Signs around Austin...

So this past few weeks we've been paying closer attention to some unusual signs around Austin. They are too colorful not to share...

Summer's Slipping Away...

We have about one week until Stephen begins grueling football two-a-days and two weeks before I return to work. Where did summer go so quickly? It has been a hot one without enough rain. Last week I stayed with my big sister in Houston while some co-workers and I attended professional development and then I brought my niece, Hannah, home to visit a few days. My sister asked what it was like to trade for a daughter....I must say nice. Mike asked me if I was trying to trick him into wanting a daughter since she was sweet, didn't talk back, and was interested in helping out with his fish.

I took Hannah tubing on the San Marcos river one day and we ran into some interesting folks (as usual). An older group kept calling out "Ticca-tacka, ticca-tacka...Oi, oi, OI!" We have no clue what they meant... Later that Friday we drove her to downtown so she could watch the bats take flight from underneath Congress Street bridge and later we dinned at one of our favorite quaint local Brazilian restaurants, Sao Paulo's. After dinner she declared that Brazilian is now her favorite kind of food.

Saturday morning Hannah and I enjoyed the local favorite spot for crepes, Fliphappy. About noon Stephen finally returned from his Canada trip and to celebrate we all went swimming at Barton Springs Pool. There isn't much else worth doing on a scorching hot summer day. That night we drove to Houston to return Hannah to her parents. Sunday we we able to spend the day with my Aunt Suzanne and Uncle George who were visiting from Tennessee. It was great to see them. Hopefully next time they'll come to see Austin.

Yesterday Stephen and I spent the day at the Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop with Marga, Jonah, and Hannah. That evening Jenny and Molly stopped by to see us as well. This weekend we are picking up Jordan, Mike's nephew, to hang with us for a week. I suppose we're trying to squeeze in as many family visits as possible before summer subsides....

Keep Cool!
Laura, Mike, n Stephen

Birthdays, Reunions, and Beaches....

June flew by already? Last month we had a lot of excitement. Misty and her kiddos visited from Marshall and we gave them a brief tour around Austin and visited SeaWorld in San Antonio. Next we celebrated Noah's birthday at the lake house. We hosted a surprise poker party for Mike's birthday. It was great that so many friend's made it over to celebrate with us...he didn't figure it out until we crossed the threshold at our house where we were (so he claims). We served a plethora of his favorite foods, hot wings, pizza, chips, and cake. He was not as successful at poker, but still enjoyed the game. The last weekend of June we drove to Dallas for Mike's 20-year high school reunion which was fun. Earlier in the day we ate lunch with a couple of his high school friends who have been living overseas. Later that night he had fun seeing who recognized him with his drastic change in hairstyle. Sunday morning, after the reunion, we caravaned south and spent a few days at North Padre Island with Mike's parents. We stayed at their old favorite spot, Island House, right on the beach. We brought Noah along to offer Stephen some youthful company. On Tuesday morning we woke up very early to witness the release of a few hundred Kemp's Ridley sea turtle hatchlings. Each time a turtle made it out to the sea the audience applauded their triumph. The sad truth is that only a handful of the hatchlings we saw released will live through their first year.

For the 4th, Mike, Stephen, and I went downtown to Auditorium Shores to listen to the Austin Symphony play and to witness the fireworks. It was a pleasant way to celebrate Independence Day.

Early Monday morning Stephen and a group of fellow boy scouts began their trek to Canada. They are off to the Northern Tier of Canada where they will canoe and portage along the lakes and great wilderness for about 10 days. He is scheduled to return on the 18th. We hope his trip is safe and he steers clear of grumpy Caribou.