Grapevine Festival

Last Saturday was the Grapevine Main St. Days Festival. The kids had so much fun. We went with Sven, Bianca, lil Emmy and Flo. Being from Germany, they were so surprised as to how we cater everything around our children here. It really is great!

The face painting was so much fun. They all choose out their favorite face. Carissa, of course, the pretty yet edgey. Gavin, the scary. And Kasey had to be the green alien. The paintings lasted for quite a while, through all the corny dogs, roasted corn and lemonades. Carissa and Gavin's didn't make it, obviously, through the scuba diving. This was the coolest thing. For only 5 dollars, they got 20 minutes in the pool with full scuba gear. They had to find toys at the bottom of the pool and got to experience the underwater breathing. (Yikes! That's way to scary for me!). Kasey got to bungee since he wasn't old enough to scuba.

We were FRIED by the time we got home, so we jumped in the pool then rushed off to Carissa's Piano Recital! Whew!

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Carissa's First Piano Recital

Carissa began taking piano lessons about six weeks ago. This is her first recital. She did great! She hit every note and on beat!!!

Click the box to activate the movie and let it load for a minute or so before watching.... Works better that way

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Student of the Month!!!

Congratulations Carissa!!! Student of the Month for March / April for the 5th grade. Thsi is a huge feat for her. Hard work and dedication has paid off! Her last report card was 4 A's and 2 B's. (Maybe the bribe of the Nintendo DS had something to do with it, but hey, whatever works)

Click the box to activate the movie and let it load for a minute or so before watching.... Works better that way

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Gavin and Kasey's Belt Test

Gavin and Kasey had their belt test to move from Yellow to Purple belt in Tae Kwon Do. It's always so fun to watch these little kids do these routines and break the boards. Plus, they get a trophy and what is cooler than a trophy???

Click the box to activate the movie and let it load for a minute or so before watching.... Works better that way

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Heart Wrenching, Life Touching Story

Dr. Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture - Life Lessons

Wow! I challenge everyone to take the time to watch the ABC special linked below. This touched my life and truly changed my outlook on life situations. We all at one time have thought that we had a bad day or "why me?" This man's words have changed the way I view my "Challenges".

The Wall Street Journal called it "the lecture of a lifetime" and those who have seen it have more than agreed.

Randy Pausch has terminal pancreatic cancer and has been given a sentence on his life. He has vowed to live everyone of his last days to the fullest and to create beautiful memories for his three children.

One of my favorites quotes from this special is:

"The metaphor I've used is … somebody's going to push my family off a cliff pretty soon, and I won't be there to catch them. And that breaks my heart. But I have some time to sew some nets to cushion the fall. So, I can curl up in a ball and cry, or I can get to work on the nets." - Randy Pausch

I hope to build strong nets for my children so that if anyone ever pushes them off the cliff and I'm not there to catch them, the nets will cushion their fall.

He says... "Everyone has a choice, to be the Eyeore or the Tigger. I choose to be the Tigger."

I have challenged myself to try everyday to be the Tigger for my children and to know that life is precious and to take every moment to the fullest.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/LastLecture/

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The Devil's Swimming Pool (A Piscina do Diabo)

In Zimbabwe , Africa, you will find the magnificent Victoria Falls at a height of 128m. The location is known as "The Devil's Swimming Pool".

During the months of September and December, people can swim as close as possible to the edge of the falls without falling over!

These falls are becoming well known amongst the "radical tourist" industry as more and more people search for the ultimate experience.

Would you dare?

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Dallas Zoo

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The Miracle of Toilet Paper...

HAHAH, Vanessa sent this to me today.... HAHAHA

THE MIRACLE OF TOILET PAPER

Fresh from my shower, I stand in front of the mirror complaining to
my husband that my breasts are too small. Instead of characteristically
telling me it's not so, he uncharacteristically comes up with a
suggestion.

If you want your breasts to grow, then every day take a piece of
toilet paper and rub it between them for a few seconds."

Willing to try anything, I fetch a piece of toilet paper and stand in
front of the mirror, rubbing it between my breasts.

"How long will this take?" I asked.

They will grow larger over a period of years," my husband replies.

I stopped. "Do you really think rubbing a piece of toilet paper
between my breasts every day will make my breasts larger over the years?"

Without missing a beat he says, "Worked for your ass, didn't it?"

He's still alive, and with a great deal of therapy, he may even walk
again, although he will probably continue to take his meals through a
straw.

Stupid, stupid man

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Kasey and Gavin's "Karate" class

The boys are taking a Tae Kwon Do class. Gavin takes it pretty seriously and will most likely move up belts pretty quickly. He's so great about moving smooth and quickley. Kasey on the other hand, this is just a filler for him until football starts. He's more interested in just learning how to punch and kick.

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Grand Prairie Lights

The city of Grand Prairie puts on a big drive thru light show that was a lot of fun for the kids. We pilled up all the kids in the Suburban and the men in Zack's and journied down to Grand Prairie. The kids loved seeing the lights and lil Kasey was so concerned about where are Santa's Reindeer...

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Temporary Insanity

WOW!! I guess it's been a while since my body had some vigorous activity. So I decided that all the pastas, chips and salsa, casseroles and yummy desserts (and the 15 additional lbs) have caused my pants to shrink somehow. So I thought today was the day to start back at the gym so I can stop having to hang dry all my jeans and stretch them while they're wet. (Plus, the muffin top is not my best look)
OH WOW! I thought that I needed to push myself and got the bright idea to do the Aerobics and Abs class (for the first time ever). I'm not sure how I made it out of there. Seriously, it was completely pathetic. My legs and arms were shaking, my heart was pulsating practically out of my chest, I was drenched in sweat and I was starting to see stars, but determination kept me going. For some insane reason, I became madly adamant to finish that class and keep up with the instructor, whether it meant they had to wheel me out on a stretcher or not!! Well, despite my moment of craze, I managed to finish the class, and surprisingly, without the embarrassment of a stretcher. HAHAHAHA Now the big question is... How bad is it going to hurt tomorrow? And do I go back next week????

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Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was great this year! The kids had a blast. It was exciting to show J an American Thanksgiving, and our feast was a German, Italian, American Thanksgiving Dinner. The kids made the cutest turkey hats and wore them pridefully.






Carissa wrote a very special message on her board for all the family to see.....

When asked what they were thankful for......

Carissa said she was thankful for a roof over her head (maybe a bit much preaching on my end :-)

Gavin was thankful for family and friends.... Awwww... That's my sweet boy....

And lil Kasey was very proud to say that out of all the things in the "whole wide world", he was "Thankful for MARSHMALLOWS"!

After all..who isn't thankful for marshmallows??

I was thankful for having a great year, a great family, a good job and being able to share all of this with the ones I love!

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School Pictures Alast

I always have wondered why I spend so much money on school pictures, because I usually end up with at least half a pack stuffed in the picture box not used. I really think next year I'll buy the minimum package and take the kids to get some professional pictures done. These didn't turn out too bad though. Carissa is in 5th grade and Gavin is in 3rd. Can you beleive that Carissa will be in middle school next year!?! I can't!!!

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Arbuckle Wilderness

Camels overhead, Giraffes Toungues, Llamas, Zebras and more entertained the kids in Arbuckle Wilderness in Southern Oklahoma... Kasey was intimidated by the large Giraffe toungue, and the emu's were so scary we didn't even stop for them. I had flies in my car for a week, and the saliva of the baby horse who tried to eat my rear view mirror was not easy to wash off.

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