Where has the summer gone???

Just like the dandelion seeds blowing across my blog page - so are the days of summer!! We have been crazy busy this summer with moving Steven and Kylie to the Dallas area, keeping grandkids, celebrating birthdays, moving Austin to college, celebrating birthdays, Camp Granna, moving Britni, Chuck, Chandler and Rainey to their new house, celebrating birthdays. And did I mention moving people places and celebrating birthdays??? Gosh - that is all we have done!!! We all seem to have our birthdays in the summer and we have a few more in August to celebrate. And then if we are not moving Britni and Chuck somewhere then something is wrong!! Hopefully they will be here for a long while!!! Their new home is beautiful and the kids are really enjoying it.

So therefore I have not had much time to blog - or do anything else!! Plus the fact that our Internet service stinks!!! Hopefully we figured out some of the problems and we now have a better signal. I have lots of pics I need to post and I need to tell you all about Camp Granna!! Ciao- for now!

8 things

8 Things
I have been tagged by my sweet daughters, Britni and Kylie.
8 Things I am looking forward to:
1. Camp Granna
2. Getting to sleep late one day before school starts back
3. School clothes shopping
4. Going to see my son, Austin, at Tech during family weekend
5. Aggie football season
6. Chandler's fall sports
7. Rainey's dance class
8. Getting a new Tahoe - WHOOP!!

8 Things I did yesterday:
1. Went to the bank
2. Drove to the grocery store but decided I didn't want to shop yesterday so I left
3. Played with Austin's lab, Olsen
4. Cleaned toilets - fun, fun
5. talked on the phone to all of my children
6. Laundry
7. Watched Young and the Restless
8. paid bills

8 Things I wish I could do:
1. sing well
2. sleep late
3. make chocolate pie like my mom's
4. get my pictures organized
5. scrapbook
6. take a trip to Hawaii
7. run a mile without passing out after the first 10 steps. LOL
8. retire and not have to worry about money!!

8 Shows I enjoy:
1. Reba
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Brothers and Sisters
4. Young and the Restless
5. Dancing with the Stars
6. Criminal Minds
7. Royal Pain
8. Law and Order SVU

8 People I am tagging:
Everyone I know has already been tagged!!

Happy Birthday!!

Happy (late) birthday to my husband!! He had to celebrate by having jury duty and yes he was chosen to serve on the jury. Oh well . . . once he was finished we went to see "The Proposal" and ate lots of popcorn!! It was pretty funny!! Robert- I hope you had a great birthday!! I love you!!

South Fork Ranch

I was a huge fan of Dallas back in the day and I have been telling Britni ever since they moved into the area that I was going on the South Fork tour. Well, she surprised me on my birthday with a trip to South Fork. It was great getting to tour the house and grounds.

I can just see Bobby and Pam pulling up to the garage.


Can't you picture mean old J.R. snarling at Sue Ellen down at the pool?


Imagine Miss Ellie and Jock sitting here drinking coffee in the morning.


The huge family dinners served in this dining room.






I have to admit that it wasn't as big as I imagined it would be. Hollywood can make things seem bigger than they really are!

What a great birthday present!! Thank you, Britni for a fun trip!!

The sound of music - not hardly!!

Okay- so I had just come off of an emotional week having left Austin in Lubbock. You think your family would have mercy - but noooooo not this clan. If anyone is having a milestone birthday this family does it up right. I had gotten home about 9:30 or so Friday evening and Kylie had come in to "hang out" for the weekend since Steven was in Houston and Britni and the children had come in "because she needed a break". Those should have been red flag warning signs!! But I was tired and not thinking clearly. Since my big 5-0 birthday was coming up on Tuesday my husband, children, brother, sisters, brothers-in-law and sister-in-law decided to do something on Saturday because I would be tired from the Lubbock trip and I wouldn't be expecting it and boy were they right. About 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27 I was abruptly (more like rudely) awakened by a clanging sound. I thought Robert had knocked something over or whatever and then I thought - nope, that is my family!! Chandler and I were sound asleep in my bed when they all came in clanging on pots and pans and blowing whistles and such.



I had told the girls that I was likely to cry if they tried anything on this birthday because 50 is not setting very well with me. Britni leaned over to check on me because she thought I was crying - but I wasn't. I just thought - they got me again!



They were just laughing and having a great time. I said you better have brought breakfast and they had. They brought donuts, homemade banana nut muffins, a breakfast casserole, juice and birthday cake!! I collect Coca Cola stuff so Britni had the lady use the Coke decor.



They also brought "nice" cards and gifts but I better not reveal them on my blog but I did get some monkey butt powder and some nice undies. LOL Chandler drew this nice picture of him and me.



They are a crazy bunch but I love them!!

Seeing red (and black)

Went out west a couple of weeks ago for orientation. It seems that we are going to have to incorporate a little red and black into our wardrobe this year as Austin is going to be a Red Raider.



You remember when I posted back in January about Austin leaving the nest - well it was harder going out there with him and then leaving him there!!! I had several emotional break downs during the trip starting the day we left for Lubbock. My first breakdown was on the other side of Fort Worth and we still had several hours to drive so I tried to get myself together. About 77 miles from Lubbock I had my second break down which lasted several miles (about 77) and I realized it was going to be a hard week.

