life

learning to fly

2011-07-28T18:27:00.002-05:00

avery has been spending his days in flight school...yep...sky high.

it's been HOT...and these Warrior IIs ain't got air on the inside!

summer lovin'

2011-06-25T14:24:00.002-05:00

i love summer. i love summer. i love summer. did i mention, i love summer.

this summer has been wonderful. we started it off with a romp in the woods and then ave and i headed north to do some visitin'.

my silly, funny, ornery, beautiful niece, ellie rose

my sweet, sweet, hilarious, adorable nephew, dale jr.

these kids make me squeal with love!

our getaway

2011-06-17T18:32:00.002-05:00

we spent a week in the lovely Sangre de Cristo mountains recently and enjoyed every minute (except the minutes between midnight and 5am one morning when we were visited by a bear). all four of us soaked up mother nature and each other. it was truly wonderful. we hiked and hiked and hiked (more pictures to come).

it was ripley's first time to camp and he is very much a happy camper. he never left our camp and was super excited about the hiking.

after 4 days in the mountains and we were all in need of showers, we headed into Santa Fe and stayed at our favorite b&b which is just a couple of "Santa Fe blocks" from the plaza. ripley was quite a hit on the streets. lots and lots of photos were taken of him and with him. he was also welcomed onto many restaurant patios, as are all well-behaved and friendly dogs. the wait staff brought him out water and enjoyed petting him and talking to him. it was very civilized!

we have been to this part of New Mexico 8 times and avery enjoyed checking out some of his favorite places. he was also our dog sitter during tobin and i's evening out to celebrate our 15th anniversary. we had so much fun and all came home renewed!

ripley on the patio of the shed...a neat spot in the city different.

bike month

2011-05-20T15:33:00.002-05:00

it's bike month! although it is bike month every month in my life. bikes put food on my table and pay my bills. bikes take me to work and home from work. bikes keep me healthy and happy. go on...go hug a bike :)

Self-service

2011-04-14T17:54:00.001-05:00

ripley loves to pull discarded water cups our customers toss out of the trash. he loves to tear them up into little tiny pieces. tobin does not love ripley to do this.
one day, rip kept coming up with cups, even after tobin (or one of the shop guys) took the trash out. finally, tobin decided to spy on him to see what the deal was. mystery solved....

these two

2011-04-13T20:51:00.005-05:00

celebrated another wonderful year of life. they soaked up the birthday love!

little mysteries

2011-04-08T16:32:00.007-05:00

artemis can be such a wild cat. a very wild cat. and then, she pulls this number...
she adores avery.

i miss you

2011-03-29T18:05:00.002-05:00

where o where has spring gone? i want it back. it has been DREARY here since the end of last week.
i need that warm sun to shine on my face. i need to wake up and not have to put layers on just to have breakfast. i need to want to go outside and run with my dog in the early hours of the morning after i see my kiddo off to school. i need that warm sun to shine on my face (wait, i already said that, but...).
as i am typing this i can see the north wind blowing my azaleas...threatening to wither their blooms before they are fully able to show the world all their beauty.
this grayness is drab and i am over drab!
spring...come back, i miss you terribly.

love this time of year :)

2011-03-16T18:54:00.002-05:00

it's that time of year again...the time of year that finds us more outside than inside. we have all been super enjoying all the beauty of the early bloomers and the glory of the late sunlight. we have been walking, skating, biking, running, and playing out in nature so much and i have found little time to sit down to my at-home mac and blog. but here i am, and i am glad to be back.

avery is celebrating spring break this week. and when i say "celebrating" i mean it. he has been, well, being. being=whatever strikes his fancy. this may sound boring to some...but to a boy who is normally scheduled with (wonderful) outside activities EVERY day after school, being IS NOT boring.

he has been all over campus (it is quiet with all the students away) with the dog, has been swimming with friends (indoor), watching movies (whenever!), reading reading reading, working for me (chores, YAY!) to make some cash, and much, much more.

we had thought of doing something in the way of a vacation, but chose to staycate instead. we are saving up for a big'un (hello...NYC?) and thought it best to enjoy a little down time here.

so....on our staycate list for the weekend (although ave may groan)...prepping our garden for the upcoming growing season....YAY! and (this makes him smile) his grandparents will visit with their lovely pooch, jake (rip will be in heaven), this weekend.

here's to springbreak 2011!

play ball!

2011-03-04T16:32:00.002-06:00

ripley found this ball at the bike shop. it looks like he is loving it and playing with it, but actually he is a bit unsure of it. tobin said he heard him barking and barking and barking and when he went outside to see what the fuss was all about he found him with his doggie-panties in a wad over this football. he would touch it (just barely) with his paw and you know how footballs wobble and roll in ways you don't expect.

i'm going to miss this puppy stage (well, some of it) he seems to be dragging out. he still gets all worked up when he sees something for the first time. it is quite funny and very charming.

noticing the turning of the Earth's axis...

2011-03-01T18:19:00.002-06:00

this "in-between seasons" time of year can be a little confusing with what to wear. i wake up and it is COLD. i put layers on for the morning exercise, but find i have over done it. i leave for work and step out on the front porch and feel like i need to add a thin scarf to my ensemble. then on the walk into the building, i find i need to take my scarf off ASAP or i might catch fire.

this scenario goes on all day...sweater on/sweater off, scarf with tshirt/tshirt without scarf, but i always end up chilly/hot and seem to be in constant motion with the on/off bit.

whew!

...but then, i look up at the incredibly new, blue sky and i am at peace and so looking forward to spring, no matter my clothing/comfort situation.

2011-02-25T17:01:00.002-06:00

ave's new desk and chair in our living room...waiting on a vacated spot to open up in his room.02.20.2011.

avery has been using a desk that was my mother's, then mine for most of his childhood. it is a very small, very simple wooden desk. it's been a perfect desk for a child. but wait...avery is moving out of "child" and into (very) "young adult." he has been complaining about the size of it for about a year. our friends have recently remodeled their home and with that has come a surplus of odds and ends that are so cool, old, and/or antique. i was over at their house the other day and he asked me if i needed a desk and i asked to see said desk. turned out the desk is perfect for my young adult child (he will always be my child). there happened to be an old chair needing a new home, as well. i said, "we'll take 'em!" and now my boy has a big boy desk and chair. we installed them last weekend and he has been so smitten by the addition.

thanks rich and cathy!!

a portmanteau in need of some R&R

2011-02-24T17:50:00.001-06:00

even bionicles need to cop a squat...

aretmis...our lioness

2011-02-22T18:51:00.003-06:00

artemis. 02.16.2011.

A cat is a lion in a jungle of small bushes. - Indian proverb

serious snow to serious sun

2011-02-17T19:49:00.002-06:00

02.09.2011.

i think we broke a record today in the fahrenheit area. it was SO warm...mid 80's is what i think we topped out at. in fact, my windows are open RIGHT NOW. this is very exciting. we have had a lot of outside time the past couple of days and i have been loving it.

i meant to post more snow pics, but didn't get around to it. not a very appropriate warm day blog pic, but whatever!!

valentine's day...give a snuggle!

