Brenna's Very First Day of School

Brenna has embarked upon her journey of Education.  I can't believe that the time is already here.  She looked so grown-up with her back pack and lunch box marching through the hall to her classroom.

We Have a Pig Problem

When people ask me where I live, I usually say Houston.  More specifically, we live in suburban Houston.  In general, you wouldn't think that living in a large city like that would lend itself to much wildlife unless we went to the zoo!  But, we choose our neighborhood because of its natural setting; the wooded areas around it, the lakes, the creek that winds through the property.  Of course, this natural setting also comes along with nature's creatures.  We get regular visits from armadillos, raccoons, and snakes of all kinds.  My neighbor woke up one morning with a pot belly pig in his yard.  I've seen both deer and coyote by our house.  Once, I even watched a Texas Eagle snatch a squirrel from the tree I was standing under.

Recently though, they've cleared off the property beside us to start the next phase of our development.  This, coupled with the lack of rain and dry conditions, has sent all kinds of critters running around.  More specifically, its created a pig problem!

Over the last two weeks, our yard and our neighbors have been destroyed by feral hogs.  They roam through the neighborhood and on the creek trail reeking havoc.  We've been hit a least 4 times. Most of us will have to re-sod in the spring.   

Sausage Balls

My husband loves his mom's sausage balls.  I make them occasionally (meaning maybe once a year....), but their alot of work.  You have to blend the ground sausage into the bisquick, cheese, and seasoning.  I don't have a stand-up mixer, so I put my poor little hand held mixer through misery trying to pull through the pork.  It's wonder I haven't burned the motor out yet.  But, I'd much rather sacrifice a $30 mixer than exert the energy it took me to do it by hand the first time I made them years ago.  Then you have dozens of balls to roll out.  This just isn't my favorite dish by any means.

But, as a sentiment to Mississippi States first Game Day of the season, Brenna and I made Daddy sausage balls for his football snacking treat.  I have to admit, making sausage balls was alot more fun with Brenna, but she added at least another 45 minutes to the process because of all the cheese I had to clean-up from the kitchen floor. 

Brenna Applies Make-Up

All women know that the application of make-up is fine art.  Brenna's canvas was covered in art after her first attempt at putting on make-up by herself.  Of course of all the bright greens, blues, and purples that were in her case, she only wanted to apply pink in every shade.  She did at least hit the key areas of the eyes, cheeks, and lips!

Practice with John

A couple of weeks ago, Brenna and I got together with Shellie and John for a quick photo shoot / play date.  The kids love just walking down the creek trail collecting sticks and picking flowers.  I warned Shellie that I wanted to bring along my camera for some practice shots with John and she was nice enough to go along with it.  I like to practice with John because his light skin, blue eyes, and blond hair require a whole different skill to photograph and especially edit.  Needless to say, I get alot of practice on the other end of the spectrum.  Here's some of my favorite shots of John from the day.  He's such a cutie!

Just Another Walk in the Park

Splash Pad Fun

We got together with some friends for a church playdate at a local splash pad.  It was hot, but the water was cool and the kids were having a blast.  That is, until the sensor on the splash pad got over sensitized and shutdown all the water works after only about 30 minutes of play.  Great!  Now What!

We called out the repair guy and waited in the smoldering heat for the water to flow again.  In the meantime, our kids decided to entertain themselves by putting on a show.  They gathered up all the bowls and cups we had brought along as "water toys" and began beating and banging out a tune while they marched and sang "I Love the Lord"!

Mimi's Visit

Mimi came down to stay with us for a week.  Even though we really didn't get out-and-about much because of the overwhelming heat, Brenna kept Mimi on her toes.  One solid week of Mimi's undivided attention and Brenna was in heaven.

For her birthday, Brenna got a collection of Pinkalicious card games which have quickly become her new favorite thing.  By the end of Mimi's visit they both were so good at cards I was considering signing them up for a Texas Hold'em tournament to make a little cash on the side.

