Opposing sides……

Here are a few new photos showcasing the many sides of Erin. -Ready for the pool -

Erin dressed herself, I was just the embarrassed mother walking behind…

What did the children's museum give her?

Overall it was a long week. I have been busy working on a re-design of a luminaire catalog for a company that fabricates light fixtures for the refineries. Its been a good gig and now I am fully knowledgeable about commercial luminaire hardware. But on that note I’m ready to be done, its about as exciting as it sounds.
Until next time…..

I’m a survivor….

I returned from YW Camp last night bruised, stiff, but happy. We had a great time. Dianne and I were unit leaders over eight energetic teenage girls. We were stationed at a Boy Scout camp in Louisiana. It was four days of primitive camping, although a central mess hall provided all our meals.

The weather was beautiful considering its mid-July. We had between 65-98 degree temperatures with 70-80% humidity everyday. Each day we had certification in first aid, nature, severe weather, orienteering, etc. I taught one nature course and it made me realize how much I miss working with kids and the environment.

Dianne and I at the special program
The great thing was there was a lot of down time and a wide variety of activities. Dianne and I hung out at the C.O.P.E.S. course – a high ropes course. The first day I did the climbing wall and zip line in crocs (bad idea). The second day we did the friendship ladder. It’s a cable and wood latter with the rungs appx 5 feet apart and the height of the rungs extended in the middle.
The latter was not connected at the base so it’s continually swinging as you and your partner are attempting to climb up. When we reached the top we walked across a cable and the repelled down. I was okay until I got to the little 15” platform you jump off – I’m not sure if I made the mistake of looking down or realizing I was a looking at the top of a long-needled southern pine, which I know grow upwards of 100’. I was not nearly that high, but the thought made me shutter. However, I took the plunge off the platform before my logical side kicked and the “stupid idea” button in my brain started flashing.

Charlissa & I teaming up on the "friendship ladder"

My dentist and I discussing if he let me fall how much reconstructive dental work would I get for free.

Swinging on the high wire

Dianne and Cherise getting ready to climb & Em attempting to climb in crocs....

The rest of the week Dianne and I decided to keep our feet on the ground and became shooting sharks at the gun and archery ranges. We had great girls that did not complain about the heat and were excited to participate. They cracked me up all week. They are all in that trial and error stage of life. Its almost as if their brains work on schedules set by child labor laws – 20 hours a weeks maximum. I watched as one of our book smart brainiacs attempted to hurdle a cable fence at the archery range with a hand full of sharp arrows only to catch her knee on the top cable and nearly impale herself. I watched as they chased water moccasins and became pyros around the campfire. It took a legion of angels this week to bring everyone home with all limbs intact and in good health.

It was fun, but like everyone else after four days without air-conditioning and a good shower I was ready for the comfort of home.

So in closing all I can say is “wait on” sister……”wait on”

A Camping we will go....

I am off to girl’s camp in the bayous of Louisiana. Provided I survive the heat, alligators, copperheads, and 200 screaming insane teenage girls I’ll post next week.
Until then…..

Houton Oddities

So I gave up on the book blog, haven’t had much time to sit and read the last few months. I decided some months ago that it was time I stop the Houston hatin’. I am not saying that that Houston is a beautiful city by any means or the dream place to live but I started to do something I have not done in a long time – random exploring. I know, there always a chance of getting shot when wondering around large cities aimlessly, but I have started seeing the city in a different light. My new blog is www.houstonoddities.blogspot.com (it’s also on the side bar under Emm’s Houston photo blog)

Take a look. You have to see the beercan house…..tacky. Scroll to the bottom of the new blog - it was my first post but in reality should be on top.

Oh and by the way, I have this nice guest map sitting up in the right hand corner, I would like people to sign it.

New Shoes

Erin got new shoes this week - she loves not to wear them....

Downtown

Saturday Kate, Jared, Erin and I headed downtown. We went to the zoo (it poured rain) and then to the Unity Festival at the outdoor amphitheater. The choir was not great, but Erin digged it. Then Monday Kate, Erin and I hopped on the lightrail and went to the downtown district. We toured the plazas and went through the underground street maze. Because Houston is so hot, they sunk their streetscape underground. Now there are miles of underground tunnels lined with restaurants and specialty shops that connect the downtown districts.