2011-02-14T18:58:00.002-06:00

t and rip. 02.13.2011.

happy valentine's day everyone! celebrate the love in your life.

st. valentine, you have been haunting us for a LONG time

2011-02-12T08:49:00.002-06:00

valentine's day is coming up. i do not LOVE the holiday, but i do not entirely dislike it either. like most, i feel it is incredibly commercialized...but i do love love.

we have never super celebrated the day. a card, small gift, nice dinner...that works for us.

i do know many, many people that SUPER celebrate the holiday with expectations of flowers, dinner reservations at a fancy place, and the presentation of jewels.

i do know many, many people who HATE the holiday and hiss and boo at its very existence. i get it...all the different ways people feel about it.

so, while looking at on line valentine's, i came across this, which is for all of you that feel a bit mediocre about the whole sha-bang...

it is hilarious! i giggle every time i look at it.

mmmcrafts.blogspot.com

snow buddies

2011-02-09T12:19:00.004-06:00

diana and charles. 02.05.2011.

by the end of last week the snow was perfect for snow building. the sun came out and melted the fluffy white stuff just enough to make it moldable. i was so warm in the sun that i was in jeans and a t-shirt...that felt really good.

another winter storm hit us over night. it is lovely and school/university is cancelled today. i have been baking, cooking, and cleaning all morning. i DO NOT want cabin fever to set in. while i am enjoying my time to do these homey things, my fingers are crossed that it will be business as usual tomorrow.

a boy and his dog

2011-02-04T15:07:00.002-06:00

avery digging into a drift, ripley guarding. 02.02.2011.

there are towels all over the floor of my house, poised and at the ready for a sweep across the floor where water droplets have fallen off of someone or something.

this snow is so beautiful! and messy

snowklahoma

2011-02-03T13:04:00.003-06:00

we have been covered in snow. it started on monday evening as a thunderstorm! that's right...thunder, lightning, and icey-rain. it quickly turned to dip n dots (that's what we call it) and then, once we woke up, it turned into a blizzard. giant, fast flakes and big, gusty wind.

all of this resulted in many inches of snow and amazing snow drifts.

because snow is unusual for us, the state kinda shuts down. EVERYTHING shuts down. school cancelled, the university cancelled (my employer), many restaurants, stores, activities of all kinds, cancelled.

we have been having a blast with the time off. we were sure to go to the grocery well before the storm hit and stocked up on food stuff and fun stuff.

luckily, we scored a sled last winter at my parents' local hardware store. tobin, avery, and ripley headed out on tuesday to scope out a good sledding hill. one was found at the duck pond on campus. lots of sledding and playing.

unfortunately it is SO cold, so outside time is brief.

it is thursday and i am still okay with the white stuff, we'll see how i feel if the cancellations continue on into tomorrow....

stove in waiting

2011-02-01T10:19:00.003-06:00

fortunately our gas stove finally arrived at the end of last week. unfortunately they sent the wrong pipe and no remote. it is in its place, but not hooked up yet and this was going to be a big joke if we lost power during the ice storm last night. the thing just sitting there, mocking us.

we didn't lose power, though, thank goodness.

it is going to be so lovely when it is all hooked up and toasting our home.

mr2

2011-01-25T17:05:00.002-06:00

ready-to-eat meal. property of the u.s. government. 01.01.2011.

just a few days before i took this pic, i was telling avery about these ready-to-eat packs of food my dad would take "to the field" while in the army. sometimes, if he had any leftover, he would bring them home to us. we thought they were so amazing! i don't remember thinking they tasted amazing (if i even tasted them), but just think...you're hungry for, in this case, a vegetarian meal, but you are miles from a restaurant, kitchen, or heck, an ice chest...no problem. just open up they ecru colored pouch labeled, "vegetarian" and there you have it.

i felt like an astronaut when he would hand these beauts over to us.

while perusing the local flea market recently i happened upon quite a selection of these and right after telling avery about them, to boot! i sure didn't want to purchase one (they rightly belong to the feds!) and no way would i eat one, but i was so excited to see them.

putting this one behind me

2011-01-24T12:44:00.002-06:00

our friend, billy jackson, on the largest chopper ever, somewhere along i-40. 01.23.2011.

what a weekend...

tobin left on thursday for an annual mountain bike trip to arkansas to ride "the womble." he and a bunch of bike buddies rent cabins and ride and ride and ride. i've never ridden it, but i hear wonderful things about this 37 mile long trail...t, a, and i are heading that way this spring.

avery, very suddenly, became ill on thursday night. he was up all night, miserable...me too.

he stayed home from school on friday, after much encouragement on my part...the kid is a do-er! i shuttled back and forth between work and home, feeding him and checking in. his fever kept climbing and climbing and his mood kept dropping and dropping. i made chicken noodle soup for dinner and then, finally, to bed for both of us.

then, at 3am-ish, i am awoken by the police, a phone call and a house call...talk about FREAKING me out.

somebody had thrown something through a window at the bike shop. for those of you who haven't visited the shop, it is located on campus corner, right across from the university, amongst a lot of hot drinking spots for college kids. this is not the first incident we've dealt with through the years.

once i got into the shop i discovered the thrown object was a bottle of beer...the bottle did not break, but the 1/2 inch glass did...go figure.

grrr....

so, a couple of hours later, i was able to get a bit more sleep and then up to nurse the sick boy.

tobin, being totally out of phone service, had no idea any of this was going down.

he arrived home last night, YAY! and was filled in by both of us.

avery is feeling a bit better today...no fever! and tobin is off dealing with the window.

what a weekend!

the piedmont triad treat

2011-01-21T20:30:00.003-06:00

ruthie. she seems to be saying, "jiji" :) 09.06.2008.

still in a throw back mood....look how little she is!

ms. ruth estelle is one silly, sweet, spirited, sneaky, sensitive, smart, talkative (reminds me of myself (and whew...i really got stuck in the s's)), beautiful inside and out little person.

and she's the best big sister i've ever met, loving her binie from the get go.

and she loves to cook.

and she adores her mommy.

and says the best stuff. our family quotes her regularly.

and i love that she's all-about-the-outfit...love it!

ruby, i miss you....and tell that mom of yours to gimme a call!

feel better

2011-01-19T18:33:00.003-06:00

tiny mia, tiny avery. 04.05.2000. (look how much taller she is!)

it's throw back time! and i love it.

these guys...born 12 days apart, spent nearly every day after that together until the ripe old age of 4ish and still can muster up that old friendship every time they get together the few times of the year they do.

their relationship is pretty special, but their parents' rocks even more.

friends before thoughts of marriage or of baby in a baby carriage. friends all these years later, with many miles between. today, more than other days, i feel so very thankful for our connection. thankful that we have had good times and made it through bad times. thankful for that voice at the other end of the line...especially as we traverse through the teen years. thankful that i can actually feel my friends' vibes when i need them and them ours.

i feel so lucky to have these peeps in my life!

welcome

2011-01-12T20:19:00.002-06:00

my friend's front door. 01.08.2011.

for last year's words belong to last year's language

and next year's words await another voice.

and to make an end is to make a beginning.

-t.s. eliot

Random

2011-01-06T07:57:00.002-06:00

strange item for sale at local, strange flea market. 01.01.2011.

tobin and i headed to our local flea market on new years day just for the heck of it. avery was still sleeping (he stayed up until 3am thanks to the flaming lips!)

tobin pretty much had to drag me, but i am happy i went. not only did we find the perfect piece of furniture for our room, a sit down vanity, but we enjoyed the crazy, random stuff we found at some of the booths. many of the booths are set up well, but many ARE NOT! the pic above was from one of the creepy, crazy booths. i swear i even saw a chunk of cow poop. really.

