Spandaus in Amsterdam

Here are two photos sent this morning (around 2 pm in Amsterdam today!) of Simone and Robert trying on some of the wonderful items at the Diamant Museum - looks like fun!

Simone is "wearing" the Queen of Holland necklace and the Bridal Tiara of Queen Elizabeth II of England!

Robert is "wearing" a tiara from the Russian Imperial Treasury, a tiara worn by the last Russian Empress, Alexandra, wife of Czar Nicholas I (before the Russian Revolution, of course).

More birthday doin's

Today, Anne took Kira and three friends (and me) to Minute Maid Park to watch the Astros play the NY Mets. The game was sad, but we all had a good lunch and a fun time.

The four girls before we left for the game


The four girls as we were getting settled at our table


Kira and Abbi sharing a BIG brownie sundae!


Jenna and Morgan sharing their brownie sundae!


Kira's shot of the field and the stadium from where we were sitting

Kira went shopping!

Kira got a gift card for Justice (clothing for girls), as well as a 40% off card! She was very excited and had been browsing through the Justice website yesterday. Today we went to the nearby store, and she had a field day! Shop, shop, shop!

Here are Kira and Abbi modeling Kira's finds - two shirts with wonderful words and designs, and a sparkly hat. She's a very happy girl!

Happy Birthday to Kira!

Today, Kira turned 9. She's such a happy girl!

First, she and her brothers and I went to Starbuck's - her choice for breakfast! Then when we got home, she started opening all her cards. She collected a tidy sum, and after Austen's clarinet lesson for the week, we went to pick out her new NintendoDSi.

Blue Bell Creamery -- yummmm!

Today, Jodi and her kids and Anne's kids and I went to Brenham, a town west of here, where we went on a tour of the Blue Bell Creamery. This is a wonderful day-trip, not too far away, good activity (how all that ice cream is made), and yummy ice cream at the end of the tour. Afterward we went to lunch and then drove back home. Clearly, the kids had a GOOD time!



Here, the kids are standing next to one of the first refrigerated trucks used by the creamery in ... what? ... the 1930s, I think.

Happy Birthday to Anne!

Happy, happy birthday to Anne ... yesterday!

After work, Anne met us at our favorite place for TGIFs ... and their wonderful margaritas!

Clockwise, there's Austen, Parker, Austin, Kira, Abbi, and Anne.

(Click on the photo to "biggify" it!)

We had a great dinner and a wonderful time!

Kira and Abbi were the only ones who would allow close-ups!

Wouldn't you know ... ?? =)

Kira's return from camp

Kira went to Creek's End Kids Camp on the 24th and returned today. She had a terrific time, sling and all! Abbi went with us to pick Kira up today; Abbi had just gotten back from camp yesterday!



Fun little girls!

Upcoming Tea Party!

I was driving home from taking Kira to the church (where the buses or vans would leave for 3 days of camp!) and I noticed this sign in a yard on a not-well-traveled street.


Too bad there aren't similar signs on major streets. I'm sure it'll be a well attended event, though, just as the one on tax day was (April 15). Or maybe there are lots of other signs, but I just haven't driven on those particular roads and highways!!

Glorious!

When I returned home from a quick trip to California, this is the scene that greeted me in my back yard!





Each spring in this part of the garden, just outside the back door, first are the azaleas, then the amaryllis, and finally the agapanthus. I love this spot!!

Very pretty lizard

Austen took these pix yesterday through my kitchen window.

On the left side of the left branch of that crape myrtle tree, you can see a little bulge - that's my resident lizard (at least, the one I know about!). Click on the photo to "biggify"!


In this second photo, the little guy straightened up and you can see his nice, full, red throat ballooning! There must be a lady lizard out there he's trying to impress!

Enjoy!!

Springtime front yard!

Views of my front yard.




These two gardenia plants weren't doing well in Anne's yard, so we moved them last summer. They clearly like it in my front yard!

My back yard continues to explode in color; agapanthus is sending up its flower stalks and should bloom any ol' time!

Linehan yard photos!

Here are some photos of the springtime gorgeousness taking place in Anne's front yard right now.

Vitex tree close-up:

Vitex tree:

Across the front of her house, including the other vitex tree on the far end:

More and more!!

The amaryllis sent up a second stalk of flowers and they are in full bloom right now. Magnificent!

The agapanthus plants are right next to the amaryllis and will soon be sending up marvelous purple flowers. Right now, though, there's this very tiny (1" long), perfectly shaded, green frog that's apparently adopted the agapanthus leaves for his home. Amazingly perfect little creature. See it? (Click on the photo below to "biggify" it!)

I love this time of year in my back yard!

The lilies are all blooming, too, and will probably continue for quite a while, given the number of unopened buds on each plant.

In Anne's yard

Under the crape myrtle tree just outside Anne's kitchen window is where her amaryllis is planted -- and comes up and blooms beautifully every year. Just gorgeous!

More amaryllis!

Here are a couple of shots of the amaryllis blooms, taken this afternoon. One more bloom has opened; one more to go!

My annual awe!

Again, my yard is exploding in color. And again, I'm just amazed!!

The amaryllis that I forget about when it's not blooming! It's just beautiful.


The amaryllis is surrounded by azaleas.


One of the four butterfly iris plants in my yards.


My one, lone gerbera daisy!

High school concert

Last night was the high school bands' pre-UIL concert. There are three bands there, each with 50-65 members (or maybe more), and -- boy howdy! -- are they good. Again, the photos were taken without the flash, so they may be a bit fuzzy, but they're mostly to demonstrate the size of these bands.

This is the Concert Band:


This is the Symphonic Band:


And this is the Wind Ensemble, in which Austen is one of the clarinetists; they were playing Halvorsen's "Entry March of the Boyars":

Band concert

Last night, the three 7-8th grade bands at Parker's school participated in the pre-UIL concert performances at a nearby high school. These photos were taken without the flash so they're a little fuzzy, but I wanted them to show the SIZE of these middle school bands. No wonder the high school bands are so good!!

Here is Parker's band in the sight-reading part of the competition. Amazing!