Natalie does well.

Natalie's Volleyball team had a good game today they won 2 matches today. She did a great job hustling and playing. Way to go Nat..

Jays Win,

Benson's team won today, this was the first of the season. (There is one game left then a tournament, so we have at least two games left.)

Benson had a Double with a thrown bat, and a warning. Then a single without a thrown bat, and stole home. He also some how managed to half slide and try and stop on third and ended up doing something that looked like a John Travolta move. The batter had to take time to gain composure before he could hit.

We had a very nice complement about what a good, respectful and teachable player he is. Nice Job B.

Weather...

Gotto love Texas weather, especially in May. This place is crazy this time of year. (I think Brandi can attest to that...) We have had a few inquiries about how we are doing in with all the weather we are having here. Well we are good. We see lots of tornado watches, and warnings and flash flood watches and warnings and all sorts of severe thunderstorm warnings those are really obvious at 4AM when the whole house shakes and the neighbors car alarms go off. There are some quite terrific storms here and I have to say I kind of like them. But so far so good nothing to report.

There are some things about the weather I don't care too much for:

• When it is 12.3 billion degrees Celsius in August. I have to admit, I now have a car with AC so I am kind of looking forward to it.
• When there are two ice days in the winter and no food in the HEB.
• When it cools down to 98 at midnight in August.
• Its September and 12.2598 billion degrees, AHHH so much cooler, makes football watching not so fun, sure I will still go watch...

But remember with the bad comes the good:

• Trick - or - Treating in shorts
• October football games are a very a pleasant 70 degree evening
• No heating bill in the winter
• We can cook out and wear shorts and flip flops at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.

So all this weather stuff got me thinking about some fun weather facts about where we live so here you go, don't be depressed, and by all means don't move here :-)

Ave high - 79

Ave low - 58

Ave annual rain fall - 32" (BTW Portland and Seattle are 37" and 36" respectively, it could make up the 5 inches if it wanted to in like 3 hours)

Sunny days/year - 300

Days above 80 - 189

Days above 90 - 111

# of days that dip below 45 - 88

# of days that dip below 32 - 19

Record for consecutive days above 100 - 41 (2000, for those of you keeping score that was the year we moved here)

Hottest recorded day - 112 (2000, see above, it was HOT)

Coldest Day - when BYU beat Utah in 2006 wait, when Texas lost to A&M in 2006, oh I mean it was actually -2 in 1949

I found all this stuff on the internet so it must be true!

Anyhoo we are all doing good and haven't seen OZ yet, much to Xander's dismay...

A whirlwind of busy!

Whoa have we been busy this week! Have hardly had a chance to see my husband. He was out of town Thursday and Friday, and made it back just in time to run his head off for the PTA President. He is the best assistant ever! Saturday was our 3rd Annual Carnival at the school. We made a decent amount of money to help provide field trips, special books, supplies for teachers and so forth. This has been such a good experience this year I am doing it for one more. Yes, I am a big SUCKER!! Poor Josh!

Between PTA and planning girls camp I feel like I just run from meeting to meeting, but it is all for a good cause.

We have girls camp June 18-22 this year. My parents will be in town and so have offered to help with my kids. That is a big help to Josh! The kids are almost old enough to look after them selves, but it is better if there is someone else with them. Our theme for camp is "Are you Ready?" We are basing our whole week on the parable of the Ten Virgins. Funny thing is, I am so not ready. This is definitely for me!

Last week or so my sister put on her blog a list of their favorite things. I am going to copy her. I thought it was cool and gave me insight. So here you go:

Xander:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
• Eating Popsicles with Dad in the living room
• Performing numbers from the musical "Wicked" on the coffee table
• Dressing in character (Cat in the Hat, Willy Wonka, Elphaba)
• Cheetos and chocolate (not together)
• Busy Bee School

Madison:

• Playing with friends
• Corn nuts for snack
• Swinging in the back yard
• Carrots with ranch
• Painting her nails and doing her hair
• Disney tween show (Hannah Montana, Suite Life, High School Musical)

Natalie:

• Her friends
• Checking and forwarding email
• Salad for lunch
• Hugs
• Crafts and scrap booking
• Cooking (especially breakfast)

Benson:

• Baseball, Baseball, Baseball
• Playing Baseball
• Watching Baseball
• Buying Baseball Stuff
• Gatorade
• Guitar Hero I and II

Chrissta:

• JOSH
• Dates with Josh
• Watching the kids play sports
• Girls Camp
• Morning Workouts with Jill
• Hanging out at home with family and friends
• email (it's a weird addiction)

Josh: (as perceived by Chrissta)

• The Office, Heroes, Planet Earth
• Helping people
• Guitar Hero (not that he gets to play very often)
• His wife (he says he really likes me)
• Benson, Natalie, Madison, Xander
• His cute new car

Well, that merely scratches the surface but gives you an idea about us.

