Saturday, June 20, 2009
Summer Begins in Central Texas!
It's still early on Saturday morning, I've had 2 cups of coffee and I'm ready to blog! It's already in the 80's, heading to the mid 90's today. Good time to catch up on the last couple of weeks which have rushed by in a blur.
Dale & Peggy had us out to their home in Lago Vista a couple of weeks ago to enjoy the pool and some grilled hot dogs & burgers. The kids had an absolute blast, outside of Bekah's crippling fear of wasps (not sure how to help her get over that one!) They played for hours and I actually remembered to apply the sunblock more than once, avoiding sunburn this time. The following week the kids went to Peace Camp (our church's version of Vacation Bible School) each evening and it was a really enriching experience. The theme of the camp was "Giraffe Heroes; Stick Your Neck Out". Each night they'd hear a story about an ordinary person who did an extraordinary thing to help others. What a great lesson for us all. Then they did crafts and learned songs - and here's the best part - our minister, plays guitar and wrote the songs himself. Not acoustic guitar, church-y songs, mind you, but full out electric guitar & drums! I wish I had gotten video of it, I wasn't that proactive . . It also provided Rodney and I with a free babysitter one night so we could have dinner (Baby Acapulco - yummy fish tacos) and celebrate the 23rd anniversary of our first date. People ask us all the time what makes it work for us, and of course it's nothing specific I can put my finger on - love, of course, shared values and sense of humor, and lots of patience on both our parts!
The last night of Peace Camp, we went to pick up the kids and a vicious storm hit so we had to stay put at the church for over an hour. Found out later there were tornadoes just north of us, thankfully all we suffered at the church was golfball sized hail but no damage done. Ryan was nearly hysterical with fear, not sure why? I don't get nervous during storms, I actually kind of like the excitement, but he was tearful and saying things like "we're going to die" and "this is the last night of my life" - seriously!! After much reassurance, he agreed to go stand on the porch with me and watch the rain & hail, after that he calmed quite a bit. Poor baby!
The big deal around the house this week is that Rodney has finished the steps and the floor in the master bedroom. It is GORGEOUS. And we were able to put together our new bed. For the first time in our married life, we are sleeping in a bed with a headboard and a footboard. The funny part is that with all this, the bed is about 3 feet off the ground - the kids actually need a stool to help them get on top of it! A major project completed, and Rodney did it all himself. He has become quite an accomplished all around handyman! I'm sure this is not what he pictured himself doing when we met 23 years ago. Life is always a surprise.
Last Sunday we had a pizza/pool party with some families at church who also have kids. I am really enjoying this church - I think we have finally found a community we can feel comfortable belonging to. These folks share our values and beliefs and are completely accepting and tolerant. Some of them even homeschool so we're able to bounce ideas of each other - I haven't had that before and it's really helpful. This month our minister, Jim Rigby, is doing a series on the gospel according to Monty Python. It's both hilarious and insightful. The point of it is to understand where religion sometimes misunderstands Jesus' message and/or takes it in a direction Jesus did not intend. Just watch the 'Blessed are the Cheesemakers" scene from Life of Brian, and you'll get it.
My Wednesday movies (yes, plural, this Netflix "Watch Instantly" options is too much for me to resist) were Incendiary and The Other Boleyn Girl. Why do I pick tearjerkers?? By the time I went to bed my eyes were red and swollen! They are both worth watching, although I don't normally like American actresses playing British parts, I have to say Michelle Williams was very convincing in Incendiary - and Matthew MacFadyen, one of my favorites, was perfect as an absolute creep!! Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johanson, as the Boleyn sisters, were obviously cast for their sex appeal but I though both turned in a fairly convincing performance. I'm a sucker for historical fiction, especially British period dramas, so I'm probably not a very objective reviewer.
