VBS update

Our VBS this year is focusing on John Wesley, the founder of United Methodist Church. Tonight during music time we talked about his brother, Charles. Charles wrote many hymns and poems so I investigated all the hymns in our red hymnal authored by Charles. I was surprised to find that Mendelssohn wrote the music but Charles Wesley contributed the lyrics to Hark! the Herald Angels Sing and also the lyrics to another favorite Christ the Lord is Risen Today. So now I've shared with you too. As Martha says "learn something new every day."

JW & the chicken dance

ok I am exhausted tonight. Our VBS started this evening and a few weeks ago I signed up to be one of the teachers of the 3rd, 4th & 5th graders. (Earlier today I was kidding my friend Teresa that I'd be ok as God never gives you more than you can handle; Teresa replied that was true but he also gave us a brain and expects us to use it wisely--haha!) So I found out that if you are the 1st to sign up for a group then you are made the Leader of said group. I am exhausted! It's a different type of VBS; we eat dinner together then the groups go around to different areas. First was the jail, then a shop, then dancing and singing and finally, storytime. So we go to the dancing and singing and it was already hot in the room. Besides the dances we learned to dance, including the John Wesley Holy club dance, we did the Hokey Pokey and the Chicken dance. To make it fun I challenged the kids to see who could get the lowest on the Chicken dance (again, the brain was not used too wisely). My very-out-of-shape legs are quite sore now. All in all it was fun and our kids are sweet, but we'll probably split them into two groups tomorrow and rest of the week instead of one big group of 13. The two other teachers are quite troopers too. We all made it through and it WAS fun.

Gotta go to bed before I topple over. . .

Pseudacris streckeri

So there's this chirping noise that has been going on at night in the SW corner of our yard and I've been wondering what it was. I couldn't figure out if it was a frog/toad or a bird. But it was almost as if this creature was talking to me anytime I went out. It's not annoying or bothersome but I have been obsessed with seeing it. Tonight it was driving me crazy so Danielle, Trey and I spent about an hour in the backyard with flashlights trying to find it. It seemed there were two of them--one close to the porch and one further out near the wood pile. We never found it. Trey thinks he's seen it before and it is a tiny little frog.

We googled texas chirping frogs and came across this website. I think it is this Pseudacris streckeri AKA Strecker's Chorus frog. http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/frogs/pseudacris.streckeri.html
If you have encountered this tiny frog around Central Texas please let me know your experience--thanks.

The website listed above is neat. If you click on "back to species" button it takes you to the homepage. From there you can click on the frog calls and hear the sounds.

opps

And you wonder why we don't have a cell phone contract . . .
. . .
. . .
it's because we keep losing our phones . . .
. . .
. . .
and this evening we found . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
that I washed Trey's in his blue jeans pocket.
opps.
We waiting for it to dry to see if it works . . .

Danielle's school field trip

Danielle's school field trip to the Botanical Gardens at Zilker was today. It was HOT!! We were all sweaty and the trip ended sooner than expected. One nice mom (not me) stayed afterwards bought them all Happy Meals for lunch.

post secret

The post secrets today are really good and some quite sad though . . .
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

Cousin Allyson's 1st birthday party

Spencer, Allyson & Kathryn "Let us show you how it's done; This is how you open presents!!"
All the cousins "help" open the gifts! So fun!

visiting Grammer

Yesterday Danielle & I went to visit Grammer. It was the first time we'd been to see her since she moved into Assisted Living. It is a nice place with a really pretty view. Grammer said that she is lucky because she has an end room with more space than the others.

Trey stayed home because he is still recovering from Strep Throat.

We took Grammer a chocolate malt from Whataburger and she loved it. When we left she walked us outside; she and Danielle picked out a couple of neat rocks that Grammer took back inside for her window area filled with plants.

Few things . . .

Here are a few things I've either forgotten about staying at home and/or learned while out ill today:

1) A 4 year old doesn't understand "nauseous"
To a 4 year old you are either sick or your aren't. And even if you are sick there's always room to play, right? (no, I am NOT pregnant; I'm sure of it.)
2) My dog barks at everything
Our oldest dog, Sadie, has always been a nervous dog but she really does bark at everything. Including cars that drive by on the street. No stereos thumping--just driving by!
3) A lot of aircraft flys over our house during the day
Including those military helicopters. I'd forgotten how many fly overhead. I guess there's the border to get to now.
4) You can catch up on 3 months of your soap opera in one day
And usually an old character will return and help explain who all the new, now-grown-up-kid characters are.
5) One box of mac & cheese is too much for 1 adult and small child
We don't have that problem when Trey is home too. The dogs were quite happy.
6) Weekday Austin AM talk shows are pretty boring
Add a gardening show or something to the weekday line up. During the week it's the same old arguments over either politics or sports. I miss Dr. Laura.
7) Laundry multiplies
You can seriously do laundry all day long and not be done. I have done laundry all day long and my couch is still filled with clean clothes to fold and put away and the dirty clothes hamper is still filled to the top. Must donate more clothes now.

Is it a flower? No, it's a squash.