RIP cynthia summers

2011-01-02T12:48:00.002-06:00

our very sweet and awesome guinea pig, cynthia summers, died this morning in my arms. our hearts are very heavy. she was a huge presence in our lives and will be missed so much. she loved to hang out with us...she watched movies, helped us work on the computer, liked our other pets, and jingled her bell when she needed veggies, hay, or just a tender pet or nuzzle from us. of all of our guinea pigs, she was the coolest. we don't know what happened. she seemed fine yesterday. avery fed her some lettuce this morning and i noticed she had not come out of her hut to eat it a bit later...very unusual. i moved her hut and she kind of staggered around. i grabbed her up and she was very bloated and totally not like herself. i sat down with her, totally confused and scared. as we sat there she nuzzled into the crook of my arm and very calmly took her final breaths. i can't tell you how thankful i am that i just happened to check on her and was able to pet and love on her in her final moments. we all loved her so much and are in shock. tobin prepared her final resting spot in the garden under my goddess statue. death is so hard.

cynthia and i enjoying photo booth.

cynthia, asia, and nova. nova LOVED cynthia, the "skinny" pig.

ave and cynthia working on the mac.

cynthia says hi.

pretty pig...i am going to miss you too much.

FREAK OUT!!

2010-12-30T17:25:00.002-06:00

we were getting ready for this show last year.

it was so much fun. avery loved every minute and has requested a repeat. we'll see what we can make happen!

kansas christmas

2010-12-27T12:33:00.002-06:00

ellie rose. christmas eve 2010.

dale, jr. christmas eve 2010.

avery. christmas eve 2010.

christmas was wonderful! we had a great time in kansas with lots of family. christmas eve was spent in strong city with my sister and her kids and husband, my parents, tobin, and avery. it was really fun to play with the kids and the play hut we brought them.

on christmas day we drove north to the town of my birth and to my dear grandma's house. there were 22 of us there and it was festive. avery and tobin spent a lot of time taking in the house and all the treasures it holds.

we are happy to be home and now it's on to putting christmas away and making room in our lives for 2011!

winter beauty

2010-12-21T17:51:00.001-06:00

i am so planting cabbage for fall/winter decoration next year! gorgeous!

joyeux noël

2010-12-16T21:17:00.004-06:00

last year's french snowman...i can't remember his name...shame on me.

so i just sorted through "the bag" in the closet. it really began as a bag, but has turned into a heap. i like to remind myself, when i am leaning way far over "the bag" to get to anything else in the closet, that it is a "bag" full of joy for all the li'l (and not so) girls and boys i know.

i've got stuff sorted and thoughts of wrappings...and this is good, BUT i MUST hit the post office tomorrow. you may be cringing at the mere thought of any post office visit this time of year...BUT, do not fret! the university's post office (in the student union) is ready and waiting for all i've got to bring (and little to no line,) but with limited holiday hours...hence the MUST for tomorrow.

i would love to be ringing the doorbells of my recipients and

coming in for a visit instead of hitting up that sleepy

post office, but i'll take what i can get.

cheers!

for you...

2010-12-14T19:18:00.002-06:00

avery. 12.18.2000.

happy holidays! i'm feeling under the weather but wanted to throw you back almost 11 years...whoa.

spreading joy, one christmas sweater at a time

2010-12-12T12:28:00.002-06:00

rich, me, and michele. 12.10.2010

what a merry, tacky party that was! the amount of joy and merriment each person walked in our door with was amazing. there were some wonderful sweaters...er, i mean tacky. some were found at thrift stores, some were bought on ebay, and some were made.

we had a fire going outside and the backyard was all lit up. there was a lot of food (ripley managed to steal the smoked salmon), music making, and a lot of laughs! our first annual tacky christmas sweater party was a hit.

where's the tylenol?

2010-12-09T18:11:00.002-06:00

there is a lot of merry making going on in the house of vigil tonight. we are readying ourselves for our 1st annual crazy christmas sweater party. there is food being made, tacky sweaters in the wash, decorations waiting to be merrily placed about. really there is a lot to do and very little time to do it...for me. tobin is taking most of tomorrow off of work (it is the slow time of year in the biking business so he has no excuse!) and will, hopefully, whip this place into party mode. i, on the other hand, have much to do at work tomorrow and i am "in charge" of the food. yikes! i expect everything will get accomplished, we will have a great time admiring all the crazy sweaters, we all eat good food, and enjoy all the merriment thoroughly.

this time last year

2010-12-07T07:01:00.002-06:00

ripley cruising in the audi. 12.07.2009.

one year ago this pic was taken. ripley and i were going somewhere. i love how he is sitting. i guess i should have buckled him up. he is actually quite freaked out here. tobin always has to wash the car before we go to duncan for thanksgiving and so we hit up a car wash before we got out of norman. well, we didn't think about the puppy and the car wash...it scared him and he remained scared of the car for many months after. we would have to shove him in the car wherever we went. thank goodness he got over that and this past thanksgiving broke tradition for tobin...no car wash!

let's travel

2010-12-04T08:33:00.003-06:00

avery reads a map. 11.27.2010.

2010-12-02T18:00:00.003-06:00

the vigil family christmas tree. 12.02.2010.

can it really be that time of year?? this year is kind of exciting because our new room is pretty much wrapped up. well, almost. we are awaiting our new gas stove which will be a beautiful and toasty addition and also our walls are naked and in need of beautiful art. as you can see, our tree is down there for the first time ever! it is so nice to lounge on the sofa and stare at the twinkling lights and inhale the aroma from the glorious virginia pine we picked out from our favorite family tree farm. as we were traipsing through the overwhelming number of choices of trees, each of us mentally noting possible keepers, tobin lets the cat out of the bag that he thinks we need a big tree this year since our new room has such high ceilings. i thought we were aiming for a medium tall tree, say 7 ft. when i hear his statement, i think, alright...that's true, tall ceiling...a big tree will be fine. then he points out the tree he has his eye on and the first image that crosses my mind is clark griswold and the griswold family christmas tree. after i gasped and put my eyeballs back in my head, i assessed my mood (go-with-the-flow mood) and gave in. i am happy to report that when we unleashed the beast from its netting no windows were broken by its boughs and the top does not (by centimeters) touch the ceiling. whew! it really is wonderful.

fishy

2010-11-30T17:37:00.003-06:00

avery, ready to swim. 11.22.2010.

it's cold outside. when i think of plunging into a pool, even and indoor pool, i get goose bumps! avery, however, loves it. he thinks the pool at the Y is too warm. to warm?? the OU pool is frigid...just the way he likes it.

totally random

2010-11-26T10:16:00.002-06:00

i took this pic last november. the frog is really a piggy bank, but i use it to display ginko leaves. i am not sure there is a prettier leaf...especially in the fall. there is a ginko tree across the street that is marvelous. it is bright yellow and so amazing.

chromatically dramatic

2010-11-22T06:59:00.002-06:00

autumn in oklahoma. 11.13.2010.

oklahoma on fire. 11.13.2010.

this fall has been so beautiful here in the pan-handle state. the colors of the trees and bushes have been amazing. there have been bright yellows, oranges, reds, and deep purples. there are colorful leaves falling every second and end up blowing around and finding their way underfoot or bike tire. CRUNCH! i love that sound. we have been enjoying this season so much. we have spent lots of time on the patio, trekking around our neighborhood, and absorbing all of the color we will soon be saying good-bye too.