Shortly after check in and Austin is not wanting me to take any picutres on this trip as evidenced by his expression!!



The first day of orientation we went to the book store to get a course catalog. I had willed myself to buy some Tech apparel in support of my son but I was having to fight the tears so hard that I only purchased stickers for our vehicles!! I promised that I would get it together and do better the remainder of orientation. The second day they had advising and that's when we realized that when we checked in they had given Austin the wrong sheet. There were apparently 2 other Austin Taylors at this particular orientation. They had given our Austin the sheet that had Business major on it and therefore sent him to the business school for advising. I was in the parents advising session when Austin texted me and asked if I could change his major back to business and we texted back and forth and I realized he was not with the phys ed majors!! The students were supposed to go through this session with their college and then set up an appointment with an advisor for that afternoon to plan their schedule for registration the next morning. At lunch Austin told me that the lady told him to come the next morning and she would tell him what to take. I was trying so hard not to freak out but I knew this lady would be helping the students that were already majors and I didn't have a clue when she would talk to Austin and when he would be able to register. Third breakdown - and I was trying so hard NOT to cry in the student union building in front of other parents and students because I knew Austin who surely die of embarrassment. While I am having this emotional battle Austin very disgruntled with me said, "What are you crying for?!" We left the SUB trying to decide what we needed to do. He asked for help and they sent us to the Phys Ed building which was no help because he had already decided to switch back to business. At this point I had almost decided to just left him figure it all out on his own but I knew if I left the next day without helping him get things squared away that there is no telling what courses he would take that he didn't need so I found a phone number and they told us to go to advising and we got some answers and he scheduled an appointment with an advisor. We went immediately to the Sonic for a LARGE coke with extra ice and I was finally able to get my senses back. While Austin met (on his own) with an advisor who suggested some courses, I went to a couple of shops and purchased some Tech t-shirts. Yea me! That evening we went to the library so Austin could familiarize himself with the registration process at Tech and then the next morning he went (on his own again) to register!! I looked at his schedule and feigned excitement (only because I wanted to help) over his accomplishment, however I am very proud that he took the initiative in all of this even though it was all I could do to keep from telling him what to do and when to do it!!



Maybe we are both growing up. :) The next day after we did the Wal-mart/grocery thing so he wouldn't starve and a trip to my all time favorite - Raising Cane's - for lunch, it was time for me to had home. When he hugged me I no longer had control of the the tears.



His roommate, Jordan was there so Austin quickly escorted me outside. I did well on the way home. No I didn't cry all the way!! Anyway. . .I know he will be fine but it is soooooo far away!!!!!

Chandlerisms

I love this little guy!! He cracks me up.



Chandler has definitely inherited the family trait of humor. He has the humor of my brother, Steve and the quick wit of Uncle Austin. We went to the Dairy Queen the other day with some of my family. We ordered and sat down. Shortly the food arrived and my sister-in-law said, "That was fast." And Chandler piped, "That's why they call it fast food."

We went out to eat the other night and the place had some old farm equipment outside. We talked about it being really old and Chandler said, "Like in the '90s." I said, "Well, Granna must be really old." and Chandler said, "Yeah, older than those tractors."

I have always loved the show Dallas and Britni surprised me on my birthday with a trip to South Fork Ranch. (I will post more about this later.) While looking around the grounds we came to this barn.



After taking some pictures of the longhorns and a couple of rabbits that were hopping around we begin to walk on down the road and Chandler said, "Where is the Aggie barn?" Whoop!! That's my grandson!!

A little bit of everything from sidewalk chalk to ballerinas...

Earlier in June I kept Chandler and Rainey while Britni attended a workshop. We had fun creating pictures with sidewalk chalk. Here are some of our creations.



Chandler drew an excellent butterfly.





I had help with mine from Rainey.



I drew this pick up and Chandler filled it with boxes like it will look when they are moving into their new home.



Rainey is in a little dance class this summer and she looks so precious in her little tutu!!







To beat the summer heat Chuck and Britni bought a slip 'n slide for the kids. Chandler has a good time slipping and sliding and I heard Chuck nearly went through the fence. LOL







Hope you are having a fun summer as well!!

Baseball, hot dogs and apple pie

Well - it was actually baseball, hot dogs, cotton candy, cokes, peanuts, nachos, water . . .

Kylie had mentioned that Steven wanted to go to the Astros vs. Rangers game. Growing up in Houston, Steven is a big Astros fan, but we love him anyway!! We took Chandler to his first Ranger game last year and he wanted to go again so the girls checked with the whole family and Trevor ordered the tickets. We all ended up going except for Chuck who had to work. Anyway, we had a great time even though the Astros won that night.

Look at these two handsome little fans. This was Noah's first Ranger game.



Look at these two handsome fans!! :)



Cotton candy! YUM!



Chandler and Austin studying the program.



Enjoying the game.



Enjoying each other.







Getting sleepy!



Britni wanted to take home a souvenir.



I couldn't tell you a lot that happened in the game but we had a good time!!