A week or so ago Danielle and I were in Central Market produce when I let her pick out whatever vegetable or fruit she wanted. She immediately zoned in on this flower-shaped vegetable of some sort. It was near all the squashes but I still wasn't sure what it was. We bought it anyway and I've been wondering what in the world to do with it.

A few days later my coworker/friend, Lisa, was bragging about all the vegetables her father brought her from his and neighbor's farms. She brought a few to share with all of us and gave me the exact same vegetable. I couldn't believe it; I've never seen this thing before! I asked Lisa how to cook it and she told me how the "those Czech women that can cook anything" made them at her recent family reunion. How do you cook it? Well from one mostly-Czech-girl-married-to-a-German-last-name (Michulka to Linenberger) to another mostly-Czech-girl-married-to-a-German-last-name (Urban to Oberpriller) the way to cook a healthy, wholesome squash is to slice it up, soak it in beer batter and fry it up! Mmmm, Mmmm Yummy GREASE!!

So that's what I did tonight--courtesy of a recipe from the best cookbook ever, The Joy of Cooking (page 243), and a can of Foster's beer. Trey loved it as did I. (He's getting sick, though, and couldn't eat much dinner.) That was really the only thing I "made" as we also had crab/rice stuffed salmon from Super Target (they are really good) and frozen corn on the cob. Very easy dinner that the whole family ate. Next time I'll add a salad too; that will be just about right.

Schlitterbahn

Trey's company picnic yesterday was at Schlitterbahn. That's what happens when your company is fairly small but, more importantly, starts to make a profit. Though stock prices are down slightly (but it's the summer slump so not toooooo worried, but then again, if you know me then you know that I'm always worried about everything so I am worried a little bit) Cirrus decided to go all out and do Schlitterbahn complete with lunch provided! Our family's admission was paid for and we got discounted tickets (there was a limit, sorry!) so we took Trey's cousin Scott and family. Here's a few photos, of the kids of course:

Congratulations, Uncle Dan

Our wonderful brother-in-law graduated June 9th.



From: Gretchen Blair
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2006 12:35
Subject: Yipppeeeee


Yea! Dan is officially graduated.... Well, I guess not officially, but cerimoniusly. Final grades come in next week... but barring any surprise failures, he's done... we're done. We are so proud of him! He graduated with Faculty Honors which were bestowed on those in his program that had above a 3.78. I think that Faculty Honors were given to students that had the GPA for Cum Laude, but not enough credits in residence at UWT.

The job hunt starts Monday... (actually it started a while ago, it just steps into high gear on Monday.)


God bless,
Gretchen

Aye! Matey!

So last night we went to Long John Silver's for dinner. When we pulled in Danielle said "oh mommy, this place has GOOD food; you're going to like it a whole lot." LOL! Not surprising as LJS, along with orange juice, were about the only cravings I had when I was pregnant.

So tonight we went to Party Pig superstore to pick out Danielle's birthday theme--napkins, plates, etc. Lo and behold, she picked out a pirate theme. So in a few weeks I would avoid gymnastics place off of N IH35 as some miniature pirates will be taking over. AYE!

I think Trey is excited that at least one birthday won't be princess or fairy and pink, pink, pink.

And together we'll make music.

We got Grammer & Pop's piano into our house yesterday evening; Trey & Kory went to Houston Wednesday night and picked it up. They did not get home until 3:30 Thursday morning poor things! Then last night we moved it into the house with assistance of the teenage neighbor boy. Then we all played on it for about an hour and a half; mostly the treble clef line only and only the not to difficult songs from the United Methodist church hymnal that I have been needing to return to the church library.

FYI--Chik-Fil-A at Parmer & Mopac update

Subject: FYI regarding Chick-filet's Tuesday kids eat free June event...for the one at Parmer & MoPac
Last night Bob and Cari went for Cari's free kids meal (4 pc...NOT 6 pc we learned before),
and her free ice cream cup and topping bar...

BUT AS WELL, Cari was very excited that Jelly Bean the Clown (female) was there!

She made Cari two wonderful balloon figures (a butterfly and a heart topped scepter),
and she also painted a beautiful Cinderella in a heart on Cari's arm.
(Obviously bath was skipped last night so Cari should show this off to all her friends at school today!)

Bob was told she will be there each Tuesday this month.

Wanted to share this with you guys, in case you just did not want to cook on a June Tuesday night,
and wanted to relax (relatively speaking) while the kids had a good time.

Wishes for all to have a good day!
Teresa

Danielle's 1st dance recital

random

I booked Danielle's bday party--7/8 3:30-5

We finally got some RAIN; My butterfly bushes are really taking off.

Gina (my best friend since 8th grade) lost 20 pounds just since January! (Atkins protein shakes for breakfast, lunch then sensible snacks and dinner + 3 miles walking/running a day.)

Danielle's recital is this Saturday.

Trey and I saw the Da Vinci Code Tuesday night. The first hour was good then so predictable and goofy--like a John Grisham "novel." Why are Christians upset about that movie? It's FICTION and just consipiracy theory, dramatic stuff. If anything it should make one stronger in one's faith.

Danielle's summer school sessions begin today. She spent last two days with Grandmama and Pop.