Erin dancing a gospel groove at the Unity Fest.

Kate at the Beer Can House

Kate & Erin at the Petting Zoo

Emm Downtown at Main Street Square

Em & Kate and some random ducks....

The great adventures of Emm and Kate Reconvene

My childhood buddy came down to visit for a week. Kate and I grew up and frankly I think our parents were surprised to see us both graduate high school alive. It always seems like when we were together trouble was only a few steps behind. From ditching cars on icy rural roads, to canoeing flood stage rivers, to a pack of rabid wolves and an outhouse, life was always eventful when we hung out.

But now we are mature adults…..unfortunately bad luck still seems to follow close behind us.

Kate flew in Thursday morning and I picked her up at the airport. We had big plans for the night. We started off at 6:30 pm and headed for a stampin up party to appease a good friend who has been attempting to drag me into stamping for some time. I will admit we had a good time and made some way cute cards.

Then we headed to pick up 80 pounds of tomatoes I had purchased. 40/lbs boxes were only $6.00 so I decided to buy two and attempt to freeze of can them ( something I have never attempted). I went to pick up the box and the bottom row of tomatoes were rotten and I found myself covered in rotten tomato juice. We thought about going home to change prior to heading out for the night, but then again I have no one to impress so we headed to rock the dock for some live music on the bay.

When we pulled into the parking lot we realized that our back tire was completely flat. Not a big deal, a couple of Iowa girls know how to change a tire. We did not have a flashlight and the custom jack had to be fitted perfectly. Because it was dark, we had the jack a few inched out and it slipped. Luckily we had three police officers come and hold a flashlight for us while we laid in the greasy parking lot changing a tire. I don’t think they could of changed it if they tired. They probably too one look at Kate’s biceps as she muscled off the lug nuts and thought “I don’t want to make and idiot of my self in front of these women, so I’ll just stand here like a stud and hold a flashlight.” They were a great help, glad someone was not holding a gun to my head.

So finally we got the donut tire on and caught the last 30 minutes of the band. We sat in the front row eat ice cream smelling like rotten tomatoes and covered in rubber and grease.
The car spent the next two days in the shop, one for new tires (which we were planning on anyway) and one for a $300.00 repair from the jack slip (which we were not planning on, but in reality something had to go wrong that night, or it just would not of been an adventure).

New Paint

I finally finished Erin’s dresser. Brittany and I started it a few weeks ago when she was down visiting. This dresser has a long history. Jared’s dad built it from scrap wood when Jared and his brother were little and they used it through their childhood. When we got married, we did not have a dresser so we inherited Jared’s one from his childhood. It was layered with superman stickers. I stripped it down and stained it and we used it until last fall when we upgraded to a new dresser, which we found in the dumpster.
We thought Erin’s room could use a little more spunk so we gave it a new paint job. After twenty years its still going strong…..

God Speed and Come Home Safely

STS 121 - Discovery launched today, the third times a charm. This is the 32nd flight of Discovery. We watched lift off on the NASA channel as a start to our 4th of July celebration. This is Jared's first flight to work. He has the graveyard shift from 8:30 pm-5 am. He was pretty excited when he left.

We had a downpour most of the morning and then we went to a BBQ this afternoon at some friends house. Erin and I watched the first part of the fireworks, but she was tired and the skeeters were horrible so we headed home around 10pm.
Happy 4th of July! This is the 32nd flight of Discovery.

Photos from Newsday.com

Rainy Weekend

It was a slow weekend for us. It rained all day Saturday and NASA cancelled the shuttle flight both yesterday and today. They will try to fly again on the 4th, but the weather is not looking promising.

We took Erin to see Ice Age 2. She really liked it, but go bored about ¾ of the way through the movie so we took turn running her down the hallways of the movie theater.


We had our new neighbor over for dinner Friday night. Her little boy is just a month younger than Erin. Now Erin finally has someone her age to play with in our building.