That pretty much catches us up to the present - yesterday we went to a new place for happy hour and tapas called Pizzeria Corvina. Although a bit overpriced for a strip center location, they have a lovely interior, super friendly waitstaff and coal-fired pizza which the kids say is to die for. Beer prices are great at happy hour and they have several of our favorites on tap - Blue Moon Ale, with a slice of orange, is my new favorite this summer! They have Bass and Newcastle for Rodney. We had a cheesy fondue-type dip with toasted bread slices for one tapas, and prosciutto-wrapped figs with gorgonzola cheese for the second - surprisingly served warm, with the proscuitto fried until crispy and the cheese just melted. And it didn't hurt that Frank Sinatra was playing in the background . . .OK that's my restaurant review for the week. After that we came home and watched the Longhorns beat Arizona State in the bottom of the ninth - there was much excitement around here :O)
We decided to celebrate Father's day today, since between church and Rodney having to work on Sunday evening, that wouldn't leave us much time to celebrate tomorrow. Bekah painted him a picture I think he will love - a big Texas Longhorn on a colorful background. We also got him a Washington D.C. Starbucks mug that we meant to buy when we were there but forgot - I love the power of online shopping! Happy Father's day to all you dads!!
Dale & Peggy had us out to their home in Lago Vista a couple of weeks ago to enjoy the pool and some grilled hot dogs & burgers. The kids had an absolute blast, outside of Bekah's crippling fear of wasps (not sure how to help her get over that one!) They played for hours and I actually remembered to apply the sunblock more than once, avoiding sunburn this time. The following week the kids went to Peace Camp (our church's version of Vacation Bible School) each evening and it was a really enriching experience. The theme of the camp was "Giraffe Heroes; Stick Your Neck Out". Each night they'd hear a story about an ordinary person who did an extraordinary thing to help others. What a great lesson for us all. Then they did crafts and learned songs - and here's the best part - our minister, plays guitar and wrote the songs himself. Not acoustic guitar, church-y songs, mind you, but full out electric guitar & drums! I wish I had gotten video of it, I wasn't that proactive . . It also provided Rodney and I with a free babysitter one night so we could have dinner (Baby Acapulco - yummy fish tacos) and celebrate the 23rd anniversary of our first date. People ask us all the time what makes it work for us, and of course it's nothing specific I can put my finger on - love, of course, shared values and sense of humor, and lots of patience on both our parts!
The last night of Peace Camp, we went to pick up the kids and a vicious storm hit so we had to stay put at the church for over an hour. Found out later there were tornadoes just north of us, thankfully all we suffered at the church was golfball sized hail but no damage done. Ryan was nearly hysterical with fear, not sure why? I don't get nervous during storms, I actually kind of like the excitement, but he was tearful and saying things like "we're going to die" and "this is the last night of my life" - seriously!! After much reassurance, he agreed to go stand on the porch with me and watch the rain & hail, after that he calmed quite a bit. Poor baby!
The big deal around the house this week is that Rodney has finished the steps and the floor in the master bedroom. It is GORGEOUS. And we were able to put together our new bed. For the first time in our married life, we are sleeping in a bed with a headboard and a footboard. The funny part is that with all this, the bed is about 3 feet off the ground - the kids actually need a stool to help them get on top of it! A major project completed, and Rodney did it all himself. He has become quite an accomplished all around handyman! I'm sure this is not what he pictured himself doing when we met 23 years ago. Life is always a surprise.
Last Sunday we had a pizza/pool party with some families at church who also have kids. I am really enjoying this church - I think we have finally found a community we can feel comfortable belonging to. These folks share our values and beliefs and are completely accepting and tolerant. Some of them even homeschool so we're able to bounce ideas of each other - I haven't had that before and it's really helpful. This month our minister, Jim Rigby, is doing a series on the gospel according to Monty Python. It's both hilarious and insightful. The point of it is to understand where religion sometimes misunderstands Jesus' message and/or takes it in a direction Jesus did not intend. Just watch the 'Blessed are the Cheesemakers" scene from Life of Brian, and you'll get it.
