My Actresses

This fall the girls tried out for and both received parts in a holiday show called "NOEL".

This is a card that was used to promote the show.

This is a write up done by a local paper.

These pictures are from a rehearsal.

Here is Ms. Rudolph. She is the mayor of the town! She does not have her red nose yet. These pictures were taken at the dress rehearsal. I could not take any during the performance as there is not flash photography allowed.

Eva is a ballerina named Belle.

Eva is using all those acting skills her sister has been teaching her!

The whole cast.

Eva's line here is, "We'll be frozen!"

The ballerinas shake their groove things here... very funny.

Time to bow.

It was a great show.

Both girls did marvelously!

A sentence from Eva

"I know how to uninsideout my shorts when the get insideouted."

As a teacher that sentence should offend me... but it is just so cute!

Black Friday

The girls and I decided to walk around the Hill Country Galleria on Black Friday. The weather was cool and lovely and the crowds just right. El's friends Jessica and Mallory joined us.

Santa was there but Eva did not want to sit on his lap.

She said, "That's creepy!"

However, the big girls did go and talk to him.

Later we had friends over to play and hang out.

All in all a lovely holiday!

30 Shopping days until Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to start out with a shout out to my BFF Holly...

It is her Birthday today! Happy 39th Holl Jean!

Fall is here. It is still sunny and dry in Texas... but it has finally cooled down a bit.

The table is ready!

The Boys are Back in Town and started out the holiday weekend with a little spoiling of the girls! Eva LOVES her Hawaiian shirt and necklace from Maui! (so does El!)

Pilgrim figurines!

They adorned the table for dinner as well.

Eva is dressed and ready to eat!

Indian Princess!

Daddy is tired out already... we haven't had dinner yet!

He needs to get rested for the big game tonight...

final rival game between University of Texas and Texas A&M!!!

UT wins!!!

Uncle Rex busy in the kitchen.

Eva decided to decorate Uncle Jim...

again!

Dinner is almost out... mmmm, mouthwatering!

If you are wondering about El's expression... she was on

fly patrol. A pesky couple of flies got into the house

and we were trying to get rid of them... or at least keep

them off the food.

Thanks"Kinder"giving

Eva loves when I come and volunteer in her classroom. I am there at least once a week. However, Thanksgiving celebration was extra exciting because Daddy came to school!

The kids did a play about the first Thanksgiving. Eva was an Indian woman. Her line was "Shhh, the baby is sleeping."

After the play the kids each had a poster saying what they were thankful for. The poster then served as a placemat as they tried foods from a traditional and the original Thanksgiving.

A Surprise Ending

Here is a picture of Cherry Bomb. She was my car for 12 years and 4 days. In all that time we drove safely and serenely about without any trouble. Then I get Sparkles. A new silver Volvo XC90. I drive her for four months and ... bang ... I get rear-ended!

Sparkles is in the shop for a week. On Friday afternoon they call and say she is ready. So I pick up the girls from school and off we go. And Stop! Ugh... Friday afternoon traffic. It takes us and hour and a half to make a 25 minute drive!

Needless to say the natives were restless... and hungry... and not to thrilled with their Friday night so far. So I make a good call. I pull into Chuck E. Cheese!

We move around, play some games, eat some food, and forget about the past two hours!!!

Fun in the Texas Sun!

Here is a "little" friend who was hanging out on our front porch. DeDe called us over to see the visitor. He/She did not seem at all disturbed by a group of gawkers. Did not seemed phased to be photographed either!

Our "little" friend is kind of long!

School Pictures

It is school picture time.

I buy them every year, although I often wonder why.

I do not do anything with them. Sometimes we remember to send them to relatives. Not often though. When I was in school we used to trade them with our friends. The kids do not do that anymore. This tradition was started long ago when cameras were not affordable as they are today. Now cameras are a daily part of life. No doubt everyone reading this has one on the cell phone you carry most everywhere you go. We are not short on pictures of our children. Pictures that are much better than those captured en mass in the school cafeteria.

Yet... nostalgia, I suppose... gets me to write that check each year.

So here they are.

Elyse Runkle

7th grade

Lake Travis Middle School

Eva Runkle

Kindergarten

Bee Cave Elementary

The hairstyle you see here has become Eva's signature style.

