Alexander is ONE!

My adorable nephew, Alexander, whose birth was the spark for my first blog post, is one year old today. My sister (in-law) had a lovely birthday party for him this weekend with a great sports theme. We were invited to come dressed in our favorite sports team jersey or shirt. Naturally we wore Astros shirts (well, Cameron wore her first soccer jersey because it was sponsored by Papa & Uncle David's company.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!

Father's Day

Last Sunday was Father's Day and the girls were really excited to give Dad their presents and about 47 handmade cards. (It's a blessing and a curse to be both a mom and an archivist to be forced with this kind of an appraisal decision.) We tried to give Bryan a quiet and relaxing weekend. (key word there is tried ) Only he could tell you how well we succeeded.

Flag Day

So today is Flag Day and one quasi-news website I like to read from time to time carried a link to a story about the Star Spangled Banner. Appropriately titled, "Our National Anthem," it is written by Russian immigrant Isaac Asimov (you know, the ultimate Sci-Fi author) who confesses his weakness for our American Anthem (all four verses) and reminds us that Francis Scott Key wrote it to tell a story.

Click above for that story. It's not long, and will make you swell with patriotism, and maybe learn a little bit of our nations long-forgotten history. On a personal note, Bryan's great-great grandfather was named Commodore Perry Connally (b.1824 TN), in honor of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry who led the Battle of Lake Erie. What can I say, they were a patriotic bunch. One brother was James K. Polk Connally - and if you don't know who James K. Polk is, please don't tell me.

The picture above was taken at the Star Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum in Baltimore, where Mary Pickersgill lived and was commissioned to sew the 30' x 42' flag for Fort McHenry. The actual flag that inspired our national anthem is housed in the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. While the museum if currently closed, it will reopen in 2008 with a new gallery for this national treasure.

Madame Secretary

Yesterday a dear archivist friend & colleague, who happens to be the current President of the Academy of Certified Archivists called to let me know that I won the election for ACA Secretary. I confess to being slightly surprised as it was a three-person race with the incumbant one of the candidates. I've served in various positions within the Society of Southwest Archivists, but this is my first foray into a "national" organization. I'm really looking forward to serving, taking minutes, and serving as an officer.

Memorial Day at SBR

I haven't blogged anything about our last visit to Silver Belle Ranch, and we had such a great time. I'm having a hard time selecting from the 150+ photos we took during this weekend stay. But here are a few highlights. This weekend marked our 8th year at SBR.

"A young girl, two hands on the wheel

I can't replace the way it, made me feel

And he'd say, turn it left now, and steer it right

Straighten up girl now, you're doin' just fine...

When Daddy let me drive" - Alan Jackson

I carried this picture with me during my Society of Southwest Archivists meeting in Oklahoma City. I couldn't believe how much both girls have grown in the last year.

Each day at SBR, Dad and the boys smoked meat. Ribs and chicken one night and brisket the second. Yum. But Sunday, for some reason, they pulled the pick-up into the yard and we all sat or stood around it eating smoked/grilled stuffed jalepenos wrapped in bacon.

And drinking. Did I mention the drinking? It was a lovely, relaxing, lazy, afternoon.

I'll leave it tonight with this photo of the kids and the calves. Dad sold all of the older calves this past weekend, so several of the ones in this photo are no longer at SBR.

I think we can take 'em.

The Inevitable

Summer programs have begun (and been paid for) at the girls' school. Cameron has field trips every Monday and Thursday. Brenna has a field trip on either Tuesday or Friday. Both girls have swimming on Tuesday afternoons and Cameron has golf on Wednesday morning.

This is their first full week at summer school. In the car on the way home tonight Cameron says, "Mom, can I have a gameboy?"

I'm thinking, Uh-oh, here we go. Because just the other day I was thinking how nice it was that our girls don't really know what these hand-held toys are. The extent of their "computer time" is Webkinz, Nick Jr., Noggin, and some Screen Actor Guild website that reads books aloud. Brenna is glued to it during her computer time.

"Where have you seen a gameboy?" I ask, knowing full well that she's seen it at summer school. The sign says Gameboys allowed Mon, Tues, and Wed. only. (Board games on Thurs and book or show&tell on Friday.)

"I've seen-like-20! Everyone has one." (Some thinking) "Well, maybe 15. Can I have one please? I want a square one. Can we go to Target tonight and get one?"

I suppose it was inevitable.

We did not go to Target. But, does anyone know what the "square" gameboy is and what it might cost so I know how much to make her work for the money?

Cameron's Rodeo

Just a quick link to Cameron's dance recital this afternoon. The video was actually taken at the dress rehearsal on Saturday. She is standing on the upper left when the dance begins.

We call this the "Beef, It's What's For Dinner" Song. (Aaron Copeland - "Rodeo")



More posting later this week. We've had a busy past week of travel, but everyone is settled at home once again.