Fall Meets Winter

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving.  We did - it has been so nice to have a little time together as a family this past two days without so much of our usual bustling around.
 
Yesterday, the girls did a lot of schoolwork, but at a reasonable pace.  We nibbled on leftovers all day.  I took down the remaining autumn decorations and took a short walk,  just long enough to achieve what I am calling the Gardenmind state -very nice.

Lone Star Pa put on some holiday music last night and we put up the Christmas tree and all of the holiday decorations.  We got the Advent activities ready.  We read a bit of A Christmas Carol and watched an old Rankin and Bass special.  It was so nice.

Today there will be the Lone Star Baby's school book fair to attend and more schoolwork for the girls and grading for the grown-ups.  Also Girl Scout preparation.  I don't know if we can hold on to the sense of pleasant balance - work and family together - of the last couple of days, but it is so, so sweet when it does emerge.  I hope it is there for you as well this weekend.  Blessings.

Leticia!

Leticia Van de Putte has announced her bid for the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor and Wendy Davis has expressed support for Senator Van de Putte's strong record.

I had sort of been hoping for a Castro brother to run as I must admit to some distrust as to the feminism of the men of Texas, but I find myself thrilled. I love Senator Van de Putte.  When I was a very young legislative aide for Representative Elliott Naishtat in Austin, I remember her efforts to protect children from lead poisoning.  She rocks.

This is an historic ticket, Mamas.  There have never been two women running for the two top statewide offices in Texas before.  Let's win!

Lone Star Citizen Girl

The Lone Star Girl's schoolmates wanted to know if she would buy a pack of cigarettes or go clubbing on her birthday to mark turning 18.  She told them no...she was going to go vote.

  
Pretty sure our family outing to vote and all the proud photos made the election clerks' day.  They would probably have been even more thrilled if they had seen her studying and debating each of the amendments on the ballot so seriously the way we did.

I am absolutely sure that this was the proudest day of my life so far, hands down.

18

 My Lone Star Girl turned 18 on Halloween.  It just does not seem possible.  We love her so much and are so bursting-with-pride over the wonderful young woman she has grown up to be.  Don't blink, Mamas....just don't even blink, I'm telling you.

Greetings From The Planet Work

Hello, Faithful Readers ... if I have any left.

Sorry I have been absent for so long.  Things have just been so busy.  It is so late and so dark by the time I get home from work and commuting and get the children (or rather the child and the young adult, I suppose) all sorted and have "time" to do this and all my creativity gets tired out of me.  Usually when things are very busy, I try to catch up on weekends, but the weekends have been non-stop lately.  There have been house guests (okay - one house guest - but Seven Days) and minor illnesses and sad things. 

I shall strive to do better.  

Halloween happened and that was fun!

Baylor offered the Lone Star Girl 65K and she told them she'd think about it if they got rid of their policy of discriminating against gay people.

The Lone Star Baby's volleyball team won the championship in their league.

The most important good thing that has happened, though, is that our Girl turned 18 on Halloween....