four years ago

2010-11-18T08:00:00.002-06:00

this pic was taken (by tobin's long arm) four years ago. look how young avery looks! and no beard for tobin. i look pretty much the same...just four years younger. my how time flies. i don't like it. so much seems to have changed and yet, so much is still the same. i still use that table cloth (a gift from sonya). we still have dinner at that very same table. i still wear those glasses every once in awhile. my grandmother's china is still used. i still love that watch i am wearing. avery still smiles like that when he is leaning in for a pic. tobin still wears that sweater. i am thankful for all that has remained the same and all that changes with every passing day.

the cake that avery made

2010-11-17T07:05:00.002-06:00

09.04.2010

avery rarely asks if he can bake something. so, when he asked if he could bake a cake, i was all kinds of excited. i told him to find a recipe and we would go to the store for any ingredients we were lacking. he did and we did and he then he measured, stirred, combined, and poured. while the cake baked, he made the gooey frosting. it was a lovely cake!

bird on fire

2010-11-15T19:13:00.001-06:00

bird of prey and mid-morning sun. stanley draper trails. 10.21.2010.

an optical and meteorological phenomenon

2010-11-13T08:45:00.003-06:00

"rainbows are visions, but only illusions,

and rainbows have nothing to hide."

the rainbow connection, sung by kermit the frog, is one of my favorite songs. avery plays it beautifully on the piano and i tear up every time.

the sun is shining strongly today and the air is very crisp. it is going to be a beautiful day! i hope each and every one of you have a great one!

ultimate sag wagon

2010-11-12T09:10:00.001-06:00

buchanan's set up before the norman conquest. 07.17.2010.

a bean is not a bean

2010-11-10T16:44:00.002-06:00

new supply of king city pinks! 11.06.2010.

king city, ca. is my dad's hometown. his hometown grows a bean, kinda like a pinto, called a king city pink. they ARE pink! we love them. we run out about a month before my parents bring us more. YUM!

still puppy clumsy

2010-11-09T09:49:00.002-06:00

not quite a mountain goat. ripley. 11.07.2010.

a rocky day

2010-11-08T17:19:00.003-06:00

JUMP! wichita mtns. 11.07.2010.

it has been a glorious fall here in okieland. the colors are rich with yellows, oranges, and reds. the crisp mornings transform into just-right afternoon temps. the sound of crunching leaves under foot (or bike tire) have been music to my ears.

my parents spent this past weekend with us. they brought their newly adopted dog, jake, with them. he is a very sweet, well behaved guy. he seems to have some "cow dog" in him. he was found on the run by my parents' vet. he is in recovery from whatever sadness life dealt him before he was saved.

we packed in the fun. saturday morning was spent hiking urban trails with the dogs. we wore them out and spent a bit of time at a local thrift store...all of us walking out with some "finds". then on to a birthday party, then book club, and ended the day with pepe's...our fave mexican food spot. sunday we headed west to the 500 million year old granite mountains also known as the wichita mountains. this is one of my favorite spots in oklahoma. the range is one of the first sights i saw when i moved here and also where my husband proposed to me. this beautiful, old place inspires me. we had such a nice time. the dogs had smiles on their faces from start to finish. it was so wonderful!

jake and avery. 11.07.2010.

free 100 and then some

2010-11-05T07:48:00.002-05:00

nervous face. 10.31.2010.

avery, warming up. 10.31.2010.

the boy behind him is one of his best friends since kindergarten!

avery competed in his first swim meet on sunday. he was nervous. we have never even attended a swim meet and i think a lot of his nerves stemmed from simply having no idea what to expect. the meet was held at the swim complex at Oklahoma City Community College. it is a very nice complex...designed for competitions. tobin and i had to remain in the stands and avery was across the pool with his team. i was willing him (since i couldn't talk to him) to go to his coach and get some info. i was driving tobin crazy with the willing (i guess i was willing him out loud) and he threatened to not sit by me if i didn't simmer down. avery (finally) asked his coach to explain how it would all go down, which he did and i could see avery's nerves settle down (mine, too). he did great! his coach was happy and one of his teammates complimented him on how well he did, especially for his first meet.

unexpected walk with both boys

2010-11-04T07:19:00.003-05:00

the OU pool was closed because of a broken pipe causing poor circulation. usually when avery is swimming, ripley and i cruise around campus...whether at a jog pace or fast walk pace. there was no way to explain to ripley that since the pool was closed we could just go home. he was not hearing it. so, we took a slow romp around and enjoyed all of the beautiful trees and wonderful fall weather.

two year old!

2010-11-03T07:11:00.005-05:00

we don't know her exact date of birth, but our vet thinks probably late october/early november...so, it's a celebration!! (she loves her boy!)

artemis is a funny girl. she is very smart, playful, and can be very surly. she loves to meet new people, but starts out each new friendship with a boxing match.

she used to lay ON jonah. he really didn't seem to mind. i think she kept his old bones warm.

•note his "shoes" he wore so he wouldn't slip around on the wood and tile floors. he would gallumph (a word ave made up for joe's moves) around the house whenever we would put on his shoes.

she was excited when ripley came along. finally a playmate. they were about the same size...for only a short time. he grew and grew and grew! she still plays with him...although she does not walk up and knock him over (he was puppy clumsy) anymore. she has to be much more sly with her attacks.

transformation

2010-11-02T18:26:00.005-05:00

this scene seems like it was sooo long ago. it was winter and tobin decided it was time to put a hole in the house. that hole is now a door way and guess what!! we had our final inspection and we passed! we are done with the city and all of their requests. it has been a long, long road. we are so, so, so happy!

happy halloween!

2010-10-31T17:20:00.004-05:00

jack the pumpkin king rendition. 10.30.2010.

nothing but bills

2010-10-30T10:49:00.002-05:00

this is one of the simplest costumes we have ever come up with for avery, but it got so much attention. while we were trick or treating, some college boys came to a screeching stop in the street to compliment him...he was very proud. if you look very closely, you can see a peaking jo jo behind the front, glass door. have i ever told you how much i miss that little guy??

this one's for jules

2010-10-28T20:35:00.004-05:00

i LOVE this picture!!

it's hard to imagine a time before julian was a part of the above crew. it seems like he's always been nestled between the two.

this was the first time we met jules. he was about 2 months old. it was spring time in oklahoma and everything was bursting with color. tobin probably posed those three kids in front of every blooming thing in our yard. they didn't mind though...they were together again.

throw back

2010-10-28T07:29:00.002-05:00

i thought i would do a week of throw back pics just to mix it up a bit.

we LOVE halloween, all of us. avery will wear his costume to school tomorrow. the last of the details will be applied tonight. we have always enjoyed making our costumes. i am not much of a seamstress, so when he was little i made almost all of his costumes with a sweatshirt and sweatpants as the base. this always seemed to work out well...the material is forgiving and warm. above, as you can see, he was an alligator. he doesn't trick or treat these days, but still gathers with his friends, dressed up.

record store day

2010-10-24T15:45:00.002-05:00

bin of $1 vinyl. guest room records. 10.23.10.

tobin and i spent some time at the local record shop last night. i love the smell of a lp...love it! flipping through the bins of them was so much fun. we found a couple to add to our collection. i really enjoy playing records. such a great sound.

a deep breath

2010-10-23T13:33:00.002-05:00

hike on the red dirt. 10/22/10.

we have been thoroughly enjoying fall break. we haven't done much and we have done so much. we decided we really needed a weekend of rest and postponed a trip to wherever. ocotber, as i have mentioned before, is a crazy time of year for our family. we jump from one event to the next without a moment to stop. we have made this weekend our moment to stop. we all have our costumes nearly finished, we have baked/cooked delicious fall food, hiked, walked, watched movies, slept in, shopped...

i know that i will feel refreshed and ready for next week come monday.

greeting the season

2010-10-19T07:37:00.000-05:00

not quite ready to give it up. 10/17/10

ripley likes fall

2010-10-17T11:25:00.002-05:00

ripley chilling on the patio, 10/14/2010.

