Busy Times

Friday was Field Day at Mason's school. Mark and I went to watch the third grade run around and have fun. It isn't like our field days where it was more of a competition, rather just a bunch of fun stations like giant volleyball (seriously, that ball was HUGE!), putt-putt, and sponge tosses. Mason had a blast! In the afternoon, I returned to the school to volunteer during the 4th and 5th grade's turn in the face painting booth. I am the least artistic person I know so this was REALLY hard. ESPECIALLY since every child wanted a Longhorn or something else Texan that I needed help with. Mason was picked to volunteer during this time, too, handing out water. Only a few third graders were asked to volunteer because they behave well in P.E. Afterwards, I yanked him out of school early (10 minutes) and we came home and went swimming with a ton of his friends from third grade. No pictures -- didn't want to embaress him!

Mason and his friend, Cameron, at Field Day.
Putt-putt.
He has the Steiner stance with the tongue out, of course.
Smiles.
Trying to put on the Bumper...
Almost there...
Got it!
Bumper Bash at Field Day! (Mason going down!)
More Bumpers!!!

Saturday, Mason did really well in hockey, according to Mark. Since I hadn't slept the previous night at all, I stayed home. When they got home, we went shopping (I FOUND window treatments -- finally!), got a book at Barnes and Noble and went "out" for Mother's Day to avoid crowded restaurants on Sunday. Afterwards, Katie and Eric (our next-door neighbors!) invited us over to play with their new Wii.

Mark and Baker, their dog.
Katie rocking out to Guitar Hero.



Sunday, the boys let me sleep in. Mark did yard work and Mason practiced stick handling on his blades. Mark made a late lunch/early dinner of filet, crab legs, asparagus, twice baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and buttermilk pie. Oh goodness! While he cooked, I took Mason to the pool and it was completely empty!!!

Cannonball!!!

We came home and ate. Yowza. Then, Eric and Katie came over (in which Eric pulled out our front tree with his bare hands!!) before we ran to Lowes. I think we're going to redo our landscaping soon. We shall see. When we came home, we visited with the Monaghans and we went back to the Dunagan's house for pie and more Wii fun. Eric kicked my bootie in Wii Tennis.

I had a great Mother's Day with the boys and got wonderful presents. While I did miss my Mom (last year, we spent it with her at Jill's), I know we get to see her very soon! All in all, a pretty busy weekend with good times and good friends.

Specialness at Texas Roadhouse

After playing on the four wheeler for a little bit, we all went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.

Katie and Eric, waiting.
They're just a little bit special... Mason and Katie. Katie calls Mason's face his "turtle face."
Katie doing what she does best. ;-)

So, that brings us to today. Friday. Mason has Field Day at school in which I will take even more pictures. And we're probably going to take Hayley (and Katie, if she's up to it!) to the pool after school and hopefully will be joined by the Monaghan's. I hope to take some more hockey pictures tomorrow. And I'm sure I'll get some good Mother's Day shots to share.

I'll update as soon as I can! Ta-ra!!!

Almost Done!

So that brings us to yesterday. Katie has been sick for a long time and was finally feeling better. Eric, her husband (who came over on Monday for chilli night since Katie was sick!) of ONE month (crazy kids -- new marriage, new house, new dog, and now new toys!) came home with a new four wheeler. Yay!!!

Eric posing by his new ride.
Eric taking Mason for a ride around the block (Don't worry, Grandma -- he went slow!).
Ready to ride.
And they're off!!!

Fun Times at the Pool!!!

We spent tons of time at the pool in the last two weeks.

Shane (Mr. Fashion wearing his rainboots!), Mason, Shannon, and Hayley -- she lives across the street from us.
Mason giving Shane a Piggy-back ride. Didn't you know that rain boots make EXCELLENT diving shoes, too???
Hayley, Katie, and Mason playing Monkey in the Middle.
Mason, Shannon, and Shane.
The boy having a blast at the pool.

I am Ironman!