Everyone had a great visit.  Brenna enjoyed some fun with Mimi, and Jacob and I were able to get-away for dinner and a movie.  Thanks Mimi for all the help and the Charlotte Cake too!

Make Your Bed

Brenna likes to help with everything.  And in some things, she's a very big help.  Last week I was cleaning the house for Mimi's visit and Brenna was helping me strip the sheets from our bed.  She carried all the sheets to the washer for me and helped me put them in.  She asked "What else can I help with Mama?" so I said "Now you go make your bed" and I turned to go put some things away in the closet.  An indeterminate amount of time later I walked out of our room to discover this.

Me - "Brenna, what are you doing?"   Her - "I made me a bed!"

Naps are Better with Friends!

Hanging with Hammy

Lightwriters - Another Photography Class

Last week I had the pleasure of squeezing in another photography class.  This class was given by a Houston area photographer that was recently voted one of the top five photographers in Houston.  Allison Carlino did our family photos right after we moved to Houston and she's scheduled to update those for us again in October.  She's a fantastic photographer and I love to follow her work.  She offered a 3-day course that she calls Lightwriters where she covers all the basics, does photo critiques, and even brings in a model for shooting practice (with a camera, I mean).  I really enjoyed the class, got some great ideas, and learned some new techniques.  She was very complimentary of my photos and encouraged me to take the next class, which is sorta like a preparatory course for those going pro where she covers more advanced techniques and the in-and-outs of running a professional photography business.

I told Allison that I couldn't devote the time to another (and much longer) photography class right now, but that I wonder consider joining next summer when she taught it again.  She invited me to join her as an assistant photographer for a wedding shoot in the coming weeks.  WOW!  I would love that!  But, that prompted a conversation about getting into the photography business.  I must confess that the thought has crossed my mind on more than one occasion that this could be a possible opportunity for me when Brenna starts school (elementary, that is).  I'm constantly improving and I figured with continued education and practice by then I would be able to produce a product worthy of a price tag.

However, talking with Allison was very enlightening.  We discussed the initial investments required to kick-off a photography business, the financial payback, the time commitment involved, and the always important work/life balance thats required.  I won't go into all the details, and she was very encouraging about taking the plunge.  But, I just don't think the business end of things will fit into our family right now.  For now this will just be a hobby that's limited by how much my husband is willing to fund it each year.  I guess I'll just have to be satisfied with taking pictures of friends and family.  But that's ok, it just so happens that they're my favorite people!

Oh!  And here's some of my model shots.

Brenna's 4th Birthday

Oh my!  Where to begin?  Brenna turned 4!  I can't believe how quickly the years have gone by.  I still haven't come to grips with the fact that she'll be starting preschool next month.  There's so many things I love about this age.  She's beautiful, (she's always been beautiful, but now she's beautiful with more hair), smart, active, rambunctious, spunky, and lives in a pretend world for most of her day.  I love her imagination right now.  Throughout the day we solve mysteries, hunt dinosaurs, swing on vines through the jungle, and sail on a pirate ship.  She absorbs everything that she sees and hears and processes it in that brilliant little mind of hers.  She's our gift from God and a very special little girl.

Like every birthday party before this, the planning started months before with a simple question.  "What do you want your birthday party theme to be this year?"  and the answer, "Rainbows!"

Sounded simple enough.  You'd think with something as common as rainbows there would be rainbow party decorations everywhere.  Oh, was I wrong.  After hitting all the major chain party suppliers and coming up with naughta, I regrouped and started visiting the more boutique party shops.  After no luck, I finally asked one of the store owners why there weren't any rainbow party decorations!  Her response was surprising.  Apparently, shortly after the gay pride movement and the rainbow was selected as the official logo for that movement, the children's party supply manufactures began to back away from rainbows as a kids party theme.  So unless it had a unicorn, Rainbow Bright (remember her?), or a Care Bear on it, there were no rainbow party supplies to be found.

