Emma's Songs of Freedom Concert

The River Valley Middle School girls and boys choirs performed  "Songs of Freedom" on Monday, February 27, including a  Creole lament called "Salangadou" and a tribute to the Puerto Rican flag called "Que Bonita Bandera."  The cafeteria was decorated with flags from around the world.  Emma drew the Australian flag.  Oh!  And how could I forget the bake sale.  Emma's contribution was wonderful peanut butter cookies with chocolate icing, decorated with marshmallows and M&Ms.  The Horns had us over for dinner after the concert: I'm now hooked on stuffed portobello mushrooms.  Thanks, Al, Joyce, and Emma, for a wonderful time!

Oh! Emma's choir director is on the right.  She's Colleen Petty now, but her maiden name was Colleen Music.  Yes, it really was.

Sadie Kaye Olson is here!

Sadie Kaye Olson arrived at 12:08 a.m. February 23, in Chicago, Illinois, to Beka (Tom's brother Jim's daughter) and Scott Olson. In Facebook speak, we have a status update: we are now officially a great-uncle and great-aunt.

Otis LOVES trains: sending "get well" wishes to him too!

Here's LaWanda's note: "Howdy Mia, Otis and I really enjoyed our Saturday afternoon at the Portland Model Train Show. Otis did very well, he only had 3 tantrums including the big one when it was time to say goodbye to the trains. Even the prospect of hot burgerville french fries couldn't soothe his disposition.  Once he got his fries and cherry chocolate milk shake he settled down but was still very upset. I noticed he was tugging at his right ear and saying, OWIE,OWIE! Mommy kiss it. I knew he had an ear infection immediately. We drove straight to urgent care where they had a 2 plus hour wait to be seen by a doctor. There was no way I was gonna sit with my baby in pain for 2 hours to wait to be treated so we got back in the car and went to the Hospital ER. He got seen in 15 minutes, and was home with his antibiotics within an hour. Considering he had an ear infection, I think he did remarkably well."

Amon's in town

Flower child

Anjanette, Amon, and Jade Fox swinging on the front porch on our 89 degree day.

Jade likes to make the flying kitty cat spin

Somebody nodded off to sleep on Daddy's shoulders

Mardi Gras in Nawlins

Colton's up on the ladder, the better to catch beads with.  He and Destry and their Dad (John) spent the night on St. Charles Avenue to ensure a good parade viewing/bead catching spot on Mardi Gras day

Destry waited so long for the parades that he grew a mustache

While DonnaLynn was out watching the good times roll, somebody decided to TP her office desk:  "let the toilet paper roll?"

Nobody we're related to, but I'm sure their mothers are proud (and maybe missing some essential garments).

Let the good times roll!

We brought out the Pat O'Brien's glasses, the beads, and the golden coconut from the 2009 Zulu parade (Thanks, DonnaLynn!)

Our vegan, healthy Hurricane in a glass was composed of spinach, carrot, pear, apple, lime, celery, and ginger juices.  Not shown are the shrimp po' boys.  We finally found a place that has po' boys on real New Orleans bread: Lee's Hurricane Party, a trailer in UT's West Campus.  Makes all the difference!

LiveStrong Marathon in the 'hood on Sunday, February 19, 2012

Waiting at the end of our street for the first runner to zip past.  We were at mile 20 or 21.

The road belonged to runners and cars, although the runner  depicted  looks more like a walker

The first runner came through around 9:10 a.m.  The main part of the 20,000 participants  was easily an hour behind him.

Water station at Thunderbird Coffee House, around the corner from us

And no water station would be complete without a live band

And lest Nawlins think it has anything on Keepin' Austin Weird . . . .

So I'm bring groceries in from the car when I see a pink bunny pedal past on a bicycle built for two.  Why not?

Jade Fox

Jade, age 10 months

Seeing some curls

Mardi Gras: just a week and a day away!

I'm with Sista Lynn when it comes to standing outside in 29 degree weather for a Mardi Gras parade.  But that was Sunday, February 12.  She's happy to report that as of today, the weather is a lot warmer and expected to stay that way through February 21st.  

Elton Tom, piano man

Tom's been practicing a lot of Elton John's work on his new keyboard.  He and friend Phil have a gig at Book People on March 9, the first day of SXSW.  I think that makes him a professional musician, right?

The Roland fit, after we moved the baby seat.  Looks like there's room for a couple of amps, a stand, and a guitar.  

Natural Grocers Second Annual Day of Luxury

Our favorite grocery store held a Day of Luxury on Sunday, February 12.  Lots of chocolate samples! Mmmm!  Cashier Devyn serenaded customers Jade and Anjanette.

Customers could make Valentine's Day cards.  See the celery, used as a flower stamp?

Ta-da!  Anjanette with her finished Valentine card and Jade with the plastic cup that kept her  attention  while  I walked around the store with her so Mommy could finish the card

Happy Valentine's Day from Mya

Mya used the WHOLE sheet of stickers

Happy Valentine's Day from River

And River loves New York too

Artist Mya

We asked Mya to draw a picture for us.  She left the phone for a minute, then came back breathless to say, "I drew a pig." Ryder asked her to put her name on the picture and she said, "But they already know my name."  Yes we do, Mya Sage Lewis!  We were so happy to receive Mya's drawing in the mail a couple of days letter.

Dinner with Anjanette and Fox

So right around the corner from us is the Thunderbird Coffee House.  We can hear the live music from our back deck.  We had Groundhog Day dinner here with Anjanette and Jade.

Fox with the racoon that Daddy gave Mommy.   He fell over on Fox's leg just as I took the photo.

Fox is sooo close to walking!

And hula hooping

We tried to take a photo of ourselves in the mirror.  I'm "flashed" out of the mirror photo.  Can you spot me on the dresser with baby Amon?  And that's Amon with Jade Fox.

Happy 84, Dad!

Daddy with his daughters:  Martha June, Donna Lynn, and Sharon Dianne
We all met in Shreveport on Saturday, January 28 to celebrate Daddy's 84th, although he wasn't 84 until January 30.  

Mardi Gras King Cake: thanks, Sista Lynn!

Lynn brought us a Mardi Gras King Cake from New Orleans.  The King Cake is baked with a plastic baby inside.  Whoever gets the piece of cake with the baby in it hosts the next King Cake party.  Parties go on for several weeks before Mardi Gras, until Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins.  This year, Mardi Gras is on February 21st.  Forty days of Lent follow, then Palm Sunday.  Can you spot the baby in the cake?

This is a different King Cake that Lynn brought to Mema and Pepa Hogan's house in Shreveport.  I think Papa Tom has found the baby!

Ta-da!  Papa Tom, you're in charge of the next party!

Welcome, Patches!

Al and Joyce found this kitten outside a restaurant in Waco.  He's now known as  "Patches," and in very good hands, as you can see

Patches is a boy and about 6 months old

Remember poodle skirts?  Or since you aren't old enough, do you remember hearing about them or seeing them in an old movie?  Emma's participating in Cotillion; for 50s night, she wore a cat skirt that Joyce made for her.