Ten Best Memories New Year’s Card
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Kidstatution – Complaints
Why don’t you let us have phones?
Why don’t you let us eat candy every day?
We have the rightes to drive.
We do not have to go to school.
We can have jobs.
We can drink coke.
We do not have to lisin to our parints.
We do not obey grownups.
We can play rated T, M, A games. (And we have the rights)
We have the rightes to watch family guy.
[Editor's note: Written by Joshua, typed by Dad, and posted here with permission.]
Unusual, Busy, and Fantastic
Majestic Castles, High tech trains. Europe can be a pretty unusual and busy place. So going there last summer is the best thing that has ever happened to me. If it is such an unusual and busy place why did I choose going there as the best thing that has ever happened to me? I guess I’ll just have to tell you…
The food is as tasty as the finest chocolate you’ve ever eaten. Whenever I needed a snack we would get a pain au chocolat. Since food is so expensive, my brother and I had to share a hambon e fromage (ham & cheese) and an orangina. In London we always had a scrumpsious breakfast of eggs, toast, cereal and bacon made by Sue. Once we had fish and chips, and I wish we had more.
Cars streaking, bells ringing, Europe is a place for noise. Near Westminster Abbey Big Ben chimes as loud as an elephant on a rampage. But in Paris Notre Dame sings its sweet tune. In the metro station an earsplitting noise comes from a train roaring down the track.
The art in Europe is amazing, the Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Egyptian Hyroglyphs, everything you could imagine. The British Mueseam had Greek, Egyptian, Chinese, and modern artwork. In the Lourve there are statues and paintings and weavings and hangings. When we were in Toulouse, we went to the art museam where my cousin had a little paper thing on display.
London, exquisite and unique, was the last place I went on my trip. Sue, our bed and breakfast owner was very pleasing. She gave us instructions to our tube/subway stop which we needed very much because everywhere we went and everything we went to had a tube stop. We went to Greenwich, where the prime meridian is, and stood in two different hemispheres at once. We also went to Westminster Abby. I saw the gaves of Henry VII, Elizabeth I, Mary I (aka Bloddy Mary) and Chaucer.
Europe, as I found out, isn’t just unusual and busy but fantastic too. What I thought at first was “Oh it’s just going to be just a lot of paintings and churches”, but when I went I found I was completely wrong. I chose going here as the best thing that has ever happened to me, and if you go to Europe I hope you will too.
[Editor's note: This essay was written by Elijah for a 4th grade writing assignment and reposted here with permission.]
Mama Mea: The Cartoon
Joshua likes cartooning. He often comes home from school with new creations. His latest creations concern a squirrel who witnesses rather violent, random accidents and exclaims, “ma ma mea”. We think they’re pretty funny, and at least he is learning something at school.
Until I can get the originals online, I tried to re-create his latest strip using this cartooning website. The site is pretty cool, but I’d rather him keep drawing with pencil and paper rather than spending more time in front of a screen. So I tried to faithfully render his cartoon and the result is below. Or see it in full size here.
Pretty funny huh?
Tis the Season of…
The World is Too Much with Us
by William Wordsworth
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers,
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.–Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.
1807
Sunday “Long” Run
I mostly just want to post from my phone, but I do also want to keep track of my progress as I make my way back into the world of running.
Sarah and I met Sunday morning for a 4-mile jog around Lady Bird Lake trail. It was good to run and run on the trail. I’ve really missed it. We got to cheer for Run for the Water racers and felt slightly guilty for not volunteering (we were captains of a water stop last year).
Best news is that my foot didn’t bother me during or after the run. 
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Fall Back
Today was a glorious outside day. We took our kids and 4 neighborhood kids to the park where I ran 3 miles. So, whoop-de-doo, you say? Well, I’ve had plantar fasciitis since July. PF took over my life in a cruel way. I didn’t want to walk to the kitchen for fear of intense pain in my heel and foot, and running was not even on my map. For months, I have just wanted to walk and stand without pain. I honestly didn’t care if I ever ran again if I could just go about normal life without pain.
My foot is still sore a lot, but I’ve been able to slowly build up to running. I started barefoot in grass several weeks ago. It’s been up and down with the running just like this entire injury. One day, my foot feels good, and then I’m back to grimacing with pain.
However, today is a new day. I hope to fall back into running regularly. I miss it and my running friends. Let’s hope my foot is happy tomorrow, so that I might see those friendly Gazelles soon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Doggy Dash 5K
We adopted a dog this summer. Lilly is a 9-year old dachshund-beagle mix. She’s really good at escaping from our fence, and she’s really fast, much like her adopted father.
Well, of course she fits right into our active family. David signed her up for the Doggy Dash 5K. That sweet girl ran the whole way, tugging on her leash held by little boys who needed a slower pace.
We are so proud of all of our kids for finishing this 5K, but especially Lilly!
Back to School
Sunday morning, summer’s end.
Monday morning, school begins.
Last day for carefree wisps of fun.
Sunday evening,
Stomach tightens, anticipating.
A weekly ritual begun.
It’s a Major Award
I never win anything, and technically, I still didn’t win anything.
I nominated Elijah’s teacher, Michael Massad, for Mix 94.7 & Whataburger’s “Austin’s Favorite Teacher” contest. Well, he won! They picked my nomination. I was giddy because Mr. Massad deserves this award. I wish I had my nomination letter to post.
More Photos (you’ll have to scroll through Track & Field)
And here’s Heather Rivera’s blog post.
Congratulations, Mr. Massad!