So, equipped with my Parents Magazine article on Do-it-Yourself Birthday Parties, I hit the Internet in search of homemade rainbow party decorations.  At this point I'd just like to say that if you may have that particular magazine, THROW IT AWAY!  If you've read the article, FORGET IT!  It's not worth it ladies!  You all know I'm the queen of bargain shopping and love to find a nice cheap alternative, but don't do it!  Not for this.  Spend your $35 at Party City with confidence knowing that its the most effective and sanity-saving way to spend your time.  I won't go into the details of the hours of printing, cutting, gluing, pasting, and taping it took to put together one simple party tablescape.  Just heed my warning and learn from my mistake.  It will save you a whole lot of headaches and numb fingers.

On a more positive note, I wouldn't have done this particular party any other way.  Brenna wanted Rainbows and this was the only way she was gonna get them.  Also, she had a great time "helping" make all the decorations with me, so it really led to her enthusiasm about the party.  This year we had it at an indoor playground.  Texas in July is no place for a backyard birthday (without water) and 12 kids and their energy level can no longer be contained in my very breakable house.  This worked out great.  The kids had a fantastic time and the adults got the sit back and chat without worrying about the kids bouncing off the padding floor and walls.

Here's some shots from the day.  Thanks so much to everyone for a wonderful birthday!

Houston Space Center

My parents came down for Brenna's birthday party, and after 10 years of living in Texas, we finally went to the Houston Space Center.  I knew going into it that this little excursion would be more for the "Big Kids" than for Brenna, but I knew there would be some fun stuff for her too.  Anytime Mawmaw and Pawpaw are around its a party for Brenna no matter where we are.  The Space Center takes a long time to cover everything.  We left after 6 hours and I still didn't get to see or do everything that I wanted.  I think the return trip will have to be when Brenna is alittle older and can get more out of it.

We more-or-less stuck with the educational side and toured the grounds, astronaut training facilities, Mission Control, and the museums.  It amazing to try and wrap your mind around what humans are capable of creating.  The idea that a group of people would have enough faith in the brain power of a handful of engineers and rocket scientists to strap themselves onto a piece of metal that contains thousands of gallons of rocket fuel that will propel them into the unknown at 125,000 mph is just crazy.  They do have a beautiful memorial on site to the astronauts that have given their lives in the pursuit of space travel.  I'll never forget watching the news coverage of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.  One other thing I noted was that there was no mention of the recent funding cuts effected by our current President or that because of those cuts the next trip an American will make into space will be on the high ticket price of independent business or by hitching a ride with Russians.

Texas Children's Hospital and the S.P.C.A

This weekend Brenna got a lesson in giving.  Our neighborhood just opened a new section that included several beautiful new model homes.  So, there was a Grand Opening and they invited everyone to come out for free cupcakes, pocket pies, balloons, face-painting, ice cream and pink lemonade.  They were also taking book donations for the Texas Children's Hospital.

So, I sat Brenna down and tried the explain the importance of giving and what a donation was.  We talked about how a hospital was kinda like the doctors office except sometimes you have to spend the night.  I explained that there was a special hospital just for kids and sometimes those kids have to stay a long time.  When I suggested that we give-away some of our books to the children at the hospital, she was completely on board by saying "Not the red books, because I really like those, but they could have the blue ones because we don't read those anymore."  And so the negotiations began!  In the end, while we did leave behind a few books that I thought should have gone (Brenna insisted the they were must-haves) she parted with about 20 books.  She received some very nice compliments as she dropped her books in the donation buckets at each of the new homes that we visited.

But, our lesson wasn't over.  Later that afternoon, Brenna joined some of her friends for a volunteer fundraiser!  Our friend Anna recruited her brothers, cousin, and Brenna to run a lemonade stand and all the profits went to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  Thanks to the humor and generosity of our neighbors the kids raised $22.25 for the S.P.C.A.!