#1471

2010-10-14T06:59:00.002-05:00

avery at the start line of the sooner stampede, 10/10/10.

i left before the zombie walk...

2010-10-12T18:46:00.003-05:00

basilica of saint lawrence, downtown asheville

asheville, nc is a familiar town, however, this past weekend was my first time to visit. it feels a little like norman, santa fe, portland, fort collins...except it is located in the heart of the blue ridge mountains...mountains that aren't familiar. the mountains are old and are crowded with very tall, tall trees.

there are artists selling their lovelies on the street, good eats, music all around, a small city full of friendly and hip people.

i captured a lot of coolness with my hipstamatic (camera app for my phone...my most favorite app right now!)

visit nc...it's a lovely state.

a sunday afternoon

2010-10-04T16:30:00.003-05:00

we are rejoicing in the fall weather that has been gracious enough to linger here in oklahoma. you never know what october (november too) will bring around here. it has been HOT HOT HOT on halloween before, but it has also snowed on halloween.

this morning we awoke to temps in the 30s! wow! it has been warming to around 70ish in the afternoons...perfect!

sunday, the three of us threw our bikes on the rack and drove out to a favorite bike trail and shredded the gnar...taking in the the beauty of the season and enjoying the thrill of blazing down the trail. it was wonderful...until i crashed, that is. i tend to save up crashes so that when i do crash the crash = BIG. i am okay...a few separated ribs, major oblique trauma, serious trail rash, and some very lovely bruises. i, however, did not K.O. and this, my friends, was the ONLY thing going through my mind when i knew i was going down, "do NOT get knocked out, do NOT get knocked out!". i hurt...bad...but i am so happy i could get up and there were no bones sticking out of my flesh, and oh so, so happy that my brain did not pound the ground. i love riding my bike and i love riding it aggressively. crashes DO happen, though...it's part of the game.

an epic sunday afternoon!

morning with horses

2010-10-02T14:43:00.003-05:00

i see horses every time i ride out in the country. i know when to expect them and they seem to expect me (or someone else in funny clothes, a goofy looking hat, and on two wheels). yesterday, however, i was startled when i heard some rustling next to me in this woody area where i have never seen horses. my eyes were searching for whatever was lurking around in there and out pops this beautiful animal. i stopped and admired him/her and he/she studied me. one at a time four more emerged. horses are amazing to me. their eyes leave me awestruck. it was a very nice surprise and added to the beauty of my surroundings.

it's really much worse

2010-09-30T19:31:00.002-05:00

i cannot tell you how tired i get of telling avery to pick up his room. i was not a kid that let my room get like he lets his get. my sister was and i shared a room with her the majority of my childhood. it is like living with that all over again. his room is large and this photo only shows a bit of it...it is worse everywhere else. BUT! i complained, A LOT, and he whipped it into shape. so as i type this...i am happier.

medium

2010-09-29T07:10:00.002-05:00

ripley gives avery a hard time every morning as he is trying to get out of the door for school. it is all in fun in ripley's eyes, but avery becomes slightly annoyed. ripley steals a sock, unties a shoe lace, steals a drum stick, pulls on every strap on his back pack...anything that will make avery show him attention. when avery finally makes it out, ripley runs to the window and watches until avery is out of sight. it is quite sweet.

Cavia porcellus

2010-09-27T20:18:00.004-05:00

this is my girl, cynthia summers. she is probably, no...IS the coolest gpig on the block. since our sweet squiggle bunny passed she is all alone. we have been warned by guinea pig know-it-alls (rich) that without a cage mate a guinea pig will get depressed and go crazy. she is not depressed and less crazy than the rest of our four legged housemates and that is sayin' a lot!

she really enjoys hanging out on the computer desk with which ever of us working/being entertained there at the time. she always positions herself so that she has the best view of the screen. i had to hold her up in this shot because she was lower than the photo booth camera would shoot. but do not doubt, she loves some screen time!

spay or neuter your four legged!

2010-09-23T18:25:00.005-05:00

our old lady, loki, spent an hour and a half at the vet today. thank goodness she is our best "patient". she is our most grouchy pet so the fact that she is so well behaved at the vet's is very nice.

if i have spoken to you in the past year, you have heard me complain about our across-the-street neighbors and their neglect with their cats. there have been about 10 (that i know of) litters born in the past 12 months. these cats are mostly feral and keep on keepin' on. i cringe every time i see a couple of fuzz ball kittens bouncing around. they are cute, but come on!!

our two cats like to be outside during the day...hanging out in the sun, lounging in the garden, sleeping on the porch. the neighborhood cats don't seem to bother our yard...between the dog and the two toughy cats, they stay away. until this last liter emerged from the neighbors garage, that is. the tiny cuties have been hovering around our front yard. drinking from the water i have out and playing in our monkey grass. step one foot too close to these tinys and they are gone. one thing they left in their wake was coccidia. thank you very much. not really.

i spent $275 dollars at the vet today dealing with this awfulness and poor loki is not feeling very well. she is on meds and we are using bleach like crazy...which is one of my least favorite things to do.

i know that we are responsible for our pets and letting the cats outdoors comes with risks, but please people....spay or neuter your four legged friend! there is only so much room on this planet and only so many resources in nature/neighbors.

september

2010-09-22T16:47:00.001-05:00

the goldenrod is yellow;

the corn is turning brown;

the trees in apple orchards

with fruit are bending down.

the gentian's bluest fringes

are curling in the sun;

in dusky pods the milkweed

its hidden silk has spun.

the sedges flaunt their harvest

in every meadow-nook;

and asters by the brookside

make asters in the brook.

from dewy lanes at morning

the grapes' sweet odors rise;

at noon the roads all flutter

with yellow butterflies.

by all these lovely tokens

september days are here,

with summer's best of weather,

and autumn's best of cheer.

-helen hunt jackson

happy fall equinox and watch for that fabulous harvest moon!

"signs...they don't get much respect"

2010-09-21T16:21:00.003-05:00

tobin and i visited norman sign company this morning. our bike shop sign is in need of replacement.

let me tell you a little about the sign above... it was made by joe almost thirty years ago...the same joe that we met with today. the type of wood it is carved out of is redwood...no longer available. this sign has hung outside of the shop all of its life except the last year. for the last several years tobin has had to bring it inside and doctor it up...it is 30 yrs old afterall! this past year it has been inside the shop...to old to weather the outdoors.

so...as i type, joe is working up a new sign. this time it will be carved out of ponderosa pine and instead of by hand, a machine will carve it.

now, let me tell you a little bit about joe. he is a small man and looks to be in his seventies for sure. he is well spoken and very insightful. he used to teach art at the university many, many years ago but wanted to express his artistic side in a different way. he is a true artist. he loves his work. he loves wood. he loves signs. he wanted me to see his workshop so i could get an idea of "how it's done". he called me dear. there is so much more we talked about from small business ownership to how to handle the teenage years. this man is a very special person. i am so happy to have met him. we are invited to pop in from time to time during the next couple of weeks to see the progress of the new sign.

by the way...we will be retiring the old sign. it will hang in a place of honor. it is pretty much an antique with a wonderful history.

scooter bug...who's your friend?

