My Beautiful High School BFFS

Beautiful, Funny, Loyal, Kind, Amazing....
I've known them since second and seventh grade , and still today count them as my best friends....

This pic was from our trip to Wheaton in August....taken in the parking lot of Cozymels......

I really have to start bringing out my good camera at some point instead of always using my phone, but I love this pic and love my friends.

Just Thankful....

For a great steak dinner out.... For a family picture in which we are all looking forward....
For my amazing just turned 12 year old boy and the reason for this party.....
For tons of amazing food and trying new things....
For my kids who may be crazy.....
but ultimately really do love each other.
Happy Birthday, Will. Your smile and sense of humor light up our lives. We are SO proud of you and love you so much.

WE LOVE ROBBIE

When we were back in Chicago, we were able to visit with my sister Karen and ROBBIE, our awesome nephew. He ran right out the front door, yelling "Cousins! Cousins", when we arrived, which cracked us up.
You know, it is REALLY hard to get a good picture in our family. Someone is always running by and doing rabbit ears behind your head. Those belong to Evie.
Evie was being restrained in the above picture, therefore this pic is rabbit-ear-less, and you can more fully concentrate on Robbie's cuteness.
I'll upload more pics when we download from Callie's camera....but needless to say, we had a great time. Karen made us the most amazing red velvet cake, and we had a great time looking at old funny pictures, Karen's BEAUTIFUL scrapbooks, and playing with fisher price toys (what memories!) The kids are all in love with Robbie.....can't wait for our next visit.

WILL IS 12!

The girls were so excited.....
They insisted on staying up late with me to decorate for Will's 12th birthday. It was a snowboarding theme and we had fun making the centerpiece out of our leaf blower and some sheets, tech dechs and Christmas decorations. Callie made styrofoam snow men, and Annie got the snow boarder to finally stand up!
He was pretty excited..... and so were they. Jim was in Houston for the night so we had him on the phone and did some "face time" so that he could see Will open his present.....a snowboard.

Did I say PRETTY EXCITED?

BIG understatement.
I know he was feeling very happy because he let me take lots of pictures!
When he got into the car for car pool, his friends all yelled "Happy birthday" and Ryan G. blew the horn.

I love my boy....Happy Birthday, Will. Can't wait to go out for your birthday dinner tonight!

Annie makes the paper!

Annie got the opportunity to take the SAT as a 7th grader through the Duke TIP program, and did great! She, her great friend Kayleigh and a few other students were recognized in the state of Texas, and got in our local paper.

Woo hoo....
Annie with her friends Sydney and Kayleigh....
Hannah, Kayleigh and Annie after the photo was taken for the paper.
This is the group of 7th graders that took the test...I think this is the picture that is going in the paper.

Great job, guys!

Review of my Dad's book, by our good friend , Dave S.

I just had to include this review of Dad's book by Dave: (Big belly laugh from me)........ Thanks Dave, you crack me up! I'll ask my dad if he can cast you in a small part in "Coincide: The Movie...."


There's an old sayin' here in Texas li'l lady... "it ain't braggin' if it's true!".

Coincide: The Orton System of Pest and Disease Management
I had no idea your Dad wrote this book! I read it years ago while traveling abroad! Extremely disappointed in the Musical rendition though, I blame it on bad casting (Joe Piscapo as the earthworm)

That really is cool though...I now understand why the great & glorious Orto is indeed, so great & so glorious!

Spraying by the season

MY DAD IS A FAMOUS AUTHOR AND THEY JUST DID AN ARTICLE ABOUT HIM IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE YESTERDAY.

THAT'S RIGHT. There are my four kids, with their famous author grandfather, having their picture taken in the famous author grandfather's garden.

Click on the link below. We are SO proud of you dad. You are amazing.

I forgive you for all the times you woke me up early on a Saturday morning during my college years to give me a raspberry.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8NddXXYGZVwDnwQYfSAEL_SNfB6nast1kEIh3Ig-tqKIjWufGeAduiQh9Mftn5_E5IbL4q5SC4yKnb8yOrA-FuKBL7dRLyFG98f2PKi4JGp1JTle1UUdfMKOUidLKfMQvFtj5ucxQSWn/s1600/authordad.jpg





Spraying by the season

Spraying by the season

Spraying by the season

CRAZY IS GOOD

Kay, my mother in law, is the best. She gives me old photos all the time because she knows how much I love them. I just found this one the other day. These are all of Jim's siblings : Kathy (hidden in back), Gigi, Chip, Marianne, and John (holding Jim), and Bill. This picture just cracks me up and I just love it....Jim looks a little overwhelmed by all the love.

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Whenever I think my house is just too full of kids and craziness, I think of how full of life and laughter and noise the Goetz's house is. Even with seven brothers and sisters running around, there is always an extra plate set at the dinner table and everyone is always welcome. I want my house to be like that.

And I think how incredibly blessed I am to have my mom and dad, sisters and brother....and Jim's amazing family.....and four crazy kids. Crazy is good.....life is good.

