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!