Boo!

Our first Halloween in Texas was sunny and in the 80's all day. Because we live in a subdivision we thought we would get a lot of kids but I think the total was below 75. There isn't a time frame here - it's basically a free for all. At the first sound of kids outside Brad, Dakota and I went and excitedly set up in the driveway. Which may have been creepy...

Except Dakota looked like this

Seth had already left to meet friends and scare small children

Sam left for Austin early yesterday morning with the drum line to attend/compete in PASIC. He took with him every last cent he had because there is a crazy amount of vendors ("It's like the AutoShow for percussion, Mom" ). Cheryl and Alan arrived last Saturday but also headed to Austin yesterday to see the competition, have dinner with some family down there and visit the area they lived for a short time when Alan was in the Army. Hopefully the drum line does well. We previewed their show on Tuesday night and I have to say it's AWESOME. I'm sure there will be a youtube video soon, which I will definitely share. 

Because Dakota works at PetSmart we also had some super heros in the house

As soon as the festivities were over, Oliver threw up and promptly went to bed.  Our bed. Brad found other sleeping arrangements because Oliver is his baby and he didn't want to disturb him. I pushed Oliver onto Brad's side and slept like I owned the bed. Which technically I do. This morning when Brad came in to the bedroom he said "I see you've found another man" to which I replied "well, he is Spiderman". 

Oliver is back to normal today. He did not get any candy last night so we think maybe it was just from the excitement. Or he snuck out the back and saved some damsels in distress who maybe had strong perfume that made him sick. Definitely one of those two things. 

This weekend we have a football game friday night and on Saturday we are taking Alan and Cheryl to the stockyards in Fort Worth. I'm sure we will cram more into the weekend but more importantly it's just nice spending time together :)

You may have noticed in the pictures above that our landscaping is a little "unattended". That's because I'm sure there are snakes everywhere. I haven't touched a thing since we moved in. We had a landscape lady come out a couple weeks ago to identify our plants and we've come up with a plan (that includes plenty of "non-maintenance" because again, snakes).

Today it starts

Big Tex

I know, I know.... Homecoming pics! 

We'll get there my friends!

But first! Big Tex! We went to the state fair a couple weeks ago. It was big and awesome. The food, excellent. Brad and I gave the kids $20 

to share and then we headed for the first fried food stand we could find. Yum. 

It was the first time we saw Big Tex

and also the last time. This happened on Friday

The news reports said only his clothes burned.

So Big Tex was naked? As if the fire wasn't enough trauma!

I've done a few projects. I mean, Brad was in Michigan for

TWO WEEKS. So we all know what that means!

PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT

I chose to paint my ugly orange kitchen.  That's the actual

name of the paint color - I checked the can (and translated

from Spanish because the previous owners are Mexican).

What I neglected to plan was how tall the ceilings are and 

how I would actually paint the top

Let's just say there were several ladders and plenty of ibuprofin

involved. I'm so thrilled with the new look (Benjamin Moore

Creamy White with trim in Cromwell Gray). 

I did some tricks with

fabric for the curtains and now we just have to paint the 

cabinets and ceiling and a few other little details.

I though Junie was going to help me

but I was wrong

Oliver wasn't much help either

but at least he stayed away from skunks

He gets groomed this week because guess

who got a fancy new job?

Dakota loves her job! She works in the animal

area and gets to feed snakes and play with lizards 

all day. Plus she gets a discount on everything, 

including grooming and vet visits. Win! Win!

And now - Homecoming!

I have to say I miss the fancy clothes, corsages and 

funny "dance" stories from Michigan. Homecoming

here is different because there isn't a dance and the

students exchange mums/garters. Turns out the mums the boys

 made were less than the normal mums. I guess

I didn't realize how much stuff should be on them. Both

young ladies were very kind about the whole thing and 

assured us that they loved their mums but I know the

garters for guys are not supposed to be bigger than the girls

mums. But we are moving on....

Thursday night there is a parade that leads to a community

pep rally at the stadium. The pep rally ends with fireworks. Friday there 

is another pep rally at school and the students exchange

mums/garters and wear them all day. 

On Fridays we don't see Sam until around midnight

(except for at the game) because he stays after school, they have

dinner delivered, load up the semi and head to the game. The

games are played at Mustang Panther Stadium, which is shared

between the two high schools in our district. After the game the band

students are bussed back to school, unload the semi, turn in their

uniforms (they never come home), have a meeting and then are 

dismissed. It's a long day for Sam and is usually followed by a

competition on Saturday. Luckily Sam LOVES the band program, and

especially the drumline. And he really likes the other students, including Katie

Seth has a great group of friends and has a lot more free time to go to

movies and out to dinner. Usually he's with Chianna

Both guys have found their place in this 

huge school but they are still besties

AND the football team won.