2010-09-20T18:50:00.002-05:00

living in the heart of "sooner nation" can be kind of wild during football season to say the least. every saturday that there is a home game our town becomes the stomping ground for those that bleed crimson and cream. these stompers come from all over the state of oklahoma and sometimes even farther. it can be very overwhelming. this past saturday i was not around for the mayhem, but avery lived it up. he and tobin drove the scooter bug around and he enjoyed the sooner pride (OU band) which marches right in front of the bike shop. i am happy to say we have a two week break from the onslaught (sigh of relief).

t-town bound

2010-09-16T16:40:00.003-05:00

mr. shanks

mr. tankersly

mrs. shanks

so the weekend i have had circled and highlighted on the calendar, talked about, sweated over, looked forward to is upon me. mud, sweat, and tears! this is an adventure race that takes place in an urban setting along the arkansas river in tulsa, ok. go here to see what i will be doing.

i will be staying with mr. and mrs. shanks, two of my favorite people ever. can't wait to see their home and spend time with them. i see very little of them now that they live in t-town.

also living in t-town is mr. tankersly, of mr. and mrs. tankersly, also two of my favorite people ever. i will not see them, however, for i am sure they are very busy at a gig belting out tunes on the bag pipes and the accordion...the two are very talented. the pic above is of mr. tankersly in his (that's right, his) pub situated right in the back of his property. it is an amazing little speak easy, full of german/american/scottish memorabilia. wish me luck, folks, and a good time, of course!

turn it on and all the way up

2010-09-15T19:44:00.004-05:00

music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

~Berthold Auerbach

i love this quote. it rings so true. everyday life does not always leave a film of dust in my soul, but sometimes it does, and when it does listening to some good tunes can really turn a mood around. this image can really turn a mood around too...the artist is so clever!

¡ole!

2010-09-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

avery's art. the whimsy attracts my eye. i have stolen the cape a time or two when in desperate need of foil. don't fret...i have always replaced it.

that old house

2010-09-13T18:03:00.004-05:00

i drive past our old street all of the time. if i crane my neck, i can see only the front yard of 1216 nebraska. the house tobin and i moved into after our marriage. the home that we brought our tiny baby to after his birth. the sweet little place where i grew to be a mother, wife, gardener, and cook.

every once in awhile i end up on this street. and when i do, i drive very slowly past this old house and take it all in. what always, always chokes me up is seeing that tire swing hanging in the huge mulberry tree in the back yard. it is still there and part of my heart will always be there as well.

jonah on my mind

2010-09-10T15:07:00.003-05:00

it has been over a year that we said goodbye to our little four legged friend. in the beginning all i could do was think of him. it hurt. a lot. as time marched along, however, my grief began to subside. that fierce pain will sometimes, but not very often, find me again, shocking me with its power.

the past couple of days, thoughts of him have been popping up in my head...while awake and sleeping. the dreams have been wonderful. what is this? it has not been painful, thankfully, but i am curious. i do know it has been nice to see him again...it's been too long.

Ripley reminds...

2010-09-09T12:54:00.001-05:00

Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.
Hans Christian Andersen

conveying the rhythm of the music

2010-09-08T11:41:00.002-05:00

avery and his big drum walking over to the stadium to play at a football game. he was on the jazz!

antheraea polyphemus

2010-09-07T11:24:00.003-05:00

the name originates from the greek myth of the cyclops polyphemus. i wish we would have held a hand near this giant as to photographically express its amazing size. average wing span...6 inches.

babysitting kids

2010-09-06T10:09:00.002-05:00

i ride past this scene on one of my most favorite "loops" way out in the country southeast of norman. there is a second dog which is the spitting image of the one pictured above. i so enjoy passing this goat playground. there are always a couple of goats being rowdy, many lounging, and some munching. the dogs are seemingly unaffected by their behavior...they seem very focused on their job...keeping the rascals safe. i find this very humbling and i like it.

summer...it's been real

2010-09-05T12:54:00.003-05:00

i can feel the summer season winding down. i wake up to crisp, cool mornings. the buzzing of the cicadas is less and less each day. we all seem to be a bit livelier and more jaunty in our actions. i begin to moan about the endless heat that plagues us in oklahoma each year, but i am thankful for the four seasons that we do feel fully here. fall is around the corner and my light sweaters and jeans are getting antsy in the closet.

my favorite jr. bike guy

2010-06-25T11:55:00.006-05:00

avery has always loved his wheels. he has been a natural on a bike and thank goodness considering our lifestyle and form of employment. i think he was 4 when we first introduced him to trail riding. i would run the trail and he would ride. it was easier that way. i could haul his bike up or down natural obstacles that were, at that age, out of his league. it didn't take long for him to gain speed and skill...pretty soon we were riding together...me only having to slow my pace a bit. i am not slowing down these days...he is right on my tail...chit-chatting, flying up hills, zooming down. it has been so fun seeing him improve year after year. it won't be long before he will be too fast to ride with his ol' ma...i am cherishing every ride!

some of the fruits of my labor

2010-06-24T15:22:00.003-05:00

my garden is a very happy garden this year. not sure if it's the heat...it's HOT...or what. all the plants are healthy and producing very well. it is reminding me of my first garden that i put in while living in the rent house on nebraska street. i had so much produce from that tiny garden!

we are harvesting a bunch of stuff lately...

these tomatoes i picked from the plant i threw into a container! parks whopper...not to shabby!

i dug these potatoes out of the ground a couple of days ago. i love growing potatoes...there is not much tending to do.

and the raspberries! these guys are very abundant this year. i have picked and picked and picked...ripley has picked and picked and picked too...which is pretty funny to see.

hi...remember me?

2010-06-22T11:55:00.003-05:00

once again i have been away from the blog world for quite some time. well, i'm back! and i am intending to stay...lest kerri kick my butt all the way from greensboro!

since it has been soooo long i am at a loss as to what to blog about. i could ramble on about how busy we are...it IS our busy season. i could bore you with all the miles we are putting on our bikes. i could go on and on about the raspberries that WILL NOT quit producing. i could post a million pics taken with our new nikon d90 that tobin now loves more than me...sniff. but all this sounds a little boring when i could blog about these beauties...

this is max...he is will be 8 months in about a week. he is very sweet...loves to smile and is very into people. i heart him!

i give you ellie rose. she will be 12 months old at the end of august. she is one of my favorite people! she has an amazing independent spirit and in such a tiny body.

this little lady is sabina. quite possibly the hippest almost 24 month old i know! you should see her rock out to her fave band, "the killers". it will make you tear up...for real.

and last but, according to him, certainly not least...our 13 month old...ripley. how time flies and thank the goodness of everything in the universe...he is FINALLY calming down. he loves to swim, tug, and hug...not much of a kisser (also thank the goodness...being licked by a dog is not my favorite thing). he makes us laugh (and often cuss) every single day.

over and out!

snowklahoma...round 2

2010-02-01T14:22:00.002-06:00

i thought i lived in oklahoma...where our winters usually consist of a handful of "wintry" days mixed in with a lot of unseasonably warm temperatures. i am not experiencing this, however.

we have, instead, experienced snow, snow, snow, ice...lots of it, and more snow.

this is our japanese snowball bush...looking very appropriate...

