A summer of weekends...

The time I used to spend updating and maintaining this blog has all gone to Facebook... I'm obsessed with it. I realized today that I can just move pictures from Facebook over to the blog pretty easily... so, I'll catch everyone up on our Facebook pictures from over the summer.

I would put these pictures in order, but the order doesn't really make a difference, so we'll start with this past weekend!

We went to BINGO with Jessica and Bobby, they had never been and wanted to go with some BINGO veterans. We didn't win, but we all came close and had a good time.

I got a new cell phone over the summer, and although it's a better phone, it doesn't have a better camera. So I apologize for all the grainy pictures below.

We've never actually won at BINGO... we're feeling discouraged, it might be a while until we visit again.

Jessica and Bobby in deep concentration....Jessica declared "I'm so good at BINGO!" She must have practiced because she got the closest of all of us.

9/9/09 bought the Beatles Rockband, which required a party that went into the morning, people had to sleep over, and then we all went out for breakfast. I felt like I was in college again.

The Austin Pets Alive bottle feeding trailer opened last month. It took me 5 weekends to get that thing demolished and painted, but it was all worth it... it's now saving hundreds of puppy and kitty lives.

Here's Madelyn with a 3 week old kitten...fits in the palm of your hand!

This summer we also got obsessed with Scrabble thanks to Facebook. Madelyn and I can play a game with each other over the work week... when I have a minute I might play a word, when she's at lunch she might play a word.... it's a way for us to stay connected during the day. We even played a few games at home until Sugar ate an "R".

Our friend Jessica called and told us she had free tickets to Jamie Foxx.... now, we'll go to anything that's free, but when I told Madelyn that I didn't know any of his songs, she replied "Wait, he sings?" We were the only white people in the audience...

This was just after Michael Jackson died, so the DJ played a bunch of Michael Jackson songs as a dedication to him and the entire crowd was up and dancing... With all the crazy stuff he did you sometimes forget that he was an amazing artist... it was definitely very memorable to see 5,000+ stadium full of people dancing to Michael Jackson songs.

This is us at Jamie Foxx... can't you tell?

Lorena celebrated her birthday in style with some Karaoke! We had a great time and sang all night...

During the summer Austin had it's "Fashion Week", which I guess is something Austin has now... Anyway, there was a fashion show we were invited to and we had a good time.

Jarrett and I went with the "I'm at a Fashion show" pose.

Madelyn waiting for the show to start... the MC for the evening was a very entertaining 6ft tall, 250 pound, "lady".....Which I tried to get into the picture.

Our friends Lorena and Justin were in the fashion show... Lorena got her hair done crazy big.

This picture was at a surprise birthday party over the summer...

The surprise birthday party was downtown during the ROT Rally... Which is the motorcycle festival of Texas... You wouldn't believe how many motorcycles there are! It's insane!

Madelyn and Rocky hanging out in the front yard... he's the best dog in the world (don't tell Sugar)

Enjoying some breakfast at an old soda fountain/diner we found... it's our new weekend breakfast place.

We went to a party this summer called Raspberry Criminal... it was a Prince/Michael Jackson party! There were two DJs... one would play a MJ song and then the other would play a Prince song. The place was jumpin'! It was super fun.

Madelyn and Lorena trying to cool off in front of the fan turned into "Beautiful Actions".

Madelyn and Lorena wore matching white sparkling gloves... I wore my Purple Rain t-shirt. We all looked the part!

We even had a Poker Tournament! I won! I didn't feel too bad taking money from my friends because most of the money I took was Madelyn's anyway, and I took the winnings and bought Beatles Rockband, which all my friends will enjoy. My neighbor, Mike, took 2nd place.

Serious poker playing...

I'm sure I have some more pictures floating out there from the summer... I'll try and get them up here as soon as I can!

August and September update!

I start every blog with an apology on our laziness... we have just been so busy we haven't been blogging. We've been up to a lot, which I will try and cram into one blog post.

Since we last posted we've been to Karaoke parties, we've joined a softball league, we're still fostering animals and volunteering for Austin Pets Alive, and we even went to Wicked!

Can't you tell that this black background picture is us at Wicked?

Last month we had a family reunion down near San Antonio. For those of you who don't know, each member of my family is assigned a number according to when they entered the family...starting with my great grandparents. My number is 53 and Madelyn's is 124... so, for the reunion you were encouraged to wear your number in an interesting way. An hour wondering the halls of Hobby Lobby and Madelyn and I were on our way!

My grandma, #9, went with the creative glasses.

Madelyn went with the bling-bling look.

I went with the giant belt buckle.

Madelyn's parents came to town to witness Madelyn graduating from her year long intensive classes! Madelyn now had a Certificate of Financial Planning from the University of Texas... next up, the CFP test... and then Madelyn will be a Certified Financial Planner! The program usually takes two years to complete.... Madelyn did it in ONE year! Every Tuesday and Thursday of the past year Madelyn has gone to work at 8Am and arrived back home after class at 9:30pm. Every other night was spent studying. I am completely blown away that she did this for an entire year... and I'm extremely proud.

Now, normally family doesn't show up for the graduation ceremony, but me and Madelyn's parents came and cheered!

Here is Madelyn in her class.

Now, since we were there to cheer her on the class decided to cheer her on too... when they called her up everyone started cheering! It was awesome!

She did it! The certificate has already made it up on the wall!!!

After the graduation we spent the week showing Madelyn's parents around town... eating, eating, and more eating.

We went to the LBJ presidential library on the UT campus. I thought it was going to be boring, but it was actually really fun... and educational!

Before computers the white house files were all on paper... which sits on 4 floors (behind me)

I'm pretty sure the girls read every plaque in the library.

They even have an Oval Office replica.

We made it a "Johnson" day by visiting the Lady Bird Johnson gardens... where we came up with lots of ideas for our yard!

And of course Kathryn wanted a picture in front of the UT Kappa House.

Everyone knows it wouldn't be a complete blog post without pictures of our dogs.

"There's a shewolf in the closet... let her out so she can breath" -Shakira.