It was a great night :)

So we live in Texas...

That was a crazy summer, eh?

Here's what we did starting from the spring:

• Alex finished his year at Marion Military in Alabma
• Dakota finished her year at SVSU
• Seth and Sam finished 8th grade at Zemmer
• Alex left for West Point July 1st
• We all cried
• Brad picked out our house in Texas (I first saw it the day of closing)
• The movers came June 20thish
• We all cried
• We hit the road, spent some time with my brother Steve and his family in MO
• Arrived in Texas
• Bought a house
• Drove to West Point to see Alex
• Drove home
• Dakota started college at the University of Texas Arlington
• Seth and Sam started 9th grade at Colleyville Heritage High School
• Dakota turned 19 and got a kitten, named hellcat Junie

• Oh and Brad is building a new GM Stamping plant
• i love bullets

Everyone is happy, healthy and settling in great. Because I am basically writing this for my Mom I will now post boring pictures of what I've been up to at home :)

Craig's List! I'm addicted! 

I bought fabric and I need to recover this $10 ottoman

Sectional and chairs are also Craig's List

In fact, everything I've bought is Craig's List or eBay

I got four of these chairs

These two I painted an avocado green and recovered 

in a western print for the family room

The other two chairs I recovered in a moroccan print and 

painted them black. They are in the living room/Brad's 

wine room. I cleaned up and stained the end 

table but still need to do the coffee table. I didn't realize it was

brown metal trim so I'll paint that black

The wine is not the first thing you see when you walk in the house, 

but it's there! The living room/dining room are open and painted

burgundy with curtains left by the previous owner. Brad loves the

colors and I have bigger fish to fry so for now it stays

I think the wing back chair is my first purchase (maybe? It's all a blur)

It had a small stain on it which I got out and it's a great chair. I

recovered our headboard and really just need some details here...

Like maybe hanging something on the walls

I did hang this on the wall in the entryway.

I'm sure it's Brad's relative although the 

hairstyle looks familiar.

We miss our friends and family so much! 

It's weird because sometimes I'll think I see someone I

know and then I remember I don't know anyone. 

Which means I can act crazy and it won't show up in sound off. 

There's always a positive!

One Year Strong

A year ago today - Seth had an appointment

A year ago today Seth was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

The year has gone by in a haze of learning and living and yet...

I still remember sitting across from Janelle as she looked at the glucometer.

I still remember hearing the beep and Janelle saying "we have a problem".

I still remember staring at her and willing her to say it wasn't true.

I still remember kneeling in front of Seth and saying "We've got this"

And I still remember Seth's first question "Can I still go to the Air Force Academy?"

Knowing the answer to that and telling him broke my heart the most.

There have been so many highs and lows this year - literally (haha! T1 humor). There are things about this disease that consume my days and haunt my nights. My heart aches with the thoughts that my mind has to process. 

Today I choose to celebrate the strengths of Alex, Dakota, Seth & Sam. 

On his application to be a JDRF Ambassador Seth was asked who his hero is. Seth's answer was "My older brother and role model, Alex, because he gives me confidence that keeps me pushing through the day".  Thank you, Alex, for being such a strong role model and BIG BROTHER:

No one in our family has done more research on Type 1 Diabetes than Dakota. She is always sending me links to stories of research and new developments. While going into research isn't her major in college she still finds a way to incorporate it into her classes. Dakota has given presentations on the subject several times, from genetics, to research and how it affects our family. Thank you, Dakota, for using your KNOWLEDGE as power:

There are many amazing things about Sam. He is such a talented, humorous, intelligent young man that we are so proud of but the thing that gets me more than all of that is Sam's compassion. He is an example to me every single day of how to  be a caring, thoughtful human being. Sam will truly put others before himself. Sam once told me that Type 1 Diabetes has made Seth stronger than him but I know that Seth also gets his strength from the love and support that Sam gives him. In a cool, thirteen year old way : ) Thank you, Sam, for having a HEART OF GOLD:

Type 1 Diabetes is a lot to handle. Like anything that is thrown at you in life you can handle it many different ways. Seth immediately took action. Within nine months of his diagnosis Seth became an Ambassador for JDRF, raised over $1,000, organized a team and participated in a Walk for a Cure, went on an insulin pump, and began using a continuous glucose monitor. Instead of feeling sorry for himself and his new lifestyle Seth has taken an active role in determining his destiny. Thank you, Seth, for having HOPE:

Until there is a cure, Seth will not be able to serve in the armed forces but I know that there is a plan for him. And It will be AWESOME.