Final Drive From Houston.....

Ah, are we glad Jim is home for good.....
And also VERY glad to get his furniture!
Hmmmm.....was this mirror this way when he picked up the truck?
Uh, yeah! HONEST.....
Love you, Jim.....

SIDE BANGS AND FEATHERS

Lots of "hair happenings" at our house this week.....
Annie got a feather in her hair.....
She is too cool.
Evie got side bangs and can't stop looking at herself in the mirror....
and taking pics of herself. Oh, the power of a good hair cut and cool bangs that hang over one eye.........

See, this is the only problem when you steal your mom's phone to make a random movie.....it WILL END UP ON MY BLOG.

Duh, Duh, Duh, Dunh........

BUGS IN THE HOUSE

When I was in third grade, my dad was taking a course in Organic Chemistry. I can still remember how huge that book was. During his course work, he had to mate fruit flies.....red eyed fruit flies and white eyed, and took notes on all of their offspring. Now that I think of it, how do you get fruit flies to mate? Thank goodness, we were spared the gory details. Anyway, I remember my mom being not too thrilled about Dad having to store little fruit fly offspring in test tubes in the refrigerator. What a poor sport Mom was..... Anyway, there were several escapee fruit flies. Mom was nominated for sainthood soon after this.
Anyway, I tell you all this because we have many bugs in our house right now. The one Evie is holding is a meal worm that hatched from a larvae.
She couldn't wait to show her teacher, Mrs. S.!
See that little orange guy? Evie let him go, and he is now living in meal worm paradise in our back yard.
But wait....there is more. Remember Bacon, Will's bearded dragon? He eats crickets every day, about four or five. We keep all the extra crickets in a cool little cricket condo, but a few escaped and have happily taken up residence behind our refrigerator. At first it was just one....and I tried to convince Jim how charming it was....like we were camping, right? It's pretty funny, right? Now that apparently it is the hottest spot in cricket real estate, and there are at least three back there competing, its not quite as charming, but still is pretty funny. Makes me laugh at least.

Makes you all want to come visit us in Texas, right? Only the best.......

The Manly Art of Power Washing

Look at these boys. They are so happy.
I mean, honestly. Who would know that spending all day cleaning the pool deck and furniture would be that much fun......
But look at this kids face! I caught him smiling as he was working!
Boys were meant to power wash.
Wish we somehow translate that power washing love into room cleaning love.......

April Fools' Day

Ahhh.....April Fools Day. We wait for it every year.....forget about it till that morning....and then try to pull a lame joke or two off on the kids. Which usually works , provides at least Jim and I a good laugh, and then we go on our day. But this year, the kids were ready.
In the middle of the night, WITHOUT JIM OR I NOTICING (Yup....we are up for parents of the year) , Will and Callie got up and teepeed Evie's room WHILE SHE WAS STILL IN BED. She is a sound sleeper but we were amazed because they did quite the job. Annie put Saran wrap over a few of the toilets (she knew enough not to mess with ours).....they post-it noted Will's room....
This was one of my favorites. First thing in the morning, Callie says, Dad, there was a letter at the door for you. The letter is ...ahem...."from" one of his business partner, Larry, letting him know that unfortunately, he has to move to California and end their partnership. My favorite part was when "Larry" tells Jim that they can "diffedently" keep in touch.
The kids then caught this fish and put it in the hot tub........(APRIL FOOLS).....
And last but not least blocked Callie's room with a mattress. Oh, the love that a good April Fools joke spreads. Happy April Fools Day, everyone........Love you!

Scout IS good for something!

This dog is a nut and has questionable intelligence.....but we love the way she cuddles, sleeps in, and watches Marley and Me intensely.

So you have that going for you, Scout......

The Spa at Polo Run

It's a proven fact that it is stressful to be a ten year old. Which is why all fourth graders really need a spa day. This is Callie's philosophy.....and why we had a spa birthday party for her tenth birthday.
There were cucumbers for the eyes and massages for their tired, fourth grade muscles.
We did their hair in beautiful curls (right before they went swimming......hmmmmmm....didn't think that through well....)
They got mani-pedis from a trained, licensed staff of 7th graders.......
And took a break from the pampering to open a few presents!
I love this picture of Caitlyn laughing so hard at Callie and the cucumbers.
The manicure station run by our neighbor, Miranda.
Yes, you are cute.....
The front desk.....after the fact. When they came in, they chose their nail polish and flip flops and their manicure set...... Grandma and Grandpa Goetz sent a book about "The Glamour Book for Girls" (so Callie) and that was displayed too.
This is our trained, beautiful staff.......and Will, just home from a field trip at the end of the night. Lucky for him, he missed the majority of it and was just in time to finish up the goodies. But we still forced him to take a picture with all of the girls.
A calm moment for Miranda and I behind the manicure desk....
Pedicure central!
Happy Birthday, Callie girl. I know you had fun......love you so much!