My Wednesday movies (yes, plural, this Netflix "Watch Instantly" options is too much for me to resist) were Incendiary and The Other Boleyn Girl. Why do I pick tearjerkers?? By the time I went to bed my eyes were red and swollen! They are both worth watching, although I don't normally like American actresses playing British parts, I have to say Michelle Williams was very convincing in Incendiary - and Matthew MacFadyen, one of my favorites, was perfect as an absolute creep!! Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johanson, as the Boleyn sisters, were obviously cast for their sex appeal but I though both turned in a fairly convincing performance. I'm a sucker for historical fiction, especially British period dramas, so I'm probably not a very objective reviewer.
That pretty much catches us up to the present - yesterday we went to a new place for happy hour and tapas called Pizzeria Corvina. Although a bit overpriced for a strip center location, they have a lovely interior, super friendly waitstaff and coal-fired pizza which the kids say is to die for. Beer prices are great at happy hour and they have several of our favorites on tap - Blue Moon Ale, with a slice of orange, is my new favorite this summer! They have Bass and Newcastle for Rodney. We had a cheesy fondue-type dip with toasted bread slices for one tapas, and prosciutto-wrapped figs with gorgonzola cheese for the second - surprisingly served warm, with the proscuitto fried until crispy and the cheese just melted. And it didn't hurt that Frank Sinatra was playing in the background . . .OK that's my restaurant review for the week. After that we came home and watched the Longhorns beat Arizona State in the bottom of the ninth - there was much excitement around here :O)
We decided to celebrate Father's day today, since between church and Rodney having to work on Sunday evening, that wouldn't leave us much time to celebrate tomorrow. Bekah painted him a picture I think he will love - a big Texas Longhorn on a colorful background. We also got him a Washington D.C. Starbucks mug that we meant to buy when we were there but forgot - I love the power of online shopping! Happy Father's day to all you dads!!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Catch up
I have been very, very remiss about posting . . . honestly I got caught up in Facebook and didn't see how I'd have the time to maintain my page there AND here. But I need practice writing and FB doesn't really give you that opportunity - it's more just a "fire a comment off and move on" sort of format. Doesn't really accomplish what the goal I set for this blog, which is to keep our out of town family in touch with what goes on in Casa Beeber here in Texas.
Where to start - I think I last posted in February. Since then Kate and Quentin came to visit, we had Easter and Bekah's birthday, my weekend in Port Aransas with the girls, bought a new car, went to Washington DC for a 10 day vacation, Mother's Day, attended Cindy B's birthday part in Dallas, had Bekah's piano recital, finished up school for the summer and . . here we are!
Rodney has been hard at work remodeling the stairs into our bedroom, he's almost done, just applying the clear protective coat - he's applying the 2nd of 6 coats. Once he's done we're heading out to Lago Vista to cook out and go swimming with Dale & Peggy. Bekah's just finishing up practicing piano. She performed like a pro at her recital -she played a couple of pieces, one of which was "Only Time" by Enya. Now she's learning, by her own choice, a piece by Yanni. Where she got this preference for new age music, I cannot figure . . .but it is pretty! I just taught Ryan how to make Kool-Aid, so now he's got a new job for the summer :o) I'm trying to eat better - MUCH more fruits & veggies, less meat & dairy, whole grains. I have to say I already feel better, slightly more energy. Of course as hot as it is, its easier to eat light. I've taken to making a big pot of beans every week and serving it up with rice or cornbread, and they seem to love it! Nutritious and cheap! Our little herb garden that we planted in the front flower bed is also producing - basil, sage, parsley, oregano, mint. The cilantro bolted pretty quickly so we didn't get much there. I've since ready that it doesn't like to get over 75 degrees - fat chance of that in central Texas.
Yikes, time to head out to Lago. Ryan's first tooth just came out! Tooth Fairy is visiting us tonight!
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