Linehan house got TP'd!

The Linehans woke up to a TP'd house this morning -- thankfully, restricted to just the trees in front, not the whole house! Anne made Austen get up, handed him a trash bag, and said, "Clean it up!" Anne and I are laughing and chuckling; Kira and Parker think it's great fun; Mr. Grumpy (Austen) doesn't see the humor, no big surprise! I couldn't get to their house fast enough to take these pix -- so most of it had been cleaned up by the time I arrived (although there's still a bunch left!). Click on the pictures to see them in more detail. Fun, fun, fun!







Notice the unrolled roll caught up in the tree!

Christmas doin's

Last night, we went to Market Street in The Woodlands for their annual lighted horse and carriage parade. Before the parade started, we were entranced by the wonderful music of a small orchestra and amazing choir. And then the parade started about 7 pm. Big horses, small horses; black, white, and brown horses; large carriages and small ones -- what a treat!

Turkeys on Strike!

All the second-graders at Kira's school put on their Thanksgiving musical - albeit a week after Thanksgiving. It was still wonderful and funny and precious!

School playoffs

Yesterday was KOHS's football team's second round in the playoffs -- and they lost. So that's it for the marching band trips for this year.

Onward to concert types of performances.

Day after Thanksgiving

Hmph! I'm upset with myself that I didn't get any photos yesterday. My camera was all charged and ready to go, but it was forgotten. Oh, well, maybe I'll get some of the leftover-fest!

Austen and the KO band and football team are off to Huntsville for the second round of high school football playoffs. It's cold out and Anne tells me that Austen is sick again. How miserable for him.

Another newbie

And then this morning, I also received word that my niece has had her baby, a little boy, Jayden Matthew. He was due on Nov 30th, but was born on Nov 18th. Good thing! He's 7 pounds, 4 ounces and 22 inches long! Going to be tall like his 6'5" daddy, no doubt.

Newbie in the family

Here's a cute baby added to our family: The Spandaus now have a cavapoo puppy, named Ollie. Just precious!!

First playoff game today

Here are some photos from today's first playoff game - Klein Oak HS vs College Park HS (from The Woodlands):

Moorhead Stadium in Conroe

KOHS Band's brass section

The drumline is below. The clarinets and flutes were sitting in front of the drums and weren't visible from where we sat.

About to begin the second half


The scoreboard during 4th quarter.

Here are links to a couple of videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ0wxQ1xENo
One of the excellent drum cadences that were played at many points throughout the game.
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWqTwV-qpMI
They're playing "Low Rider" in the half-time show, but since they're facing the home team's bleachers, not us, the sound is muffled.

Turkey Trot (school fundraiser)

Here are several pictures of Kira and other second graders before, during, and after their Turkey Trot last Friday. (Click any photo to "biggify.")


Ready, set, go!

Here's Kira's class poster -- see her name toward the right?

Kira made it four times around the course, and when she finished she was really red-faced and hot ... but still smiling!

How the Linehan kids prepare for Halloween

Our delicate ballerina -- playing the video game guitar...
Parker's dressed in his Red Sox uniform, but Austen hasn't made a move to get his costume together yet! They're busy!!

And finally, two photos of Austen in his (you supply the name) get-up. We still haven't the foggiest what character he was dressed as ... or thought he was!

Last marching band contest this year

Today, KOHS band and many others competed in the marching band festival at Sam Houston State University up in Huntsville. The video I took of their performance is too large to be uploaded to YouTube, but here are some photos of the band and the stadium, too. It was a beautiful day -- perfect for this type of activity.

KOHS Band at today's football game

Here are some views from the game (KOHS vs Tomball HS). Click on each photo to "biggify" and see more detail. First up is Austen's friend Jeremy and his mom, Amy -- Jeremy plays trumpet.

Next up is Kira (lower left) trying to get Austen's attention; Austen has the Coke can in front of his face!!


Here are some photos of the band preparing for their half-time performance.

And finally, here are some links to a couple of videos of the drumline who performed not only in the stands during the game, but also on the field at the end of half-time. They're terrific!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGs883oEguc
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q881gAFZEEY

Lone Star Preview - marching band contest

This morning, Anne and I drove north to Conroe where we watched the Klein Oak HS Marching Band participate in the Lone Star Preview marching contest. Here are some photos of the band coming onto the field and then during their performance.

After their performance, they and all their instruments and other paraphernalia had to reboard the buses and trek to the school's football game against Tomball HS, which started about 2 pm today.

More improvements at the Linehans'

Anne and Ken had some major work done on their front yard this past weekend. The gardeners removed nearly all the old, ugly plants that the builder had put in across the front, and put in new ones -- of Anne's choice! (The old ones were replanted in a remote part of the back yard; they may make it ... or not.) These two planting areas really look great now, and the Linehans are a happy bunch.


Here's a link to a photo of their front yard in March 2006. Notice the non-descript plants under the windows of the house on either side of the front door.

KO vs Spring

Last Friday night, Klein Oak played Spring HS in football -- quite a rivalry, I guess. KO beat Spring handily, and now KO is 5-0 and ranked 4th in their class (5A).

Austen took this photo of himself and his friend Lauren with his camera-phone. It's really a good one, of both of them!