our snow dog, ripley. he loves the snow. he wants out in it and for a long time. we find him lounging in a drift, eating the snow, rolling in the snow, pulling icicles down from drooping branches. and...the snow covered fur!...a towel at the door to wipe paws just doesn't cut it with this mess!

avery is enjoying his 3rd snow day today. he has been out in it a bunch and is thankful for the sled we found in an old hardware store in my parents' tiny town.

i am starting to feel a little CRAZY and am feeling a bit over this exciting oklahoma weather. we managed to hold onto power...guess we paid some dues in 2007 (9 days of darkness!)...but our family in duncan did not fair so well. some of them are still without power and with these frigid temps and dreary skies they must truly feel CRAZY!

time flies instead of teeth

2010-01-23T15:25:00.001-06:00

haven't been here in a LONG time...

i will not bore you with any excuses, for that's all they would be.

we are enjoying mild weather after a crazy white christmas.

avery is at the park with the neighborhood thugs...not really...all good boys.

tobin is on his way to arkansas city, kansas to ride some trails with his neighborhood thugs. two of which are celebrating birthdays.

i just returned from a long neighborhood walk with ripley and sat down to browse the interweb. i started checking out a blog i hadn't visited in a while and was inspired to post something here.

a mom blogged about her boy losing his first tooth. the boy wrote a very nice note to the toothfairy asking her NOT to take his tooth. he even shed tears of worry that she might.

a memory of MY boy, losing his first tooth, writing a very nice note to the toothfairy asking her NOT to take his tooth, shedding tears of worry, instantly popped into my mind.

i hadn't thought of that in a long time. i have stacks of journals in my closet where i have recorded the smallest of details in my life through the years and i imagine this story lives in one of them...but i thought i would share.

shortly before losing his first tooth...

first upper tooth...gone!

where did time go?...guess the toothfairy had to take something...

2010-01-23T15:02:00.003-06:00

U2 came to town

2009-10-20T15:58:00.003-05:00

when i was in high school i discovered the band U2...although they had been around since 1976! i wore out all the cassettes i owned of this rockin' band...blaring the music in my little renault alliance. i always found the lyrics to be very touching, very spiritual.

this past sunday U2 visited the oklahoma university's football stadium. this is the second time (since i have lived here) that OU hosted a big show.

twelve years ago, on an october evening, tobin and i (and son and joel and other friends) made our way to the stadium, leaving our babies with babysitters, to see The Rolling Stones...TWELVE years ago!

this time, our baby came with us. we wanted him to experience this amazing band and all the excitement that it would entail. he was left speechless and very touched...he, too, finds the lyrics special.

the experience was wonderful. the opening band, The Black Eyed Peas, was great (my sister and i never missed an episode of "kids incorporated" when we were young...starring Fergi, as a small girl). the stage was amazing. the crowd was rocked for sure!

twelve years ago, around midnight, when we returned from an amazing experience with The Stones, we found 6 month old avery awake and playing (he NEVER woke up to play at night) and our pooch, jonah, on the FRONT porch...not the fenced in back porch. twelve years later, sunday night, we got home, of course avery was awake (nearly midnight) and we found our now pooch, ripley, out of his crate...roaming the dark house (he is nearly 6 months old and has puppy teeth falling out and adult teeth growing in like crazy! this equals "what did he tear up?!?! thoughts)...luckily the house was safe and he was alright (he somehow managed to breech his cell!) tobin summed it up perfectly..."well, it wouldn't be an amazing show/night if avery wasn't still awake and the dog was out"...perfect.

t & a posing for a pic during the night

the amazing stage...the honeycomb like red you see was also a screen and it moved up and down...it was very cool...

also, along the "legs" of the 4 story stage, tucked inside, were people manning the spotlights...sitting in suspended chairs...it was fun to examine the set up!

2009-09-11T17:21:00.001-05:00

here he is...the crazy guy! this is him under a tent at my feet...

a balancing act

2009-09-11T16:49:00.004-05:00

i find that i am constantly trying to find balance in my life and my perspective of the world around me. while i may feel balanced in my home life, i might feel an unbalance in...say...our countries view of health care for it's people. then again, if i am feeling rather balanced at work, i have piles of laundry and a dusty floor waiting for me when i get home. i find that attaining balance is not cut and dry. it is a constant battle. and a battle i gear up for every morning and work on everyday.

one thing that really helps me in this endeavor is running. i wake up, don the running attire, drink a cup of coffee, get the boy breakfast, pack his lunch, see him off and then i hit the road. i usually do not run with music...for it is the outdoors and the sounds it brings that keep me going. i feel like it is my time to order things, to think about things while clearing out the cobwebs. it has brought me great joy for many years and will for many years to come.

so...it thrills me that avery is showing an interest in running. he joined the cross country team last year and wanted to run again with the team this year. he is not the fastest runner, but he has heart and determination. that he is developing a love for this activity is, in my mind, the most important aspect of the program. it is something he will be able to do for the rest of his life. i love talking to him about the things that go through his head while he is running...like me he is making sense of the world around him while he pushes his body through nature.

yesterday was his first "official" cross country meet. he did have a run last saturday...the brookhaven run...a run that donates all the money from registration to the norman high school cross country team. it turned out to be quite a meet...

when we arrived at the meet, this is what the sky looked like...yikes!...is what i was thinking.

not too long after our arrival and that previous photo...this is what the field looked like...yuck!...is now what i was thinking.

kind of blurry...i was worried about my camera in the down pour...even the wrist strap got in the way. the jersey avery is wearing is sized for a high school runner...norman does not have a program specifically for middle school kids...out of the kindness of his heart, the high school coach makes it possible for them to run in meets throughout oklahoma. he was very tired...i think each shoe weighed ten pounds. he had been out in the down pour for over an hour at this point.

and...back to balance...i found this guy (or girl...didn't get a good look at the rear) munching grass just paces away from the run...the balance it took to deal with this load was very obvious. i couldn't get over this...i have seen texas long horns before, but this is like no other "long horn" i have ever seen!

and to see what ripley did during this escapade...see the next post...the little rascal always seems to take the easy way out...or shuts it all out, anyway.

a baby shower to remember!

2009-09-09T18:03:00.002-05:00

our very good friends, christa and luke, are having a baby in late october. we have known these two for a long time. avery used to call christa "twista" and luke "yute". we are looking forward to the little boy that will probably call us variations of our names.

when i had avery, i did not have a baby shower...not sure why...could have been that my best friend was in the same state as i was and her focus was just as mine...grow a baby. so when i found out that christa was pregnant, i knew then that i wanted to be a part of celebrating the shower for her. we decided to have it at my house, but when we got together to plan a few things, we both agreed that we did not want to have a "traditional" baby shower. she shies away from the thought of baby shower games...diapering a water balloon, etc. and i am right there with her. so, we decided to have a party of sorts with both boys and girls and no baby games.

we opened gifts outside...it was beautiful weather for the last sunday of august in oklahoma. they got a lot of great stuff...and a ton of diapers (funny...all from those of us that have experienced parenthood!)

a cake was ordered from la baguette, a french bakery, for those celebrating the upcoming birth of max levon...and it was delicious!

here are the two parents to be...christa looking fabulous in her beautiful dress that her mother made for her. it was so incredible how it fit like a glove. and the proud papa-to-be couldn't be more thrilled about this little boy that is soon to be camped out in his arms.

and finally...our friend randy...my designated "cake cutter"...he is a very precise cake cutter...thanks randy!

my blog muscle is weak...but here we go...