Hopefully we will have some time to take more photos and get them up this week.

"Girl You Know It's True"

There was a time in my life when I loved to listen to Milli Vanilli. Remeber these guys? Rob and Fab. Their careers were cut short because it was discovered that they were not actually singing, but lip synching. Well, anyway, I loved their music!! So many dances and doing the "running man". Well, in some passing conversation I mentioned to my friend, and ever inspiring work out partner, Jill Smith, that I loved their music and that someday I was going to buy their CD. Tonight we met to evaluate and set some new fitness goals and when we were all done she hands me this lovely Cornflower Blue gift bag with a cute floral/fern print. Inside was a picture of Xander and I she had taken one day when we had gone to a baseball game with her. It is very cute!! And then, nestled in the bottom of the bag was Milli Vanilli Greatest Hits! Are you kidding me?? How cool is that!!! Whenever I buy a gift I try and think about discussions I have had with a person, and try and remember something that I know they love or want but that you might not think of off the top of your own head. Do you know what I mean? Not just something you wondered around the mall looking and decided on, but something with real meaning or connection. Well, she nailed this one! I put it in my car and listened to it all three minutes back to my house, listening to just the first 30 seconds or so of about 6 songs. Each time a new one started I would smile so big, dance in the driver's seat and just giggle! I will enjoy this CD and will down load it on my way cute pink iPod Josh got me for our 15th Wedding Anniversary. Tonight I am grateful for music, and amazing husband, exercise, Milli Vanilli and a friend who truly listens and hears me!!

B-Rod

Benson, AKA B-Rod, has taken to this baseball thing. It must come from his mom, as I do not have any skill in this area, word has it his grandpa Hinze was quite a player... I however, will watch any sport; I am good at watching baseball.

B-Rod was up 3 times today: First time, he swung and hit a roper to the right center fence for a double, I think he drove in two runs. However he has a habit of letting go of the bat emphatically, some folks might call it throwing, and it hit the ump in the leg... He was not too happy, and per league rules B-Rod got a warning, Next time he does it he's out the ump said...

Second time: he got a little behind in the count but finally he connected, it went about three feet, so essentially it was a bunt. (He did not throw the bat.) He out ran the throw to first and drove in another run. On the next hit he ran home safely, from first. By the time he rounded third he was really moving and made the catcher think twice about standing in front of home, (not to brag but he is about 180, 5' 8 ish and runs a 5.5 40). Nice bit of base running, he gets his cat like reflexes and speed from me I am sure.

Third time: time has run out for the game, they only have 90 min games, the score is tied, (BTW we have not won a game yet this year) and the bases are loaded with one out. The count is 2-1, Benson gets his pitch and puts it into right field, and scores three runs, the team is going nuts. We won our first game. It was great, the players are lining up on the base lines to say well done to the other team, then the coach on the other team yells "didn't he already have a warning"? and the Ump, who had moved to the first base line, called Benson out for throwing the bat. Nobody on our team saw it, I am not even sure if the ump saw it, but the other coach and the opposing fans did, of course.

The next batter came up and he stuck out swinging and trying, poor guy was in a tough spot.

Benson was mad, to say the least, but he is OK. Not so sure about Aunt Tara, she is still mad. B and I had a long talk about it on the way home, and the coach called him after the game and told him it was OK, and he is really proud of him, and that they were in a position to win because of him. Very classy guy.

Benson is making improvements every game, and has become an emotional and genuine leader on the team. What a guy. I love this game, being a level tempered parent is tough!

Natalie played her first volleyball game today. This is the first time she has played on a sports team. When she showed the least bit of interest, of course her mom jumped on that! She is doing great and we are so proud of her! She had some great bumps today!