Colorado Dreamin'

Better late than never - here are some pics from our recent trip to Breck. We had a lot of fun - flyfishing, hiking, drinking beer on the deck, and enjoying the cooler weather!!!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

I ran across this today while looking for something to make for Bible Study. This is our most favorite Pumpkin Bread recipe ever. It goes with the season.....or what Fall is everywhere but Texas :) I thought I'd share it - it is one of the few recipes I actually have written down!!!

Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs

3 cups sugar

1 can cooked pumpkin

1 cup oil

3 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2/3 cup water

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Beat together eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin and oil. Sift dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture. Alternate with water. Beat well. Fold in pecans. Bake at 350 for about an hour in greased loaf pans. Makes 2 large or 3 smaller loaves.

First Day of School Pics

I hate the first day of school. Especially the first day of middle school :)! The kids are all SO big and it makes me sad that another year is going by. It goes by way too fast. They were all happy, excited, and ready to go though. I guess that is a good thing!!!

Overwhelmed

My days of DENIAL are over. I took Emma and her friend Courtney to orientation at Goodson Middle School today. We got their class schedules, PE Uniforms, LOCKERS!!!!, and books. I can't imagine how they feel if I feel this overwhelmed! Actually, Emma seems very excited, and very READY. Who knew?

Overwhelmingly, I just feel old. How did I get old enough to have a middle schooler?????

Weekend Randomness

Some random things about our weekend:

• Marcelo and I caught up on Entourage. This is one of my favorite shows....why is it only a half hour and why do they wait SO long in between seasons???
• We decided to cut down the jungle in our back yard - it was extremely overgrown due to a lot of neglect during this hideously hot summer we are having. It took all weekend! Then, for some strange reason Marcelo decided to trim our huge oak trees out front. Aren't we supposed to do this in November?
• Emma had her 2nd official babysitting job. It brings tears to my eyes - she is growing up TOO fast. It is nice for her to make her own money. She is starting slow - their parents have been around both times but needed someone to watch the kids. That gives me some comfort. However, she is more responsible than me, I think, so I shouldn't ever have a worry!
• I am missing Breckenridge so much. I hate that I let the kids pick an alternate vacation this summer. Although we had a blast, I haven't had my fill of the awesome Colorado summer. I think I like it even more there in the summer than the winter. I haven't hiked anything in a year - except the escalator in the mall - does that count?
• School starts in a week. We are not ready around here. No one is a morning person to begin with, but Emma has to get up even earlier for middle school. And I am stressed over the school bus. Since we walk to elementary, this will be a new experience for me, oh yeah - and for Emma. I am going to miss the kids. Summer just flies by. I hate that. So do the years. When did they all get so big?
• My dog Oliver, the St. Bernard, is getting skinny. He loses weight in the summer. Why doesn't that happen to me? I sit still, just like he does, and I only get fatter.
• I don't think I can take the Houston heat much longer. It is like a pressure cooker. I am totally miserable and wondering why the climate here sucks so badly. Maybe if I didn't spend all weekend working in the sun I wouldn't be so miserable - but then again, maybe I would!
  

It's a Mom Thing

Ok....I have to brag a little.....it's a Mom thing. Emma let me know today that she was 1 of only 2 girls from her ballet class were invited to join the Houston Repertoire Ballet. There were about 16 girls in her class last year. We are so proud of her, and it is awesome to see how far she has come in this last year with the proper training. It is also incredible to see her talents recognized. She is an amazing ballerina now - it is past the cute stage. I cannot wait to see what she will do as a part of the ballet company!!!

A Few Vacation Pics