2009-09-03T15:00:00.007-05:00

like this moth, i have been hiding out...from the world of the blog, that is. not for any good reason, mind you...i have no excuses. (p.s. this moth is some kind of sphinx...any ideas on specifics???)

this past summer proved to be quite a challenge. as most of you know, we lost our very dear dog, jonah. tears are pricking my eyes even as i type this. he meant so much to our family. he was my first roommate, our first "child", avery's first friend, such a wonderful companion his whole life. dealing with the pain his loss has left behind has been very difficult. i have worked very hard on trying to focus on my memories of his good times, but find i get interrupted with the heartache.

but...we have invited another four legged being into our lives and he brings us great joy...meet ripley!

he is 17 weeks today and has brought back that dog energy that we love. it has been crazy to revisit the puppy stage of owning a dog. i have forgotten so much about this crazy stage. his teeth itch and therefore he NEEDS to gnaw on everything.

luckily he does pretty well with this and chews on appropriate items. sometimes our hands get caught and it feels like tiny razors. we will be happy when the teething is over!

our old cat, loki, is not at all pleased with him. she gives him her best stink eye and he does not mess with her.

artemis, however, is his buddy. she messes with him, he messes with her...it is a riot! i do think she gets miffed at him, however...i'm serious about those tiny teeth feeling like razors!

check out some of their antics below and stay tuned for more posts. now that i am back in the saddle, it doesn't hurt so much! :)

it's 'bout time!

2009-09-01T17:49:00.003-05:00

it is high time i get back on the blogging saddle...more to come!

a day on campus...part II

2009-05-27T18:43:00.004-05:00

another wonderful thing about our "playground", the bike shop is right across the street from the north oval. we are able to hang out on campus and then dart across the street to see tobin, get something to drink/eat...hang out.

this is one of my favorite pieces on campus...it is very big and so fun! i love how it is two pieces, but seems to be buried

the library...where i spent so many hours studying, researching, working, crying, laughing, freaking out...sometimes

the wall fountain just outside the library where i would sit and decompress after hours of studying, researching, working, crying, laughing, freaking out...sometimes

another cool light fixture...love them!

a day on campus

2009-05-27T18:26:00.004-05:00

when the university unleashes all of those crazy college kids and they go home, our town becomes very quiet...our neck of the woods does, anyway.

we like to use the campus, which is just over 1/2 a mile from our front door, as our personal playground, especially during summer. sometimes we are on foot, sometimes on bike, but every time we stop to smell the roses!

we have been exploring this area for many, many years and still feel like it is an adventure every time.

now, avery knows where that next water fountain is; each landmark brings back memories from way back for him; and he can endure a tour of the WHOLE campus and not poop out.

this past weekend we saddled up and headed to campus. it was an amazing day, weather wise and we spent several hours exploring and enjoying. we did our "water fountain tour"...we check out every fountain on campus...they keep adding a new one so our tour increases in length all the time. avery dipped his hand into every single one...his goal for our outing.

part II to follow...

this is a shot of the playground avery played on during his preschool years at the institute for child development...part of the university's college of education

one of many squatting men sprinkled about the exterior of the library

a circle of gargoyles...seemingly ready to pounce

a newish sculpture called "the gossips"...i felt like i was in on their tongue waggin'

one of the many light fixtures i photographed

a night to remember

2009-05-19T07:46:00.002-05:00

with the end of the school year coming quickly, avery has been very busy with concerts, plays, field trips, and last night...the big awards assembly. it was held at the nancy o'brian center for performing arts located on the norman north high school campus. it is a beautiful place and is a nice "back drop" for such a special event.

we got a letter a couple of weeks ago encouraging us to attend because avery would be receiving an award.

then a week ago, at the play, i read in the program that avery was chosen as "outstanding vocal music student" along with 3 others. he didn't even know! that is the award i thought the letter was referencing.

he did receive that award after his music teacher, Mrs. Lucas, gave a very nice speech about the recipients. he also received awards in band, botball, and math.

BUT!...the very last award to be given..."best all-around students"...two boys and two girls from each grade were announced and guess what?!...my son was one of the two boys selected for sixth grade! *here come the tears again!

i cannot express how proud i am of him. tobin and i think he is a very special human being, but when a whole team of teachers and principles notice this...it just feels amazing. i am so happy for him!

pausing afterwards with some of his booty!

and then off to dinner with his lovely friend, josilyn

mother's day 2009

2009-05-11T14:47:00.005-05:00

little dale grabbing for the camera while distracting me with a delicious grin

avery in front of the "famous" chase county courthouse. it was in an old b&w movie i forget the name of

a throwback to the seventies...little dale's grandma kept all of his dad's wranglers (they are ranchers so this is a hot attire no matter the age) from when he was a babe...designer baby jeans look out! *notice the adorable covered wagon on his rear pocket

a pause for the camera (he is a ham) while doing the baby robot across the floor

cousins enjoying a sunny spring afternoon

i had a very nice mother's day weekend. avery and i headed north to spend some time with my mom and dad, sister and nephew.

we had a great time and enjoyed a sunday at home with tobin.

my nephew, little dale, is growing as babies tend to do. he is crawling (very robotically) and is extremely smiley!

they got a lot of rain and live near a river...we biked down to it and were amazed at the river's power. i am pretty brave when it comes to a lot of things, but the power of water truly scares me. stems from the CRAZY kayaking leg of the adventure race i did a few years back.

i kept expecting to see a crazed animal sweep by in the current...but thank goodness, i didn't.

t-town fix

2009-05-03T15:48:00.003-05:00

avery and i spent the weekend in tulsa visiting our north carolina "family" and their loved ones. i did a lot of baby holding and toddler playing. we spent some time at the germanfest listening to german bands and played a lot. avery and kerri's niece, elle, lived it up from friday night to sunday mid-morning. they worked with leather art, baked cupcakes, rode dirt bikes, did a bit of target practicing, pole volted, and visited an amazing new park on the river. julie and david deserve a parenting gold medal for hosting these two wonderful old souls.

i love these people. they have been a part of my family since my boy was a mere 4 years old. they always welcome us with open arms. it is always sad when it is time to come home.

miss "bina baby" jammin' to some german music. she rocked and rolled through the entire show!

elle and ruth had a ball together. ruth loves her cousin elle and elle couldn't be a better cousin!

kerri and i enjoyed our own personal bar with local entertainment to boot!

our personal bartender, max...also our entertainment!

birthday celebration '09

2009-04-14T12:11:00.003-05:00

as you all know, our birthdays are celebrated every year in a two day window.

tobin was born in the wee hours on the 6th of april; avery was born in the mid-afternoon on the 6th of april; i was born in the morning on the 7th of april.

what a whirlwind birthdays have been since i met tobin...they have become even more so since the birth of our son.

when we asked avery what he wanted to do for his birthday, he insisted on a "van camp". we have done this before on our birthdays...on his 5th.

we never know what the weather is going to be like in april, so a van camp is an ideal idea. we camp at an rv spot so we can plug in a heater if we need to...which both times we have had to. this year the weather was soooo windy and very chilly. we were decked out with speakers, laptop, games, snacks, a movie...not really "camping", i'm afraid.

we enjoyed walking along the beach, watching the sunset, a fire, camp dinner, smores, music, scrabble, a movie, and without a doubt, one another.

oklahoma sunset

mouthful of smores

our room for the night

even the old man celebrated with us

the boys, exploring