Then our little man, he moved to a new room at school. They are teaching him his letters, colors, numbers. They have also begun to teach them to write and he is taking computers. All of the children are doing exceedingly well. Based on first progress reports we have A's all around.






Steve's mom came to visit at the end of August. We made a trip to Kemah and had a wonderful day. The kids really enjoyed all the rides. I enjoyed taking pictures as usual. I love taking pictures of the trees and the water as well as just taking photos from different angles. Here are a few of the scenery from our trip.






On labor day we had a little barbecue with a few friends. The weather was kind of gloomy so we spent most of the day indoors. Labor Day fell on Brennan's birthday this year. Although we didn't have a party on that day he had a few friends over to play. The kids swam some in between the rain, thunder and lightening. Shelby made Brennan a cake to celebrate. Everyone had good time!

Brennan officially celebrated his birthday the following weekend. No big party this year. We told him he could invite a few friends for a sleepover. So, Brennan and 3 of his friends hung out, played video games, ate pizza and junk, and watched movies. It was around midnight when Steve and I finally decided it was time for them all to quiet down. It was a loud, laughter filled evening.







And last but not least. Steve and I celebrated our 9th anniversary. It amazes me how the time has passed by so quickly. We have definitely had our ups and downs but have come out on top stronger than ever. We went our for a wonderful family dinner. Yes, family dinner because....well that is what we are. Steve also sent me some lillies this year. I can't say enough about the wonderful man I married. He is an amazing husband, friend, and father. Love ya babe!

1 year

So, we have officially been in Texas for just over a year now. I honestly can't believe how fast the time went by. Although this was one of the hardest decisions Steve and I had to make for our family I still believe it was the best decision. Don't get me wrong, there are things and people that I still love and miss in CA. But overall we couldn't be happier here.Things that I love about being in Texas:
1. Not being in extreme debt for our home
2. There is no State Income Tax
3. Our children are getting a wonderful education
4. How green it is almost all year round
5. The amazing trees and flowers
6. The warm weather pretty much year round
7. Steve is now home more often than he is gone
8. Our pool
9. Our amazing new friends and neighbors
10. Being able to actually save some money

The only negative so far aside from missing my family and friends in CA are the bugs. Not sure I will ever get used to them. At least I have a terrific pest guy who I can call anytime to deal with them.

It has been a crazy chaotic year but I wouldn't change a thing. I took a little time off of scrapbooking. Too many other things to tackle. I am back to it, creating pages, papers, and other fun things. I know the 4th of July has passed by but I still decided to create a small 4th kit. Even when things aren't great in the US and the economy is in the dumps, I remember how thankful I am to live in the country we live in. So many rights and privileges that others don't have. Happy belate 4th of July! Thanks to all those that serve and protect us here and overseas.

4th of July Mini Kit.zip

New Freebie

I have been playing around in Photoshop again. I absolutely love creating new unique digital papers. I have been stuck on plaids for the last few months. Here is a fun new Diagonal Plaid I created. I am including it in several colors. Enjoy!

Diagonal Plaids.zip

Summertime

Well, it has been a crazy couple of months. Summertime is definitely in full swing. Brennan finished school and we headed back to Cali to see our friends and family. We had a wonderful visit with my parents, sister, and brother. I got to see my neice Alaina for the first time which was wonderful. Here a couple photos.





We also spent some time with Steve's Aunt, Uncle, and cousins. We attended Steve's cousin Justins' highschool graduation. It was a long day for the kids but they sat patiently through the ceremonies and then expended all their energy wrestling down on the field after the ceremony.

Getting ready to get his diploma!

Receiving his diploma

Cousins

Brother and Sister


We headed to Disneyland the next week for 5 fun filled days at the park. We had a blast but the days were long and exhausting. The little ones did well but by the end you could tell they needed some serious rest and relaxation.








We are home now and getting back into the swing of things. Keegan has had a hard time re-adjusting. I am really hoping the with a few nights of good sleep his mood will improve. Otherwise, I guess I can assume that this is just a new phase of crankiness that we will just have to live with. Only time will tell! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.