You Say Tomato...

I say this is the lovely plant that was sent to me by my new employer, Nature Sweet Tomatoes. I'll be doing social media marketing and blogging mostly from home. I'm really excited about the blogging part - writing about recipes, and health benefits and competitive advantages and tomato trivia and much, much more! Their new website will launch this week so I'll save the link until it does...


The plant came on Friday. I moved it to a side table below this window on Saturday. Jacob and Sarah woke me up at the crack of dawn on Sunday to tell me there was a huge frog on the window! ON THE INSIDE! He was positioned right above the tank with the three remaining tadpoles in it...but certainly, he couldn't be the tadpole who went missing at the beginning of the summer? Where would he have been all this time? Eating what? So the other theory is that he hitched a ride into the house on the gift plant! Tonya said it was my signing bonus.


He was cute and the kids wanted to keep him but we let him go in the backyard.

It's True.

Say It Ain't So...

I met a girl in San Antonio a few years ago who grew up in Madison, WI, and had been through Rochelle many times and dined at the Beacon. We fondly reminisced about Grasshoppers and the carrots, olives and crackers served with the scoop of cheese in silver dishes. Unfortunately, I just read this:

Rochelle lighthouse no longer a Beacon
By BrianButko
Friend Road Dog just wrote about his recent trip from Dixon to DeKalb, Illinois. Sorry to say he reports that the The Beacon Inn restaurant in Rochelle is now a Chinese buffet and that the lighthouse was removed from its sign. Here’s a view in 2005, after it had been remodeled from the original.


Bummer.

I'm Not Tired

Still not tired...




Ethan is not tired either...


We had to ask him about this when he woke up. He said it just looked fun to get in there. I don't think he intended to fall asleep!

Birthday Buddies!

Ethan's friend Matthew has a birthday nine days before Ethan's. They had joint parties for three years before Matthew moved away last year. He came back for a short visit in August. We met them at the pool for a little fun in the sun with lots of their other friends.



Richard, Rylee, Ethan, Matthew, Zenin, Aidan, Wrigley.

Brothers

We still get asked if Ethan and Lucas are twins, even though they are more than two years apart. But with their matching buzz cuts and penchant for bare feet, I guess I can see how people think that.

Flatting Stuff

Lucas enjoys a little cooking from time to time. He especially enjoys "flatting stuff."

Ava's Birthday

Lucas' friend, Ava, turned five already and had her birthday party at Build-A-Bear. Here are the kids playing hot potato while waiting for their turn to stuff their animal.


Lucas giving the "stuffer" some gas.


Garrath's koala is decked out in jeans, a tee shirt, flip flops, hat and shades! Lucas got a dog that was shaped more like a dog and less like a person, so a lot of outfits and accessories didn't seem to fit it properly. Then we saw the little baby version of his dog and once we learned that the mama had a magnet in her mouth that connected to one in the baby's neckerchief...we were sold!


Duck, duck, GOOSE! Or is it grey duck?!?


Great party...now we're off to the food court for pizza and cookie cake!

Best Gift Ever!

A friend of mine was purging her daughter's toys and was trying to get rid of these American Girl Bitty Baby twins and their double stroller. Luckily, I got to her first and was able to buy all this for $50! I think it would be close to $200 new. And they still look like new! Sarah thinks I got it in Dallas on one of my jewelry trips. Little does she know I bought it about four months ago right here in San Antonio!



She has hugged me so many times in thanks, it's hilarious. She's so terribly excited and thrilled and I love that we were able to find the best gift ever (for this year, of course. This probably wouldn't fly at age 16).

She's named them Sophie and Blake.

Sarah's 8th Birthday Party

Sarah's party was held at Chuck E Cheese much to the chagrin of all the parents. It's the place we love to hate...hand sanitizer anyone? But the kids absolutely loved it and that was really the point. Sarah wanted a Littlest Pet Shop theme so I stuck one on the top of her paw print cake.


Receiving her crown and birthday medallion from Chuck E.


Sarah and Jenna


Catherine and Sarah


Sarah and Bella in the Ticket Blaster! The ticket machine swirled tickets around like crazy and the girls shoved them in their shirts and even caught them with Sarah's crown and Bella's hair bow!


One last pic before we go...Kaelie, Camryn, Lexie, Sarah, Bella, Jacob and Ethan.

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Sarah turned eight today! Hard to believe...my kids are growing up so fast!


One of her classmates had a birthday on the same day and brought in doughnuts in the morning. We brought in cupcakes at the end of the day. Since they sang "Happy Birthday" regularly to the first birthday girl, when it was Sarah's turn, they sang a Rock 'N' Roll version complete with air-guitar solos! It was hilarious!


Enjoying PiZookies at BJs for a birthday treat!

It's Getting Hot In Here...

While many of our friends and family are cooling off in MN or drying out in NJ after Irene, San Antonio and all of Texas is still suffering through a major drought. Today, it hit a little too close to home!

Around 2:30 pm today, a brush fire broke out in Stone Oak, the community where we live. The blaze was contained to a 200-acre area about three miles from our house. Our entire ZIP code received a reverse 911 call to evacuate but most of us did not. If it crossed a particular nearby road though, you can bet all of us would be outta here! The photos and important papers are still packed by the door just in case.

Mark took this picture from the temple hill about a mile from the fire.



Ironically, it is now known that the fire was sparked by a San Antonio Water System truck in the area that didn't have enough water on board to douse the fire it started!

JMD Trunk Show!

I did a little trunk show for Jennifer Massey Designs Saturday at Bless Your Heart Giftique, a cute little store with two locations - one in Bracken Village and one in Alamo Heights. I was at the new Alamo Heights location, helping them celebrate their 11th birthday. The store is adorable...you should check it out!



Meanwhile, Mark was on a mission to find the only Dunkin Donuts in San Antonio because now they sell K-cups for the Keurig coffee maker! Looks like someone was happy to tag along...