Bangs in a clip and a side ponytail.

Happy Halloween!

I thought Todd and I were going to miss Trick-or-Treat this year. We were scheduled to be in San Francisco with Todd's company. Our community usually Trick-or Treats on Saturday before the neighborhood party. Luckily for me it was changed this year!

Here are my Trick-or-Treaters!

El is Bellatrix LeStrange (nasty Harry Potter character)

Eva is a Barbie Witch (a remake of an actual Barbie witch)

Too sweet and beautiful to be Bellatrix!

Notice the bright orange hair!

If you look closely you can see the barbie in her left hand.

El visits the 80's

El's school had 80's day as part of their Spirit Week.

Below is apparently what El thinks we looked like in the 80's.

I'll never admit to it:)

So, what do you think about 80's El?

Eva's witch look

Eva decided to wear a witch look in anticipation of Halloween.

We baked some pumpkin shaped cupcakes and wore her witches hat.

Yes, she wore it all day.

Yes, we left the house.

Yes, she was the hit of most places we went!

Kindergarten Fun

Eva is in class painting her Monarch Butterfly wings. I was class helper and photographer that day. One is quite busy while helping 21 five year olds paint butterfly wings!

First we paint,

then we wear,

then we migrate from Canada, through Austin, on down to Mexico!

Not with 21, but 125 KinderKids, all done to song!

Playground fun!

On to Computer Lab!

I help in Eva's class each week in computer lab.

That will keep a body moving as well.

They are learning to log on, find sites by typing in addresses, navigate sites, and logging off. The hour goes quickly as I am on the move the entire time!

Eva's iTouch

So different and so much the same.

Play that is...

Eva loves to play house with baby dolls and pretend kitchen etc...

Just like I used to play.

However, play is also so different in this century.

Below is a picture Eva created on her iTouch. She picked out this app to download. She takes a photo of herself and adds it to a background and TaDa! Eva is a fairy!

Cute, no?

Bad Break-up

Eva has been watching a Disney show, Good Luck Charlie. On one show the teen girl and her first boyfriend break up. She is devastated and her mom has a long talk with her about broken hearts. Eva has seen this episode a couple times. She has asked me about my break ups. So I told her how Daddy and I once broke up... but he came to his senses... and here we are!

Eva announced long ago that she is going to marry Todd. She has never wavered from this story. I have protested that he is my husband. She has informed me that I will share. She has also stated that "Daddy is Mom's husband, but he is My prince"!

So one morning we are all in kitchen and Eva and her dad get into a bit of a tiff. It goes on and by the commentary I say, "Uh oh, sounds like Daddy is breaking up with you." We all laugh about it since there has been so much break up chatter about the house lately. We are finished with breakfast and all is quiet... too quiet. Then El comes down the stairs and tells me that Eva is upset. I go up to her room and see the most pathetic sight. My little sweetie is face down on her pink bed and weeping the loss of her boyfriend! She is devastated!

I scoop her up and comfort her. I tell her that Daddy did not break up with her and we were just teasing about all that. (Meanwhile El has gone on to get Todd to come up). She starts to feel better and then Dad arrives to let her know they are still in love! Happiness reigns again!

"Oh to be young and feel loves keen sting"

Albus Dumbledore

More fires

Sadly fires are still sparking up all over Texas. This is another one that started. This picture was taken from my patio. Too close for comfort?

A QUICK Trip to Ohio!

I made a very quick trip to Ohio to surprise Kathryn, Mark, Lolo, and my parents. The Brandts were having a "we're married and live here" party. So I was able to see their new home, see my family, and meet my new family. It was a one night stay... I think I spent more time in transit than in Ohio. But it was worth it!

Kathryn, Katie, Pat, Lauren, Kelly

or

Mom, Katie, Gramma Pat, Lo, Aunt Kelly

or

Kathy, Katie Kid, Pat, Lolo, Kelly

or

Kathryn, Katie Kid, Mom, Lolo, Me

All depends on your perspective.

My partner in crime was the one who collected me from the airport and took me to the party. Should I tell them about the speeding ticket you got on the way to the airport?

Taken just after my surprise arrival.

To my surprise... several were not surprised I was there!

Go figure.