So, after our fun-filled day of adventure, we drive to the 1890 Cinemark to see Ironman with the Monaghan's following close behind. This is a new theater and NEVER busy. We got there way early and still had to wait in line. Note to self -- it's hard to save NINE seats in the good rows! ;-)

The movie was AWESOME! Mason has always loved Ironman so this was definitely not the last time he would see this movie.

Afterwards, we all went to Rudino's Pizza (it's beside the theater). We sat in the back, but it was SOO sunny! Ick. We had a blast with the Monaghan's!

Shane, Mason, and Sha-nay-nay.
Leah and Shane.
Mark and Dana. Dana kept asking Mark TONS of questions about the movie.

The next day (sorry -- no pictures!!), we had Katie and Eric over for dinner. Mark made his special Tiki pork sandwiches. We had a great time with them. :) You'll meet them soon enough!!

Still more!

So, I decided to get the heck out of dodge (or... Lola's) and took the kids with me. No snakes at our house... or????

Shane showing off his muscles.
Mark and Shannon on our way to our house.
The mess that became Mason's room when Shannon and Shane invaded. First priority was to find Shannon all of the girl GI Joes and Super Heroes to play with. Check out my son giving up the "SuFi!"
Strange, strange kids.

While I hung out inside with the kids, Mark mowed our lawn and... ran over another snake. This one was little -- like 6 inches long, but after our eventful snake experience, it was enough to do me in. I called my Mom and told her I was packing my bags and moving back to Ohio. ;-)

STILL MORE!!!

Not for the Faint at Heart

... Continued...

So, we go to the Monaghan's and Lola is cleaning the garage while Jesse mowes. She moves a table leaf that is leaning up beside her garage divider when I see something. I thought it was a mouse, but I didn't say anything because all of the kids were there and I didn't want them to freak out. And then, it moved. And I screamed, "SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKE!!!!" Our first snake experience in Texas.

Lola's snake. The asterisk shows where is was before it came out of hiding.
It was pretty big. I guess it's called a "Rat Snake?"
Upclose. Zoom is my friend.

Then, it quickly slivered into their neighbor's yard. Thus beginning the Great Olmos Snake Hunt of 2008.

Left to right -- Mark, Jesse, neighbor (no clue what his name is), Rob, and Lola.

They didn't find the snake. Ack!!!!

I had too many close encounters with yucky Texas stuff this week -- a snake at Lola's and a tarantula at Katie's. I either need to move or find some new friends! ;-)

Millers -- MIA

Wow. I haven't blogged for awhile. Sorry. So many good pics and good times, but not enough time to upload and write about them. Sorry!

We have had WONDERFUL weather in Austin, meaning Mason and I can be found at the pool pretty much every day (except Mondays when it's closed and he does his weekly homework after school!).

Jesse, Shane, and Shannon came home from California, so we all went down there for a welcome home party.

Lola and Jesse.
Leah.

Leah, Lola's niece, needed to cook stir-fry that evening for class the next day, so she came down to our house to do it with Mark's help.

Leah cooking.

Mason blading in front of Eric and Katie's house.

Mason eating at Threadgills, Grandma's favorite!!

Last weekend was crazy. Friday night, our new neighbors, Eric and Katie (LOVE THEM!) invited us to go see friends of theirs in a band. We couldn't find a babysitter at so late of notice, but we did go over there afterwards and met the band who crashed there that weekend. Pretty cool. Mason did REALLY well at hockey on Saturday. We had told Shane (Lola and Jesse's youngest and only boy) that we'd take him to see Iron Man Saturday afternoon. Well, after hockey, Mark and Mason went to a comic book store for Free Comic Book Day and met an comic book artist who agreed to be interviewed for Mason's Independent Study project for next year (his topic -- Comic Books -- he wants to make his own comic book for his 3-D product). Afterwards, we went down to the Monaghan's house to invite them to see Iron Man. That's when it got sort of scary...

TO BE CONTINUED...