February

A short but full of fun month!

 ADS had a dance for the younger grades.  We got there early, had fun and left when it got loud and crowded.

 We had a family fun day out on the town.  Natural Gardener is always a favorite and we needed something to replace our agave.  Here they are walking the labyrinth.

Sweet bunnies at Calahan's.  

Dance number 2!  Daddy and daughter after In & Out Burgers.  Sheri & I visited Rasmia while the dads and girls had fun running around on stage and a little dancing.  

Gig'em Bears!  Every year Dad & I go see Baylor beat the Lady Longhorns in Basketball.  We thought the girls were old enough so we invited the whole family.  Caleb had a fishing event at Mueller so we joined the crowd and tried to fish, then headed to the stadium.  It was a fun and closer than normal game.  Then headed to Shady Grove to eat.

 ADS does an annual Labyrinth Festival.  The children dressed in their favorite color and were given a colorful cup to focus a dream or goal into.  They then meditatively walked around the labyrinth...

 and received an encouraging word from the person dressed in the same color as their bowl.  Both girls got blue and Ms Kelly, the behavioral director, who runs the parents' book club and R&R room.
 They then gave their bowls to adults who hung them into art.  Gloria's goal was something her teachers had encouraged her earlier in the year: to do the right thing and help others to do the same.  Lydia's was to get a horse.

 Lydia's class then performed a couple of songs.   Then posing afterwards with Gloria's friend Hazel.

 Caleb was gone for work so on Saturday we joined Tingting & Summer to celebrate Chinese New Year at China Town Market.  Lots of stuff was going on, including dragon dances, and police horses.

 The girls did another linguistic experiment at UT and we enjoyed the campus afterwards.

 Carpool buddies at Chickfila!

 Ash Wednesday.  We went to the Presbyterian church that meets at Parks Hills.

Linda came for a visit and our first cold weather ice delay was the morning she was here so the girls got to hang out before going to school late.  

2nd bi-annual CAJE retreat at Dorothy's in Belton.  It was cold and nasty but we braved the hot tub and spent two days talking!

January

 It is 2015!  And I didn't take very many pictures this month.  We enjoyed the rest of our winter break.  The day before going back to school (for which we leave the house at 7:05am) this was Gloria at 9:30am.  I was afraid it was going to be a rough transition but they both hit the ground running and ready for another semester at school.

 One weekend morning it was frosty and Lydia enjoyed playing in it.

We also had two fun events at which I didn't take any good pictures.  1-a super fun playdate on MLK day Monday.  We invited both of Lydia & Gloria's classmates and about 15 kids came.  They had a wonderful time playing.  We jumped in leaves, played on the swings, with Legos.  Gloria had been obsessing about having a school friend party here and it turned out really well.
2-we hosted some Global Austin international visitors.  In the past we have had most students or young professionals.  This was a legal group.  We hosted a State Department interpreter, human rights lawyer from Syria, Judge from Tunisia and female lawyer from Saudi Arabia.  We had a very nice fish fry and discussion.

 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Tree day.  We dressed for the coolness and enjoyed the day running into tons of friends.  They climbed...

 swung, and enjoyed the family gardens.

Caleb ran his first half marathon in Austin to the Capital.  Great job, we'll see what races he does next.

November

 Quick overview of another month-we rode bikes at the new park by our house.

 Enjoyed Tiny time.

 Got dressed up like Rock stars for going out to eat.

 Had a couple of really cold days including one where we brought the agave down (so it won't fall on anyone's house or car)

 Enjoyed sunny days with neighbor friends in the front yard.

 Celebrated Lydia's birthday!  Nana outdid herself with a Spy themed party with scavenger hunt.

 After the fun adventure the prize was ring pops.

We also got to see our citrus lizard caterpillar transform into a beautiful butterfly.

A Family Decemeber

 The last two weeks of December we slept in four houses not including our own.  We enjoyed lots of festivities with lots of family and friends.

 Mom, Dad & Kathy came to Austin to celebrate Dad's birthday at Hula Hut, then Mozarts coffeehouse light show.

 Then to Park Hill's Living Nativity with a petting zoo!

 Another night we went to Zilker for the tree, and a Ferris Wheel.

 Tingting and Summer joined up.  We rode, spun, ate and walked.

 Longhorn cheerleaders walked around while we were waiting.

 Gloria was sleepy at 8 on the dot and it was a school night!  Fortunately Daddy carried her back to the car.

 We spent the weekend before Christmas in Beaumont with EVERYONE.  Matt and Heidi were there for a visit, Christy and family came from Georgia and Catherine and family flew in from Russia.  We played outside at the park, games in the backyard, ate a ton, went to church and had a chaotic opening present time.  9 adults & 10 kids!

 Home for a few days before Christmas in Salado.  Gloria wore the dress I wore at Jan & Glen's wedding as a flower girl.  We enjoyed the Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

 Bill and family came the day after and the kids played and acted out the Christmas story.  Gloria was set on Silas being baby Jesus and he cooperated.

 We visited Grandmama and sang her some songs.

Justin has family in San Saba and we were invited go to hunting and let the cousins have more time together.  The first day was beautiful and we tramped through fields, shot guns beside a pond and enjoyed the sunshine.  The next day was super cold, but Caleb and Lydia went out together and got a deer!

I was taken to Killeen so I could work on Wednesday and went to Austin with these clowns :)  We saw the 3D Jerusalem at the Bob Bullock.  Interesting movie and politics wasn't mentioned once!

Then we had a middle eastern feast at Arpeggios.  Fun outing with adults!

For New Year's Eve, we partied like it is 2015.  We counted down with King Julian on Netflix and toasted at 8:30! 

Blogging?

In case you haven't noticed, blogging has kinda fell by the wayside since I've got a job and both girls are in a school we are commuting to.  I don't have a lot of home computer time.  And when I sit too still in front of it, I end up looking like this!
Here's too the new season...great things have been happening, just not on this site.

September

 September was a fun filled month, lots of outdoor time with school hikes, weekend events and more.
We got a great view of Austin at the 360 bridge while saying Goodbye to Janine who went back to Germany.

 Lydia & Gloria got to visit Texas A&M for the first time and we attended the BSM reunion.  Then Mom & Dad took the girls home after watching March In and we went to the game...

The weather was so nice that we often did regular things outside, like eating lunch and sometimes that involved craziness like lunch on the monkey bars!!

Mom & Dad took the girls to Bill & Jessamy's for Lucy's 3rd birthday~Frozen!

 And I got to enjoy a weekend getaway with Julie, Carrie & Alisa.  We had a great time, talking, swimming, eating and more talking.

 Caleb's Nana celebrated her 90th birthday and we got to see lots of family.  Cousin fun.

Caleb and siblings with Nana.